Improvements in Marine Signalling.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 7th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 7th Nov., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Marine Signalling.
1, ALFRED MARTIAL GALLET, of 52, Fenwick Road, East Dulwich, in the
County of London, retired Sea Captain, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a system of marine signalling whereby a ship or ships,
obscured from another or other ships in the vicinity by fog, rain or snow, will be
enabled to indicate its or their respective courses and so avoid collision and also to
communicate or telegraph.
According to my invention I provide a code of audible course signals in conjunction
with a card or indicator marked to correspond with the different points of the
compass and I make use of guns and steam whistles and gongs which are used in
various combinations, for instance :-
One gun and four blows of a whistle indicate, say, a North-West course.
One gun and three blows a course North-West by West.
One gun and two blows a course West-North-West.
One gun and one blow a course West by North.
To enable my invention to be clearly understood as far as the signal code is
concerned, I have filed herewith a drawing which represents my indicator in the
form of a card or dial marked to correspond with the compass card and having in
conjunction with the several points indications of the signals corresponding with
these points. In practice this card has the lines and the parts which are shewn in
deep black in the drawing of a green colour on the starboard side of the North and
South line and of a red colour on the port side of the said line.
The card or dial hereinbefore described is mounted upon a disc or platform
arranged within a suitable case, so that it may be rotated to bring any point
thereof opposite to a finger or pointer within the said box; for instance, when the
said dial is moved by the officer in charge so as to bring, say, the point N.N.E.
opposite to the finger or pointer the attendant knows that two blows of the whistle
and the firing of two guns is the proper signal for indicating that this is the course
of the ship and thereby indicate this course to any ship or ships in the vicinity.
In connection with the box within which the signal card is mounted I arrange
suitable mechanism adapted to enable the mau in charge of the signals to operate
the same.
As the signal to be given is in some cases dependent not only upon the sounds
out upon the duration thereof or of the intervals between them, I arrange, in
conjunction with the signal box, suitable sand glasses.
To provide for carrying on a conversation between two ships invisible to each
other, I have arranged a code of signals produced by blowing a whistle and
ounding a bell or gong for indicating numbers corresponding with the various
etters of the alphabet, as follows:-

page_text: E
5
1 stroke of bell or gong
F6
1 do.
do.
do.
and
blow of whistle
G
7
I do.
do.
do.
and 2 blows
lo.
H8
I do.
do.
do.
and 3 do.
do.
I -- 9
1 de.
do.
do.
and 4 do.
do.
K
--
.J 10
2 strokes of bell or gong
11
2 do.
do.
do.
and 1 blow of whistle
L
12
2 do.
do.
do.
and 2 blows
do.
M-13
2 do.
do.
do.
aud 3 do.
do.
N - 14
2 du.
do.
do.
and 4 do.
do.
0--15
3
do.
do.
do.
--
P 16
3
do.
do.
do.
and 1 blow of whistle
Q-17
3 do.
do.
do.
and 2 blows
do.
R
18
3 do.
do.
do.
and 3 do.
do.
S
19
3 do.
do.
do.
and 4 do.
do.
T 20
4
do.
do.
do.
U--21
4
do.
do.
do.
and 1 blow of whistle
V--22
4 do.
do.
do.
and 2 blows
do.
W - 23
4
do.
do.
do.
and 3 do.
do.
X
24
4 do.
do.
do.
and 4 do.
do.
Y--25
5 do.
do.
do.
Z--26
5 do. do.
do.
and 1 blow of whistle.
A code for making the following enquiries and giving certain information is a
under :-
1. What is your flag P-1 whistle, 1 gun.
2. Mine is
Reply by alphabetical code.
(By alphabetical code).
3. Where are you bound for ?-2 whistles, I gun.
Reply by alphabetical code.
4. I am bound for ----(By alphabetical code).
5. Where are you from ?-3 whistles, 1 guu.
Reply by alphabetical code.
6. I am from ---(By alphabetical code).
7. Give me your latitude-4 whistles, 1 gun.
Reply 1 gun for every 10 degrees, blow of whistle for 1 degree up to 9,
stroke of bell or gong for every minute.
8. Give me your longitude by Greenwich time.-5 whistles, I gun.
Reply same as latitude.
9. What is your ship's name and port ?-6 whistles, 1 gun.
10. Mine belongs to
11. When did you lose
Reply by alphabetical code.
(By alphabetical code).
sight of shore ?-7 whistles, I gua.
Reply by alphabetical code.
12. What distance am I from shore P-8 whistles, 1 gun.
Reply 1 gun firing for every 10 miles, and stroke of bell for each mile.
13. Have you a pilot or have you seen one?-9 whistles, 1 guo.
Reply by alphabetical letter and compass course signal.

page_text: 14. I have damaged my engine.-10 whistles, 1 gun.
15. I have a blade of screw broken.-1 whistle, 2 guns.
16. Can you tow me to nearest port ?-2 whistles, 2 guns.
Reply by alphabetical code.
17. Can I help you ?-3 whistles, 2 guns.
Reply by alphabetical code.
Reply by alphabetical code.
18. Have you strong warp ?-4 whistles, 2 guns.
19. I have strong warp.-5 whistles, 2 guns.
20. Come near me, I will send boat.-6 whistles, 2 guns.
Reply by alphabetical code.
21. I am short of food, can you give me some ?-7 whistles, 2 guns.
Reply by alphabetical code.
22. Experienced bad weather, chronometers stopped.-8 whistles, 2 guns.
23. I have sprung a leak.-9 whistles, 2 guns.
24. Can you stand by me ?-10 whistles, 2 guns.
Reply by alphabetical code.
25. I have sick people.-1 whistle, 3 guns.
26. All well on board.-2 whistles, 3 guus.
27. I have no coal.-3 whistles, 3 guns.
28. Do you want some coal ?-4 whistles, 3 guns.
Reply by alphabetical code.
29. I have fire on board.-5 whistles, 3 guns.
30. When you arrive let know our crossing.-6 whistles, 3 guns.
31. Good voyage.-7 whistles, 3 guns.
(This last signal finishes and will be repeated by both ships.)
32. Repeat your signal.-1 gun.
After having given the course signal and before commencing a conversat
ignal must be given of the wish to do so, and such signal consists in ringin
bell or gong for five minutes.
Dated this 7th day of January 1896.
Im
ements
arine Signaling.
1, ALFRED MARTIAL GALLET, of 52, Fenwick Road, East Dulwich, in the
County of London, retired. Sea Captain, 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 :---
My invention relates to a system of marine signalling whereby a ship or ships,
obscured from another or other ships in the vicinity by fog, rain or snow, will
be enabled to indicate its or their respective courses and so avoid collision and also
to communicate or telegraph.

page_text: According to my invention I provide a code of audible course signals in
conjunction with a card or indicator marked to correspond with the different
points of the compass and I make use of guns and steam whistles, bells, and gongs
which are used in various combinations, for instance :-
One gun and four blows of a whistle indicate, say, a North-West course.
One gun and three blows a course North-West by West.
One gun and two blows a course West-North-West.
One gun and one blow a course West by North.
To enable my invention to be clearly understood I will describe the same by
reference to the drawing filed with my Provisional Specification and to the
accompanying drawings.
The drawing filed with my Provisional Specification represents my indicator in
the form of a card or dial marked to correspond with the compass card and having
in conjunction with the several points indications of the signals corresponding with
these points. In practice this card has the lines and the parts which are shewn in
deep black in the drawing of a blue colour on the starboard side of the North and
South line and of a red colour on the port side of the said line.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a plan of suitable apparatus for operating the card or dial, signals,
and sand glasses:
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same with part of the case of the apparatus
broken away:
Figure 3 is an end elevation with part of the case broken away; and,
Figure 4 is an elevation drawn to a reduced scale shewing the apparatus mounted
on a hollow standard bolted to the bridge or other convenient part of the vessel so
that the indicator may be directly under the control of the captain or other officer
in command.
The card or dial herein before described is mounted upon a disc or platform a
arranged within a suitable case bon a spindle e capable of being rotated in a
bracket d through the medium of bevel wheels e, f, shaft g, and knob h so as to
bring any point thereof opposite to a finger or pointer within the said case; for
instance, when the said dial is moved by the officer in charge so as to bring, say,
the point N.N.E. opposite to the finger or pointer, the attendant knows that two
blows of the whistle and the firing of two guns is the proper signal for indicating
that this is the course of the ship and thereby indicate this course to any ship or
ships in the vicinity.
Within the case bat each end thereof I provide a number of drums j mounted
loosely upon a shaft k supported in brackets a', a' and operated by means of the
spur wheel l, pinion fixed on the shaft m and handle n. Each of the drums has
wound upon it a cord or chain connected to the gun, whistle, bell or gong to be
sounded and can be locked to the shaft k by means of a clutch o moved by means
of a clutch fork p operated by a lever handle q. Only two drums j with their
clutch are shewn at each end of the case b but it will be obvious that any suitable
number of such drums and clutches can be employed.
As the signal to be given is in some cases dependent not only upon the sounds
but upon the duration thereof or of the intervals between them, I arrange sand
glasses r, r in the case b, such glasses being mounted on shafts s, s carrying knobst, t
whereby the glasses can be inverted.
To provide for carrying on a conversation between two ships invisible to each
other, I have arranged a code of signals produced by blowing a whistle and
sounding a bell or gong for indicating numbers corresponding with the various
letters of the alphabet, as follows:-

page_text: 14. I have damaged my engine-10 whistles, 1 gun.
15. I have a blade of screw broken-1 whistle, 2 guns.
16. Can you tow me to nearest port ?-2 whistles, 2 guns.
Reply by alphabetical code.
17. Can I help you ?-3 whistles, 2 guns.
Reply by alphabetical code.
Reply by alphabetical code.
18. Have you strong warp ?-4 whistles, 2 guns.
19. I have strong warp-5 whistles, 2 guns.
20. Come near me, I will send boat-6 whistles, 2 guns.
Reply by alphabetical code.
21. I am short of food, can you give me some ?-7 whistles, 2 guns.
Reply by alphabetical code.
22. Experienced bad weather, chronometers stopped-8 whistles, 2 guns.
23. I have sprung a leak-9 whistles, 2 guns.
24. Can you stand by me ?-10 whistles, 2 guns.
Reply by alphabetical code.
25. I have sick people-1 whistle, 3 guns.
26. All well on board-2 whistles, 3 guns.
27. I have no coal-3 whistles, 3 guns.
28. Do you want some coal?- whistles, 3 guns.
Reply by alphabetical code.
29. I have fire on board-5 whistles, 3 guns.
30. When you arrive let know our crossing-6 whistles, 3 guns.
31. Good voyage-7 whistles, 3 guns.
(This last signal finishes and will be repeated by both ships.)
32. Repeat your signal-1 gun.
33. I am in tow-One gun, 1 whistle, 1 gun.
34. Will you be towed ?-1 gun, two whistles, 1 gun.
35. I am at anchor-1 gun, 3 whistles, 1 gun.
36. I am in danger-1 gun, 4 whistles, 1 gun.
37. You are in danger-2 guns, 1 whistle, 1 gun.
38. Go astern fast-2 guns, 2 whistles, 1 gun.
39. You are near land-2 guns, 3 whistles, 1 gun.
40. I am near land-2 guns, 4 whistles, 1 gun.
After having given the course signal and before commencing a conversatio
signal must be given of the wish to do so, and such signal consists in ringing
bell or gong for five minutes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inv
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that wha
claim is :-
1. In marine signalling the combination with an indicator in the form of a c
or dial marked as described and illustrated and operated as described, of mechan
for operating the various audible signals, substantially in the manner and for
purposes berein before described and illustrated in the drawings.
2. In marine signalling the indicator herein before described and illustrated
the drawings.

page_text: 3. The signalling codes herein set forth.
4. Apparatus for signalling between ships at sea, comprising a card or indicator
marked as herein before described, mechanism for rotating such card or indicator
and an arrangement of hand operated drums adapted to be put in or out of action
by means of clutches and having wound upon them cords or chains connected to
the guns, whistles, bells or gongs for giving the required audible signals sub-
stantially as herein before described and illustrated in the drawings.
Dated the 7th day of October 1896.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.