Improvements in and with reference to Electrical Cable Couplings by Means of an Insulating and Locking Arrangement.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 7th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 27th Nov., 1897
Improvements in and with reference to Electrical Cable Couplings by
Means of an Insulating and Locking Arrangement.
MICHAEL CULLIGAN 1, Belgrave Square Rathmines Co. Dublin Ireland Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object, improvements in electrical cable couplings by
means of an insulating and locking arrangement, admitting live cables, either high
or low tension to be disconnected reconnected or live ends insulated quickly and cables
which when so connected are so locked by the metal terminals themselves, external
portions of which are insulated; and joint insulator that they cannot come undone
which joint insulator is held together making it insulate and finally lock coupling
by an external metal clamp as hereinafter described. This coupling permits the
cable when connected by it to be hauled about without putting any strain on the
cable insulation to keep metal terminals in contact. There are no bolts nuts,
screws, springs, used in this coupling except one bolt and nut used in external
metal clamp. The coupling consists of two metal terminals into which the
electrical cables are fixed. One of these having a plug spigot terminal with a lug
on same. The other having a faucet terminal so constructed that it alows the
plug spigot with its lug to enter full home then be turned say one quarter turn
round, pulled back and lug on said spigot fit into a whole provided for it in the
faucet terminal and of a depth equal to that of the lug. Spigot, and faucet
having good surface contact. The faucet terminal can be made in parts to admit
of this arrangement. The space left between shoulder of spigot terminal and
mouth of faucet terminal hereinafter called shoulder, due to this locking arrange-
ment is taken up for final locking of metal terminals by portion of joint insulator
as hereinafter described, and the terminals when so locked, cannot come undone
until joint insulator is taken off. Plug spigot or faucet or both terminals may be
split for better surface contact.
The insulation of metal terminals consists of a sleave of hard insulating material
pinned or not on to metal terminals, and covering spigot and faucet terminals to
shoulders above mentioned; these sleaves being grooved on external surface to give
the rubber as hereinafter mentioned a better grip. Vulcanized rubber is put on
to rubber of cable if cable be so covered and brought right over this insulating
sleave to the shoulders of metal terminals. If cable is covered with other insulating
material than rubber the sleave is covered if necessary with reference to the
insulation of the cable, and if required the ends next shoulders of spigot and faucet
terminals are covered with some rubber. The external insulation is bound over
& close up to terminal ends with compound tape and shellaced.
Joint insulator consists of a split sleave of hard insulating material with project-
ing lug or lugs from its internal surface which fit into the space between shoulders
of terminals (metal) before mentioned. This joint insulator is covered with rubber
in whole or part and when in position bears on two or more rubber rings which are
in rear ends of insulation over metal terminals. This joint insulator is clamped

page_text: together as hereinafter mentioned and then presses its under surface on to the
rubber rings, which are themselves pressed on to the insulation over metal
terminals, making insulation longitudinally by its own rubber surfaced faces and
transversely by (pressure directly applied to the) rubber rings, and when clamped
cannot shift longitudinally by means of its own lug or lugs.
External metal clamp, fits round joint insulator, it consists of two halves being
so constructed that by means of two claws, and one bolt and nut, it forces joint
insulator together and making said joint insulator, finially lock and insulate
coupling.
Extra rubber washers, made out of sheet rubber may, be also used to extra
insulate joint insulator, they being bound on to terminal insulation and over joint
insulator.
When Circuit is broken on a cable on which this coupling is used. To insulate
live ends a dummy spigot or faucet terminal is used, in which metal is or is not
taken place by a hard insulating material, and having or not. lock corresponding
to metal terminals referred to.
1000
Improvements in and with reference to Electrical Cable Couplings by
Means of an Insulating and Locking Arrangement.
I, MICHAEL CULLIGAN 1 Belgrave Square, Rathmines Dublin Ireland Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention has for its object improvements in electrical cable couplings by
means of an insulating and locking arrangement admitting live cables either high
tension or low tension to be disconnected, reconnected or live ends insulated quickly
and cables which when so connected are so locked by the metal terminals them-
selves, external portion of which are insulated and joint insulator that they cannot
come undone, which joint. insulator is held together making it insulate and finally
lock coupling by an external metal clamp as hereinafter described. This coupling
permits the cable when connected by it, to be hauled about without putting any
strain on the cable insulation to keep metal terminals in contact. There are no
bolts, nuts screws used in this coupling except one bolt and nut in external metal
clamp.
The coupling consists of two metal terminals into which the electrical cables
are fixed, one of these having a plug spigot terminal with a lug on same, the other
having a faucet terminal so constructed that it allows the plug spigot with its lug
to enter full home, then be turned say one quarter turn round, pulled back and
lug on said spigot fit into a hole provided for it in the faucet terminal and of a
depth equal to that of the lug, spigot ankl faucet having good surface contact. The
faucet terminal can be made in parts to admit. of this arrangement.
The space left between shoulder of spigot terminal and mouth of faucet terminal
hereinafter called shoulder, due to this locking arrangement is taken up for the
final locking of metal terminals by portion of joint insulator as hereinafter
described, and the metal terminals when so locked cannot come undone until
joint insulator is taken off. Plug spigot or faucet or both terminals may be split
for better surface contact.
The insulator of metal terminals consists of a sheave of hard insulating material

page_text: pinned on or not to metal terminals and covering spigot and faucet terminals to
shoulders above mentioned, those sheaves being grooved on external surface to
give the rubber as hereinafter mentioned a better grip
Vulcanized rubber is put on to the rubber of cable if cable be so covered and
brought right over this insulating sheave to the shoulders of metal terminals.
If cable is covered with other insulating material than rubber, the sheave is
covered if necessary with reference to the insulation of the cable and if required the
ends next shoulders of spigot and faucet terminals are covered with some rubber.
The external insulation is bound over and close up to terminal ends with com-
pound tape, and shellaced.
Joint insulator consists of a split sheave of hard insulating material with pro-
jeeting lug or lugs from its internal surface, which fit into the space between
shoulders of terminals (metal) before mentioned.
This joint insulator is covered with rubber in whole or part and when in
position bears upon two or more rubber rings which are on near ends of insulator
over metal terminals.
This joint insulator is clamped together as hereinafter mentioned and presses
its under surface on to the rubber rings which are themselves pressed on to the
insulation over the metal terminals, making insulation longitudinally by its own
rubbered surfaced faces and transversely by pressure directly applied to the rubber
rings and when clamped cannot shift longitudinally by means of its own lug or
lugs.
External metal clamp fits round joint insulator. It consists of two halves being
so constructed that by means of two claws, and one bolt and nut, it forces joint
insulator together and making said joint insulator finally lock and insulate
coupling.
Extra rubber washers made out of sheet rubber may be also used to extra
insulate joint insulator, they being bound on to terminal insulation and over joint
insulation.
When circuit is broken on a cable on which the coupling is used to insulate live
ends a dummy spigot or faucet terminal is used in which metal is or is not taken
place by a hand insulating material and having or not lock corresponding to metal
terminals referred to.
In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will now refer to the
annexed drawings, in which:-
Figure 1. is a longitudinal section shewing my improved couplings.
Figure 2. a cross section through the line ay in Fig. 1.
Figure 3 cross section through line y showing end of projection h.
Figure 4 cross section through line y showing end of connecting piece g'.
a and a are two insulating pieces, in which the ends of the cables to be con-
nected together are carried being secured therein by means of any suitable
fastening such as binding cementing or soldering. b is a metallic spigot, which is
secured to the piece al by means of the pin e, this metallic spigot being in electrical
connection with the end of the cable at or about d. e is a metallic faucet. piece
which is secured to the insulating piece a by means of the pin f, the end of the
cable being in electrical connection with this metallic faucet e at or about g. by
means of the connecting piece gl. h is a prolongation carried upon the spigot
piece which has the projecting pin i. When it is desired to connect, the two
pieces together, the pin i carried by projection h is passed down a groove j in the
faucet piece e and is then rotated until the pin or projection i becomes opposite to
a slot or recess formed in the faucet niece e, into which it enters, thus locking the
two parts together. is a suitable packing material of an insulating nature which.
surrounds the ends of the insulating pieces carrying pins f and c as shewn in
Fig. 1. and Fig. 2., having the depending parts 7. m are rubber balls or rings
or other suitable insulating material which is placed between the pieces a and a
and insulating material k. is a semicircular piece of metal which partially sur-
rounds the packing material k. o is a semicircular piece of metal which also partially

page_text: surrounds the insulating material k and is provided with the projecting lugs p.
9 are two curved clips which engage upon the lugs p upon the semicircular
piece o. The other ends of these clips y are adapted to be operated by a movable
nut through which the setscrew t passes. The end of this set screw t bears upon
the semicircular piece n so that when the set screw is rotated in the direction of
the arrow 1 the clips will tend to cause the semicircular pieces to secure the packing
around the pieces carrying this spigot and faucet thus enabling the electrical
connection between the ends of the cables to be readily made, and also ensuring
insulation between the connecting parts, and provide for the exclusion of moisture
from the joints.
It will be readily seen that by this form of joint the possibility of the parts
becoming disconnected is reduced to a minimum owing to the locking action of the
pin or projection i carried upon the spigot d and which engages in the recess or
slot formed in the faucet piece e, the whole being held together in its locked
position by means of the clamping pieces previously described, thus enabling the
connected cables to be moved about without the risk of their becoming detached
from one another.
Although for purposes of illustration I have described a convenient means of
carrying out my invention, I do not confine myself to this particular construction,
as it will be readily understood that there are various modifications of the narts,
which might be made without departing from the principle of my invention,
which consists essentially in the employment of the interlocking spigot and faucet
joint, which is so arranged as to make electrical contact between the ends of the
cables.
The shape of the parts a & a may be varied according to the circumstances
under which they are to be used, and the insulating material employed may be
varied as required. By operating the set screws, the clamping pieces may be readily
released and the whole taken apart.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In electrical couplings of the class herein described, the combined construc-
tion and arrangement of the various parts as and for the purpose set. forth.
2. In means for coupling electric cables or wires together: two insulating
pieces carrying respectively a metallic spigot and faucet, which are connected
thereto by means of pins or the like, adapted to engage together, and being locked
in position through the medium of a pint or projection upon the spigot piece, which
passes along a groove formed in the faucet piece, thus locking the two parts
together, the whole being secured in position by means of two semicircular pieces
which surround an insulating packing, being drawn together through the medium
of clamping picces, operated by a travelling nut upon a set screw, so arranged
that by operating the set screw the clamping pieces cause the insulating packing
to be pressed upon the parts to be connected together, thus preventing twisting
and longitudinal movement; india rubber balls or rings being interposed between
the packing or insulating material and the pieces carrying the spigot and faucet.
Dated this 7th day of September 1897.
E. EATON,
Agent for Applicant.