A CERTAIN NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHIC CABLES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Absterdam, of the State of Massachusetts, of
the United States of America, for the Invention of "A CERTAIN NEW AND
USEFUL IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHIC CABLES."
Sealed the 1st December 1857, and dated the 21st September 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Absterdam at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st September 1857.
I, JOHN ABSTERDAM, of the State of Massachusetts, of the United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention of "A CERTAIN NEW
AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHIC CABLES," to be described
and ascertained in and by the following description and the accompanying
Drawings, of which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a telegraph cable
containing my Invention, the Figure marked B adjacent to Figure 1 being
a transverse section of such cable; Figure 2 is a section of another form
of cable having my Invention; Figure 3.is a sectional view of the mechanism.
that may be employed for corrugating the cable or the circuit wires, or
the covering wires thereof; Figure 4 is a side view of such mechanism ;
Figure 5 is a sectional view of other mechanism which may be employed for
corrugating the cable while it is being paid out or laid from a vessel.
The nature of my Invention consists in an electric telegraph cable made so

page_text: as practically to be elastic lengthwise,such cable or the metallic parts thereof
being constructed with corrugations or flexures such as will enable the cable
when subjected to a longitudinal strain to have an elastic property such as
will permit it to extend under such force or strain. An elastic cable of such
kind has an advantage over a cable practically inelastic lengthwise, for by
means of the former a much better bearing on the bottom of the sea may
be obtained than by the latter; and besides this, the elastic cable is not so
liable to be broken under sudden and violent strains.
In the process of submerging a telegraph cable of the ordinary kind, it
generally rests on the bottom of the sea only at intervals, there being spaces
where it is unsupported by direct contact with the said bottom, the cable
stretching from point to point and over the ground somewhat as the chord
of an arc of a circle does with respect to the arc, the said chord touching the
arc only at their extremities. An elastic telegraph cable, in consequence of
its elastic property, will be stretched byitsweight so as to take a more uniform
and better bearing along the surface of the bottom of the sea.
In Figure 1, A represents a cable formed with corrugations or flexures, as
shown at a, b, c. In this Figure, d is the circuit wire or strand, while e, e,
represents an insulating covering of gutta percha or other suitable flexible
material, such covering being surrounded byor having wound on it a metallic
covering ff formed of twisted strands of steel wire in the usual way. These
strands may be covered by gutta percha or tarred hemp, the metallic portion
of the cable being practically inelastic with reference to its insulating and
protecting covering. I form either the whole with corrugations or flexures, as
shown in Figurel,or I make the metallic parts onlywith flexures, as shown in
the cable D of Figure 2. These flexures may be arranged at intervals in the
cable, or there may be a series of them disposed throughout its entire length,
it being understood that when a cable is to be made with its metallic circuit
wires and covering wires provided with corrugations or flexures, to give them
the property of longitudinal elasticity, the insulating covering, as well as the
other protecting coverings not made of metal, should be formed of a flexible
or an elastic material capable of stretching more or less without being ruptured.
The ability of the insulating material to stretch lengthwise without rupture
should be equal to if not greater than that of the circuit or covering wires. In
order to corrugate the wires or strand previous to its being used in construc-
tion of the cable, rollers E, F, (as shown in Figures 2 and 4,) and guides H, I,
applied to a stand G (as shown in Figure 3), may be employed, the wire on
being drawn through such guides and between such rollers having a serpen-
tine or corrugated form given to it, as shown in the said Figure 3.

page_text: In Figure 5, B represents the hull of a vessel, within which the cable is
coiled, as shown at I, such cable being led forward around guide rollers, and
from thence between two corrugating rollers a, a, placed on a sliding frame C,
which slides freely between two elastic cushions f,f, and is connected with a
piston E, by a cord or rope passing around a pulley d, as shown in the said
Figure 5. The piston may move, air-tight, on a cylinder D, closed at its
lower and open
at its upper end, in order that the piston and cylinder may
operate as an air spring to resist draft on the frame C by the cable while it is
being payed out, the same being to prevent the cable from being ruptured by
the undulatory movements of the vessel. By means of the rollers a, a, the
cable will be corrugated while being laid on or delivered from them. The air
spring should be so constructed, that it will permit the frame C to move rear_
ward under a much less strain than would be sufficient to break the cable.
I am aware that in the ordinary process of constructing electro-telegraphic
cables the various wires or strands of wires, when twisted together or upon one
another, are bent more or less, or receive flexures. These flexures, however,
by contact with other wires, are deprived of their elastic properties, or have
them so neutralized as to prevent the cable from being elastic to any con.
siderable extent in a longitudinal direction. My Invention, therefore, has
no reference to such flexures in the wires as may result from simply
twisting two or more wires together, so that they may be incapable of
extension and contraction lengthwise otherwise than such as will be pro-
duced by variations of temperature.
I would also remark, that a cable composed of corrugated metallic wires
and a flexible covering of gutta percha or other suitable material may be
used to advantage for standing rigging for navigable vessels as well as for
various other useful purposes, the elastic property of the cable in a longi-
tudinal direction tending to keep the rigging drawn straight, and to operate
with good effect in several other respects.
I claim as a new or improved manufacture an electric telegraph cable
or one constructed in part of metallic wire so made as to be elastic
lengthwise, or with such corrugations or bends in the circuit wire or wires,
and its or their external covering, or simply in the circuit wire or wires,
or in the circuit and other wires, as will ensure elasticity of the cable in a
longitudinal direction, as specified.
I also claim the means shown in Figure 5 for corrugating the cable, and
also for resisting strain while it is being delivered from a vessel in the
process of laying it.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Absterdam in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th January 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ABSTERDAM, of the State of Massachusetts of the United States of America,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of September, A.D. 1857, in the
twenty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Absterdam, Her special license that I,
the said John Absterdam, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Absterdam, 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 Inven-
tion of "A CERTAIN NEW AND USEFUL IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHIC
CABLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Absterdam,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 John Absterdam, do hereby declare.
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing Specification, and the accompanying Drawings, of which Figure 1 is a
longitudinal section of a telegraph cable containing my Invention, the
Figure marked B adjacent to Figure 1 being a transverse section of such
cable; Figure 2 is a section of another form of cable having my Iuvention;
Figure 3 is a sectional view of the mechanism that may be employed for
corrugating the cable or circuit wires or the covering wires thereof; Figure 4
is a side view of such mechanism; Figure 5 is a sectional view of other
mechanism which may be employed for corrugating the cable while it is being
payed out or laid from a vessel.
The nature of my Invention consists in an electric telegraphic cable made
so as practically to be elastic lengthwise, such cable or the metallic parts
thereof being constructed with corrugations or flexures such as will enable

page_text: the cable, when subjected to a longitudinal strain, to have an elastic property
such as will permit it to extend under such force or strain. An elastic cable
of such kind has an advantage over a cable practically inelastic lengthwise,
for by means of the former a much better bearing on the bottom of the sea
may be obtained than by the latter; and besides this, the elastic cable is not
so liable to be broken under sudden and violent strains.
In the process of submerging a telegraphic cable of the ordinary kind, it
generally rests on the bottom of the sea only at intervals, there being spaces
where it is unsupported by direct contact with the said bottom, the cable
stretching from point to point and over the ground somewhat as the chord of
an arc of a circle does with respect to the said arc, the said chord touching the
arc only at the extremities. An elastic telegraphic cable, in consequence of
its elastic property, will be stretched by its weight, so as to take a more
uniform and better bearing along the surface of the bottom of the sea.
In Figure 1, A represents a cable formed with corrugations or flexures, as
shown at a, b, c. In this Figure, d is the circuit wire or strand, while e, e,
represents an insulating covering of gutta percha or other suitable flexible
material, such covering being surrounded by or having wound upon it a
metallic covering f,f,formed of twisted strands of steel wire in the usual way.
These strands may be covered by gutta percha or tarred hemp. The metallic
portion of the cable being practically inelastic with reference to its insulating
and protecting covering, I form either the whole with corrugations or flexures,
as shown in Figure 1, or I make the metallic parts only with flexures, as
shown in the cable 1) of Figure 2. These flexures may be arranged at intervals
in the cable, or there may be a series of them disposed throughout its entire
length, it being understood that when a cable is to be inade with its metallic
circuit wires and covering wires provided with corrugations or flexures to give
to them the property of longitudinal elasticity, the insulating covering, as well
as the other protective coverings not made of metal, should be formed of a
flexible or an elastic material capable of stretching more or less without being
ruptured. The ability of the insulating material to stretch lengthwise without
rupture should be equal to, if not greater, than that of the circuit or covering
wires. In order to corrugate the wire or strand previous to its being used in
the construction of the cable, rollers E, F, (as shown in Figures 3 and 4,) and
guides H, I, applied to a stand G (as shown in Figure 3), may be employed,
the wire on being drawn through such guides and between such rollers having
a serpentine or corrugated form given to it, as shown in the said Figure 3.
In Figure 5; B! represents the hull of a vessel within which the cable is

page_text: coiled, as shown at I', such cable being led forward around guide rollers, and
from thence between two corrugating rollers a', a', placed on a sliding fiame C,
which slides freely between two elastic cushions f,f, and is connected with a
piston E, by a cord or rope passing around a pulley d', as shown in the said
Figure 5. The piston may move, air-tight, in a cylinder D¹ closed at its
lower and open at its upper end, in order that the piston and cylinder may
operate as an air spring to arrest draft on the frame C by the cable while it is
being paid out, the same being to prevent the cable from being ruptured by
the undulatory movements of the vessel. By means of the rollers a¹, a', the
cable will be corrugated while being laid or delivered from them. The air
spring should be so constructed that it will permit the frame C to move rear-
ward under a much less strain than would be sufficient to break the cable.
Furthermore, if we suppose the power or moving force of the air spring or
its mechanical equivalent as equal to the maximum of strain which should be
allowed to be put on the cable while it is being payed out, and that a friction
brake is applied to the shafts of either or both of the delivery rollers (such
rollers being formed so as either to or not to corrugate the cable), the frame C
will not move, while the pressure of the friction brake, in order to retard the
delivery of the cable, is less than the said maximum of strain. But whenever
the power of the brake becomes greater than that of the spring, the frame C
will move, and show that too great strain is being put on the cable. Besides
this, should any sudden surge or movement of the vessel take place, such as
would suddenly increase the strain on the cable beyond the said maximum
amount of strain, the frame C will move sternward, so as to prevent the
cable from being ruptured. From the above it will be seen that my safety
apparatus, as described, may be employed with delivery rollers either for
corrugating the cable or not, as circumstances may require.
I would also remark, that I do not confine myself to the details above set
forth, but in the place of any one of such I intend to employ any mechanical
device which may be deemed a mechanical equivalent for it, as, for instance,
I can employ a beavy weight for the air spring.
I am aware that in the ordinary process of constructing electric telegraphic
cables the various wires or strands of wires, when twisted together or upon one
another, are bent more or less, or of necessity receive flexures. These
flexures, however, by contact with other wires, are deprived of their elastic
properties, or have them so neutralized as to prevent the cable from being
elastic to any great extent in a longitudinal direction. My Invention, there-
fore, has no reference to such flexures in the wires as may result from simply

page_text: twisting two or more wires together, so that they may be incapable of
extension and contraction lengthwise otherwise than such as are produced
by variations of temperature.
I would also remark, that a cable composed of corrugated metallic wire
and a flexible covering of gutta percha or other suitable material may be
used to advantage for a standing rigging for navigable vessels, as well as
for various other useful purposes, the elastic property of the cable in a
longitudinal direction tending to keep the rigging drawn straight, and to
operate with good effect in several other respects.
I claim as a new or improved manufacture an electric telegraphic cable,
or one constructed in part of metallic wire, so made as to be elastic length-
wise, or with such corrugations or bends in the circuit wire or wires and its
or their external covering, or simply in the circuit wire or wires, or in
the circuit and other wires, as will ensure elasticity to the cable in a
longitudinal direction, as specified.
I also claim the safety apparatus, substantially as above described, and
as represented in Figure 5, and whether the delivery rollers of the same
be made to corrugate the cable or not while delivering it.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature and seal, this
13th day of November 1857.