ÏMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONNECTING AND JOINING THE WIRES USED FOR ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS, AND ALSO THE WIRES AND WIRE ROPES USED FOR FENCING
Year: 1874

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PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Timmins at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents; with his Petition, on the 4th
November 1874.
I, HENRY TIMMINS, of St. John's Works, Southall, in the County of
Middlesex, Engincer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for
"ÏMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONNECTING AND
JOINING THE WIRES USED FOR ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS, AND ALSO THE WIRES AND
WIRE ROPES USED FOR FENCING," to be as follows:-
1
This Invention has for its object improvements in the apparatus and
arrangements used in connecting and joining the wires used for electric
telegraphs, and also the wires and wire ropes used for fencing, whoreby
greater convenience and readiness in connecting and joining or dis-
connecting the same may be obtained, and also a means of giving a final
strain or stretch and adjustment after they are placed in position and set
up in. the ordinary manner.
In carrying out my Invention relating to the wires of telegraphs or
wire foncing I take a piece of metal, which may be a piece of tubing of

page_text: the required size and length, and at one end in the inside I cut a right-
handed screw, and at the other a left-handed one. On the end of one
wire or rod to be joined I cut a right-handed screw, the thread being of
a similar pitch to that in the piece of metal or tubing, and on the other
wire or rod a left-handed screw. By inserting the right-handed screwed
end of the rod or wire into the corresponding screwed end of the piece of
metal or tubing, and the left-handed screwed rod into the other it will be
found on turning round the piece of metal or tubing by means of a
spanner or other convenient tool, the part being made square, hexagonal,
octagonal, or provided with a hole for the spanner or tool to fit, that the
two ends of the wires or rods will be drawn together so as to give a
further strain or adjustment, and also that the ends will be firmly
connected and a good neat sound join of the two wires or rods obtained,
whilst by reversing the direction in which the piece of metal or tubing
had been turned the ends will be readily detached and the wires or rods
come apart.
When employed for connecting or joining the ends of wire ropes I
sometimes use three parts, two of which are formed with conical or taper
holes through them, which holes have the ends with the larger openings
towards each other when connected together, and having passed the ends
of the wire rope through the smaller ends of the holes, I enlarge the ends
of the ropes by turning or doubling over the ends of the wires, or in any
other convenient manner so as to fill tightly the larger hole and prevent
the wires being drawn out or through the holes, and on the exterior of
one of these parts or pieces I cut a left-handed screw, and on the other
part or piece a right-handed screw. To connect these parts or pieces I
use a short socket or tube with a right-handed screw cut on the inside
at one end and a left-handed screw at the other, and the part fitted so
as to be operated by the spanner or other tool, so that on each piece or
part being inserted in its proper end of this socket or tube the same on
being turned round by the proper tool may draw the ends together,
and so make a neat, strong, and adjustable "joint" or connection.
In order to prevent the untwisting of the wire rope when under
tension acting on the screwed parts so as to uncrew them where it may
not be convenient to place the parts so that the untwisting action may
tend to screw or keep them together, I form the parts in which the
conical holes are made, and in which the wire ropes are secured, so that
they may turn or move in two other parts in which the screws are formed;

page_text: and by means of internal flanges on these pieces and external flanges on
the parts in which the holes are formed, the wire ropes can be strained
or adjusted as required, and at the same time revolve or partially revolve
without unscrewing the connection or "joint."
In place of employing the connection or "joint" composed of three or
five parts, I may make the same of two only, a screw thread being cut
on the inside of one part and on the outside of the other. In this case
a right-handed or left-handed screw as preferred being employed in
place of both.
I may sometimes form the connection or joint of two links or parts to
each of which the wire ropes are attached at one end, and at the other
I make a hole in which a right-handed or left-handed screw is cut
according to the position it is to occupy in the connection or "joint,”
and I take a spindle, rod, or piece of metal of the desired length or size,
and on one end I cut a right-handed screw and on the other a left-
handed one so that when the ends of this part are inserted in the screwed
holes in the links, and it is caused to rotate by a spanner or other suitable
or convenient tool applied to the part fitted to receive it, it may draw
the links together and so tighten up the wire ropes and make a strong
and convenient "joint" or connection.