IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TELEGRAPH CONDUCTORS 5 AND MATERIALS FOR COVERING AND INSULATING WIRE OR OTHER CONDUCTORS USED FOR TELEGRAPHIC, ELECTRIC, OR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Ormiston Callender
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th October 1881.
WILLIAM ORMISTON CALLENDER, of 101, Leadenhall Street, in the City of
London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TELEGRAPH CONDUCTORS
5 AND MATERIALS FOR COVERING AND INSULATING WIRE OR OTHER CONDUCTORS
USED FOR TELEGRAPHIC, ELECTRIC, OR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
My said Invention consists in the use of bitumen, combined with other hydro-
carbons or their equivalents in proportions varying from about twenty to sixty
per cent. of the hydro-carbon relatively to the bitumen employed. The combination
10 is effected at various degrees of temperature, according to the nature of the materials
employed. A compound material is thereby produced which is available for covering
and insulating wire or other conductors used for telegraphic, electric, or other
similar purposes.
The compound material so produced can either be vulcanized in the usual way,
15 or used without being vulcanized.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Ormiston Callender in the Great Seal Patent Office
the 6th April 1882.
WILLIAM ORMISTON CALLENDER, of 101, Leadenhall Street, in the City of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TELEGRAPH CONDUCTORS
AND MATERIALS FOR COVERING AND INSULATING WIRE OR OTHER CONDUCTORS
USED FOR TELEGRAPHIC, ELECTRIC, OR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
London.
My Invention consists in the use of bitumen, combined with other hydrocarbons
or their equivalents, as hereinafter mentioned, in such a manner as to produce a
compound material, consisting of from eighty to forty parts of the bitumen, com-
bined with from twenty to sixty parts of other hydrocarbons, which compound I
have found very suitable for covering and insulating wire or other conductors
used for telegraphic, electric, or other similar purposes, as it is at the same time
very efficient and inexpensive as compared with insulating materials ordinarily
used.
The materials I employ are the natural deposits of bitumen (either in the natural
state when sufficiently pure or refined in the usual way) combined with oil residue,
which is obtained by subjecting vegetable or other oils to distillation for such a
time and in such a manner as to leave the residues in an elastic condition with
a specific gravity as near 100 as possible, and by preference not more than 1.10.
I also in some cases use with these materials ozokerit, paraffin, or other wax, but
the addition of this is not in all cases essential.
The bitumen which I find most advantageous for use is that obtained from
Trinidad, and when necessary it is refined before it is used, as it is advantageous
to use as pure a quality as possible.
The oil residue above referred to I obtain from a vegetable oil, such as cotton
seed oil or palm oil, by the distillation of such oils preferably with the admixture
of an acid, such as sulphuric or nitric acid, until the specific gravity of such residue
is about 1:00 to 1.10, at which point at about 60° Fahr. it will become soft and
elastic.
A nearly similar result is obtained if the residue usually got from the distillation
of vegetable oils is melted and mixed with such a quantity of sulphuric or nitric
acid or of spirit as will cause the same to become elastic and be of a specific
gravity of from 1.00 to 1.10.
But I do not claim the specific manner of production of this product, which
may be produced by other processes, but merely the use of the product as added to
the bitumen.
I in some cases substitute for the residuum product obtained as above a substance
called elastikon, which was, at the date of my application for a Patent, and still is,
an article well known and commonly sold in the market, and which is either pro-
duced in the manner above described or bears a very close resemblance to it, and is
suitable for being used in place thereof.
My mode of manufacture is as follows:-
I melt or dissolve thirty five parts of bitumen, and at the same time I melt or
dissolve in a separate cauldron thirty five parts of the oil residue or its equivalent.
In each case I find it advantageous to add vegetable oil, say, from three to four
parts. When thoroughly dissolved the two liquids are mixed at a temperature of
about 220° to 250° Far. At this point I sometimes add about three parts of
ozokerit or other equivalent wax, but I do not regard this as essential.
The temperature is then raised to 280° to 290 Far., and whon the material is
required (as is generally the case) to be vulcanised, about threo or four parts of

page_text: flowers of sulphur, or the equivalent thereof, are added, and the heat being raised
to about 340° Fahr. the mixture is stirred gently for about forty five minutes,
when it is brought into a thick elastic condition.
It is kept for about two hours at the above temperature, and the result is the
compound material which I have found to be suitable for the purposes above
indicated.
The sulphur I prefer to use is the common "flowers" of commerce, but any of
the usual vulcanizing materials may be employed in the usual way.
The compound material may be applied in any suitable manner for the purpose
of covering and insulating wires or other conductors used for telegraphic, electric,
or other similar purposes. Such compound material will be found an efficient
substitute for either india rubber or gutta percha, or other compounds for covering
and insulating wires or other conductors. The ingredients used by me are unex-
pensive, and the compound material can be manufactured and applied at less cost
than either india rubber or gutta percha.
And having thus described my Invention, and the mode in which it is manufac-
tured, I do not limit myself to the exact proportions or mode of preparation above
specified, as both may be in some respects varied, according to the exact quality or
nature of the material required to be produced; but I claim the manufacture of
the compound material produced by combining the natural deposits of bitumen
with the oil residue or its equivalent, substantially as above described, whether
the compound be vulcanised in the usual way, or used without being vulcanised.
Secondly. I claim the manufacture of insulated conductors for telegraphic or
other purposes by covering or coating the conducting wires with the compound
prepared and vulcanised, substantially as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Ormiston Callender, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of April, One thousand eight hundred
and eighty two.
30 Witness,
GEO. A. PARTON.
W. O. CALLENDER. (L.S.)