IMPROVE- IN FOG AND STORM SIGNALS, BUOYS, AND SPINDLES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Theodore Bourne, of the City, County, and State
of New York, United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
IN FOG AND STORM SIGNALS, BUOYS, AND SPINDLES." -A com-
munication from abroad by William Smith Sampson, of the City, County,
and State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 6th July 1865, and dated the 14th January 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Theodore Bourne at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th January 1865.
I, THEODORE BOURNE, of the City, County, and State of New York, United
States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FOG AND STORM SIGNALS, BUOYS, AND SPINDLES," to be as
follows:-
The means now employed for automatically ringing a bell as a warning to
seamen against danger is both faulty and impractical; it is so much so that
the present method has almost ceased to be regarded with favor. The present
method employed is this,-a spar or spindle with a small bell attached to one
end and a chain to the other is moored at the entrances of harbors and near
dangerous rocks and reefs. This method is unreliable for the following
reasons:-First, the spar is seldom sufficiently upright for the hammer, by
the agitation of the water, to strike proper blows upon the bell; second,
the bell is necessarily so small, and its tone so feeble, that it cannot be

page_text: heard at a safe distance, hence seamen in searching for the sound of the
bell are often imperilled beyond escape. The Invention I herewith submit
remedies these defects, and is an improvement on former modes of con-
structing automatic fog and storm signals. To accomplish the desired
results I construct a buoy of plate iron, or other suitable material water-
tight. I form the outline of this buoy, and so ballast it that it will
always maintain the upright position when at rest, and the outline is
such that it will be easy in the water under circumstances of violent
movement of the waves. I also so form the buoy that slight movement of
the water rocks it from side to side with easy motion, and under severity of
storm it will not "bury" or "foul" with its moorings. I so form the top of
the buoy that any weight of water is readily shed. On the top of the buoy I
construct a substantial spindle, baving for its framework an iron shaft, which
shaft "steps" at the bottom of the buoy, and is the central construction of the
buoy. About this iron shaft I build a guard of plate iron or other suitable
material in such manner and of such outline of form as to part the over-
breaking wave without undue strain to the construction. On the top of this
spindle I hang in substantial manner a large bell, which bell is proportioned to
the size of the buoy, the whole being built with a view to having the tones of
the bell distinctly beard at greater or lesser distance. I moor this buoy by
the means of an iron strap so connected with the framework of the buoy that
the buoy itself acts with perfect freedom without "fouling." This strap also
connects with the buoy in such manner that the impingement of current ar
wind has no tendency to keep the buoy out of the vertical. This strap con-
nects with a suitable chain, and thence with an anchor at any depth of water
required. This method of construction of the shaft and the iron strap, and
arrangements for mooring is applicable to the buoys, spindles, and spars in
common use, and would render them far more useful and reliable than they
are by the present mode of mooring them.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed 30
by the said Theodore Bourne in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
July 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THEODORE
BOURNE, of the City, County, and State of New York, United States of
America, at present staying at Number 18, Tokenhouse Yard, in the City 35
of London, send greeting,

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Theodore Bourne, Her special license that I, the said Theodore Bourne,.
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Theodore;
Bourne, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,.
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOG
AND STORM SIGNALS, BUOYS, AND SPINDLES," a communication to me from abroad
by William Smith Sampson, of the City, County, and State of New York,
United States of America, the Inventor, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Theodore Bourne, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Theodore Bourne, 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 fol-
lowing statement (that is to say) :-
:-
The means now employed for automatically ringing a bell as a warning to
seamen against danger are both faulty and impractical; it is so much so that
the present method has almost ceased to be regarded with favour. The present
method employed is this,-a spar or spindle with a small bell attached to one
end and a chain to the other is moored at the entrances of harbours and near
dangerous rocks and reefs. This method is unreliable for the following
reasons: First, the spar is seldom sufficiently upright for the hammer, by the
agitation of the water, to strike proper blows upon the bell; secondly, the bell
is necessarily so small and its tone so feeble that it cannot be heard at a safe
distance, hence seainen in searching for the sound of the bell are often im-
perilled beyond escape. The present Invention remedies these defects and is
an improvement on former modes of constructing automatic fog and storm
signals. To accomplish the desired results I construct a buoy of plate iron or
other suitable material water tight. I form the outline of this buoy and so ballast
it that it will always maintain the upright position when at rest, and the outline.

page_text: is such that it will be easy in the water under circumstances of violent move-
ment of the waves. I also so form the buoy that slight movement of the water
rocks it from side to side with easy motion and under severity of storm it will
not bury or foul with its moorings. I so form the top of the buoy that any
weight of water is readily shed. On the top of the buoy I construct a sub-
stantial spindle, having for its framework an iron shaft, which shaft steps at
the bottom of the buoy and is the central construction of the buoy. About
this iron shaft I build a guard of plate iron or other suitable material in such
manner and of such outline of form as to part the overbreaking waves without
undue strain to the construction. On the top of this spindle I hang in sub-
stantial manner a large bell, which bell is proportioned to the size of the buny,
the whole being built with a view to having the tones of the bell distinctly
heard at greater or lesser distances. I moor this buoy by the means of an
iron strap so connected with the framework of the buoy that the buoy itself
acts with perfect freedom without fouling. This strap also connects with the
buoy in such manner that the impingement of current or wind has no tendency
to keep the buoy out of its vertical position. This strap is connected by a
chain with an anchor at any depth of water required. This method of con-
struction of the shaft and the iron strap, and arrangements for mooring, is
applicable to the buoys, spindles, and spars in common use, and would render
them far more useful and reliable than they are by the present mode of
mooring them.
And in order that the Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect, I will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure I is a vertical section of an automatic fog and storm signal; Figure 2
is a plan of the buoy, part of the signal cut through the line A, B, of Figure 1;
Figure 8 is a cross section of a portion of the spindle cut through the
vertical line C, D, of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a cross section of the spindle cut
through the line E, F, of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a detached view of the mooring
strap; Figure 6 is an elevation of a winged beacon pannelled both below and
above the water line; Figure 7 is an elevation of a pannelled winged beacon
with a conical-shaped base; Figure 8 is an enlarged plan of wings, cut
through the line G, H, of Figures 6 and 7, showing the method of setting the
wings and the method of strapping the wings together. Similar letters in
Figures 1 to 5 inclusive refer to similar parts of the Drawings. Similar letters
in Figures 6, 7 and 8 refer to similar parts in the Drawings of these Figures.
In Figure 1 a is the body of the buoy made of plate iron well lapped and
rivetted, or made of any other suitable material; 6 is a spindle shell placed on

page_text: the top or deck of the buoy a, and well rivetted to the same, also well secured
to the bolster or abutment underneath the bell ring, as shewn in Figure 3 at
p.p; c is a bell well secured in position as shown; d is the ballast for the buoy,
secured with bolts to the bottom of the buoy; e is a spindle. extending from
the bottom of the buoy up through the deck of the buoy and up through the
bell ring f. This spindle is secured at the foot by a collar and at the top with
a nut. The bell ring f is made of iron or other suitable material secured in
position by the means of screw bolts and the nut at the top of the spindle e;
g is a coupling for the mooring shaft h made in two parts and coupled together
as seen in the plan Figure 2; i, i, are two brace rods with a nut at each end
for holding them rigidly in their place; J, J, are two abutments firmly bolted
to the sides of the buoy. These abutments are for securing the feet of the
brace rods i, i, as shown; k is an abutment seated upon a shoulder of the
spindle e, and held in place by the nut on the spindle e, and also held by the
nuts on the upper ends of the brace rods i, i; is an abutment seated upon a
shoulder of the spindle e and supporting the deck of the buoy a.
In Fig. 2 m, m, are abutments surrounding the shaft h.
ments are held in their place by bolts or rivets through the
the buoy, and by a shoulder on the shaft h. n is a mooring strap for the
buoy a, secured to the shafts h, as seen in Figure 2. To this strap is con-
nected the chain and anchor for mooring the signal buoy; o, o, are collars,
secured to the ends of the shaft h either by being shrunk on or fastened in
any other suitable manner; x is a manhole or door in the side of the
buoy, suitably secured and water tight. This manhole may also be used as a
place for the introduction of a pipe or hose for relieving the buoy of leakage,
if any. q is a circular bolster or ballast step, firmly rivetted to the bottom of
the buoy this bolster or step is to assist in holding the ballast in place, and
to add strength to the general construction of the buoy. r, r, are parts of the
framework of the buoy, which framework may be made of T or angle iron, or
any other suitably formed iron or other material; this framework begins at
the bottom of the buoy, and extending up the sides and underneath the deck
of the buoy abuts against the abutment Z.
These abut-
plate work of
In Figs. 6 and 7 y, y, are the buoy parts of the winged beacons, which are
made of wood, plate iron, or any other suitable material;,, are the spindle
parts of these beacons, made in winged form, as shewn in the section, Figure 8.
These spindles may be made of wood, iron, or any other suitable material, and
pannelled as shown. The buoy part of the beacon seen in Figure 1 on line
of C, D, may be built square, bexagonal, or any other shape suited to the
good construction of the beacon. The buoy part of the beacon, seen in

page_text: Figure 7, is conical in shape. Both beacons are to be suitably ballasted, that
the spindles may constantly tend to the vertical position.
The object of constructing and mooring a beacon, as shown in Figure 6, is,
first, to admit of the passage of currents and floating debris of the ocean.
without materially disturbing the vertical position of the spindle; secondly, to
give a much greater object for the sight than is now done by the use of the
common spar; and, thirdly, to obtain a more certain vertical position against
the impingement of the wind and the rise and fall of tide.
The object of constructing and mooring a beacon with a sloped top, as
shown in Figure 7, is, first, to better protect the beacon from the accumulation
and movement of ice; secondly, to offer less resistance to the wind; and,
thirdly, to give a greater object for the sight.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention, as communicated to me
by the Inventor, William Smith Sampson, I declare that I claim,―
First, the general outline of that part of the buoy which is immersed, and
the general outline of that part which is not immersed extending up to the
eaves or the edge of the buoy, or its equivalent, so that slight agitation of the
water may rock the buoy from side to side.
Secondly, the outline shape of the top of the buoy or its equivalent, so that
the water may readily run off the same.
Thirdly, the elliptic-shaped spindle or its equivalent, so that the over
breaking wave may be parted easily without imparting undue strain to the
construction.
Fourthly, the winged shape of the spindle for buoys or beacons with three
or more wings, in the manner and for the purposes described.
Fifthly, the method of mooring fog and storm signals and buoys (in com-
bination with ballasting) whereby the spindle constantly tends to the vertical
position..
In witness whereof, I, the said Theodore Bourne, have hereto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty five
THEODORE BOURNE. (L.s.)