Improvements in Appliances for Signalling at Sea.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1894
Commista Cuacification
Loft 0th Aug 1805 Accented
9th Nov
1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Appliances for Signalling at Sea.
We, WILLIAM HENRY OWEN of 18, Moorgate Street, London, E.C. Naval
Officer, and GEORGE DUNDAS of 64 Denzil Avenue, Southampton, Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved apparatus by which ships may signal to
each other on passing at night.
The arrangement we propose to employ consists of a series of lights which are
suspended from the mast head or from some elevated point of the ship. These
lights are preferably eight in number, and alternately red and white, and by an
arrangement of these lights it is possible to signal any message that may be
required. For this purpose we employ electric lights, which can be cut off or
turned on instantly, and a series of wires leading from each lamp passes to an
apparatus on the deck, or in any convenient position, permitting it to be operated
by the person in charge of the signalling.
This apparatus consists preferably of a cylindrical case, round which are arranged
sets of contacts in communication with the wires passing to the lamps, one set of
contacts being used for each letter or sign employed. A contact making device
connected with an arm or handle is employed, which on turning the handle to the
required letter or sign. will make contact with the contact piece belonging to the
said sign, turning on the corresponding lamps according to the recognised code.
A. signal can thus be given by moving this arin successively to the different letters
or signs which are marked on the dial.
Deted this 9th day of November 1894.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.
We, WILLIAM HENRY OWEN of 18, Moorgate Street, London, E.C. Naval
Officer, and GEORGE DUNDAS of 64, Denzil Avenue, Southampton, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to an improved apparatus by which ships may signal to
each other on passing at night.
The arrangement we propose to employ consists of a series of lights which are
suspended from the mast head or from some elevated point of the ship. These
lights are preferably eight in number, and alternately red and white, and by an
arrangement of these lights, it is possible to signal any message that may be
required. For this purpose we employ electric light, which can be cut off or
turned on instantly, and a series of wires leading from each lamp passes to an
apparatus on the deck, or in any convenient position, permitting it to be operated
by the person in charge of the signalling.

page_text: This apparatus consists of a case, in which are arranged sets of contacts in
communication with the wires passing to the lamps, one set of contacts being used
for each letter or sign employed. A contact making device connected with an
arm or handle is employed, which on turning the handle to the required letter or
sign, will make contact with the contact pieces belonging to the said sign, turning
on the corresponding lamps according to the recognised code. A signal can thus
be given by moving this arm successively to the different letters or signs, which
are marked on the dial.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference is had to
the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a vertical section, and Fig. 2 a plan of the case with the apparatus used
for transmitting signals, the connections to the lamps being shown diagramatically
in Fig. 2.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the main part of the apparatus, Fig. 4 is a section,
and Fig. an underside view of the same, and
Figs. 6, 7 and 8, are respectively a plan, underside view, and side elevation of
the disc used in making the connections.
A is the case enclosing the apparatus provided with the hinged cover or lid a.
This case is shown of rectangular form, but may be of any other shape found
desirable. A partition a' is provided in the case dividing it into two parts, in the
larger one of which the transmitting apparatus is contained, the smaller compart-
ment serving to hold the lamps and connections when they are not in use, the
complete signalling apparatus being thus contained in the box. The contact
making device consists of a disc B cast or otherwise formed with the projec-
tions b on both faces, these projections or raised surfaces being formed concentric
with the disc.
In the arrangement shown four series of raised surfaces are used on each side,
forming contacts for eight lamps when applied in the manner hereinafter described.
The disc is carried by the cross pieces C which extend across the box and are
supported at each side by brackets or supports c, upon which their ends rest. The
disc is provided with the large tubular spindle D, which is carried in bearings in
the cross pieces C, thus permitting the disc to turn freely. To the upper side of
the dial spindle the handle arm E is fixed by means of a set screw or in any other
suitable manner, and the handle is used to revolve the disc B when desired. At
the upper side of the apparatus the dial plate F is screwed to the top of the
partition a' and to the sides of the box. This dial is formed with the central hole
or perforation through which the end of the spindle D can project, so that the
handle E is situated immediately above the dial, the arm being close to its surface.
This dial is marked with the letters of the alphabet on its upper surface close to
the periphery, and a series of small perforations" is formed, one for each letter,
at equal distances apart. The handle is formed in two main parts, the upper
part E which is grasped in the hand, being loose upon the steine provided at the
end of the handle arm. The part E is turnished with the pin e' which passes
through the lower part of the handle and when E is pressed down can enter into
anyone of the holes in the dial F. This arrangement ensures that the parts are
in the proper relative position for giving the required signal, the pin e holding
them in this position until the handle is moved to another letter.
The lower part of the handle E' which forms a sleeve is connected to the end of
the lever G, supported in a bearing formed by a lug on the upper side of the
handle arm E. The other end of this lever is connected to the pin g
which passes
through the centre of the dial spindle D, and is connected at its lower end to the
contact making lever II. This lever is formed with the contact making ends h
formed by means of metal strips, or in any other suitable manner. This lever
makes contact with either of the two pairs of the contact pieces J, J' or K, K₁
when the handle is raised. As shown in Fig. 1 the contact is made between the
two pieces J, J, but when pressed down so that the pin enters into the perfora-
tions in the dial plate, the contact pieces K, K' are connected by the lever,

page_text: signalling through the signal lamps in the manner hereinafter_described. The
cross pieces C serve to carry the two series of contact pins L, L', one set being
situated above the disc B, and the other below. The springs 1, bear upon the
tops or heads of these pins, pressing them towards the disc, the heads limiting the
motion in the sockets carrying them. Each spring is connected at its end to a
terminal or binding screw P, 13 connected to the signalling lamps, each spring and
contact pin being connected to a lamp, the upper side being used for the white
lights, and the lower for the red. The contact pins are intended to make contact
with the plate B when the projections 6 register with them. The pins are prevented
from projecting sufficiently far to touch the plate at its recessed surfaces, so that
those recessed portions of the plate immediately under or over the pins when the
disc is turned to any given letter on the dial, do not make contact, and therefore
the corresponding lamps are not supplied with current. Thus any number of the
red or white lights up to four may be turned on, and permutations of the red and
white lights employed according to the signal desired.
luside the top or cover of the box is placed a lamp M with wires m passing on
each side to the hinges m', m². The hinge m is connected to the spring contact
pieces J by the wirej. J¹ and K' are also connected together by the wire K and
the wire connects the contact J¹ to the cut off N. The current generator or
battery is connected to the terminals o, of which are fitted at the side of the
box, the terminal o being in contact with the hinge m². Thus when the apparatus
is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the current passes through the lamp M,
causing a light to appear inside the box. This indicates that no signal is at that
moment appearing on the mast head or in the position in which the signals are
required. When in this position the current passes from the generator through
the terminal o', the wire ji (contact of course being made at N) thence to J,
through the end of the contact lever H to J, through the wire to the hinge m²,
thence through the lamp M to the terminal o, and back to the generator.
When the handle E¹ is pressed down and the lever H takes up the dotted
position shown in Fig. 1, the contact between the spring pieces J, J' is broken,
and the current shut off from the lamp M.
The arrangement for signalling is shown diagramatically in the plan view Fig. 2,
the four sets of lamps P, P being shown at the side. These lamps are arranged
in pairs, the upper one P being red and the lower P¹ white, one only of each pair
being used in any given signal. These lamps are connected by the wires p, p² to
the terminals 12, 13, a single return wire p² being employed, this wire passing to the
terminal o from the hinge m' in connection with the same. The contact piece K is
connected as shown in Fig. 5 with the spindle of the disc B.
When the end is
pressed down and the lever H caused to make contact between the two contact
pieces K, K', the lamp M is shut off as before described, and the signals P, P¹ are
illuminated. The current passes as follows:-
From the generator O to the terminal o', through the wires j & k to the contact
piece K'; through the end of the lever H, through the contact piece K and
thence to the disc B. The current then passes through those of the contact
pins Land L which bear upon the raised surfaces of the disc, through the
springs or and the wires p, p¹ to the lamps, thence through the return wire p² to
the terminal o, and back to the generator.
l
The return wire must be of sufficient size to carry current for four lamps, as in
the ordinary arrangement only four lamps at most would be employed at one time.
The dial shown does not include all the letters of the alphabet, but if found necessary
these might be included, and other signs which are found desirable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
(1.) An improved apparatus for signalling at sea at night, consisting of a set of
signalling lamps connected to an electrical apparatus fitted with a dial or other

page_text: arrangement, and contacts adapted to illuminate the lamps in accordance with the
desired signals, substantially as described with reference to the drawings and for
the purposes specified.
(2.) An improved apparatus for signalling during night at sea, consisting of a
series of lamps of different colours connected to an electrical apparatus furnished
with a dial, having the signalling letters marked upon it, contact pieces connected
with the lamps, and a contact making device fitted with an indicating arm or
haudle which is turned to the required letter or sign, illuminating the corresponding
lamps according to the code employed, substantially as described with reference to
the accompanying drawings and for the purposes specified.
(3.) The improved apparatus for use in signalling at sea during night, consisting
of a set of lamps, electrical apparatus connected with the said lamps and means for
making the required contacts in accordance with the signal, substantially as
described and shown in the drawings, and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 9th day of August 1895.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicants.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicants.