A NEW OR IMPROVED SIGNALLING APPARATUS OR FOG HORN
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sampson Starnes, of No. 13, Broad
Street, Ratcliff, in the County of Middlesex, and of No. 4, New
London Street, in the City of London, Engineer, for the Invention
LA HADY "
Sealed the 28th July 1871, and dated the 1st February 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sampson Starnes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 1st February 1871.
I, JOHN SAMPSON STARNES, of No. 13, Broad Street, Ratcliff, in the
County of Middlesex, and of No. 4, New London Street, in the City
of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention
A NEW OR IMPROVED SIGNALLING APPARATUS OR FOG HORN," to be as
follows:-
for 66
My Invention consists in an apparatus for signalling during fogs or
under other circumstances in which an audible signal is required.
This apparatus is constructed in the following manner:-A hollow
compressible box or chamber is fitted internally with a spring in such

page_text: manner that when the box or chamber is compressed, thereby forcing
outwards therefrom the air previously therein contained the spring shall
upon the pressure being removed restore the box or chamber to its
original shape and dimensions, the air being again admitted to the interior.
The box is fitted with a tube, one end of which enters the compressible
box or chamber and the other extends outwards therefrom and is open
to the atmosphere; this outer end is flattened out or flanged; into this
tube is entered the horn. By means of the hand of the operator being
placed over and close to the flattened or flanged end of the tube and
pressed down, the box or chamber will be compressed and the internal
air forced outwards through the horn, thereby sounding the same. When
the hand of the operator is removed the air will by rushing down the
tube and through the horn re-enter the box or chamber.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Sampson Starnes in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st August 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
SAMPSON STARNES, of No. 13, Broad Street, Ratcliff, in the County of
Middlesex, and of No. 4, New London Street, in the City of London,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Sampson Starnes, Her special
licence that I, the said John Sampson Starnes, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Sampson
Starnes, 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 "A NEW OR IMPROVED SIGNALLING APPARATUS OR FOG HORN,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Sampson
Starnes, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing

page_text: under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should parti-
cularly 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 Sampson Starnes, 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:-
:―
My Invention consists in an apparatus for signalling during fogs or
under other circumstances in which an audible signal is required.
This apparatus is constructed in the following manner:-A hollow
compressible box or chamber is fitted internally with a spring in such
manner that when the box or chamber is compressed, thereby forcing
outwards therefrom the air previously therein contained, the spring
shall upon the pressure being removed restore the box or chamber to
its original shape and dimensions, the air being again admitted to the
interior. The box is fitted with a tube one end of which enters the
compressible box or chamber, and the other extends outwards therefrom
and is open to the atmosphere; this outer end is flattened out or
flanged; into this tube is entered the horn. By means of the hand of
the operator being placed over and close to the flattened or flanged end
of the tube and pressed down the box or chamber will be compressed
and the internal air forced outwards through the horn, thereby sounding
the same.
When the hand of the operator is removed the air will by
rushing down the tube and through the horn re-enter the box or
chamber.
I sometimes dispense with the spring, and instead thereof I so weight
the bottom of the compressible box or chamber that upon the same
being lifted it will be restored to its original shape or dimensions by
means of the weighted bottom. I also substitute for the open flanged
mouth a valve.
In order that the nature of my said Invention and the manner in
which the same is effected may be particularly described and ascertained
this Specification is accompanied by a Sheet of Drawings having Figures
and letters of reference marked thereupon, the like letter being used
to denote a similar or corresponding part in each Figure.

page_text: In these Drawings Figure 1 is a section of my apparatus as herein
first described. The spring is marked a, the tube into which the horn
is entered is marked b, the inlet for the air c, and d, d, is an arrange-
ment of double tongues shewn separately to an enlarged scale in
Figure 2.
Figure 3 is a section of the other form of my apparatus herein-before
alluded to. c is the tube; d, d, the double tongues; e, the valve; and
f the weighted bottom. An outside view of this apparatus is shewn in
Figure 4, and Figure 5 is a top or plan view with the horn and tube
removed.
If desired the apparatus may be made double-acting so as to produce
an uninterrupted sound.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is effected, I wish it
to be understood that what I claim is, the construction of signalling
apparatus or fog horns in the manner in the Specification described or
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Sampson Starnes, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of July,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.