IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEGRAPHIC POSTS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Webb. Sheilds, Civil Engineer, of No. 3,
Delahay Street, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEGRAPHIC POSTS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Webb Sheilds at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th October 1864.
I, FRANCIS 'WEBB SHEILDS, Civil Engineer, of No. 3, Delahay Street,
Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEGRAPHIC POSTS," to be as follows:
This Invention has for its object improvements in telegraphic posts, and
consists in constructing each post in two parts, one to be driven into the
earth, and the other or upper part to be fixed by rivets or screw bolts to the
lower part after it has been driven into the earth. The section of iron or
steel used may be varied, but it is preferred to employ two pieces of angle
iron in constructing each post, the lower piece being of a larger and conse-
quently of a stronger section than that used for the upper part of a post.
The lower piece is pointed or sharpened at its lower end to facilitate its
passage into the earth. The lower end of the other or upper part of the post
is placed within the angle of the lower part, and is there secured by rivets

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Francis Webb Sheilds in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th April 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
WEBB SHEILDS, Civil Engineer, of No. 3, Delahay Street, Westminster, in
the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Francis Webb Sheilds, Her special licence that I, the said
Francis Webb Sheilds, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Francis Webb Sheilds, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN TELEGRAPHIC POSTS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Francis Webb Sheilds, 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 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 Francis Webb Sheilds, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by tho
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in telegraph posts, and
consists in constructing each post in two parts, one to be driven into the earth
and the other or upper part to be fixed to the lower part. The section of iron

page_text: or steel used may be varied, but it is preferred to employ two pieces of angle
iron in constructing each part, the lower piece being of a larger and conse-
quently of a stronger section than that used for the upper part of a post. The
lower piece is pointed or sharpened at its lower end to facilitate its passage
5. into the earth when being driven. The insulators and, instruments for
supporting the wires are applied at the upper part of each post.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a telegraphic post constructed according to my Invention;
a being the lower portion, and 6 the upper portion of the post, which are
bolted together, by screw bolts and nuts, but the two parts of a post may be
combined by rivetting or welding, or otherwise. By preference the lower end
of the upper portion of a post is placed on the interior of the lower portion of
a post, but it may be fixed externally. When using screw bolts to fasten the
upper to the lower part of a post, and even when some other modes. of
fastening the two parts of a post together are resorted to, the driving may be
performed before the two parts are connected, and then the upper part fixed
by the screw bolts or other fasteners. It will, however, be often. found
desirable that the two parts of a post should be joined before driving the lower
part into the earth, as the workman will thereby more readily detect any
departure from the upright, and by the leverage offered by the upper part of.
a post will be able to control the driving so as to insure a post being upright.
When using rivets to combine the two parts of a. telegraphic post constructed
according to my Invention, it is preferred that the rivetting should be per
formed after the lower portion of a post, has been driven into the earth, as
otherwise the act of driving the lower part into the earth is liable to shake
the rivets, and to render necessary a further setting up of the rivets after
driving the lower portion of the post into the ground. At the upper end of
the part b, one means of supporting the insulators and the telegraph wires are
shown, but these means may be varied. Figure 2 shews another post and a
cross section thereof similar in construction to that in the previous Figure, the
parts of which, however, are fastened together by the use of rivets instead of
screw bolts. Figure 3 shows a similar telegraphic post to that shown at
Figure 1, there being at the upper part a continuation c of lighter angle iron
to receive and carry the insulators and telegraph wires, and although this
mode of lengthening a post is only shown applied to one form of post according.
to my Invention, it may be applied to all forms of posts of my Inventions.

page_text: Figure 4 shews another telegraphic post composed of two pieces of angle iron,
but they are fixed together by rivets in a manner differing from the preceding
ones. In place of rivets being used as shewn, the parts may be fixed in a
like position by screw bolts and nuts, or otherwise. Figure 5 shews another
form of telegraphic post where the upper portion is bent or cranked just
above where it is fixed on the lower portion, this cranking is to admit more.
conveniently of the blows of a hammer or instrument used to drive the lower
part into the earth. The Drawing shows the parts of this post put together
by rivets, but screw bolts and nuts, or other means of fastening, may be used
in place thereof. Or the upper part of any of the posts may be welded to the
lower part above a bend or crank fixed at the upper end of the lower part of
the post; such cranking being suitable to receive the blows of the hammer.
Figure 6 shews another construction of telegraphic post composed of two
pieces of Tangle iron fixed together by screw bolts and nuts, but rivets or
other fastenings may be employed in place thereof. Figure 7 shews another
forni of telegraphic post composed of two pieces, one of H angle iron, and the
upper piece of channel or trough iron fixed together by screws and nuts,
though rivets or welding or other means of fastening may be used in place
thereof. It is preferred to use angle iron such as described, but other forms
or sections of iron may be similarly used in carrying out my Invention. It is
preferred in all cases to use wrought iron or steel in carrying out my Inven-
tion, though cast iron may in some cases be used, more particularly for the
lower parts of telegraphic posts. Figure 8 shews a horizontal section of
another post where the lower end is formed of a hollow cylinder, the bottom
end of which is sharpened to facilitate it being driven into the earth. The
upper part of the post is in section a cross, but iron or steel of other trans-
verse sections may be similarly used. The upper part of the post having been
inserted into the lower part, wedges of wood or iron are driven in. Or in
place of the lower part being formed of a hollow cylinder its transverse
section may be made more similar in form to the section of the upper part of
the post which it is to receive, and the two parts may then be wedged
together. In some cases the upper and lower parts may be combined by
means, of a loop or ring fitting somewhat loosely over the parts where they
come together, and then the two parts of a post may be securely held by
driving-in wedges or keys between the ring or hoop. I however believe tha
screw bolts and nuts will generally be found to be the best mode of connecting
and holding together the two parts of which a telegraph post is composed.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner o
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim the constructing

page_text: of telegraph posts by combining in each case two pieces, one piece being
suitable for being driven into the earth, and the other or upper piece being
suitable for receiving and supporting the telegraph wires, substantially as
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Webb Sheilds, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
FRANCIS W. SHEILDS. (L.S.)