IMPROVEMENTS IN POSTS OR SUPPORTS FOR TELEGRAPH WIRES, ALSO APPLICABLE TO POSTS OR SUPPORTS EMPLOYED FOR OTHER PURPOSES." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Dibley and Frederick Braby, both of Fitzroy
Works, Euston Road, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN POSTS OR SUPPORTS FOR TELEGRAPH WIRES, ALSO APPLICABLE
TO POSTS OR SUPPORTS EMPLOYED FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Dibley and
Frederick Braby at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 17th March 1865.
We, GEORGE DIBLEY and FREDERICK BRABY, both of Fitzroy Works, Euston
Road, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN POSTS OR SUPPORTS FOR TELEGRAPH WIRES, ALSO
APPLICABLE TO POSTS OR SUPPORTS EMPLOYED FOR OTHER PURPOSES," to be a
follows:-
Our Invention has for its object the construction of telegraph posts or
supports of wrought iron that shall combine the advantages of strength,
cheapness, and lightness, and that shall afford great facilities for transport.
Our Invention consists in constructing such posts or supports of a number
of lengths of wrought-iron bars, bands, angle or T-iron, fixed longitudinally at
certain distances apart round a series of rings or hoops of a circular, square,
or other convenient form, arranged at certain distances apart, and gradually
diminishing in size from the bottom of the post upwards, so that the post
receives the form of an open tapering structure, combining lightness with

page_text: strength in an eminent degree. For fixing the post in the ground the bottom
ring or hoop is made of greater depth than the others, and either an iron plate
with a hole in the centre corresponding with the size of the bottom ring is slid
upon the latter until it comes against the ends of the longitudinal bars, which form
a shoulder, when a wedge or key is driven through the ring, pressing against the
under side of the plate, and thus holding it perfectly secure; or three or more
iron bars bent at one end, so as to have the form of a hook at right angles to
the bar itself, are hooked either on to the upper or the lower edge of the bottom
ring, so that the bars project at right angles from the ring, and thus hold it
firmly in the ground. If the posts are of any considerable length, we make
them of two parts, the upper part fitting with its bottom ring on to the top
ring of the lower part, and the two parts are then secured together by means
of a key or bolt passing through the two rings. The two parts are by
preference so proportioned that when packed for transport the upper part can
If
be placed entirely inside the lower part, thus greatly economizing space.
requisite, the post may also be made of three or more lengths, arranged in a
similar manner. The bracket or other contrivance for holding the telegraph
wires is fitted into the top ring of the post, where it is secured by means of
a key, screw, or pin passing through the ring. The before-described improved
form of telegraph post is not only advantageous on account of its strength
combined with great lightness, but also on account of its comparatively inex-
pensive mode of construction, and being an open structure, every part of the
same is accessible for painting or galvanizing in the most perfect manner; in
addition to which, the wind having very little hold upon the open structure,
the post is not subjected to the heavy strains therefrom that solid posts have
to withstand. Such posts may also be employed with advantage as posts for
other purposes than for supporting telegraph wires, and also as columns for
supporting light weights, such as light roofs or verandahs, or for flagstaffs.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Dibley and Frederick Braby in the Great Seal Patent 8
Office on the 16th September 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
DIBLEY and FREDERICK BRADY, both of Fitzroy Works, Euston Road, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of March, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said George Dibley and Frederick Braby, Her special licence that we, the
said George Dibley and Frederick Braby, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said George Dibley and Frederick Braby,
our 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 POSTS OR
SUPPORTS FOR TELEGRAPH WIRES, ALSO APPLICABLE TO POSTS OR SUPPORTS EMPLOYED
FOR OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
George Dibley and Frederick Braby, our executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand
and seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George Dibley and Frederick Braby,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
Our Invention has for its object the construction of telegraph posts or
supports of wrought iron that shall combine the advantages of strength,
cheapness, and lightness, and that shall afford great facilities for transport.
Our Invention consists in constructing such posts or supports of a number
of lengths of wrought-iron bars, bands, angle or tee-iron, fixed longitudinally
at certain distances apart round a series of rings or hoops of a circular, square,
or other convenient form, arranged at certain distances apart, and gradually
diminishing in size from the bottom of the post upwards, so that the post
receives the form of an open tapering structure, combining lightness with
strength in an eminent degree. For fixing the post in the ground the bottom
ring or hoop is made of greater depth than the others, and either an iron plate
with a hole in the centre corresponding with the size of the bottom ring is slid
upon the latter until it comes against the ends of the longitudinal bars, which
form a shoulder, when a wedge or key is driven through the ring, pressing
against the under side of the plate, and thus holding it perfectly secure; or three

page_text: or more iron bars bent at one end, so as to have the form of a hook at right
angles to the bar itself, are hooked either on to the upper or the lower edge of
the bottom ring, so that the bars project at right angles from the ring, and
thus hold it firmly in the ground. The projecting ends of these bars are by
preference bent round or fixed to another ring of large diameter. If the posts
are of any considerable length we make them of two parts, the upper part
fitting with its bottom ring on to the top ring of the lower part, and the two
parts are then secured together by means of a key or bolt passing through
the two rings. The two parts are by preference so proportioned that when
packed for transport the upper part can be placed entirely inside the lower
part, thus greatly economising space. If requisite, the post may also be made
The bracket or other
of three or more lengths arranged in a similar manner.
contrivance for holding the telegraph wires is fitted into the top ring of the
post, where it is secured by means of a key, screw, or pin passing through the
ring. The before-described improved form of telegraph post is not only advan-
tageous on account of its strength combined with great lightness, but also on
account of its comparatively inexpensive mode of construction, and being an
open structure, every part of the same is accessible for painting or galvanizing
in the most perfect manner; in addition to which, the wind having very little
hold upon the open structure, the post is not subjected to the heavy strains
therefrom that solid posts have to withstand. Such posts may also be
employed with advantage as posts for other purposes than for supporting
telegraph wires, such as for semaphore signal posts, and also as columns for
supporting light weights, such as light roofs or verandahs, or for flagstaffs.
Figures 1 to 3 on the accompanying Drawing show one arrangement of
our improved post. Figure 1 shows an elevation of the same partly in
section; Figure 2 shows a sectional plan; and Figure 3 shows an enlarged
detail of the mode of connecting the two lengths.
the
In this arrangement a number of half round bars a, a, a, are rivetted to a
series of circular rings b', 62, 63, 64, 65, of gradually diminishing diameters, the
bottom ring 6 and top ring 6' being of greater depth than the intermediate
ones. On the bottom ring are hooked three strong radial bars c, c, c,
outer ends of which are bent round, and thus made to hold a ring d, which,
together with the bars c, forms an effective base plate to the post. If required,
the bars c may be still further secured to the ring b¹ by means of screw bolts
passing through both the ring and the bent portion of the bars. If of mode-
rate length, the entire post may be formed of one piece, in which case any
suitable form of wooden or metal support for the line wires is fixed into the
upper ring 6, and is secured by means of a bolt or key. For greater lengths

page_text: however, and for facility of transport, we prefer to divide the post into two or
more lengths as shown, the lower ring 6 of the upper part being made to fit
over the top ring & of the lower part, to which it is then secured by means of
a screw, bolt, or key 6, as shown more clearly at Figure 8. The two parts of
the post are, by preference, made of such proportions that the upper part can
be placed inside the lower part when packed for transportation, whereby a
great saving of space will be effected: Instead of making the rings 6 of a
circular form, they may be made square, as shown in sectional plan at Figure 4,
or triangular, as at Figure 5, or polygonal, as at Figure 6, or of any other
required form; and the bars a, a, instead of being half round, may be flat, or
of angle iron, as shown at Figures 4 to 6, or of T-iron, as at Figure 7; and the
bars may be secured to the rings by means of screw bolts instead of by rivets.
Figures 8 to 10 show another mode of constructing our improved form of
post. Figure 8 shows an elevation, and Figures 9 and 10 show an enlarged
sectional plan and part sectional elevation. In this arrangement the rings
63, 6, 6, 6, have a number of holes formed in them, corresponding in number
and dimensions to those of the bars a, a, a, and these rings are then slid on to
the bars, the ends of which are subsequently rivetted or bolted to the top and
bottom rings 6 and 6º. The bars a may in this case be either flat as shown, or
of a circular section as shown at Figure 11, in which case the ends may be
formed with a screw thread, and may be secured to the top and bottom rings by
means of nuts, as indicated at Figure 12; or the bars a may be of any other
suitable sectional form, and the holes in the rings 6 formed in a corresponding
manner. In place of passing the bars a through holes formed in the rings b,
they may be made to fit into notches formed in the latter, as shown in sectional
plan and elevation at Figures 13 and 14, and other rings f may then be driven
over the outer surface of the bars so as to hold them securely in the notches.
Figures 15 and 16 show respectively a part sectional elevation and plan of
another mode of forming the base plate to our improved post. Here a strong
plate g, either solid or with openings, and having a central hole corresponding
with the outer diameter of the bottom ring 6' of the post, is slid upon the latter.
until it rests against the ends of the bars a, in which position it is made fast
by means of a key h driven through the ring 6¹ beneath the plate, as shown.
The forms of base plates before described and shown on the Drawing are
employed by preference on account of their simplicity of construction and the
facilities for transport afforded thereby, but when these points need not be
considered, any other known form of base plate may be permanently rivitted
or bolted to the post.
As before stated, our improved post is applicable not only as supports to

page_text: telegraph line wires, but also to various other purposes where posts or supports
of a light structure may be applied, such as for semaphore and other signal
posts, for flagstaffs, and for supports or columns to light roofs and verandahs.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the best means we
are acquainted with of performing the same, we wish it to be understood that
what we claim as the Invention secured to us under the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First, constructing posts or supports of a number of iron bars or bands,
angle, tee, or other iron, fixed or secured at certain distances apart round a
series of rings or hoops of a circular, square, or other suitable form, to the
bottom ring or hoop of which is fixed or fitted a base plate of any suitable
known form, substantially as herein-before described with reference to the
accompanying Drawing.
Second, forming posts or supports, constructed as above described, of two or
more separate lengths, so proportioned that the upper length or lengths may
be placed inside the lower length or lengths for facility of transportation,
substantially as herein-before described.
Third, constructing the base plates to posts or supports in manner herein-
before described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 15, and 16 on the accom-
panying Drawing.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Dibley and Frederick Braby,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifteenth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
W. SHIPWRIGHT.
GEO. DIBLE.
FRED. BRABY. (L.S.)