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To all whom it may concern: I,
ROBERT BRECKENRIDGE BAKER,
of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have
invented an Improvement in Insulators for Telegraph Wires of which the
following is a specification. Nature
and Object of the Invention. My
invention consists in the combination with, or application to, telegraphic
wires, of metallic oxide as an insulating medium. Description
of the Accompanying Drawing. Figure
1 represents a vertical section of an insulated wire-holder, to illustrate one
mode of carrying out my invention; and Figure
2 a section of another insulated wire-holder, illustrating another mode of
carrying out my invention. General
Description. I
have discovered that metallic oxides, which have heretofore been looked upon
as conductors of electricity, are actually the most effective non-conductors. My
invention of applying metallic oxides to the insulation of telegraphic wires
may be carried into effect in a variety of ways, but I have not deemed it
necessary to illustrate more than two such applications. The
wire-holder shown in fig. 1 consists of an inverted cup, A, of cast-iron,
fitted to an eye in a screw-rod, B, by which the insulator may be connected to
a pole, the cup A containing the suspension-rod D, the double hook at the
lower end of which supports the telegraph-wire. Wire-holders
of this class have long been in common use, but their rods D have been
heretofore confined to the cups A by sulphur, as a non-conducting medium,
glass being sometimes used in conjunction with the sulphur, and sometimes
paraffine, or both glass and paraffine being used as insulating mediums. My
insulating medium is a metallic oxide, red lead, for instance, which, when
applied as shown in. fig. 1, I mix with sulphur, the proportions of the
sulphur oxide being about equal. The sulphur is melted and the oxide thoroughly mixed with it, and the composition, while in a semi-fluid state, is poured into the |
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open end of the cup A.
while the latter is in a position the reverse of that shown, while the
suspension-rod B is held within the cup. After
the composition becomes thoroughly hard, the rod D will be firmly held
in its place and the holder effectually insulated and ready for use. In
the modified wire-holder shown in fig. 2, the stem d is fitted in the
arm of a telegraph pole, and the telegraph wire is coiled in the groove
b of the cap F, which is screwed onto the casing A’.
Further description of this modification will be unnecessary, as
telegraph-holders of this class are well known. Any
of the metallic oxides, oxide of iron or oxide of Zinc, for instance,
may be used in place of red lead, and other solidifying substances,
asphaltum, for instance, may be used in place of sulphur or textile
material. Although
I have selected two styles of wire-holders with the view of illustrating
modes of carrying my invention into effect, It should be distinctly
understood that my invention may be applied to any of the wire-holders
in use, my invention being in fact, the application of metallic oxide as
an insulating substance to any wire or wire-holder, whether the oxide be
used in conjunction with any suitable material or substance simply as a
medium of increasing the insulating properties of any wire-holders, or
as an ingredient by which the suspension wires are retained, in the
manner described above. Those familiar with the construction of wire-holders can
readily understand, without further explanation, how metallic oxides can
be generally applied in a variety of ways to the insulating of all
wire-holders, or to underground retainers of wires. Claim. The combination with, or application to, telegraph wires
of metallic oxide as an insulating medium. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this
specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. ROBERT
BRECKENRIDGE BAKER. Witnesses: FRANK
B. RICHARDS, HARRY SMITH.
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