AN IMPROVED HORN OR WHISTLE APPARATUS CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR THE PROTECTION OF SHIPS IN FOGGY OR STORMY WEATHER
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
" AN IMPROVED HORN OR WHISTLE APPARATUS CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR THE
PROTECTION OF SHIPS IN FOGGY OR STORMY WEATHER." A communication
from abroad by Noah Smith Woodward, of Sherbrooke, Province of Quebec,
Canada.
Sealed the 23rd August 1878, and dated the 12th June 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th June 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED HORN OR WHISTLE APPARATUS
CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR THE PROTECTION OF SHIPS IN FOGGY OR STORMY WEATHER."
[A communication from abroad by Noah Smith Woodward, of Sherbrooke, Province
of Quebec, Canada.]
The object of the said Invention is to furnish an automatic apparatus whereby a
current of air may be forced through a whistle or horn and reed at regular intervals,
which intervals may be varied at will for the purpose of producing signals for the
protection of vessels at sea during foggy or stormy weather.
The said apparatus is designed for use on vessels and at signal stations, also on
light ships and the like, as an additional security to navigation.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a steam cylinder or
chamber in which works a piston, which by means of a piston rod is attached to
another piston working in an air cylinder or chamber, the two said cylinders being
united in axial position by brackets. A valve (preferably "equilibrium ") supplies
steam to the said steam cylinder from a boiler at proper intervals, and is operated
by controlling mechanism, which is itself operated by the reciprocal action of the
said pistons.

page_text: The said mechanism is constructed as follows, that is to say:-I provide a bracket
in which works a spindle, working freely on which is a slotted lever attached by a
link to a spindle connected with the said valve. A disc with a stop piece and a
lever with its weight attached are keyed to the spindle which works in the bracket.
Working in the covers of the aforesaid cylinders are two pins, one for each cylinder,
placed in such a position that when forced outwards from the respective cylinders,
they depress or raise one end of a pivoted lever, to the other end of which is
attached a projecting roller or truck, which works in a hollow part of the aforesaid
disc. To the cover of the steam cylinder is attached a pipe with two stop-cocks.
One of the latter is opened and closed by a lever operated by a slotted lever by
means of a pin. The other stop-cock is adjustable for the purpose of regulating the
escape of expended steam from the cylinder.
I also provide a valve for the purpose of regulating the supply of steam to the
cylinder, and attached to the aforesaid air chamber is a reed chamber, to which is
secured a horn.
I may modify my Invention as follows, that is to say I provide a cylinder to
the lower portion of which steam is admitted through a passage, the upper portion
of the cylinder serving as the air chamber, while the controlling mechanism may be
substantially as herein-before described, excepting that I provide a disc for operating
the aforesaid pivoted lever in place of the piston and pin.
By means of an apparatus constructed according to this Invention the air con-
tained in the upper portion of the said air cylinder is forced through a recd contained
by the said reed chamber and horn, thereby causing the reed to vibrate and emit
the required sound; or a whistle may be used instead of a horn.
By opening or closing the said stop-cock provided for regulating the escape of
expended steam from the cylinder, the intervals between the blasts can be diminished
or increased at pleasure.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
December 1878.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED HORN OR WHISTLE APPARATUS
CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR THE PROTECTION OF SHIPS IN FOGGY OR STORMY WEATHER."
A communication from abroad by Noah Smith Woodward, of Sherbrooke, Province
of Quebec, Canada.
The object of the said Invention is to furnish an automatic apparatus whereby a
current of air may be forced through a whistle or horn and reed at regular intervals,
which intervals may be varied at will for the purpose of producing signals for the
protection of ships or vessels at sea during foggy or stormy weather.
The said apparatus is also designed for use at signal stations and on light ships
and similar vessels to afford additional security to navigation.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which,―
Figure 1 is a sectional view of the principal portions of an apparatus or machino
to which these improvements relate.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the entire apparatus or machine drawn to a
reduced scale.
And Figure 3 is an elevation of a modification of the said machine.
A is a steam cylinder or chamber wherein works the piston B, which by means of
the piston rod C is attached to the piston D working in the air cylinder or chamber E,
these two cylinders being united and kept in the same axial position by the brackets
T, T. A valve F (preferably an "equilibrium valve ") supplies steam to the cylinder
from a boiler at proper intervals, and is operated by the controlling mechanism G,
which is itself operated by the reciprocal action of the pistons B and D.
The said mechanism is constructed as follows, that is to say:-I provide a bracket a
in which works the spindle b, and moving freely on the latter is a slotted lever c
attached to a spindle d connected with the said valve by the link e. The disc f
with the stop piece g, h, and the lever k with its weight attached, are keyed to the
spindle b. Working in the covers H and K of the cylinders A and E are the pins
m³ and n¹, in such a position when forced outwards from the aforesaid cylinders as
to depress or raise the one end of the pivoted lever p, to whose other end is attached
a projecting roller or truck r, which works in the hollow 8 of the disc f. To the
cover H is attached the pipe L, with stop-cocks M and N. The stop-cock M is
opened and closed by the lever t, operated by the slotted lever c by means of the
pin v. The stop-cock N is adjustable for the purpose of regulating the escape of
expended steam from the cylinder.
In Figure 2 is shown a valve P for regulating the supply of steam to the cylinder,
and attached to the air chamber E is a reed chamber Q, to which is secured the
horn R.
In the modified form of this apparatus, shown in Figure 3, steam is supplied to
the lower portion of the cylinder E¹ through the passage W, the upper portion of
the said cylinder serving as the air chamber, while the controlling mechanism G and
other parts are substantially the same as herein-before described, excepting that I
provide the disc y for operating the lever p in place of the piston B and pin m.
The action of the said apparatus or machine is follows:-The valve F being open,
steam is admitted at a uniform flow by the valve P, and enters the cylinder A
below the piston B, forcing the said piston upwards, and consequently the piston D
is raised in the cylinder E, thereby forcing the air contained in the upper portion of
the said cylinder through a reed contained by the reed chamber Q and horn R, and
and causing the reed to vibrate and emit the required sound.
When the piston D approaches the top of its stroke it strikes the pin n, forcing
the same upwards against the pivoted lever p, thereby causing the truck to press

page_text: the disc f, and consequently to raise the lever k, carrying the weight 7 beyond its
centre of gravity; being thus overbalanced, the said lever falls to the position shown
in Figure 1, in which movement the stop piece g strikes the slotted lever C, and
presses it downwards, thus closing the valve F, and so temporarily cutting off any
further supply of steam, and at the same time opening the stop-cock M and allowing
the expended steam to escape. The pressure being thus removed, the said pistons
by their own weight descend.
When the piston B approaches the bottom of its stroke it strikes the pin m,
forcing it downwards against the pivoted lever p, causing the truck r to press the
disc fupwards, and consequently the weighted lever k is again overbalanced, but in
the opposite direction; by this movement the stop piece h is brought against the
slotted lever c, pressing it upwards, and consequently opening the valve F for another
supply of steam, and at the same time closing the stop-cock M, when the above
operations are repeated automatically.
By opening or closing the stop-cock N the intervals between the blasts can be
diminished or increased at pleasure.
In the modified form of the said apparatus or machine, shown in Figure 3, steam
being admitted by the valve F to the lower portion of the cylinder E' underneath
the piston x, causes the said piston to rise, forcing the air contained in the upper
portion of the cylinder, that is to say, above the piston x, through the reed chamber
Qand horn R, as above described, the valves F and P, stop-cocks M and N, con-
trolling mechanism G, and pivoted lever p being arranged as and for the purposes
herein-before specified.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The controlling mechanism consisting of the spindle b, the lever c, the disc fƒ
with the stop piece, and the weighted lever, as and for the purpose specified.
Second. The combination of the steam cylinder A and its piston with the air
cylinder E and its piston, as and for the purpose specified.
Third. In combination with the said controlling mechanism, the valve F, the
stop-cock, the slide valve or equivalent device, and the steam cylinder, as and for
the purpose specified.
Fourth. In combination with the cylinders A and E, the valve F and controlling
mechanism, the pivoted lever, and pins m, n, as and for the purpose specified.
Fifth. In combination with the cylinder E¹, the valve F and controlling
mechanism, the pivoted lever, the pin, and the disc, as and for the purpose specified.
Sixth. In combination with the valve F, the controlling mechanism and the
cylinder, the stop-cock M, as and for the purpose specified.
Seventh. In combination with the stop-cock M, the stop-cock or valve N, as and
for the purpose specified.
Eighth. In combination with the valve F, the stop-cock or valve P, as and for the
purpose specified.
Ninth. The combination of the cylinders and their pistons and other adjuncts,
the controlling mechanism, the valves F and P, the stop-cocks M and N, the pivoted
lever, and the pins or the disc with a horn and reed, or with a whistle, as and for
the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Du
DAD