IMPROV IMPROVEMENTS IN POLES FOR TELEGRAPHIC AND OTHER PURPOSES.
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Alexander Lyttle, of the Grove, Ham-
mersmith, in the County of. Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention
D"
for "IMPROV
IMPROVEMENTS IN POLES FOR TELEGRAPHIC AND OTHER PURPOSES.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Alexander.
Lyttle at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
'Petition, on the 22nd March 1872.
I, WILLIAM ALEXANDER LYTTLE, of the Grove, Hammersmith, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN POLES FOR TELEGRAPHIC AND OTHER
PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
'
I form the pole, when its length exceeds twenty feet, of two or more
joints or lengths of cast iron, either ordinary or of the description known
as "malleable," the cross section of each joint being either an angle,
a cross, a double T like the section of a "double-headed" rail, or any other
form conducive of vertical and lateral strength, and capable of production

page_text: by like simple methods of moulding and casting. Ribs transverse to the
ribs or flanges of the aforesaid castings may also be provided so as to
render the pole more cellular. The only joint which need be formed
of hollow or tubular cast iron is the lower or pedestal joint, but in most
cases tubular cast iron will not be required.
I provide a foot at the lower end of the pedestal joint, and cast in one
piece therewith, by means of a stout oblong or oval flange projecting most
at those two opposite sides, which will be at the two sides of the line of
telegraph when the pole is erected. At the upper end of this pedestal
joint I provide a precisely similar flange, and a similar flange at the lower
end of the next higher joint, and I bolt these latter flanges together so
as to make one piece of the two joints. When ordinary cast iron is
employed, or when much lateral strain is feared, I bolt these flanges
together by two ordinary bolts at the two opposite ends of the shorter
axis of the flanges, and I carry two wrought-iron rods from two lugs at
two sides of the top joint, near its middle or its higher extremity, to and
through two holes or slots at the two opposite ends of the longer axis of
the said flanges, and I strain them by means of nuts or keys acting
against the lower surface of the flange at the top of the pedestal joint.
These rods will act as lateral braces, holding the joints together and
converting the pole into a bowsprit girder. If the greatest strength in
every direction is needed two more similar braces may be used instead of
the two short bolts at the opposite ends of the short axis of the said
flanges. Moreover this axis may be made equal to the other or of any
desired length, and may assume the form of a cross.
Another convenient arrangement is to dispense entirely with the short
bolts and the portion of the flange in which they would be set as herein-
before described, and brace the pedestal and upper joints together by
means of bolted fish plates facing in the direction of the line of
telegraph. One or both of such fish plates can when required be made
with a projecting radial arm to carry one or more additional bracing
rods.
Similar bracing rods can be carried when necessary in a precisely
similar way from this middle connexion of the pole to one or more sides
of the shoe piece, and keyed or bolted home against its lower surface.
Any number of joints or lengths may be connected together and
braced into one pole in the manner described, and braces can be carried

page_text: not only from the top of any joint, but also in addition from its middle
or any other point, and secured to the flange of the next lower or higher
joint so as to resist any given lateral strains.
When malleable cast iron is employed, and when there is no serious
strain, it will suffice to simply bolt the flanges together without lateral
bracings, and with or without fish plates as herein-before described.
For short poles it will suffice to make the poles of one length of
malleable cast iron, not tubular with shoe piece as already described,
and with or without radial arms projecting from it near its middle for
the attachment of bracing rods as already described.
The bracing rods may be secured in the same way at their upper ends
by suitable provision in the casting of the. joints as at their lower ends,
or they may be provided at one end with an eye to hook on to a lug or
horn provided for that purpose on the pole, and with a screw thread
with nut, or with a slot and key at the other end.
At the places to which the arms for supporting the wires are to be
attached I either provide slight recesses in the edges of the flanges or
surface of the cast iron, or the castings are made with projecting pieces
of metal at the proper points for maintaining the squareness of the arms
with the pole. Bolt holes are also provided in the pole at those points
for the purpose of bolting on the arms as at present.
I also provide when desired lugs or horns projecting about three
inches from the pole, at opposite sides and cast therewith, as steps by
which the pole may be climbed from a point about eight feet from the
ground. These poles may be either galvanized or enamelled in order to
preserve them.
The top of the pole may be cast in the form of a spear or any other
ornamental shape, and may be provided with holes transversely through
such spear so that a block of wood may be fastened thereto for the
purpose of carrying a saddle insulator when such is required.
Poles constructed in the foregoing ways may be used for any purpose
of a permanent nature in which wooden or iron poles or posts are now
used, such as for railway signal posts, and poles for endless wire rope
railways.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Alexander Lyttle in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 28th August 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ALEXANDER LYTTLE, of the Grove, Hammersmith, in the County of 1
Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Alexander Lyttle,
Her special licence that I, the said William Alexander Lyttle, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Alexander Lyttle, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN POLES
TELEGRAPHIC AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Alexander Lyttle, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
68
FOR
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Alexander Lyttle, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
I form the pole, when its length exceeds twenty feet, of two or more
pieces of cast iron, either of the ordinary brittle quality, or of the
description known as "annealed" or "malleable," the cross section of
each piece or length being either an angle, a cross, a double T or H, like

page_text: the section of a double headed rail C, D, Figures 4 and 5, or any other
form conducive of vertical and lateral strength, and capable of production
by like simple methods of moulding and casting.: Ribs across the middle
web of the aforesaid H castings and of one piece therewith, like Figure 10,
or arranged so as to cross each other lattice fashion, as in Figures 7 and 8,
may also be provided, so as to render the pole stronger, or this middle
web may be of open lattice casting, like Figure 11. The only length which
need be formed of hollow or tubular cast iron is the lower or pedestal
length, as in Figures 2, 7, and 8, but in some cases tubular castings will
not be required.
I provide a foot at the lower end of the pedestal length, see A, Figures
2 and 3, and cast in one piece therewith by means of a stout oblong or
other shaped flange, projecting most at those two opposite sides, which
will be at the two sides of the line of telegraph, when the pole is
erected. Two forms of this foot are shewn in plan at Figures 4 and 5.
At the upper end of this pedestal length I provide a similar flange, and a
similar flange at the lower end of the next higher length, see E, F,
Figure 1, and I bolt these latter flanges together so as to make one piece
of the two lengths. When ordinary cast iron is used, or when much lateral
strain is feared, I bolt these two flanges together by two ordinary bolts
and nuts at the two opposite ends of that axis of the flanges which will
be in the line of the telegraph, and I carry two wrought-iron rods from
two lugs, see L, Figures 1 and 6, to which they are attached by eyes
at the two sides of the top or other length near its middle or its higher
extremity to and through two holes or slots in the said flanges at the two
opposite ends of their longer axis, or that which is at right angles with
the direction of the telegraph wire, and I strain them by means of screw
nuts or keys acting against the lower surface of the flange belonging to
the top of the pedestal length, see L, S, Figures 1, 2, 3, 7, and 8.
These rods will act as lateral braces holding the lengths together and
converting the pole into a bowsprit girder.. Two nuts may be provided
at the end of each rod if desired, R, S, Figure 1, so that one, S, may serve
to strain the rod whilst the other, R, clamps together the two flanges
between the two nuts.
If the greatest strength in every direction is needed, two more similar
braces may be used instead of the short bolts already described, so that
the flanges will be thus bolted together by the ends of the bracing rods

page_text: sustaining the pole at four opposite sides. These rods may be secured to
the pole at their upper ends, either by lugs and eyes as already described,
or by bolts passing through those ends and through the metal of the pole,
or in any other convenient manner.
The flanges or joints of these poles may assume the form of a cross if
desired, as shown in Figure 9.
Another arrangement is to dispense with the short bolts and the portion
of the flange in which they would be set, as herein-before described, and
joint the pedestal and upper lengths by means of bolted fish plates facing
in the direction of the line of telegraph, upon opposite sides of the pole.
One or both of such fish plates can, when required, be made with a
projecting radial arm standing out at right angles to the pole, to carry
one or two additional bracing rods. Similar bracing rods can be carried
when necessary in a similar way from this middle connexion or other
joint of the pole, to one or more sides of the foot, and keyed or bolted
home against its lower surface. Instead of bolting the lengths together
by means of these flanges it may be sometimes found more desirable to
secure the lengths together by ordinary socket, or " faucet" and "spiggot,"
joints keyed or bolted together, and when bracing rods are required arms
may be provided into which they can be inserted and secured. Thus
the lower end of the top length may be inserted into the socket provided
at the top of the next lower length, and the latter may have projecting
from its sides the requisite radial arms, in which are secured the bracing
rods coming from the head of the top length, see Figure 2.
Any number of lengths can be connected together and braced into
one pole in the manner described, see Figures 1 and 8, and bracing rods
can be carried not only from the top of any length, but also in addition
from its middle or any other point, and secured to the flange of the
next or other lower or higher length, so as to resist any given lateral
strains.
When malleable" or annealed cast iron is employed, and when
there is no serious strain, it will suffice to simply bolt the flanges
together without lateral bracings, and with or without fish plates as
herein-before described. Lateral bracing rods can also be dispensed
with in the case of ordinary cast iron when the lateral strain is not
heavy.

page_text: common cast iron, its lower part being of the latter and its lighter upper
part being of the former metal. This pole can be jointed either in the
way herein-before described or in any other known manner, and may be
either tubular or of any other form of casting, with or without,
bracing rods.
For short poles, such as those less than twenty feet long, it will suffice
to make the poles of one length of "malleable" or "annealed" cast iron,
preferably of double T or other open sectional form of casting, with foot
piece as already described, and with or without radiating arms pro-
jecting from it near its middle, for the attachment of bracing rods as
already described.
If the poles are provided with suitable projecting flanges at both ends.
of each length, the bracing rods can be secured by means of screw nuts.
at both ends, or they may be provided at one end with an eye to hook
on to a lug or horn (see L in side view of of pole top at Figure 6) pro-
vided for that purpose on the pole, and with a screw and nut or slot and
key at the other end.
'
At the places to which the arms for supporting the wires are to be
attached I provide either slight recesses in the edges of the flanges or
other surface of the cast iron, or the castings are made with projecting
pieces of metal at the proper points for maintaining the squareness of
the arms with the pole, see W, W¹, Figure 6. Bolt holes are also pro-
vided in the pole at those points for the purpose of bolting on the arms
as at present.
I also provide, when desired, lugs or horns projecting slightly from the
pole at opposite sides, V, Figure 2, and cast therewith as steps, by which
the pole may be climbed from a point about eight feet from the ground.
These poles may also be either galvanised; enamelled, or otherwise
coated on the surface in order to preserve them.
The top of the pole may be cast in the form of a spear or any other
ornamental shape, and may be provided with holes passing transversely
through such spear, so that a block of wood may be bolted thereto, or
the wood may be secured in any other desired way for the purpose of
carrying a saddle insulator when such is required, see N, O, Figure 6.
Poles constructed in any of the foregoing ways may be used for any
purpose of a permanent nature, in which wooden or wrought-iron poles

page_text: or posts are now used, such as poles for railway signals, and poles for
endless wire rope railways.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the best means
known to me whereby the same may be carried into effect, I wish it to
be understood that what I claim is,―
Firstly. The construction of poles wholly of cast iron for telegraphic
purposes in one or more lengths of double T, cross, or any other existing
open sectional form of casting, with or without lateral or other bracing
rods, of wrought iron as described, and with or without a tubular
cast-iron butt.
Secondly. The construction of such poles in the before-mentioned or
any other existing manner of cast iron of the description known as
" malleable" or " annealed."
5
1
Thirdly. The construction of poles as described, consisting partly of
lengths of ordinary cast iron and partly of malleable or annealed cast 1
iron.
Fourthly. The bracing of cast-iron poles by means of wrought-iron or
steel rods, as herein-before described.
Fifthly. The construction of such poles, when desired, with projecting
lugs cast therewith to assist workmen in climbing for repairs.
Sixthly. The use of poles constructed generally as herein-before
described for telegraphic purposes, for railway semaphore signal poles,
and for the poles of endless wire rope railways.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Alexander Lyttle, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of August,
in the year of our Lord 1872
7
A
T VINT n
In presence of
J. W. BOOTH,
7, New Ormond Street,
Bloomsbury,
London, W.C.
W. A.
T VYT T
(L.S.)