Improvements in Apparatus for Producing Sonorous and Flashing Signals.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 4th May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 4th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 9th Mar., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Producing Sonorous and Flashing
Signals.
I, CHARLES INGREY, of Oak House, Fulham, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to apparatus for producing mechanically and without
the aid of a skilled operator, sonorous and flashing signals which consist of two or
more elements or units arranged in a predetermined manner. Examples of signals of
this kind are to be found in the Morse code, in the flag signals on ships, and in the
helograph signals employed for military and other purposes.
According to my invention I employ for the creation of sonorous signals a sound
producing instrument, such as a siron," trumpet, whistle or other device capable of
being operated by steam, compressed air or other motive fluid. I regulate the supply
of motive fluid to this instrument by means of a valve or valves or equivalent device or
devices capable of being operated by any one of a series of cams, there being a cam
for each particular signal which the apparatus is constructed to produce. The
spaces and projections or depressions on the cam correspond to the elements which
constitute the signal.
The said cams are arranged to be capable of sliding movement so as to enable either
one of the said cams to be brought into position to operate the valve or valves for the
admission of motive fluid to the sound producing instrument.
The cams are connected with an indicator and dial. On the dial there are inscribed
the signals the apparatus is capable of transmitting, and when the indicator is placed
opposite to a given signal the corresponding cam is in position to operate the valve or
valves which governs or govern the emission of motive fluid.
In order to enable the said cams to slide freely past the valve or valves, where it is
required to shift from one signal to another I form in each of the said cams a space or
opening, and arrange the gearing for revolving them in such manner, that, when a
signal has been given, and the cams are brought to rest they assume a position in
which the spaces or openings are opposite the valve or valves, so that the cams can be
moved freely along the shaft, spindle or drum on which they are mounted. Although
the cams are capable of sliding on the shaft, spindle or drum they are obliged to
revolve with it.'
The following are examples of signals in the international flag code. In con-
structing apparatus according to this invention to produce these signals the cam

page_text: It is obvious that more than one sound producing instrument might be employed,
and that these various instruments might be operated by differently shaped projections
on the cams, or by parallel rings of projections on the cams.
In one form of apparatus according to my invention the operator who desires to
produce a given signal moves a handle until the index stands opposite the required
letter or sign upon the dial.
The action of moving the handle causes the cams to be slid upon their shaft, and
brings the required cam opposite the valve or valves which control the motive fluid.
Upon turning a crank handle or wheel, the cams are caused to revolve and the
projections of the said cams coming in contact with the valve or valves, allow
compressed air, steam, or other motive fluid to pass to the instrument, and to produce
one or more sounds the duration of which is dependent upon the length of the
projections; the duration of the silence between consecutive sounds, is dependent upon
the length of the intervening space on the cam. The operator continues turning until
a stop or pawl automatically comes into operation and prevents further revolution of
the cam shaft. When a second signal is to be given the index is moved to the
required position and the stop or pawl raised so that the cams can again be revolved.
It is obvious that instead of operating valves controlling sound producing apparatus
the cams might operate devices for producing long and short flashes of light. Or the
cams might operate both sonorous and flashing signals simultaneously, so that if the
one were seen or heard the other might be appreciated by the persons to whom
the signal were addressed.
CHARLES INGREY.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: I, CHARLES INGREY, of Oak House, Fulham, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
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:-
This Invention has reference to apparatus for producing mechanically and without
the aid of a skilled operator, sonorous and flashing signals which consist of two or
more elements or units arranged in a predetermined manner. Examples of signals
of this kind are to be found in the Morse code, in the flug signals on ships, and in the
heliograph signals employed for military and other purposes.
According to my invention 1 employ for the creation of sonorous signals a sound
producing instrument such as a siren, trumpet, whistle, or other device capable of
being operated by steam, compressed air, or other motive fluid. I regulate the supply
of motive fluid to this instrument by means of a valve or valves or equivalent device
or devices capable of being operated by any one of a series of cams there being a cam
for each particular signal which the apparatus is constructed to produce. The spaces
and projections or dopressions on the cam correspond to the elements which constitute
the signal.
The said cams are arranged to be capable of sliding movement so as to enable either
one of the said cams to be brought into position to operate the valve or valves for the
admission of motive fluid to the sound producing instrument.
The cams are connected with an indicator and dial. On the dial there are inscribed
the signals the apparatus is capable of transmitting, and when the indicator is placed
opposite to a given signal the corresponding cam is in position to operate the valve or
valves which governs or govern the emission of motive fluid.
In order to enable the said cams to slide freely past the valve or valves where it is
required to shift from one signal to another, I form in each of the said cams a space
or opening, and arrange the gearing for revolving them in such manner that when a
signal has been given and the cams are brought to rest, they assume a position in
which the spaces or openings are opposite the valve or valves so that the cams can be
moved freely along the shaft, spindle, or drum on which they are mounted. Although
the cams are capable of sliding on the shaft, spindle, or drum they are obliged to
revolve with it.
The following are examples of signals in the international flag code and as proposed
by Sir Digby Murray Bart. of the Marine Department of the Board of Trade. In
constructing apparatus according to this invention to produce these signals the cam

page_text: It is obvious that more than one sound producing instrument might be employed
and that these various instruments might be operated by differently shaped projections
on the cams, or by parallel rings of projections on the cams.
In one form of apparatus according to my invention the operator who desires to
produce a given signal moves a handle until the index stands opposite the required
letter or sign upon the dial.
The action of moving the handle causes the cams to be slid upon their shaft
and brings the required cam opposite the valve or valves which control the motive
fluid.
Upon turning a crank handle, or wheel the cams are caused to revolve, and the
projections of the said cams coming in contact with the valve or valves allow com-
pressed air, steam, or other motive fluid to pass to the instrument and to produce one
or more sounds, the duration of which is dependent upon the length of the projections;
the duration of the silence between consecutive sounds is dependent upon the length
of the intervening space on the cam. The operator continues turning until a stop or
pawl automatically comes into operation and prevents further revolution of the cam
shaft. When a second signal is to be given the index is moved to the required
position and the stop or pawl raised so that the cams can again be revolved.
It is obvious that instead of operating valves controlling sound producing apparatus,
the cams might operate devices for producing long and short flashes of light. Or the
cams might operate both sonorous and flashing signals simultaneously so that if
the one were not seen or heard the other might be appreciated by the persons to whom
the signals were addressed.
I will now proceed to more particularly describe my Invention reference being had
to the accompanying drawings of which:
Fig. 1 is an elevation showing my improved signalling apparatus with the case or
frame partly removed.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the siren or sound producing instrument shown
detached.
1
Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same at right angles to Fig. 1, the case being in
section.
Fig. 3 is a plan of same.
Fig. 4 is an elevation to an enlarged scale showing one of the cams for operating
the valves.
Fig. 5 is a plan of the same.
Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a modification.
The drawings show apparatus according to the invention applied to operate a Siren
or Sirenette, such as described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me
No. 8372 and dated 10th July 1885.
The apparatus is enclosed within a casing a, which likewise serves as a framing.
On the front of the case is a dial 6 upon which are marked the various characters of
the desired signals and in connection with which is an indicator or pointer lever c
capable of being moved by a handle d so as to point to any one of the said characters
or signals. The said lever c is formed with a hollow boss e which is supported by a
suitable bearing fand has firmly keyed upon it a wheel 9 having teeth around half
its circumference. The teeth of the wheel g gear into a rack so that on moving the
lever c the rack will be raised or lowered.
The rack is carried by a frame i upon which are slide blocks j capable of sliding
upon a fixed guide bar or shaft k.
Extensions of the slide blocks j also slide freely up and down a vertical revolving
shaft in which is fitted a feather key nearly throughout its length. The extensions
are bored sufficiently large to slide over the key.
Upon the shaft I thread a number of discs or cams m having keyways corre-
sponding with the feather key, and provided with spaces and projections.
The number of cams and the formation or disposition of the spaces and projections
is in accordance with the number and nature of the signals to be given.
The cams are placed between the extensions of the slide blocks j so that the

page_text: movement of the rack h communicates a like movement to the cams m and bodily
slides them up or down the feather keyed shaft 1. Rotary motion is communicated to
the said cam shaft by means of bevel gearing n, o, the shafts n², o¹, and the pinion
and spur wheel p, ga handle or wheel r being employed to impart.the motion. The
shaft o passes through the bosse of the lever c, and can move independently of it.
is a valve for supplying the motive fluid to the sirenette or other sound producing
instrument.
The said valve is capable of being opened by the pressure transmitted through the
levert by the projections of a cam m and is closed by the action of a spring or other
suitable means.
In order to enable the cams to slide freely past the said lever and valve when it is
required to shift from one signal to another, I form in each cam a space or opening m¹
(Fig. 5) the keyways in the said cams being so arranged that all their spaces or
openings m' are in line. The spur wheel q is formed with a recess u into which a bolt
or stop piece connected to the weighted lever w can fall when the recess comes
below it. When the bolt is in the recess the gear wheel 9 and the shaft / with the
cams are locked. After the weighted lever w has been raised so as to draw the holt v
from the recess u the handler with the gear connected to it can be turned, the end
of the holt resting upon the side of the spur wh el q during the turning of the handle
which can be continued until the cam shaft / has made one complete revolution when
the bolt fails into the recess and prevents further motion until the weighted lever is
again raised. It will thus be seen that the normal position of the cams m m is such
that the spaces or openings m³ m² are always opposite the valve so that the cams can
be raised or lowered freely. The indicator lever c is provided with a hand catch or
pawl which engages with notches formed in a segmental plate in connection with
the dial by which means the cams are retained in any desired position. To counter-
balance or partially counter balance the weight of the rack, frame and cams I form
on the segmental wheel g a suitable balance weight g¹. In working my apparatus
the operator moves the indicator lever so that it points to the signal which he desires
to give. By this action the proper cam m is brought into position opposite the
valves the weighted lever w is then raised to withdraw the bolt and the handle r
turned until the motion is arrested by the locking of the spur wheel q. As the cam
is revolved its projections operate the valve and cause long or short blasts to be given
by the "Sirenette" exactly in accordance with the length of the projections on the
said cams the spaces between them determining the periods of silence.
For producing flashing signals one or other of the cams m when rotated is caused,
as shewn in Fig. 6 to operate a lever t¹ to which is connected a rod t' carrying a
double rack to that gears with toothed wheels t*. To these wheels are connected
shutters arranged in front of a lamp s¹. The arrangement is such that when the
rack is raised by the action of a cam the shutters are moved into the position shown
in dotted lines and expose the lamp and when the end of the lever comes opposite a
space in the cam the rack falls and closes the shutters.
Although I have shewn a vertical arrangement of my improved signalling apparatus
it will be obvious that it could readily be arranged in a borizontal or inclined position
and that motion could be conveyed by worm or other gearing than that shewn on the
drawings without departing from the nature of my invention."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what i
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for producing signals of the kind hereinabove referred to, the
arrangement of a number of cams in connection with and so as to be controlled by
an indicator, in such a manner that if the indicator be set in a given position and
the apparatus be then worked, the cam corresponding to that position of the indicator
will be actuated and will cause to be produced the signal corresponding to the
indication given, as set forth.

page_text: 2. In apparatus for producing signals of the kind hereinabove referred to, the
automatic device, substantially as described, for stopping the cams on the completion
of a rotation.
3. My improved apparatus for producing signals substantially as described with
reference to and illustrated by the drawings annexed.