Automatic Apparatus for Giving Warning of and Information as to the Destruction of a Watertight Cell in a Ship.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 19th Feb., 1898
Automatic Apparatus for Giving Warning of and Information as to
the Destruction of a Watertight Cell in a Ship.
I, CARL WOLFF, of Marktstr. 15³, Darmstadt, in the Empire of Germany, Technical
Student, 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 :-
: The division of a modern ship into a greater or smaller number of watertight cells,
in order to save the ship from sinking in the event of its being wrecked, necessitates
a very complicated system of tubes for employing or filling one or several cells, and
thus righting the ship.
As such cells are at present arranged therefore, it is necessary to search for the
damaged cell by removing the cover of the tube, leading to each cell and to use the
sounding-lead, in order to find out whether the cell is filled with water or not.
A great drawback to this procedure is that, as there are often over one hundred of
these watertight cells much time is lost in searching for the injured cell it being
seldom possible to find out the cell merely by the position of the ship.
By opening the cover of a tube in order to take a sounding, the compressed air
escapes, and as the water has no counter-pressure, it rushes in rapidly.
When the damaged cell has at last been found, the corresponding cell on the other
side of the ship must be filled or emptied and mistakes are not only possible but
very probable.
The haste which is necessary in the event of damage having occurred, accidents of
this kind being infrequent, is very likely to cause a fatal mistake as to which is the
right cell and as to which are the tubes and valves for emptying or filling it, for the
system of tubes and valves used on board ship is a very complicated one.
By this invention the crew is warned of the entry of water into a watertight cell
by automatic acoustic or optical signals in appropriate parts of the ship, instructions
being at the same time given by the apparatus.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:
An electric contact, actuated by the air compressed by the rush of water into the
injured cell, completes the circuit of electric bells at appropriate places on the ship,
and at the same time an electric distant-signal-apparatus shews the number and
situation of the damaged cell.
Besides this the compressed air escapes through a signal-whistle on the apparatus
and thus informs the crew near to it, that a cell is damaged. The number and exact
situation of the damaged cell is made visible by the flap of the apparatus and a table
quite near to it shews which tubes and valves are to be used, so mistakes in using
the emptying or filling tubes are quite impossible.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figs. 1 and 2 are vertical sections on planes at right angles to each other.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation.
Fig. 4 is a sectional plan.
In Fig. 1 a is a tube which passes through a console-table c fixed on the wall or in

page_text: The end b of the tube is shut by a horizontal flap d, which can turn on the shaft f
journalled in the hollow points of the screws e. If a cell connected with the tube of
the apparatus is damaged and the water rushes in, the resulting compression of the
air in the tube b lifts the flap d and the contact is made by the sector g, fitted on the
shaft f. This sector dips into a mercury trough when it is turned, thus completing
the circuit comprised by the disc h the shaft f, the sector g and the mercury in the
troughs i.
The two conducting wires tare fastened to the screws k of the mercury-troughs
and lead to the outer binding screws m on the cover of the air-tight case n.
A signal whistle also communicates with the chamber through the cover and loudly
sounds as soon as the air begins to escape. This whistle continues to sound until
the cock p which is secured by a lead-piece pl is turne 1 by force, whereupon the air
can no longer escape and the water can only enter the cell very slowly.
The lever q in connection with handles on the shaft (Figs. 1-4) is made to
turn the flap back into its former horizontal position, after it has been lifted by the
compression of the air.
An electric wire leads from the apparatus to several appropriate parts of the ship,
where distant-signal-devices are placed, each with an electric bell.
As soon as the contact in the first apparatus is made, the bell begins to ring, the
flap of the distant-signal-apparatus is set free by the attraction of the armature of the
electro-magnet; it falls down and the number of the damaged cell is indicated.
Quite near to the distant-signal-device and to the calling-appliances tables are placed,
showing clearly the number of the pump, kingston- and of all the other valves, which
are necessary to empty or fill the cell in question.
By this arrangement every responsible person on board the ship is instantly
informed of the damaged cell and can at once issue instructions in the matter.
Mistakes are thus quite impossible and the safety of the ship and its crew is
ensured, the number of shipwrecks is diminished.
a
Fig. 5 is a perspective view and Fig. 6 a front view of an apparatus of this system
"mounted on a man-of-war. Both figures also shew the division of the interior of the
ship into the cells Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z. The mouth of the tube a protected by.
perforated plate is placed at the highest part of the cell. The tube leads to the
apparatus A. Those which are close together, are connected with the same apparatus
fixed in an appropriate position.
Quite near it a table B (Fig. 6) indicates the pumps, valves, etc. for empyting or
filling the cells belonging to the apparatus. The table B (Fig. 9) with the name of
the partition of the ship in the first line is in three columns. The first shows the
names of the cells, to which the respective apparatus belong.
The second column contains the number of the suction pumps and valves and the
third those of the filling valves.
Fig. 7 shews the calling-apparatus A in connection with an electric distant-signal-
apparatus C. The electric current passes over 1-2-3-4-5 to the electro-magnet d
and from there over 6 to a brass piece m for breaking contact, which moves between
the two guides 8 of the distant-signal-device.
The breaking of the contact is caused by drawing out the piece m, as far as the
two pins n n¹ allow so that the insulating piece is drawn between the guides 8.
From the binding screw 7 of guides the current passes over 8-9-10-11 to the
bell p and from there through the electric battery q back to the calling apparatus A.
As soon as the circuit is closed in the apparatus A by the contact, the armature e is
attracted by the electro-magnet d and the flap 9 rotating on is set free by the
catch on the armature e and is turned down by the spring into the window
opening of the signal case i. By this the plate t that bears the name of the cell
belonging to that particular signal becomes visible from outside. The attention of
the crew near these devices is called by the sounding of the whistle and of the bell,
and everyone can see on the flap of the calling apparatus and of the distant-signal-
device the number: and situation of the damaged cell, and at once obtains instruction
for emptying or filling the cell, from the respective tables.
:

page_text: Figure 8 shews the plan of the conducting wires for the devices of three chief
partitions of one side of a ship.
Between the electric battery B and the bell D the calling apparatus A¹ A², A³ and
the distant-signal-apparatus Č are put parallel into the circuit.
As a precaution the conducting wires from the calling-apparatus to the electric
battery B are led in double rows.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
An apparatus for giving warning of the entrance of water into a watertight cell of
a ship, consisting of a flap (d) which communicates with the cell by a tube (a) in
such a manner, that, as soon as water enters the cell, the air in the tube (a) is
compressed and the flap (d) is lifted, which causes the turning of a sector (y) the said
sector being thereby made to close an electric circuit so that at one or several parts
of the ship signals are given, showing simultaneously the situation of the damaged
cell substantially as described.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.