US449168A - Art of covering electric wires - Google Patents

Description

Patented Mar. 31,1891.

(No Model.)

T. W. NORMAN.

ART OF COVERING ELECTRIC WIRES.

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ART OF CUVERING ELECTRiC \NiRES.

SPECIFIOATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,168, dated March 31, 1891.

Application filed April 29, 1890. Serial No. 349,978. (No model.)

To all whom 2'75 may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. NORMAN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Art of and Means for Covering insulated or other Wires, of which the following is a specification.

My in vention relates to modes of and means for covering insulated or other wire, cords, or similar articles, it being the object of my invention to provide such improvements in the mode and means aforesaid as will cheapen the cost of the product, facilitate its manufacture, and effectuate a better article than heretofore.

My invention will be described with special reference to the covering of insulated wire with a lead covering, though it will be understood that the process and means explained may be employed in the treatmentof cognate or similar things.

In the covering of insulated wire it has been proposed heretofore to feed the wire through a mold and to compress a heated softened lead covering around it as it is fed or passed through the mold. It has also been proposed to cover the wire by passing it through a mold or former and forming and chilling molten lead around it as it is fed forward through the said mold or former. My improvements differ from these processes in that I form the lead covering into a strip or ribbon and scarf or shape the edges so as to secure a smooth overlap, and then incase or wrap the wire in such strip and solder the overlapping edges.

The process may be carried out with means of varying form and organization; but I will herein undertake the description of but one form and arrangement of means which I may employ.

Reference is to bel id tothe annexed draw ings and the letters of reference marked thereon, forming apart of this specification, the same letters indicating the same parts or features, as the case may be, wherever they occur.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side view of a machine which maybe employed in carrying out my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional detail showing means which may be employed in scarfin g or beveling the edges of a lead covering. Figs. l i, and f are sectional details showing different steps in the process of covering the wire.

In carrying out my invention 1 take a covering a. in the form of a strip or ribbon of suitable character to cover the wire I) and pass the said ribbon through a former 0, so as to give it a trough-like shape, as shown in Fig. 3. i then guide the wire into the troughformed covering by a wheel (I or other suitable means and pass the wire and covering so placed through another former c, which nearly or quite bends the covering over the wire, as shown in Fig. i. l "hen pass the wire through still another former f, which completes the bending of the covering around the wire, so that the edges meet or overlap, as shown in Fig. 5, when, if the covering is of metal, the edges are passed beneath a soldering-iron g, and by this means are united, after which the covered wire may be smoothed and finished by being passed through a finishingformer h.

The soldering-iron may be heated by a flame t' projected thcreagainst upon one or both sides, and if the covering for the wire is of lead no solder need be applied thereto, but the edges of the metal may be fused and made to serve as solder. In case the covering is of other metal than lead which is not quickly fusible, solder may be applied along the meeting-line of the covering before it passes beneath the soldering-iron. Again, it the covering should be atextile fabric or other material than metal which would require gluing, then glue instead of solder may be applied to the edges before they, with the wire, are passed through the formcrf, or it may be afterward.

In instances where the covering is of metal the edges may be scarl'ed or beveled by means of rotary wheels j 7., having suitably-formed blades 7-, which actupon the edges of the ribbon, as shown in Fig. 2. Stationary knives may, however, be employed instead of the wheelsj 7.1.

It is to be observed that I may employ a greater or less number of formers than is shown, though the number shown will be found efficient for the purpose.

The wire may be insulated before being laid into the covering, or it may be laid in bare and the covering be made of insulating material.

Changes may be made in the form and arrangementof parts comprising the machine without departing from the nature or spirit steps gradually inclosing the covering over the wire, and soldering the meeting scarfed edges of said covering, substantially as set forth.

2. As a means for covering wire with a metallic strip or ribbon of metal, the combination of scarfing-wheels to act upon the edges of the strip, formers for wrapping the strip around the wire, and a heated soldering-iron for soldering together the meeting edges of the strip, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 26th day of April, A. D. 1890.

THOMAS V. NORMAN.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR W. (JRossLEY, EWING W. HAMLEN.

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