IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING AT SEA AND ELSEWHERE
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Balch, of Greenwich in the County of Kent,
for an Invention of IMPROVED MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING AT
SEA AND ELSEWHERE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Balch at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th November 1883.
WILLIAM. BALCH of. Greenwich in the County of Kent
OR APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING AT SEA AND ELSEWHERE
"
"IMPROVED MEANS
.
My invention of improved means or apparatus for signalling at sea and elsewhere
comprises improved signal rockets and apparatus for discharging the same.. The
rocket comprises an outer casing, a cap chamber with cap, a fuse, a detonating
charge or charges and stars which are red or green as required. The discharging
apparatus comprises a barrel or tube hinged or jointed to a handle or stock
provided with a central firing pin and with passages for the escape of gases.
I propose to employ two sets of apparatus to indicate that an approaching vessel
should "port" her helm, the other that she should "starboard.". The stocks or
handles of the two discharging apparatus may differ in their external configuration,
to enable one to be readily distinguished 'from the other. Thus the port discharger
may have a smooth stock or handle and the starboard discharger a roughened
stock or handle. Furthermore the rockets may be made to give distinctive
reports, the one being caused, for example, to give a single report, the other a
double report.
Apparatus according to my invention may be used with advantage on boats
away from ships, or cast away at sea; also on fishing boats. Thus assuming a
vessel to be seen approaching a fleet of fishing boats at anchor with nets down,
one of my signals could be discharged to indicate to such vessel whether to port
or starboard in order to clear the neta.
The entire apparatus is of simple construction, easily used, and not liable to
derangement by exposure to bad weather.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and
of an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said William Balch in the
Patent Office on the 24th May 1884.
WILLIAM BALCH Pensioner Royal Navy of 11 Ashburnham Grove Greenwich
in the County of Kent AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING AT SEA OR
ELSEWHERE
My Invention or. Improved. Apparatus for signalling at Sea and elsewhere
comprises improved signal rockets and apparatus for discharging the same the
rocket has an outer and inner casing the outer casing has a detonator chamber at
the base a Cap chamber with cap and fuzee a detonating charge or charges and 1
stars that are red and green The discharging Apparatus comprises barrel or tube
hinged or joined to a handle or stock provided with a centre firing pin. I propose
two sets of Apparatus to indicate an approaching Vessel should starboard her
helm or port as, the case inay be the stock or handle of the two discharging
Apparatus may differ in their external configuration to enable one to be readily
distinguished from the other thus the port discharger may have a smooth handle
and the starboard discharger a roughened handle, furthermore the rockets may be
made to give distinctive reports the one being caused for example to give a single
report the other a double report.
Apparatus according to my invention may be used with advantage on boats. or
rafts cast away at sea also on fishing boats thus assuming a Vessel to be seen
approaching a fleet of fishing boats at Anchor with their Nets down one of my
signals could be discharged to indicate to such Vessel to port or starboard in order
to clear their Nets.
The entire Apparatus is of simple construction easily used and not liable to
derangement by exposure to bad weather
My Invention has for its object to overcome the difficulties for signalling at sea
in very bad weather and so constructed and simple that it can be taken to any
part of a ship Mast or Yard and fired with ease or from any raft or boat cast
away at sea as the water has but a little effect on it. The appliance may be
used with advantage for alarm signalling on shore in case of burglars or fire.
The second part of my invention is to shew how the appliance is used for
distress, or alarm signal firing, the Rocket or Shell is placed in at the breech, or
other convenient part of tube, or handle, the Cap or detonator being at the Centre
and lower part of the base of the said Rocket or shell or other convenient place,
the appliance is then closed and locked by means of screw and lever or other
automatic means and by striking the needle that runs through the handle, or
other means the point of the said needle coming in contact with the detonator at
the base of the said rocket at once fires the same throwing the said rocket or shell
in the Air at the height of four hundred feet or upwards the same making a
very loud report when reaching its greatest altitude then opening out in a body
of stars the report to draw the attention of people the stars-to shew direction of
the same.
The third part of my invention is to show how the appliance may be used for
avoiding collisions at sea one ship approaching another the one going down
Channel the other coming up at the same time a sailing Vessel is under the
Starboard quarter of the ship going down Channel the said ship going down
Channel sees her position at once fires my signal which in this case would be a red
light on board and the shell arrives at its altitude in the air it makes a very loud
report to draw the attention of the approaching ship then opens out in a body of

page_text: red stars so should there be several ships together they would all know what each
other were doing either porting or starboarding should the said ship want to
starboard it would then shew a green flash, and throw out a shell making a loud
report as it reaches its greatest altitude and opens out in a body of green stars the
signals are so constructed that the water has no effect on them and to be nearly
impossible to miss fire.
The fourth part of my invention it is so simple in construction that the smallest
boy woman or child may fire it Also that the signal may be fired by spring Air
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of Apparatus in practising my Invention.
Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section through the same. A represents base
or breech of tube for containing shell or rocket. B represents tube which shell
passes through. C represents upper or pointed end of needle which being struck
at the lower end of figure D forces the point into the detonator shell or rocket,
thus causing the same to explode-E. Spiral spring for bringing the needle back,
the said spiral spring may be either of an open character or closed, in the case of
it being a closed spiral spring the lower end of needle or figure D would have to
be drawn from the handle instead of being forced into the said handle F. handle
or stock of Apparatus G. joint for connecting tube to handle H. lever and screw
for locking tube to handle-I. end view of Apparatus.
In witness whereof I the said William Balch have hereunto set my hand and
seal this 23rd day of May One thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
TITTAM DALAD
L