Improvements Connected with Mechanical Telegraphs for Use in Navigable Vessels.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 4th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 9th Mar., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements Connected with Mechanical Telegraphs for Use in
Navigable Vessels.
I, WILLIAM CHADBURN, of 11 Waterloo Road, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Telegraph Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
My Invention has for its object to remedy certain defects and objectionable features
in connection with Mechanical Telegraphs for use for communicating between
different parts, or stations in navigable vessels, where orders, conditions, or positions
of moving parts have to be transmitted from one position to another.
Now this type of telegraph instruments are at present provided with order
dials or discs and are worked by a handle, or handles which are arranged to work
in the vertical or the horizontal plane; but mostly the former. These handles are
however inconvenient and dangerous under the conditions which I will now
explain.
Two, or more of the instruments are frequently arranged in the same circuit, or
system of telegraphs and very often these are disposed one over the other on different
decks, or bridges: they are also arranged on different sides of the ship and in many
different ways.
Hence in inter connected apparatus of this kind, when the handle of
one instrument is moved, the handle of the other, or other instruments is or are
simultaneously moved. The swinging to and fro of these handles forms, an element of
danger, particularly in confined spaces, such as Conning Towers of War ships and.
other equivalent places.
Now my Improvements consist in so connecting the above mentioned handles with
the mechanism of the instruments, that when they are not being operated by an
attendant the said handles can be readily disconnected, and by this means will be un-
affected by the movement of the handle, or handles of any other instrument in the circuit.
There are many means, or devices by which this disconnection may be offected. For
example, the shaft on which the handle is mounted may be provided with a short
fixed lever whilst the handle would be mounted loosely on the shaft in front of the

page_text: lever; suitable means such as cheeks, a spring catch, or other mechanical equivalent
being provided, by which the handle could be readily engaged, or disengaged from
the lever. Thus when not in use the said handle will be disengaged and will not be
affected by the moving of the other instrument, or instruments, and also will not
constitute an element of danger to bystanders. At the same time it can be readily
engaged with the instrument when required for use.
Other devices may consist of threaded, eccentric, clutch wedge or equivalent
mechanisms by which the handle may be made either to grip or engage with and
work the shaft of the instrument, or be disconnected and loose thereon."
My Invention further consists in providing that type of transmitting instruments,
which have their dials or discs arranged in the horizontal plane, with the handles
or levers for operating them, disposed and working in the vertical plane in lieu of
the horizontal plane as heretofore practiced. And I further so arrange the telegraph
that the handle of the transmitting instrument shall work in the direction in which the
engines, rudder, or other moving part, or mechanism are required to work, or move. For
instance for "ahead" orders on the engine room telegraph the handle would be
arranged to be moved in the direction of the how of the vessel and for astern
towards the stern.
"
"
Likewise for steering telegraphs, for "port" orders the handle of the instrument
would be arranged to move in the corresponding direction and for "starboard" in the
opposite direction. To give the proper movements, the transmitting instrument may
be provided with bevel wheels to transmit the motion of the horizontal shaft to a
vertical shaft and a pointer.
A chain pulley, or pulleys would also be mounted on the horizontal, or vertical
shaft on which the ordinary communicating chains such as are employed in Chadburns
telegraphs may be secured and worked. Tell tale, or reply mechanisms may be
combined with the apparatus if desired.
D
L

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements Connected with Mechanical Telegraphs for Use in
Navigable Vessels.
I, WILLIAM CHADBURN, of 11 Waterloo Road, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster,
Telegraph Engineer, 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 :-
My Invention has for its object to remedy certain defects and objectionable features
in connection with Mechanical Telegraphs for use for communicating between different
parts or stations in navigable vessels, where orders, conditions, or positions of moving
Now this type of
parts, have to be transmitted from one position to another.
telegraph instruments are at present provided with order dials or discs, and are
worked by a handle or handles which are arranged to work in the vertical, or the
horizontal plane, but mostly the former. These handles are however inconvenient
and dangerous under the conditions which I will now explain.
Two or more of the instruments are frequently arranged in the same circuit or
system of telegraphs, and very often they are disposed one above the other on
different decks or bridges; they are also arranged on different sides of the ship and
in many different ways. Hence in interconnected apparatus of this kind, when the
handle of one instrument is moved, the handle of the other intrument or other instru-
ments is or are simultaneously moved. The swinging to and fro of these handles
forms an element of danger, particularly in confined spaces, such as Conning Towers
of war ships and other equivalent places.
Now my Improvements consist in so connecting the above mentioned handles with
the mechanism of the instruments, that when they are not being operated by an
attendant the said handles can be readily disconnected, and by this means will be
unaffected by the movement of the handle or handles of any other instrument in the
circuit. There are many means or devices by which this disconnection may be
effected. For example, the shaft on which the handle is mounted may be provided
with a short fixed lever, whilst the handle would be mounted loosely on the shaft
in front of the lever, suitable means such as cheeks, a spring catch, or other mechanical
equivalent being provided, by which the handle could be readily engaged, or dis-
engaged from the lever. Thus, when not in use, the said handle will be disengaged,
and will not be affected by the operation of the other instrument or instruments, and
also will not constitute an element of danger to bystanders. At the same time it can
be readily engaged with the instrument when required for use.
Other divices may consist of threaded, eccentric, clutch, wedge or equivalent
mechanisms, by which the handle may be made either to grip or engage with and
work the shaft of the instrument, or be disconnected and loose thereon.
My Invention further consists in providing that type of transmitting instruments;
which have their dials or discs arranged in the horizontal plane, with handles or

page_text: levers for operating them, disposed and working in the vertical plane in lieu of
the horizontal plane as heretofore mostly practiced. And I further so arrange the
telegraph, that the handle of the transmitting instrument shall work in the direction
in which the engines, rudder, or other moving part or mechanism are required to
work or move. For instance, for "Ahead" orders on the engine room telegraph,
the handle would be arranged to be moved in the direction of the bow of the vessel,
and for "Astern" towards the stern. Likewise for steering telegraphs, for "Port
orders, the handle of the instrument would be arranged to move in the corresponding
direction, and for "Starboard" in the opposite direction. To give the proper
movements, the transmitting instrument may be provided with bevel wheels to
transmit the motion of the horizontal shaft and a pointer. A chain pulley or pulleys
would also be mounted on the operating shaft of the instrument, and on which the
ordinary communicating chains (such as are employed in Chadburn's telegraphs)
may be secured and worked. "Tell-tale," or Reply" mechanisms may be
combined with the apparatus if desired.
46
In the Drawings which serve to illustrate the Invention are shown several devices
by which the handle of instruments of the kind specified can be made either to
engage with the shaft and work it, or to be disconnected and loose thereon; and the
transmitting instrument last described.
Like letters are used to denote the same or equivalent parts in the different devices
illustrated.
In Figure 1 is shown the arrangement above mentioned, in which a short auxiliary
fixed arm or lever is employed. With reference to the Figure, a designates the shaft
of an instrument; is the main hand-lever, mounted loosely on said shaft; c is the
short arm or lever, fixed on the square portion a¹ of the shaft, and provided with
cheeks c¹, between which the lever b lies when it is in the position in which it is
capable of moving the shaft a; d is a nut having a lever and adapted to move to
and fro on the screwed portion a² of the shaft, to rotate and move the hand lever b
with it, and to put said lever in or out of connection with the cheeks of the arm c;
and d' is a groove, and d² a pin,-screwed through the boss of the lover into said
groove by which the nut d and lever bare connected and move to and fro
together.
In Figure 2 the boss or collar c is designed to be used in lieu of the fixed arm
above specified, and the eccentric d is provided in lieu of the screwed nut aforesaid.
The abutting edges of the boss c and lever boss bare serrated or provided with teeth
as shown or equivalent means, by which they become locked when pressed together.
The eccentric d is mounted on the end of the shaft a, which is made in the form of
a T in this case, and by pressing its handle, into the position shown, the lever /
would be pressed up against the collar c on the shaft a.
The rendering loose of the lever 6 upon the shaft is effected by pressing the
handle of the eccentric downwards; the spring e pressing the lever away from the
collar c, thereby causing it to follow the retreat of the eccentric. It will be
evident the nut d could be used instead of the eccentric with a similar effect.
The device shown in Figure 3 constitutes an arrangement in which the collar c
and the boss of the lever b form a clutch of well known form. Any of the devices
specified may be used to engage the lever with and disengage it from the collar.
In Figure 4 a wedge or inclined cotter d is passed through the end a² of the
shaft a, and forces the boss of the lever b up to the collar €, which may be serrated
as in Figure 2, or in the form of a clutch as in Figure 3. When the cotter is removed
from the slot, the spring e forces the lever bout of gear with the collar c.
It will be seen from the description of the arrangements illustrated in the above
Figures that a part or parts of one arrangement may be combined with and used in
another or others of said arrangements as may be deemed desirable.
In Figure 5 is illustrated in sectional elevation a transmitting instrument, above
mentioned, of the type in which the dial and pointers are arranged in the horizontal
plane, and the hand-lever for operating it is arranged to work in the vertical plane.
The apparatus is provided with a reply" mechanism.
"

page_text: "
With reference to the Figure, A is the case of the instrument having the horizontal
dial B, and mounted on the ordinary column (; is the hand operating lever
placed or fixed upon the horizontal shaft a, and arranged to operate in the vertical
plane D and E represent the chain wheels of the instrument, one of which, D. is
fixed on the shaft a. and is adapted to operate the indicating pointer of the receiving
instrument through the chain f. as in Chadburn's ordinary chain mechanical
Telegraphs, and the other, E, is inounted loosely on the shaft a, and is adapted to be
operated through the chain f¹ by the "Reply mechanism in the receiving
instrument and to operate the "Reply" pointer; D and E are bevel wheels.
one, D', being fixed on the shaft a or otherwise made to operate simultaneously with
the wheel D, and the other, E¹, is connected with the wheel E by a hollow shaft
outside a, or by other means, and moves simultaneously therewith; D³, E³, are bevel
wheels corresponding with the wheels D¹, E', respectively, and having upon their
respective shafts F and G, pointers F¹, G', the pointer G₁ being that connected
with the hand lever b, and whose movements are simultaneous, and correspond, and
the pointer F being the "Reply" pointer; and H is a bearing by which the bevel
wheels D2, E2, and the pointers F and Gare supported and in which the shaft F
works.
In lieu of the bevel wheels D', E, D, E, the movement of the chain wheels D, E,
may, in this arrangement, be transmitted to the pointers F¹ G¹ by chain and chain
wheels, similarly and equivalently arranged.
The dial B of the instrument will of course be one of any known kind, having
"word " or other "orders," etcetera, suitable for the purposes for which such
instruments are intended.
It will be obvious that in the same manner as the pointers F¹ and G³ are operated,
Engine or other "Tell-talo " pointers may be worked.
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 1
claim is :
1. The improvement herein described in telegraphic apparatus of the kind specified,
consisting in adapting the actuating levers of transmitting instruments to be engaged
with the operating shaft or mechanism, or disengaged therefrom, at will.
2. The combination with the shaft (a) of a transmitting instrument of ships'
telegraphic apparatus, of an actuating lever, and a device, such as specified, by which
said shaft and lever may be engaged with each other, or disconnected or disengaged
from each other; for the purposes specified.
3. The combination with the shaft a a transmitting instrument of a ship's
telegraphic apparatus, of an arm c, lever », and device d; substantially as set forth
with reference to the drawings.
4. The combination with the shaft a of a transmitting instrument of a ship's
telegraphic apparatus, of a lever b, and a device d, said shaft and lever being provided
with serrations or clutch mechanism; substantially as set forth with reference to the
drawings.
5. The combination with the shaft a of a transmitting instrument of a ships'
telegraphic apparatus, of the lever b, and a key, cotter, or pin d; substantially as
set forth with reference to Figure 4 of the drawings.
6. In transmitting instruments of apparatus of the kind herein specified, the
combination of an operating hand-lever, arranged to move in the vertical plane; a
wheel or wheels also operating in the vertical plane, and adapted to operate by
means of chains or cords in connection with a receiving or indicating instrument;
and a dial and pointer or pointers, arranged or disposed in the horizontal plane,
said pointers being operated through. above specified parts; substantially as
forth.
set
7. In a transmitting apparatus of the kind herein specified, in which a vertical
operating hand-lever and a chain or cord wheel and cliains or cords, or a plurality

page_text: of same, are employed for the purposes described, a dial and a pointer or pointers
horizontally arranged, said pointer or pointers being adapted to be operated through
said handle, or wheel or wheels, or parts connnected therewith; substantially as set
forth.
8. The construction of instrument substantially as set forth with reference to 5
Figure 5, consisting in the combination with the case A, of a hand lever b; shaft a;
wheels D, E; wheels D', E¹, D', E²; dial B; and pointers F¹¹ G¹.