Cross-Arm and Pin Protector

Reprinted from "INSULATORS - Crown Jewels of the Wire", January 1984, page 28

Mr. & Mrs. Jack Snyder sent us the following article from the 1913 Telephone Engineer magazine.

Cross-Arm and Pin Protector

Indirect losses from line troubles and direct losses through repair expense on decayed pins and crossarms, amount to a considerable item. Telephone men, therefore, will be interested in a cross-arm and pin protector recently devised and patented by Henry G. Newell of the People's Consolidated Telephone Company, Rome, Pa. The invention is a device for preventing water from entering into the joint between the cross arm of a telegraph pole and the pins which are mounted thereon. By thus preventing moisture from getting into the said joints it is found that the life of these members is greatly increased. 

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of a cross arm and pin, with the improved protector attached. Fig. 2 is a side view of the protector. Fig, 3 is a perspective view of the same. Fig. 4 is a slightly modified form of the protector.

In the drawing, 1 is a wooden cross arm such as is commonly used on telegraph and telephone poles, a wooden pin 2 being shown connected thereto and having the usually lowered portion 3 extending down into a hole in the cross arm, all of which is of the usual form and construction.

The protector as shown in Fig. 1, is placed between the shoulder of pin 7 and the upper surface of the cross arm and consists of a flat thin body portion 4, around the outer edge of which is the downwardly extending flange 5, said flange terminating in a knife-like or saw-tooth edge so that the flange may be readily driven into the wooden cross arm as shown in Fig. 1. The body portion 4 is provided at its inner edge with an annular upturned flange 6 which flange has at its extremity a knife-like edge which may also be serrated as shown in Fig. 3. By thus constructing the flange 6, it is readily driven into the wooden pin 2. 

A somewhat modified form of protector is shown in Fig. 4, in which the flange 6 is somewhat elongated and is adapted to fit over the pin 2. Its extreme edge is adapted to be bent against and driven into the pin.

Details of Cross Arm and Pin Protector

By the use of this protector, water and moisture is prevented from entering between the pin and cross arm, thereby preventing the premature decay of both pin and cross arm and lengthening the life of each at its most vulnerable point.