IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES FOR CONNECTING TELEGRAPH CABLES BETWEEN SHIPS AND THE SHORE OR THEMSELVES
Year: 1885

page_text: I ROBERT ATKIN of 2 Iron Mill Place, Wandsworth in the County of Surrey,
Master Mariner do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES FOR CONNECTING TELEGRAPH CABLES BETWEEN SHIPS
AND THE SHORE OR THEMSELVES to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is so to connect light ships with the shore by means
of a telegraph or telephone cable that the ship may swing with the tide or wind
as usual from a single or double anchor. Heretofore attempts have been made to
accomplish this result but so far as I am aware it has not been found possible to
prevent the ship fouling the telegraph cable when she swings with the tide or
wind thereby often breaking the cable or at any rate damaging it, whereas by
my invention the ship can swing freely without in any way interfering with the
cable.
According to my invention I employ a hollow protecting tube for the telegraph
or telephone cable, hereinafter called the cable, to pass through. This tube may
lead to the mast head or be fitted to the bows as hereafter described. When it is
fitted to the mast I make the mast proper tubular and step it on the between deck
beams; within this tubular or hollow inast I place another tubular mast which is
stepped and free to rotate on a spindle secured to the kelson of the ship above the
spindle and free to turn with the inner mast there is a platform to carry a winch
for the cable, telegraph apparatus, instruments and the like necessary appliances.
A convenient distance above the platform there is an aperture in the rotating mast
through which the cable passes and is carried up through the tube to the top
thereof where it is carried round or through a sheave and thence to the shore, ship
or other place with which it is desired to make communication. There must be
separate sheaves for each separate cable. At the top of the tubular mast proper
and below the cable sheave there is what I may term a mast head guard which
may consist of a tubular ring or bed round which the cable can travel as the ship
swings without its coming in contact with any of the top gear of the rigging; and
Prine 8d1

page_text: above the bulwarks there is another guard extending all round the ship to prevent
the cable coming in contact with any of the lower or deck gear or boats in the
davits. As the ship swings the inner tubular mast turns on its spindle carrying
with it the cable, platform, and everything contained thereon or belonging to it.
When the hollow tube is fitted to the bows of the ship I connect the mooring
cables to one end of the tube, the other end is held by a collar turning on the tube,
to which the chain cables from the ship are secured while a helical spring between
the collar and tube relieves the strain. The cable passes through a tube from the
ship's bow and thence through the before mentioned tube which latter is loose on
"
"mouse on
the cable. The tube is preferably bell mouthed at its end to receive a
the cable which can be hauled up into the mouth of the tube from on board the
ship thus preventing the cable from chafing in the tube. The cable should at
intervals be seized to the chain cable.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus or Appliances for Connecting
Telegraph Cables between Ships and the Shore or
themselves.
I ROBERT ATKIN of 2, Iron Mill Place, Wandsworth in the County of Surrey,
Master Mariner do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES FOR CONNECTING TELEGRAPH CABLES BETWEEN SHIPS
AND THE SHORE OR THEMSELVES," and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
The object of my Invention is so to connect light ships with the shore by means
of a telegraph or telephone cable that the ship may swing with the tide or wind
as usual from a single or double anchor. Heretofore attempts have been made to
accomplish this result but so far as I am aware it has not been found possible
to prevent the ship fouling the telegraph cable when she swings with the tide
or wind thereby often breaking the cable or at anyrate damaging it whereas by
my invention the ship can swing freely without in any way interfering with the
cable.
According to my invention I employ a hollow protecting tube for the telegraph
or telephone cable, hereinafter called the cable, to pass through. This tube may
lead to the mast head or be fitted to the bows as hereafter described and the
invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lightship riding at anchor showing the telegraph
or telephone cable depending from the head of the central mast and passing over
the stern of the vessel.
Figure 2 is a vertical cross section of a light ship with the cable depending from
the mast head as in the previous case.
Figure 3 is an end view of a similar lightship showing the telegraph or telephone
cable coming from the bows. Figure 4 is a view in plan of the mast head guard.
Figure 5 shows in vertical section and drawn to a larger scale the telegraph or
telephone cable tube as applied at Figure 3.
Figure 6 shows in elevation the telegraph or telephone cable tube similar to that
shown at Figure 5 but provided with a spring and Figure 7 shows diagramatic plan
of five lightships each connected with one another and the shore all according to
my invention.
Similar letters of reference refer to like parts in all the Figures.
When the protecting tube a is fitted to the mast b.I make the mast b tubular and
step it on to the between deck beam c as best seen at Figure 2 the protecting tube a
passing within the tubular mast b.
This protecting tube a is free to rotate on a spindle secured to the kelson of the
ship; above the spindle and free to turn with the inner protecting tube a there is
a platform d fixed thereto and carrying a winch for the telegraph or telephone
cable g telegraph apparatus, instruments, and the like necessary appliances,

page_text: A convenient distance above the platform & there is an aperture in the rotating
tube a through which the cable g passes and is carried up through the tube a to
the top thereof where it is carried round or through a sheave e and thence to the
shore, ship or other place with which it is desired to make communication. There
must be separate sheaves for each separate cable. At the top of the tubular mast
proper and below the cable sheave there is what I may term a mast head guard f
which may consist of a tubular ring shown detached in plan at Figure 4 round
which the cable g can travel as the ship swings without it coming in contact with
any of the top gear of the rigging and above the bulwarks there is another guard h
extending all round the ship to prevent the cable coming in contact with any of
the lower or deck gear or boats in the davits. As the ship swings the inner pro-
tecting tube a turns on its spindle in the kelson carrying with it the cable g
platform d and everything contained thereon or belonging to it. When the
protecting tube a is fitted to the bows of the ship I connect the mooring cables h h¹
by means of a fixed collar i to the tube a. The other end of this tube a is held
"
"
by a collar i turning on the tube a to which collar the chain cables k, k' from the
ship are secured, while in some cases I may place a helical spring / as shewn at
Fig. 6 between the collar and the upper flanged end of the tube a by which the
strain on the ships cables h h, k, may be relieved. The telegraph or telephone
cable or cables g pass from the ships bow and thence through the tube a. The
tube a is preferably rounded especially at its lower end to receive a mouse on
the cable or cables g which can be hauled up into the mouth of the tube a from on
board the ship thus preventing the cable from chafing in the tube. The cable
should at intervals be seized to the chain cables h h as shown at Figure 3. As the
lightship swings with the wind or tide the tube a revolves in correspondence there-
with and the cable g when coming from the mast head travels round the guard f
and consequently cannot come in contact or interfere with any of the gear. The
diagram view shows one light ship for example the "Sunk" connected in this way
by telegraph or telephone cable to the "Shipwash" "Galloper" "Kentish Knock"
and "Long sand" Lightships so that either may communicate with the "Sunk
and the latter with either of the others or with the shore when required. By this
means much valuable time and lives and property may often be saved.
..)
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare, that what
I claim is
In apparatus or appliances for connecting telegraph or telephone cables between
ships and the shore or themselves the revolving protecting tube a through which
the telegraph or telephone cable passes together with (when the cable comes
from the masthead) a guard f and other appliances all constructed arranged and
acting substantially as and for the purposes set forth together with any mere
modifications thereof.