IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING ON BOARD SHIP AND IN OTHER PLACES."
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederic Newton Gisborne, of 445, West Strand,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING ON BOARD SHIP AND IN OTHER PLACES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederic Newton
Gisborne at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 29th May 1868.
I, FREDERIC NEWTON GISBORNE, of 445, West Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING ON BOARD SHIP AND IN OTHER
PLACES," to be as follows:-
For this purpose I employ two dials made of metal, glass, or other
suitable material whereupon the necessary orders are painted, engraved,
or otherwise indicated, the section allotted to each order being equally
subdivided, but differently colored or marked, say, black and red. The
pointers which traverse around the centre of the two dials are so geared
by chain, wire, cord or shafting, or other suitable means, that when one
is moved the other is caused to move in unison therewith over a given
space. One of these dials adapted (for example) to an engine room

page_text: indicator may carry a spring slip hammer or other suitable bell to attract
attention to the order given, the other adapted to the captain's bridge
"communicator," may carry an additional pointer (countersunk by pre-
ference like the seconds' hand of some watches), which is connected by
a pulley to the engine shaft in such manner that it indicates upon the
bridge instrument the speed and movements of the engine "ahead" or
"astern," as is well understood.
The mode in which I prefer to connect and operate the pointers so as
to cause them to move in unison, and which forms part of my said Inven-
tion, is as follows:-I employ a cord, wire, or chain, one end of which
passes (by preference) one or more times entirely around the drum or
pulley to which the indicator pointer is attached, whilst the other end
(by preference) passes one or more times entirely around the drum or
pulley to which the communicator pointer is attached. Each end of
such cord, wire, or chain being suitably weighted or acted upon by
suitable springs, so that the two ends of the chain, wire, or cord are
properly counterbalanced. In connetion with the above I employ a
toothed wheel, which is fixed to the axis of the pulley to which the
indicator pointer is attached, a spring catch or driver being employed
to give motion to such toothed wheel. The drum or pulley of the com-
municator dial is acted upon by means of a handle connected thereto or
by other suitable means. The engineer is thus enabled to advance the
pointers of both indicator and communicator from the one subdivision
to the other appertaining to each order, and by so doing repeats and
acknowledges such order.
The tell-tale already described also confirms its due fulfilment, and
thereby prevents error. It will be readily understood that the Invention
is equally applicable to steering with rudder tell-tale and to gunnery and
other signals.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederic Newton Gisborne in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 28th November 1868.

page_text: in such manner that it indicates upon the bridge instrument the speed
and movements of the engine "ahead" or "astern."
The mode in which I prefer to connect and operate the pointers so
as to cause them to move in unison, and which forms part of my
said Invention, is as follows:-I employ a cord, wire, or chain, one end
of which passes (by preference) one or more times around the drum
or pulley to which the indicator pointer is attached, whilst the other
end (by preference) passes one or more times around the drum or pulley
to which the communicator pointer is attached. Each end of such
cord, wire, or chain being suitably weighted or acted upon by suitable
springs, so that the two ends of the chain, wire, or cord are properly
counterbalanced. In connection with the above I employ a toothed
wheel, which is fixed to the axis of the pulley to which the indicator
pointer is attached, a spring catch or driver being employed to give
motion to such toothed wheel. The drum or pulley of the communi-
cator dial is acted upon by means of a handle connected thereto or
by other suitable means. The engineer is thus enabled to advance
the pointers of both indicator and communicator from the one sub-
division to the other appertaining to each order, and by so doing repeats
and acknowledges such order.
The tell-tale already described also confirms its due fulfilment, and
thereby prevents error. It will be readily understood that the Invention
is equally applicable to steering with rudder tell-tale and to gunnery
and other signals.
And in order that my Invention may be more fully understood and
readily carried into effect I will proceed, aided by the accompanying
Drawings more fully to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a sectional front view of an arrangement of apparatus
adapted to an engine room indicator; Figure 2 is a sectional side view,
and Figure 3 is an under side view of parts thereof; Figure 4 is an

page_text: shown, or other suitable bell may be employed to attract attention to
the order given. The communicator A and indicator B being provided
with pointers which traverse around the centre of the two dials, and
are so geared by chain, wire, cord or shafting, or other suitable means,
that when one is moved the other is caused to move in unison therewith
over a given space, and I subdivide the space allotted to each order on
the two dials into two parts differently colored or marked as shown;
applied to the engine room indicator at Figure 5.
The mode in which I prefer to connect and operate the pointers so as
to cause them to move in unison and which forms part of my Invention
is as follows:-I employ a chain a (or it may be a cord or wire) one end
of which passes around the pulley b, to the axis of which is fixed the
"indicator" pointer c, the other end of such chain being passed around
the pulley d to the axis of which the "communicator" pointer e is
attached. Each end of such chain is connected to a weight for it may
be operated upon by springs in such manner that the two ends of
the chain are properly counterbalanced, and I prefer to employ pins,
projections, or indentations on the pulleys 6 and d which pass between
the links of the chain a, or such chain may be fixed to the pulleys
as will be well understood. The drum or pulley d of the "communi-
cator" A is operated by means of a handle 9 fixed on the axis of the
bevilled wheel h, which takes into and gives motion to the bevilled
pinion i mounted on the axis of the drum or pulley d. In connection
with the indicator I employ a ratchet wheel which is fixed to the
axis of the drum or pulley b, and is operated by means of a catch or
driver which is pulled in one direction by the handle to operate the
ratchet wheel k, and is acted upon by a spring in the other direction
to return it to the position shown in the Drawings in readiness to act
again when desired upon the ratchet wheel k. Thus when the
handle g of the "communicator" is operated it causes the pointers
of both communicator and indicator to traverse over the dials to the
division indicating the order desired to be given, and in doing so
the pins or projections k¹ on the ratchet wheel k act upon suitable
mechanism attached to the bell C as is well understood, and by sounding
the bell calls the attention of the engineer to the order given. The
engineer then in order to acknowledge and repeat the order given pulls
the handle and by so doing advances the pointers of both "indicator".

page_text: and "communicator" from the one subdivision to the other apper-
taining to each order. The "communicator" is provided with an
additional pointer m³ which is mounted upon an axis m, such pointer m¹
being employed to indicate the speed and movements of the engine
"ahead" or "astern." Motion may be given to such pointer m¹ in the
following manner:-The engine shaft n carries a cam n' which acts
upon the lever n³ to move it to the one side or the other of its centre
of motion n³, such lever being connected to a cord, wire, or chain o
which is at one end connected to the weight p, and after passing over
the pulley m of the communicator is connected to a lighter weight q,
a stop p being employed to prevent the weight p falling below
the required point. Thus when the engine is running the lever n
is moved by the cam n¹ to the one side or the other, thereby giving
the pointer m a series of vibrations to the one side or the other of
a vertical line passing through its axis, and by so doing indicates the
Or such
speed and movements of the engine "ahead" or "astern."
additional pointer may be operated in the following manner as shewn at
Figure 2*, in which like parts are marked with similar letters of
reference to those employed in the previous Figures. In this case
the engine shaft carries an incline or cam n¹ which operates the
pulley n and the rod n to move them to the one side or the other
of their position of rest, the rod 12 being attached by a suitable cord
or chain n' at one end to a spring 18 (or it may be a weight), whilst
the other end of the rod ne has attached thereto the cord. or chain o
Thus as the rod nº
which passes over the pulley m² to the weight q.
and pulley n are moved by the cam n' to the one side or the other a series
of vibrations is given to the additional pointer m', and by so doing the
pointer m' is caused to indicate the speed and movements of the engine
"ahead" or "astern." If desired in addition to employing the apparatus
before described for acknowledging the receipt of the order I employ a
handle m connected by a cord, wire, or chain to the lever n in such
manner that when the handle m* is pulled the additional pointer m¹
is caused to ring a bell ms by traversing over a larger space on the dial
than when operated by the engine, thereby indicating that an order
has been received. The mode in which I prefer to arrange the con-
nections between the "communicator" and the "indicator" is to employ
flat linked or other chains where passing around pulleys and bars or
connecting rods where passing direct from one point to another, such

page_text: bars or connecting rods being pin-jointed or otherwise connected to
the flexible portion of the chain, and guided between suitable guide
rollers to maintain such bars or connecting rods in a right line.
Figure 6 is a sectional front view; Figure 7 is a sectional side view,
and Figure 8 is an outside view of apparatus suitable to be employed
for signalling orders to the helmsman, similar parts being marked with
similar letters of reference to those employed in the previous Figures.
In this case the additional pointer m² is employed to indicate the
position of the rudder, such pointer being operated by the rudder post r
in the following manner :-On the rudder post r is mounted a pin or
projection which takes into a slotted lever & (shewn more clearly
in plan view at Figure 9) fixed to the axis of the pulleys to which
one end of the chain, cord, or wire o is fixed, the other end of such cord,
wire, or chain o being connected to a weight q. Or the pointer may
be operated by a cord or chain passing around a pulley formed on or
fixed to the rudder post and thence around a pulley of half the diameter
carried by the communicator in order that a larger traverse may be
given to the pointer m¹ and so more clearly shew the position of the
rudder, the dial or surface of the "communicator" being suitably marked
or subdivided to indicate the angle of the rudder.
It will be seen by reference to the Drawings that in the case of the
engine signal the handle g is fixed on its axis so as to move in a line fore
and aft of the vessel, whilst in the rudder signal it is fixed on its axis so as
to move in a line across the vessel, thereby enabling the captain or mate
by feeling the position of such handles to ascertain even in the dark
the position and movements of the rudder and engine.
And in order to enable the helmsman to acknowledge the order
without releasing his hold of the wheel I employ a treadle t, which by
depressing the chain o gives a greater motion to the tell-tale pointer
than when operated by the rudder post.
Figure 10 is a front view of apparatus suitable for a gunnery
signal, and Figure 11 a front view of apparatus suitable for signalling
orders in hotels and other buildings, similar parts being marked with
similar letters of reference to those employed in the previous Figures.
The receipt of the order being acknowledged by pulling the handle
and thereby giving a sudden motion to the pointer of the communicator.
For mining signals or in cases where it is desirable to provide against
the expansion and contraction of the wire or other connection I employ

page_text: compensating apparatus of the character shewn at Figure 12 in which a
represents one part of the wire or connection and the other part
thereof. The part a is provided with a flange a¹ against which rests
one end of the tin or other suitable metal tube c, the other end of which
is connected to the parts b¹ of the loop 62, which is by preference of iron.
This apparatus which should be about half the length of the wire or
connection compensates for the expansion and contraction of such wire
or connection a, b, by reason of the different degrees of expansion to
which the two metals of which the parts b and c are subjected, as will
be readily understood.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the mode in
which the same may be carried into effect, I would have it understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein shewn and
described, but what I do claim is, the improvements in apparatus for
signalling on board ship and in other places, substantially as herein
shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederic Newton Gisborne, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.
FREDERIC NEWTON GISBORNE. (L.S.)