Insulator Historical Timeline! 1910-1919

Key events are noted by approximate date.  Hyperlinks will provide additional information.  Please feedback additional key dates or note any needed corrections.  Dates considered particularly significant are highlighted in red.

• January 25, 1910:  Arthur O. Austin of Barberton patent for a suspension insulator with a ball and socket interconnect.  This suspension patent covers a large portion of the suspension insulators used, even to this day.  It was assigned to the Akron High Potential Porcelain Company which was purchased by Ohio Brass in August, 1910. (US Patent 947,274) -- [Full Patent Text]
• March 19, 1910: The Hemingray Glass Company received Trade Mark No. 79,096:  “HEMINGRAY” for use on ‘electric, telegraph, telephone, cable, street-railway, and floor insulators and break-knobs of glass.’  It was noted that the trade mark had been in use for 10 years.  Link for additional Hemingray information.
• April 5, 1910:  Lloyd C. Nicholson of Buffalo, NY patent for a metal flash-over ring to protect insulators in the event of an electric arc overload.   These rings known as "Nicholson Arcing Rings" were used on some of the early lines from Niagara using the rare M-3890 multipart insulators.  (US Patent 954,329) -- (Additional Patent Image) -- [Full Patent Text] 
• April 12, 1910:  Albert Stadermann patents the "Fire plug" style insulator (US Patent 954,596) -- (Additional Patent Image) -- [Full Patent Text]
• October 4, 1910:  Alfred L. Pierce of Wallingford, CT patent for a two piece clamp-top insulator.  Implemented in porcelain style U-187.  (US Patent 971,785) -- (Additional Image) -- [Full Patent Text]
• June 3, 1911: "The National Glass Budget" reports a company has been organized by Los Angeles business men with a view to engaging in the manufacture of insulators, prism sidewalk lights, etc.  This is the California Glass Insulator Co.
• September 24, 1911: "The Los Angeles Times" reports  the California Glass Insulator Company has secured a site of ten acres for the factory at the corner of Hayes and Anaheim avenues in Long Beach and was in operation by the end of March 1912.  The company to initially manufacture pressed ware such as insulators, prisms, sidewalk lights, and electric light shades.  The company will secure its silica sand from a high grade deposit recently discovered on the Bixby ranch at Horseshoe Bend in Orange county and said to be the only deposit west of the Rocky Mountains.
• January 16, 1912:  John Hilliard Jr. and Charles E. Parsons of Glens Falls, NY patent for a unique rigid suspension insulator made with multiple insulating shells mounted on a rod with two metal ends.  This is quite likely the patent for the recently found suspension insulators made from five CD 314 Hemingray shells.  (US Patent 1,015,229) -- [Full Patent Text]
• October 1, 1912: Charles Marie Edouard Priestley of Paris, France patent for a suspension similar to the "hogs-liver" style.  These have been found in France in both glass and porcelain.  (US Patent 1,039,799) -- [Full Patent Text]
• April 26, 1913: "The National Glass Budget" reports that the California Glass Insulator Co., Long Beach, CA, has closed a contract with the Westinghouse Electric Co. to supply 3,000,000 insulators for telephone, telegraph and electric lines, annually.
• September 13, 1913: "The National Glass Budget" reports the California Glass Insulator Co., Long Beach, CA, is running at full capacity to turn out orders of telegraph insulators for the Southern Pacific railroad, the Western Union Telegraph Co., Sierra Power Co. and other large western institutions. An order of 3,000,000 insulators is to be filled for the Pacific States Electric Co. this year, and the same amount annually for five years.
• January 14, 1914: The California Glass Works, of Los Angeles, CA, was incorporated
• January 31, 1914: "The Los Angeles Times" reports the recently-incorporated California Glass Works has assumed the business and factory of the California Glass Insulator Co., at Long Beach, CA.
• March 31, 1914:  Fred M. Locke patent for boro-silicate glass.  A similar second patent was issued the same day.  This patent has no drawings. (US Patent 1,091,678) -- [Full Patent Text]
• March 31, 1914:  Fred M. Locke patent also for boro-silicate glass. This patent has no drawings. (US Patent 1,091,679) -- [Full Patent Text]
• September 15, 1914:  Edward M. Hewlett of Schenectady, NY patent for a linking suspension insulator.  These were very heavily used in early power transmission.  (US Patent 1,110,934) -- (Additional Image) -- [Full Patent Text]
• August 11, 1914:  Benjiman S. Purkey of Tacoma, WA patent for a twist lock "No Tie" porcelain insulator.  This patent is implemented in U-186.  Although unmarked, the recently discovered CD 207.5 may also have been made to this patent.  (US Patent 1,107,111) -- [Full Patent Text]
• February 2, 1915: Fred M. Locke patent for boron in porcelain.  Fred Locke has had several patents related to this subject.  This patent has no drawings.  (US Patent 1,127,042) -- [Full Patent Text]
• February 2, 1915: A similar Fred M. Locke patent for boron and silica glass insulator composition.  A portion of a clear glass suspension insulator exists with this patent date which looks very similar to Pyrex.  This patent has no drawings.  (US Patent 1,127,044) -- [Full Patent Text]
• May 18, 1915: Robert A. Manwaring and James T. Hessel patent for an insulator design.  This design was implemented in porcelain insulators U-189, 189A and U-189B.  Pieces of a similar glass design were found in the Brookfield dump, so far no CD has been assigned.  (US Patent 1,140,050) -- [Full Patent Text]
• October 12, 1915:  Fred M. Locke patent also related to boro-silicate glass.  This is another in a series of very similar patents with very subtle differences in the claims.  This patent has no drawings.  (US Patent 1,156,163) -- [Full Patent Text]
• August 15, 1916: Harry Hamilton Cochrane of Butte, MT patent for a strain style insulator made of stacking segments together.  This was implemented in the fantastic purple "Cochrane bells" that were found in Montana.  (US Patent 1,194,957) -- [Full Patent Text]
• August 22, 1916:  Walter T. Goddard of Hamilton, Ontario Canada patent for a multipart insulator design.  This design was implemented in several multipart styles including M-3067 and M-4322.  (US Design Patent 49,538) -- [Full Patent Text]
• March 13, 1917:  PYREX trademark is registered by the Corning Glass Works Corporation of New York, registration #115,846.  
• June 12, 1917:  John J. Irwin patent for a saddle top insulator such that the tie wire is at the same level as the conductor.  The patent drawings closely match the CD 210 "Postal" style.  (US Patent 1,229,272) -- [Full Patent Text]
• Sept. 18, 1917:  Louis Fort of Jersey City, N.J. patent for a porcelain and metal two piece clamp insulator for street light drops.  These unusual insulators were made in brown porcelain with a cast metal clamp and mounting. (US Patent 1,240,330) -- [Full Patent Text]
• Dec. 11, 1917:  Harry A. Pharo of Wilkinsburg, PA and William Schaake of Pittsburgh, PA patent for a metal and composition cable insulator.  This patent was assigned to the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co. and was implemented in cast iron and composition for a heavy cable insulator.  These have been found on railway and trolley catenaries.  (US Patent 1,249,820) -- [Full Patent Text]
• May 27, 1919:  Eugene C. Sullivan and William C. Taylor both of Corning, NY patent for a boro-silicate glass including some alumina and sodium oxide.  This patent was assigned to Corning Glass Works and was given the trademark Pyrex!  There are many similarities with this formula and the earlier Fred Locke patents.  No patent Image.  (US Patent 1,304,623)
• July 22, 1919:  Walter T. Goddard of Hamilton Ontario, Canada patent for a multipart insulator design where each porcelain shell makes smooth contact with the next to evenly distribute the stress between the shells, and minimize the stress on the cement joint.  This patent was implemented in a number of multipart designed by Canadian Porcelain, Locke, and Lapp.  Some examples are M-3350, M-3350A, M-3440, M-3530, M-4322 and M-4410. (US Patent 1,311,067) -- [Full Patent Text]

Return to the main timeline page