To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTHONY KRIBS, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful improvements in molds for Forming Insulators, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in molds for forming insulators, but is specially adapted for forming a particular style of insulator having open-sided recesses in opposite sides for receiving an electric conductor, such as a wire, which is retained in the recesses against accidental displacement by ears or tongues which partially cover the open sides of the recess, the adjacent faces of the tongues or ears being disposed in parallel inclined planes.

My object is to provide a simple sectional mold in which the sections are separable, but when brought together in operative position constitute a chamber having substantially the same form as the exterior contour of the desired form of insulator.

One of the features of this invention is to enable the sections of the mold to be separated without breaking or marring the con- tour of the molded insulator, which is of course green and more or less soft while the sections of the mold are being separated.

Other objects and uses relating to the specific structure of the mold will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan, partly in section, of my improved mold shown in its closed position for receiving the material, as glass, koalin or other earthy sub- stance, which may be adapted for insulators of this character. Fig. 12 is a top plan of the parts seen in Fig. 1, showing the movable sections as opened to permit the withdrawal of the molded insulator, the handles of the movable section being broken away. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 3 3, Fig. 1.  Fig. 4 is an inner end face view of one of the mold - sections for forming the diagonal groove and outer faces of the tongues or ears at one side of the insulator. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the particular form of insulator made by the mold seen in Figs. 1 to 3, Inclusive.

In carrying out the objects stated I provide a somewhat heavy metal base-section 1 with a recess or socket 2 opening from its top face and of such contour as to form the greater portion of the top of the insulator seen in Fig. 5. This base section 1 is preferably made of cast-iron or other suitable material, having its upper face substantially flat and disposed in a substantially horizontal plane for receiving and supporting two similar but opposite movable mold-sections 3 and 4, which are hinged to each other and to a bracket 5 upon the rear side of the base-section 1 by a pivotal pin 6.

The socket or recess 2 is disposed substantially central in the base 1, and the pivotal pin 6 is disposed some distance at the rear of the socket 2, while the movable sections 3 and 4 which are hinged upon the pivotal pin 6, extend   forwardly at opposite sides and some distance in front of the socket 2 and are provided with suitable handles 7, by which the sections may be opened and closed, said handles being normally held in their closed position by a suitable locking-link 8.

The lower faces of the sections 3 and 4 are disposed in a flat horizontal plane substantially coincident with and riding upon the top face of the base-section 1, and the central portions of these sections 3 and 4 are of sufficient height to form the sides of the portion of the insulator above the upper end of the socket 2. The adjacent meeting faces of the sections 3 and 4 are formed with similar but opposed recesses 9 of such dimensions and con- tour as to form the greater portions of the insulator above the portion of such insulator which is formed in the socket 2, and there- fore each of the recesses 9 is substantially semicircular in form-- that is, each recess 9 is made to embrace and form substantially half of the upper portion of the insulator above the socket 2. The upright faces directly in front and at the rear of the socket 2 meet when closed in a substantially vertical plane running through the axis of the insulator and are each formed with a pair of projecting tongues or lugs 10, which meet in such vertical plane to form open-ended slots 11 in the insulator, as 12.

The insulator which I desire to form, as best seen in Fig. 5, is cylindrical in general form, but is provided with a rounding or substantial hemispherical top 13, a reduced central portion 14, and opposite pairs of bosses or raised portions 15, those of each pair being arranged above and beneath the reduced portion 14 and are formed with lugs 16, which project toward each other and partially bridge across the reduced portion 14.

The lugs 16, although tied to the main body and forming a part thereof above and beneath the recess of the reduced portion 14, are separated from the main body a sufficient distance to form the transverse slots 11, which are of sufficient size both transversely and vertically to receive any ordinary electric conductor, (not shown,) and the adjacent faces of each pair of lugs 16 are disposed in inclined planes substantially parallel with each other and separated a sufficient distance to permit the insertion of a wire there through-- such, for instance, as the electric conductor.  The opposite ends of these inclined faces, as 17, are disposed in different horizontal planes-- that is, one end of the inclined slot, as 18, between the inclined faces 17 is disposed in a different plane from the other end-- the object of which is to prevent accidental displacement or removal of the electric conductor from the slot 11 when once inserted through the slot 18 between the ears 16 and main body of the insulator. The principal feature of my invention consists in the means for forming the slot 11 and diagonal slots 18, and for this purpose I provide the arms or sections 3 and 4 with independently movable mold-sections 20, which are pivoted to their respective arms 3 and 4 by pivotal pins 21, which are located, respectively, at the rear and in front of the socket 2.

The greater portions of the side enlargements or bosses 15 of the insulator are formed by recesses 22 in the molds 3 and 4; but the free extremities or projections 16, as well as the slot 18, are formed by the mold-section 20, each of which is provided with a substantially central tongue 23 and lower and upper upright faces 24.  Each tongue 23 is disposed in an inclined plane at an angle with the top face of the base-section 1 to form the diagonal groove 18, while the upright faces 24 form the outer upright faces of the projection 16.

When the sections 3 and 4 are brought together to the position seen in Fig. 1, the mold- sections 20 slide upon the top face of the base-section 1, as best seen in Fig. 3, and enter recesses 25 in the adjacent faces of the sections 3 and 4, and the inner faces of the tongues 23 abut against the outer faces of the lugs 10,

which form the circuit eventual slots 11.  These several movable mold-sections 3, 4, and 20 are arranged and constructed so that when they are brought to their closed position they form a chamber of substantially the same contour as the upper portion of the insulator above the socket 2, as best seen in Fig. 3. The slots 18 and tongues 23 at opposites sides of the insulator preferably incline in opposite directions, and the mold-sections 20 are pivotally connectedly the swinging mold-sections 3 and 4 in such manner that when the sections 3 and 4 are opened the sections 20 will draw away from the insulator in nearly opposite radial directions, as best seen in Fig. 2, so as to avoid mutilation of the insulator, which is comparatively soft when the movable mold- sections are opened. The hinging of the mold- sections 20 to the swinging sections 3 and 4, together with the fact that the mold-sections 20 rest upon the top face of the base-section 1, is an important feature of my invention, for the reason that all the movable sections may be withdrawn from the molded insulator by a single operation, the drag of the sections 20 upon the top face of the base-section 1 facilitating the removal of such sections freely and without liability of mutilating the completed insulator.

When the sections 3 and 4 are brought together in the manner shown in Fig. 1, they are held in this position by a suitable clamp 28, which is hinged at 29 to the front face of the base-section 1, so as to swing in a vertical plane into and out of engagement with opposite faces of the sections 3 and 4, it being understood that when in this position the recesses in the sections 3 and 4 are centered around the axis of the socket 2, so as to form a continuation of the insulator-mold, the up- per portion of which is open at the top to permit the insertion of the semiliquid or plastic material which is to form the insulator.

In Fig. 3 I have shown the insulator 12 in section and as provided with a central threaded socket 30 and an annular base-flange 31; but it is to be understood that this threaded socket is formed by a separate mechanism which is not shown in this application, because it forms no part of my present invention.

In operating my improved mold the sections 3 and 4 are brought together by hand to the position seen in Fig. 1, during which operation the mold-sections 20, which are more or less inert and frictionally engaged with the top face of the base-section 1, are caused to swing upon their pivot 21 and to enter their respective recesses 25 in the sections 3 and 4, after which the clamping element 28 is rocked upwardly to engage the opposite outer faces of the sections 3 and 4, as best seen in figs. 1 and 3, and, if desired, the handles 7 may be further locked together by means of the link 8.  While in this position the tongues 10 are brought into engagement with each other and the tongues 23 are brought into engagement with the outer upright faces of the tongues 10, while the upright faces 24 of the mold-sections 20 are registered with the walls of their respective recesses 22, thus completing a continuous chamber with the socket 2 of substantially the same contour as the outer surface of the insulator seen in Fig. 5. After the material in a more or less liquid or plastic state is filled in the mold through the top opening and given sufficient time to set or assume a self-retaining condition the clamping members 8 and 28 are thrown out of operative position, and the mold-sections 3 and 4 are then opened to the position seen in Fig. 2, thereby drawing the mold-sections 20 from opposite sides of the molded insulator until the tongues 23 are withdrawn from the grooves 18, whereupon the molded insulator when sufficiently hardened may be lifted or withdrawn from the socket 2 in the base-section 1.

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

1. A mold for forming insulators of the class described consisting of a base-section having a socket and a substantially flat horizontal top face, opposite similar mold-sections hinged to swing toward and from opposite sides of the socket and upon the top face of the base-section, each of said hinged sections being provided with a pair of tongues moving together at opposite sides of the socket for forming circumferential slots in the insulator, and additional mold-sections hinged to the swinging sections at opposite sides of the socket and provided with tongues inclined at an angle with the top face of  the base and cutting through the outer walls of said circumferential slots.

2. A mold for forming an insulator of the class described, consisting of a base-section having a socket opening from its top face, additional mold-sections hinged to move upon said top face of the base toward and from opposite sides of the socket, and provided with recesses for forming a continuation of the chamber in which the Insulator is to be formed, I said additional sections being each provided with a pair of tongues meeting at opposite sides of the socket for forming circumferential grooves in opposite sides of the insulator, and a pair of swinging mold-sections, one upon each of said additional sections and provided with a tongue disposed in an inclined plane at an angle with the top face of the base-section and operating to cut through the outer wall of the circumferential slot for the purpose set forth.

3. A mold for forming the herein-described insulator consisting of a base-section having a socket for forming the top and portions of the sides of the insulator, opposite swinging sections having recesses for forming the sides and each provided with a pair of tongues for forming the open-ended slots in opposite sides of the Insulator, and additional sections having inclined projections abutting when closed against the side faces of the tongues of the swinging sections.

4. A mold for forming the herein-described insulator, said mold having a chamber for forming the top and sides of the insulator, tongues on the opposite sides of the mold to form circumferential slots in the insulator, and additional tongues extending inwardly from opposite sides of the mold to the outer faces of the former tongues for forming openings through the outer wails of the slots of the insulator.

5. A mold for forming the herein-described insulator, said mold having a chamber for forming the top and sides of the insulators tongues projecting circumferentially from opposite walls of the chamber, and additional tongues projecting radially from said opposite sides of the chamber in planes intersecting the planes of the first-named tongues.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of February 1905.

ANTHONY CRIBS.

Witnesses:

F. A. JENNINGS,

EMILE A. KRIBS.