IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING AT SEA
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert Sanderson Cowan, of Kensington, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR SIGNALLING AT SEA."
Sealed the 26th May 1868, and dated the 29th November 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert Sanderson
Cowan at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 29th November 1867.
I, HERBERT SANDERSON COWAN, of Kensington, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING AT SEA," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to enable a vessel at sea to indicate to other
vessels the exact course she is steering, and the Invention mainly consists in
the employment of two lights or lamps of different colors, one of which always
remains in the same position, while the other is free to be moved round it;
the relative position of the two lights indicates the course the vessel is
steering; for instance, if the movable light is above the fixed light it indicates
that the vessel is steering north, if below, south, if to the starboard side, east,
and if to the port side, west, while the intermediate points of the compass are
of course indicated by the intermediate points of the four points just cited;
or any other code may be adopted.
I do not limit myself to any particular arrangement for causing the movable

page_text: light to move round the fixed light, but I consider the following a good
arrangement:-I pass a horizontal shaft through a band or parrall on the
mast, or in other prominent position; the fore end of the shaft has the fixed
light hung or attached thereto, while an arm of convenient length is fixed at
one end to the shaft, and its other end carries the movable light. On the
horizontal shaft is a whelped boss or chain wheel, from which an endless chain
is carried to another boss or wheel on a horizontal shaft near the deck; this
horizontal shaft likewise carries a wheel with 32 teeth corresponding to the 32
points of the compass, and fitted with a handle for turning it. The look-out
man or other attendant turns this toothed wheel according to the course the
vessel is steering, and the movement is transmitted by the whelped bosses and
chain to the shaft which carries the movable light, so that this light is moved
into position for indicating the course of the vessel. The toothed wheel is
held in the required position by a catch, and the position of the handle for
turning it is preferred to correspond with the position of the movable light.
This 32 toothed wheel forms an important part of the Invention.
A modification of my Invention consists in fitting the fixed lamp in the
centre of a ring having 32 hooks, upon one or other of which the lamp is hung
according to the course of the vessel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Herbert Sanderson Cowan in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 29th May 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HERBERT
SANDERSON COWAN, of Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting,
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Herbert Sanderson Cowan, Her special licence that I, the said
Herbert Sanderson Cowan, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Herbert Sanderson Cowan, my executors, admi-
nistrators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING AT SEA,"

page_text: upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Herbert Sanderson
Cowan, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Herbert Sanderson Cowan, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, that is to say:-
The object of my Invention is to enable a vessel at sea to indicate to other
vessels the exact course she is steering, and the Invention mainly consists in
the employment of two lights or lamps of different colours, the relative position
of one of which as regards the other indicates the course the vessel is steering.
I do not bind myself to any particular description or colours of lights- or
lamps, but the colours I prefer are white and red.
One of my arrangements consists in having one light (say, the white) always
remaining in the same position, while the other (red) is free to be moved
round it, so that supposing the red light is above the white it indicates that
the vessel is steering north, if below, south, if to starboard side, east, and if
to port side, west, while the intermediate points of the compass are of course
indicated by the intermediate points of the four points just cited, or any other
code may be adopted.
Another arrangement consists in having a light fixed on each. end of a
spindle, which is made to revolve from its centre; the relative position of the.
two lights determines or indicates the course the vessel is steering, as in the
arrangement previously described.
I do not limit myself to any particular arrangement for causing the light.
to revolve, but I consider those hereafter described to be good arrangements.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents in top view or plan..
my apparatus, as described in my first arrangement, fixed at the foremast
head. A is the mast head, and B the cap; C is a band or strap carried
round the cap B; D is a horizontal bar or shaft fixed to and extending out
from the band C; this bar is of sufficient length to enable the revolving light to
rotate free of the fore or fore-topmast stays. When the apparatus is fixed at
the B of the foremast the borizontal bar D is made to clear the forestay;
when fixed to the top-gallant mast it is.made to clear the fore-topmast stay.
cap
.

page_text: E is the fixed light or lamp hung from or attached to the fore end of the
bar D; F is a hollow shaft passed over the bar D, and having at its after end
a whelped pulley or chain wheel G fixed thereto, while its fore eud has fixed
or attached thereto a revolving arm H of convenient length; one end of this
arm H carries the movable light I, while the other end carries a counter-
balance or weight K. The whelped pulley or chain wheel G has passed over
it an endless rope or chain, which is carried down to another pulley or chain
wheel fixed to the mast near the deck. On the axis of this last-named pulley
or chain wheel is fixed a ratcbet wheel scored on its edge to as many points
of the compass as may be desirable, and fitted with a handle for turning it.
The look-out man or other attendant turns this ratchet wheel according to
the course the vessel is steering, and the movement is transmitted by the
whelped pulley or chain wheel, and the endless rope or chain to the shaft F,
which carries the movable light I. The ratchet wheel is provided with a paul
to prevent its return movement.
Figure 2 represents in plan or
fore-topgallant mast. L is a hoop
top view this apparatus as applied to the
or parrall secured to the mast, and having
the horizontal bar D fixed thereto. Figure 3 is a front elevation of this appa-
ratus as it would appear when fixed at the fore-topmast head, and indicating
that the vessel is steering west.
The second arrangement herein-before described is represented in Figures
4, 5, and 6, which respectively represent the same views as Figures 1, 2, 3.
The same letters indicate the same parts. Instead of one of the lights being
in a fixed position the two lights E and I are carried respectively on the two
ends of a revolving arm or spindle H centred on the shaft F; the arm H is
caused to revolve by a chain or rope passed over the pulley or wheel G, as in
the first arrangement.
A modification of my Invention consists in having a ring with 32 or other
desirable number of hooks round it, upon which the lamps are hung in the
same relative positions as before described.
I do not limit myself to fitting the lamps at any particular part of the
vessel.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my "Improve-
ments in Apparatus for Signalling at Sea,"―
First. The arrangement, substantially as herein-before described, of lights
or lamps of different colors, the relative position of which lights or lamps to
each other indicates the course the vessel is steering.
. Second. The combination with the said arrangement of lights or lamps of

page_text: apparatus, substantially as herein-before described, for moving the lights or
lamps, or either of them as required.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert Sanderson Cowan, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of May, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.