Improvements in or relating to Electric Conductors.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 5th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 4th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Electric Conductors.
I, GEORGE FARQUHAR DE SOLOMÉ, of 17 Hanover Street, Islington, in the
County of Middlesex, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to a new or improved manufacture of electric conductors
and of joints therefor, by which certain advantages are obtained.
In carrying my invention into effect, I take lengths of any suitable insulating
material whereon a metal may be electro-deposited or I take lengths of suitable
insulating. Inaterial in which I cut channels or grooves (in imitation of ordinary
wood casing).
I then place the lengths of material in an electro depositing bath and deposit
copper, or other desired metal, in any of the well known ways, in such a manner
as to form conductors (similar to ordinary drawn wire laid in the grooves of
ordinary wood casing). Lengths of conducting metal are thus produced and these
may be either adhesive or loose in the lengths of insulating material and insulated
in one of the usual ways.
In installing the conductors bereinbefore specified I place the lengths of insulating
material, with their conductors end to end, either in a right line or at any desired
angle. To effect the continuity of the conductors on the said lengths, I provide at
the ends of the lengths of insulating material connecting devices hereinafter
referred to, which will when inserted in the grooves formed by electrolysis be in
good contact with the conductor when covered by a capping which when screwed
down would form a perfect contact. The connecting device to be used I shall now
proceed to describe.
The said connecting device may consist of a bridging piece or loop of wire or
shaped metal, with projections adapted for insertion in the said recesses, and fitting
tightly therein.
To secure the connecting devices in position, a plate of insulating material may be
screwed down over them.
It will be seen that the conductors may be of any desired shape in cross section
and that any number may be upon the said lengths.
Dated this 5th day of November 1892.
J. G. LORRAIN, Mem. Inst. E.E., Mem. Inst. M.E.,
Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent,
DA D W
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Electric Conductors.
I, GEORGE FARQUHAR DE SOLOMÉ, of 17 Hanover Street, Islington, in the
County of Middlesex, Electrician, 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 or relating to electric conductors by
which certain advantages are obtained.
In carrying my invention into effect, I take lengths of any suitable insulating
material whereon a metal may be deposited by any of the known methods or I take
TD 027

page_text: lengths of suitable insulating material in which I cut or form channels or grooves,
and in these channels I deposit metal in such a manner as to form conductors
(similar to ordinary drawn wire laid in the grooves of ordinary wood casings) and
I effect the continuity of the said conductors by the insertion of connecting devices
consisting of loops of wire or shaped metal with projections adapted for insertion
into suitable holes or recesses provided in the ends of the conductors which are
suitably enlarged for that purpose.
I will now proceed with the aid of the accompanying drawings to describe more
fully the manner in which I carry my invention into effect.
Figure 1 is an isometrical perspective view of the end portions of two lengths of
insulating material with electro-deposited conductors; and Figure 2 is a similar
view of a plate which connecting devices.
Figure 3 is a section on line a-b of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a section on line c-d of Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a section on line ef of Figure 1.
Figures 6, 7 and 8 are sections showing a modification of the connecting device
shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Figures 9, 10 (which is a section through x y Figure 9) and 11 show alternative
forms of connecting devices.
Figures 12, 13, 14 and 15 also illustrate another alternative form of connecting
device.
Figure 16 is a section showing one projection of the connecting device,
illustrated in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 engaged in a recess in an enlarged end of a
conductor.
Figure 17 is a similar section in which the projection is in the form of a screw as
illustrated in Figures 9, 10 and 11.
Figure 18 is a similar section in which the projection instead of forming part of
the connecting loop forms part of the enlarged end of the conductor.
Figure 19 is a section of an enlarged end of a conductor adapted for connection
with the terminal of a switch or cut-out.
Figure 20 is a perspective view showing two lengths of material mitred so as to
form an angle and Figure 204 is an inverted plan of a plate with connecting
devices.
Figures 21 and 22 are perspective views showing a method of taking a loop off a
conductor for the purpose of connecting a switch or cut-out to any desired point.
Figure 23 illustrates a method of applying a switch or cut-out by inserting.a
piece between the ends of two lengths.
Figure 24 illustrates the manner of arranging an elbow and Figure 25 a tee
piece.
In all the figures similar letters of reference refer to similar or equivalent parts
except where otherwise specified.
In Figure 1A and B are two end portions of lengths of insulating material
butting against one another at g and having channels or grooves and recesses cut or
formed in them in which conductors CD have been deposited by electrolysis
by any of the well known methods. One method would be to paint or coat the
channels with graphite or other suitable conducting material and then place the
whole lengths of insulated material in an electro depositing bath and deposit copper
or other suitable metal upon the graphite (by electrolysis). Lengths of conducting
metal CD are thus produced and these may be either removed from the lengths of
insulating material and insulated in the usual ways or preferably they may remain
in or upon the insulating material in or on which they have been deposited.
In installing the conductors hereinbefore specified I place the lengths of
insulating material end to end either in a right line as illustrated at 9 in Figure 1
or at any desired angle such for example as illustrated in Figures 20 and 24.
To effect the continuity of the conductors I form grooves or holes ss either by
electrolysis or otherwise at the ends of the conductors which are preferably
enlarged as shown at h h (Figures 1, 3, 6, 18 and 19). The enlarged ends h h of

page_text: the conductors may be either electro-deposited in an enlargement of the grooves or
channels, or they may consist of blocks of metal embedded or fitted in the
insulating material before the electro-deposition of the conductors themselves. The
forms of enlargement I prefer to use are shown at h in the figures above referred to.
The connecting devices consist of bridging pieces or loops of wire or the like m m
shown in Figures 2, 4, 7, 10, 11 and 12 with projections pp adapted for insertion in
the holes or recesses 3 8. To secure the connecting devices in position plates of
insulating material E may be secured by screws n over them as indicated in
Figures 1, 2 and 9. Or the bridging pieces may be embedded in the plate with
their projections p p extending below the surfaces of the said plates, as shown in
Figures 2, 4, 10, 12, 16 and 17 or they may be separate from the plate as shown in
Figures 7 and 8 and adapted to fit into same.
'
The holes or recesses as as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 6 correspond in shape with
the bridge piece projections p, p, shown in Figures 2, 4 and 7 and the projections
and the recesses are preferably slightly tapered in order that a tight fit and good
contact may be secured when the plates E are screwed down in position upon the
ends of the lengths A, B. When the bridging or connecting pieces m m consist
of flat copper strips with enlarged perforated ends as shown in Figures 9 and 11 I
prefer to make the projections. in the form of screws or studs p, p, and in their cases
I either thread the holes or recesses to receive the ecrews as shown in Figure 17 or
use nuts as shown in Figures 18 and 19 where the projections consist of studs or
screws attached to the enlarged ends h of the conductors.
I
8
In Figures 12, 13, 14 and 15 the projections pare provided with spring contacts o
attached to or forming part of the said projections. The corresponding recesses are
in such cases formed as illustrated at a Figures 13, 14 and 15. These recesses are
larger at their centres than their ends to allow of the easy insertion of the projections
as shown in Figure 14. After this insertion the sliding of the plate E to the right
brings the spring contacts o into the contracted portion of the recess as illustrated in
Figure 15 thus securing a good electric contact. In Figure 20 the jointing or
connecting of the conductors at an angle is illustrated diagrammatically. In this
figure the ends of the lengths A B carrying the conductors are mitred and brought
together at g and the plate E, carrying the connecting pieces m m (Fig. 204), is
shaped to correspond with the joint as shown at Figure 20. Figures 24 and 25
show respectively an elbow F and a tee H which may be used if desired and in
these cases the arrangement of conductors and connecting devices will be. readily
understood from the previous descriptions.
Figure 21 illustrates diagrammatically a length of insulated material with
conductors from which it is desired to take off a loop or branch at the end of which
a switch or cut-out may be connected and Figure 22 is a length carrying the loop
or branch. In these figures M is the length with the conductor C continuous as
shown and with the conductor D broken ati i for the insertion of the loop or branch.
NN is a length (shown broken for the sake of convenience) with an enlarged
end R. The conductors D D carried by the length N N are provided with
projections corresponding with the recesses of the conductor D D
(Figure 21). These recesses ii and projections i¹¹ may be of any of the forms
described above. At the enlarged end of the length N N the conductors are
provided with connecting devices such as illustrated in Figure 19 for connection
with the terminals of switches or cut-outs.
In Figure 19 is the enlargement of a conductor, p is a stud passing through
the base of a switch or cut out and through a terminal of the said switch or
cut-out, and t is a nut by which contact may be secured.
In Figure 23 is shown diagrammatically how a short length or block W of
insulating material, (which may if desired form the base of a switch or cut-out or
to which a switch or cut out may be connected) may be inserted between two
lengths of insulating material and conductors. It is obvious from what has
preceeded that cut outs or switches may by the intervention of the block W, be
connected as described with reference to Figures 19 and 22.

page_text: It will be readily understood that the conductors may be arranged upon the
insulating material in varying numbers and that they may be connected in series or
multiple as may be desired either for arc or incandescent lighting or for general
electric purposes.
It is also obvious that the lengths of insulating material and all joints and plates
may be covered with capping as is done with ordinary casing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. The hereinabove described improvements in or relating to electric conductors
substantially as set forth.
2
:
2. The improvements in or relating to electric conductors consisting in the
electro-deposition of the conducting material in or upon the lengths of suitably
prepared insulating material substantially as set forth.
3. The improvements in or relating to electrical conductors such as are above
referred to, by which the joints between lengths are made, consisting in loops or
bridges of metal embedded in insulating plates and having projections adapted to
fit into corresponding holes or recesses formed in the ends of electro-deposited
conductors enlarged for the purpose or not, substantially as described.
4. The improvements in or relating to electric conductors, consisting in the
combination with electric conductors formed by electro-deposition or not of metal
(in or upon lengths of suitable insulating material) with enlarged ends and recesses or
holes in said ends, of connecting devices such as are above set forth for effecting the
continuity of the conductors on the said lengths substantially as above described and
illustrated.
Dated this 5th de So
J. G. LORRAIN, Mem. Ins. E.E., Mem. Ins. M.E.,
Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent,
Per A. P. W.