AN IMPROVED MODE OF PREPARING INSULATED WIRES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton of the Office for Patents
"
com-
66 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for an
Invention of AN IMPROVED MODE OF PREPARING INSULATED WIRES
municated to him from abroad by Alfred A Cowles of the City and State of
New York, United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th February 1883."
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents 66 Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer "AN IMPROVED MODE OF PREPARING
INSULATED WIRES."[Communicated to him from abroad by Alfred A. Cowles of
the City and State of New York, United States of America]
The object of this invention is to produce insulated wires suitable for electric
conductors capable of resisting both fire and moisture. To this end the bare
wire is first covered with a fibrous coating by preference such as may be
applied by the well known braiding machine. The coated wire is then led
through a funnel supplied with an oil paint consisting preferably of white
lead or zinc mixed with boiled linseed oil. While this coating of paint is still wet
a second coating of fibres by the braiding machine is applied; the wire is then
passed under the pressure of grooved rollers which consolidate the coatings by
causing the wet paint to be absorbed into the two fibrous coatings. The wire is
next led through a funnel supplied with fluid asphalte, india rubber or japan
varnish, and as it leaves this funnel coated with the varnish it is led away to a
reel upon which it is wound. The travel of the wire during this process is
facilitated by means of guide rollers. When the reel is filled the coated wire is
removed therefrom in its coiled state and dried, after which it will be fit for the
market.
It will be obvious that the wire may be coated by the lapping around it of a
strip of woven textile fabric in place of employing the braiding machine and in
some cases it may be found desirable to give the wire a third coating of textile
fabric just prior to the application of the waterproofing solution.
By this method of insulating conducting wires they will be rendered both fire
proof and water proof.
.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th August 1883.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents 66 Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex Civil Engineer "AN IMPROVED MODE OF PREPARING
INSULATED WIRES a communication to me from abroad -by Alfred A. Cowles of
the City and State of New York United States of America
"
The object of this Invention is to produce insulated wires suitable for electric
conductors capable of resisting both fire and moisture.
Previous to the present Invention copper wires have been covered with one.or
two braidings of cords and paraffine, tar, asphalt, and various substances have
been employed for rendering the covering water-proof and furnishing a proper
insulation, but with conductors of this character accidents have occurred in
consequence of the conductor becoming heated and setting fire to the insulation.-
For this reason objections have been made to insuring buildings against loss by
fire where electric lamp wires were introduced.
Now according to the present invention the fire-proof insulation of the conductor
is obtained in the following manner, reference being had to Fig: 1 of the
accompanying drawing which illustrates the devices employed.
The wire a. is passed up through the head of a braiding or winding machine
and a layer of cotton or other thread is placed upon the wire in the ordinary
manner
.
The braiding or winding head with spools is indicated at b.
The covered wire now passes in at the bottom of the vessel c. through a suitable
packing d. This vessel c. contains paint preferably white lead or white zinc
ground in oil and mixed with a suitable drier. The paint saturates the braided
covering and the surplus runs down the same back into the vessel c. as the braiding
progresses. A second braiding or winding is next applied directly upon the paint.
For this purpose a second braiding or winding machine head is employed, the same
being shown at f. The threads that are braided upon the paint force the paint
into the first braided covering and at the same time the paint oozes through
between the threads. Hence the paint is incorporated throughout the braided
covering and fills up the pores. The braided covering is rendered even and
consolidated by suitable means such as one or two pairs of grooved rollers k. k.
In practical use it is found that this covering is of the most reliable character it
is compact and hard, the wire is perfectly insulated and there is no possibility of
inflaming the covering. With intense heat the threads may char but they will
not burn For these reasons this insulated conductor is preferred to those before
made.
It is remarked that in the manufacture of this conductor it is preferable to reel
the covered wire as it passes from the braiding and painting machine and then
remove the reel from the coil and hang up such coil in a heated room until it is
hardened.
.
More than two layers of braiding may be employed the paint intervening
between the layers. Winding with threads or cords or strips or tapes may take
the place of the braiding.
If desired a coat of paint may be applied outside the outer layer of fibrous
material, and this may be colored so as to be used in distinguishing the wires.―
It is always preferable to braid the second or subsequent coats upon the paint
when fresh,

page_text: It sometimes happens that the workman through careless handling and short
bends made in the heavy wire, produces small pores or cracks in the paint, which
may admit moisture.
To more fully protect the aforesaid fire-proof insulating covering from the
action of moisture when exposed to the same, there is added to the insulated
conductor aforesaid a coating of water proof and slightly elastic material to lessen
the risk of the insulating covering being injured.-A water-proof covering made
of india-rubber, asphalt and japan varnish is preferred, as the same is more or less
elastic, but asphalt varnish or india-rubber varnish may be substituted.-This
water-proof coating is applied to the conductor outside the fire-proof coating and
preferably inside a coating of fibrous material that is braided upon the bituminous
or similar water proofing substance before it dries, so that the outer covering may
be saturated and the intervening material forced into the pores of the inner
covering.
In fig: 2 a represents the metallic wire; b, the first braiding; c. the layer of
paint; d. the second layer of braid applied to the paint, preferably before it
hardens; and e. is the layer of elastic water proof material such as rubber, asphalt,
and japan; and f. is the outer covering braided upon the coating e so as to form a
perfectly water proof exterior to the fire proof coating of the conductor as stated
above.
Asbestus has been used as a covering upon electric conductors, but as the fibre
is very short and weak there is constant difficulty in applying the braided or
twisted covering. Besides this it is liable to be stripped off or abraded in use.
India-rubber, asphaltum and similar materials have been applied as a coating to
conductors, and the wire has been covered with braided threads; also with india
rubber asphaltum and similar materials upon the covering either hot or cold; but
one coating of such material was allowed to set or harden before the next layer of
braided material was applied. Hence the asphaltum or similar material was not
forced into the interstices and besides this all these substances ignite by the wire
becoming heated or fire will follow along upon such covering.
"
. Having now described this Invention for An improved mode of preparing
insulated wires as communicated to me from abroad and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect I claim.
First: The method herein specified of insulating electric conductors and
rendering the coating substantially non-combustible, such method consisting in
applying a layer of fibrous material, a layer of paint, and a second layer of fibrous
material upon the paint before it dries or sets, substantially as setforth.
Second: An insulating and non-combustible covering for electric conductors.
composed of two or more layers of cotton or similar threads with paint that
intervenes between the layers and fills the interstices of the covering, substantially
as setforth.
Third: The combination with the metallic conductor, of two or more coverings
of fibrous material, with paint intervening between them, and a coating of water-
proof material such as asphalt, rubber, or japan-outside the same, substantially
as setforth.
.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Edward Newton have hereunto set my
hand and seal the sixteenth day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.