Improvements in and relating to Insulators for Telegraph and Telephone Poles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 19th Oct., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Insulators for Telegraph and
Telephone Poles.
We, WILLIAM DIBB, of 108 Wood Avenue, Syracuse, in the County of
Onondaga, and State of New York, United States of America, Machinist, and
ALBERT VICKERS, of 423 James Street, Syracuse aforesaid, Electrician, 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:-
Our invention relates to an insulator for telegraph and telephone poles, and has
for its object to do away with tie-wires and to hold the line-wire with absolute
firmness in position against any and all strains. Our invention consists in con-
structing an insulator with an opening or cavity in its top, on opposite sides of
which cavity are two corresponding grooves, one on each side, in which lie the
wire; and using with the insulator so constructed a plug by which the wire is
pressed to one side and kinked so as to hold it firmly in position. The plug and
the side of the depression, between which and the plug the wire is gripped, are so
formed in relation to each other that they exert a cam action on the wire, so that
a pull in one direction or the other tightens the hold.
The plug and the side of the cavity between which and the plug the wire rests,
are so formed and proportioned in relation to each other, that in the normal
position of the plug, that is in the position it naturally assumes, when pressed
home to hold the wire, the wire is kinked and substantially fills the space between
the plug and side of the cavity, but when the plug is moved or rocked from its
normal position toward one slot or the other, as by an extra strain on the wire in
one direction, the space between it and the side decreases and the wire is pinched
with increasing force so as to be held in place; the greater the longitudinal strain
on the wire, the greater the pinch. This pinch applied to the wire automatically
by a cam action between plug and side of cavity, when a longitudinal strain is
applied to the wire, is the essence of our invention, whether accomplished by an
irregular and eccentric formation of the cavity or of the plug.
Our invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which the same letters have reference to similar parts in all the
views.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a double petticoat insulator embodying our
invention.
Figure 2 is a cross section on the line x-x, showing the plug and wire in
position.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the plug seen from below.
Figure 4 is a vertical section on line y-y, the lower part of the insulator
being cut off, the plug being shown in its first position as it is being sent
in place.
Figure 5 is a similar view, showing the plug partly rotated into the second
position, the plug being in elevation.
Figure 6 is a similar view, the plug having been rotated and pressed home, so
that the wire is in its normal position.
Figures 7 to 10 show a modification in form of plug and insulator. Figure 7
is a vertical section of the insulator, the lower end of the plug being shown in
DJ7

page_text: elevation, as it first engages the wire in process of insertion. Figure 8 is a similar
view, the plug having been pushed home and holding the wire in the normal
position. Figure 9 is a horizontal section on line 2 of Figure 8. Figure 10
is a side elevation of the plug seen at right angles to the position of Figure 8.
Figure 11 shows another variation in the construction of the insulator.
Figures 12 to 14 show another modification in form of plug and insulator.
Figure 12 is a cross-section of the insulator and plug near the tops of the slots,
showing the line-wire in position. Figure 13 is a side elevation of the insulator.
Figure 14 shows the plug in elevation and the insulator in cross-section on line y-y
of Figure 12, the wire being removed.
The preferable construction of our invention is shown in Figures 1 to 6. A is
the insulator formed below with a double petticoat and a screw thread for attaching
it to the brackets on the poles. This is provided at its upper end with a depression
or cavity B, having strong side walls CC; in this wall are cut two slots D D
opposite to each other and corresponding, and of sufficient size to hold the line-
wire. These slots are preferably made slanting and a little nearer one side of the
depression than the other, and are not as deep as the cavity itself. The walls CC
of the depression B are formed on their interior as shown in Figure 2, with the
sides not parallel, the side 5 made flat, and side 4 curved, so that the greatest
distance between the sides is at a-a, at or near their middle, and this distance
diminishes toward b-b and toward c-c. The construction of the plug P is best
shown in Figures 4 to 6. It is provided at its lower end with a spiral groove E,
beginning at 1 and extending upwardly and around the plug about one-half its
circumference until it terminates and disappears at 2. Just above this is a
circumferential groove 3 which may extend entirely around the plug, as shown in
the figures referred to, or around a small portion only of its circumference, but
adjacent to the end 2 of the groove E.
The manner in which the line-wire is set and held in position is as follows:
The wire W is dropped into the slots D D where it rests freely; the plug P is
then set into the depression B, which is formed of a size adapted to receive the
plug and the wire, in the position shown in Figure 4, so that the wire rests in the
groove E at its deepest point 1; the plug is then twisted so that it rotates from
the deepest end 1 of groove E to its shallow end 2, and the portion of the line-
wire W lying in depression B, being constantly engaged in the groove E is
gradually pressed to one side by the eccentric form of the plug at that end; when
the plug has been rotated against the wire to this point 2 into the position of
Figure 5, it is pressed home down to the bottom and the wire W is thrown into
groove 3, into the position of Figure 6; the plug as it is rotated and pushed home
naturally takes the normal position, that is with its diameter coinciding with
line aa
the line of greatest distance between walis 4 and 5, the wire being in
this position kinked and held firmly against wall 4 at the point a, as long as the
strain on the wire in both directions is practically equal. When, however, a
greater strain is applied to the wire on one side than on the other, as for instance
in case of a break of the wire at the point 6, the strain in the direction 7 will tend
to rotate or move the plug toward c-c; and the distance between the two walls 4
and 5 at and near - being less than the distance a-a, while the diameter of
the plug remains constant, a pinch will be applied to the wire with increasing force.
This pinch is so quickly and positively applied that the wire is held by this pressure
against the wall 4 without any possibility of escape, and it cannot be pulled out
until sufficient power is applied to shatter or to crack the insulator.
It is evident that the wall 4 against which the wire W is held may be made flat,
and the opposite wall 5 curved.
In Figures 7 to 10 is shown a somewhat different construction of plug and
insulator, by which, however, exactly the same result is accomplished, and the wire
pinched by cam action between the plug and side wall of the cavity when the wire
is subjected to a greater strain in one direction than in the other. The side walls
of the cavity are here regular and similar on both sides, but the plug at the point

page_text: here it bears on the wire in the normal position is provided with a flattened
bove G. The plug is bevelled at F and is pressed into position, as shown in
gure 7, so that the lower end of the bevel first strikes the wire W lying in the
ots D D. As the plug is pushed further into the depression B, the wire is
ressed to one side and kinked, and when the plug touches bottom it is given a
arter turn, which throws the wire into the groove G which is a short groove
st above bevel E and at right angles to it and to the diameter d-d.
The plug is so proportioned to the size of the wire that together with the wire it
bstantially fills the cavity, and the wire will rest in the flattened groove G, and
eing kinked will be held firmly against the side wall. This is the normal position
f the plug. It will be seen that it naturally tends to take a position with its
iameter - at right angles to the wire and bearing against it at the point d,
he diameter d-d at the deepest point of the groove G being shorter than the
liameters e-e and f-f. From this construction it happens that if a greater strain
s applied to the wire W in one direction than in the other, as in the direction 7 by
the breaking of the wire at the point 6, the plug will be rolled or drawn in the
direction 7, and instead of pressing against the wire at its diameter d-d, it will
tend to bear against it at or near its longer diameter ff, by which a cam action is
applied to the wire and it. is pinched and held with great force. This is exactly
the same principle and result as is shown in the construction illustrated in
Figures 1 to 6, the cam action and pinch on the wire in that former construction
being produced by an eccentric form of the walls of the cavity, while in this latter
construction it is produced by an eccentric form of plug. In Figures 12 to 14 is
shown a modification in the construction of the plug and insulator, particularly of
the insulator; the cavity B is substantially of the form shown in Figure 2, having
the sides 4 and 5 not parallel, but the slots DD are here inclined at an angle
to the line-wire and are provided with notches HH at their outer ends, which
notches are extended half way more or less through the side walls so that they do
not open into the cavity B; when the line-wire W is dropped into the slots, it lies
as shown in Figure 12 and is kiuked so as to bind on the sides of the slots at 7-7
and at 8--8, in addition to the positive pinch applied to the wire by the plug, as
herein before described. The plug P in this case is provided with bevel F and
with groove G, extending entirely around the plug and immediately above the
upper end of F, in which groove G the line-wire lies when the plug is pushed
home.
The plug is preferably made with a mushroom top, as shown in Figures 3, 4, 10,
and 14, which covers over the cavity in the top of the insulator, excluding dust
In Figure 11
and moisture, and also affords a good handle for the lineman to grasp.
we have shown a variation in the slot D; the slot is made straight and is provided
O with a notch H in the bottom, into which the wire is thrown when the plug is
pressed home. An aperture J, as here shown, may be provided where desirable,
for draining off moisture from the cavity to prevent it injuring the device by
freezing or otherwise.
The advantages of our invention are, that it provides a simple positive means
5 for holding long distance wires in their insulators under all circumstances and all
strains, and one which is easily used by the lineman; the use of tie-wires is
obviated, which are expensive, aud which do not hold the wire as firmly in position
as does our device, and which have the disadvantage of injuring the line-wire, so
that it never can be used over again; with our device the wire is sufficiently
50 kinked to hold it firmly both in the norinal position and under extraordinary strain
but it is not injured thereby as it is by the kinking and the contact of the tie-wires
in applying tie-wires the careless workman often scratches the line-wire which soor
causes a break; this cannot be seen by the foreman, while with our device it i
easy to see whether the wire is being put properly in the insulators; furthermor
55 our insulator which is commonly made of porcelain and our plug made o
wood, porcelain, metal or other desirable material, are both cheap and simple t
construct, and would not cost any more, if as much, as insulators and tie-wires.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. An insulator provided with a cavity in its upper end, similar opposite slots
in the wall thereof to receive the line-wire, and a plug to kink the wire.
2. An insulator having a central cavity in its upper end, in the wall of said
cavity slots to receive the line-wire, and a plug to exert pressure on the line-wire
substantially at right angles to its length and to kink the same, substantially as
described and shown.
3. An insulator having a central cavity in its upper end, in the wall of said
cavity slots to receive the line-wire, and a plug to kink the line-wire, the thickness
of the plug being so proportioned to the thickness of the wire, that together they
substantially fill the cavity on its diameter at right angles to the length of the
line-wire, substantially as described and shown.
4. In combination with an insulator having a central cavity in its upper end,
provided with similar opposite slots in the wall, a plug to kink the line-wire, and
automatically to pinch it with gradually increasing pressure when strain is applied
to the wire, substantially as described and shown.
5. In combination with an insulator having a central cavity in its upper end and
similar opposite slots in the wall thereof, a plug so proportioned to the size of the
cavity that in its normal position the distance between the plug and the side of the
cavity is substantially equal to the diameter of the wire, but when the plug is
rolled in either direction by a strain on the wire this distance decreases,
substantially as described and shown.
6. In combination with an insulator having a cavity in its upper end and
similar opposite slots in the wall thereof, a plug whose diameter added to the
diameter of the wire to be held is slightly smaller than the greatest horizontal
diameter of the cavity, substantially as described and shown.
7. In combination with an insulator having a cavity in its upper end and similar
opposite slots in the wall thereof, a plug whose diameter added to the diameter of
the wire substantially equals the greatest horizontal diameter of the cavity,
substantially as described and shown.
8. In combination with an insulator having a cavity in its upper end provided
with similar opposite inclined slots in the wall thereof, a plug to kink the line-
wire and automatically to pinch it with gradually increasing pressure under strain,
substantially as described and shown.
9. In combination with an insulator having a cavity in its upper end provided
with similar opposite notched slots in the wall thereof, a plug to kink the line-wire
and automatically to pinch it with gradually increasing pressure under strain
substantially as described and shown.
10. As an article of manufacture, an insulator having a central cavity B pro-
vided with slots D D, sides 4 and 5 not parallel to each other, in combination with
a plug having eccentric groove E and groove 3, substantially as described and
shown.
11. As an article of manufacture, an insulator having a central cavity B, walls CC
slots DD, and plug P bevelled at F, and having groove G, substantially as
described and shown.
Dated this 16th day of September 1895
H. B. BARLOW & GILLETT,
17 St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for Applicauts.