Improvements in Electrically Illuminated Buoys.
Year: 1898

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by PETER CHRISTIAN Friedrich Hoffmann, of No. 7,
Wilhelmsplatz, Kiel, Prussia, in the Empire of Germany, Merchant.].
Improvements in Electrically Illuminated Buoys.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that class of illuminated or light-buoys, which admit
of being raised or lowered in the water at a distance.
This illuminating-/or light-buoy is formed of a balloon-shaped casing, which
by means of a cable is fastened to a drum and which latter is arranged at the
bottom of the water.
Suitably disposed around the wall of the casing are coloured glasses behind
which, in the interior of the casing, are arranged electric incandescent lamps the
conducting wires of which are united so as to form a cable which leads to a look-
out station on land. From such station various signals can be given to friendly
ships by causing one or the other of these lamps to be connected or disconnected,
provided the buoy is partly above water.
If, on the contrary, the buoy is to be rendered ineffective and at the same
time to be protected from destruction, it is drawn under water by means of
the cable.
For this purpose the before mentioned cable-drum together with an electro-
motor, adapted to rotate in either direction, is arranged in a case at the bottom
of the water and is so connected with the motor-shaft as to turn either right or
left according as the motor is actuated by an electric cable from land. In the
one case the cable, to which the buoy is fastened, is wound around the drum
and the buoy thus drawn down, whilst, in the other case, the said cable is unwound
from the drum and the buoy raised by its own buoyancy.
It is to be noted that, according to this construction the electro motor is
separated from the light-buoy. If on the contrary, as already known, the motor
is arranged in the buoy itself it is no longer possible to raise and lower the buoy
by simply causing a cable-drum to rotate, it is then necessary, that the buoy be
artificially weighted and released by means of the electro motor, which may be
effected by pumping water into or out of the casing by means of the motor. Thus
in this latter case the buoy contains itself an electro motor and a pump-mechan-
ism; it is therefore necessary that the buoy be of considerable size in order to admit
of its being raised in spite of the weight of the machinery, and in such case it is
a very costly apparatus subject to easy destruction, whereas in the case of the
improved buoy, should any part thereof be injured, it can be replaced at a com-
paratively small cost.

page_text: These favourable conditions constitute the main value of this improved electric
light-buoy.
D
1
Ou
1
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Electrically illuminated Buoys.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 improvements in electrically illuminated buoys par-
ticularly of that class, which admits of being raised or lowered in the water from
a distance.
In order that my invention may be more fully understood by those skilled in
the art to which it appertains, I will now proceed to describe the same in detail
and for that purpose will refer to the accompanying drawing which shows a vertical
section of my improved electrical light-buoy.
The improved illuminating or light-buoy is formed of a balloon-shaped casing a,
which by means of a cable 6 is fastened to a suitable drum (not shown in the
drawing) and which latter is arranged at the bottom of the water.
Suitably disposed around and inserted into the wall of the casing a are coloured
glasses or similar transparent plates c behind which, in the interior of the casing,
are arranged electric incandescent lamps g the conducting wires d' of which are
united so as to form a cable d which leads to a look-out station on land. From
such station various signals can be given to friendly ships by causing one or the
other of these lamps to be connected with or disconnected from the electric
circuit, provided the buoy is partly or sufficiently above water.
If, on the contrary, the buoy is to be rendered ineffective and at the same time
also to be protected from destruction by ships belonging to the enemy it is drawn
under water by means of the cable b.
For this purpose the before-mentioned cable-drum together with an electro-
motor, adapted to rotate in either direction, is arranged in a suitable case at
the bottom of the water and is so connected with the motor-shaft as to turn
either right or left according as the motor is actuated by an electric cable from
land. In the one case the cable, to which the buoy is fastened, is wound around
the drum and the buoy thus drawn down, whilst, in the other case, the said cable
is unwound from the drum and the buoy raised by its own buoyancy.
It is to be noted that, according to this construction the electro motor is
separated from the light-buoy. If on the contrary, as already known, the motor
is arranged within the buoy itself it is not possible to raise and lower the buoy
by simply causing a cable-drum to rotate, it is then necessary, that the buoy
be artificially weighted and disburdened or released by means of the electro motor,
which may be effected by pumping water into or out of the casing by means
of the motor. Thus in this latter case the buoy contains itself an electro motor and
a pump-mechanism; it is therefore necessary that the buoy must be of consider-
able size in order to admit of its being raised in spite of the weight of the
machinery, and in such case it is a very costly apparatus and one which is liable

page_text: to easy destruction, whereas in the case of the improved buoy, should any part
thereof be injured or destroyed by an enemy or otherwise it can be replaced at a
comparatively small cost.
These favourable conditions constitute the main value of this improved electric
light-buoy.
As many changes might be made in the construction and relative arrangement
of the different parts without involving a departure from the gist of my invention,
I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction
shown and described but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and
alterations as fall within the scope of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
In light-buoys capable of being electrically illuminated the combination of
a suitable casing provided in its wall at proper places with holes or apertures
into which are inserted coloured glasses or similar transparent plates, of electric
incandescent lamps arranged in the interior of the casing and behind the said
glasses, of suitable electric circuits leading to the incandescent lamps, and of
suitable electrically operated means for raising and lowering the said casing
with reference to the water level, these means for adjusting the position of
light-buoy being separated from the latter and operated as well as the incan-
descent lamps within the light-buoy through electric cables leading to the land,
all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
1511
J
Ontahan 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.