IMPROVEMENTS IN TRANSMITTING SIGNALS OR BOARD SHIP, AND IN OTHER VESSELS OR SITUATIONS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Bassnett, of 5, Bath Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRANSMITTING
SIGNALS OR BOARD SHIP, AND IN OTHER VESSELS OR SITUATIONS, AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Sealed the 12th July 1878, and dated the 12th January 1878.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Bassnett at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th January 1878.
THOMAS BASSNETT, of 5, Bath Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
IMPROVEMENTS IN TRANSMITTING SIGNALS ON BOARD SHIP, AND IN OTHER
VESSELS OR SITUATIONS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
This Invention has for its object the more easy and accurate communication of
signals at sea.
It consists,-
1st. Of dispensing with the double line of wires or single line and counterbalance
hitherto in use, which are very liable to stretch, to corrode and stick fast, to break
and get out of order. In their place I use a rigid conductor of solid metallic bars,
or preferably tubes, surrounded by protecting tubes. At frequent intervals along
the line of rods I place a shoulder, loosely fitting the external pipe; these prevent
the rods sagging. When, as I prefer, tubes are used instead of rods, the coupling
forms this shoulder, and is turned down to a narrow ring in the centre to allow
only a small surface rubbing ugainst the outer tube. Where a bend is required I
place a bell crank and a light metallic or other covering round it, in lieu of the
usual exterior pipe; the bell crank can be connected to the interior tubes by an
eyebolt screwed into the pipe end.
2nd. In the communicating apparatus.-In this I use chains secured to the
pulleys on the dial axle and sleeve; these are attached to stout rods or tubes by
eye bolts or otherwise, so that they can be adjusted, and a chain round a pully
below joins these two and keeps them tight. One of these bars is also joined to the
first bell crank of the line of rods. One of these instruments is arranged at each end
of the line of rods, and the line of rods between them are hung by means of hangers
round their enclosing tubes to the beams, or the tubes can run along deck, or in
any other convenient position.

page_text: "
The mode of action is as follows:-The captain on the bridge turns his handle to
some order, say "stop" this causes the index pointer in the engine room to go to
'stop" and rings the bell at the back of the case. The engineer now turns his
handle to "stop," which brings the captain's index pointer also to point to "stop,"
and ringing the captain's bell, draws his attention to the fact that the order has
been understood correctly and obeyed, the index pointer and handle being in line.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Bassnett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th July
1878.
THOMAS BASSNETT, of 5, Bath Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TRANSMITTING SIGNALS ON BOARD SHIP, AND IN OTHER
VESSELS OR SITUATIONS, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
This Invention has for its object the more easy and accurate communication of
signals at sea, and in mines and other places.
It consists,-
1. Of dispensing with the double line of wires or single line and counterbalance
hitherto in use, which are very liable to stretch, to corrode and stick fast, to break,
and get out of order.-In their place I use a rigid conductor of metallic bars, or
preferably tubes, surrounded by protecting tubes. At frequent intervals along the
line of rods I place a shoulder or coupling loosely fitting the external pipe; these
prevent the rods sagging. When, as I prefer, tubes are used instead of rods the
coupling forms the shoulder. Where a bend is required I place a bell crank, and a
light metallic or other covering round it in lieu of the usual exterior pipe; the bell
crank can be connected to the interior tubes by an eye bolt or joint screwed into
the pipe end.
2. In the communicating apparatus.-In this I use chains secured to the
pulleys on the dial axle and sleeve; these are attached to stout rods or tubes by
eye bolts or otherwise, so that they can be adjusted, and a chain round a pulley
below joins these two and keeps them tight. One of these rods is also joined to
the first bell crank of the line of rods. One of these instruments is arranged at
each end of the line of rods, and the line of rods between them are hung by means
of hangers round their enclosing tubes to the beams. Or the tubes can run along
deck, or in any other convenient position.
To still further take up slack I adopt the following precautions:-a. The
couplings, or some of them, are made with right and left-hand threads, so that by
screwing them round the slack can be taken up. b. Instead of bell cranks toothed
wheels and gear chains can be used. c. The ends of the spindles in the cranks are
made conical and fit in conical bearings, so that all play shall be taken up by
screwing the concave bearing a little tighter. A half size view of this is shown on
Figare two. d. The order wheel or lever is made a trifle larger than that of the
receiving wheel in order to compensate for any loss of time caused by any slackness
of cranks or other connections.
:

page_text: EXPLANATION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a general view of signalling apparatus arranged for shipwork to go
round corners.
Fig. 2 is a half size view of bell-crank spindle and bearings, also arm coupling
and pipe.
In these, A is the transmitter; B, indicator; C, chain; D, guide pulleys;
E, couplings, with or without right and left hand screws; F, bell cranks; G, eighth-
inch gas tubes; H, couplings on same; I, three-quarter inch gas tubes fastened to the
beams or other portion of the ship by hangers J; K, order wheel on transmitter.
In ships (for which the dimensions herein stated were designed), this wheel K is
usually made by me two and five-eighth inches in diameter, while the receiving
wheel on B is usually two and a half inches only. In mines and other places these
sizes will not always apply, but where there is greater size of crank a greater
difference in the wheels will be required.
In first erecting I found a difficulty in getting all the cranks to the same angle;
this is got over without much trouble by arranging a right and left hand screw
coupling adjoining each bell crank, and coupling the arm or joint to the rod, as
shown in Figure two; in this, F is the beli crank with bearings L, arms or joints M
on each crank coupling H, and rod or gas tube G, jam nut Ñ (to prevent coupling
turning when once fixed).
The mode operating on shipboard is as follows:-The captain on the bridge turns
his handle to some order, say "stop;" this causes the index pointer in the engine
room to go to "stop" and rings the bell at the back of the case. The engineer now
turns his handle to "stop," which brings the captain's index pointer also to point to
"stop," and ringing the captain's bell, draws his attention to the fact that the order
has been understood correctly and obeyed, the index pointer and handle being in line.
Having now described my Invention, and the best mode known to me of carrying
it into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim as my Invention the
transmitting and indicating dials shown in the Drawings, nor the manner of signalling
thereon, as explained in the immediately preceding paragraph; but that what I
believe to be new and desire to claim under the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,-
I. The rigid connection between the transmitter and indicator composed of rods
or tubes, or other rigid connectors, jointed bell cranks, or their mechanical equi-
valents for the purposes described.
II. The combination of tubes I with the interior tubes or rods G for the purposes
described.
III. The mode of imparting increased rigidity to the rods or tubes G, and at the
same time reducing the friction by means of collars or couplings H on either rods G
or I, leaving only just sufficient play for rods G to slide freely.
IV. The arrangement of right and left hand couplings, or other means of
adjusting the length of the rods, and consequently the position of the cranks at each
bell crank, or between each pair of bell cranks, for the purposes described.
V.. The general arrangement of details substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Bassnett, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eleventh day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.