IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CONDUCTORS, AND IN THE METHOD OF PREPARING AND LAYING THE SAME, ALSO IN THE MACHINERY OR. APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Donald Nicoll, of Oaklands Hall, West End, Kilburn,
in the County of Middlesex, Esquire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CONDUCTORS, AND IN THE
METHOD OF PREPARING AND LAYING THE SAME, ALSO IN THE MACHINERY OR.
APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed the 25th May 1866, and dated the 15th February 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Donald Nicoll at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th February
1866.
I, DONALD NICOLL, of Oaklands Hall, West End, Kilburn, in the County of
Middlesex, Esquire, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CONDUCTORS, AND
IN THE METHOD OF PREPARING AND LAYING THE SAME, ALSO IN THE MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of
electric telegraph conductors, more especially suitable for underground or
submarine communication, and in machinery to be employed in such con-'
struction. I propose to take a tube, or semi-tube, or pipe of any shape or
form, and either of earthenware, wood, iron, or other suitable material, and to

page_text: apply at each end thereof a perforated disc of insulating materal such as
glass, porcelain, or potteryware; these discs are to be inserted into the
ends of the tube, and are perforated with holes at equal distances apart
for the reception of the conducting wires, which are connected at each end
to suitable apparatus for exercising a sufficient degree of tension to maintain
a true horizontal line of wires, and thereby ensure an equal space between
them throughout their length. I then fill up the tube with asphalte, bitumen,
paraffine, grease, gutta percha, caoutchouc, or other insulating material, and
allow the same to set. A short length of wires is left protruding at each end
of the tube in order that the ends from one tube may be connected to the next,
and so on, to form a continuous conductor. The ends of the wires may be twisted
together or twisted and bound with wire, or they may be soldered together.
Before either of these operations are effected I slide a boss or collar on to the end
of one of the tubes, this collar is lined with asphalte or other of the materials
named, and when the wires are secured together they may be imbedded in
asphalte, bitumen, or other such substance, and the collar is brought over
the joint so as to protect it equally with the other portions of the wires, or
the wires may be left exposed, contact between them being impossible, or they
may be slightly coated with insulating compound. I prefer to use semi-
tubular receptacles of any shape, and to apply insulating perforated pieces of
glass, porcelain, or pottery, or prepared wood, or other insulating substance of
the same form; these half tubes are filled separately with insulating substances
or solutions, and when sufficiently prepared, one or both may receive a slight
surface or coating of boiling asphalte or other material used, and the two
sections may then be placed together and pressed so as to form a perfect tube
or diamond or square shape by cohesion alone. When united together, as in
the first instance, and secured by the collars on their joints, and in some cases
fixed to their bed or supports, the tubes can never come apart. Porcelain or
pottery may be formed in solid tubes or semi-tubes or of any shape, and may
be pierced for wires to be drawn through such tubes or blocks with the
insulators. The insulation of the wires is secured by the surface of each
piercing or channel being coated by asphalte, or by glazed, vitrified, or other
substance, and I may dispense with a tube and cast a solid cylinder or semi-
cylinder, square, or triangular piece or block of asphalte or other material
enclosing the wires, and so imbed the conductors or ends of wires when joined
and placed in the ground, mud, or water, and I then either form an insulated
chamber at the points of junction and by the bosses or collars before described,
or
I form a temporary mould of metal, clay, or wood, and fill the same with

page_text: asphalte or other substance so as to imbed the points of junction of the wires
or conductors. These lengths of conductors can be manufactured as required
of any dimensions, and forwarded to the place where they are to be laid, so that
the present troublesome method of drawing separate insulated wires through long
lengths of tubes or carried on poles over house tops will be altogether avoided,
and a line cau be laid down without difficulty in a very short period of
time. Each length joined on should be properly tested to prove the continuity.
of the conducting wires.
Another method I propose to adopt is to employ an open trough in the
form of iron, the procelain or pottery insulators to be formed in square
perforated pieces; when the trough is filled with asphalte, bitumen, or other
insulating solution a bar of flat iron or other material is placed on the surface
of the hot material and pressed down thereon, the width of the bar is equal to
the internal width of the trough and therefore may be pressed firmly on
to the solution and be caused to adhere thereto when the solution becomes set.
I can do without filling the pipes, troughs, or tubes with asphalte or other
substances, as wire stretched from disc to disc within the troughs or pipes
will suffice, but by preference the wires should be coated with insulating
material, or with lead or alloy of tin and lead or bismuth to prevent oxidation,
but at the points of junction of wires or conductors extending from the pipes,
troughs, or tubes I either form by bosses or collars as in manner before
described insulated chambers, or I cover by a temporary mould of metal
wood, or clay in solid block, the said points of junction of wires or conductors.
I propose to employ the following apparatus to carry out the before mentioned
constructions, although I may adopt any other means:-I cause a sufficient
number of strands or wires of copper or other metal to be coiled around a
drum, reel, or beam after the manner of warp threads, this drum or reel is set
in bearings on a standard or frame, near the drum I place a table or bench
of iron or wood of sufficient length to receive the tube or tubes, the table
has a vertical fixed perforated guide plate near the drum to guide the wires
to the pipe; at the end of the bench furthest from the drum I set a vertical
plate in sliding grooves, this plate is perforated so as to correspond with the
perforations in the porcelain insulators, and at the back face of the plate and
surrounding each perforation I attach a binding screw. I then place a semi-
tube on the bench in a line with the drum and perforated plate. The porcelain
insulators or separators are then inserted at each end of the tube, and the wires
are drawn from the reel, threaded through the insulated perforations and
perforated plates, and secured by the binding screws, tension is then applied

page_text: by a counterweight on the axis of the beam or drum, and the perforated plate
is drawn back slightly by screw power, by these means the wires are all held
tightly stretched and in the same plane; they will therefore be equidistant; I
then fill the trough or pipe with boiling asphalte, bitumen, or other substance,
and after a short time when sufficiently set I cut off the wires nearest the drum
and loosen the binding screws; the conductor may then be removed and the
process repeated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Donald Nicoll in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
August 1866.
ΤΟ
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DONALD
NICOLL, of Oaklands Hall, West End, Kilburn, in the County of Middlesex,
Esquire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Donald Nicoll, Her special licence that I, the said Donald Nicoll,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Donald
Nicoll, 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 CONDUCTORS, AND IN THE METHOD OF PREPARING AND
LAYING THE SAME, ALSO IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED
THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Donald
Nicoll, 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 Donald Nicoll, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following:
statement:-
My Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of electric
telegraph conductors, more especially suitable for underground communication,
and in machinery to be employed in such construction. I propose to take a
rectangular trough or semi tube either of earthenware, wood, iron, or other
suitable material. I then pour into the trough or semi tube asphalte, bitumen,
gas pitch, paraffine, gutta percha, caoutchouc, or other insulating material, or
any combination thereof, alone or with highly dried chalk, and I allow the same
to set. I then lay short lengths of wires in the trough or semi tube, the ends
of which are left protruding at each end of the trough or semi tube, in order
that the ends from one trough or semi tube may be connected to the next, and
so on, to form a continuous conductor. The ends of the wires may be twisted
together at one end spirally or in a helical form, so as to receive within their
coils the straight ends of the projecting wires of another trough or semi tube
intended to be joined thereto, and so on, to make a continuous series of con-
ductors. Before the last-named operation is completed I place a boss or collar
on to the end of the troughs or semi tubes; this collar is lined with asphalte,
or other of the materials named, and when the wires are secured as above
named, or by any other means, I then pour in asphalte, bitumen, gas pitch,
or any other substances named in a molten state, and another collar may be
brought over the top of the joint so as to protect it equally with the other
portions of the wires. I prefer to use troughs of a rectangular shape (or
transverse section,) and to fill them separately with any of the above-named
insulating substances or solutions, and when sufficiently prepared they may
receive a slight surface or coating of boiling asphalte or other material used,
and two sections may then be placed together and pressed, so as to form
a perfect square or parallelogram by heat or cohesion alone; and I then place
a collar or boss to secure the two sections. When united together and secured
by the collars on their joints, and in some cases fixed to their bed or supports,
the troughs or semi tubes can never come apart. I may dispense with the use
of a trough in forming a temporary telegraph, and cast slabs or blocks of
asphalte or other of the above-mentioned materials to hold the wires, and
then join their several lengths in the manner above described; and I use a
temporary mould in and around the blocks and wires, sufficient asphalte being
poured in to insulate the points of junction. The insulation of the wires is
secured by the surface of each being dipped several times in the solution,
allowed to cool after each dipping, and afterwards embedded in a groove formed

page_text: in the asphalte, gas 'pitch, or other substances above mentioned before they
have cooled, and when thus embedded I pour fresh molter asphalte or other
materials above mentioned on the top of the same to the required thickness,
and prepare in the same way for a fresh layer of wires. These lengths of
conductors can be manufactured as required of any dimensions and any
number of wires, and forwarded to the place where they are to be laid, so that
the present troublesome method of drawing separate insulated wires through
Tong lengths of tubes or carried on poles over house tops or along railways
will be altogether avoided, and a line of any number of wires can be laid
down without difficulty in a very short period of time. Each length joined
on should be properly tested to prove the continuity of the conducting wires.
I also propose to employ the following apparatus to carry out the before-
mentioned construction, although I may adopt any other means:-I cause a
sufficient number of wires of copper, iron, or of other metal to be cut to the
required lengths, and to be held in the trough or semi tube taut by a winding
screw while the asphalte is being poured in; or I cause a number of wires to be
coiled round a drum, reel, or beam, after the manner of warp threads. This
drum or reel is set in bearings on a standard or frame; near the drum I place
a table or bench of iron or wood of sufficient length to receive the troughs or
semi tubes; the table has a fixed perforated guide plate near the drum to
guide the wires to the trough. At the end of the bench furthest from the
drum a binding screw is formed to clip or hold the ends of the wires, and to
retain the same while the asphalte or other materials are being poured in, and
when cool I sever the wires at a part near the drum and twist one end into
the spiral or helical coil of wire already described, taking care that at the
other end of the trough a corresponding projecting end of wire is left straight
to form the junction described.
Telegraphic conductors constructed according to this Invention will be
found particularly serviceable for communication across sandy deserts or large
tracts of country, as the wires would be concealed and rendered free from
injury or damage.
I am aware that pipes have been used for the reception of wires and
insulating compounds with perforated discs to guide and support the wires, to
which I lay no claim; but having now described the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I would remark
that I do not limit myself to the precise details I have expressed, as the same
may obviously be varied or modified without in any way departing from the
principles of the Invention, for example, other insulating materials or com-

page_text: pounds may be employed than those I have named, and the section of the
troughs or semi tubes may be of other form than square or semicircular if
desired; but what I claim and desire to be secured to me by the herein in
part recited Letters Patent are, the general improvements in the construction
of electric telegraph conductors, and in the machinery employed therein,
substantially as herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Donald Nicoll, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.
DONALD NICOLL. (L.B.)