IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SYMBOLS USED IN SIGNALLING
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Thomas Forster, of Wandsworth Road, in
the County of Surrey, Mariner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE SYMBOLS USED IN SIGNALLING,"
Sealed the 17th April 1857, and, dated the 20th October 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Thomas Forster
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 20th October 1856.
I, JOHN THOMAS FORSTER, of Wandsworth Road, in the County of Surrey,
Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE SYMBOLS USED IN SIGNALLING," to be as follows:-
My improvements in the symbols used for signalling relates principally to
flags used for that purpose, but which may also be used in connection with
other signal apparatus. Signal flags usually consist of flags of particular shapes
and colours, either in combination or otherwise, each of which are known in
the code of signals by a letter or numeral, but which, when exposed at the
mast head or other elevated position, bear no mark visible from the deck of
the letter or numeral by which they are known in the code of signals, and are
only distinguished by the shape or colour, as aforesaid,
Now, my Invention consists in marking conspicuously the character (letter
or numeral) by which each particular flag is or may be known on those flags,
so that it may be seen from the deck of the ship or other position from which

page_text: the signal is hoisted or made. In the same way the characters by which any
symbols other than flags are known in the code of signals may be marked con-
spicuously thereon for alike purpose. It is not intended that the characters
on the flags should be visible to the ship to which the signals are made, but
at close distances such may be the case, and will facilitate the reading of the
communication.
SPECIFICATION. in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Thomas Forster in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th April 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
THOMAS FORSTER, of Wandsworth Road, in the County of Surrey, Mariner,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
the said John Thomas Forster, Her special licence that I, the said John
Thomas Forster, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Thomas Forster, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SYMBOLS USED IN SIGNALLING," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Thomas Forster, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Thomas Forster, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings here-
unto annexed, & to the letters & figures marked thereon (that is to
say):

page_text: My improvements in the symbols used for signalling relate principally to
flags used for that purpose, but which may also be used in connection with
other signal apparatus. Signal flags usually consist of flags of particular
shapes and colours, either in combination or otherwise, each of which are
known in the code of signals by a letter or numeral, but which when exposed
at the mast head or in other elevated positions bear no mark visible from the
deck of the letter or numeral by which they are known in the code of signals,
and are only distinguished by the shape or colour, as aforesaid.
Now, my Invention consists in marking conspicuously the character by
which each particular flag is or may be known on those flags, so that it may
be seen from the deck of the ship or other position from which the signal is
hoisted or made. In the same way the characters by which any symbols
other than flags are known in the code of signals may be marked conspicuously
thereon for a like purpose. It is not intended that the characters on the flags
should be visible to the ship to which the signals are made, but at close
distances such may be the case, and will facilitate the reading of the com-
mmunication.
In systems of maritime signals the expressions proper for signalling are
arranged in order in the pages of the signal book, each expression or signal
being distinguished by certain signs or characters placed against it. Theso
references are generally either figures or letters. Every one of the signs so
used are again represented by an established parti-coloured flag, or by some
other convenient symbol, as, for instance, a red flag may represent the sign B,
a red and white flag the sign II, the connection between the signs and the
symbols which is arbitrarily fixed being shown by colored drawings given in
each copy of the signal book. Supposing certain of these flags to be displayed
for the purpose of "making a signal," there is nothing beyond a reference to
the colored drawing to indicate the particular signs they are intended to
represent. The necessity for this constant reference, either mentally or by
actually turning over the pages of the book, is a source of much inconvenience
and the cause of frequent error, and in order to render signalling as simple as
possible it is manifestly desirable that the flags themselves, which are, so to
speak, the alphabet of the language, should without any other reference indi-
cate the particular sign intended to be represented. The object of my Invention
is to effect this by shewing prominently in each flag the particular sign for
which it stands, see the annexed Drawing, in which Fig. 1 represents a signal
flag according to my Invention. The letter X, being marked conspicuously in
the centre, is the reference letter or mark by which this particular flag is
known in the code of signals.

page_text: .. Fig. 2 is another illustration. In this case the letter is repeated in several
places, so that one always may be visible although the flag may not blow out,
as would be the case in a calm. By so repeating the letters they will be more
Feadily visible to the officer making the signal during the ascent of the flag;
and will therefore be of additional advantage; as in case of mistake it may be
more quickly hauled down: Instead of letters, numerals or other characters
or marks may be used to denote the signals, and as reference to the-signal
book, as, for instance, the white cross marked in the red flag, Fig. 2.
Fig. 3 represents a combination of two flags, and Fig. 4 a combination. of
three flags, ás used in signalling, each and all of which are marked con=
spicuously witli tlie letter by which it is known in the code of signals.
In making flags thus; -I place the character (where only one is used) at
that part of the flag at which it will be most quickly discernible in hoisting or
when up. These several letters, as well understood in arranging codes of
signals, may represent separately a distinct communication, or simply an
alphabetical letter, and by different combinations of them the requisite number
of communications may be obtained, as well understood. Instead of using the
letters of the alphabet as the reference to the code of signal book, as herein
described and represented; numerals or other characters may be used, but I
prefer the letters of the alphabet for the purpose, as a sufficient number of
distinct and known characters are at once available to enable the necessary
number of changes in the coinbinations to be made to produce all the signals
that can be required hoisting at the most three or four flags at one tinie.
The letters or characters in the flags may be black, or représented in a
colour most conspicuous, on or opposite to the ground colour upon which it is
marked.
Instead of flags. ötlier symbols may be used, such as boards or sheets of
metal, or other rigid material, painted or shaped as required, for the symbol,
and having the reference letter or character marked thereon, as in the flags
herein-before explained and represented in the Drawings, or the letter or
character may be cut through or otherwise indicated on such rigid symbols.
These stiff unpliable symbols would be inapplicable for ships' use, but may
be used with advantage at a signal station on shore.
.:
In conclusion, I would remark I am aware that it has been usual to mářk
each flag with the letter, character, or sign by which it is known on the canvas
heading or binding in characters about an inch long, so that when the flags
are rolled up or handled they may be distinguished the one from the ōtlier,
whereas my Invention consists.in exhibiting the character in each flag large
enough to be seen at a considerable distance when the flags are displayed.

page_text: The flags or symbols may be either of one or of several colors, and the
reference marks shewn in them may be single, or repeated several times, and
of any form, or size, or colour. If the flags are intended to be used also for
very distant signalling, as with sea-going ships, it will be found convenient to
preserve the present arrangement of recognizing the flags by their various
colours, and for this purpose the signs shewn in them should be of such a size
as would not interfere with the color arrangement of the flag when viewed
at long distances.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim as my Invention, and
desire to protect under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,
marking or indicating on the flags or other visible symbols used in signalling
the letters or characters of reference to the code of signals in a conspicuous
manner, for the purpose, and as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Thomas Forster, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
JNO. T. FORSTER. (L.8.)
Witness,
W. CLARK, Patent Agent,
53, Chancery Lane, London.