Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 31st Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 1st Mar., 1887
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, of Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, London, W.C.,
Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors whereby
certain advantages are obtained.
A convenient form of junction or testing box has hitherto been constructed having
a main chamber wherein the junctions are made, and subsidiary chambers, which I
may conveniently term "leading chambers," through which the conductors are led
from the exterior to the main chamber. These leading chambers are bounded at their
inner and outer ends by solid walls which have to be perforated with holes just
sufficiently large to admit the passage of the insulated conductors. This is probably
the best form of junction box at present known; but its drawbacks are that if the
holes already exist in the walls of the leading chambers, a large variety of junction
boxes having holes of varying number and size must be kept in stock, in order that
those suitably perforated for the conductors to be used. may be selected and if the
holes do not already exist, they have to be made, an operation which necessitates the
handling of the whole casting.
The object of my present invention is to obviate the necessity either of keeping a
large variety in stock, or of handling the casting for the purpose of making the holes:
and to accomplish this I may cast the junction box in the usual way with main and
leading chambers, the latter being either open at the top or covered as may be desired.
Instead of having walls forming part of the casting at the outer and inner ends of the
chambers, I may employ separate and replaceable walls, which may fit into or be
suitably attached to guides, slots or retainers. These separate and replaceable walls,
which I may conveniently term gates," may be plates of iron, lead, wood, papier
maché or other suitable material.
::
When the conductors are laid or erected the gates may be placed, fixed or slid
into position and soldered, wedged, caulked, run with pitch or lead or the like, or

page_text: otherwise secured to the casting, and in some cases with packing interposed. I may
employ similar means for securing the conductors in the apertures of the gates so as
to prevent the access of damp between the circumference of the conductors and the
surrounding parts of the gates.
It is not necessary that the gate should be a plate. It may be of tubular or
cylindrical form, flanged or othewise; and when I adopt this form I prefer it to screw
into the casting, a screw thread being formed both on the gate and on the casting for
this purpose.
In some cases the leading chambers may be filled with packing surrounding the
conductor, or with pitch or the like.
The number of gates may vary; and in some cases two gates with packing between
them may be employed to act the part of a single wall as hereinbefore referred to. In
some cases also a duplex gate, that is a gate consisting of one gate fitting into another
and secured by any of the hereinbefore mentioned means, may be employed.
When the conductors are encased by an impervious covering, such for example as
lead, they may be led direct into the leading chamber: and when the conductors are
laid in pipes or troughs the latter may either be led direct to the leading chamber or
be suitably fixed to the gate by bolts, soldering or otherwise, and with or without
elastic packing between.
By means of my invention a few sizes and forms of casting will suffice for all
purposes. A stock of gates may be kept with holes of varying size and number in
them; or if kept without holes, the_gates_alone_will require handling for the purpose
of being perforated, an operation which can easily be performed on the spot.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Junction or Testing Boxes for Electrical
Conductors.
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN of Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, London, W.C.
Consulting Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN JUNCTION OR TESTING BOXES FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOns and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors whereby
certain advantages are obtained.
A convenient form of junction or testing box has hitherto been constructed having
a main chamber wherein the junctions are made and subsidiary chambers which I
may conveniently term "leading chambers" through which the conductors are led
from the exterior to the main chamber. These leading chambers are bounded at their
inner and outer ends by solid walls which have to be perforated with holes just
sufficiently large to admit the passage of the insulated conductors. This is probably
the best form of junction box at present, known but its drawbacks are that if the
holes already exist in the walls of the leading chambers a large variety of junction
boxes having holes of varying number and size must be kept in stock in order that
those suitably perforated for the conductors to be used may be selected and if the
holes do not already exist they have to be made an operation which necessitates the
handling of the whole casting.
The object of my present invention is to obviate the necessity either of keeping a
large variety in stock or of handling the casting for the purpose of making the holes
and to accomplish this I generally cast the junction box in the usual way with main
and leading chambers the latter being either open at the top or covered as may be
desired. Instead of having walls forming part of the casting at the outer and inner
ends of the chambers I employ one or more separate and replaceable walls which fit into
or are suitably attached to guides slots or retainers. These separate and replaceable
walls which I may conveniently term "gates" may be plates of iron lead wood papier
maché or other suitable material.
When the conductors are laid or erected the gates are placed fixed or slid into
position and soldered wedged caulked run with pitch or lead or the like or otherwise
secured to the casting and in some cases with packing or filling interposed. I some-
times employ similar means for securing the conductors in the apertures of the gates
so as to prevent the access of damp between the circumference of the conductors and
the surrounding parts of the gates.
It not necessary that the gate should be a plate. It may be of tubular or
cylindrical form flanged or otherwise and when I adopt this form I prefer it to screw
into the casting a screw thread being formed both on the gate and on the casting for
this purpose.

page_text: In some cases the leading chambers are filled with packing surrounding the conductor
or with a filling of pitch or the like.
In
The number of gates may vary and in some cases two gates with packing between
them are employed to act the part of a single wall as hereinbefore referred to.
some cases also a duplex gate that is a gate consisting of one gate fitting into another
and secured by any of the hereinbefore mentioned means is employed.
When the conductors are encased by an impervious covering such for example as
lead they are preferably led direct into the leading chamber and when the conductors
are laid in pipes or troughs the latter may either he led ilirect to the leading chamber
or be suitably fixed to the gate constituting the outer wall by bolts soldering or
otherwise and with or without clastic packing between.
Having thus described my invention in general terms I shall now proceed to
describe it more in detail and for that purpose shall refer to the accompanying sheets
of drawings.
Figure 1 is a horizontal section through a rectangular junction box in which A is
the main chamber and B B the leading chambers bounded by gates GG which slide
into vertical grooves or guides 'g' formed in the sides of the junction box. A. suitable
cover is provided at the top and is held down by any convenient device such for
example as bolts and nuts and preferably with rubber or other packing to make it
weather tight. The gates are formed without holes and when the junction box is
required holes of the required size are then formed in them by boring drilling or
otherwise. In some cases I prefer to keep a stock of interchangeable gates with holes
of various shapes and sizes so that when the junction box is placed in position gates
with holes suited to the cable can be placed in the grooves and the ends of the cable
drawn through and jointed as required. The leading chambers are then filled up with
pitch or a composition such as a mixture of tar and sand or with bituminous substance
or concrete or other suitable material.
Figure 2 is a vertical section and figure 2 an end view of a somewhat similar
junction box. It has circular gates G G which are shown attached by bolts and nuts.
Bosses a¹ a¹ are provided with studs and nuts to secure the lid or cover. For further
protection the leading chambers may also be conveniently filled with insulating
inaterial or filling.
Figure, 3 represents a horizontal section of a form of junction box with main
chamber A and leading chamber B where I use at each end two gates GG with
packing dd between them and held in position by bolts and nuts which press the
packing when the nuts are screwed up and so form a weather tight joint.
Figures and 5 represent forms of tubular or cylindrical gates, with flanges, which
are screwed into the casting by means of threads formed upon them and upon the
casting. In figure 4 A is the main chamber of the junction box and G G the gates
which are screwed into the boss a' of the casting. The space between the two gates
constitutes the leading chamber B which may be filled up as shown with packing
or filling.
In figure 5A is the main chamber of the junction box provided with grooves and
with two gates GG sliding vertically in these grooves. The leading chamber Bis
formed between these two gates when they are slid into the position shown. The
gate G¹ has a boss inside which a thread is formed to receive the gate G² which screws
into it.
Pitch or other suitable material may then be run in through a hole in the
top of the boss so as to fill the space between the gate G2 and the washer g³ which
fits into the recess in G¹. The leading chamber B may also be filled with insulating
or other material as well as the chamber B. If the conductor does not fit exactly
into the hole in G² it is preferable to fill the space B₁ with elastic packing such for
axample as an india rubber washer so that the conductor may be tightly grasped
when G is screwed home. This illustrates one of the cases referred to above of a
duplex gate that is one gate fitting into another gate. This figure also illustrates a
case wherein two gates with packing between them act the part of a single wall. The
washer may be omitted in some cases, for example when there is a broad bearing
shoulder on the gate for the elastic packing.

page_text: Figure 6 illustrates a case wherein iron pipes in which electrical conductors may be
laid are attached to the junction box. In this case the outer gate G is of peculiar
construction. It is provided with recesses og not only at the sides as shewn but
also at the top and bottom. This gate slides in a groove formed by the projec-
tions aa and the recesses are filled with insulating material or other filling so as
to make the junction box weather tight. An inner gate G¹ slides between the pro-
jecting ridges a² and the gate G. is a rubber washer between the flange of the
pipe E and the gate G. A similar pipe E¹ is shown at the other end of the junction
box. In this case the leading chamber need not be filled with insulating material or
other filling provided the recesses and the pipes E and E¹ are water tight. The
presence of the inner gate is not always necessary.
Figure 7 is a circular junction box, A is the main chamber having three projecting
bosses a provided with male screws. GGG are the gates having threads formed
upon them so as to screw on to the bosses a'. ddd represent suitable packings placed
between the flanges of the bosses and the gates. The holes a² in the casting are made
of sufficient size to take the largest cable for which the box is intended the holes to
fit the cable being formed in the gates as required. To obtain increased bearing
surface for the packing washers y may be inserted when desired and such washers
may indeed constitute gates. Either the spaces between the gates and the washers or
the holes may be considered as leading chambers.
In Figure SA is the main chamber of a circular junction hox a² the boss G the
gate screwing into the boss and pressing against the packing ring A. washer GI
may as in the previous case be inserted when desired. The hole a² may be made
sufficiently large to admit the largest size of cable for which this junction box is
intended.
Figure 9 is an elevation figure 10 a plan figure 11 a vertical section on the central
line and figure 12 a horizontal section of a junction box and its leading chambers.
A is the main chamber of the junction box B B its leading chambers GG the gates
sliding in vertical grooves formed in the sides of the casting. The gates are shown
solid without any holes formed in them for the cables. The leading chambers are
covered at the top by lids the sides of the chambers rising above these lids sufficiently
to allow of the insulating material 3 being run over the top of the lid to render the
joint weather tight. Although this material is shown in section in figure 11. it will
be readily understood that it is not put in place until after the cables have been drawn
through the gates. The leading chamber B is also conveniently filled with insulating
material such as pitch or the like. The box is provided with a flange a¹ and a
cover a which is held down by bolts or nuts a³. The groove a' is formed in the top
of the casting to receive a packing ring a. Projections as are formed inside the
casting to keep in position blocks of ebonite slate or other insulating material holding
safety cutouts binding screws switches or the like which it may be desirable to place
within the junction box. Figures 9" are separate views of one of the gates. Figures 1.0"
are separate views of one of the lids of the leading chambers.
Figure 13 is a plan and figure 14 is a longitudinal section through another form of
junction box. In this case the box is cast with circular bosses a² as shewn with threads
formed within to receive the tubular gates G G. The holes are formed in the sides
of the junction box of sufficient size to receive the largest cable for which the box is
intended. The holes for the right size of the cable are formed in the gates G G and
the washers when required. Sometimes I have the hole in the gates GG larger
than what is necessary for the cable used and in such cases I employ a ring of
preferably elastic packing so that the gates G G may be screwed up so as to
compress this packing tightly around the conductor and thus form a weathertight
joint. This box is provided with a cover and packing ring similar to that shewn
in figure 11.
Figure 14" is an end view of the gate G in figure 14.
Figure 15 is a half elevation and half longitudinal section of a square form of
junction box with three leading chambers. Figure 16 is a horizontal section of the
same taken on the line X and figure 17 is a plan of the same with the cover removed

page_text: taken at the level of the line Y. BBB are the leading chambers G G the gates.
and are the lids of the leading chambers. They rest on ledges formed upon
the gates. The openings a¹ in the sides of the junction box are only made high
enough to allow of the lid being put into position after the gates have been slid
down into the grooves . is the cover of the junction box and a the studs and
nuts holding down the cover which is provided with suitable packing a to make a
weather tight joint. When the junction box is required for use the cover is taken off
the gates are drawn out from the grooves and holes formed in them the size suitable
for the cable. The gates are then replaced and the cable is drawn through the gates.
The cables are then jointed within the box in the manner desired.
The leading
chambers are run in with insulating or other suitable material up to the level of the
top of the ledges which support the lids. The lids are then placed in position and
material placed above them so as to fill up the whole of the space which is formed
between the upper parts of the gates and the sides of the leading chambers. As this
material fills up the space between the top of the inner gate G and the part a of
the casting which reaches nearly down to the lid it makes a very satisfactory weather-
tight joint. When this is completed the cover is replaced and bolted down."
Figure 18 represents a half section of a very similar form of box to the last but in
this case the groove formed between the projections a a² for the inner gate is made
wider than the thickness of the gate so that the gate G clears the side d of the casting
when sliding into position. When the gate is down it is pushed under the side d into
the position shewn. It is held in this position temporarily by a slip of wood or the like
inserted between the gate and the projection a'. Permanently it is retained in its
position by the lid which covers the leading chamber B. The outer gate slides
in, a vertical recess. The form and arrangement of parts as shown in this figure
permit of a very satisfactory form of weather-tight joint being obtained. Pitch or
other material is employed as mentioned with reference to the last preceding figure.
I sometimes find it convenient to perforate the lid or lids so that the pitch or other
material can be poured over the lid, find its way through the perforations in the lid
and so fill up the spaces both below and above the lid in one operation.
By means of my invention a few sizes and forms of casting will suffice for all
purposes. A stock of gates may be kept with holes of varying size and number in
them; or if kept without holes the gates alone will require handling for the purpose
of being perforated, an operation which can easily be performed on the spot.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:
1. The improvement in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors consisting
in the replaceable gate substantially as set forth.
2. The improvements in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors consisting
in the particular forms of replaceable gate substantially as set forth with reference to
figure 1, figures 2 and 2", figure 3, figure 4, figure 5, figure 6, figure 7, figure 8,
figures 9 10 11 and 12, figures 13 14 and 14", figures 15 16 and 17, and figure 18.
3. The improvements in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors consisting
in the methods of attaching the replaceable gates by means of guides slots or retainers
substantially as set forth.
4. The improvement in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors consisting
in the form set forth with reference to figures 9, 10, 11 and 12.
5. The improvement in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors consisting
in the form set forth with reference to figures 13, 14, and 14".
6. The improvement in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors consisting
in the form set forth with reference to figures 15, 16 and 17.
7. The improvement in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors consisting
in the form set forth with reference to figure 18.
S. The improvement in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors consisting
in the tubular or cylindrical gate with or without flange substantially as set forth.
9. The improvement in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors consisting

page_text: in the combination of a replaceable gate and leading chamber in which filling is to be
inserted substantially as set forth.
10. The improvement in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors con-
sisting in the combination of a screw threaded gate and packing substantially as
set forth.
11. The improvement in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors con-
sisting in the combination of a screw threaded gate and elastic packing substantially
as set forth.
12. The improvement in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors con-
sisting in the combination of a screw threaded gate and boss substantially as
set forth.
13. The improvement in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors con-
sisting in the combination of a replaceable screw threaded gate packing and washer
substantially as set forth.
14. The improvement in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors con-
sisting in the form of recessed replaceable gate substantially as set forth with reference
to figure 6.
15. The improvement in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors con-
sisting in the duplex gate that is one replaceable gate fitting into another substantially
as set forth.
16. The improvement in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors con-
sisting in the combination of a leading chamber and a replaceable lid substantially as
set forth.
17. The improvement in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors con-
sisting in the combination of a replaceable gate with a flanged pipe in which conductors
are laid substantially as set forth.
18. The improvement in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors con-
sisting in the form and arrangement of parts substantially as set forth with reference
to figure 15 for obtaining a weathertight joint.
19. The improvement in junction or testing boxes for electrical conductors con-
sisting in the form and arrangement of parts substantially as set forth with reference
to figure 18 for obtaining a weathertight joint.