An Improved Coupling for Connecting Electric Wires.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 21st Dec., 1891-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Coupling for Connecting Electric Wires.
1, ALEXANDER SHIELS of 190 Bath Street, Glasgow, M.B., C.M., B.Sc., do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved coupling for connecting electric lighting,
telephone, or telegraph wires and it is principally designed for use on railway
trains.
The coupling consists of two parts or sockets each part consisting of a piece
of wood or other suitable material. In each part is fitted a piston or plunger to
which the electric wires are attached or through which they run. At the ends of
the wires contact pieces or armatures are fitted and they are, preferably, so tapered
that, when the two parts of the coupling are brought together, they interlock.
The pistons are pressed, normally, outwards by springs and they are prevented
from turning in the wooden sockets or cylinders by guides or a guide pin working
in grooves.
The coupling usually carries two wires although it may be made to carry any
other number of wires.
To clamp the parts of the coupling tightly together one or more pieces of
twisted metal, or hooks, is or are so fitted on each part, that when the parts are
brought together they can be made to catch into one another and grip firmly.
When the parts are clamped together the terminals of the wires are held in
close contact by the pressure of the springs so that the electric current can pass
freely.
Dated this 13th day of August 1801
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Coupling for Connecting Electric Wires.
I, ALEXANDER SHIELS, of 190 Bath Street, Glasgow, M.B., C.M., B.Sc., do
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 :-
At
This invention relates to an improved coupling for connecting electric lighting,
telephone or telegraph wires and it is principally designed for use on railway trains.
The coupling consists of two parts or sockets, each part being made of a piece
of wood, metal or other suitable material. In each part is fitted a piston or
plunger to which the electric wires are attached or through which they run.
the ends of the wires contact pieces or armatures are fitted and they are, preferably,
so tapered, that, when the two parts of the coupling are brought together, they
press against one another. The pistons are pressed, normally, outwards by springs
and they are prevented from turning in the wooden sockets or cylinders by guides,
or a guide pin working in grooves.
The coupling usually carries two wires although it may be made to carry any
other number of wires.
To clamp the parts of the coupling tightly together one or more pieces of
twisted metal, or hooks, is or are so fitted on each part, that when the parts are
brought together they can be made to catch into one another and grip firmly.
When the parts are clamped together the terminals of the wires are held in
close contact by the pressure of the springs so that the electric current can pass
freely.

page_text: And in order that my said invention may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, whereon:-
Fig. 1 is a front view of one half or part of the coupling.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same, showing part of the india rubber or
hose connecting pipe broken away.
Fig. 3 is a part plan view of the coupling, when joined together.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the coupling, when joined together.
Fig. 5 is a cross section of one of the connecting pipes for the railway carriages.
Fig. 6 is a detail view.
Referring to the drawings :-
The coupling consists of two parts A and B. When the coupling is used on
railway trains, the parts are connected to the carriages, by connecting tube C in
a similar manner to the coupling of the "Westinghouse" brake.
The construction of the parts of the coupling is illustrated at Figs. 1 and 2.
Each part is made with a hollow cylindrical body D in which is fitted a preferably
vulcanite piston or plunger E. The piston E, which has a ring E' screwed on it,
is fitted in a guide cylinder F, carried in the hollow cylindrical body D. Into the
part E is screwed or fitted a tube G, around which a spiral spring H is placed.
One end of the spiral spring bears up against the ring E', whilst the other end
bears up against a guide ring H¹, fitted in the guide cylinder F. In the piston E
two terminals I and J, if there are only two wires used, are fitted.
These
terminals I, J, are tapered away or wedged at the rear, where they are joined to
the electric wires K, L. The terminals have broad heads, which are wedge-
shaped, as shown in plan view at Fig. 6. The terminal I is tapered in a reverse
way to the terminal J, as shown. The corresponding terminals, in the other part
of the coupling, are each, respectively, tapered the opposite way to the terminals I
and J, so that, when the parts of the coupling are brought together, the inclined
faces of the terminals bear against one another. M is a disc fitted in the end of
the guide cylinder F. It has two holes in it for the wires K, L, to pass through.
N is a guide pin, which, while permitting lateral movement to the piston E,
prevents it turning round. O is a vulcanite ring for insulating the piston. It is
inserted to prevent short circuiting between either of the terminals and the
cylinder D, when the piston is pushed in by the bringing of the parts together.
Screwed on to the hollow cylindrical body D are two metal hooks P, Q, which are
twisted or bent over as shown at Fig. 3, so that, when the parts of the coupling are
brought together and twisted round, they interlock with one another.
To couple the parts, they are merely brought together, as shown at Fig. 4, and
then twisted round, until the hooks P, Q, of one part of the coupling catch into
the hooks P, Q of the other.
To keep the twist or pressure on the hooks, the connecting tubes C may be fitted
with longitudinal wires R, S, which, when the parts of the coupling and conse-
quently the connecting tubes C, are twisted round, have a tendency to spring back
to their former position. This tendency on the part of the wires causes the hooks
to be retained firmly in their locked position. Of course it is understood that the
wires R, S, are only straightened out when the parts are uncoupled and that when
the parts are coupled, the twist is retained in each tube C. In Fig. 4 the twisted
wires are indicated in dotted lines.
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 :-
A coupling for electric wires, constructed substantially as herein before described
with reference to the drawings annexed.
Dated this 19th day of Decembar 1901
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.