the Twisting or Kinking of such Cable.
Year: 1885

page_text: the Twisting or Kinking of such Cable.
, and
I, FREDERICK LE BRETON BEDWELL of 38 Old Broad Street in the City of
London, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPLIANCES FOR MAINTAINING DIRECT ELECTRICAL
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE SHORE AND ANY VESSEL OR FLOATING OBJECT BY
MEANS OF A TELEGRAPH CABLE HAVING AN UNBROKEN INSULATED ELECTRICAL
CONDUCTOR, AND FOR PREVENTING THE TWISTING OR KINKING OF SUCH CABLE to
be as follows:-
:-
"
The object of this Invention is to arrange a case or cylinder with swivels or ball
and socket joints at either one or both ends.
This case or cylinder contains one or more electrical conductors consisting of
metal wire insulated with gutta percha, india rubber, or other elastic insulating
substance.
This apparatus may be constructed as an attachment to the mooring swivel
specified in Patent No 367 of 1876, the hole in the spindle being used as a cylinder
for containing the insulated wire or wires; or it may be placed in any position and
in any part of the telegraph cable between the terminals of such cable.
Two ends of the telegraph cable are attached to the swivels or balls at the ends
of the cylinder, or to one fixed end and one swivel or ball and the insulated
conductor or conductors of the cable are jointed to the ends of the insulated wire
or wires contained in the case or cylinder in such a manner as to form one or more
continuous electrical conductor or conductors extending the entire length of the
cable and connections from the transmitting instrument at one end to the
transmitting instrument at the other end.
By this arrangement as the vessel or floating object rotates round her moorings
by reason of wind or tide, the swivel or ball and socket joint allows the cable to
revolve in a corresponding direction; thus no twist or kink can be made in the
cable itself as all the twisting action will take place in the length or lengths of
insulated wire contained in the case or cylinder.

page_text: or Floating Object by Means of a Telegraph Cable having an
Unbroken Insulated Electrical Conductor, and for Preventing
the Twisting or Kinking of such Cable.
I FREDERICK LE BRETON BEDWELL of 38 Old Broad Street, in the City of
London, Gentleman, 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:—
The object of this invention is to arrange a case or cylinder with swivels or ball
and socket joints either at one or both ends. This case or cylinder contains one or
more electrical conductors consisting of metal wire insulated with guttapercha,
india rubber or other elastic insulating substance.
This apparatus may be constructed as an attachment to the mooring swivel
specified in Patent N° 367 of 1876, the hole in the spindle being used as the
cylinder for containing the insulated wire or wires; or it may be placed in any
position or in any part of the telegraph cable between the terminals of such cable.
Two ends of the telegraph cable are attached to the swivels or balls at the ends of
the cylinder or to one fixed end and one swivel or ball and the insulated conductor
or conductors of the cable are jointed to the ends of the insulated wire or wires
contained in the case or cylinder in such a manner as to form a continuous electrical
conductor or conductors extending the entire length of the cable and connections
from the telegraph instrument at one end to the telegraph instrument at the
other end.
By this arrangement as the vessel or floating object rotates round her moorings
by reason of wind or tide, the swivel or ball and socket joint allows the cable
to revolve in a corresponding direction and thus no twist or kink can be made
in the cable itself as all the twisting action will take place in the length or
lengths of insulated wire contained in the case or cylinder. In the drawings
hereunto annexed Figure 1 represents a part sectional view of a swivel coupling
suitable for large cables. The swivel coupling has holders A, B, for the cable at
each end of a tube or cylinder C of gunmetal or other suitable material halved
longitudinally, the two halves of said cylinder C being held together as shown by
means of screws D D said screws D D at the fixed end being screwed into the cable
holder A and at the swivelling end into a metal block D¹ closely fitting the said
case or cylinder C. The cable holder A is provided with several holes a a for the
passage of the sheathing wires of the cable and studs bb fitting in slots in the case
or cylinder C. The cable holder B is made with holes a a in a manner similar to
cable holder A but has a circular flanged end and no studs. The circular flange c
can revolve in a recess or circular groove in the case or cylinder C and is thereby
held in position. The cable holders A, B, and the clamp or block D have each a
hole through the centre for the core d of the cable to pass through.

page_text: The method of attaching the cable ends to the holders is as follows. The end of
the cable having been unlayed the core (conductor and insulator) is passed through
the centre of the holder, a sufficient length projecting to allow for jointing. The
sheathing wires are passed through the holes a a, turned back, laid over the cable
and secured by a seizing or service of wire When both ends are fitted to the
holders, the holders are placed in position in one of the coupling plates or halves of
the cylinder C and the block or clamp D, and fixed holder A screwed or otherwise
secured therein. One or more lengths of leading wire, insulated, is now jointed to
the two ends of the core and the other coupling plate or half C screwed into its
place.
Figure 2 shows a modified arrangement suitable for small cables in which both
cable holders E, F, are made of a similar or nearly similar shape with studs b, b,
the ends of the cable being within the case or cylinder C as shown. The studs b b
at the fixed end E fit into the case or cylinder C and also form with the body of
the holder E shoulders over which the sheathing wires are passed, before being
turned back, layed over the cable and secured. In the swivelling holder F after
the cable is secured as described with reference to cable holder E a circular collar e
is fitted against or over the studs bb in order that the holder may revolve in the
cylinder which is enlarged and shaped for the purpose of receiving said collar e.
Figure 3 represents a modification having ball and socket joints at both ends.
The halves of the case C are flanged and bolted together and the ends are shaped
to form sockets G, G. The balls H, H, take the place of the circular flange o
(Figure 1).
Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 are sections through different parts of the coupling shown
at Figure 1. Figure 4 being through the circular flange c, Figure 5 showing the
screws and block forming the clamp. Figures 6 and 7 are sections through the
studs b b and holes a a respectively. Figures 8 and 9 are sections through each
end of the cable coupling shown at Figure 2.
Figure 10 shows a mode of clamping in which nuts are used instead of screws,
but any suitable method of connecting the coupling plates may be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that
what I claim is
First. The particular arrangements and combination of parts constituting the
improved appliances for maintaining direct electrical communication between the
shore and a vessel or floating object or between two or more floating objects by means
of a telegraph cable having an unbroken insulated electrical conductor and for
preventing the twisting or kinking of such cable hereinbefore described and
substantially as shown on the accompanying drawings.
Secondly. In a rotatory or swivel cable coupling, the employment of swivels
consisting of a circular flange disc capable of revolving in a groove or against a
shoulder formed in the case or coupling plates substantially as shown on the
annexed drawings.
Thirdly. The particular construction of cable holders, clamps, swivel joints and
couplings herein before described and substantially as shown in the annexed drawings.
Dated this 10th d... of October 1002
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
· Agent for the said F. Le B. Bedwell.