IMPROVEMENTS IN SUPPORTING STRUCTURES FOR ELECTRIC WIRES OR CONDUCTORS, AND LIGHTING APPARATUS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SUPPORTING STRUCTURES FOR ELECTRIC WIRES OR
CONDUCTORS, AND LIGHTING APPARATUS." A communication from abroad
by William Clare Allison, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of
America, Manufacturer.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th May 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SUPPORTING
STRUCTURES FOR ELECTRIC WIRES OR CONDUCTORS, AND LIGHTING APPARATUS."
A communication from abroad by William Clare Allison, of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, United States of America, Manufacturer.
This Invention relates to supporting structures or supports for telegraphic,
telephonic, and other electric wires, and also for electric lamps, and consists in
arching the streets from curb to curb, diagonally from the four corners at the
intersection of two streets. It also consists in simply springing an arch from curb
to curb in the middle of the square, and in certain modifications hereinafter
described.
The arches are formed of tubing, solid bars, or their equivalent, and provided
with insulated supports at their top for the electric wires which are supported from
arch to arch.
One object of the said Invention is to provide suitable support for any required
number of electric wires, without preventing the passage of light to the upper
stories of buildings, and at the same time to place the wires in a convenient location
for easy repair and inspection. This Invention has further for its object the support
of electric lamps in the middle of the crossings and streets, and about twenty feet
from the ground, so that a maximum effect will be obtained, and the light can be
seen from any part of the street.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 is an elevation of a double arch sprung from the four corners of two
crossing streets, and united at the middle, and
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.

page_text: Figure 3 is a diagram of a series of streets, and represents the method of arranging
the arches and lamps therein.
Figures 4 and 5 represent details of construction hereinafter described.
Figure 6 is an elevation of an arch for the middle of the square (between two
streets), and formed of wrought iron tubing.
and
Figure 7 is a perspective view drawn to a reduced scale of a corner arch,
Figure 8 is a similar view of a triangular arch at the junction of small and large
streets.
A, A, are the supporting posts which may be made of cast iron, and of the form
shown in Figure 1, or of tubing as shown in Figure 6. The said posts may be
constructed of any desirable design, and are properly secured in the ground at the
point where two streets cross, one of these posts being secured at each corner. The
arches B, B, are made of wrought iron tubing, and are sprung from post to post, or
directly from the ground diagonally across the street, crossing in the middle where
they are secured to a casting C, or posts and simple girders may be used.
Hence
each arch is composed of two sections secured to a casting at D on the top of the
cast or wrought iron post A, and the casting C at the point where the arches cross,
as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and in Figure 7. The castings D are secured upon
the top of the post A, as shown in Figure 4, or in any other suitable manner, and
a lug E projecting from the said piece Ď extends upward at an angle corresponding
to the arch; over this projection the arch tubing B fits, and is secured by driving a
pin through the said projection, or in any other equivalent manner.
sections of the arches B are united in the middle by fitting over the lugs F on the
central casting C, as shown in Figure 5, or the arches may be made in one section
and sprung from post to post, crossing in the middle. I prefer however the former
construction, as it is more convenient to erect and keep in order or repair. The
sections B may be further secured to the post, and supported thereon by brackets G.
Along the upper part of the arches are the insulated rings, projections, or pins H
for supporting and carrying the electric wires. These insulated projections may
project downward if desired.
The four
The electric lamp I is hung at the intersection of the two arches, and consequently
is located in the middle of the two streets. The arches or girders in the middle of
the square are similar to those already described, with the exception that they are
simple or single arches or girders, as shown in Figure 6, and if in this case the
arch B is made in sections, they must be very firmly connected in the middle, as
this arch is not supported against laterial strain (other than by the electric wires)
as in the case previously set forth. These arches are provided with the insulated
supports H for the electric wires, and may also have a suitable support for the
electric lamp in the middle. Where a small street runs into a larger one, the
arching would be in all respects similar in construction to those already described,
with the exception that in this case there will be three half arches uniting in the
middle, as shown in Figure 8, or a single diagonal arch may be used as shown at J,
in Figure 3. The material most suitable for these arches is wrought iron tubing,
but the post or all may be made of cast iron if desired. By this arrangement of
supports for the electric wires of all descriptions, none of the light will be materially
shut out, as the wires will be arranged in a single layer and not from four to eight
or more above one another as is at present the case. In a street having twenty
three squares of four hundred and eighty feet long, and twenty four electric lamps,
or one at each cross of streets a distance of twenty two thousand five hundred and
sixty feet, or four and twenty sixth hundredth miles (4.26) of street will be
illuminated. The arches should be about twenty feet from the surface of the street
in the middle, so as to be sufficiently high to escape the highest load in turning a
corner, and at the same time to support the lamp at such a height that the greatest
luminous effect will be obtained.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my

page_text: foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. A structure consisting of an arch or girder supported from the ground on
either curb, spanning the street, and provided with insulated supports for the
electric wires, or with a support for one or more lamps, or with both, substantially
as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Second. A structure for carrying electric wires and electric lamps at a crossing
of two streets, which consists of two arches or girders sprung diagonally from
corner to corner, and intersecting each other in the middle, from which the electric
lamp is hung; the said arches being provided with insulated supports for the electric
wires, substantially as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Third. In a structure for carrying electric wires and electric lamps, the post A,
provided with the caps D, furnished with the lugs E, the sections of tubular arches B,
the centre casting C provided with the lugs F, and the insulated supports H on the
sections B for the electric wires, substantially as shown and described.
Fourth. In a structure for carrying electric wires, the tubular posts A provided
with the caps D to support the tubular arch or girder B, in combination with
insulated wire supports on the arch, substantially as above set forth and for the
purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
W. KOB. LAKE. (L.S.)