APPARATUS FOR WORKING AUDIBLE FOG SIGNALS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Richardson Wigham
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th November
1883.
JOHN RICHARDSON WIGHAM of 35 Capel Street Dublin
APPARATUS FOR WORKING AUDIBLE FOG SIGNALS
"
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
My invention relates to an arrangement of gas motor engine, with air compressing
pump for working audible fog signals, such as sirens or fog horns, the chief objects
which I have in view being to secure compactness of the apparatus, facility of
stopping and starting it, and provision against irregularities of action and undue
strains such as might damage it. I employ a horizontal gas motor engine of
ordinary construction, and on its crank shaft I fit, free to revolve, a toothed pinion
which gears with a wheel, preferably a mortice wheel, below it. I provide on the
crank shaft disc plates fitted so as to revolve with the shaft, and I interspace these
with disc plates fitted to revolve with the pinion, and I provide a setting screw in
line with the axis of the shaft, by screwing up which the two sets of plates can
be gradually pressed together, until there is such frictional hold that the rotation
of the shaft is imparted to the pinion, with capability of slipping in case of
excessive strain. The mortice wheel driven by the pinion carries a crank pin
which works the air pump situated below, at one side of the cylinder of the
engine, compressing air which causes the siren or fog horn to sound.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Richardson Wigham in the Patent Office on the 27th May
1884.
JOHN RICHARDSON WIGHAM of 35 Capel Street, Dublin
APPARATUS FOR WORKING AUDIBLE FOG SIGNALS"
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
My invention relates to an arrangement of gas motor engine, with air compressing
pump for working audible fog signals such as sirens or fog horns, the chief objects
which I have in view being to secure compactness of the apparatus, facility of
stopping and starting it, and provision against irregularities of action and undue
strains such as might damage it. I employ a horizontal gas motor engine of
ordinary construction, and on its crank shaft I fit, free to revolve, a toothed
pinion which gears with a wheel, preferably a mortice wheel, below it. I provide
on the crank shaft disc plates fitted so as to revolve with the shaft, and I interspace
these with disc plates fitted to revolve with the pinion, and I provide a setting
screw in line with the axis of the shaft, by screwing up which the two sets of
plates can be gradually pressed together, until there is such frictional hold that the
rotation of the shaft is imparted to the pinion, with capability of slipping in case
of excessive strain. The mortice wheel driven by the pinion carries a crank pin
or is keyed on a crank shaft which works the pump situated below, at one
side of the cylinder of the engine, compressing air which causes the siren or fog
horn to sound.
The accompanying drawing shews a perspective view of the before described
arrangement of gas engine and air compressing pump in combination with a fog
horn. A is a gas motor engine of ordinary construction, on the crank shaft B of
which is fitted a loose toothed pinion C gearing with a mortice wheel D, fixed on a
crank shaft E which drives the air pump F for working the fog signal G. The
driving shaft B carries part of a conical clutch H made to revolve therewith but
capable of slight longitudinal motion thereon, so as to be put in and out of gear
with the other part of the conical clutch connected to the pinion C. When
it is desired to drive the air pump so as to sound the fog signal, a nut on
a screwed part of the shaft B is turned by the hand wheel K so as to press the
two parts of the clutch together, thereby causing the pinion C to revolve with the
engine shaft.
Having thus described the nature of my invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I claim the herein described arrangement of gas engine and air
compressing pump in combination with an audible fog signal apparatus, wherein
the engine shaft imparts motion to the air pump for working the fog signal through
a pinion loose on the engine shaft and capable of being made to rotate therewith
by means of frictional disc plates or their equivalents.
In Witness whereof I the said John Richardson Wigham have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty first day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.
JOHN RICHARDSON WIGHAM (LS.)