A NEW OR IMPROVED APPLIANCE OR BALL FOR SIGNALLING AT SEA OR ON LAND
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Maxwell Ritchie, of Dundee, in the County of
Forfar, North Britain, for an Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED APPLIANCE
OR BALL FOR SIGNALLING AT SEA OR ON LAND."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Maxwell Ritchie
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th September 1880.
ALEXANDER MAXWELL RITCHIE, of Dundee, in the County of Forfar, North
Britain. "A NEW OR IMPROVED APPLIANCE OR BALL FOR SIGNALLING AT SEA
OR ON LAND."
This Invention relates to a new or improved construction of signalling appliance,
ball, or shape to be used by ships at sea, particularly as a distress signal, and for
ships not under command, in compliance with the Merchant Shipping Amendment
Act, but also applicable for storm warning signals on land, and for other signalling
purposes. The new or improved signal appliance is specially designed to be readily
collapsed, and thus occupy little space when stowed away as compared with
ordinary ball signals.
The Invention consists essentially in forming the improved ball or shape of two
hoops of iron, steel, or other rigid metal or material, fitted the one inside the other,
and connected together by a swivelling pin on each side, so that the hoops may be
either in one plane or opened out in planes at right angles to each other. These
hoops are covered with canvas, sail cloth, or other similar material, stitched or
otherwise fastened round the rim and extending across each to form a pair of discs,
the one disc being complete, whilst the cloth of the other is sewed or attached to
the former on either side, at or near the axial line of the swivelling pins, so that
the two discs can be collapsed to the flat state; and when there are several such
balls used for signalling, these can be stowed away in less space than an ordinary
ball of the same diameter. The swivelling pins are also formed with eyes outside
for attachment to the hoisting ropes or halyards, and a clamp or catch is fitted
loosely on one of the centre pins, and fitted with four prongs or other equivalent,
which catch on either side of the hoops in their collapsed condition, and this
pronged clamp is lifted and replaced to grip each of the hoops when opened out at
En
1

page_text: right angles, and thus hold them firmly in this position, in which the ball or shape
is hoisted as a signal. An additional plain hoop may, when preferred, be fitted on
swivelling pins on the outer hoop of the canvas shape transversely to the axis on
which the two covered hoops swivel to give lateral strength to the shape or ball,
this hoop also folding up when the shape is collapsed.
In a modified construction of the improved ball or signalling appliance the two
hoops are jointed, as already described, but instead of the canvas being stretched
across each to form discs, the canvas or other fabric is made to surround both
hoops in the form of a ball; when these are opened out, and when the hoops are
closed the canvas collapses also, so that the whole can be readily stowed away.
When the ball is made by covering the hoops by a bag, the one hoop may be
suspended in the vertical plane, and the other fitted to swivel in the horizontal
plane or an inclined plane.
In place of being covered with canvas the swivelling ring discs of the signal
shape or ball might be formed of tinned iron.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Maxwell Ritchie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th March 1881.
ALEXANDER MAXWELL RITCHIE, of Dundee, in the County of Forfar, North
5 Britain. "A NEW OR IMPROVED APPLIANCE OR BALL FOR SIGNALLING AT SEA
OR ON LAND."
My said Invention relates to a new or improved construction of signalling applianco,
ball, or shape to be used by ships at sen, particularly as a distress signal, and for
ships not under command, in compliance with the Merchant Shipping Amendment
Act, but also applicable for storin warning signals on land, and for other signalling
purposes. The new or improved signal appliance is specially designed to be readily
collapsed, and thus occupy little space when stowed away as compared with
ordinary ball signals.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended a Sheet of explanatory
Drawings to be hereinafter referred to, and representing a modification of my
improved signal ball or shape.
Figure 1 is a front view; Figure 2 is a plan, and Figure 3 a horizontal section
showing the improved signal ball closed; and Figures 4 and 5 are respectively a
side elevation and horizontal section showing the ball or shape in its open position
as used for signalling.
Referring to these Drawings the improved ball or shape consists of two hoops A, A¹,
of iron, steel, or other rigid metal or material, fitted the one A inside the other A',
and connected together by swivelling pins B, B', passing through the hoops on each
side, and held by nuts b inside, so that the hoops may be laid flat in one plane, or
opened out in planes at right angles to each other. These hoops A, A', are covered
with canvas, sailcloth, or other similar material, stitched or otherwise fastened
round the rim and extending across each to form a pair of discs A², A³, the one
disc A³ being complete, whilst the cloth of the other is sewed or attached to the
former on either side at a, near the axial line of the swivelling pins B, B', so that
the two discs A², A³, can be collapsed to the flat state. When there are several
such balls or shapes used for signalling purposes on board ship or elsewhere, these
can be stowed away in less space than an ordinary ball of the same diameter. The
swivelling pins B, B', are formed with eyes BI outside for attachment to the
hoisting ropes or halyards. A clamp or catch is fitted loosely on the upper centre
pin B, and is made with four prongs, which catch on either side of the hoops in
their collapsed condition, as shown in Figure 1. This pronged clamp is lifted and
replaced to grip each of the hoops A, A', when opened out at right angles, as shown
in Figure 4, and thus hold them firmly in this position, in which the ball or shape
is hoisted as a signal.
An additional plain hoop may, when preferred, be fitted on swivelling pins on
the outer hoop of the canvas shape transversely to the axis on which the two
covered hoops swivel to give lateral strength to the shape or ball, this hoop also
folding up when the shape is collapsed.
In a modified construction of the improved ball or signalling appliance the two
hoops are jointed, as shown and described, but instead of the canvas being stretched
across each to form discs, the canvas or other fabric is made to surround both
hoops in the form of a ball when these are opened out, and when they are closed
the canvas collapses also, so that the whole can be readily stowed away.
When the ball is made by covering the hoops by a bag, the one hoop may be
suspended in the vertical plane, and the other fitted to swivel in the horizontal plane
or an inclined plane.

page_text: In place of being covered with canvas the swivelling ring discs of the signal
shape or ball might be formed of tinned iron.
Having thus described my said Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I have to state that what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim
as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent
is,—
The construction and use for signalling purposes of a ball or shape made of two
or more canvas covered hoops or discs arranged and fitted so as to be collapsible
for stowage, substantially as herein described in reference to the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Maxwell Ritchie, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty-one.
ALEXANDER MAXWELL RITCHIE. (L.S.)