IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF LAYING, SUPPORTING, AND MAINTAINING THE WIRES USED FOR ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. AND OTHER PURPOSES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lewis Matthews Becker, of No. 2, Guildhall
Chambers, Basinghall Street, in the City of London, Telegraph
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF
LAYING, SUPPORTING, AND MAINTAINING THE WIRES USED FOR ELECTRIC
TELEGRAPH. AND OTHER PURPOSES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lewis Matthews
Becker at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 15th January 1868..
I, LEWIS MATTHEWS BECKER, of No. 2, Guildhall Chambers,
Basinghall Street, in the City of London, Telegraph Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
THE MODE OF LAYING, SUPPORTING, AND MAINTAINING THE WIRES USED FOR
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH AND OTHER PURPOSES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My improvements consist in the mode of laying, supporting, and
maintaining the wire or wires used for electric telegraph and other
purposes by the compression or exhaustion of air or other bodies, or

page_text: by the combination of the same, by means of which the wire or wires
are rapidly fed, passed, or withdrawn.
In order to carry out my Invention I employ a series of triangular
blocks, lengths, or conduits made of glass, clay, porcelain, cement,
compo, pottery, brick earth, china, glazed stoneware, stone, artificial
stone, or other suitable materials or substances, through which are
formed or made such a number of holes or tubes as may be required
of a circular or such other form as may be most convenient and
arranged as required for the purpose or purposes, through any or all
of which the wire or wires may be fed, passed, and maintained in an
insulated position or positions. The blocks or lengths fit at one or
both ends into sockets, collars, or couplings composed of similar or
other materials or substances, and can be so joined as to form any
length and made air and water tight throughout; the sockets, collars, or
couplings can be made or formed on the blocks or lengths, or be made
and used separately. At such portions of the blocks or lengths as may
be required to lead off the wire or wires in different directions, I place
a block or blocks, length or lengths, portion or portions of the same,
through one or more sides of which are made or formed holes or tubes
corresponding with and leading into the longitudinal holes or tubes of
the blocks or lengths as herein-before described, through or by means
of which the wire or wires are led or fed off in the required direction
or directions, and by means of caps, collars, couplings, basses, or other
suitable arrangements the lengths or blocks can be joined and added
thereto as desired. When such junctions, couplings, holes, or tubes are
not in use plugs, caps, collars, bosses, or other suitable arrangements
can be affixed or applied thereon or thereto and made air-tight.
When
it is necessary to lay or conduct the wire or wires out of the straight
line or lines though in continuous directions, the blocks or lengths are
made or formed of the required shapes. In order that the wires may
be fed or passed freely I cause the ends of the holes or tubes of the
blocks or lengths and the portions used for the junctions or couplings
to be slightly countersunk. When the blocks or lengthis, couplings or
junctions are laid above or below the surfaces of the earth, the wire or
wires can be fed or passed through the hole or holes, tube or tubes
when so laid, and in order readily to feed or pass or withdraw the wire
or wires or any of them I employ a paying on and off machine or
machines, or the wire or wires can be driven or drawn through the

page_text: hole or holes, tube or tubes, by the compression or exhaustion of air,
or by any forcing or exhausting bodies or means.
And in order to
carry out this object I cause the end or ends of the wire or wires,
or any portion or portions thereof, to be so fitted, arranged, or prepared,
as herein-after described; and in order that the wire or wires may be
rapidly and easily fed, passed, or withdrawn when the block or blocks,
length or lengths, or the junctions or deviations from the straight line or
lines are effected and laid as herein-before described, I use the following
means-At one or both ends of the blocks or lengths I cause to
be formed or made a rim or flange, to which is attached or affixed
by means of a clamp or clamps, or other convenient modes of attaching
or fixing an instrument, having also a flange or flanges, consisting
of a chamber fitted with an air-tight stuffing box, through which the
wire or wires is or are fed, passed, or withdrawn; and for the purpose
of attaching the pump or pumps, or other modes or means of com-
pressing or exhausting the air, or other forcing or exhausting bodies,
a hole or tube is provided in the said chamber, which can be effectually
done by means of nuts, screws, or other appliances. This instrument
is so formed as to be readily attachable to any part of the blocks or
lengths, junctions or couplings, and the wire or wires can be fed,
passed, or withdrawn without interfering with, affecting or removing
any of the wire or wires that may have been previously laid; and in
order that the wire or wires may be fed, passed, or withdrawn through
the holes or tubes, the end or ends, or any portion or portions of
the wire or wires are fitted with a piston or pistons made of suitable
materials or substances, by means of which the wire or wires are
driven, drawn, or withdrawn by compression or exhaustion, or by
combination of the same. To facilitate the feeding, passing, or with-
drawing of the wire or wires, an oil or grease or other lubricating
mediums can be used, which will also prevent the wire or wires rusting,
oxidising, corroding, or being affected by damp or other defective
causes. By this mode of laying wires, continuous blocks or lengths
can be so laid, and the soil in which the blocks or lengths are laid does
not require to be again opened for the laying or supporting of
additional wires or for the withdrawal of the same, neither do the
blocks or lengths require to be disarranged when placed upon the
surfaces or other positions, otherwise than at those places where it is
desired to lead off the wire or wires out of the straight line or lines,
which is provided for by the means herein-before described.
The

page_text: withdrawal of any or all of the wire or wires can be effected with
equal facilities and the taking up of the blocks or lengths and the
relaying of them together with the wire or wires contained therein. in
any desred positions, places or directions can be effected without any
loss of the materials employed as herein-before described, also any size
or gauge of wire can be used without tension, and thereby the frequent
breakages and other defects are avoided, and in order that the wire or
wires shall not be affected by damp, frost, or other causes that
deteriorate the conducting powers, the air or other bodies in the tubes
or holes can be exhausted throughout the entire length or lengths and
the ends hermetically sealed or otherwise made air-tight.
Although I form or make the blocks or lengths of a triangular shape
and in materials or substances of non-conducting natures for carrying
or supporting the wire or wires as herein-before described, I do not lay
claim thereto, but I claim the invention of laying, supporting,
maintaining, or withdrawing the wire or wires used for electric telegraph,
and other purposes through or by means of tubes, holes, channels,
conduits or troughs by means of compression or exhaustion of air or
other bodies or by combination of the same; also by means of paying off
and on machines, by means of which the wire or wires are readily
fed, passed, or withdrawn in any required direction or directions,
destination or destinations, without necessitating the surfaces of the
earth being reopened or the block or lengths being disarranged
otherwise than at the junctions whereat the wire or wires are required
to be led or passed off out of the straight line or lines, or otherwise
interfered with after the blocks or lengths or junctions have been
laid down as herein-before described.
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said Lewis
Matthews Becker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
July 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LEWIS
MATTHEWS BECKER, of 2, Guildhall Chambers, Basinghall Street, in
the City of London, Telegraph Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of January, in the year

page_text: of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto the said Lewis Matthews Becker, Her
special licence that I, the said Lewis Matthews Becker, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others, as I, the said Lewis
Matthews Becker, 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 for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF LAYING, SUPPORTING, AND MAINTAINING
THE WIRES USED FOR ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH AND OTHER PURPOSES, PARTS OF
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE ΤΟ OTHER PURPOSES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Lewis Matthews Becker,
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 Lewis Matthews Becker, 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 following statement, and accompanying Sheet of
Drawings:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the mode of laying,
supporting, and maintaining the wire or wires used for electric telegraph
and other purposes by the compression or exhaustion of air or other
bodies, or by the combination of the same, by means of which the wire
or wires are rapidly fed, passed, or withdrawn.
In order to carry out my Invention I employ a series of triangular
blocks, conduits, or lengths, made of glass, clay, porcelain, cement,
compo, pottery, brick earth, china, glazed stoneware, or other suitable
materials or substances, through which are formed or made longitudinally
such a number of holes or tubes as may be required of a circular or
such other form as may be most convenient, and arranged as required
for the purpose or purposes through any or all of which the wire or
wires may be fed, passed, and maintained in an insulated position or

page_text: positions. The blocks or lengths fit at one or both ends into sockets
and may be held together by means of collars or couplings composed
of similar or other materials or substances, and can be so joined as to
form any length and be made air and water tight throughout; the
sockets, collars, or couplings can be made or formed on the blocks or
lengths or be made and used separately. At such portions of the blocks
or lengths as may be required to lead off the wire or wires in different
directions I place a block or blocks, length or lengths, portion or
portions of the same, through one or more sides of which are made or
formed holes or tubes corresponding with and leading into the longitudinal
holes or tubes of the blocks or lengths as herein-before described, through
or by means of which the wire or wires are led or fed off in the
required direction or directions, and by means of caps, collars, couplings,
bosses, or other suitable arrangements the blocks or lengths can be
joined and added thereto as desired. When such junctions, couplings,
holes or tubes are not in use plugs, caps, collars, bosses, or other
suitable arrangement can be affixed or applied thereon or thereto
and made air-tight. And when it is necessary to lay or conduct the
wire or wires out of the straight line or lines, though in continuous
directions, the blocks or lengths are made or formed of the required
shapes. In order that the wires may be fed or passed or withdrawn
freely I cause the ends of the holes or tubes of the blocks or lengths,
and the portions used for the junctions or couplings to be slightly
countersunk. When the blocks or lengths, couplings or junctions, are
laid above or below the surfaces of the earth, the wire or wires can be
fed or passed through the hole or holes, tube or tubes, when so laid;
and in order readily to feed, pass, or withdraw the wire or wires, or any of
them, I employ a paying off and on machine or machines; or the wire
or wires can be driven or drawn through the hole or holes, tube or tubes,
by the compression or exhaustion of air, or by any other forcing or
exhausting bodies, or explosive or percussive action or means. And in
order to carry out this object I cause the end or ends of the wire or
wires or any portion or portions thereof to be so fitted, arranged, or
prepared as herein-after described; and in order that the wire or wires
may be rapidly and easily fed, passed, or withdrawn when the block or
blocks, length or lengths are joined or placed together, or the junctions
or deviations from the straight line or lines are effected and laid as
herein-before described, I use the following means:-At one or both
ends of the blocks or lengths I cause to be formed or made a rim or

page_text: To
flange to which is attached or affixed, by means of a clamp or clamps
or other convenient modes of attaching or fixing, an instrument having
also a flange or flanges, consisting of a chamber fitted with an air-
tight stuffing box, through which the wire or wires is or are fed, passed
or withdrawn, and for the purpose of attaching the pump or pumps or
other modes or means of compressing or exhausting the air or other
forcing or exhausting bodies, when such means are used a hole or
tube is provided in the said chamber to which the pump or other
means adopted can be attached by means of nuts, screws, or other
appliances. This instrument is so formed as to be readily attachable
to any part of the blocks or lengths, junctions or couplings, and the
wire or wires can be fed, passed, or withdrawn without interfering with,
affecting or removing any of the wire or wires that may have been
previously laid; and in order that the wire or wires may be fed,
passed, or withdrawn through the holes or tubes, the end or ends, or
any portion or portions of the wire or wires, is or are fitted with a
piston or pistons made of suitable materials or substances by means
of which the wire or wires are driven or drawn, or withdrawn by
compression or exhaustion, or by a combination of the same.
facilitate the feeding, passing, or withdrawing of the wire or wires,
an oil, or grease, or other lubricating mediums can be used which will
also prevent the wire or wires rusting, oxidizing, corroding, or being
affected by damp or other defective causes. By this mode of laying
wires continuous blocks or lengths can be so laid, and the soil in
which the blocks or lengths are laid does not require to be again
opened for the laying and supporting of additional wires, or for the
withdrawal of the same, neither do the blocks or lengths require to
be disarranged when placed upon the surfaces or other positions,
otherwise than at those places where it is desired to lead off the wire
or wires out of the straight line or lines, which is provided for by
means herein-before described. The withdrawal of any or all of the
wire or wires can be effected with equal facilities, and the taking up
of the blocks or lengths and the relaying of them together with the
wire or wires contained therein in any desired positions, places, or
directions can be effected without any loss of the materials employed
as herein-before described; also any size or gauge of wire can be used
without tension, and thereby the frequent breakages and other defects
are avoided; and in order that the wire or wires, shall not be affected
by damp, frost, or other causes that deteriorate the conducting powers,

page_text: the an of other bodies in the tubes or holes can be exhausted throughout
the entire length or lengths and the ends hermetically sealed or
otherwise made air-tight.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
(Fig. 1) represents a side elevation of one of the triangular blocks or
lengths B and junction piece A, the junction piece being for leading
off the wires in different directions from the main line through the
tubes or holes b, b. The junction piece A may be made to fit into a
socket con the triangular block or length B, or otherwise, as most
convenient; and the joint is cemented or otherwise made air and
water tight, and kept firmly attached to the block or length B by means
of the flange or collar d and nuts and bolts. (Fig. 2) represents a
plan of the block or length B and the junction piece A. (Fig. 3)
represents the triangular block or length B, which may be curved or
straight as required, with the socket c at the end, and the flange or
collar d at the other, the end c fitting into c in the junction, Fig. 2.
(Fig. 4) represents the plug or cap for closing the junction when not
required for leading off wires. (Fig. 5) represents an end view of a
block or length when used for street or other telegraphs, which is so
arranged that the wires may be led off from each hole in either direction,
as shown by the dotted lines e, e. (Fig. 6) represents a longitudinal
section, full size, through the feeding apparatus A, and the end of
triangular block or length B showing the holes or tubes b, b, b, and
the piston attached to the wire f ready for feeding into the holes or
tubes b, b, b. In the piston the space m, m, is filled with some
convenient lubricating material, so as to facilitate its passage through
the tubes by lubricating the interior immediately in front of the
packing 1, the washers being soldered or otherwise attached to the
wire f, which is fastened also at front end of piston i. In the feeding
apparatus A, e represents a packing which is kept tight in its place by
an adjustable screw or stud a, through which a hole is formed to admit
the free passage of the wire, which only fits in the packing e, this
packing being lubricated from the lubricator c. At d is a screw thread
for connecting the air pump to the apparatus, by means of which the
piston and wire are fed through the holes or tubes b, b, b. At h is
represented a filling-up piece, if required, of iron or other suitable
material, interposing between which and the feeding apparatus is a piece
of leather, rubber, or other suitable material, by means of which when

page_text: the feeding apparatus is attached to the triangular block or length B
an air-tight joint is made. (Fig. 7) represents an end view of feeding
apparatus A. (Fig. 8) represents a cross section of feeding apparatus A
through line M, N, on Fig. 6, attached to end of triangular block or
length.
Having now described my said Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I would remark, in conclusion, that I do
not limit myself to the precise details expressed, as the same may be
varied or modified without in any way departing from the principle of
my Invention; but what I claim is, the Invention of laying, supporting,
maintaining, or withdrawing the wire or wires used for electric telegraph
and other purposes through or by means of tubes, holes, channels,
conduits, or troughs, by means of compression or exhaustion of air or
other bodies, or by a combination of the same; also by means of paying
off and on machines, by means of which the wire or wires are readily
fed, passed, or withdrawn in any required direction or directions,
destination or destinations, without necessitating the surfaces of the
earth being reopened or the blocks or lengths disarranged otherwise
than at those portions of the lengths necessary to carry out the work,
and the junctions whereat the wire or wires are required to be led or
passed off out of the straight line or lines after the blocks or lengths
have been laid down.
In witness whereof, I, the said Lewis Matthews Becker, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.
Witness,
LEWIS MATTHEWS BECKER. (L.S.)
CHAS. F. T. YOUNG, C.E.,
Consulting Engineer for Patents,
7, Duke Street, Adelphi,
CHA. F. T. YOUNG, C.E.