John Fay Patents New Insulator Design

Insulator of New Design.

Mr. John L. Fay, of the Union Electric & Power Company of St. Louis, has designed and patented an insulator in which attention has been specially paid to the avoidance of mechanical injury where the wire is clamped to the insulator. A great deal of thought, experiment and money has been expended in the careful design and arrangement of the petticoats, or skirts, of insulators, so as to reduce as much as possible the danger of disruptive discharges from water dripping off the various parts, and to keep dry as much as possible the under surfaces of the petticoats. Nearly all insulators having a metal clamp, set-screw or tie wire, which comes in direct contact with the wire which is supported, result in corroding, kinking or "cinching" the line wire, and if insulation is used upon the wire this results in wear and breakage of the insulation. This weakens the wire where it is attached to the insulator. In the insulator designed by Mr. Fay, which is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, there is nothing but porcelain in contact with the line wire. There is no metallic connection between the wire and the metal clamp, and no loose end of a tie wire which may reduce the insulating effect of the petticoat.

Figs. 1 and 2. — Insulator of New Design.