IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE ENGINE ROOMS OF STEAM VESSELS FOR COMMUNICATING SIGNALS AND ORDERS PROM THE CAPTAIN ON DECK
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Hornsey, of Southampton, Gas Fitter, for
the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE ENGINE ROOMS OF STEAM
VESSELS FOR COMMUNICATING SIGNALS AND ORDERS PROM THE CAPTAIN ON DECK
Sealed the 3rd November 1857, and dated the 30th May 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Hornsey at the
Office of the Commissioners. of Patents, with, his Petition, on the
30th May 1857..
I, GEORGE HORNSEY, of Southampton, Gas Fitter, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE ENGINE
ROOMS OF STEAM VESSELS POR COMMUNICATING SIGNALS AND ORDERS FROM THE
CAPTAIN ON DECK TO THE ENGINEER OR ATTENDANT BELOW," to be. as follows:
My Invention of improved apparatus for the engine rooms of steam vessels
for communicating signals and orders from the captain on deck to the engineer
or attendant below, has for its object to enable the captain, while commanding
on deck, to issue orders to the engineer without the intervention of a call boy
or third person.
The signal apparatus, which is placed in any convenient part of the engine
room, consists of a dial, which has marked on its face the various. words of
command, such as "stop," "go on," "back," &c., and is mounted on a shaft

page_text: which may be rotated, so as to bring any particular word or signal opposite an
opening in the face plate of the apparatus, so that it may be seen by the
engineer or attendant. In order to attract the attention of the engineer, a
bell or other contrivance, capable of making an audible signal, is placed behind
the dial plate, and the latter is provided at the back with a series of pins or
studs, corresponding in position to the visible or verbal signals on the face of
the dial. These pins, as the dial plate is rotated, are made to act upon trip
levers mounted on shafts at each side of the dial.
On the same shafts as these trip levers are mounted hammers, and the
shafts are kept in position by springs, which, when the shafts are made to
rotate by the dial pins coming into contact with the trip levers, will pull round
the shafts immediately the trip levers are released, and cause the hammers to
strike the bell and make an audible signal. As there is a trip lever shaft and
hammer on each side of the dial, it will be understood that the signal will be
struck whichever way the dial is turned. Motion is communicated to the dial
plate by means of suitable gearing, connected with a stand post and dial on the
deck, paddle box, or other convenient part of the vessel where the captain
usually stands when giving directions to the engineer. Up the centre of this
stand post passes a shaft, on the top of which is fixed a handle, and pointer or
index, which may be moved over the face of a fixed dial, on which are marked
signals or words, such as "stop," "go on," &c., corresponding to the rotating
dial of the signal apparatus below.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Hornsey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th November 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HORNSEY, of Southampton, Gas Fitter, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reigu, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Hornsey, Her special license that I, the said George Hornsey,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Hornsey, 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

page_text: vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE
ENGINE ROOMS OF STEAM VESSELS FOR COMMUNICATING SIGNALS AND ORDERS FROM
THE CAPTAIN ON DECK TO THE ENGINEER OR ATTENDANT BELOW," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Hornsey, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, 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 George Hornsey, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
My Invention of "Improved Apparatus for the Engine Rooms of Steam
Vessels for communicating Signals and Orders from the Captain on Deck to
the Engineer or Attendant below," has for its object to enable the captain,
while commanding on deck, to issue orders to the engineer without the
intervention of a call boy or third person.
The signal or indicating apparatus, which is placed in any convenient place
on the bulkhead or other part of the engine room, consists of a dial, which has
marked on its face the various words of command, such as "stop," "go on,"
"back," &c. This dial is mounted on a shaft which may be rotated, so as to
bring any particular word or signal thereon opposite an opening in the face
plate of the apparatus, so that it may be seen by the engineer or attendant
below. In order to attract the attention of the engineer, a bell or other
contrivance, capable of making an audible signal, is placed behind the dial
plate, and the latter is provided at the back with a series of pins or studs
corresponding in position to the visible or verbal signals on the face of the
dial. These pins, as the dial plate is rotated, are made to act upon trip levers,
mounted on shafts at each side of the dial.
On the same shafts as these trip levers hammers or strikers are mounted,
and the shafts are kept in position by springs, and when the shafts are made
to slightly rotate the dial pins coming into contact with the trip levers,
these springs will pull round the shafts immediately the trip levers are released,
and will cause the hammers to strike the bell and make an audible signal.
As there is a trip lever shaft and hammer or striker on each side of the dial,
it will be understood that the bell will be struck and a signal sounded which-

page_text: ever way the dial be turned.
Motion is communicated to the dial plate by
means of suitable gearing, connected with a stand post and dial on the deck,
or on the bridge connecting the paddle boxes, or other convenient part of the
vessel where the captain usually stands when giving directions to the engineer.
Up the centre of this stand post passes a shaft, on the top of which is fixed a
handle, and pointer or. index, which may be moved over the face of a fixed
dial, on which are marked signals or words, such as "stop," "go on," "back,"
&c., corresponding to the signals marked on the rotating dial of the signal
apparatus below.
In order, however, that my Invention may be clearly understood, I have
in the accompanying Drawing shewn various views of the apparatus, and the
manner of working the same.
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of the apparatus complete, and shewing
the manner of enabling the captain on deck to transmit motion to the indicator
in the engine room; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the indicator; Fig. 3
is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, shewing the back of the rotating
dial plate; Fig. 4 is another longitudinal sectional view looking in the opposite
direction,,and, shewing the bell or sounding apparatus with its hammers or
strikers and other accessories.; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the apparatus, as seen
from above.
The engine room indicating apparatus consists of two cast-iron or other
metal plates, a, a, the front plate, having a small curved aperture, or slot k
made in the upper part, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2, and by dots in Fig. 3,
for the purpose of allowing the signals or words, printed or marked on the
dial plate behind, to shew through, and be seen by the engineer. The two
plates a, a, are connected by means of four small pillars a¹, a', a', a¹, the ends
of which go through the front plate, and are secured with nuts, as seen in
Fig. 1. These pillars are about four or five inches in length, thereby giving
ample space for the internal parts of the apparatus. The circular indicator
plate or..dial is mounted on a short spindle 6*, which is fixed to the inner
side of the front plate, the circular indicator plate. or dial being made to fit
close to the inner side of the front plate a. On the front or face of the dial
suitable signals or words, such as," stop," "go on," "back," &c., are engraved,
in such a manner that, on the dial plate being turned round, the signals will
shew one at a time through the slot. of the front plate, the slot being made
of the size that one word only can be seen at a time. On the back of the
dial plate b, at equal distances, are fixed brass pins j (Figures 2 and 3), corre-
sponding in number. to the number of signals on the dial plate. These pins
are intended to act on the cams or pawls f, f (Fig. 3), whereby the hammers

page_text: .
or strikers h, h, are worked. In the centre, and at the back of the dial plate
b, a mitre.or bevel-toothed wheel is fixed in any convenient manner, and
works into another mitre or bevel-toothed-wheel e¹, of an equal number of
teeth, fixed on the upright shaft e, passing through the upper end of the
apparatus, and supported by two brackets cast on the front or back platės.
On the back plate at a convenient place, is fixed a bell or alarum c, and on
each side, opposite the centre, are two spindles i, i, the ends of which work in
bosses or slots in the front and back plates. On the front ends of each of
these spindles, and next to the front plate, works the cam or pawle f, of the
shape shewn in the Drawing. A small pin.1 is fixed on the spindle i, between
the two projecting pieces on. the top of the cam, as seen best in the plan view,
Fig. 5, for the purpose of keeping the cams in their proper position. About
half way between the plates a, a, and on each of the spindles i, i, is fixed a
hainmer h, and at the inner end of the spindles is fixed a small lever 2, to
the outer end of which is attached the india-rubber spring g, the other end
thereof being hooked to the upper part of the back plate, as seen in Fig. 2.
The whole of the working parts are enclosed by means of metal plates, the
side ones being perforated, and which fit into rebates cast on the front and
back plates. The side plates, are not shewn in the Drawing, so that the
working parts may be more clearly seen. .
. The vertical centre shaft e carries at its upper end a bevel-toothed wheel
(Fig. 1), whereby it receives motion from the horizontal shaft m, which
extends to beneath the bridge of the vessel or other suitable place on the
deck, and is actuated by bevel gearing at the lower end of a vertical shaft n,
that passes up the hollow iron column o, on the top of which is an index
plate p, provided with a handle and pointer g, which is fixed on the upper
end of the vertical shaft n. The index plate, is marked with the same signals
or words as the dial in the apparatus, as before mentioned, and shewn in the
detached plan view, Fig. 6. On the pointer or index q being moved by the
captain or officer on deck in either direction to any signal on the plate p,
the shafting n, m, &c., is turned, and by means of the bevel wheels the dial
plate of the indicating apparatus is moved round, thereby causing the pins
at the back of the dial plate to act on the cams f, the cam on one side
being lifted up by one pin, and allowing it to pass freely, the cam then falling
back to its proper position; while the other cam is acted upon by the opposite
pin, and is depressed, thereby slightly turning the spindle i, and drawing
back the hammer h to a certain distance, such distance being regulated by
the length of the cam f. And when the pin j slips off the cam, and the hammer
h is drawn back with force by means of the india-rubber spring g, attached to

page_text: the lever 2, at the other end of the spindle i, the hammer will strike the bell
or alarum c, for the purpose of calling the attention of the engineer or attendant,
and at the same time the signal, to which the pointer is moved, is brought
opposite to the slot k in the front plate and is exposed to view, as shewn in
Fig. 1. The cams f, f, act in opposite directions, so that, on the dial being
turned in the opposite direction to that above described, the other cam or pawl
will act, and whichever way the index arm qis turned, the cams will, on the
pins passing, fall into their proper position from their own weight, and
without the use of springs.
Having now described my Invention of "Improved Apparatus for the
Engine Rooms of Steam Vessels for communicating Signals and Orders from
the Captain on Deck to the Engineer or Attendant below," and having
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would observe, in
conclusion, that what I consider new in the above-described improved appa-
ratus, and therefore wish to claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters
Patent, as aforesaid, is, the mode, herein-before shewn and described, of
constructing and operating the indicating apparatus, or any mere modification
thereof, whereby the captain or officer on deck may transmit to the engineer
or attendant below any signals that may be required, as above mentioned.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Hornsey, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-seventh day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
GEORGE HORNSEY. (L.S.)