Improvements in Portable Mechanical Fog-horns.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 22nd May, 1891-Accepted, 27th June, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Portable Mechanical Fog-horns.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 52, Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which
has been communicated to me from abroad by Clement Gould, of the City of New
York, in the State of New York, United States of America, President of the Gas
Engine and Power Co.), to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved fog-horn which is operated mechanically,
and has for its object to provide a simple, durable, portable device which may be
manipulated to produce powerful sound-signals by blowing through a suitable horn,
either a long continuous blast or a series of blasts of varying duration.
It consists in a novel construction and combination in compact form within a
portable case, of an air-pump having a metallic cylinder and whose piston is
actuated by a lever fulcrumed on the outside of the casing, a metallic air-receiving
chamber containing a spring-actuated, movable, pressure-regulating head, and a
fog-horn communicating with the air-receiving chamber.
The outer case wherein the operating mechanism is located is preferably
rectangular in form having one of its sides hinged to form a door.
Near the forward end of the case the cylinder of a double-acting air-pump is
located, with its piston-rod extending upwardly outside of the case through a
suitable stuffing-box.
The pump-rod is pivotally connected to a horizontal lever which is fulcrumed at
one end to upright bracket posts upon the top of the case, the free end of the lever
being provided with a handle by which to actuate it and thereby operate the
air-pump.
Two inlet valves of ordinary construction are provided for the air-pump upon
the front side of the cylinder near one corner of the case, one valve being located
near the lower head of the cylinder to introduce air below the piston and the other
above said piston.
The cages for the air-discharge valves are located on the side of the air-pump
cylinder which is opposite the inlet-valve connections to the same and are connected
with the air-pump by branch-pipes one of which communicates with the pump above
its piston and the other below it.
An air-receiving chamber of cylindrical form and of a capacity exceeding that of
the pump-cylinder is fitted in place between the rear end wall of the case and the
air-pump.
The ends of this air-receiving chamber are closed by removable, tight-jointed
lids, and within it is placed a movable partition or pressure-equalizer head, which is
made to fit loosely against the inner surface of the chamber wall and is properly
packed to produce an air-tight joint between the head and wall.
The depression of the equalizer head is limited by spaced ears or stops, and is
automatically enforced by a cone-spring interposed between the head and the upper
lid of the chamber.
At a proper distance above the lower lid of the receiving-chamber a fixed
diaphragm or partition is introduced parallel to the lid, said partition having an
aperture therein near its centre to establish an air-passage between the space in the
chamber above the diaphragm and the sub-chamber below it.
This sub-chamber is connected by a communicating air-tube or conduit with the
inner end of a suitable fog-horn having the usual vibrating reed or tongue located
therein, the horn being extended horizontally to and through the forward end of
the case.

page_text: The air-receiving-chamber is connected by suitable branch-pipes with each of
the discharge-valves of the air-pump.
"
By a rapid movement of the hand lever on the top of the case, the receiving-
chamber may be filled with air from the air-pump under such pressure as will cause
the equalizer head to move upward against the stress of its spring, and at the same
time a proper supply of air will escape with steady continuous force through the
aperture in the diaphragm into the sub-chamber and thence to the horn to produce
the required blasts.
1
1
1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Portable Mechanical Fog-horns.
I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which
has been communicated to me from abroad by Clement Gould, of the City of New
York, in the State of New York, United States of America, President of the Gas
Engine and Power Co.), and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an improved fog-horn which is operated mechanically,
and has for its object to provide a simple, durable, portable device which may be
manipulated to produce powerful sound-signals by blowing through a suitable horn,
either a long continuous blast or a series of blasts of varying duration.
It consists in a novel construction and combination in compact form within a
portable case of an air-pump having a metallic cylinder and whose piston is actuated
by a lever fulcrumed on the outside of the casing, a metallic air-receiving chamber
containing a spring-actuated, movable, pressure-regulating head, and a fog-horn
communicating with the air-receiving chamber.
A is the outer case wherein the operating mechanism is located. This case is
preferably rectangular in form having one of its sides A' hinged at a, to form a door
which may be secured by a latch b, or other preferred means.
Near the forward end of the case A, the cylinder B, of a double-acting air-pump
is located. The rod c¹ of the piston c of the pump extends outside of the case
through a suitable stuffing-box c³.
The pump-rod e¹ is pivotally connected to a horizontal lever e which is fulcrumed
at one end to upright bracket posts e¹ upon the top of the case, the free end of the
lever being provided with a handle by which to actuate it and thereby operate the
air-pump.
Two air-inlet valves f, of ordinary construction are provided for the air-pump
upon the front side of the cylinder B, near one corner of the case A, as shown in
Figure 4, one valve being located near the lower head of the cylinder to introduce
air below the piston and the other above said piston.
On the side of the air-pump cylinder B, which is opposite the inlet valve con-
nections to the same, the cages of the air discharge valves g', are located; these
are similar in form to the inlet valves f, as shown in Figure 4, but their arrange-
ment differs therefrom in that the attachment of the branch pipes 92, extending
from the air-pump to the valve cages 9, enter said cages below the valve seats in
the same, while on the inlet valve cages the branch pipes enter the same above the
valve seats, as shown at f¹.
One of the branch pipes 92 communicates with the air-pump cylinder B, above
the piston c, and the other one below said piston, so that the reciprocation of the
piston will alternately open one inlet valve and close the other, and in like manne
operate the discharge valves to forcibly expel inducted air and transfer it to another
chamber next to be described.

page_text: An air-receiving chamber C, of cylindrical form and of a capacity exceeding that
of the pump cylinder B, is fitted in place between the rear end wall of the case and
the air-pump.
The ends of this air-receiving chamber are closed by removable, tight-jointed lids,
and within it is placed a movable partition or pressure-equalizer, which is made
to fit loosely against the inner surface of the chamber wall and is properly packed
to produce an air-tight joint between the head and wall.
The depression of the equalizer head is limited by spaced ears or stops h¹, and is
automatically enforced by a cone-spring i, interposed between the head and the
upper lid of the chamber.
..
At a proper distance above the lower lid of the receiving-chamber C a fixed
diaphragm or partition 'm, is introduced parallel to the lid, said partition having an
aperture therein o, near its centre to establish an air-passage between the space in
the chamber above the diaphragm and the sub-chamber below it.
n,
This sub-chamber is connected by a communicating air-tube or conduit with
the inner end of a suitable fog-horn D, having the usual vibrating reed or tongue
located therein, the horn being extended horizontally to and through the forward
end of the case A.
From the outlet valve cages g, branch pipes g³, are extended, which connect at
opposite points with the wall of the air-reservoir chamber C, whereby the operation
of the pump piston will be adapted to introduce a steady current of air within the
cavity above the diaphragm m, a free supply of air entering the case A, at k, where
holes are made in the wall of said case.
By a rapid movement of the hand-lever e on the top of the case A, the receiving-
chamber C may be filled with air from the air-pump under such pressure as will
cause the equalizer-head h, to move upward against the stress of its spring i, and at
the same time a proper supply of air will escape with steady, continuous force
through the aperture o in the diaphragm m into the sub-chamber and thence to the
horn to produce the required blasts.
By reason of the proportionate dimensions given to the aperture o, and outlet
orifice n', in the conduit n, the air pressure is graded so that a powerful blast may
be blown continuously while the hand lever e, is being moved and for a short time
after vibration of the same is suspended, successive blasts at proper intervals being
readily produced by a proper manipulation of said lever.
As the entire device is portable, and a handler is provided for its convenient
transportation manually, signalling can be effected from any desired point on a sea-
going vessel, shore station, or small boat afloat on the water, which will prove
valuable aid to navigation during the prevalence of dense fogs, when sound signals
alone are available for warnings as to the course of the craft, and directions to
others to avoid crossing the same within dangerous limits.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a portable fog-horn, the combination, with an outer inclosing-casing, of an
air-pump mounted therein, air inlet and outlet valves fitted within the casing in
cages external to the pump and communicating therewith, a lever fulcrumed to the
outer side of the casing and coupled with the piston of the pump, an air-receiving
chamber communicating with the pump, a spring-actuated movable partition having
limited play in one end of the air-receiving chamber, and a fog-horn communicating
with said chamber, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set
forth.
2. In a portable fog-horn, the combination, with the shell of the air-receiving
chamber connected with the air-pump, of a head movable vertically in the upper
portion of the shell, a spring-bearing between the lid of the air-chamber and the
upper side of said movable head, and a transverse diaphragm-wall secured in the

page_text: lower portion of the shell and providing a sub-chamber in communication with
the main air-chamber, substantially as set forth.
3. In a portable fog-horn, the combination, with the casing and an air-pump in
said casing, of an air-receiving and air-discharging chamber having a transverse
perforated diaphragm-wall near its bottom providing a sub-chamber, an air-conduit
pipe on the outside of the air-chamber communicating at its lower end with the sub-
chamber, an equalizer-head movable vertically in the upper portion of the air-
chamber, and a spring-bearing between said movable head and the lid of said main
air-chamber, substantially as set forth.
1001
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.