Improvements in Apparatus for Effecting the Automatic and Regular Detonation of Explosive Fog Signals, particularly applicable to Lighthouses, Light-ships, Shore Signalling Stations and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1897
Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 25th May, 1896-Accepted, 23rd July, 1896
PROVIDIONAL DIEVITICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Effecting the Automatic and
Regular Detonation of Explosive Fog Signals, particularly
applicable to Lighthouses, Light-ships, Shore Signalling Stations
and the like.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM SLAUGHTER, of 84, Tressillian Road, Brockley, in the
County of Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
-
This specification has reference to improvements in automatic apparatus for
exploding or detonating the explosive fog signals which are used at lighthouses
& for coast signalling, which, being operated by hand or motive power, or clock
work, will effect the detonation of the fog signals with more certain regularity
and automatically.
The fog signals employed are exploded electrically, and are preferably provided
with two electrical connecting wires of copper with lead wire loops at one end
or lead wire throughout, attached to a detonator and entirely insulated, with the
exception of the loops.
°
To each pair of these loops I attach a button of some suitable material which
serves to release the wires from the machine after the detonation of the signal.
I provide a tubular mast preferably curved at the top, and projecting from the
lighthouse or lightship, or erected on shore and having a spigot wheel running
on a shaft horizontally over the top of the magazine and working in a slot in the
mast. The top of the mast is approached by a light iron ladder and platform.
The spigot wheel is arranged by gearing connected to suitable clockwork or other
motive power to travel at a speed.
At the lower end of the mast and beneath the spigot wheel I provide a maga-
zine, constructed of one or more circles of vertical tubes. These tubes are inserted
into thin annular plates which are arranged to bear upon ball or other suitable
bearings, placed in a groove of the casting which supports the mast at its base.
. The magazine, I preferably cause to revolve by means of a small endless gut
passing over a pulley on the spindle of the spigot wheel, & surrounding the base
of the magazine in a suitable groove or by means of gearing in connection with
the spigot wheel.
I prefer to construct the top plate of the magazine with a number of stops,
arranged concentrically in front of the tubes. I provide a lever & spring to
engage these stops, so that by the movement of the hooks or projections on the
chain (as hereafter described) when passing the lever, cause the latter to be raised
clear of the stops, thus allowing the magazine to revolve the required distance to
suit the pitch of the tubes.
To the top of the magazine, suitable brackets are secured which serve to
support the lead wire loops of the charges over each of their respective tubes.
I provide a stamped endless chain, of special pattern, preferably of aluminium
bronze, which is caused to travel outwards and underneath the spigot-wheel and

page_text: is guided in a suitable metal channel attached to the back and front of the mast.
This chain is arranged to travel up one side of the mast and jib to the jib-head
pulley and continue over the mast head pulley returning on the opposite side of
the mast to the spigot wheel.
I provide, at intervals, pairs of hooks, with knife edges, secured to pro-
jections on the links of the chain, which serve to successively pick up the loops
from the magazine and carry them to the jib head, where the hooks are arranged
to pass between and rub against the metal plates, electrically insulated from
each other, at the same time the buttons on the loops of the charge-wires coming
in contact with the jib head, cause the hooks to cut the loops and release the
wires.
The circuit of the electric current is completed by passing through the terminal
poles of a battery the wires of which are led up inside the mast to the jib head
contact plates, the current passing through the hooks & suspended wires to the
detonator of the charge attached.
Beneath the jib, I prefer to provide a cone shapeu hopper, to collect the charges,
in the event of a misfire, and arranged for being raised or lowered by cords and
pulleys.
The improvements referred to, in combination with an automatic fog signal
apparatus renders the application of these signals more effective than heretobefore,
and permits of less constant attention than has hitherto been required.
Dated the 5th
1007
Improvements in Apparatus for Effecting the Automatic and
Regular Detonation of Explosive Fog Signals, particularly
applicable to Lighthouses, Light-ships, Shore Signalling Stations
and the like.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM SLAUGHTER, of 84, Tressillian Road, Brockley, in the
County of Kent, Engineer, 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 specification has reference to improvements in automatic apparatus for
exploding or detonating the explosive fog signals which are used at lighthouses
and for coast signalling, which being operated by hand or motive power, or clock-
work, will effect the detonation of the fog signals with more certain regularity
and automatically. The fog-signals employed are exploded electrically, and are
preferably provided with two electrical connecting wires of copper with lead wire
loops at one end or lead wire throughout, attached to a detonator, and entirely
insulated, with the exception of the loops. To each pair of these loops I attach a
button of some suitable insulating material which serves to release the wires from
the machine after the detonation of the signal. I provide a tubular mast preferably
curved at the top, and projecting from the lighthouse or lightship, or erected on
shore and having a spigot wheel running on a shaft horizontally over the top of
the magazin, and working in a slot in the mast. The top of the mast is approached
by a light iron ladder and platform. The spigot wheel is arranged by gearing
connected to suitable clockwork or other motive power to travel at a speed.
At the lower end of the mast and beneath the spigot wheel I provide a maga-
zine, constructed of one or more circles of vertical tubes. These tubes are inserted

page_text: into thin annular plates which are arranged to bear upon ball or other suitable
bearings, placed in a groove of the casting which supports the mast at its base.
The magazine I preferably cause to revolve by means of a small endless gut
passing over a pulley on the spindle of the spigot wheel, surrounding the base
of the magazine in a suitable groove, or by means of gearing in connection with
the spigot wheel.
I prefer to construct the top plate of the magazine with a number of stops,
arranged in front of the tubes. I provide a lever to engage these stops, so that
by the movement of the hooks or projections on the chain (as hereafter described)
when passing the lever, cause the latter to be raised clear of the stops, thus
allowing the magazine to revolve the required distance to suit the pitch of the
tubes.
To the top of the magazine suitable brackets are secured, which serve to
support the lead wire loops of the charges over each of their respective tubes.
I provide a stamped endless chain of special pattern, formed of flat links hooked
together preferable of aluminium bronze, which is caused to travel outwards and
underneath the spigot wheel and is guided in a suitable metal channel attached
to the back and front of the mast. This chain is arranged to travel up one side
of the mast and jib to the jib head pulley and continue over the mast head pulley
returning on the opposite side of the mast to the spigot wheel.
I provide, at intervals, pairs of metal hooks with knife edges secured to pro-
jections on the links of the chain which serve to successively pick up the loops
from the magazine and carry them to the jib head where the hooks are arranged
to pass between and rub against the metal plates electrically insulated from
each other, at the same time the buttons on the loops of the charge-wires coming
in contact with the jib head, cause the hooks to cut the loops and release the
wires.
The circuit of the electric current is completed by passing through the terminal
poles of a battery, the wires from which are led up inside the mast to the jib head
contact plates, the current passing through the hooks and suspended wires to the
detonator of the charge attached.
Below the jib I prefer to provide a cone shaped hopper to collect the charges
in the event of a misfire, and arranged for being raised or lowered by cords and
pulleys. The improvements referred to in combination with an automatic_fog
signal apparatus renders the application of these signals more effective than
beretobefore, and permits of less constant attention than has hitherto been
required.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing shows a vertical sectional elevation of the
complete apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the lower portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the jib head.
Fig. 4 & 5 are sections of one of the magazine tubes with detail of support for
wire loops of cartridge.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of the magazine mechanism.
Fig. 7 is a detail of the special chain & hooks.
In Figs. 1 & 6 the tubular mast A is secured to the cast iron pedestal at the base,
around which revolves on balls or other suitable bearings the magazine B. On the
top plate of the magazine stops X are arranged in front of each tube and engage
the lever C, this, when raised by the moving hooks attached to the chain allows
the magazine to revolve by means of the endless band surrounding the base and
passing over the pulley D attached to the driving spindle E. To the top plate
of the magazine are also secured the brackets or hooks which support the charge
wires in each tube. Above the magazine B is the spigot wheel F gearing with
the small pinion G, on the driving spindle E. Secured to the chain are pairs of
hooks H insulated from the chain and formed with knife edges. The chain moves
in guides I and is protected by metal casings secured on each side of the mast.
At the jib head J I provide the pulley K and spring contact plates L electrically

page_text: insulated from the casting and connected by wires to the battery M inside the
hut N.
A ladder P with platform O are secured to the mast to obtain access to the jib
head.
A suitable hopper R is suspended to catch the charges or buttons and is lowered
by cords S.
In Figs. 4 & 6 a cartridge is shown in a magazine tube suspended from hook
shaped bracket T by means of wires with lead loops and buttons W. The buttons
when at the jib head prevent the wires of the charge from travelling further after
the detonation of the charge and cause the lead loops to be cut through by the
hooks thus releasing the wires which fall into the hopper.
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 I
claim is:-
(1) An improved method of effecting the automatic and regular detonation of
explosive fog signals applicable to lighthouses lightships or the various require-
ments of coast signalling by means of the apparatus herein described and shown
on the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 to Fig. 7 in combination with clockwork or
other motive power.
(2) The construction and method of using wire loops and button attached to
the wires of the cartridge for the purpose herein before described.
(3) In a fog signal apparatus a revolving magazine operated by an endless
band at regular intervals with suitable lever and stops substantially as described.
(4) The improved method of construction all substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawings Figs. 1 to Fig. 7 and operating for the
purpose as above specified.
Dated this 95th dov of Ver 1908