IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR CONNECTING SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH CABLES WITH LIGHT OR OTHER SHIPS OR FLOATING STATIONS OR BUOYS
Year: 1876

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LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Le Breton Bedwell, of 38, Old Broad Street, in
the City of London, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS AND
APPARATUS FOR CONNECTING SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH CABLES WITH LIGHT OR
OTHER SHIPS OR FLOATING STATIONS OR BUOYS."
Sealed the 21st July 1876, and dated the 29th January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Le Breton Bedwell
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th January 1876.
FREDERICK LE BRETON BEDWELL, of 38, Old Broad Street, in the City of London,
Gentleman. "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR CONNECTING SUBMARINE
TELEGRAPH CABLES WITH LIGHT OR OTHER SHIPS OR FLOATING STATIONS OR
BUOYS."
This Invention consists of a moving swivel or toggle having a hollow spindle so
as to allow a telegraph cable to be passed through the centre of it. This swivel is
placed between the ship and the mooring or moorings either near to the mooring at
the bottom or preferably near the ship about the level of the water line. From this
swivel one or more chains lead to the mooring or moorings in a downward
direction, and in an upward direction a chain or chains lead to and are secured
inside the ship or vessel in the ordinary manner.
.
A telegraph cable is laid at the bottom of the sea from any place selected to a
spot near or below the moored vessel. The end of this cable is then passed up and
through the hollow mooring swivel before-mentioned, and firmly secured in it to
prevent it revolving and to support its weight. The telegraph cable is then carried
over a suitable leading sheave on board the vessel. By these means the telegraph
cable between the swivel and the bottom of the sea is prevented from receiving any
injury through being twisted, as the vessel by means of the swivel is permitted to
revolve in any direction without communicating any twisting motion to that
portion of the telegraph cable which lies between the swivel and the shore or other
terminal point. As the vessel in swinging will now throw a turn into the telegraph
cable above the swivel, means are provided inboard for preventing the telegraph
cable receiving injury from this cause. For this purpose a sufficient quantity of
telegraph cable is wound on a small revolving druin or bobbin. This bobbin is
placed in a revolving frame, so that it can be turned over in order to relieve the
said cable of any twist that may have been occasioned by the ships swinging. The

page_text: whole or any part of this apparatus may be kept in a tank containing water for the
preservation of the cable.
Electrical communication is maintained through the axes of the drum and frame
by means of the usual appliances for this purpose.
The telegraph cable which is wound on the drum may be payed out if it should
be necessary from stress of weather or other cause to veer the ship's chain cable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick Le Breton Bedwell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th July 1876.
FREDERICK LE BRETON BEDWELL, of 38, Old Broad Street, in the City of London,
Gentleman. "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR CONNECTING SUBMARINE
TELEGRAPH CABLES WITH LIGHT OR OTHER SHIPS OR FLOATING STATIONS OR
BUOYS."
This Invention relates to improved means and apparatus for connecting sub-
marine telegraph cables with light or other ships or floating stations, buoys, or
submerged torpedoes. For the purposes of my Invention I employ a mooring
swivel or toggle having a hollow spindle, so as to allow a telegraph cable to be
passed through the centre of it. This swivel is placed between the ship mooring or
imoorings either near to the mooring at the bottom or preferably near the ship
about the level of the water line. From this swivel one or more chains lead to the
mooring or moorings in a downward direction, and in an upward direction a
chain or chains lead to and are secured inside the ship or vessel in the ordinary
manner.
A telegraph cable is laid at the bottom of the sea from any place selected to a
spot near or below the moored vessel. The end of the cable is then passed up
through the hollow mooring swivel before-mentioned, and firmly secured in it to
prevent it revolving and to support its weight. The telegraph cable is then carried
over a suitable leading sheave to inboard the vessel. By these means the telegraph
cable between the swivel and the bottom of the sea is prevented from receiving any
injury through being twisted, as the vessel by means of the swivel is permitted to
revolve in any direction without communicating any twisting motion to that
portion of the telegraph cable which lies between the swivel and the shore or other
terminal point. As the vessel in swinging will now throw a turn into the telegraph
cable above the swivel, means are provided inboard for preventing the telegraph
cable receiving injury from this cause. For this purpose a sufficient quantity of
telegraph cable is wound on a revolving drum or bobbin. This bobbin is placed in
a revolving frame so that it can be turned in order to relieve the said cable of any
twist that may have been occasioned by the ship's swinging. The whole or any
part of the apparatus may be kept in a tank contaning water for the preservation
of the cable.
Electrical communication is maintained through the axes of the drum and frame
by means of the usual appliances for this purpose.
The telegraph cable which is wound on the drum may be payed out should it be
necessary from stress of weather or other cause to veer the ship's chain cable.
The accompanying Sheet of Drawings illustrates my Invention,--
Figure 1 is a view of a vessel with the electric cable A supported by the rotating
swivel B at about the water line, as before set forth.
Figure 2 is a detached view in section of the swivel B with the electric cable A
supported in it by wedges C, C, which adjust the grip as may be desired. The
hollow swivel B has a couple of ears D, D, at its lower end for the attachment of
the lower or mooring chains E, E, the upper part of the swivel having a ring and
shackle attachment F for the upper mooring chain G, which is run inboard in the

page_text: usual manner, and takes the strain of the ship. The electric cable which may be
composed of many strands as separate conductors a, a, a, Figure 1, is led over a
sheave H, and inboard the vessel to a tank I, Figures 3 and 4, which tank contains
a bobbin J upon which the inner end of the cable is wound, the conducting wires
being set in contact with wires b, b, b, which lead to the bobbin spindle K and are
in connection each with a ring on the outside, which is pressed against by a spring
as shown in detail in Figure 5. Each of the springs is in connection with a wire
c, c, c, which is led down through the hollow step piece L of the tank I, also
provided with other rings and springs in a similar manner to the rings and springs
before-mentioned, in order to maintain electric conduction between the cable and
the despatching and receiving instruments within the ship. The tank I which may
be filled with water is mounted upon a bed plate M provided with wheels N, that
it may be rotated upon the deck plate P when desired to take any twist out of the
cable that may be put into it from the swinging of the vessel, should she be riding
or be moored in a tide way. The bobbin spindles or axles are bushed to prevent the
passage of water to the outside, where the axles are supported by standards Q, Q,
that the bobbin may be revolved by pinion R and wheel S when turned by the
crank handle T, should it be necessary to take in the cable from any cause, the
bobbin being free to run in the reverse direction should the ship drag her anchors.
The strands a, a, a, as separate cables can be in communication with the shore or
with other vessels (or submerged torpedoes) at a distance to enable the ship to keep
up a correspondence or otherwise dispatch and receive messages or electric signals
as before referred to.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,--
The improved means and apparatus for connecting submarine telegraph cables
with light or other ships or floating stations or buoys, as described and substantially
as shown.
Secondly. I claim the exclusive use of a hollow swivel in or to a mooring
chain through which an electric telegraph cable can be passed and in which said
cable can be supported, as described and substantially as shown.
Thirdly. I claim the employment of a revolving tank on the deck of a vessel,
such tank containing a bobbin upon which the end of the cable can be wound,
all acting as and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Le Breton Bedwell, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty
day of July One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-six.
F. LE B. BEDWELL. (L.S.)