Improvements in Electrical Signalling Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Signalling Apparatus.
We, ERWIN LAVENS, of No. 100, Monroe Street, Brooklyn, New York, in the
United States of America, Engineer, and EDWARD JOSEPH LAVENS, also of No. 100,
Monroe Street, Brooklyn aforesaid, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:
1
In the Specification No. 3209 of 1898 is described electrical signalling apparatus
specially adapted for use on shipboard for the purpose of signalling from the
bridge or other place occupied by an officer to the engine room.
**
This apparatus comprises a transmitter having a handle which the officer turns
to any one of a number of signals such as full speed ahead" or the like marked
on a dial and then by pressing a contact making button sends an electrical current
to one of a number of indicators in the engine room each of those being marked
in correspondence with one of the signals on the dial. The effect of the current
it to kindle a glow lamp and present a screen in the compartment corresponding
to the signal sent, and at the same time to cause a bell or gong to sound calling
attention to the fact that a signal is sent.
In the said specification it was also proposed to mark a record of the successive
signals on a continuously travelling strip of paper moved by clock work.
The present invention relates to apparatus of the kind described in the specifi-
cation above referred to and comprises modifications in the record apparatus,
and additional apparatus to shew in the transmitter the direction in which the
engines are at any time working, indicating each revolution, so that they can be
corrected by sight or recorded by a counter.
For the purpose of recording the successive signals sent to the engine room, a
cylinder is caused by clockwork to revolve once in 24 hours, having fixed round
it a strip of paper graduated lengthwise with parallel lines corresponding with the
different signals, and graduated cross wire with lines corresponding with hours
and fractions of hours. The cylinder can be disengaged from the clock work so
that it can be adjusted day by day to suit the time of the ship as it varies its
longitude. The armatures of each of the electro-magnets which work the signals
in the engine room, when it moves to give a signal moves one of a number of
levers each of which carries a star wheel which is then pressed against the re-
volving paper strip and marks it with a series of dots on the line appropriated
to the particular signal, and over a length depending on the time during which
this signal is maintained. The paper thus marked can be removed daily and filed
with the log.
For indicating the revolutions of the engine and their direction, the handle
which controls the hydraulic or other apparatus that works the valve gear of the
engines, has fixed on it an insulated conducting bridge, which, at the handle is
moved to its different positions, for full or half speed ahead or astern, makes
contacts by which electric currents are transmitted to two glow lamps in the
transmitter, kindling the one when the engines are going ahead, the other when
they are going astern. The lamp is, however, not maintained constantly alight,

page_text: but is extinguished and made to glow again once in every revolution so that the
officer sees at a glance, not only the direction in which the engines are going, but
can also count the number of revolutions in a given time.
The alternate kindling and extinction of the lamp may be effected by contacts
alternately made and broken by any convenient moving part of the engines
which may make and break metallic contacts, or preferably, by moving the core
of a solenoid induce and arrest currents proceeding to the lamp.
Instead of the lamps or in addition to them, counters for ahead and astern
working may be arranged at the transmitter, these being actuated by currents
transmitted in the same way as for the lamps.
Dated this 22nd day of April 1899.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Electrical Signalling Apparatus.
We, ERWIN LAVENS, of No. 100, Monroe Street, Brooklyn, New York, in the
United States of America, Engineer, and EDWARD JOSEPH LAVENS, also of No. 100,
Monroe Street, Brooklyn aforesaid, Electrical 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:-
In the Specification No. 3209 of 1898 is described electrical signalling apparatus
specially adapted for use on shipboard for the purpose of signalling from the
bridge or other place occupied by an officer to the engine room.
This apparatus comprises a transmitter having a handle which the officer turns
to any one of a number of signals such as "full speed ahead" or the like marked
on a dial and then by pressing a contact making button sends an electrical current
to one of a number of indicators in the engine room each of those being marked
in correspondence with one of the signals on the dial. The effect of the current
it to kindle a glow lamp and present a screen in the compartment corresponding
to the signal sent, and at the same time to cause a bell or gong to sound calling
attention to the fact that a signal is sent.
In the said specification it was also proposed to mark a record of the successive
signals on a continuously travelling strip of paper moved by clock work.
The present invention relates to apparatus of the kind described in the specifi-
cation above referred to and comprises modifications in the record apparatus, and
additional apparatus to show in the transmitter the direction in which the engines
are at any time working indicating each revolution, so that they can be corrected
by sight or recorded by a counter.
For the purpose of recording the successive signals sent to the engine room
we modify the apparatus as we shall describe referring to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. is a transverse section, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section and Fig. 3 is a
plan Fig. 4 is a portion of the paper record unfolded. As shewn in these
drawings a cylinder a is caused by clockwork to revolve once in 24 hours, having
fixed round it a strip of paper graduated lengthwise with seven parallel lines
corresponding with the different signals, and graduated cross-wise with lines
corresponding with hours and fractions of hours. The cylinder can be disen-
gaged from the clockwork so that it can be adjusted day by day to suit the time
of the ship as it varies its longitudes.
The armature lever c of each of the electro-magnets which work the signals
in the engine room, when it moves to give a signal raises a rod d which moves

page_text: one of a number of levers e each of which carries a star wheelf which is then
pressed against the revolving paper strip and marks it with series of dots on the
line appropriated to the particular signal, and over a length depending on the time
during which this signal is maintained.
The paper b thus marked can be removed daily and filed with the log.
For indicating the revolutions of the engine and their direction the handle
which controls the hydraulic or other apparatus that works the valve gear of the
engines has fixed on it a switch which may be in the form of an insulated con-
ducting bridge, which, as the handle is moved to its different positions for full
or half speed ahead or astern, makes contacts by which electric currents are trans-
mitted to two glow lamps which may be conveniently situated in the transmitter,
kindling the one when the engines are going ahead, the other when they are going
astern. The lamp, however, is not maintained constantly alight, but is ex-
tinguished and made to glow again, once in every revolution of the engines so
that the officer at the transmitter can see at a glance, not only the direction in
which the engines are going, but he can also count the number of revolutions in
a given time.
The alternate kindling and extinction of the lamp may be effected by contacts
alternately made and broken by any convenient reciprocating part of the engines
which may make and break metallic contacts, or preferably by moving the core
of a solenoid induce and arrest currents proceeding to the lamp.
Instead of the lamps or in addition to them, counters for ahead and astern
working may be arranged these being actuated by currents transmitted in the
same way as for the lamps.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In electrical signalling apparatus of the kind described in the Specification
No. 3209 of 1898 the combination of parts for recording the signals transmitted
and their duration, comprising a cylinder moved by clockwork and carrying a
ruled paper strip, a set of rods actuated by the armature levers of the signals,
and corresponding levers carrying star wheels adapted to be pressed against the
paper strip, substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
2. In combination with the engines a pair of electric lamps or counters con-
nected to a source of electricity through two suitable switches, the one worked
by the starting stopping and reversing handle for the engines, and the other
worked by a reciprocating part of the engines so that the lamps or counters shew
the direction and number of revolutions of the engines.
Dated this 14th day of December 1899.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.