Method of and Apparatus for Controlling the Operating Gears of Rudders, Signals and the like by Means of Heat, Light, or Elec- trical Waves.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 26th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 17th Oct., 1899-Ac cepted, 13th Jan., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Method of and Apparatus for Controlling the Operating Gears of
Rudders, Signals and the like by Means of Heat, Light, or Elec-
trical Waves.
We, AXEL. ORLING, 7, Engelbrektsgatan, Stockholm, Electrician, and CARL
GUSTAF GEORG BRAUNERHJELM, 19, Engelbrektsgatan, Stockholm, Colonel, both
in the Kingdom of Sweden, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows::
:-
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for controlling
the operating-gears for rudders, signalling apparatus, or for other purposes, by
means of heat, light or electrical waves, emitted from a search-light or the like
and acting on resistances that are located in the receiving-apparatus and made
of a material which, as regards its electrical conductivity, is sensitive to the
said waves.
In apparatus of this nature heretofore proposed, it has only been
possible to make use of continuous rays acting on resistances sensitive to the
aforesaid rays, said resistances being coupled into two separate circuits.
According to the present invention, on the other hand, intermittent rays are
used which are made to act on a receiver consisting of a single resistance, sensitive
to the rays in question, or several such resistances coupled into the same circuit.
The apparatus is so constructed that the operating-gear or reversing-gear is
moved in opposite directions whenever the sensitive resistance after a short or
long pause is again acted on by rays emitted from the search-light.
In the accompanying drawing there is shewn a diagram of connections for a
steering-apparatus for torpedoes or other vessels, said apparatus being, constructed
in the manner referred to.
In the circuit s¹ connected with the battery B¹ there are coupled on the one
hand a resistance X (the receiver), which is sensitive to the rays emitted, and,
on the other hand, an electromagnet M which, together with an armature a¹
acted on by a spring f¹ (or by a weight), forms a relay for automatically closing
or breaking a circuit $3 connected with a battery 2: The receiver normally
exerts so great a resistance to the electric current that the electro-magnet Mi
is not sufficiently magnetized to attract the armature a¹. The said armature,
therefore, is normally pressed by the spring against an insulated or non-con-
ducting stop k, the circuit 2 consequently being broken; when, on the other
hand, the receiver X is struck by the rays emitted, its resistance to the flow
of electric current is diminished and the current of the circuit s¹ now increasing

page_text: in strength will cause the electromagnet M³ to attract its armature which is
thus brought to bear against a contact-piece 2, arranged to be adjusted in some
suitable manner. The circuit of the battery B being thereby closed
now acts on an electromagnet M² located in the circuit sand causes it to
attract an armature a² movable about a fixed point o. On the armature a² is
attached a finger st, (pivoted at t), which every time when the electromagnet M²
attracts its armature acts on a wedge-shaped portion of a piece m pivoted on
a shaft o'. For each attraction of the armature, a², the point of the finger st,
which latter is pivoted on a pin or the like, slides along one side or the other
of the central wedge-shaped portion of the piece m until on reaching the (bottom
of the) fork or V-formed by the central portion, and one of the lateral pro-
jections from the base of the latter it reverses the piece m, so that, when the
armature a² on the breaking of the current is returned by the spring f to its
original position, the point of the finger st will be on the other side of the
central point of the piece m. It is readily perceived that the piece m is
reversed for each new attraction of the armature a², it being thereby made to
alternately press one or the other of two springs f³, f* against its corresponding
contact piece 3 or 4 so that the circuit 3 or of the battery 13³ is closed,
and one or the other of the electromagnets M³, M is made to directly or in-
directly actuate the rudder, which accordingly occupies a position in one direction
or the other. As long as the armature a remains attracted, one or the other
of the circuits 3, 4, is kept closed, and the corresponding electromagnet. M³
or M4 holds the rudder to one side or the other. When the pressure of the
finger st on the piece m ceases, the spring f³ or f* recedes slightly from the
contact 3 or 4, and the corresponding circuit is broken. As no current now
flows through either of the circuits s³, s, the rudder may be returned automatically
to its middle position by means of a spring-arrangement or other suitable con-
trivance. It is evidently possible to direct the vessel at will in the desired
direction, by exposing the receiver for a longer or shorter period to the action
of the aforesaid rays, whether such exposure has previously taken place for a
short time or not.
It is evident that the arrangement shewn in the drawing may be modified
in various ways without departing from the leading idea of the invention. Thus
the circuits 2 and 3, for instance, may be arranged so as to receive their current
from the same battery.
Method of and Apparatus for Controlling the Operating Gear of
Rudders, Signals and the like by Means of Heat, Light, or Elec-
trical Waves.
We, AXEL ORLING, of 7, Engelbrektsgatan, Electrician, and CARL GUSTAF
GEORG BRAUNERHJELM, of 19, Engelbrektsgatan, Colonel, both of Stockholm,
Sweden, 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:-
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for controlling
the operating-gears for rudders, signalling apparatus, or for other purposes, by

page_text: means of heat, light or electrical waves, emitted from a search-light or the like
and acting on resistances that are located in the receiving-apparatus and made
of a material which, as regards its electrical conductivity, is sensitive to the
said waves.
In apparatus of this nature heretofore proposed, it has only been
possible to make use of continuous rays acting on resistances sensitive to the
aforesaid rays, said resistances being coupled into two separate circuits.
According to the present invention, on the other hand, intermittent rays are
used which are made-to act on a receiver consisting of a single resistance, sensitive
to the rays in question, or several such resistances coupled into the same circuit.
The apparatus is so constructed that the operating-gear or reversing-gear is
moved in opposite directions whenever the sensitive resistance after a short or
long pause is again acted on by rays emitted from the search-light.
In the drawing left with the Provisional Specification there is shewn a
diagram of connections for a steering-apparatus for torpedoes or other vessels,
said apparatus being constructed in the manner referred to.
In the circuits connected with the battery B₁ there are coupled on the one
hand a resistance X (the receiver), which is sensitive to the rays emitted, and,
on the other hand, an electromagnet M' which, together with an armature a¹
acted on by a spring f¹ (or by a weight), forms a relay for automatically closing
or breaking a circuit 2 connected with a battery 12. The receiver normally
exerts so great a resistance to the electric current that the electromagnet M
is not sufficiently magnetized to attract the armature a¹. The said armature,
therefore, is normally pressed by the spring against an insulated or non-con-
ducting stop, the circuit consequently being broken; when, on the other
hand, the receiver X is struck by the rays emitted, its. resistance to the flow
of electric current is diminished and the current of the circuit s now increasing
in strength will cause the electromagnet M₁ to attract its armature which is
thus brought to bear against a contact-piece, arranged to be adjusted in some
suitable manner. The circuit 2 of the battery B2 being thereby closed, the current in
the circuit energises the electromagnet M2 located in the circuit s² and causes it to
attract an armature a movable about a fixed point o. On the armature a² is
attached a finger s t. which every time when the electromagnet_M²
attracts its armature acts on a wedge-shaped portion of a piece m pivoted on
a shaft o¹. For each attraction of the armature, a², the point of the fingers t,
which latter is pivoted on a pin or the like, slides along one side or the other
of the central wedge-shaped portion of the piece m until on reaching the (bottom
of the) fork or V formed by the central portion, and one of the lateral pro-
jections from the base of the latter it reverses the piece m, so that, when the
armature a² on the breaking of the current is returned by the spring 2 to its
original position, the point of the finger st will be on the other side of the
central point of the piece m. It is readily perceived that the piece m is
reversed for each new attraction of the armature a², it being thereby made to
alternately press one or the other of two springs f³, f against its corresponding
contact piece or so that the circuit or of the battery 133 is closed,
and one or the other of the electromagnets M³, M is made to directly or in-
directly actuate the rudder, which accordingly occupies a position in one direction
or the other. As long as the armature a² remains attracted, one or the other
of the circuits 3, 4 is kept closed, and the corresponding electromagnets M³
or M holds the rudder to one side or the other. When the pressure of the
fingerst on the piece m ceases, the spring f³ or f* recedes slightly from the
contact or , and the corresponding circuit is broken. As no current now
flows through either of the circuits $3, $, the rudder may be returned automatically
to its middle position by means of a spring-arrangement or other suitable con-
trivance. It is evidently possible to direct the vessel at will in the desired
direction, by exposing the receiver for a longer or shorter period to the action
of the aforesaid rays, whether such exposure has previously taken place for a
short time, or not.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The method of controlling the operating or reversing-gears for rudders,
signalling-apparatus, or the like, which consists in intermittently sending out
rays or waves which are adapted, by influencing a receiver located in an electric
circuit and the electrical conductivity of which is diminished under the influence
of the rays emitted, to close a secondary electric circuit for operating a circuit-
closer which is so connected with the electric circuits of the reversing-gear. or
the like that the latter will be actuated every time the receiver after an interval
of short or long duration is again struck by the said rays..
.1
2. In a controlling apparatus, the combination of a resistance sensitive to
heat, light or electrical rays, a primary electric circuit including said resistance,
a secondary electric circuit adapted to be closed by a relay in the primary
electric circuit, and operative means adapted to be actuated by successive closings
of said secondary electric circuit.
3. In a controlling apparatus, the combination of a resistance sensitive to heat,
light or electrical rays, a primary electric circuit including said resistance, a
secondary electric circuit adapted to be closed by a relay in the primary electric
circuit, and a double electric circuit closer operated in opposite directions by
currents due to successive closings of the secondary electric circuit.
4. In a controlling apparatus, the combination of a resistance sensitive to
heat, light or electrical rays, a primary electric circuit including said resistance,
a secondary electric circuit adapted to be closed by a relay in the primary
electric circuit, two tertiary electric circuits and means operated by successive
closing of the secondary electric circuit to alternately close said tertiary electric
circuits.
5. In a controlling apparatus, the combination of a resistance sensitive to
heat, light or electrical rays, a primary electric circuit including said resistance,
a secondary electric circuit adapted to be closed by a relay in the primary
electric circuit, an electromagnet in the secondary electric circuit, an armature
for said electromagnet, a two-way switch, and means intermediate said switch
and the armature whereby successive movements of the armature in one direction
effect alternate closings of the switch in two directions.
6. In a controlling apparatus, the combination of a resistance sensitive to
heat, light or electrical rays, a primary electric circuit including said resistance,
a relay in the primary electric circuit, a secondary electric circuit adapted to
be closed when a current of predetermined strength is flowing in the relay, and
operative means adapted to be actuated in opposite directions by successive closings
of said secondary electric circuit.
7. In a controlling apparatus, the combination of a resistance sensitive to
heat, light or electrical rays, a primary electric circuit including said resistance,
a secondary electric circuit adapted to be closed by a relay in the primary
electric circuit, two tertiary electric circuits one of which includes an electro-
magnetic device adapted to operate the controlling apparatus in one direction
and the other of which includes electromagnetic means adapted to operate the
controlling apparatus in the other direction, and means whereby the tertiary
electric circuits are closed alternately by successive closings of the secondary
electric circuit.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of London, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.