Apparatus for Forming Test Messages for Use in Instruction in Army Signalling and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 14th July, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Forming Test Messages for Use in Instruction in Army
Signalling and the like.
I, WHEATON LIPYEATT RALEIGH AMESBURY Lieutenant in H.M.'s Indian
Staff Corps, residing at No. 8 Redcliffe Gardens, Clarendon Road, Southsea
Hants, 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 :—
This invention of an Apparatus for Forming Test Messages for Use in Instruction
in Army Signalling and the like, has for its object to form or produce automatically
and instantaneously for instructional purposes a test message in which the order of
the letters is entirely empirical but in which each letter of the alphabet is
contained and as far as practicable repeated the same number of times, on the
average three times thus in a test message of 78 letters, each letter of the alphabet
is repeated on an average three times only, but at least twice some being repeated
four times and others only two.
Hitherto when instructing army recruits and examining men in signalling, the
test messages, consisting of a number of letters arranged empirically, have been
printed on cards each card bearing several test messages. The principal objections
to these cards are:- -The lettering is small, hence the liability of making
mistakes in sending, especially when flag signalling; the cards are soon worn out,
get soiled and thus rendered indecipherable; the want of variety in test messages,
each regiment being supplied with a very limited allowance of test cards,
consequently after a short time the same test cards having been used over and over
again, signallers begin to commit the messages more or less to memory; this being
the case the signalling instructor is either obliged to get fresh cards printed out of
the regimental funds or have them written out for the occasion which is in itself a
laborious task; the test cards get blown about in windy weather and owing to
their flimsiness mistakes in sending are often made and a constant supply of fresh
test cards is required to replace old soiled and worn out ones.
By this apparatus the advantages are that :-The message board is comparatively
speaking indestructible; the lettering is very clear and bold and consequently the
chances of signalling letters wrongly are reduced to a minimum; the lettered dial
being of enamelled metal plate always remains clear unsoiled and unaffected by rain
or damp; the board is very portable and compact and always remains steady in
windy weather; the apparatus is cheap in the long run the initial cost being the
only cost; a large variety of messages is attainable thus rendering it impossible to
get test messages more or less off by rote; it is simple in construction and has no
parts liable to get out of order.
An apparatus constructed according to this invention consists of a dial on which
are marked regularly and in clear large type the letters of the alphabet several
times repeated; and of an open framework adjustable to any desired position on
the dial and of such size as to enclose and leave uncovered the required number of
letters to form a test message of the desired length.
In the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings:-Fig. 1 is a face view of
an apparatus for forming test messages constructed according to this invention and
Fig. 2 is a back view of the same.
The face or dial a of the apparatus preferably of enamelled iron, is divided by
equi-distant parallel lines be at right angles to one another into small spaces or
squares d each of which contains a letter of the alphabet printed in bold block
type.

page_text: The message former consists of a rectangular open frame e adapted to be
adjusted to any position on the dial a. The letters uncovered by and contained
within the frame forms the test message. The open frame e is formed with a
series of open columns f separated by bars 9 of such width as to cover one or
more of the columns on the dial. It is adapted to slide on the bar and to be
clamped thereto by the screw i. The bar his graduated from top to bottom,
the distance between the graduations corresponding to the distance between the
horizontal rows on the dial a. The graduations are read through a hole in the
frame. The bar is provided at its upper end with a pin by which it can be
inserted in any one of a series of holes m arranged along the top edge of the dial
at a distance apart corresponding to the distance between the vertical columns on
the dial. Below the holes the dial is graduated and the graduations are read
through a hole o in the bar. Each message is thus represented by two numbers
thus as shown and can readily be reproduced at any time.
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It will readily be understood that whilst the letters on the dial are arranged
empirically care must be taken that each letter is repeated practically the same
number of times and to a limited degree each letter is distributed evenly over the
area of the dial so that practically each test message selected by the former
contains each letter the same number of times viz. three times but in an empirical
order.
The apparatus is secured to a tripod stand when signalling with flag or lamp by
the screw p fixed in a bracket 9 secured to the bottom of the base of the
apparatus or when required to be nearly horizontal as when signalling with a
heliograph by the screwfixed by the plate s to the centre of the back of the
base. The pivot t fixed on the back of the base serves to support a lamp bracket
when used at night.
The spring hook u pivoted in a recess at the top of the back of the base can be
hinged over to the front and serves to support a watch when the apparatus is in
use for timing the messages.
The message former when not in use is secured on the back by the fixed clips w
and movable clip a.
The leg or arm y is pivoted to the back of the base at its top and serves when
bent outwards to support or prop the apparatus at an angle from the ground or
other flat support when not using the tripod.
The apparatus is fixed in its case for transport by means of the bolts z taking
¡nto holes in the case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
cion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The apparatus for forming or producing test messages consisting essentially
of a dial containing the letters of the alphabet several times repeated and of an
open framework adjustable to any desired position on the dial and enclosing or
selecting the desired proportion of such letters.
2. The apparatus for forming or producing and indicating test messages
consisting essentially of a dial containing the letters of the alphabet several times
repeated, of a selector framework adjustable to any desired position on the dial for
selecting the desired proportion of such letters and of a means for indicating the
exact position of the selector on the dial.
3. The apparatus for forming test messages substantially as described with
reference to the drawings.
Dated this 28th day of March 1894.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.