IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CABLES OR ROPES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Stewart Duncan, of Kildare Terrace, Bays-
water, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CABLES OR ROPES."
Sealed the 19th November 1861, and dated the 27th May 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Stewart Duncan
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th May 1861.
I, CHARLES STEWART DUNCAN, of Kildare Terrace, Bayswater, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CABLES," to be as
follows:-
The wire or wires, or strands of wire to be used as the electric conductor,
are to be first covered with gutta percha, india-rubber, or marine glue, either
separately or combined, or other suitable insulating material, which has then
laid around it spirally, longitudinally, or otherwise, bamboo, ratan cane, jungle
rope, or any of the cane of the genus rotang or cane generally, either in
strips, sections, or in its natural or entire state, whereby the conducting wire
or wires, which in some cases I propose to be triangular, square, hexagon, or
other regular figure, and the insulating medium are completely covered and
protected.
In some instances, before applying the cane, I propose laying on a setting
or bedding of yarn hemp the interior fibre or core of the cane when stripped

page_text: of its outer skin or rind, or any other fibrous material, or shavings of any
wood or leather, saturating the same in a preparation of oak bark, terra
japonica, mammosa, or sea squill tan combined with tar water. I also treat the
cane in a similar manner for the general preservation of the insulating material,
cane, and bedding. When I lay the cane over the insulating material in close
contact, I cover the same with an outer coating of gutta percha, india-rubber,
or marine glue, either separately or combined, and then proceed to lay on the
bedding and cane in the manner before mentioned. In splicing the cane I
use a dovetail, scarf, or any other suitable joint or splice, causing the joints (o
adhere by means of a marine glue, or a cement composed of gutta percha and
pitch in equal proportions, or other suitable cement'; then binding or securing
the said joint or splice with copper or other metal wire or band, having first
taken care to break joint.
To prevent the untwisting, looping, or what is known as "kinking" of the
cable, or opening up of the cane or outside cover, I bind the cable with
hempen cord, or any other such like fibrous cord of adequate strength, or
wire.
The principal object of this Invention being the use of cane of any denomi-
nation for coating or covering the insulating material of electric telegraph
cables or ropes, whereby great strength, flexibility, and durability are obtained,
and all tensile strain removed from the conducting wire and insulating
medium, and thrown on the cane, with very little weight, as well as a more
perfect insulation, protection of the interior wire; these being very important
desirata in electric telegraph cables or ropes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Stewart Duncan in the Great Seal Patent Offico
on the 27th November 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
STEWART DUNCAN, of Kildare Terrace, Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Charles Stewart Duncan, Her special licence that I, the said Charles
Stewart Duncan, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others

page_text: as I, the said Charles Stewart Duncan, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CABLES OR ROPES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Stewart Duncan,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Stewart Duncan, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of electric
telegraph cables or ropes by the application of cane in various forms, and for
which application Letters Patent were granted to me on the 4th day of
December 1860, No. 2980.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I will now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the samo
into practical effect, as follows:-The wire or wires, or strands of wire to be
used as the electric conductor, are to be first coated or covered with gutta
percha, india-rubber, or marine glue, either separately or combined, or with
other suitable insulating materials. The conductor, with the insulator, is then
to be covered longitudinally, spirally, or otherwise, with bamboo, ratan cane,
jungle rope, or any of the cane of the genus rotang, or cane generally, either
in strips, sections, or in its natural or entire state. And I also use the entire
cane hollowed or bored out for the purpose of introducing the insulated wire
or wires therein, (which wires, in some cases, may be triangular, square,
hexagonal, or other regular figure,) whereby the wires and the insulating
material are completely covered and protected.
In some instances, before applying the cane, I lay on a setting or bedding
of yarn hemp the interior fibre or core of the cane when stripped of its outer
skin or rind, or any other fibrous material, or shavings of any wood or leather,
saturating the same in a preparation of oak bark, terra japonica, and mam-
mosa or sea squill tan combined with tar water. The process of tanning is

page_text: either the one of allowing the cane to remain two or three weeks steeped in
this tanning liquid, or I put the cane in an air-tight vessel or tank, from which.
the air is exhausted, and as complete a vacuum obtained as possible. Con-
nected with this tank by a pipo and stop-cock is a vessel containing the
tanning matter, preparation of creosote, or silicate of potassium, which is
passed into the interior fibre of the cane, thus assisting to preserve, and giving.
additional specific gravity to the cane. I also treat the cane in a similar
manner for the general preservation of the insulating material, cane, and bedding..
I also use coir fibre, or any other fibre intermixed with cane, either plaited,
twisted, or otherwise; the same may then be subjected to the treatment before
described, and afterwards applied to the conductor or other wires, either before.
or after insulation, for the purpose of protection and strength. I also combine
cane and hemp, or other fibrous material, or cane and steel, or other metallic
wire or wires, or all three in combination, as may be found most desirable in
practice. When I lay the cane over-the-insulating material in close contact,
I cover the same with an outer coating of gutta percha, india-rubber, or
marine glue, either separately or combined, and then proceed to lay on tho
bedding and cane in the manner before mentioned. Electric cables or ropes
constructed according to this Invention are alike applicable for submarine,
underground, housetop, aerial, railway, and other such like purposes. In
splicing the cane I use a dovetail, scarf, or any other suitable joint or splice,
causing the joints to adhere by means of a marine glue, or a cement composed
of gutta percha and pitch in equal proportions, or other suitable cement; then
binding or securing the said joint or splice with copper or other suitable metal
wire, band, or clasp, or wire coiled transversely; which method is also
especially applicable to the purpose of giving sufficient gravitation, and causing
the cane to descend to the bottom of the sea in an even and horizontal
position; in all cases first taking care to break joint.
To prevent the untwisting, looping, or what is known as "kinking" of the
cable, or opening up of the cane or outside cover, I bind the cablo with
hempen cord, or any other such like fibrous cord of adequate strength, or wire,
or strips or sections of cane, either transversely or spirally.
The principal object of this Invention being the use of cane of every denomi-
nation for coating or covering the insulating material of electric telegraph
cables or ropes, whereby great strength, flexibility, and durability are obtained,
and all tensile strain removed from the conducting wire or wires and insulating
material, and thrown on the cane or external covering with very little weight,
as well as a more perfect protection of the interior wire or wires; these being
very important desiderata.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my said Invention of "Improvements
in the Construction of Electric Telegraph Cables or Ropes," and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would remark, in conclusion, that I do
not confine or restrict myself to the precise details herein described, as slight
variations or modifications may be made therein without in any way departing
from the principle of my Invention; but what I claim as my Invention, and
therefore desire to be secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent, is,-
Firstly, the application to telegraph wires, or conductors, of cane of every
denomination, either in strips, sections, or fibres, or in its entire or natural
state, or cane hollowed or bored out, as described.
Secondly, the application of cane intermixed with coir fibre, hemp, or other
suitable fibrous material plaited or twisted together, or otherwise, and applied
to the conducting wire or wires ceither before or after insulation.
Thirdly, the application of cane, hemp, or other fibrous material in com-
bination with steel, iron, or other suitable metallic wire, or cane and wiro
placed over or around the setting or bedding, as before described.
Fourthly, the mode of splicing or jointing the submarine cables or ropes
in the manner described, and covering such joints for the purpose of obtaining
the necessary gravitation to cause the cables or ropes to descend or sink to the
bottom of the sea in an even and horizontal position.
And, lastly, the general combination and construction of electric telegraph
cables or ropes, either for submarine, aerial, subterranean, or other purposes,
by the admixture of cane with fibrous materials, or suitable wire, or both,
or cane in its entire state, in the manner herein-before fully described and
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Stewart Duncan, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-one
C. S. DUNCAN. (L.S.)
Witness,
L. J. WETHERELL,
Clerk to Messrs. Prince & Co.,
4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross,
Having first read over the same to the said C. S. DUNCAN.