Improvements in and relating to Steam Signal Whistles for Ships.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Dec., 1894-Accepted, 16th Feb., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Steam Signal Whistles for Ships.
We, JOHN WILLIAM SAMPSON of 63 Oxford Avenue, Nichols Town, Master
Mariner, and THOMAS LEIGH MITCHEL MORE of 31 Derby Road, Nichols Town,
Engineer, both of Southampton, in the County of Hants, 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
Our invention relates to steam signal whistles for ships for use in foggy weather
and at other times, and comprises a further development of our invention for
which Letters Patent where granted us dated the 28th day of October 1892
numbered 19356.
The main object of our said invention is to provide for the sounding of a ship's
steam whistle at regular intervals by menus of an apparatus on machine actuated
by steam or other power
According to one form or modification of our invention we fit and secure upon a
ship's ordinary steam whistle pipe, below the whistle. a case, or chamber which
contains, or to which is attached, a small steam engine or motor which operates
mechanism hereinafter described, or similar thereto, so that steam
intermittently through the whistle, then aby sounding same nt regular intervals.
In the accompanying drawings:--
passes
Fig 1. 18 a vertical side view of our apparatus constructed according to one form
or modification of our invention.
Fig. 2. a front elevation of same partly in section with the front plate, or cover a,
removed.
Fig. 3. 1s a vertical side elevation, the lower part being shown in section taken at
the vertical centre.
Fig. 4. is an enlarged view of details hereinafter described.
Figs. 5, and 6. are side views of parts of the apparatus illustrating details
hereinafter described.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A, is a case or chamber which is suitably attached to the whistle pipe B.
C, is an annulai chamber, or cylinder forming pait of, or attached to the case A,
the cylinder contains a fan D, mounted upon one end of the spindle b, a woim
screw, is fitted or formed upon the spindle b, which gears by means of a train of
tooth wheels with the spindle e, a disc E', is mounted and fixed upon one end of the
said spindle and will be formed with two or more projections f', f¹, on its periphery,
of a shape or similar thereto as shewn; below the disc E', is a lever bar F pivotting
at one end on a pin y, a roller h, is mounted on the inside of the lever F, which is
always in contact with the periphery of the disc E', the roller, on the free end of
lever, being kept in this position-vz.:-in contact with the disc E-by means of
a spring, or other amitable spring. the free end of which bears on the projection,
on the lever F (see Figs. 2 and 4).
A plate or rod G, is attached to the side of the lever F, pivotting at its lower
end on the pin K, the said plate may extend in one length upwards through the top
of case, or be connected to another 1od G¹, as shown.
To the top of the rod G¹, a connecting rod H, is attached by a hinged joint, the
rod H connects with the lever mechanism, hereinafter described, which operates
the steam wbistle B¹. The said lever mechanism, consists of a lever bar J, which
pivots at one end on the upper part of the connecting rod II, and at the other end

page_text: on the lever bar K, which pivots at its lower end on, oi in a bracket L, attached to
the lower part of the whistle.
It is obvious from the above description of parts that upon setting the fun D, in
motion the various levers are operated
M', is a bolt mounted upon the lever K; is a coil spring embracing the said
bolt which serves to keep the bolt in the position as shewn at Fig. 1. except when
the latter is acted upon by pulling the handing cord or lanyard m, in manner
hereinafter described
The action of the whole is as follows.-
Taking it that the apparatus is at rest, and the steam supply to motor cut off,
and the steam whistle valve closed (the lever mechanism will then be in the position
shewn in Figs. 1, 2 and 4) and that it is desired to sound the whistle B', at regular
intervals; steam is admitted to the motor by turning on the cock ', the motor is
thus started causing the worm screw and consequently by the train of tooth
wheels the disc E, to revolve, the disc dining its revolutions operating the
lever F, and consequently the 10 G, attached to the lever and connecting rods,
and the lever mechanism mounted on the steam whistle. During the continuous
revolutions of the fan D, the levers J, and K, will oscillate between the positions
as shewn in Figs 1 and 5, the whistle spring valve, fitted at C', being operated by
the pressure of the lower end of the lever K on the valve spindle N, and the
whistle is thus sounded at regular intervals
Agam taking it that it is desired to stop the sounding of the steam whistle when
it is being sounded by means of the motor, it is only necessary to slightly pull
the handing cord o lauvard m, sufficiently to lift the bolt M', out of a slot n,
provided in the lever J, (see Fig 3) the lever J, cau then pivot freely on the
lever K, without moving the latter, and the noto and connecting rods can be
working without then acting upon the lever K, that is to say the motor may
continue its revolutions without operating the steam whistle when the bolt M', 19 in
the position as shewn at Figs 3 and 6
Again, should it be desired to sound the whistle by hand only, by means of the
cord m, the latter will be pulled tightly in the ordinary manner, the result being to
withdraw the bolt M', from the slot n, thus allowing the lover K, to pivot freely
on the lever J, the sping whistle valve may thus be operated by hand as desired
by means of the lower end of lever K. acting on the spindle N, of sping whistle
valve, meanwhile the motor may be allowed to continue working, or it may be at
rest, as the connection between same and the whistle is broken by reason of the
withdrawal of the bolt M', from the slot n, and immediately the lever K is restored
to the position shewn at Fig. 1. and the cord released, the bolt M', is forced into
the slot n, by the re-action of the spring, the working connection between the
motor and levers being thus re-established.
The length of the interval between the sounding of the whistle can obviously be
regulated by the form and size of the disc E', and the form and number of the
projections, upon same, and the speed of the motor, the latter can be
regulated by suitable governors.
With the view of further assisting in regulating the speed of the motor we may
sometimes a range for the spindle, to project outside of the case A, on one side
and motor case on the other side, and provide a fly wheel on one or both of the
projecting ends of the spindle.
or
We may also provide suitable appliances for indicating the amount and pressure
of steam introduced at the cock, to the motor.
With the view of causing a quick cut off of steam to the whistle at the end of
each periodical sounding of sanic, the spindle e, on which the disc is mounted is
provided with a feather d, and a slot d', is formed in the disc, this allows of a
limited rotary movement of the disc on its spindle and when the point of a
projection 18 just past the centre of the 1oller h, the disc revolves upon its
spindle to the extent allowed by the play of the feather in the slot, suddenly
breaking the contact between the projection ', and the rollei, h, causing an

page_text: unmediate elevation of the lever F, acted upon by the spring i, and consequent
quick cut off of steam to the whistle valve.
Many modifications may be made in the details of our apparatus without
departing from the distinctive character of the invention for instance.
If preferred the periphery of the disc E', may be toothed, and arranged to gear
direct with the worm screw c. In this arrangement the projections f', ', will
obviously have to be formed on the face of the disc.
We do not confine ourselves to making the case A, of the particular form as
shewu in the accompanying drawings, but it may be made of any suitable size and
shape, and the gearing operating the disc of a kind and suitably disposed in the
case to meet any modification we may find it desirable to make in the form of case.
The cover a, may be connected to the case by hinged joints or bolts as
preferred.
We consider the following to be important features of our invention secured by
means of the construction and arrangement of om apparatus in nianner heren-
before descubed.
1st That the whistle may be sounded either by hand in the ordinary manner,
or by means of the motor.
2nd. That the whistle may be sounded if desued by hand in the ordinary manner
at all times either while the motor is, or is not in motion.
3rd. That the sounding of the whistle by means of the motor can be stopped at
will without stopping the revolution of the motor-by simply pulling the cord m,
in the ordinary manner.
4th. That the sounding of the whistle during the revolutions of the motor can
be stopped for any length of time by simply taking up the slack of the cord and
securing saine, and upon releasing the cord the whistle will be again sounded by
means of the motor, provided same is in motion.
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
olaim is .-
1st. The improved apparatus for use in sounding ship's steam signal whistles at
regular intervals by steam power, consisting of the parts constructed arranged and
combined substantially as her embefore described with icference to the accompanying
drawings and operating as and for the purposes specified.
2nd. The combination of parts compusing the case A, with the attached motor,
and the dise E', formed with projections f', ', adapted to engage with the lever F,
at regular intervals thereby actuating the rods G, and II, and consequently the
levers J, and K, and whistle B', and other devices, substantially as and for the
purposes above specified.
or
3rd. For a ship's steam whistle the improved apparatus adapted for sounding
the whistle either by steam or other motive power and by hand, all constructed,
arranged, and combined substantially as her embefore described with reference to
the accompanying diawings.
Dated this 21st day of December 1894.
JOHN WILLIAM SAMPSON.
THOMAS LEIGH MITCHELMORE
Herbert P. Blake, M.I.N.A,
70, High Street, Southampton, Agent for the Applicants.