AN IMPROVED MODE OF COUPLING TELEGRAPH AND OTHER WIRES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Jennings McComb, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF
COUPLING TELEGRAPH AND OTHER WIRES."-A eommunication from abroad
by David McComb, of Memphis, in the State of Tennessee, United States
of America (since deceased).
Sealed the 24th September 1867, and dated the 30th March 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Jennings McComb
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th March 1867.
I, JAMES JENNINGS MCCOMB, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED MODE OF COUPLING TELEGRAPH AND OTHER WIRES," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to facilitate the coupling of the ends of
telegraph, fencing, and other wires; this is effected by forming on the ends
of the wires to be coupled both a hook and an eye. The hook is formed by
bending over the extremity of the wire to an acute or it may be a right angle;
and at a short distance in the rear of this hook an eye is formed by lapping
the wire once over a round pin, which when withdrawn leaves a round eye of
sufficient diameter to admit the hooked end of the wire to be coupled there.

page_text: with. The ends of the two wires to be coupled are similarly prepared with a
hook and an eye of corresponding proportions and arranged at equal distances
apart on both wires. The direction of the lap or curl of the wire to form the
eye is the reverse in one wire of that in the other in order that the hooks may
appear as bent in opposite directions when the wires are coupled up. The
coupling or junction of the wires is effected by simply inserting the hook of the
one wire into the eye of the other wire, and any strain put upon the coupled
wires to bring them to tension will serve to tighten the coupling.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Jennings McComb in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 30th September 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
JENNINGS MCCOMB, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Jennings McComb, Her special licence that I, the said James
Jennings McComb, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said James Jennings McComb, 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 "AN
IMPROVED MODE OF COUPLING TELEGRAPH AND OTHER WIRES," being a communica-
tion to me from David McComb, of Memphis, in the State of Tennessee,
United States of America (since deceased), upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Jennings McComb, my executors or admini-
strators, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Jennings McComb, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The object of this Invention is to facilitate the coupling of the ends of
telegraph, fencing, and other wires. Instead of using binding wire for securing
the ends of the coupled wires I effect the coupling of the wires by causing
them to interlock the one with the other; to this end I form at the extremities
of the wires to be coupled both a hook and an eye. The hook is formed by
bending over the extremity of the wire to an acute or it may be a right angle,
and at a short distance in the rear of this hook an eye is formed by lapping
the wire once over a round pin, which when withdrawn leaves a round eye of
sufficient diameter to admit the hooked end of the wire to be coupled there-
with. The ends of the two wires to be coupled are similarly prepared with a
hook and an eye of corresponding proportions and arranged at equal distances
apart on both wires. The direction of the lap or curl of the wire to form the
eye is the reverse in one wire to that of the other in order that the hooks may
The
appear as bent in opposite directions when the wires are coupled up.
coupling or junction of the wires is effected by simply inserting the hook of
the one wire into the eye of the other wire, and any strain put upon the
coupled wires to bring them to tension will simply serve to tighten the
coupling.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 represents the ends of two wires
prepared each with a hook a and an eye b. The wires are shewn detached
but ready for the hooks to be inserted into the eyes, as at Fig. 2, which
represents the wires as simply coupled loosely, no tension being upon the
wires.
Fig. 3 is another view of the wires coupled, but with tension put upon them
so as to cause them to hold tightly together.
Fig. 4 is another view of two wires coupled together and at tension, taken
at right angles to Fig. 3.
It will be evident that the tighter the two wires are pulled the more
securely will the eyes of each wire hold on to and grip the hooks of the
other wire.
Having now described this Invention of "An Improved Mode of Coupling
Telegraph and other Wires," and having explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as the Invention

page_text: secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, coupling telegraph and other
wires by means of hooks and eyes formed on the ends of the wires to be
coupled in the manner herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Jennings McComb, have hereunto
set my band and seal; the Twenty-sixth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
RICH. M. SCHMIDT,
Oriel Chambers,
Water Street,
Liverpool.
J. J. M°COMB. (Ls.)