OTK Insulators, Osaka, Japan 

First let me tell all you collectors out there how much I sincerely thank you for your letters asking questions, giving information, offering insulators for my collection, and just plain ol' encouragement! That makes it all worth while. Keep them coming. One letter came all the way from West Germany. Delores and Wayne Dixon are collectors who are presently living over there where Wayne is the Market Manager (Europe) for P.T.T. and Public Radio Systems, a communications division of Motorola, Inc. They have managed to put together quite a collection of insulators from Europe, the Seychelle Islands, Kenya, and the island of Jersey. They have asked me to tell you that they have some spare German Bundesbahn (railroad) insulators they would be willing to trade, and have invited any collectors who happen to be in the Frankfurt, West Germany, area to contact them. Their address is: Wayne and Delores Dixon, Mosbacher Str. 5. 62 Wiesbaden, West Germany. (What's that you say? Your kingdom for a private airplane?) 

Now, on to other things! and again, my thanks to Lu Farin of Decatur, Texas, for the loan of one of her insulator catalogues from Japan. You know "insulators from Japan" is a pretty broad subject. There is no way to cover it all in one article. So next month I'll tell you about NGK insulators also manufactured in Japan. And quite honestly I have several others in my collection that are made in Japan, because they say so, but with quite a variety of markings that I know nothing about. There are bound to be collectors out there with Japanese porcelains on their shelves who could shed some light on the subject, so when I list these next month I would appreciate some help with this. 

The OTK plant -- OSAKA TOGYO KAISHA, Ltd. - is located in Osaka, Japan, and was founded in 1920. Its first success came with the manufacture of 10" suspension insulators used on 154 KV transmission lines. Since then OTK has concentrated its efforts to produce the best insulators possible for each particular requirement through a combination of constant research, strict quality control, and improved production methods. The majority of its insulators are fashioned from white or dark brown porcelain, with any metal caps, when necessary, made from black heart malleable cast iron and ball pins of forged steel. Insulators are marked with the OTK logo. 

OTK presently supplies insulators and apparatus bushings ranging in capacity from low and high voltage to extra high voltage to electric power companies, machine and appliance manufacturers, and national and private railways of Japan. It also exports its products to more than 20 nations. OTK produces insulators for power stations, sub stations, power transmission lines, power distribution, electric instruments, and for all kinds of broadcasting. Since the catalogue is 3/4" thick and pictures several different variations and sizes of each type of insulator, I will include only a typical example of each.

Pin type insulators: Under this rather large grouping, OTK includes pin hole sizes according to American, British, or Australian standards, depending on requirements. 

Suspension insulator Ball and socket type

Cable and pin type

Suspension insulator Clevis and tongue type

Shackle insulator

Strain insulator

Long rod insulator

Line post insulator

Station post type

Spool