Connections of Electrical Conducting Cables.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Sept., 1887
Complete Left, 31st May, 1888
Complete Accepted, 6th July, 1888
[Communicated from abroad by THE FIRM OF SIEMENS & HALSKE, of 94, Markgrafen
Strasso, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany, Electrical Engineers.]
Connections of Electrical Conducting Cables.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates more particularly to establishing and insulating connections
of electrical conducting cables having a central conductor insulated from an annular
conductor or ring of conductors surrounding the same, whether such connections are
for uniting two or more lengths of such cables with each other or for establishing
branch conductors thereon.
The means employed for establishing such connections will be readily understood
on reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the arrangement shewn at Figs. 1 and 2, the several insulating and protecting
coverings of the end of a cable are removed in a stepped form so as to expose a portion
of the central and annular conductors.
The central conductor a is separated from the outer conductor c by a layer of
insulating material b, the conductor c consisting of a number of conducting wires that
are spun upon the coating b, d is the insulating coating between the outer conductor c
and the lead sheathing e.
Upon the conductor c is in the first instance fitted the flanged metal sleeve I with
the caoutchouc covering f, so that the ends of the wires c project to a certain extent
beyond the flange of g; the wires c are then bent up radially, so that they lie against
the flange, whereupon a second flanged sleeve his fitted upon the insulating coating b
and is secured by screws to the flange of g, so as to clamp the radial ends of the
conducting wires between them, by which means a reliable mechanical and electric

page_text: contact is established between the flanges and the conducting wires. The flange of h
is provided with a pinching screw & for connecting another conductor with the flange
and consequently with the wires c.
With cables whose central conductor consists of several wires, a metal socket / Fig. 2
is fitted over the end of the same, and is fixed by screws m. This socket has at its
flattened end a pinching screw for attaching another conductor thereto, which is
consequently also electrically connected to the central conductor a.
For protecting the insulating covering from the atmosphere, the connection is
covered with a sheathing q of vulcanized caoutchouc enclosing the conductor a Fig. 1
or socketFig. 2, the insulated covering band the sleeve h. The flanges of the sleeves g
and are also provided with a caoutchouc covering 9, and the first named caoutchouc
covering encloses the sleeve g, the insulating covering d and the end of the lead
sheathing e.
For connecting two lengths of the conducting cable above referred to, arrangements
such as shewn at Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are employed.
These consist of two sets of devices, the one set serving for establishing the electrical
contacts, and the other for mechanically protecting the contact devices.
The two ends of the cables having been prepared in a similar manner to that above
described, the two central conductors are connected by means of grooved metal
clamps and I secured together by the screw t. For connecting the two outer
conductors there is placed upon each a plate S with central hole, and the wires of the
conductors are bent up radially against the front face thereof, a second plate S' is then
fitted upon the insulating coating b and metal rods p with screwed ends having been
passed through holes or slots in each of the four plates, each pair of plates is clamped
together with the ends of the conducting wires between them by means of nuts X X
upon the rods.
By this means a very secure connection is established on the one hand between the
wires of the outer conductor and the plates, on the other hand between the plates S S¹
nuts X and rods p, and the plates and wires of the outer conductor of the other
cable.
In order to insulate and to protect these parts against injury, they are enclosed by
a casing or sleeve formed of two parts A and B, which are constructed with openings
at the ends for the reception of the cable ends.
In order to effect a tight joint between the two parts A and B, they are formed all
round with external flanges having grooves u and u for the reception of packing
material, and they are secured firmly together and to the cable ends by means of
screws. The upper part B has an inlet opening y closed by a screw plug Z, for
filling the casing with insulating material.
This material may either be of a nature to solidify after being introduced in a
liquid condition, or it may be permanently liquid, in which latter caso it must however
be specifically heavier than water in order that any water that may penetrate shall not
mix with the insulating liquid, but rise to the surface thereof and thus leave the
connections of the cables intact.
For connecting a branch cable to a main cable at any desired point, the arrange-
ment shown at Figs. 7 and 8 is employed. In this case the enclosing casing consists
of a bottom part c connected to a middle part D by means of screw bolts tv and tx,
having sockets E for the introduction of the main cable K and branch cable K' the
whole being closed by a cover F. The part of the main cable at which the junction
with the branch cable is to be made and the end of the branch cable having been
laid bare in stepped form, the wires of the outer conductors are bent up and clamped
between plates S and SIV in the manner already described.
The plates SV have upward projecting arms provided with pinching screws tv at
their upper ends, which rise to a certain height above the upper edge of the part D
of the casing, and which serve to fix the connecting plate for the two parts of
the outer conductor of the main cable and the lead connection P for the branch
cable.
The connection of the central conductor of the two parts of the main cable is effected

page_text: by means of clamps R and screws I, and to the central conductor of the branch
cable K is secured a clamp R by means of a screw W. The clamps R¹ and R"
carry arms, the upper ends of which have screws SV and SVI and project up beyond
the upper edge of the casing D and serve to establish a connection between the central
conductor of the main cable and that of the branch cable by means of a lead strip PI
When the cables have been connected in the above described manner, the casing is
filled up to the upper edge of the middle part D with tar or other insulating liquid
of greater specific gravity than water and the cover F is fixed on by means of
screws IV.
The meeting surfaces of the joints of the several parts of the casing are coated
with packing material before being fitted together, in order to make fluid tight joints.
In order to prevent any water that may penetrate through the joints of the casing
from passing on to the upper surface of the insulating liquid above which the
connections are situated, the cover F has a downward projecting rim I all round it,
dipping into the insulating liquid and consequently confining the water that leaks
into the space between the rim and the edge of the casing.
Figs. 9 and 10 shew an arrangement for connecting a number of branch conducting
cables to one or more main cables. In this arrangement the casing consists of a
bottom part C, a middle part D and a cover F secured together by screws tv and tx
as in the previous arrangement, sockets E with packing grooves being formed on the
parts C and D for the reception of each cable to be connected. To the bottom part C
is fixed a column S carrying two metal pole pieces M and N which are insulated
from each other and from the column by means of the plates G of insulating material.
The main cables K are connected to each other by copper strips and the branch
cables K' by means of lead strips P and PI and the corresponding polar pieces MN,
the connection being established in a manner similar to that previously described.
These connections are arranged above the surface of the insulating liquid with which
the casing is filled up to the upper edge of the part D, and which consequently covers
all the cable ends.
Dated this 2nd day of September 1887.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Connections of Electrical Conducting Cables.
1, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, and Patent Agent, 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 :-
This invention relates more particularly to establishing and insulating connections
of electrical conducting cables having a central conductor insulated from an annular
conductor or ring of conductors surrounding the same, whether such connections are
for uniting two or more lengths of such cables with cach other or for establishing
branch conductors thereon.
The means employed for establishing such connections will be readily understood
on reference to the accompanying drawing and the drawings accompanying my
provisional specification.
In the arrangement shewn at Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings accompanying my
provisional specification the several insulating and protecting coverings of the end
of a cable are removed in a stepped form so as to expose a portion of the central and
annular conductors.
The central conductor a is separated from the outer conductor c by a layer of insu-
lating material b the conductor c consisting of a number of conducting wires that
are spun upon the coating b. d is the insulating coating between the outer conductor c
and the lead sheathing e.
Upon the conductor c is in the first instance fitted the flanged metal sleeve g with
the caoutchouc covering so that the ends of the wires c project to a certain extent
beyond the flange of g; the wires c are then bent up radially so that they lie against
the flange, whereupon a second flanged sleeve his fitted upon the insulating coating b
and is secured by screws to the flange of g so as to clamp the radial ends of the
conducting wires between them, by which means a reliable mechanical and electrical
contact is established between the flanges and the conducting wires. The flange of h
is provided with a pinching screw k for connecting another conductor with the
flange and consequently with the wires c.
With cables whose central conductor consists of several wires, a metal socket l
Fig. 2 is fitted over the end of the same, and is fixed by screws m. This socket has
at its flattened end a pinching screw for attaching another conductor thereto, which is
consequently also electrically connected to the central conductor a.
For protecting the insulating covering from the atmosphere, the connection is
covered with a sheathing 9 of vulcanized caoutchouc enclosing the conductor a Fig. 1,
or socketFig. 2, the insulated covering and the sleeve h. The flanges of the

page_text: sleeves g and h are also provided with a caoutchouc covering o, and the first named
caoutchouc covering ƒ encloses the sleeve g, the insulating covering d and the end of
the lead sheathing e.
For connecting two lengths of the conducting cable above referred to, arrange-
ments such as shewn at Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are employed.
These consist of two sets of devices, the one set serving for establishing the
electrical contacts and the other for mechanically protecting the contact devices.
The two ends of the cables having been prepared in a similar manner to that
above described, the two central conductors are connected by means of grooved
metal clamps and 7 secured together by the screw t. For connecting the two
outer conductors there is placed upon each a plate S with central hole, and the
wires of the conductors are bent up radially against the front face thereof, a second
plate S is then fitted upon the insulating coating b and metal rods P with screwed
ends having been passed through holes or slots in each of the four plates, each pair of
plates is clamped together with the ends of the conducting wires between them by means
of nuts X X upon the rods. By this means a very secure connection is established on the
one hand between the wires of the outer conductor and the plates and on the other hand
between the plates S S nuts X and rods p with the plates and wires of the outer
conductor of the other cable.
In order to insulato and to protect these parts against injury, they are enclosed by
a casing or sleeve formed of two parts A and B which are constructed with openings
at the ends for the reception of the cable ends.
In order to effect a tight joint between the two parts A and B they are formed all
round with external flanges having grooves u and u for the reception of packing
material, and they are secured firmly together and to the cable ends by means of
screws t The upper part B has an inlet opening y closed by a screw plug Z,
for filling the casing with insulating material.
This material may either be of a nature to solidify after being introduced in a
liquid condition, or it may be permanently liquid, in which latter case it must
however be specifically heavier than water in order that any water that may penetrate
shall not mix with the insulating liquid but rise to the surface thereof and thus
leave the connections of the cables intact.
-
For connecting a branch cable to a main cable at any desired point the arrange
ment shewn at Figs. 7 and 8 is employed. In this case the enclosing casing consists
of a bottom part connected to a middle part D by means of screw bolts tv and t¹x
and having sockets E for the introduction of the main cable K and branch cable K¹,
the whole being closed by a cover F. The part of the main cable at which the
junction with the branch cable is to be made and the end of the branch cable having
been laid bare in stepped form, the wires of the outer conductors are bent up and
clamped between plates S and SV in the manner already described.
The plates SV have upward projecting arms provided with pinching screws tv at
their upper ends, which rise to a certain height above the upper edge of the part D
of the casing, and which serve to fix the connecting plate for the two parts of
the outer conductor of the main cable and the lead connection P for the branch cable.
The connection of the central conductor of the two parts of the main cable is
effected by means of clamps R¹ and screws VI and to the central conductor of the branch
cable K is secured a clamp R by means of a screw w. The clamps R and R" carry
arms the
ends of which have screws SV and SVI and project up beyond the upper
upper
edge of the casing D and serve to establish a connection between the central conductor
of the main cable and that of the branch cable by means of a lead strip PI. When
the cables have been connected in the above described manner, the casing is filled up
to the upper edge of the middle part D with tar or other insulating liquid of greater
specific gravity than water, and the cover F is fixed on by means of screws tv.
The meeting surfaces of the joints of the several parts of the casing are coated
with packing material before being fitted together, in order to make fluid tight joints.
In order to prevent any water that may penetrate through the joints of the casing

page_text: from passing on to the upper surface of the insulating liquid above which the connec-
tions are situated, the cover F has a downward projecting rim I all round it, dipping
into the insulating liquid and consequently confining the water that leads in to the
space between the rim and the edge of the casing.
In the arrangements shown at Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the drawings accompanying
my Provisional Specification the sockets E through which the cables enter the casing
are by preference constructed as shewn at Fig. 11 on the accompanying drawing, a
chamber U being formed in the inner part thereof which, after the introduction of the
cables is run full of melted waterproof insulating material through the aperture UI
which material, in solidifying, prevents water from penetrating into the box through
the interstices of the cable covorings.
The cover of the box is also by preference formed with an air hole at top, which is
closed by a screw plug W.
Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings accompanying my provisional specification shew an
arrangement for connecting a number of branch conducting cables to one or more
main cable. In this arrangement the casing consists of a bottom part C, a middle
part D and a cover F secured together by serows IV and X, as in the previous
arrangement, sockets E with packing grooves being formed on the parts C and D for
the reception of each cable to be connected. To the bottom part C is fixed a column S
carrying two metal pole pieces M and N which are insulated from each other and
from the column by means of the plates G of insulating material. The main cables K
are connected to each other by copper strips and the branch cables K¹ by means of
lead strips P and P¹ and the corresponding polar pieces M. N, the connection being
established in a manner similar to that previously described. These connections are
arranged above the surface of the insulating liquid with which the casing is filled up
to the upper edge of the part D and which consequently covers all the cable ends.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. For connecting the end of an electrical conducting cable with a second cable or
conductor, the use of a flanged metal sleeve, such as y fitted upon the cable, between
the flange of which sleeve and the flange of a second sleeve the turned up ends of
the conducting wires are clamped so as to be in conducting contact therewith, the
said flanged sleeves serving for effecting the electrical connection to the second
cable or conductor, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of
the drawings.
2. In combination with the connecting device for the outer conductors of a cable
referred to in the preceding claim, the use of a socket 7 fitted on the central conducting
wires of the cable and provided with a pinching screw or other means for connecting
a conductor thereto, substantially as described with reference to Fig. 2 of the
drawings.
3. The use, for connecting the central conductors of a cable, of a clamping device,
consisting of two separate parts and r¹ which are made to nip the ends of the
conductors between them by means of a screw, substantially as described with
reference to Figs. 3, 4 and 5.
4. The use for connecting the outer conducting wires of two cable ends, of two
pairs of discs S S between each of which pairs the wires of one of the cables are
clamped and which pairs of discs are connected together by screw bolts p x serving
both as conductors and to clamp the discs S S together, substantially as described
with reference to Figs. 3, 4, and 5.
5. The use for enclosing the union of two conducting cables of a box or casing
constructed of two parts A and B fitted with grooves u u³ at their meeting faces, and
secured together by screw bolts at the sockets or nozzles through which the ends of

page_text: the cables pass, the said boxes being filled with solid or liquid insulating material
through an opening y closed by a screw plug Z substantially as herein described with
reference to Figs. 3, 4 and 5.
6. The use for enclosing the union of three or more conducting cables, of a
box or casing formed of three parts C D F secured together by screw bolts, and
having chambered sockets or nozzles E through which the cable ends enter, the
box and chambers of the nozzles being filled with solid or liquid waterproof insu-
lating material, into which a downward projecting rim I on the cover F dips in
order to prevent water from penetrating into the inner part of the box, substantially
as described with reference to Figs. 7, 8, 9. 10 and 11 of the drawings.
7. The mode of effecting the connection of the several cable ends within a
union box substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10
of the drawings.
8. The use in combination with the union box and cable connections referred to in
the preceding claims, of a column S carrying metal pole pieces M N that are insu-
lated from each other and from the column and that serve to connect the conductors
of the several cables with each other, substantially as described with reference to
Figs. 9 and 10.