Improvements in and relating to Steam Signal Whistles for Ships.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 28th July, 1893-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Steam Signal Whistles for Ships.
We JOHN WILLIAM SAMPSON, of 75, Derby Road, Nichols Town, Master
Mariner, and THOMAS LEIGH MITCHELMORE, of 31, Derby Road, Nichols
Town, Engineer, both of Southampton, in the County of Hampshire, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to steam signal whistles for ships, for use in foggy weather,
and at other times, and comprises various improvements hereinafter described.
The main object of our invention is to provide for the sounding of a ship's steam
whistle at regular intervals, by means of an apparatus or machine actuated by
steam or other power.
According to our invention we fit near, or attach to, a steam whistle pipe-fitted
in a convenient position preferably near the boiler funuel-a small steam engine,
which operates apparatus or machinery hereinafter described, or similar thereto, so
that steam is admitted at regular intervals into the whistle pipe, below the whistle,
and thereby, in the course of escaping through the whistle, sounds same.
The said machine, according to one form or modification of our invention, consists
of a chamber connected to a face plate provided on the whistle pipe below the
whistle, or the chamber may be cast, or formed in one with the lower part of
whistle pipe, and is supplied with suitable steam inlet or inlets; the engine provided
for operating the said machine turns a disc, eccentric, or cam upon the face of
which near the periphery-we provide a suitably shaped projection, during the
revolution of the disc the said projection lifts a piston or valve rod, a piston or
valve connected to the aforesaid rod works up and down in the aforesaid chamber,
and the steam inlet, or inlets to the chamber, at one part of the stroke of the
piston or valve, is, or are uncovered, the steam is thus supplied to the chamber and
thence to the whistle which is consequently sounded and continues to sound until
the piston or valve, in the course of the revolution of the disc, again covers the
steam inlet, the operation being repeated so long as the engine is in motion.
It is obvious the said engine can be stopped at will by shutting of the steam
supply to same.
The valve or piston may be suitably weighted, or acted upon by a spring, so that
the normal position of the former, in the chamber, is that in which the steam inlet
to same is closed.
The length of interval between the blowing of the whistle can obviously be
regulated by the form and size of the disc, and of the projection upon the same,
and the speed of the engine, and the latter can be regulated by suitable governors.
The disc may be keyed to, and arranged to revolve with the engine shaft, or the
periphery of disc may be toothed and arranged to gear with an endless, or worm
wheel provided upon the engine shaft, or the disc may be otherwise suitably geared
with the engine.
The piston chamber, and piston, or valve may be of cylindrical, or any convenient
form in cross section.
Many modifications may be made in the details of the apparatus without departing
from the distinctive character of the invention.
According to another form or modification of our invention the disc-or its
equivalent during its revolutions causes the seating and unseating of a trip, or
other suitable valve provided on the whistle pipe, below the whistle, the steam
being thus supplied at regular intervals to the whistle, and the latter consequently
Bounded.
As it may be convenient, or even necessary, that it shall be possible to sound a

page_text: steam whistle at other than regular intervals and by hand power, such a sup-
plementary whistle may be provided, or we may provide suitable means for actuating
the valve or piston of our apparatus by manual as well as by steam power, or a
separate valve may be fitted in the whistle pipe to be worked by manual power
whereby the whistle may be sounded at will by the officer in charge.
Dated this 27th day of October 1892.
HERBERT P. BLAKE, M.I.N.A.,
70, High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Steam Signal Whistles for Ships.
We, JOHN WILLIAM SAMPSON, of 75 Derby Road, Nichols Town, Master
Mariner, and THOMAS LEIGH MITCHELMORE of 31 Derby Road, Nichols Town,
Engineer both of Southampton, in the County of Hampshire 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 :-
Our invention relates to steam signal whistles for ships, for use in foggy weather
and at other times and comprises various improvements hereinafter described.
The main object of our said invention is to provide for the sounding of a ships
steam whistle at regular intervals, by means of an apparatus or machine actuated
by steam or other power.
In the accompanying drawings: :-
Fig. 1. is a vertical side view of our apparatus constructed according to one form
or modification of our invention.
Fig. 2. a front elevation of same partly in section taken on the line a, a, with the
front plate a',
removed.
Fig. 3. is a sectional plan taken on the line b, b.
Fig. 4, a vertical sectional view taken on the line b1, b.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts througout the drawings.
A, is a case or chamber, forming with the parts contained within, and attached
to same our complete apparatus, constructed according to the method we prefer to
adopt, the said apparatus is secured-in a convenient position preferably near the
boiler funnel-to the steam whistle pipe.
B, is an annular chamber or cylinder, forming part of, or attached to the case A,
containing a fan C, mounted upon the spindle d; a worm screw d', is formed upon
the said spindle, gearing, by means of the tooth wheel e, and other tooth wheels,
with the spindle, a disc or cam D', is mounted and fixed upon one end of the said
spindle. The said disc will be formed with a projection on its face, or preferably
on its periphery, of a shape as shewn at f (see Fig. 2.). A slide box g, is fitted
at the top of the case A, and a slide valve g', is mounted upon the valve rod n, the
upper part of which is screw threaded, and the valve can be adjusted and fixed in
any desired position upon the valve rod in relation to the port i, by means of the
screw nut g, the valve g', is shewn in position upon the accompanying drawings
with the port i, closed, and steam is supplied to the whistle fitted on the whistle
pipe j, when the port is opened.
When it is desired to use our apparatus so that the whistle shall be sounded at
regular intervals, steam is admitted at the inlet pipe K, into the chamber K', the
cock being first closed; the cock A, being turned on the steam passes through
the pipe m, into the cylinder B at m¹, and impinging against the divisions of the
fan C, causes same to rotate and thereby the spindle d, and the disc or cam D', the
valve rodin, is thus lifted vertically and consequently the valve g', and the port i,
uncovered, thus admitting steam from a supply pipe 9 through the port i, into
the chamber K¹, above the cock 1,-which as before stated is closed-and from
thence to the whistle pipe j and whistle, the steam in the course of escaping through
the whistle sounding same; directly the disc D, has rotated sufficiently so that the
F

page_text: projection f', has past the valve rod n, the latter-carrying with it the valve g₁—
is forced down by means of the reaction of the spring p, which meanwhile has been
compressed, and the further supply of steam to the whistle stopped until the port i,
is again uncovered by reason of the continued revolution of the disc f, the operation
being repeated as long as the cocks ', and P, are kept open. Should the steam
supply to the cylinder B, be cut off and the cock 1, left open, and the port i, left
uncovered by the valve g', continual sounding of the whistle would result, or if the
valve g', was left in position so as to cover the said port and the fan meanwhile
remain stationary, and the cock 1, closed, no sounding of the whistle would take
place; should it be desired to sound the whistle continuously the cocks ', and,
will be closed and I, left open, the steam would then blow through the whistle
sounding same continuously, the steam taking a direct course through the
chamber K.
The length of interval between the blowing of the whistle can obviously be
regulated by the form and size of the disc or cam D', and the projection, upon
same, and the speed of the engine, and the latter can be regulated by suitable
governors.
Many modifications may be made in the details of our apparatus without departing
from the distinctive character of the invention.
If preferred the periphery of the disc may be toothed and arranged to gear
direct with the worm screw d'. In this arrangement the projection f¹, will
obviously have to be formed on the face of the disc.
We do not confine ourselves to making the case A, of the particular form only,
as shewn in the accompanying drawings but it may be made of any suitable shape
and size, and the gearing,-operating the disc or cam, of a kind and suitably
disposed in the case to meet any alteration we may find it desirable to make in the
form of same.
The valve chamber and valve may be of cylindrical or any convenient form
suitable for supplying steam to the whistle the said valve being actuated by the
disc or cam D, in manner as hereinbefore described or similar thereto.
Importance is attached to the provisions made for driving the said disc or cam D',
by means of the steam engine consisting of the cylinder B, and fan C, and other
devices, arranged as specified and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Importance is attached to the form of the projection f¹, on the periphery or face
of the disc or cam D', for the purpose specified.
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 :-
The improved apparatus for use in sounding ships steam signal whistles at regular
intervals, comprising a case or chamber A, with the attached steam engine,
consisting of the cylinder B and fan C; and the disc or cam D', formed with a
projection f¹, upon its face or periphery adapted to engage with the valve rod n,
thereby actuating the valve 9', in manner as hereinbefore specified; and other devices
all constructed and combined substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying drawings and operating as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 27th day of July 1893.
HERBERT P. BLAKE, M.I.N.A.,
70, High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicants.