Improvements in Mechanical Telegraphs for Ships and the like purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of App ication, 20th June, 1896-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanical Telegraphs for Ships and the like
purposes.
We, ALBERT EDWARD SEATON, of Wilton House, Holderness Road, Hull,
Naval Architect and Civil Engineer, and WILLIAM HENRY WILLATT, of
22, Jalland Street, Holderness Road, Hull, Electrical Engineer, both in the
County of York, do hereby declare the nature of our 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 our invention is to provide in mechanical telegraphs such as are
employed on board ship, the means whereby transmitting instruments situated in
different positions in the vessel may be connected with, or disconnected from the
same receiver, only one transmitter being left in communication with the receiving
instrument.
Our invention will be better understood on reference to the accompanying
2 sheets of drawings in which,
Fig. 1. Sheet 1. is a diagram representing our invention as applied to a system
having two transmitting and one receiving instruments.
Fig. 2. Sheet 2. being an enlarged side view or elevation of the appliance,
hereinafter referred to as the exchange and connecting wheels.
Fig. 3. Sheet 2..being an end view of the same partly in section.
The same letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
We carry out our invention in the following manner.
In an ordinary chain and wire telegraph system, we connect the receiver, r,
(Fig. 1.) Sheet 1. by an endless chain and wire, d, passed around the receiver
wheel and around another wheel, e, (Fig. 3.) called the exchange wheel, which is
placed in a bracket, b, at a suitable place distant from the receiver, r, and between
the receiver and two or more of the transmitters, t, and t¹. We also employ two
other wheels, c, c', hereinafter called connecting wheels, one on each side of the
exchange wheel, e, co-axial and parallel to it, all three wheels being free to turn
independently on the same spindle, a, which is carried by the supporting bracket, b.
The connecting wheel, c', is revolved by the endless band of chain and wire, k,
after passing over suitable guide pulleys or sheaves p, p, also passes around the
wheel of the transmitter, t¹. The connecting wheel, c, is revolved by the endless
band of chain and wire, k, which after passing over suitable guide pulleys or
sheaves, p, p, also passes around the wheel of the transmitter, t. Near to the rims
of the exchange wheel and the two connecting wheels we provide bosses, f, g, h,
which, in the case of the two connecting wheels, c, c¹ that is to say the bosses, f
and h, are bored out with a smooth hole a little larger than the hole in the boss, g,
of the exchange wheel, e, which is also bored out and a screw thread cut in it, a
thumbscrew, s, is provided to slip through either boss, for h, and screw into the
boss, g, by preference this screw has half of its thread cut away to form a hit and
miss screw like a guu breech screw.
The action of our improved appliance is as follows.
When it is desired to couple up a transmitter to the exchange wheel, all that is
necessary is, that the connecting wheel belonging to the transmitter which is to be
connected up, should be revolved until the hole in the boss near the rim of the
connecting wheel comes opposite to the screwed hole in the exchange wheel, when

page_text: the thumbscrew is inserted and screwed home, the transmitter in question is then
in communication through the exchange wheel with the receiver, it can be
disconnected again by unscrewing and taking out the thumbscrew. The transmitter
in connection with the connecting wheel on the opposite side of the exchange wheel
can then be connected up in like manner with the exchange wheel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed; we declare that what we
-claim is.
1. In mechanical telegraphs for ships and the like purposes where two or more
transmitters are used for communicating with one receiver, the combination of
parts and appliances comprising the bracket, b, the spindle, a, the connecting
wheels, c, c', the exchange wheel, e, the thumb screw, s, and the guide pulleys or
-sheaves, p, p, constituting an exchange and connecting or disconnecting apparatus
constructed and used in the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein
described and illustrated.
Dated this 10th don of Inne
R. HEBER RADFORD,
Agent for the Applicants.