AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR NIGHT SIGNALLING
Year: 1884

page_text: JOSEPH WALL, 46 Marsh Lane, Bootle, Liverpool, Lancashire, England, Master
Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR NIGHT SIGNALLING to be as follows:-
A revolving stand, the top forming a box, having three compartments, of equal
size, open at top. The compartments joined horizontally, in the front side of each
compartment is a circular hole.
The whole, forming a revolving stand, for three lamps. Each lamp is constructed
with a revolving circle, of four equal divisions, consisting of, a red glass, a green
glass, and a bright glass, also, a dark, or "shut off," shade. Each lamp has a bright
convex lense in front.
The lamps when placed in the compartments, and lighted (by olive oil, or
electricity) are capable of giving out, a combination of different colored lights,
representing certain signs, or letters, which are arranged to suit a certain "code of
signals," representing words and sentences.

page_text: JOSEPH WALL 46 Marsh Lane Bootle Liverpool England Master Mariner I do
hereby declare the nature of my Invention for AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
NIGHT SIGNALLING and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
An apparatus for night signalling constructed according to my Invention
consists of a revolving stand, the top forming a frame having three compartments
of equal size. The compartments serve to: contain three lamps, each lamp is fitted
inside with a revolving cylindrical casing, having four equal divisions or shades.
Respectively containing a wire gauze for bright, a red glass a green glass and a
dark, or shut off shade for dark and each lamp has a dioptric lens. By means of
the revolving cylindrical casing which is capable of being turned by a handle and
pointer, the lamps when lighted with oil, or. electricity can be made to display a
combination of different coloured lights, which represent certain signs, or letters,
the transposition of which are arranged into a code indicating certain words. The
revolving stand can be turned in any direction and held by set screws so as to
display the lights on the port, or starboard side, ahead, or astern, or at any angle,
in which position the stand can be secured by the set screws provided for that
purpose. Each lamp is fitted with a spring clip to hold the lamp in position and a
spring catch to hold the shades in position and to enable the lamps to be removed
when required.
The beforegoing being the nature, object and purposes of my Invention, I will
now proceed to describe more in detail how the saine may be carried into practical
effect, reference being had to the annexed Sheet of Drawings which are marked
with letters and Figures of reference corresponding with those used in the following
explanation, like letters and Figures being used to denote like, or corresponding
Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of a lamp according to my Invention.
Figure 4 is a sectional plan of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a plan of Figure 3.
Figure 6 is a diagram showing a code suitable for employment in my apparatus.
On reference to the Drawings it will be seen that A is the revolving stand
placed over the cylinder B and carried by the four wheels a which run on the
angle bar b mounted on a deck or in any other suitable position. a¹ is one of the
set screws for securing the stand. The top of the stand A consists of the frame C,
which is divided into three compartments D. Each of these compartments D
carries a lamp E constructed as follows. Each lamp consists of an outer casing e
the front of which is provided with the dioptric lens f. Inside the casing e fits the
revolving cylindrical casing g which is provided with four equal divisions, or
shades, namely a wire gauze h for bright, a red glass i for red, a green glass ; for
green and a dark shade k for dark. This revolving casing gis surmounted by a
chimney and provided with the handle m having a pointer m². n is a spring clip
to secure the revolving casing g in the lamp, and p is a spring catch which takes
into the notches q to retain the different shades in place when displaying the code
230897

page_text: and on withdrawing the spring catch p from the notches of the casing g can be
turned by the handle m to the next desired shade, the pointer m' indicating the
change and position of the shade. A tablet H, is provided on the revolving stand A
on which is marked the code to be used, such a code as that illustrated at Figure 6.
The top left hand top sign, three bright lights is the answering sign. The centre
sign, namely three green lights is the code sign and the right hand top sign,
namely three red lights is the annul sign. The other signs represent the following
alphabetical, namely B "yes" C "no" DFGHJKLMNPQ R S T V W. The
different shades and colours are represented in the Drawing thus: the plain circle
represents "bright" the horizontally lined circles represent "green," the vertically
lined represent "red" and the darkened circles represent "dark."
In operation each simultaneous display of lights shown from the signalling
apparatus represents one of the letters shown in the Drawings. Being adapted to
the commercial code book of day signals each signal from the apparatus must be
read as a flag would be by day. The signal man to stand behind the apparatus,
his left thumb on the spring catch for holding revolving shades in position, turning
the lamp to shew the colours in front with his right hand, the pointer on the
handle indicating what light is shown in front thus: The man has only to
remember his ships lights. Bright-ahead. Green to his right and red to his left.
If he wants to show green he points the arrow to his right, red to his left, bright
straight out in front and dark points the arrow towards himself, keeping the focus
of the lights on the distant vessel by moving the revolving stand, securing it in
any position by the set screw.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is-
First. In apparatus for signalling at night, the combination of horizontally
arranged lamps E mounted in a frame such as e provided with revolving adjustment
mechanism substantially as set forth.
Second. In apparatus for signalling at night the combination of lamps E
mounted in the horizontal frame c and the revolving adjusting mechanism
consisting of the stand A wheels a and cylinder B substantially as set forth.
Third. In apparatus for signalling at night the construction in the lamp E of a
revolving shade g having a red glass, a green glass, a gauze shade and dark shade
and provided with handle m and pointer m¹ substantially as set forth.
Dated thia Sixteenth day of Santamban 1901.