Improvements in Effecting Electric Telegraphic Communication, applicable especially for Telegraphing to Lighthouses, either Floating or on Rocks, at a Distance from the Shore, or for Telegraphing to and from Vessels.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Mar, 1893--Accepted, 8th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Effecting Electric Telegraphic Communication,
applicable especially for Telegraphing to Lighthouses, either
Floating or on Rocks, at a Distance from the Shore, or for
Telegraphing to and from Vessels.
We, WILLOUGHBY STATHAM SMITH, of 13 Courtfield Road, South Kensington,
in the County of Middlesex, Telegraphic Engineer, and WILLIAM PUDDICOMBE
GRANVILLE, of 36 Oakfield Road, Stroud Green, in the County of Middlesex,
Electrician, do bereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our improvements relate to the system of communication described in the
Specification of a former Patent granted to the late Willoughby Smith No. 8159
of 1887.
In this system communication was effected between the sending station and
distant point without their being in metallic connection one with the other.
Two insulated conductors were led say from the shore to the vicinity of a rock
these were coupled at their sea ends to two earth plates or metallic masses, one
submerged on one side of and at a distance from the rock and the other similarly
submerged on the opposite side. On the sides of the rock two earth plates or
metallic masses were submerged and from these insulated conductors were led and
coupled to the terminals of a telephone. With this arrangement when an
alternating or frequently interrupted current was passed through the insulated
conductors from the shore the telephone on the rock was affected and in this way
signals were communicated and rice versa from rock to shore.
We have found that communication can be carried on in this way with one
submerged terminal mass only in the vicinity say of a rock with a single insulated
conductor leading to it whilst the other submerged mass or earth plate is close to
the shore or sending station.
We have also found that the transmission of signals is greatly facilitated by
submerging as near as practicable to the rock a transformer which has its primary
or high resistance circuit coupled to the two insulated conductors from the shore or
to a single insulated conductor and earth plate or metallic mass whilst the ends of
the secondary or low. resistance coil are coupled to two insulated conductors leading
to two submerged earth plates or masses in the vicinity of the rock. The
transformer we construct in such manner that the current in the primary circuit is
transformed down into the secondary circuit from high voltage and low current
to low voltage and high current principally so that the secondary circuit may offer
a path of very low resistance and thus form an easy path for the current from or to
the rock. A transformer may also conveniently be used on the rock so that the
primary circuit-that is that which is connected to the battery on the rock is of
such resistance as will prevent undue current from the battery and yet by
transforming down will produce large current of low voltage in the low resistance
secondary.
Another great advantage in using transformers as above described is that any
permanent current passing along the insulated conductors leading from the
submerged plates (and necessarily there will always be a small amount of current
passing from one to the other) will not affect the receiving instruments and for this
reason when the circuit from the shore is not entirely a metallic one a transformer
may be used at the shore end also.
Similar means to those above described can also be used for transmitting signals
from-the shore or sending station to floating lighthouses or other floating vessels.

page_text: In place also of using telephones as the receiving instruments relays or other
sensitive apparatus may be employed.
Dated this 4th day of June 1892
W. P. GRANVILLE,
WILLOUGHBY S. SMITH,
By Carpmael & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Effecting Electric Telegraphic Communication,
applicable especially for Telegraphing to Lighthouses, either
Floating or on Rocks, at a Distance from the Shore, or for
Telegraphing to and from Vessels.
We, WILLOUGHBY STATHAM SMITH, of 13 Courtfield Road, South Kensington,
in the County of Middlesex, Telegraphic Engineer, and WILLIAM PUDDICOMBE
GRANVILLE, of 36 Oakfield Road, Stroud Green, in the County of Middlesex,
Electrician, 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
statement :-
Our improvements relate to the system of communication described in the
Specification of a former Patent granted to the late Willoughby Smith No. 8159
of 1887.
In this system communication was effected between the sending station and
distant point without their being in metallic connection one with the other.
Two insulated conductors were led say from the shore to the vicinity of a rock
these were coupled at their sea ends to two earth plates or metallic masses, one
submerged on one side of and at a distance from the rock and the other similarly
submerged on the opposite side. On the sides of the rock two earth plates or
metallic masses were submerged and from these insulated conductors were led and
coupled to the terminals of a telephone. With this arrangement when an
alternating or frequently interrupted current was passed through the insulated
conductors from the shore the telephone on the rock was affected and in this way
signals were communicated and vice versa from rock to shore.
We have found that communication can be carried on in this way with one
submerged terminal mass only in the vicinity say of a rock with a single insulated
conductor leading to it whilst the other submerged mass or earth plate is close to
the shore or sending station.
The method of communication may be, as before, by means of a telephone as the
receiving instrument, or by any other sensitive arrangement for instance by an
ordinary mirror speaking galvanometer and ordinary reversing key.
This arrangement is shown by the diagram Figure 1. In this diagram A is the
battery at the shore end-B an ordinary key mechanism for sending reversed
currents through the line-C is a conductor leading to a terminal mass submerged
near the shore or sending station and D a conductor leading to a terminal mass
submerged near to the rock or distant station. This terminal mass may be con-
veniently be a bronze or copper mushroom anchor weighing say two or three
hundred pounds or more having the copper conductor of the cable permanently
secured to it. E lighthouse on the rock. F F terminal masses from which con-
ductors are led to the lighthouse.
The key mechanism B is formed of two parallel finger keys situated between two
fixed bars one of which bars is coupled to one pole of the battery and the other bar
to the other pole-whilst one finger key is coupled to one conductor of the line
circuit and the other to the other conductor. Normally both keys are held by
springs into contact with the upper bar and no current passes but if either finger

page_text: key is depressed current passes-in one direction if one finger key is depressed and
in the opposite direction if the other key is depressed.
We have also found that if the rock is at a considerable distance from the shore
the transmission of signals is greatly facilitated by submerging as near as practicable
to the rock a transformer which has its primary or high resistance circuit coupled
to the two insulated conductors from the shore as shown by diagram Figure 2 or to
a single insulated conductor and earth plate or metallic mass as shown by diagram
Figure 3 whilst the ends of the secondary or low resistance coil are coupled to two
insulated conductors leading to two submerged earth plates or masses in the vicinity
of the rock. The transformer we construct in such manner that the current in the
primary circuit is transformed down into the secondary circuit from high voltage
and low current to low voltage and high current principally so that the secondary
circuit may offer a path of very low resistance and thus form an easy path for the
current from or to the rock whilst at the same time this obviates the necessity of
using a cable having an abnormal weight of copper. A transformer may also con-
veniently be used on the rock so that the primary circuit that is-that which is
connected to the battery on the rock is of such resistance as will prevent undue
current from the battery and yet by transforming down will produce large current
of low voltage in the low resistance secondary. This arrangement is shewn in
Figure 4.
Another great advantage in using transformers as above described is that any
permanent current passing along the insulated conductors leading from the
submerged plates (and necessarily there will always be a small current passing from
one to the other) will not affect the receiving instruments and for this reason when
the circuit from the shore is not entirely a metallic one a transformer may be used
at the shore end also as shewn in Figure 5.
Similar means to those above described can also be used for transmitting signals
from the shore or sending station to floating lighthouses or other floating vessels.
In place also of using telephones as the receiving instruments relays or other
sensitive apparatus such as mirror speaking apparatus may be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:
1. The arrangement substantially as described with respect to Figure 1 for
effecting telegraphic communication with lighthouses or vessels at a distance from
the shore.
2. The arrangement substantially as described with respect to Figures 2 and 3
in which a submerged transformer is used near to the rock or distant point by which
high tension current passed through the cable is transformed down in the secondary
circuit to current of low voltage.
3. The arrangement substantially as described with respect to Figure 4 for
effecting telegraphic communication with lighthouses or vessels at a distance from
the shore.
4. The arrangement substantially as described with respect to Figure 5 for
effecting telegraphic communication with lighthouses or vessels at a distance from
the shore.
Dotad this 28th der of Wah 10nu
WILLOUGHBY S. SMITH.
W. P. GRANVILLE.