Improvements in and relating to Ship-telegraphs.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov. 1891
Complete Specification Left, 10th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 9th Apr.. 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Ship-telegraphs.
I, ALBERT BARTHOLD WILHELM HENRY CORDS of Hopfenstrasse 19
Hamburg, Germany, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows :-
Ships telegraphs as heretofore constructed have the disadvantage that the orders
given must be written down by the sender and also by the person receiving the
same, if it be desired that the manoeuvres of the ship to which the apparatus is
fitted shall be capable of being checked in case of accidents. This method of
recording the signals sent and received is however not thoroughly trustworthy, as
the movements last made are generally not written down at all.
Now this invention has for object to obviate this disadvantage and to effect
in an absolutely accurate and automatic manner the registration of the orders
given.
Apparatus for effecting this object is illustrated in the accompanying drawings
in which
-
Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the centre of the apparatus; and
Fig. 2 is a plan thereof,
Fig. 3 is a plan of the registering mechanism.
The controlling-telegraph consists in the usual manner of a disc a on which are
marked at determined distances apart, the various orders to be given, an operating
lever c provided with a handle b, and a hand or pointer d which serves to give the
checking or acknowledging indications. The said lever and pointer are arranged
to move over the dial a. On the hollow spindle of the lever is fixed a drum f,
and on the spindle of the pointer d which is also hollow to allow of the passage
therethrough of the spindle of the lever c, a second drum is fixed. A corre-
sponding second or receiving dial is provided on the engine or at the wheel, and
the spindles of the pointers moving over these receiving dials are also provided
with drums. The drums of the transmitting and receiving dials are connected by
cords or chains (omitted for the sake of clearness) in such a manner that the
operating lever of one dial shall always come over the same order as the pointer
of the other dial which gives the acknowledging indication, whichever order may
be given. On the dial is fastened a ring which is provided with as many
notches as there are orders to be given, in the present case, eight. These notches
are so made that the operating lever c can enter them. Into each of these notches
there projects one end of a two-armed lever i, the several levers being mounted on
fulcrums carried by a plate located beneath the dial a. The fulcrums of the
levers are so arranged that normally the said levers will project into the notches,
and that only one of them will be pressed down at a time by the operating lever.
This position of the levers may also be ensured by means of springs connected to
the lower arm of each lever. Corresponding with the levers i is a series of similarly
mounted two-armed levers m carried by a third plate l, and so arranged that they
normally occupy the inclined positions illustrated in Fig. 1. These levers m are
connected by cords n with the levers i. On the free arms of the levers in are
provided symbols or characters corresponding to the orders to be given. These
symbols or characters may consist either of ordinary printing-type characters or
preferably of fine needle points, arranged so as to constitute specific types. In the
centre between the levers m, is a rubber plate o fixed on the disc 7, and serving
asa support for a strip of paper q coming from the roll of paper p. The strip of
paper passes from the roll p over two guide pulleys rands to a pulley u which is
driven by clockwork t, and thence over a guide pulley e, whence it passes off*
D

page_text: either to be coiled up or to fall down loosely near the clockwork. Above the
rubber plate o is fixed a perforated plate w under which the strip of paper passes,
and which serves to prevent the strip being carried up by either of the levers m
when the same is rising.
In order that the strip shall not travel continually, but only when an order is
to be given, there is or may be provided an electrical engaging and disengaging
device. This device consists of a contact ring located above the dial a, and
connected by a conductor y with a dry cell, and an electromagnet a' connected
by a conductor with the dry element, and by a conductor g with the disc c
which is fixed below the operating lever and is constantly in contact therewith.
The armature of the electromagnet a' is formed as a detent that engages in a
ratchet wheel f' fixed on the shaft of the pulley a, and thus arrests the clockwork
so long as the circuit is broken.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
C
When an order is to be given, the operating lever is lifted out of one of the
notches thereby closing the circuit of the battery as the lever e will in being raised
make contact with the ring . An electric current then passes from the zinc pole
of the element through the conductor y, ring a, lever c, contact disc c', conductor g',
electromagnet a¹, conductor 6', to the carbon pole of the element. The electro-
magnet is consequently energized and attracts its armature d', which then releases
the ratchet wheel and permits the clockwork to set the strip of paper in
motion. At the same time the lever which had been kept pressed down by
the operating lever c will rise and with it one arm of the lever m connected
therewith.
When the operating lever has by partial rotation been brought over the notch
which corresponds to the order to be given, it is inserted into the said notch,
thereby breaking the electric circuit arresting the motion of the clockwork, and
depressing the corresponding lever i. The corresponding lever m then moves with
this lever i in such a manner that the character or marking device carried at its
free end is struck or pressed upon the strip of paper, thereby recording the nature
of the order sent. The apparatus remains in this position until a fresh order is to
he given, whereupon the operations just described are repeated.
It will be readily understood that the clockwork may be allowed to run
coutinuously in which case it is advantageous to employ a strip of paper divided
according to periods of time in order to admit of determining with accuracy at what
times orders were given.
.
The registering mechanism may be employed on sailing ships without alteration,
for the purpose of registering the orders given to the man at the wheel, it being
merely necessary in this case to provide the dial a with the orders for steering,
instead of with the orders for controlling the engine, and to provide the levers m
with characters or recording devices corresponding to the orders for steering.
Dated this 25th day of November 1891.
A. B. W. H. CORDS,
By L. W., per F. B.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Ship-telegraphs.
I, ALBERT BARTHOLD WILHELM HENRY CORDS, of Hopfenstrasse 19,
Hamburg, Germany, 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 :-
Ships' telegraphs as heretofore constructed have the disadvantage that the orders
given must be written down by the sender and also by the person receiving the same,
if it be desired that the manoeuvres of the ship to which the apparatus is fitted shall

page_text: le capable of being checked in case of accidents. This method of recording the
signals sent and received is however not thoroughly trustworthy, as the movements
last made are generally not written down at all.
Now this invention has for object to obviate this disadvantage and to effect in an
absolutely accurate and automatic manner the registration of the orders given.
Apparatus for effecting this object is illustrated in the drawings left with my
Provisional Specification. In these drawings,
Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the centre of the apparatus; and
Fig. 2 is a plan thereof.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the registering mechanism.
The controlling-telegraph consists in the usual manner of a disc a on which are
marked at determined distances apart, the various orders to be given, an operating
lever provided with a handle, and a hand or pointer d which serves to give the
checking or acknowledging indications. The said lever and pointer are arranged
to move over the dial a. On the hollow spindle of the lever is fixed a drum f
and on the spindle of the pointer which is also hollow to allow of the passage
therethrough of the spindle of the lever c, a second drum is fixed. A corre-
sponding second or receiving dial is provided on the engine or at the wheel, and the
spindles of the pointers moving over these receiving dials are also provided with
drums. The drums of the transmitting and receiving dials are connected by cords
or chains (omitted for the sake of clearness) in such a manner that the operating
lever of one dial shall always come over the same order as the pointer of the other
dial which gives the acknowledging indication, whichever order may be given. On
the dial a is fastened a ring which is provided with as many notches as there are
orders to be given, in the present case, eight. These notches are so made that the
operating lever c can enter them. Into each of these notches there projects one
end of a two-armed lever, the several levers being mounted on fulcrums carried
by a plate & located beneath the dial a. The fulcrums of the levers are so arranged
that normally the said levers will project into the notches, and that only one of
them will be pressed down at a time by the operating lever. This position of the
levers may also be ensured by means of springs connected to the lower arm of each
lever. Corresponding with the levers i is a series of similarly mounted two-armed
levers m carried by a third plate l, and so arranged that they normally occupy the
inclined positions illustrated in Fig. 1. These levers m are connected by cords n
with the levers i. On the free arms of the levers mare provided symbols or
characters corresponding to the orders to be given. These symbols or characters
may consist either of ordinary printing-type characters or preferably of fine needle
points, arranged so as to constitute specific types. In the centre between the.
levers m, is a rubber plate o fixed on the disc 1, and serving as a support for a strip
of paper q coming from the roll of paper p. The strip of paper passes from the
roll
p over two guide pulleys and s to a pulley u which is driven by clockwork t
and thence over a guide pulley v, whence it passes off either to be coiled up or to
fall down loosely near the clockwork. Above the rubber plate o is fixed a
perforated plate w under which the strip of paper passes, and which serves to
prevent the strip being carried up by either of the levers m when the same is
rising.
In order that the strip shall not travel continually, but only when an order is to be
given, there is or may be provided an electrical engaging and disengaging device..
This device consists of a contact ring a located above the dial a, and connected by
a conductor y with a dry cell, and an electromagnet a' connected by a conductor b¹.
with the dry element, and by a conductor g' with the disc e' which is fixed below
the operating lever c and is constantly in contact therewith. The armature d¹ of-
the electromagnet a' is formed as a detent that engages in a ratchet wheel fixed
on the shaft of the pulley , and thus arrests the clockwork so long as the circuit
iz broken.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
When an order is to be given, the operating lever c is lifted out of one of the.

page_text: C
notches thereby closing the circuit of the battery as the lever c will in being raised
make contact with the ring. An electric current then passes from the zinc pole
of the element through the conductor y, ringa, lever c, contact disc c', conductor',
electromagnet a¹, conductor, to the carbon pole of the element. The electro-
magnet is consequently energized and attracts its armature d', which then releases
the ratchet wheel, and permits the clockwork t to set the strip of paper
in motion. At the same time the lever which had been kept pressed down by the
operating lever c, will rise and with it one arm of the lever m connected therewith.
When the operating lever has by partial rotation been brought over the notch
which corresponds to the order to be given, it is inserted into the said notch, thereby
breaking the electric circuit, arresting the motion of the clockwork, and depressing
the corresponding lever. The corresponding lever m then moves with this leveri
in such a manner that the character or marking device carried at its free end is
struck or pressed upon the strip of paper and thereby records the nature of the
order sent.
The apparatus remains in this position until a fresh order is to be
given, whereupon the operations just described are repeated.
It will be readily understood that the clockwork may be allowed to run con-
tinuously in which case it is advantageons to employ a strip of paper divided
according to periods of time in order to admit of determining with accuracy, at
what times orders were given.
The registering mechanism may be employed on sailing ships without alteration,
for the purpose of registering the orders given to the man at the wheel, it being
merely necessary in this case to provide the dial a with the orders for steering,
instead of with the orders for controlling the engine, and to provide the levers m
with characters or recording devices corresponding to the orders for steering.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a ships telegraph, registering mechanism comprising levers m (corre-
sponding in number to that of the orders to be given) furnished with means such as
type, for recording orders given, and each connected to a second lever i controlled
by the operating lever c used to send the orders, and clockwork for moving a strip
of paper, the arrangement being such that when an order is being sent, the
corresponding lever i will be moved and by reason of its connection with the
corresponding lever m, will operate this latter lever and cause it by means of its
type, to register the order sent upon the strip of paper substantially as herein
described.
2. In combination with registering mechanism of the kind referred to in the
preceding claim, mechanism for throwing into and out of operation the clockwork
used for moving the strip of paper on which the orders are registered, and con-
sisting of the contact ring located above the operating lever, the rubbing
contact c', the electromagnet a¹ with armature d' adapted to engage and release a
ratchet wheel controlling the clockwork, a galvanic cell, and conductors y
and for connecting the cell with the contact ring and the operating lever
respectively, the several parts being arranged and operating substantially as herein-
before described.
Dated this 10th day of December 1891
A. B. W. H. CORDS,
By L. W., per F. B.