AN IMPROVED LIGHTNING ARRESTER FOR ELECTRIC LINES to be as follows:-
Year: 1884

page_text: I ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A. M. and Wm Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, do
hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "AN IMPROVED LIGHTNING
ARRESTER FOR ELECTRIC LINES to be as follows:-
"
The object of this invention is to prevent the coils of telephone instruments from
being burnt and destroyed by strokes of lightning,
In this apparatus three or more U shaped spring clamps on an insulating base
are combined with an insulating strip on which as many U shaped metal plates are
secured as there are clamps on the base which strip is adapted to be passed into
the clamps.
These metal plates have their adjoining edges serrated or toothed and separated
a short distance as in the usual lightning arresters. The end clamps are connected
under the base by wires with binding posts to which the line wires are connected
and the middle clamp is connected under the base by a wire with another binding
post with which the ground wire is connected. The middle plate on the insulating
strip is provided with a handle piece of metal, around which a layer of fine silk-
covered wire is coiled, the ends of which wire are connected by screws and bars with
the end plates on the strip. The binding posts for the line wires are connected by
wires with plates between which can be passed a cut-out plug, which when not in
use is contained in an aperture in the base. When the strip is removed a plate
having hooks on. the ends is passed between the end clamps. When several
arresters are united on one base the several middle clamps of the base are united by
a strip on the end of which is secured a binding post with which the ground wire
is connected.

page_text: When the coil around the handle piece is destroyed the plug is placed between
the plates to cut out the arrester until a new coil can be put on, the binding posts
of the line wires then being in direct connection.
An ordinary charge of electricity or lightning will not affect the arrester or the
telephone apparatus; but if the stroke of lightning is strong enough to destroy or
break the wire coils on the instrument the coil on the handle will be burned or
destroyed first, and the electricity will be spent by going to the ground through the
handle piece and the middle clamps and cannot injure. the coils of the instrument.
This apparatus is very simple and occupies very little space. As the plates on
the strips are U shaped they cover a considerable surface of the ground strip as
both sides of the same are utilized.

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
LIGHTNING ARRESTER FOR ELECTRIC LINES," 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 my Invention is to provide a new and improved lightning arrester
for preventing the coils of telephone instruments from being burnt and destroyed.
by strokes of lightning.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the figures.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of the improved lightning arrester. Figure 2
a cross sectional elevation of the same. Figure 3. is a plan view of the same.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the strip to be placed in the clamps when the
slides are removed. Figure 5 is a plan view of a series of arresters for a switch.
On an ebonite base, A, or a base of other insulating material, three U shaped
spring clamps B are fastened by screws C. On a strip D of insulating material
three Ushaped metal plates E are held which have the adjoining edges serrated or
toothed and separated a short distance as in the usual lightning arresters. The end
clamps B are connected under the base by wires F with binding posts G to which
the line wires I are connected. The middle clamp B is connected under the base
by a wire J with a binding post K with which the ground wire L is connected.
The middle plate E on the insulating strip D is provided with a handle piece H, of
metal, around which a layer H₁ of fine silk-covered wire is coiled; the ends of
which wire are connected by screws and bars with the end plates E on the strip D.
The posts G are connected by wires M with plates N between which a cut-out plug O
can be passed. When not in use the cut-out plug O is contained in an aperture P
in the base A. When the slide or strip D is removed a plate Q having hooks on the
ends is passed between the end clamps B. When several arresters are united on
one base the several middle clamps B are united by a strip R on the end of which
a binding post K is secured with which the ground wire L is connected. When
the coil around the handle piece H is destroyed, the plug O is placed between the
plates N, to cut out the arrester until a new coil can be put on, the binding posts G
then being in direct connection. An ordinary charge of electricity or lightning will
not affect the arrester or the telephone apparatus; but if the stroke of lightning is
strong enough to destroy or break the wire coils on the instrument the coil H₁ on
the handle H will be burned or destroyed first, and the electricity will be spent by
going to the ground through the handle piece H, and the middle clamps B, and
cannot injure the coils of the instrument.
The above described lightning arrester is very simple and it occupies very little
space. As the plates E, on the strips D, are U shaped they cover a considerable
surface of the ground strip as both sides of the same are utilized.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a lightning arrester, the combination with clamps on an insulating base, of
an insulating strip on which as many metal plates are secured as there are clamps
on the base which strip is adapted to be passed into the clamps and has its end

page_text: plates connected with the line wires and to each other, and the intermediate plate
or plates connected with the ground wire, substantially as herein shown and
described.
2. In a lightning arrester the combination with an insulating base A, of the
clamps B, the strip D of insulating material, the U shaped metal plates E on the
strip D, of which plates E those at the ends are connected with a coil H¹ on
the handle H of the strip D, and the intermediate plate connected with the ground
wire, substantially as herein shown and described.
3. In a lightning arrester the combination with the base A, of insulating
material, of the strip D of insulating material, the metal plates E on the same of
which those at the ends are connected with a coil H¹ on the handle H of the strip D,
the clamp B and the wires F, the posts G with which posts the line wires are
connected, and of a cut-out connected with the posts G, substantially as herein
shown and described.
4. In a lightning arrester the combination with the base A of the clamp B, the
strip D the metal plates E on the same, the wires F connecting the end clamps B
with the binding posts G, a wire connecting the intermediate clamp B with the
ground wire, the wires M, the plates N, and the plug O, substantially as herein
shown and described.
5. The combination with a base A of a series of clamps B, a metal strip R,
connecting the intermediate clamp B, the ground wire L, the insulating strip D, and
the plates E, on the strip D, substantially as herein shown and described.
6. The combination with a base A of the clamps B, the insulating strip D, the
U shaped plates E on the strip D, and wires F, for connecting the end posts G, and
the end clamps B and a wire J, for connecting the ground post K with the
intermediate clamp B, substantially as herein shown and described.
7. The combination with the base A of the clamps B and the plate Q, provided
with hooks adapted to be passed between the clamps B, substantially as herein shown
and described.