To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SCOTT C. CUTTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oswego, in the county of Kendall and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Insulators, (Case No. 1,) of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to electrical insulators, and particularly to a class of insulators adapted for application to the trunk or limbs of a tree to support a wire leading through the tree and to insulate the tree against the destructive effects of any currents which may flow through the wire.

My invention has for its object an improved insulator which may be securely attached to any part of a tree in a manner not injurious to the tree and which affords a simple means whereby a wire may at all times be retained by the insulator without being tied or otherwise fastened thereto to allow the insulator to move relative to the wire so that the wire will not suffer strains as the tree sways back and forth.

My improved insulator is particularly adaptable where it is desired to support wires running through trees and where it may be impossible or undesirable to set poles, also where a plurality of wires run through a tree and it is desired to prevent such wires from crossing or touching each other during a wind.

In general the insulator may effectively be employed whenever it is desired to allow relative motion between the insulator and supported wire and wherever it would be injurious or objectionable to use screws or other penetrating means for securing the insulator in place.

I shall describe my improved insulator and its construction more clearly with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which--

Figure 1 is a front view.  Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3 is a top view. Fig. 4 shows a modification.' Fig. 5 is a back view thereof.

The insulator is composed of insulating material, preferably glass, and has primarily the shape of a short half-cylinder.  Extending preferably, about through the middle of said insulator in an axial direction is a bore or hole 1, through which the wire to be Supported passes.  A narrow slot 2 extends vertically downward into said bore 1 to provide an entry means for a wire into said bore and divides the insulator into a body portion 3 and a hook portion 4.  The lower edges 5 and 6 of said slot 2 are extended downward into bore 1 to form retention-pockets 7 and 8 for preventing the wire from entering slot 2 to leave the insulator.  The head 9 of the body portion 3 is rounded into said slot 2 to afford a smooth guiding surface for a wire into said slot.  The slot-face 10 on the hook portion 4 protrudes far enough above the rounding of the head 9 to further guide the wire into the slot and to prevent it from going beyond the slot, and thus falling from the insulator.  To strengthen the hook portion 4, I preferably extend a rib 15 along the entire length thereof.

As a means for fastening the insulator with out the use of nails, screws, or the like I preferably provide holes 11 and 11' through the upper and the lower part of the body portion and parallel to the bore 1, through which holes a tie wire or rope may pass to secure the insulator against the object to be insulated--for example, the limbs of a tree.

The insulator has, preferably, a cylindrical back 12, adapted, preferably, to fit an average circumference, said back 12 having preferably vertical corrugations or ridges 16 to give a more secure hold and principally to prevent the

insulator from sliding around the  circumference of a pole or limb on which it is supported.

The edges of the bore 1, pockets 7 and 8, and hole 11 are well rounded to avoid chafing or cutting of the wire to be supported and of the tie wire or rope securing the insulator to its support.

The slot 2 may be made of any width, but preferably just wide enough to allow the wire to be supported to comfortably pass there-through.

It may sometimes be necessary or desirable support the insulator by means of nails, screws, or the like, and to enable this I may provide the insulator with two lugs 13 14 on the body portion 3, said lugs being apertured to receive a nail or screw, the insulator being thus adapted for either mode of support.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent--

1. An insulator composed entirely of insulating material and having a corrugated back, a horizontal bore, and a vertical slot leading to said bore, the bead of the insulator being rounded into said slot, the lower edges of said slot extending into said bore to form retention-pockets, substantially as described.

2. An insulator composed entirely of insulating material and having a corrugated back, a horizontal bore, a vertical slot leading to said bore the head of the insulator being rounded into said slot, the lower edges of said slot extending into said bore to form retention-pockets, and means whereby said insulator may be secured to a support, substantially as described.

3. An insulator having a body portion with a corrugated back, a hook portion, a slot between the end of the hook portion and the body portion, the lower edges of said slot extending into the bend of the hook portion to form pockets, the upper edge of said slot on the body portion being rounded, the other edge remaining to form a guide, and means whereby said insulator may be secured to a support.

4. An insulator having a body portion with a corrugated back, a hook portion, a slot between the end of the hook portion and the body portion, the lower edges of said slot extending into the bend of the hook portion to form pockets, the upper edge of  said slot on the body portion being rounded, the other edge remaining to form a guide, and a hole through said body portion whereby the insulator may be tied to a support, substantially as described.

5. An insulator composed entirely of insulating material and having a corrugated back, a horizontal bore, a vertical slot leading to said bore the head of the insulator being rounded into said slot, the lower edges of said slot extending into said bore to form retention-pockets, and holes through said insulator for receiving a wire, whereby the insulator may be tied to a support, substantially as described.

6. An insulator having a body portion 3, with a corrugated back 12, a hook portion 4, a vertical slot 2 between the end of the hook portion and the body portion, the lower edges 5 and 6 of said slot extending into the bend 1 of the hook portion to form retention-pockets 7 and 8, the head of the insulator 9 being rounded into said slot, the other edge 10 of the slot remaining to form a guide for the wire into said slot, and holes 11 11’ through said body portion for receiving wires whereby the insulator may be tied to a support, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 1st day of December, A. D. 1902.

      SCOTT C. CUTTER.

Witnesses:

LYNN A. WILLIAMS,

HARVEY L. HANSON.