IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR INDICATING A SHIPS POSITION BY THE DISPLAY OF SIGNAL LIGHTS PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew White Tuer of Leadenhall Street in the City of
London and James Cleminson of Westminster Chambers in the City of
Westminster for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND
MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR INDICATING A SHIPS POSITION BY THE DISPLAY
OF SIGNAL LIGHTS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew White Tuer &
James Cleminson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
10th May 1882.
ANDREW WHITE TUER, of Leadenhall Street in the City of London, and JAMES
CLEMINSON of Westminster Chambers in the City of Westminster, "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR INDICATING A SHIP'S
POSITION BY THE DISPLAY OF SIGNAL LIGHTS
"
For indicating the position of a ship or navigable vessel to those in charge of
other ships or vessels it is usual to provide at the port side of the vessel a red or
port light, and at the starboard side a green or starboard light. It results that to
correctly judge of the direction in which a ship or navigable vessel is moving it is
essential that the observer should clearly and unmistakeably distinguish between
lights or signals differing from one another only in colour. As is well understood
however many persons are what is known as "colour blind" that is to say,
incapable of accurately distinguishing between one colour and another colour,
consequently with such signalling arrangements as are now commonly employed
as above mentioned there is serious liability to mistakes resulting in collisions.
Moreover, as is also well known, light projected through coloured glass cannot be
seen so far as white light, which especially in hazy weather often renders it
difficult if not impossible for the coloured lights of one vessel to be seen from
another vessel until the two vessels are in dangerous proximity.
Now our invention has for object to obviate the serious evils above referred to
by the employment for the port and starboard signals of apparatus constructed to
show white lights only, so contrived that the white port signal shall be readily

page_text: distinguishable from the white starboard signal. For this purpose according to
one arrangement we employ port and starboard signal lamps or apparatus so
arranged that the apparatus at one side of the vessel is caused to display a larger
number of lights or illuminated surfaces than the apparatus at the other side of
the vessel. Or in lieu of so arranging the apparatus we cause the apparatus to
display at both sides an equal number of lights or illuminated surfaces but so that
those of the one side are arranged in relation to one another in a different way
from those of the other side so as to be readily distinguishable therefrom without
regard to colour. Or one light or illuminated surface may be employed at each
side in which case we so arrange the apparatus that the light or illuminated
surface at the one side of the vessel is of a form or size or power readily
distinguishable from that of the other side of the vessel.
In the accompanying three sheets of drawings which are appended by way of
illustration there are shewn examples of improved signalling apparatus for use in
carrying out our invention.
In Fig. 1 there is indicated a ship provided with port and starboard signalling
apparatus. The port apparatus is a lantern provided with a lens to concentrate
the light in a given plane or in a given direction.
The starboard apparatus is an improved lantern so arranged as to shew four
points or circles of light A. B. C. D. one above another. These are produced from
four luminous centres arranged in the lantern, each light being in a separate com-
partment provided with a passage to a common chimney or outlet or outlets for
products of combustion when oil is used
Figure 2 shews a ship similarly provided with signalling apparatus to that in
Fig. 1 except that the starboard lantern is arranged to shew its lights side by side
instead of one above another. At a considerable distance or in hazy weather lights
situated near together blend or merge into one another.
The
Figure 3 illustrates an improved signalling apparatus on the principle of our
invention in which no attempt is made to keep the points or circles of light
separate, but in which rectangular bars or bands of light are displayed.
starboard band is set approximately in the horizontal plane and the port band in
a vertical plane. The light may be derived from one or several luminous sources
being directed by a reflective surface or by lenses or prisms.
The glass through which the light is projected is fluted
Although in carrying out our invention it is advantageous to display only white
lights yet coloured lights may in some cases be employed, provided always that
the apparatus be arranged as above set forth so as to render the port light or lights
clearly and readily distinguishable from the starboard light or lights without
regard to colour.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Andrew White Tuer & James Cleminson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 10th November 1882.
ANDREW WHITE TUER of Leadenhall Street, in the City of London and JAMES
CLEMINSON, of Westminster Chambers in the City of Westminster. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR INDICATING A SHIP'S
POSITION BY THE DISPLAY OF SIGNAL LIGHTS"
For indicating the position of a ship or navigable vessel to those in charge of
other ships or vessels it is usual to provide at the port side of the vessel a red or
port light and at the starboard side a green or starboard light.
It results that to correctly judge of the direction in which a ship or navigable
vessel is moving it is essential that the observer should clearly and unmistakeably
distinguish between lights or signals differing from one another only in colour.
As is well understood however many persons are what is known as "colour
blind," that is to say, incapable of accurately distinguishing between one colour
and another colour, consequently with such signalling arrangements as are now
commonly employed as above mentioned there is serious liability to mistake
resulting in collisions.
Moreover as is also well known, light projected through colored glass cannot be
seen so far as white light; which especially in hazy weather, often renders it
difficult, if not impossible, for the colored lights of one vessel to be seen from
another vessel until the two vessels are in dangerous proximity.
Now our invention has for object to obviate the various evils above referred to,
by the employment for the port and starboard signals of apparatus constructed to
show white lights only, and so contrived that the white port signal shall be readily
distinguishable from the white starboard signal.
For this purpose according to one arrangement, we employ port and starboard
signal lamps or apparatus so arranged that the apparatus at one side of the vessel
is caused to display a larger number of lights or illuminated surfaces than the
apparatus at the other side of the vessel.
Or in lieu of so arranging the apparatus, we cause the apparatus to display at
both sides an equal number of lights or illuminated surfaces, but so that those of
the one side are arranged (in relation to one another) in a different way from those of
the other side, so as to be readily distinguisbable therefrom without regard to color.
Or one light or illuminated surface may be employed at each side in which case
we so arrange the apparatus that the light or illuminated surface at the one side of
the vessel is of a form or size or power readily distinguishable from that of the
other side of the vessel.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings there are shewn examples of signalling
apparatus for use in carrying out our invention.
In Figure 1 there is indicated a ship A provided with port and starboard
signalling apparatus.
The port apparatus is a lantern e provided with a lens to concentrate the light
in a given plane, or in a given direction.
The starboard apparatus is a lantern so arranged as to show four points or circles
of light a b c d one above another.
These are produced from four luminous centres arranged in the lantern each
light being in a separate compartment provided with a passage to a common
chimney or outlet or outlets for products of combustion when it is used. Figure 2
shews a ship similarly provided with signalling apparatus to that in Figure 1

page_text: except that the starboard lantern is arranged to shew its lights side by side
instead of one above another.
As is well understood at a considerable distance or in hazy weather lights
situated near together blend or merge into one another.
Figure 3 illustrates a signalling apparatus according to our invention in which no
attempt is made to keep the points or circles of light separate, but in which
rectangular bars or bands of light are displayed.
The starboard band is set in the horizontal plane, or approximately so, and the
port band in a vertical plane.
The light may be derived from one or several luminous sources being directed
by a reflective surface or by lenses or prisms.
•
A convenient arrangement consists in forming the bars or bands in a similar
manner to that in which the semaphore arms are constructed as shewn and
described in the specification of Letters Patent granted to us the 10th day of May
1882 No. 2201 that is to say, as boxes, the front of each being of clear glass, and
the back being provided with a mirror or other reflecting surface, with a row of
lights between the glass and the mirror. The lights may be produced from a row
of oil lamps (which may be swung in fixed brackets within the box) or a row of
gas jets or electric lamps, as described in the Specification above mentioned.
The glass through which the light is projected may be fluted.
Although in carrying out our invention it is advantageous to display only white
lights, yet colored lights may in some cases be employed, provided always that
the apparatus be arranged as above set forth so as to render the port light or lights
clearly and readily distinguishable from the starboard light or lights without
regard to colour.
Having described the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed or carried into practical effect we desiré it to be understood that
what we claim is:-
=
The use for indicating the position of a ship or navigable vessel to those in
charge of other ships or vessels of signal lights so contrived that the "port light"
is distinguishable from the "starboard" light regardless of colour substantially as
hereinabove described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the port and
starboard lights differing from one another as regards either the number or the
form or the attitude of the illuminated surfaces or surface displayed as above set
forth.
In Witness whereof I the said James Cleminson have hereunto set my hand
and seal this tenth day of November in the year of Our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
JAS CLEMINSON (L.S.)