IMPROVEMENTS IN SIREN FOG SIGNALS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Maddan, of Herbert and Company, Patent
Agents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SIREN FOG SIGNALS." A communication
from abroad by Felix Brown, of the City, County, and State of New York,
in the United States of America.
Sealed the 29th January 1878, and dated the 14th December 1877.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Horbert John Haddan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th December 1877.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of Herbert and Company, Patent Agents, of 67,
Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SIREN
FOG SIGNALS." A communication from abroad by Felix Brown, of the City,
County, and State of New York, in the United States of America.
This Invention pertains to certain improvements in the apparatus known as siren
fog signals, in which a rotating valve in combination with a reverberator of some
kind, as a trumpet, or whistle, or their equivalent, causes the air to be thrown
into waves of certain definite lengths, whereby certain sounds may be produced, all
of which is well known.
This Invention consists, however,―
1st. In combining two or more sirens or siren valves with one trumpet or
reverberator, in such manner that tones of different degrees of pitch may be given
at certain fixed intervals, whereby definite signals of communication may be given
as will herein-after appear.
2nd. The Invention consists in the combination of a siren or siren valve with a
trumpet and throttle or cut-off valve or mechanism, whereby variable signals may
be given at the pleasure of the operator, as will herein-after appear.
3rd. The Invention also consists in the coinbination of a siren valve with the nir
or gas chamber and throttle or cut-off valve, in such manner that the siren valve
is constantly working under or within the pressure of the air, or gas, or elastic
medium, or whatever may be contained in the said reservoir.
There are also other combinations of mechanism that will appear as special
subject matter in the claims hereto annexed.
It may be here remarked that fog signals, as heretofore inade, have been adapted
for some location on a point of rocks, or in the vicinity of light houses, and they

page_text: are driven by some kind of stationary engine generally in charge of the keeper of
the station. But the Invention herein set forth is so constructed as to be adapted
for use on ship-board and to be driven by hand power, and is therefore made
compact in form and with all the parts combined together in a self-contained
machine for using air as the elastic force.
In the accompanying Drawings, serving to illustrate a convenient manner of
performing the Invention,-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same as seen from above, with the trumpet removed
Fig 3 is a vertical section of the apparatus às 'shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the axis of the rotating valve.
Fig 5 is an enlarged section, the axis of the valve at a right angle to Fig 4.
Fig. 6 is a section through the line A, B, and Fig. 7 is a section through C, D.
At A is represented the base of the apparatus, upon which is located the air
pump at B, with air chamber or reservoir at C. The air pump is connected with
the air reservoir at its lower end by a channel in the base, as at D, and motion is
given to its piston D¹ by a crank at D2 on a shaft D³, which has on each end hand
cranks, as D, for operating it; said shaft is mounted in brackets which project
out from the top of the air reservoir, as at Do.
The siren valve is shown at E, and is cylindrical in form, or similar to a broad
faced pulley, best seen in Fig. 5, where it is shown partly in section and partly in
outline, with a portion of the rim broken away to show how it is mounted in the
bearings. The axis E¹ is mounted in brasses or composition, as at E³, which are
inserted in bosses cast on the inner side of the valve chamber, as at Es, and one
end of the axis extends out through a stuffing box, as at E4, and receives a pinion
wheel, as at Es, to give motion to the valvo. The exterior face of the valve revolves
in close proximity to a seat, as at F, which extends down into the top of the air
reservoir, and through said seat are made the openings that connect with the
trumpet or its nozzle, as shown at F¹.
In the apparatus here shown only two openings are made in the seat for the
purpose of giving two kinds of notes or sounds, and said openings are shown at
Fig. 7, where the upper surface of the seat is represented in a section through C, D,
of Fig. 5 The face of the seat or that next to the valve has its two openings in
rectanuglar form, as shown at f, f', Fig. 7, and there are openings corresponding
in size through the rim of the valve, as at g, g', which communicates with the
interior of the air reservoir, so that as the valve rotates its openings meet those in
the soat. But to vary the sounds or vibrations in the trumpet the spaces between
the openings in the valve are varied, as, for example, those openings at g are twice
as far apart as those at g', consequently the jet of air into the trumpet will be
double as frequent in the one as the other.
Motion is given to the siren valve from the large toothed fly wheel on the crank
shaft, and as said valve and its seat are placed in the upper part of the air reservoir
the air therein when under pressure is constantly exerting its force upon the valve
and the seat to escape into the trumpet, but is prevented from doing so by the two
valves at H, H, that are held down upon the back of the valve seat by springs, as
at h, h, see Fig. 5. These valves resist the outward action of the air pressure
whenever the holes in the siren valve correspond with those in the seat, the springs
being made sufficiently strong to resist the outward pressure to the desired degree
for producing the required force of sound waves; but the said valves also serve as
safety valves to the reservoir whenever the air pressure becomes greater than the
weight of the valves and the resistance of the springs, as it will then open said
valves and escape into the trumpet and thereby give relief to the reservoir, and also
cause an alarm sound in the trumpet, as it will be a combination of both outlets.
But to give the proper sounds, the valves H, H', are raised by arms at K, K¹, that
are mounted, one on the rock shaft L and the other on a sleeve L¹ that surround
the shaft L, both of which are shown enlarged in Fig. 6, and are mounted in a
bearing in a bracket, as at M, fastened upon the exterior of the valve chamber.

page_text: It is evident that by rotating the shaft L, or the sleeve L', one or the other of
the valves will be lifted, and as long as it is held open the air in the reservoir will
escape in a series of puffs or jets proportioned to the speed of the siren valve and
the spaces between its openings. To produce these jets at regular intervals a tappet
arm, as at N, is attached upon the outer end of the rock shaft L, and one is also
upon the sleeve L', see Figs. 1 and 5, and they extend out sufficiently far to come
in contact with pins at Ŏ that are screwed into the rim of a wheel at P; said
wheel being revolved slowly by a worm and gear at R, driven from the crank shaft
by the bevel wheels S. There are two rows of said pins in the wheel P, one for
each tappet, consequently by arranging the pins alternate with each other, as shown
on the wheel P at Fig 1, the outlet or throttle valves will be operated alternately
and regularly as each pin comes in contact; its tappet and the duration of the sound
will be the same, but the pitch or kind of sound will be according to openings in
the siren valve.
Long and short sounds may also be produced by setting the pins at O to a
greater or less distance from the wheel, and a variation in the intervals may also
be given by setting the pins of one row, so that two will act, one tappet to one of
the other, and vice versa.
To give signals at the pleasure of the operator, or, for example, to produce sounds
corresponding to those in the Morse system of telegraphing, or to any signal system
of variable sounds, the shaft L and sleeve L' are furnished with a key to each as T, T,
upon which the operator may press, and thereby open the throttle valves at pleasure
and hold them open, as desired, to give the signal required. When these keys are
used the tappet wheel P is removed, or its pins are set out of contact with the
tappet arms.
The trumpet may be attached to the valve chamber by a disc, as shown, so that
it may be turned around to the direction which it is desired the sound shall
travel.
It is also evident that a whistle or gong may be used instead of a trumpet, or
any other suitable resonator.
It is also evident that the air pump may be separated to a great distance froin
the machine and be driven by some other means, and also that steam or other gas
may be used instead of air without departing from the nature of the Invention.
I claim,-
1st. The combination of two or more sirens or siren valves with one trumpet.
2nd. The adjustable brake wheel or mechanism in combination with one or more
sirens, whereby variable signals may be automatically produced.
3rd The combination with two or more siren valve mechanisms whereby
variable signals may be given at the pleasure of the operator, substantially as
described
4th. The combination of two or more valves and corresponding valve seats with
a single trumpet, as described.
5th. The throttle valve located between the siren and the trumpet, as described.
6th. The throttle valve as a safety valve.
7th. The siren or siren valves combined with the air chamber, and working
therein under its pressure.
8th. The siren chamber, air reservoir, and pedestal combined in one, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert John Haddan, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
H. J. HADDAN.
(L.S.)