An Improved Method of Night Signalling for use with the International Code and Means therefor.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 11th Feb., 1899
An Improved Method of Night Signalling for use with the
International Code and Means therefor.
I, BURKARD BEHR, of 22, Haldenbachstrasse, Zürich, in the Republic of
Switzerland, 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:-
At sea the crews of ships encountering one another and of ships passing sig-
nal stations employ an international signal code or book for mutual ascertaining
of the distances, in which book various coloured and various shaped flags are
placed in conjunction to one another in order to form a large number of indi-
cations of, for instance, the names of various ships, ports and countries, and
signals as to requirements, as well as a large number of questions and answers,
and the necessary questions and answers are interchanged by the hoisting of
said flags. Of course said signalling can only take place during the daytime.
The present invention has for its object a method by means of which it is
possible to carry out also during the night time this interchange of signals
which is so extremely important for navigation, and utilizing the international
signal book.
This method consists in the use of single or compound signal rockets which
are discharged by means of a suitable firearm in a given succession correspond-
ing with the succession in which the signal flags are hoisted. The signal cart-
ridges are, as hereinafter described, so arranged that their rockets rise to a
height of 100 metres and more for the purpose of rendering the signal visible
to as far a distance as possible.
As illuminating material, magnesium is preferably employed, and green,
white, red and blue magnesium light is employed separately or in certain com-
binations. As however by means of these four different colours a number of
combinations can only be created which does not equal the number of the
various signal flags, namely 21, a difference is made by the present method by
a so called flash and flare light according as the discharge of the rockets takes
place in the form of a quickly illuminating flash or a long extended flare.
Thus by the present method there is obtained a difference between coloured
flare and coloured flash. Combinations may also be created such as double flash,
double flare, flash and flare or vice versa. A simple system of signalling may
thus be composed, based on these different light colours and forms, which
system exactly corresponds to the requirements of the international signal book
and to each person entrusted with the signal book is easily comprehensible and
capable of being learned. As an example, the following several signals of
the signal book are replaced by signal rockets with the prescribed properties:
(1) Signal book rocket and answer rocket: red flare and white flash.
(2) B-green flare.

page_text: F-blue tare.
(6) G-green flash.
(7) H-white flash.
(8) J-red flash.
(9) K-blue flash.
(10) L-green flare and green flash.
(11) M-white flare and white flash.
(12) X-red flare and red flash.
(13) P-blue flare and blue flash.
(14) Q-green double flash.
(15) R-white double flash.
(16) S-red double flash.
(17) T-blue double flash.
(18) V-white and green double flash.
(19) W-red and green double flash.
(20) Yes! white and red double flash.
(21) No! white and blue double flash.
It is of course evident that the combination of the rockets for the separate
signals may also be otherwise arranged or selected.
In the accompanying drawings cartridges provided with single and compound
or combined rockets for carrying out the method of signalling herein before
indicated are shown in longitudinal section in Figures 1 and 2.
The cartridge a, Figure 1, is of the ordinary form and adapted for discharging
a magnesium rocket c which is tight-washered in the case a by means of tallowed
wool threads or fibres and filled with a suitable quantity of powder d making
little smoke. Between the bottom c¹ of the rocket c and the powder charge d
an elastic wade and a metal plate f are inserted in order to protect the rocket
when it is discharged, both of which are perforated to allow of the insertion of
the fuse into the powder charge d for lighting the rocket. The rocket
is weighted at its front end by a lead cap which is conical in shape in order
to diminish the resistance of the air. The cartridge is closed by a tallowed ring g
cast into it. When the cartridge is discharged from a suitable single or mu.ciple
firearm, which may be arranged to receive four cartridges, the fuse c² of the
rocket is ignited by the powder charge d, by which means after a period of
time corresponding to the length of the said fuse the rocket c is ignited and,
according to the form and according to the magnesium mixture, emerges in
the form of a flash or flare of a certain colour from the inlet hole c of the fuse .
The signalling cartridge shown in Figure 2 is essentially arranged like the
one shown in Figure 1. As however the inserted rocket is intended to give a com-
pound signal (double flash, double flare or the like) it is divided into two cham-
bers h h by means of a partition_g.
On the cartridge being fired the charge contained in the lower chamber h
is first fired and then it ignites the fuse g¹ passing through the partition g into
the chamber h¹ so that after a short time the chamber h¹ is also discharged.
The cartridges herein before described and shown in the accompanying drawings
are of course only to be regarded as examples. The essential point of the pre-
sent invention is the method of night signalling by means of the firing of rockets
from a rocket-discharging tube or the like utilizing the international signal
book.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is;
-
1. The method of night-signalling by the international signal book or code
consisting in replacing the signal flags of the said book by simple and com- 5
bined (preferably magnesium) rockets of various colours and forms adapted to

page_text: be shot from a suitable firearm in combination with cartridges, substantially
as hereinbefore set forth.
2. For carrying out the hereinbefore described method of night signalling,
a rocket cartridge containing a rocket (c) preferably weighted at its front end
by a lead cap (c) and washered by means of a ring (b) of tallowed wool thread
or the like against the cartridge case (a) which is filled with the necessary
powder charge (d), said rocket being protected against the charge of powder by
means of wads (e and f) through which the fuse (2) for the rocket charge leads
into the powder (d) so that when the cartridge is fired the fuse is ignited, and
after a time corresponding to its length ignites the rocket charge, substantially
as described.
3. For carrying out the herein before described method of night-signalling a
rocket cartridge such as described for giving double signals, characterized by
the rocket (c) being divided into two chambers (h and h¹) by means of a parti-
tion (9), the charges of said chambers being connected by means of a second
fuse (9) passing through the partition (g) in such a way that when the cartridge
is discharged the first chamber (h) is first ignited by means of the one fuse (2)
and then the second chamber (hi) by means of the second fuse (g'), substantially
as described.
Dated this 9th day of January 1899
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.