Year: 1897

page_text: I, HENRI EMILE MENIER, of 54, Rue de Chateaudun, Paris, France, Manufac-
turer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in and connected with the jointing of
telegraphic and electrical cables.
The weak points in electrical cables are generally the joints of the dielectric
which connect its lengths. These joints made by hand, do not possess the
homogeneity necessary to afford complete security and their proneness to leak
renders it desirable that the particles should be closer drawn or pressed together.
To remedy these defects I propose to submit the joints when they leave the
workman's hands, to a constant powerful and circumferential pressure which
agglomerates the particles so that their absolute insulation can be obtained without
using any Chatterton or other compound for this purpose.
The circumferential pressure is obtained by means of a strong metallic box,
case or mould, formed in two parts symmetrically placed together and secured
by rods or pins extending through and along a number of suitable lugs formed
with or attached to the case in such a manner that one rod serves as a hinge on
which the halves of the mould may turn,. and the other rod or pin serves to lock
the halves together and prevent their separation.
The halves are recessed or hollowed out and enclose two hollow elastic or rubber
chambers, the thickness of the walls of which is increased and strengthened towards
their ends. These chambers are furnished with appendices or tubes which enter or
are depressed into tubular recesses in the halves of the mould, and are folded or
wound around ajutages or inlet pipes, these latter being securely fastened to
covers of the mould.
The inlet pipes are connected with any convenient hydraulic or other com-
pressing apparatus which may be caused to pump a suitable fluid (water, glycerine,
gas &c.) into the hollow india-rubber chambers. These inlet pipes may be pro-
vided with suitable non-return valves of any desired construction.
The closed mould presents at its ends two passages or orifices which unite or
join in a central cylindrical space between the halves.
A joint having been made by hand in the usual manner the mould is opened
by causing one half to turn on its rod-hinge and the joint is placed in the afore-

page_text: said cylindrical space care being taken to place it centrally therein; the mould
is closed and locked by the insertion of the second pin or rod; the enlarged joint
will then depress the walls of the hollow chambers.
Hydraulic or other pressure is then introduced into these chambers by means
of the compressor and inlet pipes which causes the depressed walls of the chambers
to tend to return to their normal position, thus operating on the joint.
The pressure is maintained during the time necessary for the cooling (if heat
has been employed) and setting of the insulating material, which may be obtained
by allowing the apparatus to stand in a current of air or by plunging it in a
cooling mixture. Under the influence of compression all the particles are closely
jointed together.
By the use of the apparatus above described it is also possible to cause under
pressure insulating materials to enter the joint by suitably altering the elastic
chambers and by causing such insulating materials to enter by the inlet pipes.
14. (.
Dated this Eleventh day of November 1897.
L
Improvements in and relating to the Jointing of Electrical Cables.
I, HENRI EMILE MENIER, of 54, Rue de Chateaudun, Paris, France, Manufac-
turer, 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 improvements in and connected with the jointing of
telegraphic and electrical cables.
"The weak points in telegraphic cables are generally the joints of the dielectric
which connect its lengths. These joints made by hand, do not possess the homo-
geneity necessary to afford complete security and their proneness to leaking
renders it desirable that the particles should be closer drawn or pressed together.
To remedy these defects. I propose to submit the joints when they leave the
workman's hands, to a constant, powerful and circumferential pressure which
agglomerates the particles so that their absolute insulation can be obtained without
using any Chatterton or other compound for this purpose.
The circumferential pressure in question is very effectively obtained by means
of a special apparatus such as is shewn, by way of example, on the annexed
drawing.
Figure 1'is a longitudinal section ;
.. Figure 2 being a plan view from above;
Figure 3 is a cross-section made on line 3-3 of Figure 1 and
Figure 4 is a cross-section on line 44 of Figure 1.
The apparatus thus shewn consists of a metallic box, case or mould very strongly
.made and formed of two parts. A and A¹ symmetrically placed together and hinged
or secured by spindles or rods a and a¹ extending through and along suitable lugs
formed with or attached thereto. The rod a for example serves as a hinge when
the box. is opened as shewn in dotted lines, on Fig. 4, whilst the rod a¹ serves
to lock it and prevents the separation of the two parts.
These parts A and A¹ are hollow and enclose other hollow pieces B and B¹

page_text: formed of elastic, the thickness of the walls, of which, notably those band b
oppositely situated, increases towards the ends, as shewn on Fig. 1. The reason
for this strengthening of the elastic walls will be apparent from the subsequent
description of the operation. The hollow parts B and B are provided with appen-
dices or tubes c and d respectively entering the recessed bosses or enlargements d
and of the mould A A' and folded or wound, interiorly, around ajutages or
pipes e and e¹ securely fastened to the flanges or covers C and CI fixed to the case
or mould.
The ajutages e and e¹ are connected by any suitable means, with any convenient
hydraulic or other compressing apparatus which will pump a suitable fluid (water,
glycerine, gas etc.) into the two hollow india-rubber chambers or parts B and B¹.
The closed mould presents at its ends 'two passages or orifices f and f¹ which unite
or join in a cylindrical space D reserved between the parts or chambers B and B¹
which are to be placed together.
The apparatus in question is used in the following way: -
When a joint has been made by hand in the usual or any ordinary manner, the
mould is opened by causing one part to turn on the hinge a and the joint is placed
in the space D, care being taken that it is placed centrally, the mould is closed
and the pin a' replaced thus locking the mould; it will be remarked that the
part of the enlarged joint slightly presses outward the opposite walls of the
parts B and B as I have shewn in dot and peck lines on Fig. 1. When this
has been done hydraulic or other suitable pressure is introduced into the said
parts B and B which latter tends to expand them and consequently-since the
chamber walls tend to return to their normal positions-to operate on the joint,
the insulating matter of which is found to be strongly and regularly compressed
on to the copper conductor without liquid or moisture being able to reach the
insulator and that whatever be the pressure given.
This pressure is maintained during the time necessary for the cooling and
setting of the insulating material, which may be obtained by allowing the
apparatus to stand in the open, or a current of, air or by plunging it into a cooling
mixture. Under the influence of compression all the particles are jointed closely
together.
It will be remarked that the pressure is maintained in the parts B and B¹ due
to the joints formed by the folding of the appendices c c on the ajutages e e¹
which may be provided with any suitable valves.
It is understood that I do not limit myself to the shapes or sizes shewn on the
drawing and that I reserve to myself the right of constructing the apparatus of
any suitable material and of modifying, when desired, the details of its con-
struction or working.
With this apparatus it is further possible to cause by pressure insulating
materials to enter the joint, by altering the elastic chamber, by allowing only its
ends to remain and by causing the insulating material to enter by the pipes or
conduits e and e¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In the jointing of electrical cables the process of submitting such joints to a
powerful hydraulic compression, but without direct contact with the insulating
material thereof, with the effect of compressing all the particles, reducing bubbles
of air to a minimum, and consequently giving to the joint the utmost freedom
from leakage.
2. For the carrying out of the process, the object of the first claim, the apparatus
above described which consists in the combination of a metal box or case in two
symmetrical parts with hollow elastic enclosures between which is placed the

page_text: joint to be operated upon, and in which-on pressure being introduced,—the
compression takes place, as and for the purposes described.
3. The apparatus for treating the joints of telegraphic cables, constructed,
combined and arranged as herein described with regard to the annexed drawings.
Dated this Tenth day of Aust 1908
;
For the Applicant,
GEDGE & FEENY,
60, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agents.