AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR LAYING AND PROTECTING UNDER- GROUND TELEGRAPHIC WIRES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Léon Delperdange, of Schaerbeck, near Brussels, in
the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR LAYING AND PROTECTING UNDER-
GROUND TELEGRAPHIC WIRES."
Sealed the 1st November 1867, and dated the 4th May 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Léon Delperdange at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th May 1867.
I, LÉON DELPERDANGE, of Schaerbeck, near Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR LAYING AND PROTECTING
UNDERGROUND TELEGRAPHIC WIRES," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to protect underground telegraph wires from
the various causes of decay and damage to which they are exposed, and also
to enable them to be more easily laid, inspected, and repaired. For these
purposes tubes of cast iron or other suitable material with joints made tight
with india-rubber or in any other suitable manner are employed, each tube
having constructed therein a groove or slot extending throughout its length.
The grooves or slots admit of the entire length of wire being laid in the tubes
without soldering; the grooves or slots are then filled up with any kind of
cement or substance adapted for the purpose, the same being, if necessary.or

page_text: considered desirable, made to rest on a metallic band introduced into the
tubes and fastened on the exterior thereof with screws, keys, or other similar
means, or the cement may be held firmly in its place by means of a strip of
T-iron inserted in the groove or slot and supported by suitable appliances;
those portions of the terminal rings of the tubes which are removed for the
formation of the grooves or slots is either filled up with cement or by the
insertion of a piece of metal. In cases in which the joints are secured by
india-rubber instead of putting the same in the form of continuous or entire
rings over the joints such rings may be severed and placed over the rims of
the tubes, and having been closed the respective ends are secured and held
together by means of studs or other similar arrangements, a collar being placed
over the india-rubber for the purpose of pressing the same on the terminal
rings of the tubes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Léon. Delperdange in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd November 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LÉON
DELPERDANGE, of Schaerbeck, near Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Léon Delperdange, Her special licence that I, the said Léon
Delperdange, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I,. the said Léon Delperdange, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR LAYING AND PROTECTING UNDERGROUND
TELEGRAPHIC WIRES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Léon Delperdange, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great

page_text: Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Léon Delperdange, do hereby declare-
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being bad to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
The object of my said Invention is to protect underground telegraph
wires from the various causes of decay and damage to which they are exposed,
and also to enable them to be more easily laid, inspected, and repaired. For
these purposes tubes of cast iron or other suitable material are employed, the
same having the joints made air and water tight with packing of india-rubber
or other analogous substance or composition, or in any other suitable manner;
each tube is constructed with a groove or slot therein extending throughout
its length; the grooves or slots admit of the entire length of wire being laid
in the tubes without soldering. The wires having been laid the grooves or
slots are filled up with any kind of cement or substance adapted for the
purpose, the same being, if necessary or considered desirable, made to rest on
a metallic band which is introduced into the tubes and fastened
on the
exterior thereof with screws, keys; or other similar means, or the cement may
be held firmly in its place by means of a strip of T-iron which is inserted in
the groove or slot and supported by suitable appliances; by these means the
cement it held firmly in its place. Those portions of the terminal rings of the
tubes which are removed for the formation of the grooves or slots are either
filled up with cement or by the insertion of a piece of metal. In cases in
which the joints of the tubes are secured by india-rubber, in order to avoid
trouble of putting the same in the form of continuous or entire rings over the
joints, such rings may be severed and placed over the rims of the tubes, and
having been closed the respective ends are secured and held together by means
of studs or other similar arrangements, a collar being placed over the india-
rubber for the purpose of keeping the same on the terminal rings of the
tubes.
Before bringing together the two tubes intended to be joined care must be
taken to slide over the telegraphic wire and then over one of the tubes the
collar which is to press the india-rubber on the two enlarged terminal rings of
the tubes to be joined. A small plate of copper is placed under the ears of
the collar before any pressure is applied.
The nature of my said Invention will be more clearly understood by reference
to the accompanying Drawings.
:

page_text: Figure 1 is a longitudinal view of a tube, the groove or slot being shewn
at A; Figure 2 is a transverse section of the tube at the line m, n, (Figure 1),
A being the groove or slot; Figures 3 is a longitudinal view, and Figure 4 a
transverse section of a tube (the latter taken at the line o, p, (Figure 3).
shewing the manner in which the cement may be made to rest on a metallic
band, as above described; Figure 5 represents a strip of T-iron inserted in
the slot A (Figure 1) and supported by the keys D (Figure 4), as above
described; Figure 6 is a section of the T-iron; Figures 7 and 8 shew an
india-rubber ring severed and closed over the rims of the tubes.
Having thus fully declared and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion
that what I consider novel and original and therefore claim as constituting the
Invention secured to me by the said herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent are, the method of and apparatus for laying and protecting underground
telegraphic wires substantially berein-before described. and set forth, or any
mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Léon Delperdange, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
A. CROOŸ.
L. DELPERDANGE. (L.s.).