Improvements in or relating to the Insulation of Electric Conductors.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Oct., 1897-Accepted, 6th Nov., 1897
SIONAL SPECIF
ION.
Improvements in or relating to the Insulation of Electric Conductors.
I, FREDERICK HAWKINS, Electrician, of 6 Crosby Road, Romford Road, Strat-
ford, E., in the County of Essex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the insulation of electric conductors and may be carried
out in the following manner:-
I employ hair of any suitable description whether human, horse or other
animal, and either long or short, and apply this in a convenient form. One way
is to spin the hairs into a long thread and apply that by winding, weaving or
the like. Another way is to collect the hairs, particularly short hairs, into a
matted form, and place those around the conductor.
Outside the hair any desired insulating, isolating or protecting material other
than hair may be employed such for example as india-rubber, metal or the like,
and the various conductors may be formed together into a cable or otherwise if
desired. Any cross section may be employed.
Dated this 4th day of December 1896.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Insulation of Electric Conductors.
I, FREDERICK HAWKINS, Electrician of 6 Crosby Road, Romford Road, Strat-
ford, E., in the County of Essex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to the insulation of electric conductors and may be carried
out in the following manner:-
I employ hair of any suitable description whether human, horse or other
animal, and either long or short, and apply this in a convenient form. One way
is to spin the hairs into a long thread and apply that by winding, weaving or
the like. Another way is to collect the hairs, particularly short hairs, into a
matted form, and place those around the conductor.
Outside the hair any desired insulating, isolating or protecting material other
than hair may be employed such for example as india-rubber, metal or the like,
and the various conductors may be formed together into a cable or otherwise if
desired. Any cross section may be employed.
When thus formed into a cable the outer covering on the individual hair

page_text: covered wires may be dispensed with and a covering which encloses the number
of conductors forming the cable be relied upon for protection from the atmosphere
and the like.
It is to be understood that whereas, hereinbefore the mode of applying the
hair has been described as winding or weaving, braiding may be employed if
desired. .
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a view of a conductor, showing the hair covering partially removed.
Figure 2 is a cross section on the line 1-1 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a view of a similar conductor with an outer, insulating or isolating
covering. The coverings being partially removed.
Figure 4 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a cross section of a multiple cable of several conductors, each
conductor being similar to that shown in Figures 1 and 2.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
A is the metallic conductor, which may be of any section and may be of wire,
or wires, strips or pieces of metal of any suitable number, size and shape. B is
the covering of hair, either human, horse, or other animal, shown in the drawing
as braided, or matted, but which may be made up in any convenient way. C is
an insulating, isolating or protecting covering of guttapercha, indiarubber metal
tube or any desired material.
If desired the cable composed of several conductors, one form of which is
shown in Figure 5 may have a somewhat cylindrical form imparted to it before
the outer covering C is placed thereon. This may be conveniently effected by
filling, the interstices D between the conductors with hair or any other desired
material.
It is obvious that cables made up of conductors insulated according to my
invention may be further protected, by means of sheathing etc., or by any of
the means usually employed, in cables for use in aerial, subterranean, or sub-
marine work.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The employment of hair as an insulating covering for an electric conductor.
2. In an electric conductor an insulating covering such as described made
of hair.
3. In an electric cable the combination of a conductor A, hair covering such
as B and outer covering C substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
4. The complete electric cable substantially as described and illustrated in
Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 1st day of October 1897.
FREDERICK HAWKINS.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.