provements in Wire Couplings.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 10th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 10th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 6th June, 1891
COMPLETE
DIBUIFICATION
Improvements in Wire Couplings.
I, WILLIAM EDGAR BANTA of No. 40 W. Main Street Springfield, Clark
County, Ohio, U.S.A. Horologist, 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 :-
My invention consists essentially first in a plurality or series of rings adapted to
retain the full tensile strength of the metal composing them and bite the harder
into the joining wires the greater the stress and secondly in joining these rings in a
suitable number to form a coupling without affecting their biting action.
In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this Specification and in which
like reference letters indicate corresponding parts.
Figure 1 represents my device in the form of a series of rings and the line wires
in their first position.
Figure 2, the wires turned outward and the rings under stress and
Figure 3, the rings joined.
The letters A and A' designate the joining ends of telegraph or line wire or any
other kind of wire on which my device may be used.
The letter B designates a plurality of rings which are shewn in Figure 1 as
slipped over the said wires and hanging loosely thereon whereby to form the
coupling. The rings are of any convenient form, such as elliptical, and adapted
to embrace said wire, and allow of being easily slipped over the same.
In Figure 2, the ends of the line wires are shown bent outward, so that when
drawn together the rings B will bite strongly onto the said wire, and form the
joint. The outer ends of the line wire may be turned out at right angles, as at a, a¹;
but in stiff wires, a simple outward bend is all that is necessary to secure the
coupling.
For convenience of handling my device, the rings may be joined by a bar or
piece C, soldered, brazed or otherwise secured to the rings at one end of each, as
shown in Figure 3.
Thus a suitable number of rings to form a coupling are con-
veniently joined together to facilitate applying the coupling, while it does not
interfere with the above-described action of the rings. It will be seen that since
they are joined at one end only, and the other end of each ring is free, the stress
on the line wires bent outward will cause the said rings to slant sidewise and bite
the wire, as before described. Any other method of joining the wires may be
employed; but the principle of my device is a series of rings, either joined or
separate, which can be easily applied to fit line wire of suitable sizes.
Another advantage of my device is that, being simple, it can be applied by
cheaper labor than that used in applying the ordinary britannia joint; also the
coupling may be removed and used again by simply straightening the bent ends of
There is no necessity
the joining line wires, and removing my device therefrom.
of soldering the joining line wires together to secure complete electrical connection,
since the stronger the stress on the said line-wires, the harder will they be drawn

page_text: together by the action of the coupling. Moreover when the line-wire becomes
slack, it is an easy matter to take up the slackness by slipping the joining ends
farther past each other through the coupling, and bending them outward again.
It will be observed that my device takes advantage of the tensile strength of
the material of which the rings are composed, and is thus of greater value than the
coupling on which the strain is exerted otherwise than in the direction best adapted
to resist said stress, as in the case of a tube, where the joining line wires tend to
split the tube.
While my device is especially adapted to form a coupling for electric wires, it
may be used for other purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1st. In a wire coupling, the combination with the joining ends of line wires, of a
plurality of rings embracing them, and each adapted to bite onto said wires as it
assumes an oblique position under the suspension strains of the coupled wires.
2nd. In a wire coupling, the combination with the joining ends of line wires bent
outward, of a coupling composed of rings joined together, and each adapted to grip
the said line wires strongly when the ends of said line wires are pulled in opposite
directions.
3rd. As an improved article of manufacture, an electric wire coupling
consisting of a plurality of rings secured together by a longitudinal piece
or bar.
4th. As an improved article of manufacture, an electric wire coupling
consisting of a plurality of rings and a piece or bar secured thereto in a longi-
tudinal direction, whereby the rings are connected one with the other along a
line, but are otherwise disconnected from each other along their edges.
Dated this 9th day of January A.D. 1891.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.