DIVERTING ELECTRICITY

Evening Star, Issue 19775, 27 January 1928, Page 4

DIVERTING ELECTRICITY

A HEW GABLE CONNECTOR LOCAL MAN'S INVENTION The work of electric linesmen is generally accompanied by a certain amount of danger and considerable inconvenience. This state of affairs is part y accounted for by the fact that, while working with live wires and diverting electric currents from the main line, say, to a house, those workers, who all the time are handling the wires aloit, are compelled to juggle with tools and various loose parts of the cable connectors which are at present in use. in order to obviate this danger and inconvenience, a local sheet metal worker, Mr A. H. Moorhouse, has spent many thoughtful hours drafting out the plans for a one-piece cable connector which will be perfectly simple to work with. A specimen of the new device, complete in every way, was seen by a ‘Star ’ reporter this morning. ft is made of brass, and it has a screw which, by pressing on a wedge, causes sufficient contact to be made to allow the current to be conveyed from the main wire to the branch line. The screw has a hexagonal nut which is easily turned by a pair of pliers, and so much pressure can be applied that the contact is absolutely perfect. Then a lock nut is given a turn, and the whole is one complete piece. The main benefit to be derived Irom use of the connector arises from the fact that the whole device is so put together that nothing can come asunder, and, since there are no loose parts whatever, it will be very convenient to handle. Another point in its favor is that there is something like an inch contact available from the very smallest size in use. Then, again, when joints for house services are made by twisting the service wire round the main and then soldering the joint, the Moorhouse connector can be used Instead of soldering. Altogether the device is very neat and serviceable, and when once it is known to electrical engineers its use should become universal. Mr Moorhouse has received notice that his application for a patent lias been accepted. Mr A. Davies, the electrical department’s overhead reticulation expert, wall give the new connector a trial at an early date.