US1008572A - Process and apparatus for insulating electric conduits. - Google Patents

Description

O. THIBODEAU.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR INSULATING ELEGTRIG GONDUITS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26 3L 572B Patented Nov. 14, 1911.

CHARLES THIBODEAU, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN CIRCULAR LO0M COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 01? MAIN E.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR INSULATING ELECTRIC CONDUITS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 142:, -1911..

Application filed March 26, 1910. Serial No. 551,723.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES THIBODEAU, a citizenof the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new .layersnf porous textile fabric, then passing the same through a molten insulating and waterproofing compound, and finally drawing the tubing into a die which is keptat a temperature sufficiently high to cause the said fabric to be saturated with said compound, and to firmly cement said fabric to j the framework of said conduit. 25

My invention further consists in constructing an elongated trough or vat having at the bottom thereof steam pipes for keeping at the proper temperature the insulating and waterproofing compound introduced the1'ein, a guide roller being provided near the top of the trough and secured to one of the side walls thereof for the purpose of dipping the conduit in said compound, combined with a die kept at a high temperature and arranged to receive said conduit after ithas'been dipped in said compound. a

My invention further consists in constructingan oven consisting of a tubular die of the same diameter as said conduit and,

provided with a beveled ingress opening, the wall of said die being inclosed by asteam acket for the a purpose of subjecting the exterior of said'conduit to a heat ofconsiderable temperature. j t .v r

My pinvention further consists .inlother improvements fully illustrated in the drawing and more specifically hereinafter point- I ed out and claimed. a

Reference is hereby'made to in which similar numerals of. designation 1 refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views. i

Figure 1 is a. p ewl ymy imnr'ovd. apparatus Showing the. g before the 1 compound has been introduced therein, the

steam plpes at the bottom thereof, a portion of the conduit,the roller, and steam jacket. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the view shown in Fig. 1, the trough, however, being shown filled with the compound used for saturating the porous wrapping of the conduit. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section of the steam jacket and its connections on line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing, the trough 4 is shown in the form of an elongated rectangular box supported by the legs 6, and is preferably constructed of metal or other material suitable for the purpose. Within the said trough and preferably resting uponthe ofI secure a rod 12 upon which is mounted the idler roll 11. Preferably one end of the said rod is threaded to engage with an opening in the side of said trough and to be affixed and held in proper position by means of the nut 13. The purpose of said roll is to provide a means of positively dipping the conduit into the compound 14, (see Fig. 2). At the outer end of said trough is the guard or shield 15 to protect the conduit from injury'from the rough edge of said trough.

, Upon the opposite end of the trough 4,'is

mountedthe steam jacket 16, secured to the brackets 17, which are bolted to the upper edge of said trough. The said jacket is composed of the cylinder 18, ends 19 and 20,2.

die 22 fitting therein, an ingress pipe 24 and .an egress p pe 25. The end 20'is formed with an opening 21 tapering'toward the interior'of said jacket,'the better to'enable the taperedhead 28 of the die 22 toengage therewith and form asteam tight joint,the

opposite endof said diepass'in through the opening 29 in the head 19 and eing threaded to engage with a nut 27, which serves to draw the head 28 tightly within the opening 21, and which also serves to hermetically close the 'ope'ning'29. Through the use of the tapered opening-'21, I am enabled to use different sizes of dies, which'though of varypreferably ing diameters are formed with heads and shown) being employed to regulate the flow of said fluid. Preferably the trough 4 is constructed of such length that the conduit 23 passing therethrough shall bedeflected as slightly as possible out of the horizontal and straight line of its progress, the purpose being to keep the convolutions of the helical frame of the preferred form of conduit used by the applicant close together in order to revent the admission vof the compound 14 into the interior of the conduit and the consequent obstruction of its bore.

The operation of my invention is as follows :The conduit 23 havingone or more outer coverings or layers of textile fabrlc,

porous cotton cloth, and an interior framework supporting the same, is drawn into the waterproofing and insulating compound 14:, under the roll II, the said compound bein heated to fluidlty by means of the steam pipe 5. The conduit is then slowly introduced into the die 22, inclosed by the steam jacket aforesaid, all surplus compound being removed by the head 28. Preferablya temperature of approximately 300 degrees Fahrenheit is maintained'within the said acket, though the results of my invention may be produced by any tempera-. ture great enoughto cause the compound completely to saturate the layers of cotton cloth and cause them to adhere to each other and to the framework aforesaid. The speed of the passage'of the conduit through the die is preferably timed so that during said passage the said saturation and adhesion will be readily accomplished.

In the preferred form of my conduit, I employ as a basis or frame of the same a flat strip of paper fiber helically Wound to form a tube, the convolutions of said strip not being separated when the tube is held in a straight posit on. Around the said tube I preferably wind a thin tape of porous cotton cloth, the edges of which overlap to a considerable extent, and over the layer of tape I weave or braid a seamless covering of porous textile fabric, the construction of the conduit being of the same general character as that described in Letters Patent No. 456,271 to Herrick, dated July 21st, 1891, for flexible conduits, except that there are preferably no spaces left between the convolutions' of the s iral framework. The said cloth and fabric are preferably so porous as to permit the compound when heated by the steam jacket to freely enter into their interstices as far as the fiber frame, the

convolutions of which being unseparated will not permit the said compound to enter the interior of said tube, though allowing said compound to work slightly into the line of separation between said convolutions. I am thus enabled to use as a waterproofing layer next to the helical framework a cheap cotton tape, and at the same time to unite and cement all parts together so as to give great strength and resiliency to the structure. VVhileI have described the use of said porous covering or layers in connection with a helical or other framework of a flexible electric conduit, I by no means desire so to limit my invention to the use of the same, since it is obvious that my process and apparatus could be used to advantage in waterproofing or insulating the exterior covering or coverings of any flexible electric conductor, conduit or other tubular structure with out departing from the spirit of my invena receptacle-containing waterproofing andinsulating compound and means for dipping the said conduit in said compound, combined with a die for scraping the surplus compound from the exterior of said conduit, said die being maintained at a temperature sufliciently high'to saturate the said wrapping with said compound and to cause the same to adhere to said tubular support of said conduit: v

2. In an apparatus for waterproofing and insulating flexible electric conduits having a supporting tube and a porous outer covering, a receptacle containing waterproofing and insulating compound and means for dipping the said conduit in said compound, combined with an elongated die for scraping off the surplus compound from the exterior of the outer covering of said conduit, said die being inclosed in a steam jacket the temperature whereof is maintained at a degree suflicient to saturate said outer covering with said compound and'to cause the same to adhere to the supportingtube of said conduit.

3. In an apparatus for waterproofing and insulating flexible electric conduits having a tubular support and a porous outer covering, a receptacle containing waterproofing and insulating compound and means for diping the said conduit in said compound, combined with an elongated die for scraping off the surplus compound from the exterior of the outer covering of said conduit, said die 1 here to the said tubular support, andsaid die being detachably connected to said steam jacket and readily removable therefrom.

4. A steam jacket and die for saturating a porous covering of flexible electric conduits with waterproofing compound, consisting of an elongated metal box, one end whereof is formed with a tapered opening therein, the other end having therein a circular opening, a tubular die having at one end a tapered head shaped to engage with said tapered opening, the other extremity of said die passing'through said circular opening and threaded to engage with a nut located on the exterior of said jacket and hermetically sealing the same, combined with means for causing steam to flow into and out of said jacket and to regulate the passage of the same therethrough.

In testimony whereof I havehereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 21st day of March 1910.

CHARLES THIBODEAU.

Witnesses:

HAROLD C. HAsKELL, K. M. SULLIVAN.

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