1978 >> August >> Patent Pages  

Patent Pages
by Ray Klingensmith

Reprinted from "INSULATORS - Crown Jewels of the Wire", August 1978, page 7

Josephus C. Chambers and His Patents, Part One 

This month, part one of a two part story on the Chambers patent insulators and the Chambers National Lightning Protection Co. Part one will consist of information on the lightning protection company, and next month the insulators involved will be covered. I want to make mention at the beginning of this article that Glenn Drummond is totally responsible for the information this month. Without him I would have very, very little to write. Following is information concerning Chambers history from 1877-1889, a list of patents issued to him, and pages from a book (Note: not reproduced) put out by the Chambers Lightning Protection Company in 1879.

JOSEPHUS C. CHAMBERS

1877 Salesman; Barbour, Stedman & Herod (Wholesale Dealers in Foreign and Domestic Dry Goods and Notions), 77 W. Pearl
1878-1889 Superintendent, Chambers National Lightning Protection Co.
1881-1889 Chambers & Co. (Hatchway Doors for Elevators)
1877-1879 Residence listed only as "Newport"
1880* J. C. Chambers, Lightning Rods      h. 15 York, Newport
1882-1883* Jos. C. Chambers, Electrician         h. 173 Taylor, Newport
1884-1885* J. C. Chambers, Electrician             h. 105 Taylor, Newport
1884-1889 Residence listed as "Detroit". No listing after 1889.

* From Covington and Newport Business Directories

JOSEPHUS C. CHAMBERS, U.S. PATENTS

14 Aug 1877 104,220 Lightning-Rods and Insulators
15 Jul 1879 217,634 Pail-Lid or Barrel Cover *1
19 Aug 1879 218,664 Coffee-Crushing Roll
10 Feb 1880 224,504 Insulated Cresting
9 Nov 1880  234,173 Mode of protecting Oi1 Tank from Lightning, or Fire
13 Sep 1881 246,942 Voltaic Battery *2
18 Oct 1881 248,404 Self Closing and Locking Hatchway Door *3
6 Jun 1882 258,989 Attachment for Telephones
31 Jun 1883 282,434 Device for Attaching Roofing-Slates *4
11 Dec 1883 289,890 Telegraph and Telephone Conductor *5
11 Dec 1883  289,891 Telegraph and Telephone Cable *5
21 Jul 1885 322,724 Apparatus for Suppressing Induction Disturbances *6
  322,725  Neutralizing-Coil *6
  322,726 Suppressing Induction *6
  322,727 Induction-Neutralizing Coil *6
  322,728 Neutralizing Induction *6
3 Feb 1891 445,636 Electrical Medical Apparatus
8 Dec 1891 464,768 Suspensory Bandage
7 Mar 1893 492,913 Electric Lamp Lighter
10 Jul 1894 522,727 Electric Lamp Lighter
2 Oct 1894 526,685  Curling Iron and Heater *7

*1 Assigned to Jehu C. Moore, Jacksonville, FL
*2 Assigned two-thirds to J. M. Dodge, Cincinnati, OH
*3 Assigned three-fourths to C. O. Lockard, G. T. Stedman, and G. H. Barbour, Cincinnati, OH
*4 Assigned one-half to W. Pelling, Newport, KY
*5 Assigned part to J. S. Vine, Cincinnati, OH, W. A. Jackson, Detroit, MI, and N. C. Gridlay, Chicago, IL
*6 William A. Jackson and J. C. Chambers assignors to G. H. Lathrop, Detroit, MI
*7 Assigned to R. H. Brown, Detroit, MI

(Note: Article reprints omitted here because of great length and faint print quality.)

So much for this month's article. A real big thanks to Glenn Drummond for supplying all the information.

Next month, Part Two: A Look at the Chambers Insulators.

* * * * * * * * *

"PATENT PAGES UPDATE"

Additional information concerning the April issue on the Emminger's patent and possible link to Paisley: I should have noted in the article that Paisley may not have actually manufactured insulators, but could have supplied molds to a glass house. Information from Don Ward lists a Paisley in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, being the owner of a 'furnace company". Exactly what a furnace company was in those days is unknown to me. Possibly a glass company, iron foundry, brick manufacturer, or just what it says, a company that makes furnaces? If it was a foundry, perhaps S. T. Paisley was just a mold maker and wasn't involved in glassmaking?

George Baird also sent a drawing of an insulator marked PAT APP FOR with a 2 on the skirt. He states it is a three piece mold variety and that it has the "creases" in the top of the pinhole. It's similar to CD 132.2, only it has a more pointed dome.

From N. R. Woodward comes the following information: "I agree with you that they (the Emmingers) were probably made in Pennsylvania, although we have no proof. That state had a great many glass works in those years. But the point I want to make is that doesn't prove anything regarding the origin of the molds. During the years 1872-1877, Boston Bottle Works ads read 'Particular attention paid to private moulds, and furnished where desired.' Oakman is the only one I know of who advertised molds as such, and consistently over a period of years. Samuel Oakman becomes suspect in virtually all of the rim-embossed molds." Mr. Woodward also noted the pinhole cavity in the Emminger is too deep to fit the standard pin and that it is slightly undersize, perhaps requiring a special pin. A very interesting theory! Anyone have an Emminger pin?

I also asked Mr. Woodward if perhaps the Combination Safty covered in the June issue would qualify for a new C.D. number. He stated that, unfortunately, no new C.D. numbers are being granted.

Thanks to all those who responded to the articles.

Happy Collecting!



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