Improvements Connected with Ships' Engine-room Telegraphs.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1888
كان
Complete Specification Left, 21st Jan. 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 23rd Feb, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements Connected with Ships' Engine-room Telegraphs.
I, WILLIAM CHADBURN, of 11 Waterloo Road, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster,
Telegraph Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object to effect certain improvements in that class of
mechanical, pneumatic, or electric telegraphs, which are used in navigable vessels, and
which are known as revolution telegraphs, and are used to transmit orders to the
engineer to run the engines at certain speeds.
In a telegraph involving my Invention there is employed in the transmitting
and receiving instruments a face or dial containing annularly, or equivalently arranged
sets of orders, one of which sets consists of a major order of numerals, such as tens, and
the other consisting of a minor order of numerals, such as units. The transmitting
instrument is provided with two handles and pointers, one for each set of orders, the
tens pointer having a shield to cover the numeral on the unit orders, and the unit pointer
having a shield to cover the numeral on the tens orders. The receiving instrument is
also provided with two pointers being respectively a tens pointer, and a unit pointer.
In apparatus of the type above described, I prefer to employ duplex sounding
devices, such as gongs, by which when an order or a reply, or tell tale, is given or received
for the tens orders, or the units orders, a change of sound, or intonation is given. For
instance when the tens orders are given or changed, a deep sound may be given, and
when the units orders are given, or changed a shrill sound may be given, or vice versa.
The usual chain, rod, electric, or pneumatic connections as used in telegraphs of
this class are employed to connect the transmitting and receiving instruments, and to
actuate the duplex sounding devices.
Reply or tell tale arrangements operating substantially as above described may be
employed in connection with this apparatus.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements Connected with Ships' Engine Room Telegraphs.
I WILLIAM CHADBURN, of 11 Waterloo Road, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster,
Telegraph Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object to effect certain improvements in that class of
mechanical, pneumatic, or electric or other telegraphs, which are used in navigable
vessels, and which are known as revolution telegraphs, and are used to transmit orders
to the engineer to run the engines at certain speeds.
In a telegraph involving my invention there is employed in the transmitting and
receiving instruments, a face or dial, containing annularly or equivalently arranged
sets of orders, one of which sets consists of a major order of numerals such as tens,
and the other consists of a minor order of numerals such as units. The transmitting
instrument is provided with two handles and pointers, one for each set of orders, the
tens pointer having a shield to cover the numeral on the unit orders, and the unit pointer
having a shield to cover the numeral on the tens orders. The receiving instrument
is also provided with two pointers being respectively a tens pointer, and a unit pointer.
In apparatus of the type above described, I prefer to employ duplex sounding devices,
such as gongs by which when an order or a reply or tell tale is given or received for
the tens orders, or the units orders, a change of sound or intonation is given. For
instance when the tens orders are given or changed a deep sound may be given, and
when the units orders are given or changed a shrill sound may be given or vice versa.
The usual chain, rod, electric or pneumatic connections as used in telegraphs of this
class are employed to connect the transmitting and receiving instruments, and to
actuate the duplex sounding devices.
$
Reply" or "tell tale" arrangements operating substantially as above described
may be employed in connection with this apparatus.
Having thus specified generally the nature and object of my invention, I will
now proceed to describe in detail some examples of apparatus embodying my invention,
and by following such description in conjunction with the annexed drawings any
competent workman skilled in the art to which this invention relates or is most nearly
connected, would be able to make it therefrom and apply the improvements herein
specified, and claimed in the claiming clauses concluding this specification.
The drawings form a part of this specification and are marked with figures and
letters of reference corresponding with those used in the following explanation of them,
and the same letters are used to denote the same or like parts throughout the views.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 and 2 show in front and side elevation respectively a transmitting
instrument involving my invention; and Figure 3 is a front elevation of a companion
receiving instrument.
Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a modification of this invention.

page_text: Figures 7 and 8 illustrate the receiving instrument in sectional side and front view,
respectively.
I will first explain that the instruments according to this invention, and those
illustrated, communicate with each other by means of chains, cords, rods, pneumatic
or hydraulic tubes, or electric wires, or by any other means, and that the transmission
of a communication by such means is effected by the operation of the handle of the
transmitter, the corresponding movement of the pointers in the receiving instrument
being effected by suitable mechanical devices or mechanisms operated by the move-
ment of such chains, cords or rods, or by the movement of the liquid or fluid in the
communicating pipes, or by electricity, in which case of course the circuit is formed by
the movement of the transmitter handles. I refer to those kinds of apparatus, to point
out those to which the invention mostly relates in contradistinction to those in which
a communication is indicated by illuminative or equivalent means and without pointers
or equivalent indicating devices and operating mechanisms to move them.
For convenience of description it may be assumed that the particular kind of
operating mechanisms employed in the apparatus illustrated is that used in what are
known as "Chadburns chain Mechanical Telegraphs," i.e. chain is employed to
communicate the movement of the handles of the transmitter to the pointers of the
receiver.
With reference to the drawings A designates the transmitting instrument and B is
the receiving instrument; T is the handle which is used to transmit the "tens"
orders and is the handle employed to transmit the "units" orders, and T, U
respectively designate the pointers of the receiving instrument which indicate the
"tens" and "units" orders received.
The "tens" and "units" orders in figures 1 and 2 are delineated on the dials D in
concentric circles, the units being the inner, and the tens the outer circle. These
numeral dials will, in most cases, be only used for "ahead" orders, so that they may
be taken to indicate solely "Revolutions ahead; " which words are provided on the
inside of the unit circle of the dial of the receiver B, Figure 3. Consequently in such
case the astern orders must be provided in some other way; and this I do by
combining in the dials of both instruments the usual astern "word orders," such as
Full," Half," "Slow," etcetera. These are provided on the dials outside the
"tens "circle, and again outside this "word order" circle I prefer to have the word
" astern" delineated; this is shown. The numerals however may be used for
"astern
orders if desired.
"
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It will be evident that a dial of an instrument provided with the orders, thus far
mentioned, constitutes a complete system of orders, but in order to make the apparatus
still more useful I prefer to provide a whole system of "word orders," as well as a
combined complete system of "numeral" and "word orders." Such a system is
provided in the instruments illustrated, wherein the complete "word orders are
provided on the dial by employing the same words as the "astern" orders in line
therewith that is in the same circle, the two "astern" and "ahead" orders being
arranged equally on each side of the centre line of the instruments, and having out-
side them the words "astern" and "ahead." This arrangement of dial with its
orders, it will now be seen, is such, that the transmission of orders may either be
conducted by employing as "orders," numerals, designating "Revolutions Ahead," or
by words designating certain proportional speeds ahead; in either case words being
employed to indicate the astern orders.
Just prior to the commencement of a communication, or say a series of communi-
cations, being made with the engine room, to indicate to the engineer or other person
using the apparatus in the engine room which of the sets of orders,-namely "words"
or "numerals" are about to be used by the operator, he-the operator-puts one of
the handles T or U down either over the word " Orders" or "Revolutions" (or
equivalent words), written transversely to the order circles as shown, and by this action
one of the pointers of the receiving instrument will move and cover one of these
words on its dial, and thus the attendant will be then prepared as to which system of
"orders" are to be used. The words "Orders" and "Revolutions" as drawn are

page_text: proposed as convenient words to indicate, that when the pointer is moved to "Revolu-
tions," the "numeral orders" are to be used, and that of course means the engines
are to be controlled by driving them at a certain number of revolutions, or shaft
revolutions, per minute, whereas when the pointer is moved to the word "orders"
the engines must be driven according to the word "orders."
;
I would state however that various forms of means may be employed to commu-
nicate either of these notifications, such as by using a separate pointer handle, or by
employing an electric lamp behind a translucent dial, on which the words are placed
and by making one or other of such lamps to glow by passing an electric current
therethrough such a device is shown diagramatically in Figure 4. In this Figure e
is a switch; ff are contact studs; g g electric leads or wires connecting the
studs respectively with the lamps and ; is a common return lead connecting
the lamps and with the spindle of the switch e; and k is a battery on the lead i.
Then when the switch e is turned to one or other of the studs for f¹ so will a circuit
be closed with one or other of the lamps h or h', and will cause one of them to glow
and illuminate the word above it. The switch e may be placed on or in connection
with the transmitter or in any other convenient spot.
A slightly modified form or arrangement of a transmitter order dial D is illustrated
in Figures 5 and 6 namely a double faced one. In these it will be seen the "word
orders" and "tens orders" are provided on one dial D, on one side of the transmitter-
Fig. 6, whilst on the other dial D' (Fig. 5.) the "units" orders are provided, or
one dial for word orders only and the other for numeral orders only. One handle it
will be seen is provided to each set of orders. In other respects the dials and their
orders are substantially the same as those set forth with reference to Figures 1, 2
and 3.
The handle levers T and U, see Figure 1, are of triangular form and provided with
apertures through which the words or numerals may be seen, but the words or
numerals which are not used in connection with one, is covered by the other; and
besides this the bandle levers are provided with the word "tens" and "units"
respectively, to indicate the set of orders in connection with which they are to be used.
These provisions tend to prevent mistakes being made with them, and also enable the
operator to see at once which handle he requires to use. These levers, as well as the
pointers of the receiver, would be mounted on annular shafts on the spindle of
the instruments, such as are illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, or in any other suitable
known way wherein two pointers or handles are employed.
Referring back to Figure 3 there is shown an aperture v in the dial D at the top,
through which the word "Half" appears. This "word order," together with the
other "word orders" and the words "Revolutions" and "Orders" are provided on a
disc w set behind the dial D, and mounted on the shaft of the pointer T', and as the
pointer moves the disc moves with it and exhibits through the aperture u the " word
orders; hence there will be two indications of "orders" transmitted, one by the
pointer T and one by the disc w. The orders on the dial may be made to appear
as just described or by using a translucent dial and disc, and employing an electric
or other light behind it, and so render it visible by illumination.
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Figures 7 and 8 illustrate an arrangement of parts of a mechanical chain-operated-
receiver, in which two differently toned gongs are provided in a "Revolution
telegraph, to give notice, when an order is sent, as to whether the order is one of the
major order of numerals or of the minor order. In the Figures H and L are the high
and low toned gongs respectively, and they may be used respectively for the units
and tens pointers; U2 T are chain wheels operated through chains by the units and
tens handles and levers of a corresponding transmitter, and operating the
pointers TU;s is a shaft supporting the annular shafts of the wheels Us T
I are teeth on the wheel T2 adapted to actuate a trigger ; m is a striking bolt
operated by the lever 12 of the trigger and adapted to sound the gong L; nare
teeth on the wheel U2 adapted to actuate a tooth trigger n'; and o is a
striking bolt
operated by the lever n² fixed on the spindle of the trigger n', and adapted to sound
the
gong H. This trigger and striking bolt device is well known.

page_text: In action when the wheel U2 is operated the pointer U₁ is moved and the high.
toned gong H sounded, and when the wheel T2 is operated the pointer T¹ is moved
and the low toned gong L sounded.
It will be plain that when sending a "revolution" order say for example 75, the-
tens lever would be moved over the numeral 70 and then the units lever would be
moved over the numeral 5; these movements cause the tens and units pointers of the
receiving instrument B to stand over the numerals 70 and 5 of the tens and units
circles respectively.
The converse of the above described apparatus consists, say in the receiving
instrument, of a major order of numeral "orders" provided on a moving disc such
as w and a minor order of numeral "orders" provided on a second moving disc of a
similar kind, said discs being operated in the same manner as the pointers T¹ U' and
used in substitution for same, the numerals being adapted to appear at a window or
be illuminated in the manner described with reference to the disc w. Or in lieu of
discs, cylinders or barrels or equivalent moving devices bearing numerals may be
used.
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Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of this
invention, I would state in conclusion that the apparatus illustrated and described
merely constitute examples of engine room and bridge telegraphs involving my
invention, and that it is capable of being applied in various forms or construction of
apparatus, including what are known as Reply" and "Tell-Tale" telegraphs, that
is in connection with the engine room and bridge telegraphs. It will also be evident
that the system of "orders" on the dials are susceptable of various arrangements or
dispositions and combinations without departing from the invention, and that those
illustrated show only a few examples; and I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The employment in or in connection with ships engine roon telegraphs, of
instruments having a system of "Revolution orders" comprising a set of major order
of numerals, and a set of minor order of numerals, and separate pointers or indi-
cators, for the purposes set forth.
2. Ships Bridge and Engine Room Revolution Telegraphs wherein separate systems
of major and minor orders of "order" numerals are employed, and separate moving
and indicating pointers are used for the purposes set forth.
"
"
3. The combination in the receiving instrument of a ships engine room revolution
telegraphs of dials provided with a major order of order numerals and a minor
order of "order numerals, and two or more moving
conversely, two or more moving discs, cylinders or the like,
tially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
indicating pointers, or
operating as or substan-
4. The combination in the transmitting or receiving, or transmitting and receiving
instruments of ships engine telegraphs, of dials having systems of a major and minor
order of "revolution order" numerals and a system of "word orders," substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
5. The combination in the transmitting or receiving, or transmitting and receiving
instruments of ships engine telegraphs, of dials having systems of a major and minor
order of "revolution order" numerals, a system of "word orders," and a moving
disc or discs having "orders" thereon, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
6. The operating handle levers T and U constructed and adapted to operate sub-
stantially as set forth.
"
7. The employment in ships engine revolution telegraphs in which systems of major
and minor orders of numeral "orders are employed for the purpose specified, of a
sounding device or devices adapted or constructed to give or emit different tones of
sounds or kinds of sound to denote or indicate by said different sounds, either the
said major order, or minor order.
8. The transmitting instrument set forth with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the
Drawings comprising the single dial D provided with numeral and word orders as

page_text: specified, and duplex operating hand levers T and U, constructed as described and
adapted to operate as set forth.
9. The transmitting instrument set forth with reference to Figure 5 and 6, com-
prising two dials D, D', provided with the separate numeral and word orders as
specified, and separate operating hand levers T and U constructed as described, and
adapted to operate as set forth.
10. The receiving instrument set forth with reference to Figure 3 comprising the
single dial D provided with numeral and word orders as specified, and separate
pointers T, U, and with or without moving order discs w, operating as set forth.
11. The combination of parts of the receiving instrument B, described with
reference to Figure 6 operating substantially as and for the purposes as set forth.
Dated this 10th day of January 1889