A Signal Lantern for the Purpose of Preventing Collisions at Sea or otherwise Signalling at Night on Land or Sea, Apparatus for Operating same, and Code to be Used therewith.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 21st June, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 1st Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1889
A Signal Lantern for the Purpose of Preventing Collisions at Sea
or otherwise Signalling at Night on Land or Sea, Apparatus for
Operating same, and Code to be Used therewith.
JAMES LAWSON 49 Finsbury Pavement Middlesex Merchant a communication from
J. M. Banks and J. H. Storey both of Sidney New South Wales, Marine Surveyors,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention communicated to me by my foreign correspondent consists in "A
Signal lantern for the purpose of preventing coilissions at sea, or otherwise signalling
at night on land or sea, apparatus for operating same, and code to be used therewith,"
and is carried out as follows:-The lantern is so constructed as to receive an ordinary
mast-head light, or any form of electric light or other powerful illuminant may be
substituted.
It is fitted internally with a red and green glass shade equally poised, between
which is a dark shade, double the depth of the two coloured shades. By operating
these shades through the medium of rods, attached to them to which ropes running
over pulleys or equivalent mechanism are fastened, the officer in charge can produce
a white, red, or green light, or render the lantern wholly dark. When the lower part
of the dark shade is removed an ordinary mast head light is shewn; which can be
turned into red, or green, from the bridge or any other part of the ship to which the
lines or ropes are carried. In the fore part of the lantern a small adjustable mirror
is mounted so that the operator can see by its reflection that the signal has been
properly made. For the purpose of transmitting by night by means of consecutive
flashes, the international code now employed by day, numbers, the letters of the
alphabet, or any prearranged code or secret signals, a special code has been devised
by my correspondent by means of which 40 or more distinct signals can be made;
which will be readily understood from the following examples, viz. The letter A,
would be conveyed by three consecutive red flashes, B, by consecutive white, red,
and green flashes C, by consecutive white, green, and red flashes, A specific flash or
consecutive series of flashes representing letters, words, numbers, or code. When the

page_text: electric light is employed the lantern is preferably formed with three apertures, an
electric light being placed in each compartment and switched in or out as required,
but one electric lamp can be made to illumine the three shades if desired. My Invention
can be also applied to signalling stations and lighthouses on shore or in channel.
Dated June 21st 1888
FRANCIS M. ROGERS,
Agent for Applicant.
A Signal Lantern for the Purpose of Preventing Collisions at Sea
or otherwise Signalling at Night on Land or Sea, Apparatus for
Operating same, and Code to be Used therewith.
JAMES LAWSON 49 Finsbury Pavement Middlesex Merchant a communication
from J. M. Banks and J. H. Storey both of Sidney New South Wales, Marine
Surveyors, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention communicated to me by my foreign correspondents consists in "A Signal
Lantern for the purpose of preventing collisions at sea, or otherwise signalling at
night on land or sea, apparatus for operating same and code to be used therewith,
and is carried out as follows:-The lantern is so constructed as to receive an
ordinary mast head light or any form of electric light, or other powerful illuminant
may be substituted. It is fitted internally with a red and green glass shade, equally
poised between which is a dark shade, double the depth of the two coloured shades.
By operating these shades through the medium of rods attached to them to which
ropes running over pulleys or equivalent mechanism are fastened, the officer in
charge can produce a white, red, or green light, or render the lantern wholly dark
When the lower part of the dark shade is removed an ordinary mast head light is
shewn which can be turned into red, or green, from the bridge or any other part of
the ship to which the lines or ropes are carried. In the fore part of the lantern a
⚫ small adjustable mirror is mounted so that the operator can see by its reflection that
the signal has been properly made. For the purpose of transmitting by night by
means of consecutive flashes the international code now employed by day,
numbers, the letters of the alphabet, or any prearranged code or secret signals, a
special code has been devised by my correspondents by means of which 40 or more
distinct signals can be made; which will be readily understood from the following
examples viz. -The letter A, would be conveyed by three consecutive red flashes, B,
by consecutive white, red, and green flashes. C, by consecutive white, green, and
red flashes, A specific flash or consecutive series of flashes representing letters,
words, numbers, or code. When the electric light is employed the lantern is
preferably formed with three apertures, an electric light being placed in each
compartment and switched in or out as required, but one electric lamp can be made

page_text: to illumine the three shades if desired. My invention can be also applied to signalling
stations and lighthouses on shore or in channel.
To enable my invention to be better understood reference is made to the following
description and drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1. is a front elevation of Lantern shewing operating table.
Fig. 2. is a section of Lantern on line x y. Fig. 1.
Fig. 3. is a plan of Lantern.
The lantern B, is preferably semicircular in shape, and when lighted by oil may
contain the ordinary masthead lamp Y employed upon steamers, see fig. 2. It is
fitted preferably at its upper part with a bow A, by which it may be hoisted to the
masthead and an aperture T, of suitable size is formed upon the front side through
which the light emitted by the oil or other lamp employed shines. Within the lantern
three vertical rods F. F. F" are shewn upon either side. To the two outer rods F. F
is clipped or otherwise suitably mounted the green shade G, and to the inner is
mounted in a similar manner the red shade R, both sliding freely upon their
respective rods when actuated by the rope or chain a travelling upon pulleys CC,
which is attached to them so that when one is lowered the other is raised. Upon the
two middle rods F1, is hung or mounted in the manner just described a dark shade D,
which is double the depth of the red and green shades. When therefore the dark
shade is down; the aperture T, is closed, so forming a dark lantern. Three movable
transverse bars f, are screwed to the upper edge of D, which is lifted thereby
whenever the green or red shade is lowered in to position so as to form a red or
green light. Thus when the lower part of the dark shade D, is raised a bright mast head
light is shewn, which can be turned into a red or green light by placing the red or
green shade ver it in the manner described, without darkening the lantern. To
enable the lantern to be more conveniently worked, I employ an operating table
constructed as follows see Fig. 1.
This table B which is about 3 ft. long by 1', 3" broad, is fitted with two double
brass pulleys H H', through the outer right hand one of which a cord or equivalent V
is rove. This cord is attached at one end to bight g, of rope or chain x'. This rope
or chain looped into a bight as shewn at g, is fastened on both sides to outer green
shade G, then carried over both pulleys CC, and attached to red shade R its ends
being looped together into a bight r, these then are attached to the other end of
cord V, which passes through the outer left hand pulleys H¹. To enable the green
and red shades to work freely a guide chain W, is attached to each, passing over
guide pulley C, See Fig. 2. The operation of this part of my invention is as
follows. By turning sheave K by means of knobs L L, to the right hand the green
shade G is pulled down, and a green light is shewn, the dark shade D, being lifted by
the red shade R, striking against the cross pieces ff. By turning sheave K, to left
the inner red shade R, replaces the green and a red light is shewn.
In a similar manner a cord V₁, is fastened to bight d of rope or chain all which
after passing over pulleys C" is attached to dark shade D, a similar rope or chain all
formed into a loop or bight is also attached to dark shade; the other end of cord V,
fastened to sheave J, being attached to it at d. When sheave J, is turned in one
direction the dark shade D, is raised, and a bright light is shewn ; and when turned
in the opposite way the shade D, is lowered, and the lantern rendered wholly dark.
To enable the officer, or other person in charge to see that the signals transmitted by
the operating lines, or by the apparatus just described when connected to them are
reproduced by the lantern. A small mirror N, is preferably so mounted upon a
bracket having a universal joint or equivalent as to reflect the particular signal made.
The electric light or any other illuminant may be employed for producing the
results just described. When the electric light is employed one lamp can replace the
oil or equivalent used, all three shades being illuminated by it, or the lantern may be
formed with three separate apertures fitted respectively with plain, red, and green
glass; an arc incandescent or any other form of electric lamp, being fitted in each
compartment and switched in and out as may be desired.
The second part of this invention consists in the combination and arrangement of a

page_text: particular series of consecutive flashes to be transmitted by means of the lantern and
apparatus immediately before described whereby my correspondents are enabled by
night to use the international code, or transmit any other prearranged system of
signals now employed during the day. 40 or more signals can be made in this manner
which will be readily understood by means of the following description; thus, the
letter A, would be conveyed by means of three consecutive red flashes.
green, red.
B, white, red, green. C, white, green, red. D, white, green, green. E, red, green,
green. F, white, red, red. G, white, white, red. H, white, white, green. I, red,
J, red, white, green.
K, green, white, red.' L, red, white, red.
M, green, white, green. N, white, red, white. O, red, red, green. P, white, green,
white. Q, red, green, white. R, green, red, white. S, red, red, white. T, green,
green, white. M, green, red, red. V, red, white, white. W, green, white, white.
X, green, red, green. Y, green, green, red. Z, green, green, green.
Numbers being sent as follows.
1, red, 2, white, red, 3, white, green, 4, red, white, 5, green, white, 6, red, green,
7, green, red, 8, red, red, 9, green, green, O, or, No, green, Yes, red. Spell it, or I
will spell it, white, white, white. Answer, or I will in numbers, white.
A specific flash, flashes, or consecutive series of flashes representing letters, words,
numbers, or codes. It is obvious that other variations may be used with like effect to
produce any desired result. My correspondents however prefer to adhere to the
particular system or series immediately before described. They do not however
confine themselves to the exact detail described for the position of the lantern shades,
or for the arrangement of the table operating same, for instance, the outer shade
may be red, and the inner green, the cords or pulleys operating them being worked,
in a manner reverse to that first described to produce a similar effect. Again the
shades may be solidly united to the rods which are then mounted, in suitable clips or
guides, the ropes or chains being attached to them and operated by hand, or by the
table device described. The dark shade also may be formed in halves and the lower
half removed at pleasure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents I declare that what
I claim is
1st. A lantern lighted by oil, parafin, or by are or incandescent electric light for
transmitting signals by night on land or sea constructed and operating, in the manner
and for the purposes described.
2nd. The combination with a signal lantern lighted and constructed as described
of the table device for operating the same in the manner set forth.
3rd. In a signal lantern for transmitting signals, codes, letters, numbers or words.
The particular combination and construction of dark and coloured shades operating
together or separately so as to produce a dark lantern or white, green, or red flash, in
the manner and for the purpose set forth.
4th. The use in or with a signal Lantern constructed, lighted, and operated in the
anner described of the particular code representing letters, figures, numbers, or
words substantially as herein described and for the purposes set forth.
5th. The combination in or with a lantern constructed lighted and operated by
ropes or chains only, or by the table device, of the mirror N, adjustably mounted for
reflecting the signals made by the lantern in the manner described.
Dated February 1+ 1880