IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF FASTENING OR SECURING THE TONGUES OR REEDS OF FOG HORNS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Brookes, of Rock Ferry, in the
County of Chester, Musical Instrument Maker, for the Invention of
* IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF FASTENING OR SECURING THE TONGUES OR
REEDS OF FOG HORNS"
Sealed the 30th January 1866, and dated the 3rd August 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Brookes at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd August 1865
I, WILLIAM HENRY BROOKES, of Rock Ferry, in the County of Chester,
Musical Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF FASTENING OR SECURING THE
TONGUES OR REEDS OF FOG HORNS," to be as follows:-
Hitherto the tongues or reeds of fog horns have been secured to the pipes
or tubes by solder. It has been found that such horns after being in use for
a longer or shorter period become deteriorated in tone; that the volume of
sound which they are capable of "giving out" is considerably reduced, and
that they are liable to and do frequently get out of order by fracture of the
solder, to the danger both of ships and the crews.

page_text: The object of my Invention is to improve the tone of fog horns, to render
them capable of maintaining for an almost indefinite length of time the said
improved tone, and to diminish the likelihood of their getting out of order;
and this I accomplish as follows:-
I form or shape the tongue or reed and the pipe or tube of a fog horn in
the usual way, and fasten the former to the latter by plates and screws, or
rivets, or bolts and nuts. In the arrangement which I prefer one or more
plates are placed across the tongue or reed near the rear end thereof, and
such plates are fastened to the pipe or tube by screws which fit closely in and
pass through such plate or plates into the metal of the pipe or reed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Henry Brookes in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd February 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAN
HENRY BROOKES, of Rock Ferry, in the County of Chester, Musical Instru-
ment Maker, send-greeting-
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Der heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Henry Brookes, Her special license that I, the said William
Henry Brookes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Henry Brookes, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter dunng the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully nught make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF FASTENING OR SECURING THE
TONGUES OR REEDS OF FOG HORNS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Henry Brookes, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be fled in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Henry Brookes, do hereby

page_text: declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say) :-
:-
Hitherto the tongues or reeds of fog horns have been secured to the pipes
or tubes by solder It has been found that such horns after being in use for
a longer or shorter period become deteriorated in tone, that the volume of
sound which they are capable of "giving" out is considerably reduced, and
that they are liable to and do frequently get out of order by fracture of the
solder, to the danger both of ships and their crews.
The object of my Invention is to improve the tone of fog horns to render
them capable of maintaining for an almost indefinite length of time the said
improved tone, and to diminish the likelihood of their getting out of order,
and this I accomplish as follows:-
I form or shape the tongue or reed and the pipe or tube of a fog horn in
the usual way, and fasten the former to the latter by plates and screws, or
rivets, or bolts and nuts. In the arrangement which I prefer one or more
plates are placed across the tongue or reed near the rear end thereof, and such
plates are fastened to the pipe or tube by screws which fit closely in and pass
through such plate or plates into the metal of the pipe or reed.
That the details of those constructions of both mouth and steam or other
elastic fluid high-pressure horns which I have found to answer well may be
clearly seen and understood, I have attached hereto a Sheet of illustrative
Diawings.
Figs. 1, 2, and 3 are representations, in side elevation, of a mouth horn,
parts of the case in Figs. 2 and 3 being removed. a is the case; b, the pipe
or tube; c, the reed or tongue; d, plates placed transversely over c and
fastened by screws e to side pieces marked b¹. These side pieces are shewn
as part of b, but it will be obvious they might be dispensed with, and the
screws e be screwed into tapped holes in b.
Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a double-reeded high-pressure horn; Fig. 5
another view in elevation, the upper part of the case being removed; and
Fig. 6 a transverse section of Fig. 4. In these views f is marked on that
portion of the case first receiving the steam or air pressure, say through a pipe
from a steam boiler, bellows, or other machine. 9, the escape portion of the
case; h is a feather or separating piece cast with or secured to g; f, g, and h
in this modification may be said to constitute the pipe or tube; i and 2', the
reeds or tongues shewn of unequal length, so as to render them capable of
giving out an easily distinguishable sound; and 7, plates, through which, as

page_text: well as through the reeds i and i, and the feather piece y, the bolt & is passed,
the said bolt being secured by screwed nut 7.
It will be obvious that in the construction just described, as well as in
mouth horns, rivets or other like fastenings might be substituted, and that by
increasing the thickness of metal at the fastened end of the reeds or tongues
the plates might be dispensed with. The forms and arrangements shewn
however are to be preferred.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and shewn prac-
ticable details, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to any
particular form or relative proportion of parts; what I claim is, in fog horns
with one, two, or more reeds or tongues, securing or connecting the said reeds
or tongues to the pipe or tube, or keeping such reeds or tongues and pipe or
tube in proper position to or with each other, by screws, rivets, or bolts,
substantially as herein described, and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof. I. the said William Henry Brookes, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of January, in the
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
year of
WILLIAM HENRY BROOKES. (L.S.)-
In the presence of
JOHN DAVIES,
Clerk to John T. King,
Patent Agent,
Liverpool.