Novel Electrical Apparatus for Use in Checking Instructions on Board Ships.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 14th June, 1887,
Novel Electrical Apparatus for Use in Checking Instructions on
Board Ships.
I, HENRY PHILLIP SHERLOCK of 1 Saint Georges Square, Upton, in the County of
Essex, Engineer, 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 is devised with the object of instantly announcing to the Officer or
person in charge of a steam ship when an order, transmitted by means of the ordinary
ships telegraph to the engine room has been mistaken or wrongly interpreted by the
Engineer, and thus provide a means of ensuring that, in every case, the direction of
motion of the engines shall coincide with the actual order given by the person in
charge of the vessel.
In order that my Invention may be the better understood, I have appended the
accompanying sheet of drawings, in which:-Figure 1 is an end elevation of the
device according to my Invention. Figure 2 is a front elevation. Figure 3 is a plan
of the same and Figure 4 is a side sectional elevational view of the sliding Arm D
and disc C showing a contact piece f. The same letters of reference are employed
to denote like or corresponding parts in the several figures.
In carrying out my Invention I proceed as follows:-To the back of an ordinary
ships telegraph A is secured a small pulley a figure 2, connected by means of a band,
cord or other equivalent to a pulley B, actuating the intermediate shaft b, and pulley
or disc C. figure 2, which latter is in electrical communication with one side of a bell
and battery G. figure 2. Upon the disc C aforesaid is fixed at an angle of 90 degrees
from a vertical line a contact piece or spring f, for the purpose to be hereinafter
described. In front of the said disc C. is arranged the sliding arm D. moving in insu-
lated bearings g, g, which latter are secured to the engine column e; the back of the
disc C. being insulated as shown at gl. The sliding arm D. aforesaid is in electrical
communication with the other side of the bell and battery G ; thus it will be seen that
if the sliding arm D. and the contact piece f. are brought into contact the circuit
will be closed. The sliding rod D aforesaid is connected to the lever E by means of

page_text: the link c; said reversing lever E being keyed to the way shaft h. which also carries
the reversing link F in connection with the eccentrics of the engine.
"
"
The action of the device in accordance with my Invention is as follows:-When
the ships telegraph is turned to "go ahead," or go astern the contact piece fon
the disc C is carried upwards or downwards respectively by means of the connections
hereinbefore described. Now, to start the engine in accordance with the first named
order "go-ahead," the reversing lever E. is raised, carrying with it the sliding arm D
by means of the link c. which is attached to the reversing lever E as before described;
thus it will be seen on referring to the drawings that no electrical contact will be
made between the contact piece and sliding arm D, as the engines being started in
accordance with the order given, the sliding arm D. is moved away from the contact
piece aforesaid until the latter assumes the position shewn at Figure 5. Should
however the engine be started in a direction at variance with the above named order,
go ahead," the reversing lever E. and with it the sliding arm D. will be lowered,
which will bring the ring in its centre into electrical contact with the aforesaid contact
piece f. of the disc C. thus closing the electrical circuit of the bell and battery,
causing the bell to ring and noting to the person in charge, the error which has been
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made.
From the foregoing it will be seen that the electrical circuit can only be closed and
the bell caused to ring by the engines being started in a direction contrary to the
orders given by the ships telegraph, thus it will be obvious that the person in charge
for the time being is immediately made aware by the silence or ringing of his bell, as
the case may be, whether the orders telegraphed have been duly carried out, or a mistake
has been made, in which latter case the mistake is announced by the ringing of the
hell as hereinbefore mentioned.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
:―
The electrical apparatus for use in checking instructions on board ship substantially
as herein set forth.
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