To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD RENAULT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Waldo, in the county of Alachua and State of Florida, have made and invented certain new and useful Improvements in Insulators, of which the following is a Specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in insulators, and more particularly to that kind or class thereof used or employed for insulating telegraph, telephone, and other electric conducting-wires, the object of the same being to provide an article of this kind which, while retaining all the valuable qualities and characteristics of like devices, yet will at the same time be devoid of the Objectionable features.

The invention belongs to that class of insulators which are preferably made of glass and in two parts--namely, the lower or supporting part or body and the upper retaining-cap, the latter being threaded upon the body.  Insulators of this class have heretofore been so constructed that a central projection from the inner portion of the cap fits within a corresponding slot in the upper portion of the body, the lower end of the projection holding or binding the wire against the bottom of the slot, in some instances the slot being corrugated in order to give one or more bonds to the wire for the purpose of more tightly and securely retaining said wire in position.  Such insulators, however, so far as I am aware, have never been put to practical use largely by reason of the expense attendant upon the manufacture of the article as it is practically impossible to mold or cast, the depending lug or projection within the threaded cap sufficiently long and strong to properly bind the wire.

In my improved insulator I overcome this difficulty by removing the binding action from the central portion of the insulator to the outer edges thereof, the lower edge of the cap at the two opposite points holding the wire against a suitable shoulder formed around the upper portion of the body of the insulator, the binding edges being properly shaped to prevent the collection and retention of water and also to prevent the chipping or Cracking of the edges by reason of the swinging or moving of the wire due to wind or other causes.  

My invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter fully pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sectional views of my improved insulator, and Fig. 3 a horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the body of be insulator, the lower edge thereof being fluted or corrugated, as shown, in order to properly shed the rain.  This body is provided with a recess, in which is threaded a wooden plug F, into which latter is screwed the bolt C for securing it to the cross-arm or other support.  The body A is provided with a restricted neck D, threaded on its outer side or surface to receive the threaded cap E, the latter being provided with

recesses a for the reception of a spanner or other tool, whereby said cap is screwed or turned down.

In restricting the neck D there is formed on the body A the shoulder F, which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is curved or beveled, the lower edge G of the cap being correspondingly beveled excepting at the outer edges or corners, said extreme edges or corners of the shoulder F and edge G being rounded or curved in opposite directions for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

Through the neck D is formed the slot or opening H, the bottom or floor of which is curved and merges into the shoulder F, formed around the body A, and in which slot or opening rests the wire I, as illustrated in Fig. 1 the highest point of the floor or bottom of the groove H being at the center thereof.            The cap E is formed with a comparatively short depending lug or projection K, the sides of which when the cap is screwed home should fit tightly against the inner sides or surfaces of the groove or opening H, thereby acting as a support for the sides of the neck to prevent the same from accidental breakage when the insulator is in use.  When the cap is turned down in place on the neck of the insulator, the lower beveled edge G of the same binds and holds the wire I against the beveled shoulder F on the body of the insulator, the oppositely rounded corners of said lower edge G and shoulder F allowing a certain amount of play or swing of the wire I to prevent the latter from striking the same, and thereby cracking or chipping the glass or other material of which the insulator is made, the clamping or binding of the wire at two opposite points holding said wire firmly in place.  By forming the lower edge G of the cap and shoulder F of the insulator as described it will be understood that water is prevented from in collecting therein, and thereby insuring the wire against deterioration from such cause.

As before stated, I am aware that it is not new to construct an insulator of a body and cap having a threaded connection, and hence I make no broad claim to such; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is--

An insulator consisting of a body having a restricted top or neck, thereby forming a shoulder on said body, said neck being externally threaded and provided with a groove or opening therein, the bottom of which opening is curved and merges into said shoulder, said shoulder being beveled and curved as described, and a cap threaded on said restricted neck and having its lower edge G beveled and curved, the extreme edges of said shoulder and edge being rounded or curved in opposite directions.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 5th day of May, A. D. 1900.

EDWARD RENAULT.

Witnesses:

GEORGE COOK,

M. VAN NORTWICK.