IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' SIGNALS FOR PREVENTING OR LESSENING THE RISK OF COLLISIONS."
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Fitzgerald at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 26th April 1879.
JOHN FITZGERALD, of Victoria Road, Old Charlton, in the County of Kent,
Staff Commander in the Royal Navy, and Harbour Master in the Port of London.
IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' SIGNALS FOR PREVENTING OR LESSENING THE RISK OF
COLLISIONS."
A frequent cause of vessels colliding is the ignorance of those in charge of one
vessel as to the direction that is being steered by another. Now my Invention is
designed to afford clear indications in this respect, so that when vessels are
approaching or are somewhat near one another, thoso respectively in charge of such
vessels may readily indicate to one another any movement or movements, or
intended movement or movements or change of position of the respective helms or
steering apparatus. For this purpose, in addition to the usual port and starboard
lights, I employ apparatus for making port and starboard signals, by means of
semaphores or equivalent moveable objects by day, and the exposure of supple-
mentary port and starboard lights by night.
:-
Apparatus according to my Invention may be conveniently arranged as follows:-
Two semaphores, arms, or levers are arranged at the front of the bridge; these
semaphores, arms, or levers may be of any suitable length according to the breadth
of beam of the vessel. They are pivotted or arranged to turn on pins or axes when
operated as hereinafter mentioned. These semaphores, arms, or levers may be
painted, the port one red and the starboard one green; they are at their outer ends
or parts furnished with corresponding lights, and at their other ends with counter-
balancing apparatus, such as weights, which may work in hollow pillars or columns.
In front of the normal positions of the lights carried by the semaphores, arms, or
levers, I provide stationary screens or means for hiding or obstructing such lights
when the semaphores, arms, or levers are in the normal or downward position,
which may be, say for example, parallel with the deck line. Each semaphore arm
or lever is provided with suitable gear (it may be a ruck and pinion, a worm wheel
and worm, or other suitable gear), so that by turning a hand wheel or handle the
semaphore arin or lever may be operated. Vessels thus fitted may indicate to other
vessels their intended movements, that is to say, for a port helm the semaphore or
arm on the port side may be raised or moved into an angular position, without or
with the red light (according to whether it be day light or not) and for a starboard

page_text: helm the semaphore or arm on the starboard side may be raised or moved in like
manner without or with the green light.
It will be advantageous to so construct and arrange the lamps carried by the
semaphores, arms, or levers, as that they shall remain perpendicular and shall cast
a light somewhat abaft the beam (it may be, say, two points) on either side of the
vessel.
As is obvious, apparatus in various forms may be constructed and arranged to
operate on the principle of my Invention as hereinbefore set forth.