IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CABLES.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International Patent
"
Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CABLES.'
A communication from abroad by Patrick Sarsfield Devlan, of
Jersey City, New Jersey, and Isaac Pennington Wendell, and
Stephen Paschall Morris Tasker, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 19th January 1871, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the " International Patent Office," Southampton
Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH CABLES," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant

page_text: unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters
Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has
been communicated to me from abroad by Patrick Sarsfield Devlan;
of Jersey City, New Jersey, and Isaac Pennington Wendell, and Stephen
Paschall Morris Tasker, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United
States of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement:-
1
The objects of this Invention are the construction of a cable which
will not be injured by the action of salt water, and shall have the least
possible weight in comparison to its strength, and shall be sufficiently
elastic to yield enough to its weight to prevent its breaking when
subjected to great strain. To accomplish these objects the conducting
wire or wires are constructed of spiral or wave like or any other form
which will admit of such a degree of yielding as is compatible with its
strength, and thus increase its resisting power to overcome the great
weight of the cable when laid over long spans. It is insulated with
gutta percha or any other non-conductor of electricity, mixed with any
fibrous material. The outer portion of the cable is made of fibrous
material either simple or compound, and is saturated with any water-
proof material either before or after its manufacture.
To enable others skilled in the art to which these improvements
appertain to construct the improved cable a full description will now
be given.
In the accompanying Drawing which make a part of this Specification,
Figure 1 is a side view of a piece of cable A, which is provided with
a central conducting wire B, insulated with a coating C; Figure 2 is an
end view of the same; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the insulated
conducting wire B of spiral form; Figure 4 is a cross section at the
line x, x, of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the insulated
conducting wire B of wave form; Figure 6 is a cross section at the line
y, y, of Figure 5. Like letters in all the Figures indicate the same
parts.
A, Figures 1 and 2, represents a piece of the improved cable having
a central conducting wire B of spiral form, and insulated with a

page_text: coating C of gutta percha mixed with fibrous material to prevent the
breaking of the coating as shown in detail in Figures 3 and 4. The spiral
form is given to the wire to allow it to stretch when subjected to strain,
thus counteracting the great tendency to break to which the wires when
made in the usual manner are liable on account of their rigidity. The
same object may be accomplished by making the wire of wave form, as
seen in Figures 5 and 6, or of zig-zag, or any other irregular form
which admits of its stretching whereby an elastic yielding is effected
when it is subjected to great strain to prevent its breaking; yet either
the spiral or wave form is preferable on account of the greater flexibility
given to the wire. Instead of gutta percha some other material either
simple or compound which is a non-conductor of electricity and is of
an elastic nature may be used for insulating the wire B. A single wire B
is shown in the Drawing, yet the Invention is applicable to the use
of any desirable number of wires in a cable. When a number of wires
are used the bends or curves should not cross each other or run in
different directions at any point so as to. counteract their flexibility.
The insulating is accomplished by dipping the wires into a solution of
gutta percha or other material used, and then using a draw plate or
other device to give the proper form to the coating before it becomes
hard. The construction of the cable is completed by covering the
insulated wire with fibrous material which is put on by braiding or
otherwise. In Figures 1 and 2 a covering D is represented formed of
twine braided in a number of concentric layers. Yet other modes
of the construction of the covering may be adopted and various kinds
of fibrous material are adapted to the purpose. The object is to have
a covering which will not only protect the insulated wire but shall be
as light as possible consistent with the requisite strength of the cable,
and shall also possess the proper degree of elasticity. The covering is
well saturated with a solution of gutta percha or other material, either
simple or compound, that will resist the action of salt water whereby the
cable may be preserved. This is effected by dipping the material into
the solution or passing it through the same either before or after the
covering is made.
What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,―
First. Insulating the conducting wires of submarine cables with gutta
percha or any other non-conductor of electricity mixed with fibrous.
material, substantially in the manner herein-before_described.

page_text: Second. The covering of the insulated wire with fibrous material
either simple or compound, substantially in the manner above set.
forth.
Third. The conducting wire B of spiral or wave or any other form
which admits of its longitudinal elasticity or capacity of stretching,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
Witness,
E. C. JACKSON.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)