Improvements in or relating to Signal Lanterns, applicable for Signalling Between Maritime Vessels During Fogs.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 15th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 1st Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Signal Lanterns, applicable for
Signalling Between Maritime Vessels During Fogs.
A communication from abroad by Dr. WOLFRED NELSON, of 165, Broadway, New
York, United States of America, Doctor of Medicine.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a signal-lantern, particularly for use
in signalling between marine vessels in fogs, but also adaptable to various other
situations where it is desired to throw powerful beams of light at different angles,
or a beam or beams of light of one colour in the midst of a beam of a different
colour for signalling purposes.
The invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations
of parts, and, in order that the invention may be fully understood, the mode in
which the same may be carried into effect will first be described in detail.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specifica-
tion, in which-
Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of part of a vessel to which side-bow lanterns,
embodying the invention are applied.
Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional plan view of one of the said lanterns and the
adjacent part of the vessel.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the said lantern on the line X X,
Figure 2.
Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in the different Figures.
In the application of the invention thus illustrated, the lanterns A are hinged in a
common manner in ports B adapted thereto, in opposite sides of the bow of a vessel C,
with the object of throwing beams of light directly forward of the vessel, and also
laterally, but not rearwardly therefrom.
Each lantern A consists of a hollow-cylindrical glass case D, fixed with its
axis horizontal, in a circular metallic or other non-friable frame E which is
hinged in the port B, leaving the outer and inner heads F, G, of the cylindrical
case exposed.
The rear part H, of the cylindrical wall of the case D, is corrugated parallel to the
axis of the case, silvered on the outside to form an interior corrugated reflecting
surface, and the external grooves formed thereby filled with marine cement, before
fixing in the frame E.
The inner head F of the glass case is also silvered on the outside to form an interior
plane reflecting surface, parallel to the length of the vessel, and said inner head is, by
preference, arranged to open to give access to the interior, as for placing a light, K,
inside the case.
The outer head G of the glass case is formed at an acute angle to the inner head F,
so as to be flush with the skin of the vessel, and allow the light to be reflected
forward.
With this construction, the rays from the enclosed light K will be reflected hori-
zontally and laterally by the inner plane reflecting surface F, and will be condensed
and reflected directly forward horizontally by the concave corrugated reflecting
surface H.
In some cases, a spherical condensing lens or "bull's-eye" L is also formed on the
outer transparent head G, as shown, which may be coloured differently from the plane

page_text: glass head G, so as to show, for instance, a sharp green or red light on a field of white
fight for marine signalling purposes.
In lieu of the single bull's-eye L, a number of smaller prominences may be formed
on the outer head G, with the effect of showing a number of coloured lights on a white
or different coloured field.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1880
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Signal Lanterns, applicable for
Signalling Between Maritime Vessels During Fogs.
A communication from abroad by Dr. WOLFRED NELSON, of 165, Broadway, New
York, United States of America, Doctor of Medicine.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil
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:
The object of this invention is to provide a signal-lantern, particularly for use in
signalling between marine vessels in fogs, but also adaptable to various other situations
where it is desired to throw powerful beams of light at different angles, or a beam or
beams of light of one colour in the midst of a beam of a different colour for
signalling purposes.
The invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations
of parts, and, in order that the invention may be fully understood, the mode in which
the same may be carried into effect will first be described in detail.
Referring to the drawing filed with the provisional specification,
Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of part of a vessel to which side-bow lanterns,
embodying the invention, are applied.
Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional plan view of one of the said lanterns and the
adjacent part of the vessel.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the said lantern on the line X X, Figure 2.
Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in the different Figures.
In the application of the invention thus illustrated, the lanterns A are hinged in a
common manner in ports B adapted thereto, in opposite sides of the bow of a
vessel C, with the object of throwing beams of light directly forward of the vessel,
and also laterally, but not rearwardly therefrom.
Each lantern A consists of a hollow cylindrical glass case D, fixed with its axis
horizontal, in a circular metallic or other non-friable frame E which is hinged in the
port B, leaving the outer and inner heads F, G, of the cylindrical case exposed.
The rear part H, of the cylindrical wall of the case D, is corrugated parallel to
the axis of the case, silvered on the outside to form an interior corrugated reflecting
surface, and the external grooves formed thereby filled with marine cement, before
fixing in the frame E.
The inner head F of the glass case is also silvered on the outside to form an interior
plane reflecting surface, parallel to the length of the vessel, and said inner head is,
by preference, arranged to open to give access to the interior, as for placing a light, K,
inside the case.
The outer head G of the glass case is formed at an acute angle to the inner
head F, so as to be flush with the skin of the vessel, and allow the light to be reflected
forward.
With this construction, the rays from the enclosed light K will be reflected
horizontally and laterally by the inner plane reflecting surface F, and will be

page_text: condensed and reflected directly forward horizontally by the concave corrugated
reflecting surface H.
In some cases, a spherical condensing lens or "bull's-eye" L is also formed on the
outer transparent head G, as shown, which may be coloured differently from the plane
glass head G, so as to show, for instance, a sharp green or red light on a field of white
fight for marine signalling purposes.
In lieu of the single bull's-eye L, a number of smaller prominences may be formed
on the outer head G, with the effect of showing a number of coloured lights on a
white or different coloured field.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A reflecting lantern having an interior plane reflector, the surface of which is
smooth and unbroken, placed approximately at a right angle to the elements of an
interior corrugated concave reflector, substantially as described.
2. A reflecting lantern constructed of a hollow cylindrical glass case, one head and
a portion of the cylindrical wall of which are silvered on the outside to form interior
reflecting surfaces at a right angle to each other, substantially as described.
3. A reflecting lantern constructed of a hollow cylindrical glass case, a portion of
the cylindrical wall of which is corrugated transversely and silvered on the outside
to form an interior corrugated reflecting surface, substantially as described.
4. In a lantern, the combination, with a metallic or other non-friable ring-frame,
of a hollow cylindrical glass case partially silvered on the outside and fixed within
said ring-frame, substantially as described.
5. The herein described lantern constructed of a hollow cylindrical glass case, the
inner head, and the rear part of the wall of which are silvered on the outside, the
outer head of which is at an acute angle to the inner head, and the whole set in a
ring-frame, substantially as described.
6. A lantern having an interior plane reflector and a plane transparent wall in
front of and inclined at an acute angle to the plane reflector, said inclined transparent
wall being provided with one or more transparent condensing prominences likewise
inclined to the plane reflector, substantially as described.
7. A lantern having an interior concave corrugated reflector, the transverse
elements of which are straight, and a plane transparent wall provided with a trans-
parent condensing prominence in front of the concave corrugated reflector and
inclined at an acute angle to the transverse elements thereof, substantially as
described.
8. As an improved article of manufacture, a glass plate for a lantern wall formed
integrally with a condensing prominence of a different colour from the remainder, as
and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 14th dex of Tanu 1800
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.