Improvements in connection with Sirens. Sirenettes, and like Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Sept., 1899-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in connection with Sirens. Sirenettes, and like
Apparatus.
I, WALTER MAY, of 63, Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention has for object to provide simple cheap and effective means
whereby sirens, sirenettes and like apparatus (hereinafter called sirens) can be
readily and reliably operated from any desired place or controlling station on
board ship.
For this purpose there is used in conjunction with the lever or equivalent part
(hereinafter called the lever) for operating the steam valve of the system, an
operating device capable of being set in action or controlled from the desired
place through an electric connection, the arrangement being such that by vary-
ing the condition of the electric circuit, the lever can be operated in the desired
manner to admit steam to and cut it off from the siren.
According to one arrangement there is combined with the valve operating
lever of the siren an electro-magnetic device the circuit of which is adapted to be
made and broken by a circuit making and breaking device located at the con-
trolling station. The said electro-magnetic device is or may be so arranged that
when its circuit is completed it will move the lever in a direction to open the
steam valve against the action of a spring or weight which serves to move the
lever in the reverse direction to close the valve when the electric circuit is opened.
As will be evident apparatus according to this invention can be readily applied
in cases where it would be very difficult or costly or impracticable to effectively
operate the siren lever from a distance through flexible connections such as wires,
cords or rods and levers.
improvements in connection with Sirens, Sirenettes, and like
Apparatus.
I, WALTER MAY, of 63, Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
-
This invention has for object to provide simple cheap and effective means
whereby sirens, sirenettes and like apparatus (hereinafter called sirens), can be
readily and reliably operated from any desired place or controlling station on
board the ship in which such apparatus is used.
For this purpose there is used in conjunction with the lever or equivalent part
(hereinafter called the lever) for operating the steam valve of the siren, an
operating device capable of being controlled from the desired place through an
electric connection, the arrangement being such that by varying the condition
of the electric circuit, the said lever can be operated in the desired manner to
admit steam to and cut it off from the siren. To this end there is combined with
the valve operating lever of the siren, an electro-magnetic device the circuit of
which is adapted to be made and broken by a circuit making and breaking device
located at the controlling station. The said electro-magnetic device is or may be
so arranged that when its circuit is closed, it will move the lever in a direction
to open the steam valve against the action of a spring or weight which, serves
to move the lever in the reverse direction to close the valve when the electric
circuit is opened.
It will be evident that apparatus according to this invention can be readily
applied in cases where it would be very difficult or costly,, or even impracticable,
to effectually operate the siren lever from a distance through flexible connections
such as wires, cords, or rods and levers.
In the accompanying illustrative drawings, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal. elevation
of the fore-midship portion of a ship showing, diagrammatically, the main features
of an arrangement whereby this invention can be carried into practice. Fig. 2
is a part side elevation, Fig. 3 a plan, Fig. 4 a cross section on the line A A of
Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 an end elevation as seen from the right of. Fig. 3, showing
to a larger scale than Fig. 1, a convenient construction and arrangement of
electromagnetic device. together with the base or lower portion of a siren, and
the lever by which the steam valve thereof is usually operated; the arrangement
of the lever and valve being such as is commonly adopted, except as hereinafter
described.
Figs. 6 and 7 show in elevation and plan respectively, a construction of switch
adapted for use at the controlling station or at each such stations; Fig. 8 is a
detail view..
Referring to Fig. 1, a is a siren -which is or may be of ordinary construction
and is the ordinary lever whereby the steam supply valve of the siren is
operated. is an electro-magnetic device the movable part or armature of which
is connected to the lever b so as to move the same and the valve in connection
therewith in one direction against the action of a spring, or the steam pressure,
which effects the movement of the lever in the reverse direction in the ordinary
way. The coil or winding of the electro magnetic device is connected in series
with two insulated leads or conductors f and g which are connected to the terminals
of a continuous current dynamo or other continuous current dynamo and the
circuit of which is adapted to be closed by a switch at i, or by any one of two
or more switches placed in any suitable positions, as for example in the conning
tower and signal and chart house k, the arrangement of the switches relatively
to the leads f and g being such that the circuit can be closed by operating either
switch as well understood.
With the arrangement described it will be understood that by suitably closing
and opening the switch i, or any one of the switches when there are two or more,
the siren leverb can be readily worked from a controlling station at a distance
therefrom for giving the desired signal..
The electro magnetic device c can be constructed and arranged in various ways.
That shown in Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive comprises a solenoid m fixed within
holder of suitable non-magnetic material, and an armature consisting of a soft
a

page_text: iron core o that is provided with a pole piece p and is adapted to slide longi-
tudinally in the solenoid so that it can be drawn inward when the solenoid is
energised on the completion of its circuit by the switch i at a controlling station.
The armature op is connected to the valve lever 6 by a link g pivoted to the
armature at r and to the lever at s so that the inward motion of the armature
will be transmitted to the valve lever b and cause the steam valve to open and
admit steam to the siren, the movement of the lever in the reverse direction and
the closing of the valve being effected in the ordinary way. The entire device
comprising the solenoid m, armature o p and holder n are supported by a casting
or bracket which is bolted, as at u, or otherwise secured to the lower part of
the casing of the siren. The bobbin on which the solenoid m is wound, is fur-
nished with a screwed projection w which passes through a hole in the rear depend-
ing end portion of the bracket t, to which it is secured by nut and check nuta.
To the said end of the bracket t are also secured pieces of insulating material
on which are mounted the connecting devices z by which the leads f and g are
connected to the ends of the solenoid m.
The switches i can be variously constructed. That shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8,
comprises insulated contacts 1, 2 provided with binding screws by which they
are separately connected to the two portions of the lead g, a contact bar 3 adapted
to make and break connection between the two contacts 1 and 2, a frame 4 which
supports the said contacts 1 and 2 and contact bar 3; a base or bed plate 6 to
which the frame 4 is secured by screws or otherwise, a casing 8 enclosing the
contacts and bar, and an operating key 9 which passes through the top of the
external casing. The contact bar 3 is secured to but insulated from one arm 11
of a bent lever mounted to turn between screws 12 carried by the frame 4, the
other arm 13 of the said lever being connected to one end of a spring 14 the
other end of which is secured to the frame. The free end of the contact bar 3
is bifurcated so as to form a pair of curved springs 15 and 16. The arrangement
is such that by pressing down the arm 11 of the bent lever, against the action
of the spring 14, by means of the key 9, the two ends 15 and 16 of the contact
bar 3 will be caused to simultaneously bear on the two contacts 1 and 2 and so
close the circuit of the electro-magnetic device c (Figs. 1 to 5) through the contact
bar 3, the spring 14 serving to return the bar 3 to the position shown in Fig. 6,
and thereby breaking the circuit, when the key 9 is released. The key may be
prevented from being withdrawn by a collar 17 secured to its inner end.
To prevent the circuit from being accidentally completed at undesirable times,
there may be pivoted to the top of the casing 8 a catch 18 that is formed with
a slot 19 and is adapted to be turned into a position between the casing and a
collar 20 on the outer end of the key 9, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8, so as to then
prevent the key being forced down. The catch may, when desired, be provided
with a lock or other device operated by a key so as to prevent the unauthorised
use of the switch.
As the electro magnetic device herein before described, when on open circuit,
in nowise interferes with the operation of the siren lever b, a mechanical connec-
tion or appliance such as the wire or rope 21 (Fig. 1) heretofore usually applied
to operate the steam valve of a siren, may be retained and used when desired.
The invention herein described will however be found serviceable, as aforesaid,
under conditions in which the application and use of such mechanical appliances
would be found to be inconvenient or impracticable, such as the swinging of
the derrick 22 while the electrical circuit by which it is operated is less likely
to be inadvertently severed than the mechanical connection hitherto generally
relied on to operate the siren.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is: -
1. The combination with the valve operating lever or equivalent part of a siren

page_text: or like apparatus of an electro-magnetic device capable of being controlled from
any desired place or places on board ship through an electric connection, the
arrangement being such that by varying the condition of the electric circuit of
the said device, the lever or equivalent can be operated in the desired manner
to admit steam to and cut it off from the siren or like apparatus, substantially
as described.
2. The combination with the valve operating lever of a siren, of an electro-
magnetic device, one or more circuit making and breaking devices located at
the desired controlling station or stations, and electrical connections between
the said electro magnetic and circuiting making and breaking devices, the whole
constructed arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to and shown in the drawings annexed.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1899.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
40, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.