Improvements in Conduits for Electric Conductors.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 30th Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Conduits for Electric Conductors.
I, JOHN JAMES BATE, of 93, Dentons Green Lane, St. Helens, in the County of
Lancaster, 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 has for its object to provide a conduit for electric conductors
which will be stronger and which will occupy less space, thus requiring less material
to be extracted from the roadway to receive them.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 shows one arrangement of my invention in which the ducts constituting
the conduit are manufactured in a piece;
Figure 2 shows an arrangement in which the ducts forming the conduit are
made separately;
Figure 3 shows the arrangement for joining or connecting the ends of the ducts
together;
Figure 4 a modification, part of this view being broken away and part of the
cable removed to show the part H.
Referring to Figure 1, my conduit for electric conductors is made of concrete
earthenware, or other insulating material and formed with a number of ducts or
tubes, A, placed side by side through which the conductors are passed. These
ducts are made all in a piece. The conduit thus formed is mounted on a base B
of concrete, earthenware or other insulating material. The latter having grooves
on its top face adapted to receive the conduits and form a foundation therefor.
In Figure 2 the ducts or tubes constituting the conduit are formed separately and
mounted on the base piece B in the manner shown or in any suitable way.
The ducts may have portions thereof made thinner or formed with vee grooves C
so that if the duct or ducts be struck with a hammer or other instrument between.
the vee grooves, the part or parts will break clean off, thereby causing an opening-
through which a branch or service wire may be passed, and connected with the
main cable or cables inside the ducts, the opening being afterwards filled up with
any suitable material or otherwise. These vee grooves may be applied to the
conduits whether they be mounted and used separately as shown in Figure 2, or
whether the ducts be made in one piece placed side by side as shown in Figure 1.
In use the base piece B is laid in the trench, and the conduit placed thereon
with a layer of cement D between. The ends of each length of duct where they
abut against the adjacent length are rounded off slightly and a piece of tow or the
like E wound round to make a firm joint. The cable is drawn through the ducts,
and the conduit surrounded with cement, pitch, bitumen or other suitable material
so as to form a solid conduit with the conductors firmly embedded therein.
The conduit may, instead of being made of tubes A, be formed with open
ducts or channels F, Figure 4, in which the conductors are placed and then enclosed
therein by lids G. H are bridges which raise the conductor I above the bottom
CD 077

page_text: of the conduit so as to enable the bitumen or other material which is poured into
the conduit to entirely surround the conductor and firmly embed it therein. The
edges of the lids G at the sides and ends are chamfered as shown, these edges
forming a protection against the workman's pick striking or breaking the joint
between the lid and the duct. The edges of the ends of adjacent lids may inter- 5
lock with each other if desired.
By this arrangement therefore the conduits are placed and cemented in position
in the trench. The conductors are laid in the channel instead of being drawn
through (as in the case of the pipes A) and vegetable tar, bitumen or other suitable
material poured in so as to embed the conductor in the duct. The lid G is placed
on so as to form a solid conduit with the conductor firmly embedded therein. The
convex inside surface g of the lid (when supplied) compresses the bitumen or other
material in the channel and forms a compact mass.
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:
1. A conduit for electric conductors made of concrete or other insulating material,
and formed with a number of ducts or tubes placed side by side and made in a.
piece, in combination with a base piece having grooves on its top face adapted to
receive the conduit and form a foundation therefor, substantially as described.
2. A conduit for electric conductors made of concrete or other insulating material,
and formed of a number of separate ducts or tubes for the reception of electric wires
or cables, in combination with a base piece on which the separate ducts consti-
tuting the conduit are mounted, substantially as described.
3. In conduits for electric conductors made of concrete or other insulating
material, forming the conduit with indents or vee grooves so arranged that if one
or other of the ducts be struck on the outside with a hammer between the indents,
a part or parts will break clean off, thereby exposing the cable in the interior
sufficiently for a branch wire to be passed through and be joined to the main
conductor inside the conduit, the remainder of the duct or ducts remaining intact.
4. A conduit for electric conductors made of concrete or other insulating
material substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 4 of the
drawings and for the purpose specified.
5. A conduit for electric conductors made of open channels or ducts of concrete
or other insulating material for the reception of the conductor, said conductor
being supported above the bottom of the channel by a bridge piece. H or its
equivalent, and surrounded with vegetable tar, bitumen or other suitable material
after the conductor has been placed in the conduit, in combination with a lid
closing the open top of the conduit, whereby a solid conduit is formed with the
conductor firmly embedded therein, substantially as described.
THIN MKV —KMIK
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.