IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC OR TELEGRAPHIC CONDUCTORS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC OR TELEGRAPHIC CONDUCTORS."-
A communication from abroad by Adrien Holtzman, of The Hague, in
the Kingdom of Holland.
Sealed the 28th June 1864, and dated the 2nd April 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd April 1864.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane;
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC OR TELEGRAPHIC CONDUCTORS,"
to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention of improvements in electric or telegraphic
conductors, is to perfectly insulate the wires, and to so arrange them that
several may be combined together in a tube or pipe, so that they may be
placed underground. The wires are enclosed in a cast or wrought iron tube
of suitable diameter, according to the number of wires, and care being taken
that the wires are kept from touching each other, or the sides of the tube; the
latter is filled with liquid pitch, which when it hardens, will perfectly insulate
the wires, and will be perfectly impervious to moisture, and if forced in with
moderate pressure will firmly envelope the wires. The lengths of tube aro
connected together by butt joints, which are secured from wet by means of

page_text: thin metallic plates and short tubes of gutta pereha or other suitable waterproof
material, the whole being secured by a metal bridle-piece or clamping band,
which is tightened up by means of tightening screws. The electric or
telegraphic conductors insulated and protected in this manner may be placed
either above or below ground, but the Invention is intended more particularly
for underground conductors.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 30th September 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Edward Newton, 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 ELECTRIC OR TELEGRAPHIC CONDUCTORS," being a
communication from Adrien Holtzman, of The Hague, in the Kingdom
of Holland, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Edward Newton, 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 William Edward Newton, 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 the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-

page_text: The object of this Invention of "Improvements in Electric or Telegraphic
Conductors," is to perfectly insulate the wires, and to so arrange them that
several may be combined together in a tube or pipe, so that they may be placed
under ground. The wires are enclosed in a cast or wrought iron tube of
suitable diameter according to the number of wires, and care being taken
that the wires are kept from touching each other or the sides of the tube, the
latter is filled with liquid pitch, or what the Inventor terms "liquid brai,"
which is obtained by distilling gas tar. The "liquid brai" is the residue left
after from 20 to 25 per cent. of the weight has been driven off. The distilled
substance thus obtained will consist of water and light and heavy oils. The
residue will be a glutinous and elastic substance, which when it hardens will
perfectly insulate the wires, and will be perfectly impervious to moisture, and
will not split or crack at a temperature of 25° below the freezing point of
water. It becomes liquid at about 200° Fahrenheit, and if forced into the
enveloping tubes with moderate pressure will firmly envelope the wires.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view, shewing the ends of
two cast-iron pipes for enclosing the conducting wires. Fig. 2 is a longi-
tudinal vertical section of the same, and Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section.
The lengths of tube are formed with butt joints, which are connected
together and secured from wet by means of thin curved metallic plates and
short tubes, discs, or rings, of gutta percha or other suitable waterproof
material, the whole being secured by a metal bridle-piece or clamping band,
which is tightened up by means of tightening screws. Fig. 4 is a sectional
view of one of the short gutta percha tubes or rings drawn half size; Fig. 5 is
a plan view of the same; Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of the thin copper plates
for covering the joint; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of the same, and,
Fig. 8 is a cross section. Fig. 9 is an elevation of one of the clamps for nipping
and securing the joint by means of the tightening screw; Fig. 10 is a section,
drawn half the real size, of a cast-iron tube with fifteen conducting wires
secured therein by means of "liquid brai;" Fig. 11 is a similar view of a
cast-iron pipe with twenty-seven conducting wires; and Fig. 12 is another
sectional view, shewing forty-two conducting wires. The electric or telegraphic
conductors, insulated and protected in this manner, may be placed either above
or below ground, but the Invention is intended more particularly for under-
ground conductors, and it will be seen that any number of conducting
wires may be enclosed within a tube of sufficient size, provided there be
between all the wires a sufficient thickness of the insulating substance to
produce perfect insulation.
Having now described this Invention of "Improvements in Electric or

page_text: Telegraphic Conductors," and having explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as
aforesaid, the mode herein set forth of insulating and securing electric or
telegraphic conductors.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newtoh, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-ninth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (Ls.)