IOTW CD 100
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CD 100 - Insulator of the Week on Wed, 26 Mar 2008
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Details
The front of the CD 100's are embossed either Surge / Reg. U.S. Pat. Off., or Surge/ T. M. Req. Pat. Pend. The rear skirt is embossed Babson Bros. Co. / Chicago U.S.A. Two variants contain spelling errors for Chicago, reading "Chciago".
- PicturePoster #157566322 (embossing error)
- PicturePoster #149367288 (Surge on gate latch)
- PicturePoster #176595712 (Surges on side pins)
Hemingray began production of the Surge insulator in the late 1940s for use on electric fence systems. More details can be found at the following link thanks to the information and research provided by Russ Frank. (Be sure to click on "View Handout".)
These brief comments on the Insulator of the Week are not intended to be complete and are presented to encourage discussion and additional information from ICON. Now it's your turn to share info and/or post photos of your favorite CDs 100 Surges!
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Discussion
Keith Roloson commented on Wed, 26 Mar 2008
PicturePoster #149367288 (Surge on gate latch)
When I read that I said "huh"? And looking at the link didn't help either. I thought maybe it was decorative, as it didn't look "functional". After all, there was no wire on it!
I was going to ask ICON and Russ Frank what it was all about, but saw Russ' PDF link, and there he DOES explain it: "a Safety Gate Latch (a spring type glass insulated gate handle to enable shock-free access in and out of the fenced enclosure)"
Bill Meier commented on Thu, 27 Mar
We believe the full bundle of Surge pins contained 12 pins and no insulators. An example is at PicturePoster #189979659
Andrew Gibson commented on Thu, 27 Mar 2008
Here's another CD that's interesting to wonder who the manufacturer was. What is the current consensus about who made these insulators?
The "REG US PAT OFF" and "T.M. REG. PAT PEND" embossing on these (the CD 100, that is) is ever so typical of Corning, but the drip points are typical of Hemingray. Corning certainly did not make any other insulator with drip points, but virtually all their insulators include "T.M. REG U.S. PAT OFF" or "REG. U.S. PAT OFF" as part of the embossing. Hemingray, on the other hand, did mark some insulators with "REG US PAT OFF" -- though, to the best of my knowledge, just LOWEX insulators.
Kevin Lawless published some correspondence with Babson Bros in the Dec 1985 CJOW that says that they believed that the CD 100s were purchased from the Corning Glass Works. [1]
John McDougald recounts some stories about the CD 100 in CJOW May 2000, and states that they were made by Hemingray [2]
I believe that Woody's "Glass Insulator In America" report also attributes the CD 100 to Hemingray.
Jim White in the July 1973 CJOW shows off a CD 100.2 which was found in the Muncie Dump. It is fairly obvious that the 100.2 at least was made by Hemingray. [3]
One theory is that when Surge originally was looking for a manufacturer, they contacted both Hemingray and Corning. Hemingray produced the CD 100.2 as a prototype, but this is not the style that was chosen. Instead, the CD 100 from Corning was chosen, and Corning then produced the insulator. Of course, it's possible that the 100.2 was an original prototype, and that the 100 was then produced by Hemingray after making changes to the original design.
Also of interest, there has been a rumour floating around for many a year in regards to a box of CD 100s that are embossed with an Owens Illinois marking (or is it that the box is marked Owens Illinois?). Just a rumour, of course, but if found to be true, that would fairly definitively answer the question!
Bob Stahr commented on Thu, 27 Mar 2008
Considering shards of both CD's of Surges were found at various times at known Hemingray dumping locations, I would say they were certainly produced at the Owens-Illinois Glass factory (formerly Hemingray). I suspect the letter from Babson mentioning Corning is just an error, maybe the author was thinking Owens-Corning instead of Owens-Illinois, or were plain guessing.
I own an original cardboard box full of the CD 100's. I'll try to take a picture this evening. I'll check the second box that our club owns as well.
Russ Frank commented on Fri, 28 Mar 2008
I have to agree with Bob, both of my cases of Surge insulators read = Owens-Illinois and are dated 1955.
Seems more like a mistake on the writers part.
Bob Stahr commented on Fri, 28 Mar 2008
Both of mine are 1955 also. I wonder if there are any earlier?
Bob Stahr commented on Fri, 28 Mar 2008
I posted a few pictures of a rather beat up box of Surges. Our club uses these on our display stations to rope off exhibits. Many of you may have seen the set up at Wheaton, Springfield, OH, or some other midwestern shows.
There is no doubt in my mind that they are Owens-Illinois (Hemingray) products.
Bill Meier commented on Fri, 28 Mar 2008
Compare
with
Hmmm... Very similar!
And a shipping label to CENTRAL SURGE SERVICE
