Electrical insulator having sheds

A composite insulator for high voltage electrical installations, said insulator comprising an interior elongated structural rod of an electrically insulating material, said rod having first and second opposed ends, an outer coating about said structural rod, a plurality of integrally formed sheds extending outwardly from said outer coating, said coating terminating short of at least said first end to thereby provide an uncoated rod end portion, a first end fitting having a recess formed therein, said end fitting having an end wall about said recess, said first end fitting being mounted on said first end of said structural rod such that said uncoated rod end portion fits within said recess, said uncoated rod end portion having an arrangement wherein said outer coating has an axially extending reduced thickness portion adjacent said uncoated rod end portion, a first abutting surface extending between said uncoated rod end portion and said axially extending reduced thickness portion, a second abutting surface extending between said axially extending reduced thickness portion and said outer coating, said end fitting also having mating abutting surfaces formed within said recess designed to abut said first and second abutting surfaces, a bulge comprising an outwardly bulging portion formed in said outer coating adjacent said end wall of said end fitting, said outwardly bulging portion abutting a segment of said end wall of said end fitting with a remaining segment extending beyond said outwardly bulging portion, said outwardly bulging portion being formed when said end fitting is mounted on said first end of said structural rod, said outer coating being formed of a thermoplastic elastomer.