IMPROVEMENTS IN INSULATING COMPOUNDS AND IN PROCESSES FOR ТПЕ INSULATION OF ELECTRIC CONDUCTING WIRES AND CABLES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jasper Wetter, of New Wandsworth, Surrey for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN INSULATING COMPOUNDS AND IN PROCESSES
FOR ТПЕ INSULATION OF ELECTRIC CONDUCTING WIRES AND CABLES A
communication to liim from abroad by Richard S. Waring, of Pittsburg.
State of Pennsylvania and J. Burrows Hyde of the City and State of New
York both in the United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jasper Wetter at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th November 1882.
"
JASPER WETTER of New Wandsworth, Surrey "IMPROVEMENTS IN INSULATING
COMPOUNDS AND IN PROCESSES FOR THE INSULATION OF ELECTRIC CONDUCTING
WIRES AND CABLES a communication to me from abroad by Richard S. Waring,
of Pittsburg, State of Pennsylvania, and J. Burrows Hyde, of the city and State of
New York, both in the United States of America.
This invention consists in enveloping the wires in an arming or shield of fibrous
material, preferably cotton threads, that are wound or braided around the wire,
effectually employing the same, and afterwards subjecting this wound wire to
artificial heat, effectually to dispel al moisture therefrom, or in exposing the wound
wire to heat in an insulting medium to saturate and coat the arming, thereby not
only expelling all moisture but effectually coating the same to insure its repulsion
of all moisture from again entering them.
And this invention also consists in subjecting a complete cable to the action of
dry heat in a closed chamber to insure the expulsion of all moisture therefrom.
And this invention further consists in a new insulating medium.
Cotton threads are more or less hygroscopic, and particularly so when wound
around copper wires.
If a reel of cotton covered wire be weighed carefully and then be exposed in a
atmosphere heated above 212° Fah, and again weighed, it will be found to have

page_text: lost in weight. Now expose it a short time to the air, it will absorb moisture again
to its original weight. It is usual to saturate or varnish over such covered wires,
which invariably envelopes and seals up all such moisture therein.
This by change to colder temperature will tend to concentrate and condense at
uncertain points upon the wire, which when placed in communication with a
battery will decompose the water and oxidise or destroy the wire and break up its
connection.
To effectually dispel all moisture by the first method I expose the covered wire
to a heat exceeding 212° F, and at once convey the covered wire thus treated,
directly into a bath of insulation or directly into an apparatus to envelope it within
a covering of lead or other proper ductilo material; or bath.
I prefer to cover the wires with cotton threads as described and coil them on reels
of convenient size which reels with their contained wires are immersed within a
bath of the melted insulation material heated to a degree considerably above the
boiling point of water and effectually immersed therein.
The process being completed by unwinding the now saturated wire from the
reels, through a spaco to effect sufficient cooling, and by removing it upon a second
reel from which it passes into the cable or for other purposes; or the wound wires
may be coiled on reels and as before wound, be thus enclosed in drying chambers,
to effect the drying in bulk and for which purpose I may employ any convenient
apparatus thereforo.
An important portion of this invention is the application of the distillates of
-mineral oils-as-a-medium-for-insulation.
-
It is those distillates and residuums after extracting the illuminating oils, that
are also employed for insulation particularly those that form a tarry; waxy or
resinous consistency, when cold, excepting pure paraffin as such, which owing to its
low melting nature I discard.
The improvements also relate to the employment of the distillates which are
fluid when cold combined with Asphaltum, Pitch or Gum-to-give-substance-and-
adhesiveness to the mixture, also in the use of pulp or pulverized mineral of earthy
matter as a corpus to be combined with the distillates of petroleum for use in
electric insulation.
The wires should be made to pass around a series of rollers the object of which
is twofold; 1st to cause them to pass back and forth through the heating chamber
and thus expose it to the action of the heat for a longer period of time; 2nd to flex
the wires and open the seams and pores of the fabric, so that the steam will escape
therefrom and put the fibrous coating in a better condition to receive the insulating
compound. After the fibrous coated wire has been forced from all moisture it
should be drawn at once, while still hot through some vessel containing an
insulating compound and may then be passed over flexing rollers which bends the
wire back and forth so that the insulating material fills all the seams and pores.
The surplus of insulating material should be scraped from the wires by being drawn
through perforated metal plates, or discs, and the wires are then cooled and are in
condition to be used.
The invention further consists in the application of cotton and other fibre
covered wires for. electric uses, the process of immersing such covered wires upon
reels in a bath or baths of an insulating compound heated to a degree above 212°,
and then drawing from such bath the immersed reels, by a second and storing reel,
through an intermediate and suitable gauging mould or plate and cooling space.
I place the covered wire in proper and convenient lengths, upon reels, that will
readily fit into a heating vessel of any desired construction. The vessel standing
over a heating furnace is properly filled with insulating material previously melted
and mixed in another-vessel, and heated above 212° Fah: preferably 300° Fah:
Into this heated mixture I immerse the reels and their contents, the excessive
heat will at once convert the 'moisture into vapour, expelling it from the cotton
and rising through the insulator as steam, convert the substanco into a fine frothy
mass; the composition will at the same time penetrate the cotton to the wires

page_text: effectually sealing them against any possible penetration of aqueous matter at any
time thereafter.
When the froth ceases to rise, the wire may be reeled off upon a receiving reel.
For drying I may also use a double walled receptacle of any suitable or desirable
form or dimension made of cast or sheet metal, tho inner and outer walls being
separated by suitable stays or division strips, leaving an air or steam space in the
walls of the receptacle. Steam or hot air pipes are located within the inner
chamber by which the chamber is heated.
The top of the receptacle is by preference provided with vent openings for the
escape of steam which is generated by heating the wires.
Dry hot air, steam, superheated steam or any devices by which heat can be
applied without injury to the fibrous coating of the wire comes within the scope of
this invention.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Jasper Wetter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th May
1883.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN INSULATING
Jasper Wetter, of New Wandsworth, Surrey
COMPOUNDS AND IN PROCESSES. FOR THE INSULATION OF ELECTRIC CONDUCTING
WIRES AND CABLES," a communication to me from abroad by Richard S. Waring,
of Pittsburg, State of Pennsylvania, and J. Burrows Hyde, of the city and State of
New York, both in the United States of America,
This invention relates to the insulation of wires for electric uses, and particularly
for their employment in electric conductors for cables for under ground or under
water communication for Telephones, Telegraphs, Electric lighting, Motive
Power etc.
For the purpose above set forth, the invention consists in enveloping the wires in
an arming or shield of fibrous material, preferably cotton threads that are wound
--or braided around the wire, effectually enveloping the same and afterwards
subjecting this wound wire to artificial heat effectually to dispel. all moisture
therefrom, or in, exposing the wound wire to heat in an insulating medium to
saturate and coat the arming, thereby not only expelling all moisture but effectually
coating the-same. to insure its repulsion of all moisture from again entering them.
And the improvements still further extend to subjecting a complete cable to the
action-of-dry-heat-in-a-closed chamber to insure the expulsion of all moisture
therefrom. And this invention includes any proper apparatus to-be-used-in-the-
process of saturating and drying the covered wires and especially in the discovery
and use of new insulating medium therefore.
'
Cotton threads, are more or less hygroscopic, and particularly so when wound
around copper wires.
If a reel of cotton covered wire be weighed carefully and then be exposed in an
atmosphere heated above 212°, and again weighed, it will be found to have lost in
weight. Now expose it a short time to the air it will absorb moisture again to its
original weight.
It is usual to saturate or varnish over such covered wires, which invariably
envelopes and seals up all such moisture therein.
This by change to colder temperature will tend to concentrate and condense at
uncertain points upon the wire, which when placed in communication with a
battery will decompose the water and the oxygen seize upon and oxidise or destroy
the wire and break up its connection.
To avert this difficulty 1 employ several distinct methods. First to effectually
dispel all moisture I expose the covered wire to a heat exceeding 212° Fahrenheit
and at once convey the covered wire thus treated, directly into a bath of insulation
or directly into an apparatus to envelope it within a covoring of lead or other
proper ductile material; or bath, that is to say directly into the insulation and then
into the lead covering apparatus as 1 prefer that all wires prepared for insulation
by the method named shall be covered with an arming of lead or other ductile
metal, compounds of metal or proper material therefor. I prefer to cover the wires
with cotton threads as described and coil them on reels of convenient size which
reels with their contained wires are immersed within a bath of the melted insulation
material heated to a degree considerably above the boiling point of water and
effectually immersed therein. The excessive heat will at once dispel all moisture
in the cotton as steam and so that it will quickly permeate the insulation con
verting it into a frothy mass needing care that it does not rise above and overflow

page_text: the containing vessel. As this aqueous matter escapes from the thread the insulator
takes its place and the process is completed by unwinding tho now saturated wire
from the reels, through a space to effect sufficient cooling, and be rewound upon a
second reel from which it passes into the cable, or for other purposes for which it
is to be used. In other cases the wound wire is passed singly through the heated
insulation instead of upon reels as described. In cases when the insulating medium
is not used, the wound wire may be passed singly or in groups through a heating
apparatus to expel the moisture and thence quickly to the lead arming machine,
or the wound wires may be coiled on reels and as before wound, be thus enclosed
in drying chamber, to effect the drying in bulk and for which purpose I may employ
any convenient apparatus therefor. A most important portion of this invention is
the discovery of a most superior medium or mediums for insulation in the distillates
of mineral oils. In the distillation of such oils in closed vessels or otherwise and
most especially petroleum several distinct grades of the most volatile products as
naptha and illuminating oils, are set free and sent over under increased and distinct
degrees of heat and have residuums of less or greater density in the still and whichi
if further treated under still higher heat will send off other distillates and residuums
than before. It is those distillates and residuums after extracting the illuminating
oils that are also employed for insulation particularly those that form a tarry waxy
or resinous, consistency when cold, excepting pure paraffine, which owing to its low
melting nature I discard. When the paraffin is not separate, but allowed to remain
combined with the other properties and is not developed as paraffin proper, tho
mixture may be used. There are three distinct distillates which are of a greenish
olive colour a brownish yellow with olive colour and a black vitrus residuum that
breaks like mineral asphaltum in fractions. The improvements also relate to the
employment of the distillates which are fluid when cold combined with asphaltum,
pitch or gum to give substance and adhesiveness to the mixture, also in the use of
pulp or pulverized mineral of earthy matter as a corpus to be combined with tho
distillates of petroleum for use in electric insulation. Any kind of a drying
chamber or chambers may be used, provided with coils or drums of the fibrous
coverd wires mounted in suitable bearings and arranged so that the wires can be
readily unwound therefrom. The chamber shall be adapted to be heated or contain
heated air of a sufficient degree of temperature as will expel all moisture from the
wires by the passage of the same therethrough. The wires should then be made to
pass around a series of rollers the object of which is twofold 1st to cause them to
pass back and forth through the heating chamber and thus expose it to the action
of the heat for a longer period of time 2nd to flex the wires and open the seams
and pores of the fabric so that the steam will escape therefrom and put the fibrous
conting in a better condition to receive the insulating compound. I do not wish
to confine myself to any particular device for expelling moisture from the fibrous
coating of the wires as it is obvious that any device could be contrived which will
answer the same purpose. Neither do I wish to be understood as limiting myself
to dry heated air as the drying agent for it is obvious that the same night be
necomplished in a vacuum tank that is to say by expelling the air from the vessel
in which the wire is placed; or it may be done by chemical process such as passing
the wires coated with the fibrous material directly through chambers charged with
nir or gas forced from moisture by sulphuric acid or other chemical agents or
heating up to a point that the conductor by its own hent expels the moisture from
the insulated covering. After the fibrous coated wire has been forced from all
moisture it should be drawn at once, while still hot, through some vessel containing
an insulating compound and may then be passed over flexing rollers which bends
the wire back and forth so that the insulating material fills all the seams and pores
and a perfect insulation is accomplished. The surplus of insulating material should
be scraped from the wires by being drawn through perforated metal plates, nipples
or discs to strip off any excess of the composition, and the wires are then cooled by
which means the insulating material is set and the wire is in condition to be used,
or rolled on reels for transportation, but I propose to convey the prepared wires

page_text: directly into a cable press or lead pipe press into which the wires are drawn with
lead which forms a coating or protection of lead for the wires, the lead leaves tho
press simultaneously with the wires forming a cable for future use without other
treatment. It will be observed that the fibrous coated wire is first heated to such
a degree say 212° Fahrenheit or more that, all moisture is expelled therefrom and
then while still hot the wire is conducted through a tank containing the heated
insulating material where it is thoroughly saturated and all pores of the fibrous
covering filled and saturated with the insulating material. As before stated I do
not wish to confine myself to any particular means or devices for accomplishing
the complete drying or the insulation of the wires, for many devices will readily
suggest themselves to the skilled workmen which would effectually accomplish the
result desired and be within the scope of this invention. The invention further
consists in the use of cotton and other fibre covered wires for electric uses, the
process of immersing such covered wires upon reels in a bath or baths of insulating
compound heated to a degree above 212° and then drawing from such bath
immersed reels, by a second and storing reel through an intermediate and suitable
gauging mould or plate and cooling space. In the application of insulating media
to electric wires-it is common to first wind or braid the wire with several coverings
of cotton thread by machinery and then coat or varnish this cotton with some
insulating material, and often the inner layer is so varnished and the outer ones left
unprotected and exposed to the air. Most vegetable fibre and particularly the
cotton thread used for this purpose is found to be greatly hygroscopic, as if
-weighted, it is then placed by a suitable apparatus and heated to 212 Fahrenheit,
it will part with its moisture and be reduced in weight, removed again to the air it
will re-absorb moisture and return to its original weight. It has been found that
to ensure reliable and permanent insulation to the wires, every possible trace of
moisture must be expelled and practically the only method for effecting that object
is the one herein described, and wherein the moisture cannot possibly cause trouble.
thereafter. 1-place-the-covered-wire-in-proper-and-convenient lengths, upon recls,
that will readily fit into a heating vessel of any desired construction. The vessel
standing over a heating furnace is properly filled with insulating material
previously melted and mixed in another vessel and heated above 212° Fahrenheit,
preferably 300° Fahrenheit. Into this heated mixture I immerse the reels and
their contents, the excessive heat will at once convert the moisture into vapour
expelling it from the cotton and rising through the insulator as steam, convert the
substance into a fine frothy mass, demanding care that it does not exceed the
capacity of the moulding vessel itself, the composition will at the same time
penetrate the cotton to the wires effectually sealing them against any possible
penetration of aqueous matter at any time thereafter.
In use I employ the "Obsidine" tempered with a softer medium to give
flexibility and elasticity as a first coat and then immerse the reel in a vessel
containing the "Ambertine " to obtain a better and non-adhesive surface, but for
general use, I prefer to mix the two together with or without the "Olivine" or
other compounds, the preparation and nature of which will always be suggested by
the particular use implied and the temperature of the atmosphere. When the froth
ceases to rise it will indicate freedom from moisture, the wire may then be reeled
off upon a receiving reel placed at a proper distance, for the wire to cool, before
reaching and winding on reel, and I place intermediately between the reels but
nearer the first a stripping and moulding block consisting of conical perforations or
apertures through a metal block or plate to strip off any excess of the composition
and gauge the coating evenly. Among the distillates of petroleum and other
mineral oils as "Paraffin" which is usually separated from its associate compounds
by distilling and mechanical pressure I distinctly exclude "Paraffin" as such from
this employment; its low melting point and other features render it unfit for use.
It may be said that electric wires properly coated and saturated with this com-
pound or composition will withstand the various natural changes of temperature,
which compound is perfectly impervious to water so that the wire is preserved from

page_text: oxidation and therefore not liable to be removed after being once laid. I use a
double walled receptacle of any suitable or desirable form or dimension made of
cast or sheet metal the inner and outer walls being separated by suitable stays or
division strips leaving an air or steam space in the walls of the receptacle. Steam
or hot air pipes are located within the inner chamber by which the chamber is
heated. It is obvious that the steam or hot air may be admitted to the space in
the walls of the receptacle which would accomplish the object equally well-Coil or
coils of the fabric or thread coated wires which are placed on reels or drums within
the receptacle, and so adapted that when the desired degree of hot air has been
given the wire, that it can be reeled off and exposed or passed through the
insulating material. The degree of heat necessary to expel all moisture must
be above 212° Fahrenheit and the top of the receptacle is by preference provided
with vent openings for the escape of steam which is generated by heating the
wires. The wire is subjected to this heat for some time so that it becomes heated
throughout and being a better conductor of heat than the fabric or fibrous material
which surrounds it the fabric or fibrous material will be entirely freed from moisture
and in proper condition to receive and absorb the insulating material and thus
all danger of sealing and pocketing any moisture within the coating of insulating
material is obviated.
Dry hot air, steam, superheated steam or any devices by which heat can be
applied without injury to the fibrous coating of the wire comes within the scope of
WHATE
1. The compound herein described for insulating telegraph and other electrical
wires the same consisting in the liquid distillates of petroleum such as described
combined with resinous or bituminous substances and also if needed with clay,
chalk, pulp or other suitable material.
2. An insulating compound for telegraph wires composed of two or more of the
heavier products, arising from re-distillation of the residuum of petroleum as set
forth.
"
3. An insulating material for telegraph wires consisting of one or more of
the heavier residua of petroleum distillates combined with one or more fluid
distillates and combined when needed with clay, pulp or other suitable solid
substances as set forth.
4. The process herein described of insulating electric wires or cables the same
consisting in expelling all moisture from the fibrous coating of the wires by
artificial heat above 212° and then hermetically sealing or enclosing the same in an
air tight covering.
5. As an improvement in the art of insulating electric wires or cables, the process
herein described of treating the fibrous covered wire by a continuous operation viz:
drying the fibrous covered wire, freeing the same from all moisture, thenco passing
the wire through a bath of insulating material and finally through a cooling or
drying shoe or chamber.
6. The process herein described of insulating telegraphic wires the same con-
sisting in passing the fibrous coated wires through a heating chamber over flexing
rollers or otherwise, whereby the moisture is entirely expelled from the fibrous
covered wires, and the same saturated and coated with insulating material.
"
7. In the insulation and manufacture of electric wires having an arming of
thread or of other capillary material that will hold hygroscopic or other aqueous
moisture, the expelling of such moisture from such arming artificial means prior to
coating it with an insulating or enveloping material.
8. In the manufacture of electric cables the process described of charging the
conducting wires into a lead tube press or other lead covering apparatus with lead
or other proper material, and passing out with said apparatus simultaneously and
intact with the lead as a complete cable.
9. As a new article of manufacture a telegraph cable or wire covered with a

page_text: fibrous or textile covering free from all moisture coated and saturated with an
insulating compound as set forth.
10. In the insulation of cotton or fibre covered wires for electric uses, the process
of immersing such prepared wires in coils or otherwise into baths of heated
insulating material at high temperature to expel all moisture therefrom and saturate
the fibre with mixture substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
11. In the use of cotton or other fibre covered wires for electric uses, the process
of iminersing such covered wires upon reels in a bath or baths of heated insulating
compound and drawing it from such bath immersed reels by a second and storing
reels through an intermediate and gauging plate mould or moulds substantially in
the manner and for the purpose set forth.
12. The method herein described of insulating wire consisting of first heating the
compound to the required temperature, then immersing fibre coated wire in said
compound releasing the cotton or other fibre of all moisture and thoroughly
saturating it, then drawing the insulated wires through stripping or gauging
devices and finally reeling it on a receiving and storing reel.
13. The method herein described of insulating electrical wires the same con-
-sisting in heating the fibre coated wire so as to expel moisture and subjecting said
wires to the insulating material or compound as set forth.
14. The method herein described of subjecting electric cables such as those that
contain insulated conducting wire or wires by subjecting them to a dry heat of
suitable temperature in such manner and to such an extent as to withdraw
_ therefrom any aqueous deposit contained in the insulating material or cable.
In Witness whereof I the said Jasper Wetter have hereunto set-my-hand
and seal this fourth day of May *AD 1883.