IMPROVEMENTS IN LAYING DOWN SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH CABLES, AND IN APPARATUSES TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Tilston Bright, of the Cedars, Harrow
Weald, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LAYING DOWN SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH CABLES, AND IN
APPARATUSES TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Sealed the 23rd September 1857, and dated the 8th April 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Tilston Bright
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition on the
8th April 1857.
I, CHARLES TILSTON BRIGHT, of the Cedars, Harrow Weald, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAYING DOWN SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH CABLES, AND IN
APPARATUSES TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
I cause the strain which the length of cable, hanging during the operation
of paying out between the stern of the vessel and the bottom of the sea, bears
upon the machinery on deck and upon itself to be measured and indicated, so
that a fracture of the cable may be guarded against by decreasing the retarding
power on board should the strain or weight of the cable approach to its
extreme strength or sustaining power.
One method I adopt to carry this into effect consists in placing the axle of
the stern wheel in bearings held back by springs, which may be made to
assume an angle in a line with the direction of the cable; or I measure the
tension of the cable by lateral pressure; or water or atmospheric pressure,
and other suitable means may be adapted to the same object.

page_text: The strain is indicated on a dial. The whole may be so constructed, that
should the strain amount to more than it is considered safe to permit, a self-
acting management slackens or releases the brakes or other restraining
agents of the machinery.
I provide for the regular unwinding of the large coil or coils in the hold of
the vessel by placing in the centre or eye of the coil an upright shaft carrying
one or more sheaves or pulleys, by which the cable is taken hold of and guided
from the coil to the inner edge of one of the sheaves which is in a line with
the centre of the coil.
As the cable is drawn through, its pressure upon the outer edge of one of
the pulleys causes the shaft to rotate as the coil is being unwound. If the
shape of the coil requires it, a different arrangement may be substituted for
the revolving shaft, so as to cause it to travel in a direction coinciding with
the configuration of the eye of the coil. Above this uncoiling apparatus the
cable is drawn over a sheave, the edge of which is in a line with the centre of
the coil. From this sheave the cable passes through to the main brake, which
I construct as hereafter stated. This brake is composed of a series of large
sheaves, the grooves of which are so adapted to the figure and dimensions of
the rope as to grasp it firmly, at the same time that they preserve its con-
formation.
The sheaves are arranged outside of a frame, which carries their axles in a
line, or in two parallel lines, one above the other, so that if six sheaves are
employed the axles of the upper set are between the axles of the lower set,
as seen in plan.
The lines in which the centres of the upper and lower sets are fixed may be
placed at different distances from each other, according to the hold which it
is required to take of the cable, proportioned to its weight, or the depth of
water to be passed over.
The cable passes over the groove of one sheave, under the next; and thus
alternately to the end of the series. Friction brakes are fitted for use, should
occasion require, upon drums fixed to the axles of the sheaves, and in com-
bination with them. I cause the motion of the sheaves to drive a fan orother
regulator capable of ready adjustment, so that an equal resisting force may
be maintained upon the egress of the cable.
The friction brakes are worked by the pressure of steam in a chamber, or
by a lever, or by a worm and rack. They need not be generally used during
the operation. By this arrangement the heating of surfaces, which has
previously caused so much inconvenience, is avoided.
The sheaves are coupled together by bands, so that the whole force is con-

page_text: centrated upon the regulator, and each of the sheaves can be made to run fast
or loose upon its axles.
In laying cables over depths of water, where the weight of the cable would
cause serious risk of fracture, I employ an auxiliary vessel at such a distance
astern as the angle at which the cable is being payed out may direct.
A frame so arranged with pulleys or otherwise that the cable may readily
pass over it, is suspended by ropes from the vessel at such depth as to relieve
the paying-out vessel of half the strain of the cable by dividing the curve
which the quantity of cable between the stern of the paying-out vessel and the
bottom of the sea might otherwise assume, or more auxiliary vessels may be
employed to still further divide the strain; or where it is only desired to
provide against losing a cable by the occurrence of any accident on board of
the paying-out vessel, I pass the cable over sheaves on the auxiliary vessel, so
that the cable can be there retained upon a signal from the paying-out vessel.
The frame is provided with apparatus, whereby, in the event of any injury to
the cable on board the paying-out vessel, on signals being made the cable can
be held tight by the auxiliary vessel, and the end may then be drawn up.
This may be effected by the action of the ropes or by electrical agency.
To ascertain at all times the rate at which the vessel is going, I register its
speed on deck by the rotations of a vane submerged in the sea (in the manner
usual with what is known as the patent log), being electrically communicated
through a wire or wires contained in the cord, by which the vane is sustained
to an indicating instrument on deck, and I show the rate of the cable upon a
dial by toothed wheels acting upon the axle of one of the sheaves on the stem
wheel. The total distance passed over by the vessel and the total length of
cable delivered into the sea are also indicated by these registers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Tilston Bright in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th October 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
TILSTON BRIGHT, of the Cedars, Harrow Weald, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,

page_text: the said Charles Tilston Bright, Her special licence that I, the said Charles
Tilston Bright, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
1, the said Charles Tilston Bright, 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 LAYING DOWN SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH CABLES, AND IN
APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others
that I, the said Charles Tilston Bright, 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 Charles Tilston Bright, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, thereof reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say :-
The first part of my Invention consists in measuring and indicating the
strain exerted by a submarine telegraph cablewhile being submerged in order
that a fracture of the cable may be guarded against, by decreasing the power
employed to retard the paying out of the cable, should the strain (from the
pitching of the vessel, the depth of water, the force of currents, or othercauses)
approach the highest point the cable is calculated with safety to bear with
respect to the speed at which it is being paid out over the paying-out appa-
ratus. The machinery I employ for these purposes becomes a compensating
regulator. This part of my Invention also consists in causing the strain when
it has so reached its highest point to act upon and release a break straporother
retarding agent connected with the paying-outapparatus, when by the retarding
agent being so released the cable will be free to run faster over the paying-out
apparatus and thereby prevent fracture.
Figure 1 is an external elevation, partly in section, and Figure 2 a plan, of
a measuring and indicating apparatus or machine,constructed accordingtomy
Invention. A, A, is a frame, between the upper and lower portions of which
the blocks B, B, forming the bearings for the axis of a grooved pully C, are
free to slide; D is a fork, connecting the axis of the pulley with a piston rod
E; F is a case or cylinder, containing some retarding agent or power, which

page_text: may be in the form of coiled metal springs, or springs of vulcanized rubber;
or the cylinder may be fitted for containing air or steam; or other form of
springs may be fitted in such manner that the strain of the cable passing over
the pulley C may be measured by the extent or degree to which a piston con-
nected to the piston rod E will compress the springs or other elastic medium
contained in the case or cylinder F. Again, instead of the piston being made
to compress an elastic medium, the strain may be measured by the extent to
which it will draw out or separate elliptical or other springs, or to which it
will raise weights connected to the outer end of the piston rod.. The indicating
of the strain is effected through a toothed rack a upon or connected to the
piston rod, according to the elastic resisting medium employed, which rack
works a toothed wheel b, up on the axis of which is a pinionc, which gears into
and drives another toothed wheel d,upon the axis of which, prolonged outside
the case of the indicating apparatus (shewn in the detached view Figure 3,)
is the pointer e, which moves in front of the dial f.
The measuring and indicating apparatus'just described may be employedfor
the purpose of measuring and indicating only, and upon the maximum safe
strain being attained, the break strap or other retarding agent applied to the
paying-out drumns may be released by hand. But in order to cause the strain
by its own power, when it has attained the highest point the cable is calculated
with safety to bear, as aforesaid, to release the cable, and so prevent any
fracture thereof, I connect one arm of a cranked lever g, shewn in dotted
lines, Figures 1 and 2, to a block h, free to slide in the groove in the frame
A, A, near the extreme end of the course of the sliding pulley C, and from
the other arm of the lever I carry a rod, chain, or cord to connect it with
the break strap or other retarding agent (applied to the paying-out apparatus)
in such manner, that upon the block / being pressed upon by one of the blocks
of the sliding pulley C the lever shall act upon and release the break strap
er other retarding agent, when the cable will be free to run faster from the
pay ing-out apparatus, whereby the strain will be lessened, when the break strap
or other retarding agent may be again applied.
I do not limit myself to the precise indicating apparatus shown, nor to the
cranked lever for acting upon and releasing the retarding agent, as various
well-known simple mechanical arrangements for effecting the same objects
may be readily adopted.
I claim under this first part of my Invention,-
Firstly, the causing of the strain exerted by a submarine cable while being
submerged to be measured and indicated by the degree or extent to which it

page_text: will act upon an elastic medium, or upon weights, through a traveing puney
or moveable guide, over which the cable is passed.
Secondly, the causing of the strain exerted by a submarine cable while
being submerged, when it has amounted to the highest point the cable is
calculated to bear, to act upon and release a break strap or other retarding
agent applied to the paying-out apparatus, and thereby to diminish the
strain.
Thirdly, the general action of the apparatuses herein-before described.
The second part of my Invention consists in machinery for effecting the
regular unwinding of large coils of telegraph cable by placing in the centre
or eye of the coil an upright shaft, carrying one or more sheaves or guides,
by which the cable is taken hold of and guided from the coil to the inner edge
of one of the sheaves which is in a line with the centre of the coil.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of a coil of telegraph cable with my machinery
for effecting the unwinding thereof. A is a base plate at the bottom of the
coil B; and C, a top plate; D is a shaft, which passes up through the eye of
the coil, and is stepped in the base plate A; E is a pinion, fixed on to and
stationary with the top plate C; F is a frame fixed on the shaft D, carrying
the arin G,bearings for the wheels, hereafter described, and the upright slotted
guide H, the lower end of which is supported by the wheel or roller I. The
frame, arm, and parts connected with them revolve with the central shaft D.
It will be readily understood that upon strain being applied on the end of the
cable the arm G and parts connected therewith will be drawn round, but in
order to provide for the cable being drawn off in a line with every layer of
coil as it unwinds, I have fitted a threaded shaft or screw a in the slotted up-
right H. This screw carries a nut to which the friction pulley cis attached,
and upon the nut reaching the top or bottom of the upright H the screw is
reversed, and the nut carrying with it the pulley c reverses its motion, and
thus is preserved in a line with every layer of the coil as it is unwound. The
reversing is effected through the toothed wheel d, which revolves round and is
driven by the fixed pinion E. Upon the axis of the wheel d a heart wheel c
is fixed, and through a pin fthis wheel drives the circular rack g, first in one
and then in a contrary direction. The motion of the rack is communicated
through the toothed pinion to the toothed wheel i, which in turn drives the
pinion upon the top of the threaded shaft a. The end of the cable is carried
under the pulley c, over the guide pulley k, and between the pulleys 6, 1, in a
line with the eye of the coil to the paying-out machinery. A break may be
applied to control the rotation of the shaft and arm G.
21

page_text: Figures 5 and 6 shew respectively in side elevation, partly in section, and
plan, the rotating arm, adapted to the uncoiling of coils, as now usually made,
layer above layer. A is a rotating shaft; B, an arm fixed thereto and rotating
with it; C is a guide pulley over which the cable is passed, then between the
pulleys D, D, to the paying-out drums. A break may be applied to control
the rotation of the shaft A.
I claim, under this second part of my Invention, the employment of machi-
nery for unwinding telegraph cables, acting substantially in the manner
described under this second part of my Invention, and represented in Figures
4, 5, and 6 of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
The third part of my Invention consists in certain arrangements of paying-
out gear for regulating the egress of the cable from the paying-out vessel. I
employ a series of grooved sheaves, mounted upon suitable bearings, and in
such manner that the sheaves are outside of the frame which carries the bear-
ings of their axles, whereby the cable can be readily got at in case of need.
I carry the cable over one and under the other sheave alternately through the
series, and any kind of break may be applied thereto.
Under this part of my Invention I claim the particular arrangement of
sheaves herein-before described.
The fourth part of my Invention consists in the employment of an auxiliary
vessel or vessels additional to the vessel carrying the cable. In the event of
fracture to the cable at or near the vessel carrying it, the broken end, may
be recovered before passing from the auxiliary vessel.
The cable is passed over a sheave near the centre of the auxiliary vessel
at the side thereof.
I claim, under the fourth part of my Invention, the employment of one or
more auxiliary vessels over which the cable is to be passed when submerging
electric telegraph cables.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Tilston Bright, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of October, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-seven.
CHARLES T. BRIGHT. (L.S.)