US542675A - Insulating-shield for metallic poles - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

W. J. BRALEY. INSULATING SHIELD FOR METALLIC PQLES. No. 542,675. Patented July 16,1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM J. BRALEY, OF FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

INSULATING-SHIELD FOR METALLIC POLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part 'of Letters Patent No. 542,675, dated July 16, 1895.

Application filed April 17, 1895. Serial No. 546,070- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it 71mg concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. BRALEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fall River, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Insulating- Shields for Metallic Poles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to overhead systems of electrical distribution, and its object is to prevent accidents by persons or animals coming in contact with the poles which support the conductors. It has frequently happened that the currents of electricity in the conductors of electric-light and railway systems have become grounded through the metallic poles supporting them, or that a light or railway circuit has become crossed with a telephone or telegraph circuit, short-circuiting the former and causing a heavy current of electricity to flow down to the metallic poles of the telephone or telegraph line. Under these circumstances it is exceedingly dangerous for a person oran animal to touch one of the poles, since he is subjected to a severe electrical shock which sometimes proves fatal.

My invention aims to prevent such a serious consequence of an accidental or unwitting contact with a pole so charged. It consists in a shield or jacket of insulating material surrounding the pole up to the height of several feet, so that the pole is entirely incased and all contact with it is completely prevented, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of an electric-light pole provided with myshield, the latter being partly broken away. Fig. 2 is cross-section. Fig. 3 is the upper portion of the shield, showing the wire wrapping and the cap. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cap. Figs. 5 and 6 are cross-sections of modified constructions.

The shield or jacket A is made of any suitable insulating material, preferably wood. It may be made in one piece, as shown in Fig. 6; but is preferably composed of any suitable number of longitudinal sections or segments a, preferably curved, so that when assembled edge to edge, like the staves of a barrel, they form a cylindrical or polygonal tube. The adjoining edges of the sections are united, preferably by a feather-joint, as shown in Fig. 2, though a tongue-and-groove joint may be used, as'shown in Fig. 5. The sections having been assembled, they are wound at inter vals with wire B. After its ends have been secured the turns of wire are soldered together to make a solid metallic band or hoop. Of course the wire wrapping is unnecessary with the integral shield shown in Fig. (5.

The top of the shield is covered with a cap 0, which is made in halves, as shown in Fig. f, so as to be easily applied to the pole D. The cap is rabbeted to fit into the end of the shield.

The foot of the shield rests on the pavement E and may be surrounded with a molding a, if desired.

The inner diameter of the shield is preferably larger than the external diameter of the pole, so as to leave an air-space between them, as shown, though this is not essential.

The shield forms an imperforate casing for the metallic pole up to the height preferably of seven or eight feet, so that under no circumstances can a person or animal come in contact with the pole. There is thus no danger of receiving a shock in case the electric current has become grounded through the pole. The insulating effect of the jacket is enhanced by the air-space between thejacket and the pole.

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

1. A shield fora metallic pole consisting of stave like sections of insulating material, assembled in the form of a tube adapted to surround said pole, and held together by a wrapping of wire, or the like, substantially as described.

2. A shield for a metallic pole, consisting of sections of longitudinal insulating material having their edges jointed together to form a tube, and bands of wire wrapped around said tube, substantially-as described. 7

3. A shield for a metallic pole, consisting of sections of insulating material placed together to form a tube, and bands of wire Wrapped around said tube at intervals, the turns of the wire being soldered together, substantially as described.

4. The combination witha metallic pole, of an insulating shield or jacket surrounding the lower portion thereof, with an air space between the pole and the jacket, substantially as described.

5. Thecombination with a metallic pole; of an insulating shield or jacket surrounding

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