Apparatus for the Transmission of Power, Words of Command, Signals, and the like from One Part of a Ship to Another.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Oct.. 1896
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Feb.. 1897-Accepted, 24th Apr.. 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for the Transmission of Power, Words of Command,
Signals, and the like from One Part of a Ship to Another.
1, HERMANN DUGE, Engineer of 7 Hafenstreet at Kiel in the Province of
Sleswick-Holstein aud Kingdom of Prussia do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The apparatus is intended especially for sea-vessels and may be employed for
various purposes on them as afterwards shewn by various examples.
The apparatus consists essentially of two parts, that for receiving the signals
(Fig. 1) and that for delivering them (Figs. 2, 3 and 4); the latter shall be first
described, because the explanation of the former is thereby made easier.
The delivery apparatus consists chiefly of four cylinders a, b, c and d about half
full of mercury, a communicating with b close to the bottom and likewise e with d,
a and c on the contrary being connected close to the top. In each of the
cylinders a and c the mercury carries a float e and which transmits their up and
down motion by means of rods g and gl as well as by levers h and h1 to the
shafts k and k1 which are mounted parallel to each other and connected together
by means of toothed wheels gearing, and 1 being of equal size and possessing
an equal number of teeth. The longer shaft k thereupon transmits its motion by
means of suitable contrivances to the mechanism that is to be actuated viz. a link-
motion, indicator, etc.
Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the drawing show the apparatus in connection with an
indicator in which Z is the dial or scale on which an index turning on the middle
axis m marks the given signals or their execution. It is shown on the ground-plan
representing the arrangement with regard to each other of the cylinders a bed
and the shafts k k1 (Fig. 4), how the motion of the shaft k is transmitted by
suitable wheel-gearing 22:3 to the index m.
The signal receiving mechanism (Fig. 1) consists essentially of two cylinders /
and 1 lying alongside of each other together with the pistons o and o 1 moving
air-tight in them. The latter are connected with each other in such a manner by
the mechanism that sets them in motion e.g. toothed-wheels, screws or, as in
drawing a toothed-bar that, when the one is moved the other moves also, but in an
opposite direction to that of its cylinder, so that when o is pushed into cylinder l,
o1 comes out of cylinder and vice versa.
When the lower ends of the cylinders and 11 are connected by correspondingly
strong and air-tight tubes. sp and p1 with the upper space which is filled with air of
the cylinders and d of the receiving-apparatus, then, on the motion of the
pistons o and o 1 which has just been described, taking place the air in one of the
cylinders is rarefied and that in the other compressed and thereby the height
of the columns of mercury correspondingly changed. According to the magnitude
of the piston-motions and the changes in the pressure of the air thereby produced
in the cylinders, the mercury and with it the float in the cylinder a or c will fall or
rise, both floats transmitting their motion in the same direction to the index or
other mechanism by means of a rod, lever, shaft and toothed wheel. The various
signals marked for instance on the dial Z thus correspond to fixed amounts of
pressure of the air or motions of the piston.

page_text: Owing to the circumstance that the floats always move alongside of each other
in opposite directions and that this motion is by the arrangement of the two
shafts k and k 1 together with the toothed wheels and I changed into a uniform
motion of the same shaft k, the motion of the ship has no effect at all on the
apparatus. If the ship's motion places the apparatus in an inclined position, the
mercury endeavours to flow into the cylinders b and d or a and e, which would
cause both floats e and feither to rise or fall. But owing to the toothed wheel
gear on the shafts k and kl it is impossible for the floats in the two cylinders to
move in the same direction and thus the motion of the ship can have no effect on
the indicator or any other part actuated by the apparatus.
In order to prevent the mercury from Bowing out of one cylinder into the other
in consequence of the motion of the ship and to make the mercury only follow the
intentional changes in the pressure of the air in the cylin lers, the space in a ande
above the mercury as well as the connecting pipe between the two cylinders may
be filled with glycerine, whereby small inequalities in the compression and
rarefaction of the air are equalized.
As has already been stated the apparatus described above can be used for the
transmission of signals, words of command, and signs, but also of power and for
other purposes.
If, for instance, the apparatus is used for the transmission of steering signals the
mechanism for altering the pressure of the atmosphere is located at the place of
command and the indicator worked by it is visible to the meu at the wheel.
In order that the correct carrying out of the steering signals that are given may
be controlled, another similar apparatus is arranged in a reverse manner, so that
the indicator is visible at the signalling post and the apparatus for altering the
tension of the atmosphere at the shaft of the rudder in such a manner that it is
actuated by the motions of the rudder and follows them, every motion of the rudder
thus registering itself automatically on the indicator.
If the apparatus is used for engine signals, an indicator and an apparatus for
altering the tension of the atmosphere are cach placed at the place of signalling
and in the engine room and their indexes must always coincide, thereby providing
a repeating apparatus for the signals given.
With regard to transmission of power the apparatus is intended in the foremost
place to work the steam-steering engine directly from the place of command.
It goes without saying that for this purpose the entire apparatus must be of
greater dimensions than for signalling work. As has already been described with
regard to the indicator, the motions of the floats are transmitted to the slides or
valves of the steam steering apparatus in such a manner that they are moved,
turned or opened a fixed amount. By means of a universally known mechanism in
general use the steering apparatus automatically closes the slide or valve after the
desired work has been performed, without the height of the mercury produced.for
the work in question being altered.
In this apparatus for the transmission of power the mechanism for altering the
pressure of the air may on account of the greater forces which have to be reckoned
with be suitably started by means of a wheel with spokes, which at the same time
moves an indicator which shows how far the respective pistons have been moved,
i.e. how great is the pressure or rarefaction of the air which has been produced.
As the latter exactly corresponds to the work done each time by the steering
apparatus, the scale in this mechanism is divided into degrees corresponding to the
position of the rudder. With regard to the tensions or rarefactions which must be
considered in the various applications of the apparatus, they are not to exceed
0,13 kg. per quadrat-centimeter, and in transmission of power may at the utmost
rise to 0,3 kg. per quadrat-centimeter.
The indicator described above may also be with advantage used for measuring
and indicating the velocity of a ship's motion. In this case, however the mechanism
for altering the pressure of the air is constructed somewhat differently and in
actuated directly by the ship's velocity.

page_text: For this purpose, preferably in the centre of the ship's length, two tubes are
carried downwards into the water, in large ships dipping about 15 feet, in small
ones according to their size from about 3 to 9 feet into the water. Such tubes R
and R 1 are drawn in Fig. 2 to the right and left of the indicator, the lower ends
of the tubes showing the special mechanisms Q and P. The mechanism Q
represents a kind of ejector, which according to the velocity of the ship produces
by means of the flowing through the water in the direction of the arrow which
then takes place, produces a larger or smaller rarefaction of the air in the tube R
which is transmitted through a connecting tube to the mercury in a cylinder of the
indicator. In the other tube R1 when the water flows in the direction of the
arrow through the case P narrowed at the back like a funnel, a certain pressure is
produced, which is likewise transmitted by a connecting tube to the mercury in the
other cylinder.
The rarefaction or pressure of the atmosphere thus produced in the two cylinders
is in the same fixed ratio to the velocity of the ship and therefore be used for
accurately measuring this velocity by being transmitted to a suitable indicator
and scale.
When the sea is high and the ship rolls the tubes R R will dip more or less
deeply into the water and the level will continually vary. This disadvantage which
makes all logs hitherto used almost useless, has no influence at all under the present
arrangement on the indicator, because the two tubes are arranged as closely as
possible to one another so that they may be considered as dipping equally deep
into the water or the water may be considered as rising or falling uniformly in
both. If therefore the tubes dip in deeper the pressure of the air on the one hand
becomes greater but on the other hand the rarefaction of the air becomes less i.e.
the pressure becomes uniformly greater in both tubes and vice versa.
On this account of both floats would endeavour to move in the same direction,
which, however, as already stated above, is impossible; therefore the indicator will
not be affected by the pitching or tossing of the ship apart from slight concussions
which can only produce a vibrating motion of the index.
Dated this 26th day of October 1896.
For HERMANN DUGE,
Bernhard
Brockhues.
Apparatus for the Transmission of Power, Words of Command,
Signals, and the like from One Part of a Ship to Another.
I, HERMANN DUGE, Engineer of 7 Hafenstreet at Kiel in the Province of
Sleswick-Holstein and Kingdom of Prussia 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 apparatus is intended especially for sea vessels and may be employed for
various purposes on them as afterwards shewn by various examples.
The apparatus consists essentially of two parts, that for receiving the signals
(Fig. 1) and that for delivering them (Figs. 2, 3 and 4); the latter shall be first
described because the explanation of the former is thereby made easier.
The delivery apparatus consists chiefly of four cylinders a, b, c, and d about half
full of mercury, a communicating with b close to the bottom and likewise c with d,
a and c on the contrary being connected close to the top. In each of the cylinders a
and c the mercury carries a float e and f which transmit their up and down motion
by means of rods g aud y as well as by levers h and h' to the shafts & and k¹

page_text: which are mounted parallel to each other and connected together by means of
toothed wheels and a gearing being of equal size and possessing an equal number
of teeth.
The longer shaft
contrivances to the
indicator etc.
thereupon transmits its motion by means of suitable
mechanism that is to be actuated wiz. a link-motion,
Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the draning show the apparatus in connection with an
indicator in which Z is the dial or scale on which an index turning on the middle
axis m marks the given signals or their execution.
It is shown on the ground-plan representing the arrangement with regard to each
other of the cylinders a b c d and the shafts k, (Fig. 4), how the motion of the
shaft is transmitted by suitable wheel-gearing to the index m.
The signal receiving mechanism (Fig. 1) consists essentially of two cylinders!
and lying alongside of each other together with the pistons and of moving air-
tight in them.
The latter are connected with each other in such a manner by the mechanism
that sets them in motion e.g. toothed-wheels, screws or, as in the drawing a toothed-
bar, that when the one is moved the other moves also, but in an opposite direction
to that of its cylinder, so that when o is pushed into cylinder 4, o' comes out of
cylinder and vice versa.
When the lower ends of the cylinders I and I are connected by correspondingly
strong and air-tight tubes p and pl with the upper space-which is filled with air of
the cylinders and d of the receiving-apparatus, then, on the motion of the
pistons o and which has just been described, taking place the air in one of the
cylinders is rarefied and that in the other compressed and thereby the height of
the columns of mercury correspondingly changed. According to the magnitule
of the piston motions and the changes in the pressure of the air thereby produced
in the cylinders, the mercury and with it the float in the cylinder a or c will fall
or rise, both floats transmitting their motion in the same direction to the index or
other mechanism by means of a rod, lever shaft and toothed wheel.
The various signals marked for instance on the dial Z thus correspond to fixed
amounts of pressure of the air or motions of the piston.
Owing to the circumstance that the floats always move alongside of each other
in opposite directions and that this motion is by the arrangement of the two shafts k
and together with the toothed-wheels z and a' changed into a uniform motion of
the same shaft, the motion of the ship has no effect at all on the apparatus. If
the ship's motion places the apparatus in an inclined positi n the mercury
endeavours to flow into the cylinders b and d or a and c which would cause both
floats e and either to rise or fall.
But owing to the toothed-wheel gear on the shafts & and it is impossible for
the floats in the two cylinders to move in the same direction and thus the motion of
the ship can have no effect on the indicator or any other part actuated by the
apparatus.
In order to prevent the mercury from flowing out of one cylinder into the other
in consequence of the motion of the ship and to make the mercury only follow the
intentional changes in the pressure of the air in the cylinders, the space in a and e
above the mercury as well as the connecting pipe between the two cylinders may
be filled with glycerine, whereby small inequalities in the compression anil
rarefaction of the air are equalized.
As has already been stated the apparatus described above can be used for the
transmission of signals, words of command, and signs, but also of power and for
other purposes.
If, for instance, the apparatus is used for the transmission of steering signals the
mechanism for altering the pressure of the atmosphere is located at the place of
command and the indicator worked by it is visible to the men at the wheel.
In order that the correct carrying out of the steering signals that are given may
be controlled, another similar apparatus is arranged in a reverse manner, so that

page_text: the indicator is visible at the signalling post and the apparatus for altering the
tension of the atmosphere at the shaft of the rudder in such a manner that it is
actuated by the motions of the rudder and follows them, every motion of the rudder
thus registering itself automatically on the indicator.
If the apparatus is used for engine signals, an indicator and an apparatus for
altering the tension of the atmosphere are each placed at the place of signalling
and in the engine room and their indexes must always coincide, thereby providing
a repeating apparatus for the signals given.
With regard to transmission of power the apparatus is intended in the foremost
place to work the steam-steering engine directly from the place of command.
It goes without saying that for this purpose the entire apparatus must be of
greater dimensions than for signalling work. As has already been described with
regard to the indicator, the motions of the floats are transmitted to the sliles or
valves of the steam steering apparatus in such a manner that they are moved,
turned or opened a fixed amount. By means of a universally known mechanism
in general use the steering apparatus automatically closes the slide or valve after
the desired work has been performed, without the height of the mercury produced
for the work in question being altered.
In this apparatus for the transmission of power the mechanism for altering the
pressure of the air may on account of the greater forces which have to be reckoned
with be suitably started by means of a wheel with spokes, which at the same time.
moves an indicator which shows how far the respective pistons have been moved,
i.e. how great is the pressure or rarefaction of the air which has been produced.
As the latter exactly corresponds to the work done each time by the steering
apparatus, the scale in this mechanism is divided into degrees corresponding to the
position of the rudder.
With regard to the tensions or rarefactions which must be considered in the
various applications of the apparatus, they are not be exceed 0,13 kg. per quadrat
centimeter, and in transmission of power may at the utmost rise to 0,3 kg. of
quadrat centimeter.
The indicator described above may also be with advantage used for measuring
and indicating the velocity of a ship's motion.
In this case however, the mechanism for altering the pressure of the air is
constructed somewhat differently and is netusted directly by the ship's velocity.
For this purpose, preferably in the centre of the ship's length, two tubes are
carried downwards into the water, in large ships dipping about 15 feet, in small
ones according to their size from about 3 to 9 feet into the water.
Such tubes R and R' are drawn in Fig. 2 to the right and left of the indicator,
the lower ends of the tubes showing the special mechanisms Q and P.
The mechanism Q represents a kind of ejector, which according to the velocity
with which the ship moves forward produces by means of the flowing through of
the water in the direction of the arrow which then takes place, produces a larger
or smaller rarefaction of the air in the tube R which is transmitted through a
connecting tube the mercury in a cylinder of the indicator.
In the other tube R' when the water flows in the direction of the arrow through
the case P narrowed at the back like a funnel, a certain pressure is pruduced,
which is likewise transmitted by a connecting tube to the mercury in the other
cylinder.
The rarefaction or pressure of the atmosphere thus produced in the two cylinders
is in the same fixed ratio to the velocity of the ship and can therefore be used for
accurately measuring this velocity by being transmitted to a suitable indicator and
scale.
When the sea is high and the ship rolls the tubes R R will dip more or less
deeply into the water and the level will continually vary.
This disadvantage which makes all logs hitherto used almost useless, has not
influence at all under the present arrangement on the indicator, because the two
tubes are arranged as closely as possible to one another so that they may be

page_text: -considered as dipping equally deep into the water or the water may be considered as
rising or falling uniformly in both.
If therefore the tubes dip in deeper the pressure of the air on the one hand
becomes greater but on the other hand the rarefaction of the air becomes less
.e. the pressure becomes uniformly greater in both tubes and vice versa.
On this account both floats would endeavour to move in the same direction,
which however, as already stated above, is impossible; therefore the indicator will
not be affected by the pitching or tossing of the ship apart from slight concussions
which can only produce a vibrating motion of the index.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is:
1). A transmitting and controlling apparatus for signals, words of command,
motions etc. distinguished by the arrangement of pairs of cylinders a and b, c and d
communicating with each other and containing mercury, in connexion with the
floats e and placed in a and c whose opposite motion takes effect in the same
direction on the axle K by means of levers, axle K' and toothed wheel gearing Z
and Z.
2). In connection with the apparatus distinguished in 1) the arrangement of an
apparatus for altering uniformly and in an opposite direction the pressure of the
atmosphere acting on the mercury in the cylinder pairs, consisting of pistons o
and of forced to slide in the same direction but acting in an opposite manner on the
pressure of the atmosphere.
Dated this 22nd day of February 1897
For HERMANN DUGE,
Bernhard
Brockhues.