Improvements in and connected with Distress Signalling Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 14th Mar.. 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Distress Signalling Apparatus.
I, EDWARD THOMAS LEWIS BRYERS, Louie Villa, Raheny Co. Dublin, Ireland,
Booksellers Manager, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide means whereby the occupants of
boats in distress may gain the attention of passing vessels. This is effected by the
use of a flag by day and a horn by night and the essential features of this apparatus
are its portability, simplicity and availableness for use. The occupants of boats in
distress have often been passed in daytime by ships owing to the want of a good
signal and at night on account of their ories not being heard. For day signalling
my improved apparatus consists of a flag staff, which instead of being in one length,
is in several lengths telescoping or screwing into one another. I intend these
several lengths to be of any light metal or material. In this Specification I shall
assume them to be made of zinc, without restricting myself to that material. The
topmost part of the staff is furnished with a flag. The several lengths constituting
the centre staff when fully drawn out or screwed together are maintained in
position by spring bands, bayonet joints, screw sockets or by any other suitable
means. When closed up the whole affair will occupy a little more than the length
of the lowest and largest scction (say two feet more or less) and a diameter of about
three or four inches. The total length when extended may be varied according
to the number of sections decided on when making the appliance. A ships horn is
stored inside one section of the staff for use in signalling at night and inside the
horn may be stored the flag for day signalling. A hammer and a supply for nails
may also be provided and any other article likely to be useful to the occupants of
the boat and which can be conveniently stored in any portions of the staff when
shut up. When entirely closed each end of the collapsed staff is covered by a cap.
I intend the apparatus to be held with straps under the gunwales when not in use
and to be attached to the stern or stem or to slip in rings or be otherwise fastened
to the boat when required for use.
In order that my invention may be the more readily understood I make reference to
the accompanying sheet of drawings in which Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of
a flag staff when fully extended and Fig. 2 a sectional side view of the staff when
closed and containing within it a ships horn and the flag. The same letters refer to
similar parts in each figure. a, b c, d and e are tubes of light metal telescoping
into one another each section passing through a cap having attached to it a metallic
band split at its edges as shown at g so as to increase the "grip" of the band on
the tube. The uppermost tube is furnished near its extreme end with a piu.h for
entering the shaped slot i at the bottom of the tube j carry ing the flag k. When
the tubes are slid into each other the tube j and flag k are removed and put inside
the ships horn m and inserted inside the shut up tubes as shown in Fig. 2. A.
hammer may also be inserted therein and any other article for which room can be
found. One end of the largest tube is fitted with the cap o and the other with a
capp each containing some useful article such as nails, some means of obtaining a.
light, a compass or the like. These caps fit on the tube with bayonet joints, or
simply by being made snug fits. Although I have shewn the tubes as sliding
inside one another in telescope fashion nevertheless I do not restrict myself to that

page_text: mode of keeping the sections in connection, when extended, as they may have screw
threads cut at each end, the thread being outside at one end and inside at the other
end, so that they may be screwed into one another. The tubes also although
shown of metal may be of any other suitable material such as bamboo. I wish it to
be understood that I do not restrict myself to the precise details, relative proportions,
conformation or disposition of parts as shown or described as any or all of them
may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A signalling apparatus consisting of a series of tubos forming a flag staff and
capable of being telescoped inside, or screwed or otherwise attached to, each other
and forming when completely shut up receptacles for a ships, horn, flag or other
articles, the apparatus when closed having also caps at each end containing nails,
a compass or other articles likely to be useful to the occupants of a boat in distress,
the whole substantially as described in the above Specification and exemplified in
the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination of parts together forming and acting as a signalling
apparatus substantially as described in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 27th day of January 1896.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23 Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents for Applicant.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23 Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents for Applicant.