Improvements in Electrical Indicator Apparatus.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 8th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 8th June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Indicator Apparatus.
1, CHARLES AMBROSE McEvoy, of 69 Victoria Street, in the City of
Westminster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object to provide apparatus by which variations
produced in an electric circuit by the action of a microphone may be made to
give readily audible or visible indications that varying currents are passing in the
circuit. For example if the microphone be submerged so that it may be acted on
by sound from any passing vessel and variations of current are thereby produced in
an electric circuit led from such microphone to any spot where it is desired that
warning should be given of the approach of any vessel a readily audible or visible
signal may at once be given that such variations in the current are taking place
and then by a telephone in the circuit the nature of the sounds acting upon the
microphone can readily be ascertained. In this way the necessity of having a
sentry constantly listening at the telephone would be avoided-
1-or similarly on land
warning might be given of the approach of any large body of troops. The
indicator apparatus can also be used for a variety of other purposes.
I place in the microphone circuit a galvanometer coil. It can then be seen by
the swing of the galvanometer needle whether the variations in the current are
small or great. The galvanometer needle I couple to one pole of a battery and
contact pins which can be raised into the path in which the needle swings I couple
to the other pole of the battery-the pins I make magnetic so that when the
needle comes into contact with one of them it is held to it by magnetic attraction―
and good and constant contact thereby ensured. A bell may be placed in the
battery circuit so that when the circuit is completed the bell may be rung.
A magnetic relay may also be in the circuit and the relay when actuated by a
current passed through it be caused to complete another battery circuit in which
is an electric lamp so as to give a visible signal at night time.
In the battery circuit which is completed by the galvanometer a switch may be
provided by which either the bell or the relay or both can be included in the
circuit. In place of the bell or lamp other indicator signals might be used. In
place also of using a galvanometer as a relay any other sensitive form of relay
might be use.
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COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Indicator Apparatus.
I, CHARLES AMBROSE MCEVOY, of 69 Victoria Street, in the City of
Westminster, 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:--
This invention has for its object to provide imechanism by which sounds of
movements at distant points may be caused to give readily audible or visible signals
say for example to give warning of the passing of a vessel propelled by screws or
paddles, or of a body of troops near the distant point. To effect this I place or
submerge at the distant point a sensitive vibrating mechanism capable of producing
Price 8d.1

page_text: undulations in an electric circuit. At the point where the warning is to be given
I place an instrument named by me a kinesiscope and a battery, the circuit from
which is carried through coils in the kinesiscope and through the vibrating
mechanism.
The kinesiscope I form of a coil, swinging needle and fixed directing magnet as
in a galvanometer but in addition I also provide a small iron contact piece which
swings to and fro with the needle to which it is attached and this I couple to one
pole of a battery the other pole of which I couple with a magnetic contact piece or
pieces against which the contact piece carried by the needle may swing. In this
local battery circuit I place an electric bell or other indicator, or a relay for
working an indicator. Assuming the vibratory mechanism to be submerged the
current in the vibratory circuit will remain constant when no vessel is passing
and the kinesiscope needle will remain thereby in one position. The magnetic
contact piece or pieces can then be set at any desired distance from the contact
piece which is carried with the needle. If a vessel passes sound vibrations will
pass to the vibrating mechanism, and the current will thereby be made to vary and
these vibratious will oscillate the kinesiscope needle until the contact piece which
is carried with it comes within the influence of one of the magnetic contact pieces,
the two contact pieces will then be drawn into close contact with one another and
, the local battery circuit will be closed and kept closed and a signal will thereby
be given. The man in charge can then listen in a telephone in the vibrator and
kinesiscope circuit and ascertain from the sounds given the nature of the sounds
acting on the vibrator mechanism.
In this way the necessity of constantly having a sentry listening at the telephone
is avoided.
The drawing annexed shews apparatus constructed according to my invention.
Figure 1 is a diagram view illustrating the action of the mechanism.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of a heavy metallic bell which can be sunk and
which carries within it the vibrating mechanism.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on a larger scale of the vibrating mechanism.
Figure 4 is an elevation and Figure 5 a plan of the same.
Figure 6 is a plan view with the cover removed of the kinesiscope.
Figure 7 is a section through the line a b.
Figure 8 a section through the line c d.
Figure 9 is a plan view and Figure 10 an elevation of the cover.
In Figure 1A is the kinesiscope which is placed on shore or wherever warning
is to be given. Bis the submerged mechanism. C a battery in a circuit taken
through the vibrating mechanism and kinesiscope coil. Preferably I use &
Daniel's battery as the current given with it is very constant. D is the kinesiscope
needle carrying a small iron contact piece D' which is coupled to one pole of a
battery E. F. F are magnetic contact pieces which can be set and adjusted to any
desired distance from the contact piece D' and which are coupled to the other pole
of the battery. G an electric bell or indicator in the battery circuit.
The vibrating mechanism and the case within which it is enclosed may be con-
structed as shewn at Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 and as is described in another application
for Patent made by me No. 12122 of 1892 or other suitable form of vibrating
mechanism may be employed. H is a bell heavily weighted around its rim, I is a
casing containing the vibrating mechanism. The bell may be either open or closed
at the bottom. If open it must be deep, enough for the casing I to be always
surrounded with air enclosed in the bell unless the casing I be made watertight and
sufficiently strong to withstand the pressure to which it would be subjected. The
bell with the vibrating mechanism within it I have named a hydrophone. The
casing rests upon springs H' these as shewn are made to surround screw pins H
and rest upon nuts screwed on to the screw pins-or the casing might otherwise be
secured within the upper part of the bell.
From the bottom of the casing (see Figure 3) a disc J of non conducting material

page_text: is similarly supported on springs J1 and above this a metal bar K rigidly secured
by metallic bolts K' to the bottom of the casing. K² is a carbon block secured to
the centre of the bar K and having a hole formed centrally through it. L is a
wire passed through the hole and also into a similar hole formed in a carbon
block M which is secured to the centre of the lower disc J. Preferably the bottom
of the wire is made to rest on a inetal disc L¹ which is placed between the carbon
block M and disc J. A wire L* coming from one pole of the battery (marked C
in Figure 1) is coupled to this disc L' and the battery circuit is completed through
the wire L carbon block K' metallic bar K and so to the metallic bell and through
"earth" to the other pole of the battery.
Any movement of the wire will vary the contact which it makes with the lower
disc and upper carbon block and so the amount of current passing through the
circuit will be varied by any vibration given to the mechanism.
N is a small electro magnet carried by the bar K. L is an insulated wire led.
through contact mechanism from one pole of a battery to an insulated coupling
connection carried by the bar and from thence through the coils of the electro
magnet to the bar K and so through "earth" to the other pole of the battery. O is
the magnet armature held away from the magnet poles by a light spring. When
the battery circuit is completed and the armature attracted by the magnet it strikes
against the end of a rod P which projects up from the disc J by completing the
battery circuit a slight jerk or tap can therefore at any time be given to the disc
should the wire L from any reason get into such a position that the mechanism
which acts in the manner of a microphone is not so sensitive as it should be the
wire can therefore be shaken from this position into some other position in which
it will act more efficiently. L' is a guard to keep the wire L from being jerked out
of the hole in the lower carbon block.
The construction of the kinesiscope is shewn in Figures 6 to 10. In these figures
R is a cylindrical casing having within it coils S and swinging magnetic needle D.
On the axis of this magnet is also carried an indicator arm T having at one end of
it the small iron contact piece D'. W is a fixed magnet by which the magnet D is
normally drawn to one fixed position. The bearings of the needle axis and
consequently the contact piece D' are put in connection with one pole of a battery
marked E in Figure 1. S are ebonite blocks which support and insulate the
needle axis bearings. The outer casing R is put in connection with the other pole
of the battery. V Figure 9 is the cover of the outer casing-in it is a concentric
slot through which rises a pin T which stands up from the indicator arm T'.
FF are magnetic contact pieces one is fixed to the underside of the cover and the
other on an arm F jointed to the cover so that it may be set at any desired
distance from the other contact F. When the circuit of the battery C (Figure 1)
is completed through the kinesiscope coils and the needle has assumed its normal
position the contact pieces F can be brought as near as desired to the iron contact
piece D one on one side of this contact piece and the other on the other. The
position of the fixed magnetic contact F can be adjusted by turning the cover
around on the casing and the position of the other magnetic contact can be adjusted
by turning the arm F1. The magnetic contact pieces should be set at such a
distance from the contact piece D' that this contact piece is not drawn to either of
them so long as the current through the kinesiscope coils remains steady but near
enough for one or other of them to draw it to itself whenever the needle is oscillated
by variations produced in the current by the vibrating mechanism. A kinesiscope
constructed as above described can be used for a variety of other purposes.
If the vibrating mechanism is to be placed under ground say for giving warning
of the passage of troops it may be carried as herein before described within a bell
and this bell may be similar to that used in the hydrophone but lighter or it may
be carried within any suitable casing not necessarily metallic if suitable provision
is made for readily completing an earth return or coupling to a return conductor.
The instrument when constructed for land use I call a geophone.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. For giving warning from any distance of the passing of vessels or troops or
for other such like purposes the combination of vibrating contact mechanism set at
the distant point a closed battery circuit passing through this contact mechanism,
a sensitive relay also in the circuit at the point where the warning is to be
given and bell or other indicator in the local circuit of the relay substantially as
described.
2. The combination of vibrating contact mechanism set at the distant point, fixed
coil or coils and swinging magnetic needle at the point where warning is to be
given, closed battery circuit passing through the coils and through the vibrating
mechanism-iron contact piece swinging with the needle and in connection with one
pole of a battery and magnetic contact pieces which can be set at any desired
distance from it in connection with the other pole of the battery and a bell or other
indicator in this battery circuit substantially as described.
3. The combination of a magnetic relay contact with a needle and coil
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 6 to 9.
Dated this 8th day of March 1892
C. A. MCEVOY.