Improvements in Couplings for Connecting Together Conductors of Electricity.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 17th Aug., 1894-Accepted 22nd Sept., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplings for Connecting Together Conductors
of Electricity.
I, LEONARD PENSON, of. The Eastbourne Electric Light Company, Limited,
Junction Road, Eastbourne, in the County of Sussex, Electrical Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
My invention relates to improvements in couplings for connecting together
conductors of electricity, such as those in the cables employed as feed and supply
mains in electrical distribution systems, and other conductors of the like nature.
The invention is especially useful in connecting together, mains intended for
conducting high potential currents of electricity.
In the case of an ordinary coupling, intended to connect together two lengths
of cable in line, the parts of the coupling are made and arranged as follows.
Over the end of each cable is slipped a gland nut, screwed on the outer part, and
internally fitted with an ebonite bush. The outer end of the bushing is rounded
or coned to facilitate the entrance of the cable, and the inner end of the bushing
is enlarged to form an end collar, against which the inner end of the gland nut is
made to abut. Two metal boxes.are provided, each enlarged at its outer end and
internally screwed there to receive a gland nut, and each is adapted to serve as a
stuffing box. The packing used for each stuffing box consists of a few indiarubber
washers, which are likewise slipped over the end of each cable. The extreme
end of each cable, is bared of its insulation, a short distance, and the bared ends
are respectively soldered, brazed, or otherwise electrically connected to a brass
(for example) cylindrical terminal. The extreme end of one terminal is axially
bored a suitable length, and its mouth rounded or made funnel shaped to readily
admit the entrance of the plug shaped end of the other terminal. The axial hole
of the one terminal is bored, and the plug end of the other is turned, parallel,
and of corresponding dimensions; but in addition, the plug is also axially bored
and longitudinally slit in one or more places, so that it may make spring contact
within the axial hole of the first named terminal. A bushing of vulcanite, or
other good non-conductor, is made to surround the end of each terminal and to be
firmly seated within its corresponding stuffing box, and the inner ends of the two
stuffing boxes come together in a bevelled or cone joint which is ground to make
a perfectly water tight joint.
One of the stuffing boxes is made with an external screw at the cone joint end,
and in the body part has two pins cast upon it at opposite points for a hose
spanner to take hold of.
The other stuffing box has a shoulder at the coned end
against which the bottom flange of an internally screwed union nut engages, and
the said nut is adapted to be screwed to the external screw of the first named
stuffing box. The union nut is also provided with pins for a hose spanner, or
equivalent device, and the whole device is thus made to unite, or disconnect, like
some kinds of hose couplings; and many of its parts are similar thereto.
The adjoining ends of two cables are thus united in line within two stuffing boxes,
screwed together upon a ground water tight joint, with the cable properly insulated
But in addition
from the boxes by non-conducting bushings, as above described.
to this, by screwing up the gland nut at the outer end of each box, the rubber
washers are tightened upon the insulated portion of the cable, and effectually
prevent the entrance of moisture to the conductors. The split plug internal con-
nection provides good electrical contact without access of dust or dirt to the contact
surfaces; and the parts are coupled or uncoupled as quickly as an ordinary hose
connection.

page_text: By a slight modification in one of the boxes, I provide connections for more
than two cables, or arrange to make branch connections from the main cable at a
joint thereof; and in some cases, I modify the form of the stuffing boxes, where
connected, to dispense with the ground joint; using flanges and an annular joint
upon an elastic material instead, and couple the two flanges together by bolts and
nuts. The electrical connection, in this case, may be made by the spring plug as
before stated, or some other form of spring contact used instead.
It is to be understood that instead of making the screw on the outside of the
gland nut and inside of the stuffing box, respectively, I may reverse the arrange-
ment; and similarly with regard to the two terminals, I may slit the outer or
cylindrical terminal, and make the inner one solid, without departing from the
nature of the invention.
Dated this 4th day of December 1893.
FAIRFAX & WETTER, .
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Couplings for Connecting Together Conductors
of Electricity.
I, LEONARD PENSON, of The Eastbourne Electric Light Company, Limited,
Junction Road, Eastbourne, in the County of Sussex, Electrical Engineer; 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in couplings for connecting together
conductors of electricity, such as those in the cables employed as feed and supply
mains in electrical distribution systems, and other conductors of the like nature.
The invention is especially useful in connecting together mains intended for
conducting high potential currents of electricity.
In the further description of this invention reference is made to the acconi-
panying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a straight coupling, and Fig. 2 is an end
elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a cross or four way coupling, and Fig. 4 is
an elevation of the same.
The reference letters indicate like parts throughout, or, parts performing like
functions.
In the case of an ordinary coupling, intended to connect together two lengths
of cable, in line, as in Figs. 1 and 2, the parts of the coupling are made and
arranged as follows. Over the end of each cable a is slipped a gland nut b,
screwed on the inner part, and internally fitted with an ebonite bush c. The outer
end of the bushing c is rounded or coned to facilitate the entrance of the cable a
as shown. Two metal hoxes, d and e, are provided, each screwed and adapted at
its outer end to receive a gland nut b, and serve as a stuffing box. The packing
used for each stuffing box consists of a few india rubber washers f which are like-
wise slipped over the end of each cable a. The extreme end of each cable, is
bared of its insulation a short distance, and the bared ends are respectively
soldered, brazed, or otherwise electrically connected to brass terininals
The extreme end of the terminal g is axially bored a suitable length, and its mouth
rounded or inade funnel shaped to readily admit the entrance of the plug shaped
end of the other terminal h. The axial hole of the terminal g is bored, and the
plug end of the terminal is turned, parallel, and of corresponding dimensions;
but in addition, the plug is also axially bored and longitudinally slit in one or
and h.

page_text: more places, so that it may make spring contact within the axial hole of the first
nained terminal. A bushing of vulcanite, or other good non-conductor, is made
to surround the end of each terminal and to be firmly seated within its corre-
sponding box ( or e), and the inner ends of the two boxes d and e come together
in a bevelled or conc joint which is ground to make a perfectly water tight joint.
The stuffing box d is made with an external screw at the cone joint end, and in
the body part has two pins j, j, cast upon it at opposite points for a hose spanner
to take hold of. The other stuffing box e has a shoulder at the coned end against
which the bottom flange of an internally screwed union nut & engages, and the
said nut is adapted to be screwed to the external screw of the stuffing box d.
The union nut k is also provided with pins for a hose spanner, or some equivalent
device, and the whole device is thus made to unite, or disconnect, like some kinds
of hose couplings, and many of its parts are similar thereto.
The adjoining ends of two cables a a are thus united in line within the two
stuffing boxes de, screwed together upon a ground water tight joint within the
union nut k, with the cable properly insulated from the boxes by non-conducting
bushings c and i, as above described. But in addition to this, by screwing up the
gland nut at the outer end of each box, the rubber washers ff, are tightened
upon the insulated portion of the cable, and effectually prevent the entrance of
moisture to the conductors. The split plug internal connection provides_good
electrical contact with g, without access of dust or dirt to the contact surfaces;
and the parts are coupled or uncoupled as quickly as an ordinary hose connection.
By a slight modification in one of the boxes, I provide connections for four
cables as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, or arrange to make branch connections from the
main cable at a joint thereof; and in some cases, I modify the form of the
stuffing boxes, where connected, to dispense with the ground joint, as shown in
Fig. 3. Sometimes I use flanges and an annular joint upon an elastic material
instead, and couple the two flanges together by bolts and nuts. The electrical
connection, in this case, may be made by the spring plug as before stated, or some
other form of spring contact used instead.
It is to be understood that instead of making the screws on the inside of the
gland nut and outside the stuffing boxes d and e respectively, I sometimes reverse
the arrangement; and similarly with regard to the two terminals g and h, I may
slit the outer or cylindrical terminal, and make the inner one solid, without
departing from the nature of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is;
1. A coupling for connecting together the adjacent ends of two or more electric
main cables arranged and operating substantially as herein shown and described
with reference to the drawings Fig. 1 to 4 inclusive.
2. In a coupling for electric main cables, the combination of two stuffing boxes d
and e each enclosing the end of a cable a, a gland nut b at the outer end of each
stuffing box, a cylindrical terminal g and a plug terminal respectively connected
to the end of a cable a and adapted to make relative spring contact within the
said boxes, a union nut or equivalent means for uniting the two boxes together,
and concentric insulation e, f, and i situated within the said boxes and surrounding
the said cable ends and terminals, substantially as and for the purpose herein
shown and described with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 16th day of August 1894.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, Loudon, Agents for the Applicant.