US455107A - Insulator - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. 1'. MUNSIE. NSULATOR.

Patented June 30,1891.

(No Model.) `2 sheets-sheet 2.

J. F. MUNSIB. INSULATOR.

No. 455,107. Patented June 30,1891..

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344m@ nto/z UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. MUNSIE, OF BROOKLYN, NEV YORK.

INSULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters :Patent No. 455,10*?, dated J une 30, 1891.

Application led March 28, 1890. Renewed March 28, 1891. Serial No. 386,737. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. MUNsiE, a British subject, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Insulators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in insulating devices for underground or overhead conductors for electric railways, and has for its object to so construct and arrange the insulating` device and its accessories as to maintain a portion of said insulating device intermediate of the point of connection of the conductor and the point of support of the insulator constantly in a dry condition for the purpose of preventing any possible grounding of the current in wet weather, the said dry portion serving as a complete insulating-break between the couductor and the ground.

In carr Ying out my invention I have devised the construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section and partial elevation of an underground electric-railway conduit provided with my improvements, the section being taken on a plane indicated by the line 1 1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 represents a vertical cross section thereof, taken on a plane indicated by the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents, on an enlarged scale, a side elevation of one of the insulators employed in said conduit; and Fig. it represents in section a modified form of insulator particularly designed for overhead conductors.

Similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 5 indicates an electric-railway conduit provided with the usual longitudinal slot 6 for the passage of the trolley-hanger 7, and having suitable provision for carrying off to the sewer any dripping or condensation of water that may accumulate at the bottom of the conduit. A convenient device4 for this purpose is indicated by the outlet-pipe 8, leading to the sewer and provided with a trap or seal 9 to prevent ini-low of sewer-gases.

The positive and negative conductors are located, respectively, at opposite sides of the conduit, and consist of sections of conducting metal supported upon the top of my improved insulating devices. The metallic conducting-sections l0 referred to are electrically connected to form a continuous conductor (negative or positive) by means ofv connecting-pieces 11 of wrought-iron, so as to make a substantial joint of low resistance. I prefer to employ wrought-iron as the material of construction of the connecting-piece 11, for the reason that it will not be subject from any cause to permanent magnetization, which would tend to increase its resistance.

In the form of my insulator illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 I have shown the same as consisting of a base 12 and a cap-piece 13, which may conveniently be formed of wood saturated with oil or of glass, glazed terracotta, or other equivalent material, the two parts being joined by means of dowel-pins 14 or the like. The base 12 is provided about its sides with a continuous annular groove, as shown, and on its upper surface with an annular depression 15, adapted to receive a hygroscopic solid or liquidas, for instance, calcic oxide, desiccated calcic chloride, sulphuric acid, glycerine, or similar material having an afiinity for water. The cap-piece 13 has an overhanging flange 16, extending over the upper edge or rim of the base 12, so as to direct any water or drippings to the bottom of the conduit. Each base-piece is provided with an aperture or perforation 17 extending entirely through it, and the said perforations are connected throughout by means of intermediate pipe-sections 18, having non-conducting `jackets or coverings and adapted to receive and transmit to the insu lating-bases a heating fluid or liquid-suoli as hot air, steam, hot water, or the like-for the purpose of raising the temperature of said bases, so as to drive off moisture therefrom or from the calcio oxide or calcio chloride employed ordinarily as the drying agent, so as to renew or revivify said calcio oxide or calcic chloride as drying agents.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. 4 the cap-piece 19 will form the point of .sup-

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port, and the conductor-sections l0 will be connected to the under side of the base 20, the base and cap-piece being preferably connected by means oi' a through-bolt 2l. The depression or cavity illustrated in the upper part of the piece 20 is for the reception of the hygroscopicmaterial hereinbefore referred to.

The operation of my invention is as Iollows: In the form illustrated in Figs. I, 2, and 3 any drippings of water that may take place from the Walls of the conduit orthrough the hanger-slot upon the upper surface of the cap-piece I3 are directed to the bottom of the conduit, the depression in the top of the basepiece 'l2 being protected from said drippings by reason of the overhanging flange of the cap-piece. Any water that may splash against the bottom of the conduit is prevented from entering said depression by reason of the curved form ot the sides of the base, which is almost if not a complete protection against access of water duc to splashing. It, however, any drops of water should be splashed into the cavity or depression in the top of the base-piece I2, or should any condensation of water upon the under surface of the cappiece have a tendency to form, such water or condensation will immediately be absorbed by the hygroseopic material Within said depression, andas a consequence the lower surface of the cap-piece will remain constantly in a dry condition. This dry portion of the insulator is thus constantly interposed between the conductor and the ground, thereby preserving at all times a reliable insulation unaffected by drippings or splashings of water upon the top of the insulator or about its sides. If at any time it is desired to revivify the hygroscopic material by driving off its moisture, this purpose can be readily effected by introducing` a heating agent through the system of pipes IS, as hereinbefore described. In some instances I contemplate dispensing with the hygroscopic material and employing the heating agent alone for maintaining the insulating-base in a dry condition; but the best results will be attained by the employment ot' the two conjointly.

In the form of my invention `shown in Fig. 4 the general mode of operation and the results attained are similar to those just described, Witll the exception that no provision is made for heating the insulator.

It will be evident that the insulators may be heated by other means than the pipe system shown, and I do not therefore restrict myself to that particular means of heating.

\Vhen I employ sulphuric acid as the hygroscopic material, I provide the cavity or depression in the upper part of the base I2 or 2O with a lining of acid-resisting character 22, such as sheet-lead or stearic pitch.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is I. An insulator of the kind described, consisting ot' a base and an overhanging cappiece, said base being provided at its upper surface with a filling ol' hygroscopic material, substantially as described.

2. An insulator of the kind described, provided with a base, an overhanging cap-piece, and means, substantially as described, for heating said insulator, substantially as described.

An insulator of the kind described, consisting of a base havingadepression or cavity in its upper suri'ace for the reception of ahygroscopic material and an opening for the reception of a heating agent, and an overhanging cap-piece, substantially as described.

e. An insulator of the kind described, consisting of a base and an overhanging cappiece, said base being provided with a flange or extension at its upper rim' to prevent splashing upon the under side of the cappiece, substantially as described.

5. An insulating system for electrical conductors, consisting of a series of insulators having perforations or channels for the reception of a heating agent, and pipe-sections connecting said channels, substantially as described.

6. An insulating system for electrical conductors, consisting of a series of insulators having perforations or channels for the reception of a heating agent, and pipe-sections counectin g said channels, said pipe-sections having non-conducting jackets, substantially as described.

7. rIhe combination, with an insulator, of the conductor -sections 10 and connectingjoint ll, of wrought-iron, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES F. MUNSIE.

Witnesses:

JOHN C. PENNIE, A. M. PAaKiNs.

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