Improvements in or relating to Conduits for Electric Conductors.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Conduits for Electric Conductors.
I, JOHN JAMES BATE, of Greengate, St. Helens, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to conduits for electric conductors, and has for its object to
provide certain improvements which will now be described.
I make the conduit of concrete, earthenware or other insulating material formed
with an open duct or channel in which the conductor is placed. The conduit is made
in lengths, and at one end of each length are flanges adapted to receive and support
the end of the adjacent end, and thus join the lengths together. Each length is
preferably made like a half oval in cross section, with this exception, that it is flattened
at the bottom so as to provide a flat base on which each length will stand upright in
the trench made to receive them, or it may be made of other shape. In making the
conduit I prefer to mould or form each length as a complete oval pipe flattened at
top and bottom, with flanges at one end to receive the end of the adjacent length,
while inside the pipe there are, at intervals at top and bottom, ribs or bridges which
act as rests for the purpose hereafter described. Each length of pipe is so made that
it can be cut longitudinally to form two open conduits. This may be effected in the
mould by inserting thin blades longitudinally, therein or otherwise, or each pipe
length may be cut longitudinally after moulding by a wire or knife, but in any case
I prefer not to quite separate the two halves of each length, but to leave just sufficient
unsevered to hold the two halves of the oval pipe together until the clay has been
baked, then when ready for use the oval pipe by a strike of a hammer or other suitable
In these
tool can be separated into two halves which form open ducts or conduits.
the conductors are placed, and are then enclosed therein by flat or other suitable
shaped lids. One great advantage of making my conduits in this way is, that they
can be made cheaper and another reason is, that I insure the adjacent faces of the two
halves where they are cut or separated, being quite flat and true. The two halves
not being separated until after the drying and baking is completed, there is less
liability of their getting out of shape while in the soft or unbaked condition.
is obvious because a complete cylinder or oval in soft clay is stronger and better able
to resist distortion than the same article made in two halves. After baking in the
kiln however there is no danger of the pipe getting out of shape, and thus by this
process I secure the production of an open conduit which is straight and true, a very
important desideratum.
In use,
This
the conduit is laid in the trench, and the cable laid therein, the ribs or

page_text: bridges aforesaid, acting as rests, raise the conductor above the bottom of the conduit
so as to enable bitumen or other material to be poured into the conduit, and to
entirely surround the conductor and firmly embed it therein. By this arrangement
the conduits can be placed and cemented in position in the trench, the conductors
are laid in the channel instead of being drawn through, as in the case of pipes, and
vegetable tar, bitumen or other suitable material poured in so as to embed the
conductor in the duct, and a lid is placed on so as to form a solid conduit with the
conductor firmly embedded therein. It is obvious that the conduit may if desired be
formed of a number of open ducts or channels all in a piece, placed side by side
through which the conductors are passed, instead of each duct being made separately.
Either arrangement will answer equally well.
Dated this 18th day of August 1899.
WILLIAM P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Conduits for Electric Conductors.
I, JOHN JAMES BATE, of Greengate, St. Helens, in the County of Lancaster, 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 to conduits for electric conductors, and has for its object to
provide certain improvements which will now be described.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figures 1 and 3 are perspective views of portions of the conduit moulded or formed
as complete oval pipes flattened at top and bottom;
Figures 2 and 4 portions of the same conduits separated so as to form conduits of
the open duct type.
I make the conduit A of earthenware, concrete or other insulating material. The
conduit is made in lengths, and at one end of each length are flanges B adapted to
receive and support the end of the adjacent length, and thus join the lengths
together. Each length is preferably made like an oval in cross section, with this
exception that the flanges are flattened at top and bottom so as to provide a flat base
on which each length will stand upright in the trench made to receive them, or it
may be made circular or of other shape. In making the conduit, I prefer to inould
or form each length as a complete oval pipe as shown in Figure 1, with flanges B at
one end to receive the end of the adjacent length, while inside the pipe there are at
intervals at top and bottom, ribs or bridges C which act as rests for the purpose
hereinafter described. Said flanges are flattened at top and bottom outside to form a
base on which each length will rest. Each length of pipe is made so that it can be
cut longitudinally to form two open conduits. This may be effected when the clay
or other material is still in a soft or plastic condition by inserting in the mould thin
blades longitudinally therein or otherwise, or each length of pipe may be cut
longitudinally after moulding by a wire or knife, thus forming thin slits or indents D,
but in any case I do not quite separate the two halves in each length but leave just
sufficient at d unsevered to hold the two halves of the oval pipe together until the
clay has been dried and (or) baked. Then when ready for use by a strike of a hammer
or other suitable tool, the pipe can be separated at the slits into two halves which
form open ducts or conduits as shown in Figures 2 and 4. In these open ducts the

page_text: conductors are placed, and are enclosed therein by flat or other suitably shaped lids.
It is obvious, however, that the conduit can be used as a complete pipe instead of
separating each length into two halves, the narrow slit or indent enabling a part or
parts to be broken clean off if desired, thereby exposing the cable in the interior
sufficiently for a branch wire to be passed through to be joined to the main conductor
inside the conduit, the remainder of the duct or ducts remaining intact. I am thus
able to use the pipe as a closed conduit, or separated into halves to form conduits of
the open type.
One great advantage of making my conduits in the manner described is that they
can be made cheaper, and another reason is that I ensure the adjacent faces of the
two halves, where they are cut or separated being quite flat and true. The two
halves not being separated until after the drying and baking is completed, there is
less liability of their getting out of shape than in the soft and unbaked condition.
This is obvious because a complete cylinder or oval in soft clay is stronger and
better able to resist distortion than the same article made in two halves. After
baking in the kiln, however, there is no danger of the pipe getting out of shape,
and thus by this process I secure the production of an open conduit which is straight
and true, a very important desideratum.
In use the conduit is laid in the trench and the cable laid therein, the ribs or
bridges C aforesaid acting as rests to raise the conductor above the bottom of the
conduit so as to enable bitumen or other material to be poured into the conduit and
to entirely surround the conductor and firmly embed it therein. By this arrange-
ment the conduits can be placed and cemented in position in the trench. The
conductors are laid in the channel instead of being drawn through as in the case of
pipes, and vegetable tar, bitumen or other suitable material poured in so as to embed
the conductor in the duct, and a lid is placed on so as to form a solid conduit
with the conductor firmly embedded therein. It is obvious the conduit may if
desired be formed of a number of open ducts or channels all in a piece placed side
by side through which the conductors are passed instead of each duct being made
separately.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I am
aware that it has been proposed to make pipes or conduits, with a base provided on
the flanges, upon which euch length will stand, and I make no claim to providing
them with such base: but what I claim is :-
1. In conduits for electric conductors made of earthenware or other insulating
inaterial, forming each length of conduit as a complete pipe or pipes of oval or other
shape in cross section, and having a thin slit or indent in the middle of each side run-
ning longitudinally the entire length, in such a manner as to nearly (but not quite)
sever the pipes into two halves, whereby the pipes can be used at pleasure as closed
conduits through which the conductor is drawn, or by the strike of a hammer or other
suitable tool be separated into equal balves so as to form conduits of the open duct
type, substantially as described.
2. The improvement in or relating to the making of earthenware, concrete or like
conduits for electric conductors, which consists in forming them as complete pipes of
oval or other shape in cross section, cutting or forming in each side of the pipes, while
the clay or other material is in a soft or plastic condition, a longitudinal slit or indent
in such a manner as not to quite separate each pipe into two halves, the unsevered por-
tion holding the pipe together, and finally drying and (or) baking the pipes while they
are each in the condition of a complete pipe, they being then better able to resist dis-
tortion than if made in two halves, whereby conduits are formed which can be used at
pleasure as closed conduits through which the conductor is drawn, or by a blow of a
hammer separated into equal halves so as to form conduits of the open duct type, sub-
stantially as described.
3. Earthenware pipes or conduits made in lengths of oval shape in cross section with
flanges at one end adapted to receive and support the end of the adjacent length, the

page_text: top and bottom of each flange at end being flattened to provide a flat base on which
each length will stand, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and
shown in the drawings annexed.
Dated this 10th day of May 1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.