An IMPROVED COLLAPSING SIGNAL BALL
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Josiah Henry Shoebotham, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Manufacturer, for an Invention of "An IMPROVED
COLLAPSING SIGNAL BALL."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Josiah Henry Shoebothni
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd November 1880.
JOSIAH HENRY SHOEROTHAM, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer. "AN IMPROVED COLLAPSING SIGNAL BALL."
My Invention has for its object the production of an improved collapsing signal
ball which shall most fully meet the requirements of the Board of Trade regulations
of August 14th 1879, whereby steam ships or sailing ships when employed either
in laying or in picking up a telegraph cable, or which from any accident are not
under command
shall by day carry three black balls, each 2 feet in
diameter in front of, but not lower than her foremast head.
For the purpose of meeting these requirements, disc plates have been used at
right angles to each other, and half globes fastened together as well as other
cumbersome and inconvenient devices.
Now according to my Invention, I produce a practically perfect globe very
strong, but also very light, and it has the special advantage of being so constructed
as to collapse into something like, say, one twentieth of its original bulk in the
following manner :-
I take a round metal or other rod and flatten each end so as to make them thin,
through which I punch or drill two round holes, one at each end. This rod is
then bent into a semicircular shape. Five or more of these semicircular rods or
ribs are placed together at their flattened ends and a rod passed through them,
which forms an axis upon which the semicircular ribs turn; this axis rod is provided
with an eye top and bottom for suspending the ball.
These rods or ribs are kept an equal distance apart from each other by a marline
knotted at each rib half way between the two holes, i.e., the marline line takes the
position of the equator lino on a globe. Now supposing there to be eight ribs to
[Price G1

page_text: the ball, this being the number I prefer, the marline would be tightly fastened to
all the eight ribs with loose ends to tie together between the first and eight rib,
thus forming the complete circle passing round the frame midway between its
pivot or pivots. I then make a canvas or other case, which when sewn together
has a large hole left at each end, i.c., the segments of the cover have their ends cut
off so as not to completely cover the frame at the pivots, thus allowing room for
the frame when collapsed to be put inside and opened out to expand the cover
which is made black outside to meet the before mentioned regulations. A suitablo
slot is left in the canvas for the purpose of tieing the marline between the seventh
and eight rib. When these balls are hoisted the openings top and bottom are no
objection to their completeness.
Another mode of making my improved collapsing signal ball is by bringing two
ribs to meet together where they are secured by a suitable pivoted button, but
there is an extra rib required. Take, for instance, an eight ribbed ball, there
would be nine rods, as two come together when the ball is expanded. The canvas
or other cover would in this case be fastened to the eighth and ninth ribs, which
would close together; thus the canvas and frame work would be always together, or
the canvas could be placed inside the frame.
The balls would be loose to turn upon the pivots.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Josial Henry Shoebotham in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd May 1881.
JOSIAH HENRY SHOEBOTHAM, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
"AN IMPROVED COLLAPSING SIGNAL BALL."
Manufacturer.
My Invention has for its object the production of an improved collapsing signal
ball which shall most fully meet the requirements of the Board of Trade regulations
of August 14th 1879, and also November 27th 1880, whereby steam ships or sailing
ships when employed either in laying or in picking up a telegraph cable, or which
from any accidents are not under command
shall by day carry three
black balls, each 2 feet in diameter in front of, but not lower than her foremast
head. For the purpose of meeting these requirements, disc plates have been used
at right angles to each other, and half globes fastened together as well as other
cumbersome and inconvenient devices.
Now according to my Invention, I produce a practically perfect globe very
strong, but also very light, and it has the special advantage of being so constructed
as to collapse into something like, say, one twentieth of its original bulk, in the
following manner :-I take a round metal or other rod and flatten each end so as
to make them thin, through which I punch or drill two round holes, one at each
end. This rod is then bent into a semicircular shape. Five or more of these
semicircular rods or ribs are placed together at their flattened ends and a rod
passed through them, which forms an axis upon which the semicircular ribs turn;
this axis rod is provided with an eye top and bottom for suspending the ball.
These rods or ribs are kept an equal distance apart from each other by a cord or
marline knotted at each rib half way between the two holes, i.e., the marline line
takos the position of the equator line on a globo. Now supposing there to be eight
ribs to the ball, the marline would be tightly fastened to all the eight ribs with
loose ends to tie together between the first and eight rib, thus forming the complete
circlo passing round the frame midway between its pivot or pivots. I then make
a canvas or other case, which when sewn together has a large hole left at each
end, i.e., the segments of the cover have their ends cut off so as not to completely
cover the frame at the pivots, thus allowing room for the frame when collapsed to
be put inside and opened out to expand the cover which is made black outside to
meet the before mentioned regulations.
A suitable slot is left in the canvas for the purpose of tieing the marline between
the seventh and eighth ribs. When these balls are hoisted the openings top and
bottom are no objection to their completeness. Another mode of making my
improved collapsing signal ball is by bringing two ribs to meet together where
they are secured by a suitable pivoted button, but there is an extra rib required.
Take, for instance, an eight ribbed ball, there would be nine rods, as two come
together when the ball is expanded. The canvas or other cover would in this case
be fastened to the eighth and ninth ribs which would close together; thus the
canvas and framework would be always together, or the canvas could be placed
inside the frame. The balls would be loose to turn upon the pivots.
I will now proceed to describe my Invention by reference to the accompanying
Drawings.
Figures 1 and 2 are side elevation and plan showing the frame work of an eight
ribbed frame, and Figures 3 and 4 represents the same frame slightly turned round
upon the axis rod a. Figures 5 and 6 are side elevation and plan of a complete
ball with the cover over the frame work which leaves only a small part of the ribs
to be seen at the two poles. The eight bent rods forming the ribs are numbered
b¹, b², b³, bª, bº, 6º, 67, 63. For the purpose of keeping these rods or ribs equidistant,
a marline, cord, or other equivalent is knotted fast to the ribs b¹, 63, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, bs,
forming seven tension cords between the eight-rods, and the ends of the cord or

page_text: marline are securley tied between ribs 68 and b', indeed, just at the position shown
by the slit c in the covering shown in the frame by side elevation, Figure 5,
and plan Figure 6. The ends of the rods, which are flattened for the purpose of
receiving a hole for the axis rod at, will be clearly seen at a, a, a, on the plans
Figures 2, 4, and 6. One end of one of these ribs is shown in nearly full size by
Figure 17. Figure 7 and 8 shows the frame which is represented by the proceeding
six figures collapsed into such a small space that it can be easily placed inside the
loose cover through one of its open ends, where it is opened out and expanded into
the perfect ball illustrated by Figures 5 and 6.
Figures 9 and 11 are side elevations of my nine ribbed signal ball, which is shown
in plan Figure 10, and also in its collapsed condition by Figure 12.
This is an
important part of my Invention, because the canvas in Figure 12 is always fast to
the frame work and cannot therefore be lost, besides, there is perhaps slightly less
complication in extending the ball from its collapsed condition. In this ball the
nine ribs are marked h and numbered 1 to 9. The rib h¹ closes behind the rib h⁹
and is fastened in that position by the button k, or by means of the marline cord
which can be tied round ribs h¹ and hº. So that in expanding this ball from its
collapsed condition it is only necessary to take hold of rib h' and rib h³, bringing
them up together when the button is turned down or the cord tied and the ball is
completed. The canvas also in this ball is carried up to the poles, thus making a
completely covered ball or sphere. No doubt many persons will prefer this nine
ribbed ball to the eight ribbed one, because it is attached to the cover, and the
skeleton being completely covered, though it will be slightly more expensive on
account of the extra canvas.
Figure 13 shows another mode of attaching the semi-circular ribs to the axis rod
which is accomplished by the use of a ring carrier l, with eyes formed at each end
of the semi-circular ribs; this eye is shown in larger size by Figure 18. Figures 16
are a plan and side view of the ring carrier 7, showing the jump joint m, which is
just closed up after the rods are threaded on to it.
Figures 14 is another ring carrier but having a split joint instead of a jump
joint.
Figure 15 is another ring carrier divided into two independent parts by the
barn, and having two jump joints d and p, which may be split joints or otherwise
when required.
.
Figure 20 is still another mode of making the ring carrier, but similar to the one
shown by Figure 16, only that it can be bent round from one straight bar.
It will be obvious that the body of these balls will be loose upon the pivot or
axis rod, and may therefore turn round by the wind pressure or otherwise.
Having thus described my improved collapsing signal ball which I call "The
Collapse," I would have it clearly understood that I do not confine myself to the
precise details herein set forth as they may be considerably varied without departure
from the principle of my Invention, but what I do claim is,―
The collapsing signal balls herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Josiah Henry Shoebotham, have hereunto set
"
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witnessed by
George Barker,
JOSIAH HENRY SHOEBOTHAM. (LS.)
British & Foreign Patent Agent,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham.