New curve insulator

TRADE NOTES AND NOVELTIES

AND MECHANICAL DEPARTMENT.

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A NEW CURVE INSULATOR.

THE successful and economical operation of electric railways depends largely on the proper line construction, i. e., on ample strength of all the parts put under strain, and thorough insulation of the trolley wire from the ground. Owing to the weight of the trolley wire the supporting devices must be very strong, yet they must insulate the trolley line from the supporting wires. This is the more true at curves, where the same strain which is too much for an ordinary iron pole is put on the single centre curve insulator. It is not surprising that some of the forms now in use have not withstood so severe a test in practice, and have either lost their insulating properties or have partly crumbled up. Such a fate seems impossible for the new form which we illustrate herewith, the " Treble " centre curve insulator, designed by Mr. Wm. Sharp for the Great Western Electric Supply Co. This is made of iron pieces bolted together and insulated from each other by hard rubber dashers and bushings. As the cut shows, the three rubber bushings are in series, giving a treble insulation. A rubber sleeve fitting snugly over the insulator keeps this dry, so that the three-fold insulation is obtained in all kinds of weather. The sleeve by enclosing the insulation also prevents any possible deterioration of it. The cut does not show this sleeve, but it shows the disposition of the iron and rubber parts, which are made unusually strong and promise to withstand the severest practical tests.

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