To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED M. LOCKE, of Victor, in the county of Ontario, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Insulators, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to insulators which are provided with a projecting threaded shank adapted to attach them to across-arm, either on the upper or lower side, and in which provision is made to reduce the actual bearing of      said shank in or against the walls of the cavity in the insulating material, and in which this material is provided with skirts and also with a skirt-cover when the insulator is pendent from the cross-arm.

My object is to produce a more perfect insulator not affected by storms of rain or sleet, in which the shank is more securely fastened in the insulating-cap and its metallic contact therewith is reduced to a minimum, in which the insulating-cap is provided with skirts to prevent the flow of electricity from the wire over the wet exterior of the cap onto the shank and in which when the insulator is pendent from a cross-arm a cover is provided to protect the skirts and keep them dry.

My invention consists in the several novel features of construction and operation hereinafter described, and which are specifically set forth in the claims hereunto annexed. It is constructed as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which--

Figure 1 is a side elevation of part of a cross-arm provided with two of my insulators, one upright upon it and the other inverted and pendent from the under side thereof and provided with a cover to protect the skirt face of the insulating-cap fitting around the shank. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of the insulator and cross-arm shown below said arm in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a like view of the insulator shown upright upon the top of the cross-arm in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a top plan of the insulator skirt-cover, showing the shank through it in cross-section on the line of the lower face of the cross-arm in Fig. 2.  Fig 5 is a cross-section of the shank on line x x in Fig. 3, showing the chamber therein.

A is the insulating-cap, constructed of glass, mica, or other non-conducting material and provided with a central recess 1 and multiple skirts 2, created by the concentric grooves shown between them in the larger end of the cap. 

Its exterior surface is provided with a circumferential groove, as shown, to receive the wire.

B is the metallic shank, having one end cylindrical, or substantially so, and threaded for securing the shank to the cross-arm, having a flange or shoulder 3, which bears against the cross-arm and gives lateral support, and having its outer end channeled longitudinally from the shoulder or adjacent thereto to the extremity and also having the ridged edges thus created threaded or corrugated transversely.  This channeled end of the shank is inserted into the recess in the cap and secured therein by melted sulphur or wax or other material poured In around it, filling said channels for part of their length -- say one half -- and also filling the threads or corrugations the ridges and rigidly securing it in the cap.

When mounted upright upon the cross-arm, the skirts operate in the usual manner to increase the insulation and protect that end of the cap from water or sleet; but when inverted and pendent from  the cross-arm the skirt-grooves would operate as so many cups to hold water, and to keep out this and to protect the skirts.  I use the cover C, consisting of a concavo-convex piece of insulating material perforated centrally to receive the cylindrical end of the shank up to the shoulder thereon and this cover is secured in place by said shank and its shoulder, and its edge overhangs the cap and the skirts thereon and effectually shuts out the water from that end of the cap.

It will be evident that I can thread the shank as a wood screw, as shown, or in any other manner desired and can also omit the corrugations in the ridges upon the end inserted into the cap.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is--

1. An insulator shank having one end pointed and threaded and the other end solid and channeled longitudinally.

2. An insulator shank having one end threaded and the other end solid and channeled longitudinally and corrugated transversely and provided with a central flange.

3. The combination, with an inverted insulator- cap and its supporting-shank provided with a flange, of a concavo-convex cover inclosing part of the cap and secured by the flange engaging under it and the shank passing through it.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of June, 1891.

                  FRED. M. LOCKE

In presence of:

Z. C. CURTIS,

G. R. SEARL.