Improvements in Conduits for Electric Wires or Cables.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1887
Specification Accepted, 8th June, 1888
Improvements in Conduits for Electric Wires or Cables.
I, RICHARD SOLOMON WARING, of Pittsburgh, in the County of Allegheny, State
of Pennsylvania and United States of America, Electrical Engineer, 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:-
The invention herein relates to certain arrangement and construction of conduits for
underground electric wires, whereby provision is made for the location of the conduits
either along the roadway, the curb and the side walks of streets, and also for the
drawing in of additional wires or cables when the same becomes necessary and for
making house connections with the wires or cables without digging trenches trans-
verse of the main line of conduits. And the invention further relates to a construction
of man-holes for such conduits whereby ready access may be had to the conduits
either for the purpose of testing the cables already in place, or for drawing in
additional wires or cables or making branch connections. Fig. 1, is a perspective
view of a portion of a street showing the arrangement of the conduits along the curb
and side walk. Fig. 2, is a top plan view of the man-hole. Fig. 3, is a central
vertical section of the same. Figs. 4, 5, 6 & 7, are sectional perspective views of
different forms of conduits as arranged under the surface of the streets Fig. 8, is a
perspective view of the conduit and cover and also of the means employed for connecting
two adjacent sections of conduits.
In the practice of my.invention I form the conduit 1, of wood, metal or artificial
stone, the interior of the conduit being divided up into a series of longitudinal cells
or compartments which may be made of such a size as to receive only one line or
strand of cable as shown at 2, or of sufficient size to receive a larger number as
shown at 3. In laying the form of conduit shown on sheet 2, a sufficient number of

page_text: lines or cables 4, for present use, are arranged in the larger compartments 3, and
surrounded with tar, pitch, clay or other suitable material which will harden when
cold. The cover 5, is placed in position and the trench in which the conduit is placed
is filled up. The cover 5, consists of two longitudinal sections having tongues 6,
along their outer edges, their adjacent or inner edges being provided respectively with
a tongue 7, and groove S. These sections are made of a width slightly greater than
the width of the conduit in order that the lid or cover may be held in place by the
resilience of the sides of the box, as will be readily understood.
At suitable intervals along the line of conduits are arranged man-holes with which
the conduits connect. The sides and bottom of the man-hole are formed of cement
or brickwork in which is embedded a metal plate 9, forming the floor of the man-hole.
On the upper edges of the side walls is placed an annular plate 10, having depending
flanges on its underside, fitting inside and outside of the walls, thereby protecting said
walls and preventing any displacement of the plate 10. Around the inner edge of the
plate 10, is formed a ledge 11, adapted to support the man-hole cover 12, which is
held in place by rods 13, provided with hooks at their lower ends adapted to engage
rings or eyes formed on or attached to the bed plate 9, the upper ends of said rods
being threaded for the reception of nuts which fit into recesses in the upper side of the
cover. In order to prevent any downward deflection of the cover, tubes 14, are
arranged around the rods 13, said tubes bearing at their upper ends against the under
side of the cover and their lower ends resting upon the plate 9. These man-holes
permit of access to the ends of the conduits for the purpose of drawing in additional
wires or cables into the small cells 2, or for testing the wires or cables. If desired,
a test box or switch board 15, may be arranged within the man-hole as clearly shown
in Fig. 3.
Conduits constructed as above described with the passages 2 & 3, or with the small
passages or cells 2, alone may be located along the roadway below the surface thereof,
or along the line of the curb, the conduit forming the curb as shown in Fig. 1, or
immediately under the sidewalk, the cover of the conduit forming the pavement.
It sometimes occurs that the pavement is formed by large stones extending from the
house line to the curb, and as it is undesirable to break the stone, and it is impossible
to tunnel under it on account of the vaults extending from the houses under the pave-
ment, to overcome such obstacles I provide a turning conduit which consists of a block
or box provided with a series of curved passages as shown at 16, Fig. 1, which serve
to conduct the wires or cables from the conduit under the pavement to a conduit along
the curb or under the roadway.
For forming branches or loops into houses along the line of the conduit, the latter
is provided with a series of nozzles 17, along its length, communicating with the
interior of the conduit. A section of pipe 18, of length sufficient to extend from
the conduit into the cellar of the house, and provided at one end with a removable
point 19, and at the opposite end with a removable head, is driven through the earth
intervening between the trench containing the conduit and the cellar, the removable
head and end are then removed and the outer end of the pipe section bent down and
slipped over the nozzle 17. The wires from the conduit are then passed through the
nozzle and pipe into the cellar.
Two adjoining sections of conduit are connected together as shown in Fig. 8, by a
band or coupling extending partially around the conduit and holding the two
sections in line. It is preferred that the cover sections should break joint with the
conduit sections as indicated in Fig. 8.
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 what
I claim is:
1. In a conduit for electric wires or cables, the combination of one or more
compartiments open at the top of the conduit for the reception of a large number of
wires or cables and a series of cellular compartments or passages for the drawing in of
additional wires or cables, as set forth.

page_text: 2. The combination of conduits for electric wires or cables provided with a series
of longitudinal passages and a turning box or block provided with a series of curved
grooves or passages, as set forth.
3. A conduit for electric wires or cables having in combination an open sided box
or trough, the sides of said box being grooved as described, and a removable cover
therefor, said cover being composed of two or more parts united by a tongue and
groove joint, the outer edges of the cover being provided with tongues adapted to fit
within the grooves in the sides of the box, as set forth.
4. In a system of underground conduits for electric wires or cables, the combination
of conduits and man-holes constructed as described.
Witnesses:
R. H. WHITTLESEY.
DARWIN S. WOLCUTT.
RICHARD SOLOMON WARING.