Improvements in Electrical Signalling Apparatus, especially designed for Signalling at Sea.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1890-Accepted, 16th May, 1891
Improvements in Electrical Signalling Apparatus, especially
designed for Signalling at Sea.
I, AMBROSE BARKLEY WYCKOFF, of 3107 N. Street, in the City of
Washington, District of Columbia, Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to provide efficient means for causing the
flashing of an electric light for signalling, and this object I attain in the manner
hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in
which
Figs. 1, 2 and 3, are diagrams illustrating the operation of my improved
signalling apparatus; and
Fig. 4, is a sectional view of the same.
It is a desideratum to employ electric lights in many cases for signalling
purposes, especially in light ships, or on naval or commercial vessels where the
use of the ordinary means for flashing the light, that is to say, the means used in
fixed light-houses, are not available because of the liability to derangement due to
the rolling, pitching or tossing of the vessel.
As an electric light can be flashed by simply completing or breaking an electric
circuit, its adaptability for signalling purposes on shipboard is obvious but the
means used for making and breaking the circuit must be such that said circuit
can be made and broken in an inappreciable lapse of time, so that the lamp
will instantly flash up to its full power and will be instantly extinguished,
whereby the duration of the light and dark periods can be readily and accurately
determined.
For this reason I employ in my apparatus, a peculiar form of switch referred to
hereinafter.
In the drawing, D, represents a dynamo-electric machine or other generator
of electricity, P, the positive wire leading therefrom, and N, the negative post,
L, representing a lamp (or it may be a group of lamps) to be lighted, and R,
a resistance of any desired character, equalling, or substantially equalling the
resistance offered by the lamp or group of lamps L, this resistance being preferably
in the form of a secondary battery, which will be charged by the passage of the
current through the same.
The positive wire P, of the dynamo is in electrical connection with the shaft S,
which is rotated by any suitable means, the rotation being, by preference, an inter-
mittent or step by step movement.
The shaft S, has two arms A, and. A', set in different planes and in line with the
outer ends of these arms are segments B, B¹, so located that during a portion of
the swing of the arm A, it will be in electrical contact with the inner face of the
segment B, as shown in Fig. 1, the arm A, during such time, traversing that
portion of the circle which is not bounded by the segment B¹.
As the arm A, leaves the segment B, however, the arm A', makes connection
with the segment B', so that one or other of the segments is always in electrical
communication with the shaft S, and hence, with the dynamo or other generator of
electricity, the change in the flow of current to one or other of the segments being
effected instantly, that is to say, at that particular period of time when one of the
arms of the shaft S, moves out of contact with its segment, and the other arm of the
shaft moves into contact with its segment.
The segment B, is connected with the lamp or group of lamps L, by means of a
wire P¹, and the segment B', is connected to the resistance R, by means of a wire P³,

page_text: the lamp and resistance being respectively connected to the negative post of the
dynamo by wires N1, N2.
It will be seen, therefore, that so long as the arm A, is in contact with the
segment B, the full force of the current will be directed 'through the lamp or group
of lamps L, and the latter will burn with full power.
When, however, the arm A, moves out of contact with the segment B, and the
arm A, simultaneously moves into contact with the segment B', the full force of
the current will be diverted from the lamp or group of lamps to and through the
resistance R, and will continue to pass through the latter until the former conditions
are resumed, whereupon the full force of the current is again delivered to the lamp,
or group of lamps.
Each lamp thus shows its full power from the first to the last instant of the
period during which it is lighted, so that both the beginning and end of the
Hash are sharp and well defined, and the duration of the flash can be accurately
determined.
It will be evident that the relative durations of the light and dark periods
can be varied by simply varying the extent of the segments B, B₁, in respect to
each other, and it will be evident also that the arms A, A', may make contact with
the side faces or outer faces of the segments B, B, instead of with the inner faces
of the same, as shown in the drawing.
If the resistance R, is dispensed with and the current shunted directly back to
the dynamo, a suitable regulator will have to be employed in connection with the
latter.
The arms A, A', are adjustable radially in respect to the shaft S, so as to make
proper contact with the segments B, B', the arins being secured in position after
adjustment by set screws a, but the arms may, if desired, have a certain amount of
radial play-in respect to the shaft, and may be projected to their full extent by
means of a spring so as to insure the desired scraping contact of the arms with the
segments.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said-inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The combination-of-a-dynamo_or_other_generator of electricity, a lamp or
group of lamps, a rotating shaft having projecting arms in different planes, and
-segments, one for each of said arms, one segment serving to direct the current to
the lamp or group of lamps, and the other segment-shunting the current back to
the dynamo substantially as hereinbefore specified.
2. The combination of a dynamo or other generator of electricity, a lamp or
group of lamps, a resistance, a rotating shaft having projecting arms in different
planes, and contact segments one for each arm, one of said segments being connected
with the lamp or lamps, and the other with the resistance, the segments and arms
being so arranged that contact is made by one arm with its segment simultaneously
with the breaking of the contact between the other arm and its segment, sub-
stantially as hereinbefore specified.
Dated this 16th-day-of-December 1890.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.