IMPROVED COMPOUNDS OR COMBINATION OF INGREDIENTS FOR INSULATING AND COATING TELEGRAPH WIRES (SUBMARINE AND LAND).
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Wilkinson, of Paddington Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED COMPOUNDS OR
COMBINATION OF INGREDIENTS FOR INSULATING AND COATING TELEGRAPH
WIRES (SUBMARINE AND LAND)."
Sealed the 27th February 1880, and dated the 28th August 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Wilkinson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th August 1879.
"
ALEXANDER WILKINSON, of Paddington Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer.
'IMPROVED COMPOUNDS OR COMBINATION OF INGREDIENTS FOR
INSULATING AND COATING TELEGRAPH WIRES (SUBMARINE AND LAND)."
This Invention relates to improved compounds or combination of ingredients for
insulating and coating telegraph wires, submarine and land, and consists first in
amalgamating, say, one pound of beeswax, three pounds of white lead with a pro-
portion of Stockholm tar, and a small quantity of tallow. These ingredients are
brought into a plastic state by heat, which renders the mass fit for all kinds of
insulating or coating purposes. The wires to be coated are passed through the
heated tank and drawn through apertures in discs to regulate the thickness of the
coating in the ordinary manner.
Before the first coating is fairly set I pass the wires through another bath of the
same ingredients, but of less substance or thickness than that of the first coating, to
fill up any interstices or faults that may be in the first coating. When the two
coatings are sufficiently dry or set, the core is passed through a hollow spindle for
a plaiting or braiding operation by some fibrous material, after which an outer
coating of a compound composed of pitch, ground cork, and bisulphite of carbon,
mixed in suitable proportions and brought into a liquid form without heat is
applied.
Instead of the braiding operation, if desired, the coated wires may be passed
through a bath in which equal proportions of white lead, tar, rosin, spirits of wine,

page_text: tallow, bi-sulphite of carbon, ground cork, and petroleum, have been mixed under
the influence of heat. The wires thus protected or coated can be drawn through a
mandril and coated with lead or a composition metal.
For the shore ends of submarine cables I take any number of large or small
lines that may be requisite when treated as before mentioned, and twist them into
a form of a rope or cable in order that any length or lengths of lead made tubular
may be passed over them commencing from the shore end, the rope or cable being
covered in stages by, say, sixteen or twenty feet lengths of the tubing, ordinary
plumbers' joint being made to combine the tubes together; whereby the cable may
be readily run out to deep sea with great facility.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Wilkinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th
February 1880.
"
ALEXANDER WILKINSON, of Paddington Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer. IMPROVED COMPOUNDS OR COMBINATION OF INGREDIENTS FOR
INSULATING AND COATING TELEGRAPH WIRES (SUBMARINE AND LAND)."
This Invention relates to improved compounds or combination of ingredients for
insulating and coating telegraph wires, submarine and land, and consists first in
amalgamating, say, one pound of beeswax, three pounds of white lead with a pro-
portion of Stockholm tar, and a small quantity of tallow. These ingredients are
brought into a plastic state by heat, which renders the mass fit for all kinds of
insulating or coating purposes.
The wires to be coated are passed through a heated tank and drawn through
apertures in discs to regulate the thickness of the coating in the ordinary
manner.
Before the first coating is fairly set I pass the wire or wires through another
bath of the same ingredients, but of less substance or thickness than that of the
first coating, to fill up any interstices or faults that may be in the first coating.
When the two coatings are sufficiently dry or set the core is passed through a
hollow spindle for a plaiting or braiding operation by some fibrous material, after
which an outer coating of a compound composed of pitch, ground cork, and bi-
sulphite of carbon mixed in suitable proportions and brought into a liquid form
without heat is applied.
Instead of the braiding operation, if desired, the coated wires may be passed
through a bath in which equal proportions of white lead, tar, rosin, spirits of wine,
tallow, bi-sulphite of carbon, ground cork, and petroleum, have been mixed under
the influence of heat. The wires thus protected or coated can be drawn through a
mandril and coated with lead or a composition metal.
For the shore ends of submarine cables I take any number of large or small lines
that may be requisite when treated as before mentioned, and twist them into a
form of a rope or cable in order that any length of lead made tubular may be passed
over them commencing from the shore end, the rope or cable being covered in
stages by, say, sixteen or twenty feet lengths of the tubing, ordinary plumbers'
joint being made to combine the tubes together, whereby the cable may be readily
run out to deep sea with great facility.
According to another part of my Invention I construct submarine and land
telegraph cables tubular or hollow, that gas may be conveyed through the same for
lighting different points along routes frequented by shipping to give warning of
shoals, rocks, wrecks, or other obstructions. Coloured glasses or other indicators may
be employed in the lamps, which I purpose using as a protection to the flame, which
lamps may be carried by floating buoys, light vessels, or otherwise, either in the ocean
or along coasts, or otherwise.
The hollow cable is preferably constructed of india rubber, gutta percha, or of
prepared webbing (coated) on which wire is wound in spiral order, said wire being
coated and insulated by a covering of india rubber or a fibrous material. If india
rubber be used I mix a suitable proportion of ground cork, bi-sulphite of carbon,
Stockholm tar, pitch, and naphtha, brought into a plastic-state by heat.
In some cases the hollow cable may be made of a light character and be used for
the double purpose of lighting railway tunnels, signal stations, and for telegraphy.
The coated cables may be protected by canvas, preserved by any suitable material,
but preferably of the ingredients or composition herein before first mentioned.
According to another part of my Invention, I dispense with the inner layer or
tube of india rubber or gutta percha and use the wire as a lining, this being

page_text: protected on the outer portion by the coating before mentioned or otherwise. This
inner lining of ordinary coiled wire may have exterior wires as telegraph wires
(conducting wires) which may be coated by the ingredients before mentioned. The
object of this part of my Invention being as before stated the employment of
tubular cables for telegraphic and gas conveying purposes.
The next part of my Invention consists in making a compound for insulating
purposes, the compound is composed,-
Wheat flour
*Linseed oil
Gutta percha
White lead
1 lb.
-
1 lb.
-
3 oz.
1
6 oz.
A quantity of goldsize being added to render the mixture of a flexible character.
The conducting wires may be first coated with india rubber, gutta percha, flax, or
other fibrous material, in order that the above coating may adhere thereto.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First. The special combinations of ingredients and their employment in the
manufacture as a protective coating to telegraph wires, submarine and land, as
hereinbefore described.
Secondly. I claim making telegraph cables hollow for the conveyance of gas as a
lighting medium, as hereinbefore described.
Thirdly. I claim the composition last above described as an insulating compound
for coating telegraph wires, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Wilkinson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
WILLIAM WILKINSON.
A. WILKINSON. (L.S.)