IMPROVEMENTS IN AND IN APPARATUS FOR INSULATING, CONTAINING, AND PROTECTING SURFACE AND UNDERGROUND TELEGRAPH WIRES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Thomson King, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Patent' Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND IN
APPARATUS FOR INSULATING, CONTAINING, AND PROTECTING SURFACE AND
UNDERGROUND TELEGRAPH WIRES." A communication from abroad by
Charles Linford, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Thomson King at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th March 1880.
JOHN THOMSON KING, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND IN APPARATUS FOR INSULATING, CONTAINING, AND
PROTECTING SURFACE AND UNDERGROUND TELEGRAPH WIRES." [A communication
from abroad by Charles Linford, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of
America.]
Many efforts have been made to successfully insulate, contain, and protect
telegraph wires laid on the surface or underground. They have been however at
best only partially successful.
Amongst the chief reasons for failure have been, first, the growth of fungus on
the wires, which in time largely reduces if it does not entirely destroy the insulation
of the said wires; second, the inability to secure a perfect exclusion of moisture
from the container; third, the inaccessibility of the wires when once put down,
which-in-many-instances-has-rendered_it_necessary to take up a whole line of
containers in order to make the most simple repairs, thus making the cost of
repairing equal to that of putting down; and, fourth, the want of durability either
of the material of which the container is composed or with which it is coated
to exclude moisture.
The containers mentioned as inaccessible are tubes of various forms, in the bore
of which the wires are laid. If a break occurs it is impossible to get at it or to re-lay
the wire without uncoupling and taking up the whole string of pipes.
The object of the Invention here is to overcome the causes of failure named, and
for this end the wires are insulated in a novel manner, and a container is employed

page_text: which is practically indestructible, impervious to moisture, and capable of being
opened easily and quickly at any desired point without removal from its bed, so
that the wires are accessible at all times.
To insulate telegraph wires they are under the first part of the said Invention
surrounded with powdered charcoal. The said wires are laid in boxes or in the
containers hereinafter described, and loose powdered charcoal is placed between the
wires and the box or container, or the said charcoal is made to adhere to the surface
of the box, container, or wire, which has or have been first coated with coal tar or
other adhesive substance. The wires are in some cases insulated before being placed
in contact with or coated with powdered charcoal.
Under the second part. A cable of wires has the interstices or spaces between the
wires filled with paraffine, and the charcoal applied as an outer coating.
Under the third part. Apparatus is constructed for containing and protecting
such telegraph wires of lengths of metal rolled, cast, or otherwise formed with
grooves or channels for containing the wires, and such grooves or channels are
enamelled with porcelain or like insulating impervious material, or the grooves
or channels are formed in blocks of glass, porcelain, or the like fitting within the
said containers. The surface of the said containers which are in contact with the
earth are tinned, japanned, or otherwise treated to prevent rusting. Covers, which
fit over the said containers and couplings' pieces to surround the lengths of container
where they meet, are provided. The bed pieces of the container, the covers, and
the couplings are formed with grooves or channels, into which cement or other
suitable agent is run to close all the joints and exclude moisture. The telegraph
wires which are placed in the grooves of the bed pieces are covered or coated with
any suitable insulating or protecting composition or material in the ordinary
manner, or as described under the above first part. Glass, enamelled, or like pipes
are fitted in openings made through the covers when it is desired to lead the wires
to the surface.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Thomson King in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
September 1880.
JOHN THOMSON KING, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Patent Agent.
IMPROVEMENTS IN AND IN APPARATUS FOR INSULATING, CONTAINING, AND⚫
PROTECTING SURFACE AND UNDERGROUND TELEGRAPH WIRES." A communication
from abroad by Charles Linford, of of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
of America.
Many efforts have been made to successfully insulate, contain, and protect
telegraph wires laid on the surface or underground. They have been however at
best only partially successful.
Amongst the chief reasons for failure have been, first, the growth of fungus on
the wires, which in time largely reduces if it does not entirely destroy the insulation
of the said wires; second, the inability to secure a perfect exclusion of moisture
from the container; third, the inaccessibility of the wires when once put down,
which in many instances has rendered it necessary to take up a whole line of
containers in order to make the most simple repairs, thus making the cost of
repairing equal to that of putting down; and, fourth, the want of durability either
of the material of which the container is composed or with which it is coated to
exclude moisture.
The containers mentioned as inaccessible are tubes of various forms, in the bore
of which the wires are laid. If a break occurs it is impossible to get at it or to
re-lay the wire without uncoupling and taking up the whole string of pipes.
The object of the Invention here is to overcome the causes of failure named, and
for this end the wires are insulated in a novel manner, and a container is employed
which is practically indestructable, impervious to moisture, and capable of being
opened easily and quickly at any desired point without removal from its bed, so
that the wires are accessible at all times.
To insulate telegraph wires they are under the first part of the said Invention
surrounded with powdered charcoal. The said wires are laid in boxes or in the
containers hereinafter described, and loose powdered charcoal is placed between the
wires and the box or container, or the said charcoal is made to adhere to the surface
of the box, container, or wire, which has or have been first coated with coal-tar or
other adhesive substance. The wires are in some cases insulated before being
placed in contact with or coated with powdered charcoal.
Under the second part. A cable of wires have the interstices or spaces between
the wires filled with paraffine, and the charcoal applied as an outer coating.
Under the third part. Apparatus is constructed for containing and protecting
such telegraph wires of lengths of metal rolled, cast, or otherwise formed with
grooves or channels for containing the wires, and such grooves or channels are
enamelled with porcelain or like insulating impervious material, or-the-grooves-or
channels are formed in blocks of glass, porcelain, or the like, fitting within the said
containers. The surface of the said containers which are in contact with the earth
are tinned, japanned, or otherwise treated to prevent rusting. Covers, which fit
over the said containers, and coupling pieces to surround the lengths of container
where they meet, are provided. The bed pieces of the container, the covers, and
the couplings are formed with grooves or channels, into which cement or other
suitable agent is run to close all the joints and exclude moisture. The telegraph
wires which are placed in the grooves of the bed pieces are covered or coated with
any suitable insulating or protecting composition or material in the ordinary

page_text: Fig. 1 is a perspective view, and Fig. 2 a sectional view of a telegraph cable and
container, illustrative. of the second head of the said Invention; Fig. 3 is a perspec-
tive view of apparatus illustrative of the third head of the said Invention; and
Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 are sectional views of modified forms of apparatus under the
said third head.
Fig. 1. The cable a consists of insulated or cotton covered wires bunched
together in any desired number, and held together by a strip of cotton or other
cloth wrapped spirally around them. The interstices aro filled with melted
paraffine, coal-tar, or similar material, or the wires are immersed in melted paraffine,
coal-tar, or similar material as or before they are bunched. The cloth wrapper is
then coated externally with coal-tar, asphaltum, rubber, cement, or other elastic
impervious material.
Then, if desired, another strip of cloth may be wound on it spirally in the opposite
direction, and coated in like manner.
This cable can be used on poles for ground (underground or surface), and for
submarine telegraphic purposes. It is perfectly insulated, and will endure usage
without deterioration for a long time, and saves expense, trouble, and space in
poling.
Fig. 3. A indicates the container having a box or bed a, which may be cast iron,
wrought iron, or other suitable material, preferably protected from rust by tinning,
galvanizing, or otherwise coating its exterior. Its interior is fluted or grooved, as
indicated at b, to form receptacles for the wire, and the whole interior surface is
coated with porcelain-enamel, as at c. This coating unites so firmly to the iron
that it will not separate, scale, or break off, and it is unaffected by the expansion
and contraction of the metallic box or container. The method of applying it is
well known in the arts. I make use of it to prevent the passage of moisture to the
interior of the container by the sweating of the metal or from other cause, and
thereby prevent the rusting of the iron, and to prevent contact between the wires
and the metal of which the container is made. Upon the box or bed a is a cover d
adapted to fit within the flanges e and rest upon the shoulders f. The exterior of
the cover & may be tinned or otherwise coated, as described for the box a, and its
interior or under surface must be coated with porcelain-enamel, as described for the
interior of the box.
Thus a practically indestructive metallic container is made for underground wires,
having an impermeable, irrefragible interior lining, this result having been obtained
by the discovery of the peculiar utility of porcelain-enamel for this purpose. It is
evident that this conductor may be of any desired shape.
The bed sections a are united by a coupling box 7 of such length that it will lap
well over the adjoining ends of each two sections. It is formed at or near each end
with a transverse groove h, which extends up along the sides of the box, as shown
at h', and with longitudinal grooves i, i, which connect the two transverse grooves.
The form of the coupling box will be adapted to the exterior shape of the bed a,
and it may be tinned or galvanized, as before specified, to protect it against rust.
Each cover section has a tongue d¹ and bowl d¹¹, so that when placed together
the tongue of one section will fit in the bowl of the next. They also have flanges q,
which, when the sections are placed together, form a groover for the cement.
In laying the bed sections a and coupling them the ends of two sections a are
brought together in the coupling box g, and secured by screws, or in other
suitable manner; the wires are then properly placed in the grooves or flutes b, and

page_text: the cover d put on and cemented down, the cement being fitted in the groove
and over the cover and between flanges e, as indicated at 8. The cement poured
into the coupling box g will enter the side grooves g', and fill the transverse
grooves h, whence it will flow or extend into the longitudinal grooves i, completely
and effectually sealing the joint, and rendering the container water and moisture
tight.
The container A may be provided with one or more grooves, as may be desired,
and these grooves may contain one or more wires. The wires I propose to use are
insulated wires of any suitable kind. I prefer those covered with a layer of cotton
dipped in paraffine.
If the sections a are made of wrought iron, Bessemer steel, or similar material,
they may be rolled in suitably grooved rolls.
In such case they must be joined by a separate coupling g, but by casting them
the coupling can be made in one piece with and form part of the section. The
other end of the section is plain. The sections a and d may be made of any desired
length.
Figure 5 shows the method of carrying the wires from the box to above the
surface of the earth. It consists of a glass pipe p¹ or a metal pipe lined with
porcelain-enamel, screwed into or otherwise fastened in an opening in the cover d
at the point where it is desired to lead the wire up out of the box. The pipe p¹ is
long enough to protect the wire to any desired point above the surface of the
ground. If desired another section of pipe may be screwed into the pipe p¹.
It will be perceived that my improved container is not only a perfect and alinost
indestructible insulator, but that it possesses the property of perfect accessibility
for the purpose of inspecting and repairing the wires. The covers can be removed
and replaced with ease and celerity, and there is no obstacle to the complete exposure
of the wire at any desired point. It also possesses cheapness, as it can be constructed
and laid at a comparitively low cost.
This container can be used for the protection of wires laid upon the surface of
the ground. The cement used for sealing the joints is preferably such as possesses
a slight degree of elasticity, so as to obviate danger of opening at the joints by the
expansion and contraction of the metal.
I am aware that metal pumps, pipes, &c., have heretofore been coated with a
vitreous enamel for the purpose of protecting the surfaces thereof, and that it has
been proposed to embody metallic tubing to protect insulated telegraph wires from
abrasion and injury, and to preserve the tubing by coating the same with a vitreous
enamel or other preservative coating, and do not claim the same, for in such cases
no provision is made to either obtain access to the wire or to prevent the access of
moisture thereto, nor were the same ever designed or used for the purposes of
insulation as in my Invention. Neither do I claim broadly sectional insulating
troughs having detachable cover, whether the same have single or multiple wire
grooves, for I am aware that the same have been described as made of wood; glass,
bitumenous materials, slate, &c., but in all such cases lack of durability, liability to
injury, and the difficulty attending in some instances the laying, and in others. the
formation of water tight joints, between the sections, &c., render the devices
impracticable.
Another way of constructing this insulating-container-is-shown in Figure 4, in
which the section a is interiorly a plain shallow box. In it I place a loose glass
or porcelain bed or plate having grooves or flutes 6 in its upper surface. The
wires being in place I cover the grooves b with a glass plate or cover m. At each
side of the bed 7 I form a groove n by bevelling the inner edges of the container
section, and in this I place a cotton cord p coated with paraffine or other suitable
waterproof material.
Figure 5 shows the glass plate or bed without a cover, the porcelain lined cover d
of the casing fitting down closely upon it.
Figures 6 and 7 show other ways of making the container with glass or porcelain

page_text: wire-beds. Here a and d compose the outer casing; 7, the glass beds; and m, the
glass covers, the joints being properly cemented as before stated.
It is preferred to use a vitreously coated metallic outer casing for the glass wire-
bed, but it may be without coating, or it may be coated internally with pitch, coal-
tar, tin, or other suitable coating, and may also be coated externally to prevent
rusting. Any desired number of wires may be laid in these containers by simply
increasing the size or number of grooves.
With this construction the wires are so perfectly insulated that they need not be
covered, and plain galvanized telegraph wire can be used.
The glass bed can be made very cheaply and in lengths of from five to six feet,
and as it is loose in the box a it is not effected by the expansion and contraction
of the metal.
In cities the container may be placed in a hollow metallic curb at the edges of
the pavement, which, being made with a removable cover, preserves the feature of
accessibility. At crossings the container may be run under the road-way. This is
a very important feature.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention in such manner that
others will be enabled to carry the said improvements into effect I claim,-
First. A sectional grooved or channeled glass or porcelain wire container in
combination with a water-tight blanket of felt or other suitable material, and an
external metallic casing, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Second. A surface or underground telegraph or electric wire or wires laid in or
having a coating of charcoal, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Third. Pulverized charcoal mixed with oil or other suitable substance to a pasty
consistency, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Fourth. A sectional wire container and a surface or packing or charcoal, substan-
tially as and for the purposes described.
Fifth. A telegraphic or electric cable composed of a bunch of insulated wires
having the interstices filled with an elastic impervious substance, such as paraffine,
and surrounded with a coated spirally wound strip of cloth, substantially as and for
the purpose described.
Sixth. A telegraphic or electric cable composed of insulated wires, having the
interstices filled with an elastic substance, and surrounded by a coated spirally
wound strip of cloth and a coating of charcoal, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
Seventh. A longitudinally divisible (or sectional) metallic container, having its
interior surface covered with an insulating coating of vitreous material, substan-
tially as and for the purpose specified.
Eighth. A sectional metallic bed or box having a grooved or fluted interior
surface, coated with porcelain-enamel or other vitreous material, and a sectional
metallic cover coated with porcelain enamel or other vitreous lining upon its under
surfaces, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Ninth. The coupling box provided with transverse and longitudinal grooves,
substantially as and for the purposes described.
Tenth. The combination with the bed or box section of a metallic container,
having an interior insulating lining of a detachable lid or cover provided with a
surface tube or tubes having an interior insulating surface, substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
Eleventh. A sectional channel, box, or bed, the sections of which are joined
together by suitable coupling boxes having a sectional cover, and made impervious
to moisture by cement in suitable grooves surrounding its joints, substantially as
described.
Twelvth. In combination with and placed inside of a sectional covered box a
sectional channel bed, fluted or grooved glass, or porcelain plate or wire container,
having a glass or porcelain cover, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Thirteenth. In combination with and placed inside of a sectional covered box,

page_text: having a vitreous lining, a sectional, channelled, fluted, or grooved glass or porcelain
wire container, either with or without a glass or porcelain cover, substantially as
and for the purposes described.
Fourteenth. In combination with and placed inside of a sectional covered box a
channelled, fluted, or grooved glass or porcelain wire container having a cover with
sealed joints, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Fifteenth. A wire container combined with and placed inside of a hollow
metallic curb, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Thomson King, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
J. T. KING. (L.S.)