Improvements in Signalling Apparatus for Nautical Purposes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 14th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 19th May, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Signalling Apparatus for Nautical Purposes.
I, OSCAR LUDWIG KUMMER of No. 27 Waisenhausstrasse, Dresden, in the
Empire of Germany, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows -
The great difficulties, which beset the reciprocal exchange of signals between
ships on the high seas, by the inadequacy of the optical means of signalling used
at the present time, such as flags, semaphores, night-signalling apparatus, and the
like, have induced the inventor to bestow attention to the improvement of the
so-called siren, in order to make it a perfect and reliable acoustical means of
signalling.
The result of the inventor's experiments is the arrangement of a siren herein-
after described with different sounds, by means of which, the signals are given in
successions of notes or melodies, similar to the bugle calls of the army.
The signalling siren constituting the subject of this invention is characterised by
the fact that the number of revolutions of the siren drum (which is arranged
according to the number of tones to be produced with several parallel rings of
steam escape ports composed of different numbers of holes) is made independent of
the pressure in the boiler, whilst the driving of the said drum is effected by an
electro-motor inserted in the ship's lighting circuit, or by any other suitable motor.
The peculiar arrangement of the siren adopted, allows of the raising or lowering
of the whole of the tones (e.g., the octave) & also the production of sharp, clear
notes, & the avoidance of unpleasant, howling, uncertain notes.
According to the number of openings or rings of slits in the siren drum, a
corresponding number of valves are provided in a steam chest, and, by means of
an outwardly projecting spindle, the valves are alternately raised and lowered by
electricity or mechanically, thus causing an opening and closing of the corresponding
rows of slits in the siren drum, and thereby producing notes.
To render the production of a desired signal independent of the attention and
musical ability of an attendant, the alternate opening and closing of the valves is
effected by a device similar to a musical box cylinder.
This cylinder or barrel, which may be made up of
number of notched discs
fixed on an axle, is moveable in the direction of its axis, and can be set for a
predetermined number of signals, and operated for each one.
In case, the local conditions or other circumstances do not allow of the direct
connection of the signalling device with the siren, the aforesaid cylindrical
signalling device can be separated any desired distance from the siren, and will
then effect the alternate raising and lowering of the valve spindles by electricity,
by means of electro-magnets connected by leads with the said signalling device,
and which, on the rotation of the device, attract and repel armatures situated on
the ends of the valve spindles.
This separation of the signalling device from the siren proper, affords the
advantage, that the number of signals (which are limited by the number of
discs lying between each two valve spindles) can be considerably increased by
employing a longer cylinder.
Each signal can then convey a separate command, or indicate only a letter, a
number, etc., so that in combination with the present flagsignal books, the
electrical siren forming the subject of the present invention can be employed to an
unlimited extent.

page_text: To give the siren and the sound waves therefrom the proper direction, the
whole of the parts of the siren, with its steam valve-chest, the electromotor, &
the device for raising and lowering the valves, (when this is not placed at a
distance from the machine) are mounted on a hollow pillar revolving in a hollow
base.-
The latter, as well as the pillar itself, constitute the steam way, a valve being
provided on this pillar for cutting off the steam.
Dated this 14th day of July 1893
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Signalling Apparatus for Nautical Purposes.
I OSCAR LUDWIG KUMMER of No. 27 Waisenhausstrasse, Dresden in the
Empire of Germany, 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 :-
The great difficulties which beset the reciprocal exchange of signals between
ships on the high seas, by the inadequacy of the optical means of signalling used
at the present time, such as flags, semaphores, night-signalling apparatus, and the
like, have induced the inventor to bestow attention to the improvement of the so-
called siren, in order to make it a perfect and reliable acoustical means of
signalling.
The result of the inventor's experiments is the arrangement of the siren herein-
after described with different sounds, by means of which the signals are given in
successions of notes or melodies, similar to the bugle calls of the army.
The signalling siren constituting the subject of this invention, is characterised
by the fact that the number of revolutions of the siren drum (which is arranged,
according to the number of tones to be produced, with several parallel rings of
steam escape ports composed of different numbers of holes) is made independent
of the pressure in the boiler, whilst the driving of the said drum is effected by
an electro motor inserted in the ship's lighting circuit, or by any other suitable
motor. The peculiar arrangement of the siren adopted allows of the raising or
lowering of the whole of the tones (e.g., the octave), also the production of sharp
clear notes, and the avoidance of unpleasant, howling, uncertain notes.
According to the number of openings or rings of slits in the siren drum, a
corresponding number of valves are provided in a steam chest, and, by means of
an outwardly projecting spindle, the valves are alternately raised and lowered by
electricity or mechanically, thus causing an opening and closing of the corre-
sponding rows of slits in the siren drum, and thereby producing notes.
To render the production of a desired signal independent of the attention and
musical ability of an attendant, the alternate opening and closing of the valves is
effected by a device similar to a musical box cylinder. This cylinder or barrel,
which may be made up of a number of notched discs fixed on an axle, is movable
in the direction of its axis, and can be set for a predetermined number of signals,
and operated for each one.
In case the local conditions or other circumstances do not allow of the direct
connection of the signalling device with the siren, the aforesaid cylindrical
signalling device can be separated any desired distance from the siren, and will
then effect the alternate raising and lowering of the valve spindles by electricity,
by means of electro magnets connected by leads with the said signalling device,
and which, on the-rotation of the device, attract and repel armatures situated on
the ends of the valve spindles.
This separation of the signalling device from the siren proper, affords the

page_text: advantage that the number of signals (which are limited by the number of discs
lying between each 2 valve spindles) can be considerably increased by employing
a longer cylinder.
Each signal can then convey a separate command, or indicate only a letter
a number, &c., so that, in combination with the present flag signal books, the
electrical siren forming the subject of the present invention can be employed to an
unlimited extent.
To give the siren, and the sound waves therefrom, the proper direction, the
whole of the parts of the siren with its steam valve chest, the electro motor, and
the device for raising and lowering the valves (when this is not placed at a
distance from the machine) are mounted on a hollow pillar revolving in a hollow
base.
.
The latter, as well as the pillar itself, constitute the steam-way, a valve being
provided in this pillar for cutting off the steam.
On Sheet I of the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 shows in elevation (partly in
section), Fig. 2 in front view, and Fig. 3 in plan view, an electrically worked
4-toned steam siren, compassing the octave c. e. g. c. Fig. 4 shows a cross section
through the siren drum and the enclosing case.
In the upper part of the shell is a rigidly-mounted drum A', and in this is the
siren drum A, set in rapid rotation by the electromotor B. This electromotor
is connected to the lighting circuit of the ship, or a special small battery or other
machine.
Both drums A' A² (as shown in Figs. 1 and 4) are pierced with radial slits or
openings a' a².
Corresponding to the tones to be produced 4 rinos of slits are provided of
At the front of the drum is situate the usual trumpet mouth A³.
In the lower part of the steam chest A, are a number of valves C, corre-
sponding to the number of tones to be produced, one of which is visible in the
section Fig. 1.
The spindles c, c', c³, c³, are prolonged downwards, pass through the chest (being
suitably packed), and carry at their lower ends each a lever d, pivoted at d¹, and
carrying a bowl, which is pressed by a spring a² against a signalling device D,
similar to a mechanical organ cylinder...
This signalling device D is composed of a great number (in this case 36) of
single discs (with projections d³), strung together, the mutual distances of which
from one another, vary in accordance with the signal produced by the particular
ring of slits in the siren drum.
This cylinder D, composed of these separate plates, is adjustable in the direction
of its axis (ie., endways), and can therefore be arranged to give a determined
number of signals, each one of which will be shown by a pointer e on a dial E.
In the arrangement according to Fig. 1, 9 discs lie between 2 valve spindles c, so
that each one of the same, by shifting the cylinder under the bowl of the lever a,
can be brought beneath the valve spindle c.
The steam chest A is connected at f, to a hollow pillar F, and can be cut off
therefrom by a cut-off valve f¹.
The hollow pillar carries, in addition to the chest A, the electro-motor B,
mounted on a bracket, and also the signal giver D, rotated by a crank handle d'.
A special spring arrangement makes the completion of a rotation, and, at the same
time, the termination of a signal, sensible to the hand of the signal sender, and
allows also of a repetition (if desired) of the signal, through a further turning of
e apparatus.
the

page_text: The hollow pillar F is steam tight at f³, and mounted to rotate in the hollow
base F', in which the steam enters at f³. By turning the pillar in its hollow
-socket, the siren and its trumpet mouth can be turned in any desired direction.
From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the siren is easily manipulated.
The giving of the signal results after the steam valve has been opened, and
the siren warmed up, and the electro motor B cut in by simply turning the crank
- handle d', whereby the levers d, according to the projections on the discs of the
signal giver D, are raised against the pressure of the springs d², and thereby lift
and open the valves c. As described above, the signal giver D, for convenience
sake, or of necessity, may be placed at a distance from the valve spindles, and
situated in some other place, e.g., on the bridge, or in the chart house.
such case, however, it is necessary to employ electricity to operate the valve
-spindles.
In
Figs. 5, 6, and 7, show in elevation, section, and partial horizontal section, an
arrangement for this purpose. In place of the levers pivotted at the ends of the
valve spindles, and carrying the bowls, there are mounted on the ends of the spindles,
soft iron armatures 9, 1, 2, 93, which are alternately (according to the making and
breaking of the current in the electro-magnets h, 1, 12, h³, placed underneath the
armatures) attracted and released. The magnets are mounted upon a common
bar i attached, at one end, to the pillar F, and at the other to a bracket i', depending
from the steam chest A.
In this arrangement, the momentarily-opened valve c (when the projection d³ on
the signalling device is parted from the contact piece, thus breaking the current) is
closed by a spiral spring k, placed between the valve and the bottom of the steam
chest, whilst the strength of the attraction between armature and magnet, and
therefore the more or less quick opening of the valve, is regulated by a screw-
governed spring between the armature and the adjusting pin k² situate between
the magnets.
In the above description has been given the method of mechanically actuating
the valves with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3 (Sheet I which conduct the steam to the
several passages.
It was, however, mentioned that the valves could be electrically operated, and an
arrangement suitable to that end is shown on Sheet II.
It is to be particularly remarked, that the application of such an clectrical signal
giver, and the production of acoustical signals thereby through the siren, avoids
the necessity of personal supervision to make the signals.
Fig. 1 shows the signal giver in longitudinal section ;
Fig: 2 in horizontal section; and
Fig. 3 in cross section; while
Fig. 4 shows that side of the enclosing case of the apparatus which carries the
device for showing the signal desired to be given.
Fig. 5 shows the front of the casing, with the arrangement for regulating the
resistance of the motor in the aforesaid contact apparatus, and also the motor
belonging to the siren.
On the bed plate a, and in the standards 1 and 2, is pivotally mounted the
cylinder c. This cylinder is rotated by means of an electro-motor d through a
train e, f, of toothed wheels, and a worm gear gh. For the purpose of securing
an exact speed of rotation, there is situated under the bed plate a, an electrical
resistance regulator, which is operated by means of a switch A, Fig. 5. The
resistance regulator, next to that marked it, is operated by its relative switch k²,
Fig. 5, and serves to govern the rotation, and thereby secure the right pitch of the
notes of the siren. The cylinder e is provided with wire pins l, like an organ
cylinder, which, when the cylinder is rotated, close electric contacts m, and thereby
open the steam admission valves to the several sound passages of the siren. The
spring contacts m are mounted on a flat frame n', carried by the frame n², which in
turn is mounted on an axle o, and is adjustable on the same-to a certain angle, and
is also adjustable end ways thereon.

page_text: The shifting of the frame n¹ is effected through a worm gear o¹ on shaft o, rotated
by the crank p, and is intended to bring the spring contacts m (in this case, 15 in
number) under each separate signal of the organ cylinder c. The rotation of the
frame n² on the axle o is effected by means of the solenoid (electro-magnet) g. In
the drawings, Fig. 3 shows the frames n¹ and n² in their raised positions, in which
the spring contacts m of the cylinder c are brought close up, so that the whole
apparatus may be set to work. If the current actuating the solenoid q be cut off,
the free end of the frame n² sinks down onto the bed plate a, and rests thereon.
In this position follows the production of the desired signal by turning the handle p,
and thereby the train of wheels r, s, t, u, which simultaneously operates the
indicator mechanism V, shown in Fig. 4, from which the number of the signals to
be given may be read off. To prevent a change in the desired signal, when the
frame n² is in its raised position, there is on the standard 62, a pawl w, taking here
the form of a bell-crank lever, which on raising the frame n², is pressed by the
pin into the locking wheel y, fast upon the shaft o, and provided with a small
spring stop, which, every time the crank p is rotated, snaps into place, and
determines the correct position of the frame n in regard to the cylinder c.
The 4
spring contacts m are placed in 4 different circuits of their electro magnets which
effect the opening of the steam valves. The current is supplied through the
clamps A, from each of which an insulated spiral wire (not shown) passes to
the 4 friction rails B, which are secured to, but insulated from, the frame n². On
these rails rest the springs C, the contact screws of which are connected by
insulated wires with the clamping screws D of the springs contacts m.
The return of the electric current from the electro-magnets of the steam valves
to the spring contacts m, is taken through a common return wire starting from the
frame n.
Parallel to the spring contacts m, which can only be operated by the organ
cylinder, are, in addition, 4 ordinary push contacts E, placed in the circuit of the
magnets, which may at any time be worked by hand, and serve either to try the
tones of the siren, when starting to work, or to make, by hand, any signals which
are not provided for on the cylinder.
In order that a signal given by means of the cylinder, may always begin with
the first note, and not be prematurely interrupted, the following additional
mechanism is provided. The ends of the cylinder c carry brass discs fast thereon,
with an annular flange F at their edges, and having spaces therein, the position of
which corresponds to the spacing out of the cylinder. Opposite these slots, and
on the frame n², are mounted 2 small standards G, carrying the guide bowls H.
The frame n² is therefore raised by the solenoid in that instant only in which the
slots are directly over the bowls H, and, on the other hand, the frame n² can in no
wise descend until a complete rotation of the cylinder has taken place.
The working and functions of the apparatus are as follows:-
After the electromotor on the siren has been started by the switch X, the siren
is warmed up with steam, and tuned to the right pitch by means of the resistance
regulator k², which tuning can be tested by pressing one of the white pushes E.
Then, by means of the left hand switch X', the electromotor d of the signal giver
is cut in, and, by means of the governor switch k', adjusted to the correct speed.
A desired signal having now, by means of the crank p, been shown on the dial
plate v, it is only necessary to press the black push I, which closes the circuit of
the solenoid, and the signal is sounded. It is necessary to keep the push I
depressed until the first note has sounded, in case the slot of the flange F is not
directly over the bowl H, as the cylinder c must complete its revolution, to allow
the bowls H to take into the slots.
When the first note has sounded, the push I may be released. The solenoid
current is thereby broken, and the frame n' descends again, as soon as the cylinder c
has completed one revolution i.e., after the signal has been once effected.
If the push I be continuously depressed, the signal is automatically repeated
till the push I is released.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. An acoustical signalling apparatus for maritime purposes, in which a siren
driven by an independent motor, and provided with a number of rows of holes
corresponding to the number of tones produced, is made to produce notes, or
successions of notes, at will, the supply of the fluid under pressure to the valves
governing the rows of holes, being regulated by an apparatus in predetermined
order.
2. In the acoustical signalling apparatus claimed in Claim 1, the surrounding of
the rotary siren drum a², which is provided with a group, or with several groups,
of perforations in its outer walls, with a fixed double walled drum a', which is
furnished with a number of chambers corresponding to the number of groups of
perforations and with the number of perforations in its inner walls, and to which
chambers lead separate conduits for the fluid under pressure, which conduits are
under the control of mechanically or electrically operated valves C.
3. For actuating the valves C claimed in Claini 2, a signal giver for multiple
toned sirens, consisting in the combination of the rotary roller D, formed from
cam discs ³, and adjustable in the direction of its axis, with the spindles of the
valves C, provided at their lower ends with bowls resting on the cams, which
signal giver may be mounted on the rotary pillar F which carries the motor and
siren.
4. For electrically operating the valves C mentioned in Claim 2, a sigual giver
for multiple-toned sirens, in which the barrel c, provided with projecting points,
and set in motion by an electromotor d, is rotated against contact springs m carried
by a duplex frame, the part (n¹) of which carrying the said contact springs, being
adjustable by a screw spindle, according to the signals desired to be given, while
the other part, n³, is thrown outwards by the intermittent magnetisation of a
solenoid or electromagnet q, to bring the springs into the path of the projecting
points on the barrel c, and, by its depression, to effect the opening of the steam
valves of the siren by the electromagnet.
5. In the electrical signal giver referred to in Claim 4, the arrangement of
rails B, mounted in the swinging frame, on which run the springs in electrical
connection with the contact springs m, to ensure the conducting of the current to
the electro-magnets which operate the steam valves of the siren.
6. The arrangement of regulator resistances, of which one group (i) serves for
assuring the proper speed of rotation of the electro motor d operating the barrel c,
and the other group (2) for regulating the speed of rotation of the siren drum.
7. The arrangement of guide rollers H, mounted on the swing portion n² of the
frame, and the guide plates F on the upper end of the barrel c, in the spaces of
which the guide rollers enter, on the lifting of the contact springs m, and remain
therein during one or more revolutions of the roller, by which a commencement of
the signal with the right note is assured, and a premature interruption of the
signal prevented.
8. The arrangement of indicator mechanism v operated by the rotation of the
shaft o, to show visibly the signals to be given.
9. The arrangement of press buttons outside the enclosing case of the apparatus,
of which several buttons E, on being pressed, close the circuit between the
electromagnets and the siren valves, for testing the pitch of the siren, while the one
button I serves to close the circuit for swinging out the frame n¹ n² and sounding
the signal.
Dated this 13th day of April 1894.