IMPROVEMENTS IN INSULATED ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CONDUCTORS, AND IN THE MODE OF AND MEANS FOR PROTECTING TELEGRAPH WIRES WHEN USED FOR SUBTERRANEAN, SUBMARINE, OR OTHER LINES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Thomas Henley, of Plaistow, in the County
of Essex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN INSULATED ELECTRIC
TELEGRAPH CONDUCTORS, AND IN THE MODE OF AND MEANS FOR PROTECTING
TELEGRAPH WIRES WHEN USED FOR SUBTERRANEAN, SUBMARINE, OR OTHER
LINES."
Sealed the 7th November 1876, and dated the 9th May 1876.
"
IMPROVE-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Thomas. Henley at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th May 1876.
WILLIAM THOMAS HENLEY, of Plaistow, in the County of Essex..
MENTS IN INSULATED ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CONDUCTORS, AND IN THE MODE OF
AND MEANS FOR PROTECTING TELEGRAPH WIRES WHEN USED FOR SUBTERRANEAN;
SUBMARINE, OR OTHER LINES."
The main objects of this Invention are to construct telegraph lines at a cheaper
rate than hitherto, and also to afford them a more efficient protection from injury,
all as herein-after described.
When more than one conductor is required I propose to cover the wire or strand
of wires with one, two, or more coats of pure india-rubber, laid on spirally, and
then with a layer of felt, without first applying the layer or layers of india-rubber
compound for vulcanizing, as employed in the usual way; I then pass the covered
wires through ozokerit, paraffin, or similar material, and then lay them up spirally
into a strand of as many wires as are required.
1
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings show seven separate conductors
so laid up. I then cover the rope of wires with a coating of india-rubber com-
pound suitable for vulcanizing, so that when submitted to the curing process,
according to my Patent dated 26th December, 1875, No. 4115, the whole becomes
properly vulcanized and protected from change or deterioration. I am aware plans
have before been proposed to lay up separate wires into a strand, each wire covered
with india-rubber compound dusted over with French chalk or other similar
material, to prevent the several insulated wires from adhering together after the
curing process, but my proposed mode of covering each conductor with pure rubber
instead of a vulcanizing compound, and then with felt afterwards passed through a

page_text: bath of melted ozokerit or paraffin, before laying up and covering with the
vulcanizing compound, will be found far superior.
Another method I propose for insulating the conductor is as follows:-I first
cover the wire with cotton or other suitable fibrous material, then to remove all air
and moisture I enclose it in an air-tight vessel surrounded by a steam jacket, and
when properly heated I exhaust the air and moisture from the vessel containing
the wire by an exhaust pump or other suitable means, and then allow heated
insulating compound to pass into the vessel, and then, if desirable, force the
compound in by means of a force pump, when nearly cold, but not sufficiently so
to cause the wires to adhere together, I take the insulated wire out and pass it
through a die or rollers, which makes it round and smooth.
The compound may be a mixture of gutta percha and india-rubber and ozokerit
or paraffin, india-rubber, linseed oil, and rosin, or any other suitable compound; a
very good one can be inade with india-rubber and cowrie gum. These insulated
wires may, if required, be laid up into a rope and then coated with gutta percha, or
any other suitable material, put on with a die or otherwise.
When using insulated wires for subterranean lines, tunnels, or any other situation
where such protection is needed, I propose to enclose them in wrought-iron or steel
troughs or pipes, of some of the forms shown in Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.
To fasten the bottoms and tops together I make use of the following methods:-
With suitable machinery I punch out notches in the sides of the covers, as shown
at a, a, in Figures 4 and 6, and punch pieces partially out of the sides of the
bottoms or troughs and bend them at right angles, as shown at Figures 3, 5, and 7,
so that when the cover is placed on the trough the notches or slots in the former
drop over the projecting piece on the latter, and when the cover is moved laterally
about a quarter of an inch it becomes locked to the trough; of course the slots
may be in the troughs and the projections on the lids; the effect is the same. One
end of the trough, as well as the lid, may be enlarged by stamping, so as to form a
socket for receiving the end of the next trough and lid, but I prefer to use loose
sockets made of short pieces of same section, but of enlarged size, as shown in
Figures 3 to 8. Or the sockets may be dispensed with by causing the troughs and
covers to break joint, that is, the cover of one trough is made to overlap the next
a sufficient distance to lock on the projecting pieces; in this way they are all
fastened in a continuous line. I prefer the projecting pieces and slots to be about
three or four feet apart, and the troughs and covers to be usually about twelve feet
long, as being the most convenient for most purposes. These covers and troughs
may simply be fastened together by lappings of wire instead of the projections and
notches, but I much prefer the latter plan; or they may have cast-iron clips at
intervals, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, or wrought-iron clips held on by wedges,
as shown at Figs. 11 and 12.
The troughs, covers, jackets, and clips, should all be galvanized before using; or
what is better, they should be conted with an alloy of lead and tin, the more lead
the better, so as to withstand the corrosive action of the salts in the earth. These
wrought-iron or steel troughs and covers will be found inuch more durable and
diflicult to break than the cast-iron pipes usually employed, at the same time will
be much cheaper, owing to being much less in weight, and may be very easily
rolled by rolls turned to suit the different sections, and to give greater resistance to
the blow of a pickaxe when opening the ground for other purposes. I propose to
make some of a triangular form, as shown in Figs. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16;
these may be fastened to the sole or bottom plate as follows:-The flanges of the
upper part have holes punched in of the shape shown at Figs. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15,
and 16. Studs may be rivetted in the sole plate, as shown at Figs. 13, 14, 15,
and 16, which studs pass into the holes in the flanges of the triangular covers and
lock by being pushed laterally a short distance, in the same manner as the before
mentioned plans.
Wood troughing may be used in some places, as it has been before, but instead of
using wood lids or iron hooping for covers, simply fastened with lappings of wire or

page_text: nailing on (by which latter process the insulated wires have in most cases been
seriously injured by the carelessness of the workinen piercing them with the nails),
propose to using rolled wrought-iron or steel lids with holes punched as shown in
Figs. 17 and 18, and using studs driven into the wood troughing before the latter is
placed in the ground, so that after the wires are placed in the trough the lids are
placed on and fastened as in the foregoing plans, shown at Figs. 13, 14, 15, and 16.
Figures 19, 20, 21; and 22, show another form of the rolled iron or steel pipes
which in this case should be made thinner than the others; they are rolled in the
shape shown in Figs. 19 and 20, and after the wires are placed in the edges are
brought together and, lapped, as shown in Figs. 21 and 22, by means of suitable
tongs forced along the pipe; the junctions of the several pipes must be secured by.
loose sockets or clips, before described; when the wires require removing they must
be drawn out. For this description of pipe the rope or cable; as shown in Figs. I
and 2, would be most suitable.
Tho insulation of the submarine conductors are frequently much injured by tho
torredo or other submarine insects which make their way to the core through the
interstices left between the outer protecting wires, and as this has most frequently
been found to take place in comparatively shallow water, where the outer protecting
wires require to be large, they do not in all cases lie so close together as to prevent
the passage of their insects, therefore to obviate this I propose to lay other and
smaller wires in the interstices formed by the larger ones, which will effectually
bar the passage of theso borers, this plan is shown in Figs. 23 and 24.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Thomas Henley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
November 1876.
WILLIAM THOMAS HENLEY, of Plaistow, in the County of Essex.
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN INSULATED ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CONDUCTORS, AND IN THE MODE OF AND
MEANS FOR PROTECTING TELEGRAPH WIRES WHEN USED FOR SUBTERRANEAN, SUB-
MARINE, OR OTHER LINES."
The main objects of this Invention are to construct telegraph lines at a cheaper
rate than hitherto, and also to afford them a more efficient protection from injury,
all as herein-after described.
When more than one conductor is required I propose to cover the wire or strand
of wires with one, two; or more coats of pure india-rubber, laid on spirally, and
then with a layer of felt, without first applying the layer or layers of india-rubber
compound for vulcanizing as employed in the usual way; I then pass the covered
wire through ozokerit, paraffin, or similar material, and then lay them up spirally
into a strand of as many wires as are required.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings shew seven separate conductors
so laid up. I then cover the rope of wires with a coating of india-rubber compound,
suitable for vulcanizing, so that when submitted to the curing process, according to
my Patent dated 26th November 1875, No. 4115, the whole becomes properly vul-
canized and protected from change or deterioration. I am aware plans have before
been proposed to lay up separate wires into a strand, each wire covered with india-
rubber compound, dusted over with French chalk or other similar material to prevent
the several insulated wires from adliering together after the curing process, but my
proposed mode of covering each conductor with pure rubber instead of a vulcanizing
compound, and then afterwards passed through a bath of melted ozokerit or
paraffin before laying up and covering with the vulcanizing compound, will be
found far superior, the insulated wires will be much easier separated for making
joints or connections when covered each with felt than they would be if merely
dusted over with French chalk, and the action of the ozokerit on the pure rubber

page_text: renders it impervious to moisture, and makes a very much firmer rope than when
made without it, and when cured the whole appears as one solid core, and yet allows
the insulated wires to be easily separated when required. The coating of felt on
cach wire offers a much more efficient protection to the india-rubber coated con-
ductors during the laying up into a strand or when applying the subsequent coatings
of rubber compound and felt than the mere dusting of them.
Another method I propose for insulating the conductors is as follows:-I first
cover the wire with cotton or other suitable fibrous material; then to remove all air
and moisture I enclose it in an air-tight vessel surrounded by a steam jacket, and
when properly heated I exhaust the air and moisture from the vessel containing the
wire by an exhaust pump or other suitable means, and then allow heated insulated
compound to pass into the vessel, and then, if desirable, force the compound in by
meaus of a force pump; when nearly cold, but not sufficiently so to cause the wires
to adhere together I take the insulated wire out and pass it through a die or roller,
which makes it round and smooth.
The compound may be a mixture of gutta percha and india-rubber and ozokerit,
or paraffin, india-rubber, linseed oil, and rosin, or any other suitable compound; a
very good one can be made with india-rubber and cowrie gum. These insulated
wires may, if required, be laid up into a rope and then coated with gutta percha or
any other suitable material put on with a die or otherwise.
The core, made as described in the Specification of my Patent, dated 26th No-
vember, A.D. 1875, No. 1415, may, according to this Invention, be passed through
hot or heated ozokerit or paraffin or other suitable compound, or it may be kept in
heated ozokerit after being dried, and the vessel used for coating the material may
be open or closed, and may be heated in any convenient way. The core, after each
covering of india-rubber and india-rubber compound may be passed through the
heated ozokerit or other suitable compound before curing, and after curing it may
also be passed through the heated ozokerit or other suitable compound.
In some cases I prefer to make the core, when containing only a single conductor
consisting either of a single wire or of a strand of wire, without felt, on the outside,
and to keep the core from becoming flat on the under side from its own weight;
when in a soft state during the process of curing I lay the core in a spiral groove of
semicircular form in the bottom of the trays, in which the core lies while being cured.
Or the same result may be attained by covering the indin-rubber core with tape
before curing, and after curing in the steam cylinder, unlapping the same before.
subjecting it to the ozokerit or other suitable material.
When using insulated wires for subterranean lines, tunnels, or any other situation
where such protection is needed, I propose to enclose them in wrought-iron or steel
troughs or pipes of some of the forms shewn in Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.
To fasten the bottoms and tops together I make use of the following methods:-
With suitable machinery I punch out notches in the sides of the covers, as shewn
at a, c, in the said Figures, and punch pieces partially out of the sides of the
bottoms or troughs, and bend them at right angles, as shown, so that when the
cover is placed on the trough the notches or slots in the foriner drop over the pro-
jecting pieces in the latter, and when the cover is moved laterally about a quarter
of an inch it becomes locked to the trough. Of course the slots may be in the
troughs, and the projections on the lids, the effect is the same. One end of the
trough as well as the lid may be enlarged by stamping, so as to form a socket for
receiving the end of the next trough and lid, but I prefer to use loose sockets made
of short pieces of same section but of enlarged size, as shown in Figures 5 and 6;
or the sockets may be dispensed with by causing the troughs and covers to break
joint, that is, the cover of one trough is made to overlap the next a sufficient
distance to lock on the projecting pieces. In this way they are all fastened in a
continuous line. 1 prefer the projecting pieces and slots to be about four feet apart,
and the troughs and covers to be usually about eight feet long as being the inost
convenient for most purposes. These covers and troughs may simply be fastened
together by lappings of wire instead of the projections and notches, but I inuch

page_text: prefer the fatter pin, or they may mave widge
shown at Figures 11 and 12.
The troughs, covers, sockets, and clips should all be galvanized before using, or
what is better they should be coated with an alloy of lead and tin, the more lead
the better, so as to withstand the corrosive action of the salts in the earth. These
wrought-iron or steel troughs and covers will be found much inore durable and
difficult to break than the cast-iron pipes usually employed, at the same time will
be much cheaper owing to being much less in weight, and will be very easily mado
by rolls turned to suit different sections, or by a stamping machine; and to give
greater resistance to the blow of a pickaxe when opening the ground for other
purposes I propose to make some of a triangular form, as shown in Figures 11, 12,
13, 14, 15, and 16. These may be fastened to the sole or bottom plate as follows ;-
The flanges of the upper part havo holes punched in of the shape shown at Figures
13, 14, 15, and 16. Studs may be rivetted in the solo plato, as shown at Figures
13, 14, 15, and 10, which studs pass into the holes in the flanges of the triangular
cover, and lock by being pushed laterally a short distance in the same manner as
the before-mentioned plans.
Figures 16 and 10b show another arrangement of triangular trough or box, also
consisting of a solo or bottom plate, and an upper or cover part resting thereon,
both being held together by sockets in two parts, as before described, and as also
shown in Figure 16º.
Wood troughing may be used in some places, as it has been before, but instead
of using wood lids or iron hooping for covers simply fastened within lappings of
wire or nailing on (by which latter process the insulated wires have in most cases
been seriously injured by the carelessness of the workmen piercing them with the
nails) I propose to use rolled wrought-iron or steel lids with holes punched, as shown
in Figures 17 and 18, and using studs driven into the wood troughing before the
latter is placed in the ground, so that after the wires are placed in the trough the
lids are placed on and fastened, as shown.
Figures 19, 20, 21, and 22 shew another form of the iron or steel pipes, which in
this case should be made thinner than the others; they are made in the shapo
slicwn in Figures 19 and 20, and after the wires are placed in, the edges are brought
together and lapped, as shown in Figures 21 and 22, by means of suitable tongs
forced along the pipe. The junctions of the several pipes must be secured by loose
sockets or clips, before described. When the wires require removing they must be
drawn out. For this description of pipo the rope or cable as shown in Figures 1
and 2 would be most suitable.
The insulation of the submarine conductors are frequently much injured by
crustacea or other submarine insects, which make their way to the core through
the interstices left between the outer protecting wires, and as this has most fre-
quently been found to take place in comparatively shallow water where the outer
protecting wires require to be large they do not in all cases lie so close together as
to prevent the passage of these insects; therefore, to obviate this, I propose to lay
other and smaller wires in the interstices formed by the larger ones, which will
effectually bar the passage of these borers. This plan is shewn in Figures 23
and 24.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I do not claim as new. the protecting of
electric telegraph conductors by means of troughs or covers generally, as such pro-
tecting means have been adopted for a considerable number of years, and a Patent
was granted to mine in the year 1853, No. 1729, for this purpose; I therefore wish it.
to be particularly understood that I lay no claim to the more forms of the troughs
or covers shown at Figures 3 and 4, 5 and 6, 9 and 10 of the accompanying Drawings,
but I do claim as my improvements in insulated electric telegraph conductors, and
in the mode of and means for protecting telegraph wires when used in subter-
ranean, submarine, or other lines,—
First. Covering insulated conductors with pure rubber, and treating them in a

page_text: bath of melted ozokerit or paraffin, and laying the same up and covering with
india-rubber compound, and curing substantially in the manner herein-before
described and shown.
Second. The application of insulating compound to conductors previously wrapped
with cotton or other suitable fibrous material by the means and in the manner
herein before described.
Third. The mears employed to protect the conductors of submarine cables from
submarine insects by covering the interstices between the outer protecting wires
with layers of smaller wires, substantially as described and shown.
Fourth. The methods of protecting insulated wires by wrought-iron or steel pipes,
troughs, and covers preferably inade of wrought iron or steel by rolling or stamping
with their various modes of covering and securing the said pipes, troughs, and covers
together, all substantially as herein-before described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings.
Fifth. The construction and employment of lids for wood troughs and covers,
substantially as and for the purposes described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
Sixth. The construction and employment of the triangular shaped troughs shewn
at Figures 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 16ª, 10b, and 16º, substantially in manner and for
the purposes described.
Seventh. The construction and employment of collapsible pipes or troughs, sub-
stantially as shewn at Figures 19, 20, 21, and 22 of the accompanying Drawings
and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the William Thomas Henley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.