Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 13th June, 1896
I, KARL LEPS, of Brückenstrasse 10b., Berlin, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved model of a warship or "man of war," and
has for its object the provision of a means for practically demonstrating the action*
or manœuvres of warships.
The model is constructed on a small scale, and exactly resembles in exterior
appearance a warship, but the interior fittings are constructed according to the
requirements and purpose of said model, it being understood that the model should
be suitably provided with all devices and appliances necessary for the execution of
all manoeuvres and the like. This model may be manipulated by one person who
can survey the outside and at the same time work all the different appliances with
the greatest ease.
In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal section of said
warship or man of war." This said model may be made of sheet steel of 2 mm.
(inch) thickness and its length may be from 3 to 4 metres, (or 4 to 5 yards) its'
corresponding width being from 60 to 70 cm. (or about one yard) and its total
height between 90 and 100 cm. (or about 4 feet). The deck may be made of
wood. The person who manipulates said model can be seated on chair shown at 2
and can survey the outside through the opening 3, and in this position can easily
handle all the devices contained in the ship.
The aforesaid model is set in motion by means of an electric motor 4, (of about
one horse power) which motor is driven by an electric current generated in
battery 5, and has a full speed of about 5 metres (or 6 yards) per minute.
By means of the circuit closer or switch 6 the motor may be set to work at any
time. Said motor is connected to and actuates shafting a, with the ship's propeller
screw b.
The vessel can be steered by means of rudder g, which is directed by the
operator sitting on chair 2, through the handle bar 8 placed in front of the chair 2.
Motion is transmitted to the rudder by a rope or chain a¹ passing over pulleys b¹.
The slightest motion of the handle bar in either direction immediately causes the
vessel to change its direction in a corresponding manner.
The handle bar may be
constructed like that of a velocipede.
In order to cast anchor, the ship or vessel is provided with metal anchors, which
are connected to it by small and thin chains, and which pass through the hawse
holes 10, and the tubes 11 to the interior of the ship, and are collected in the
chain lockers 12 in the bottom of the ship. When the anchors are cast, the
chains are held by hawse plugs 13, which are used in a similar way when the anchors
are weighed, both anchors and chain being manipulated by the operator.
For the purpose of hoisting flag signals all the mast heads and yards are
provided with pulleys by means of which in conjunction with rollers the hoisting
of the various flags is greatly facilitated.
At 19 I provide any suitable well known apparatus for the storing and discharging
of 26 light balls, and is arranged in the interior of the ship below deck in such a
manner that its barrel penetrates through the deck projecting in an upward

page_text: direction, so that the light balls may be fired off without coming in contact with
other appliances. A trigger device (say in the form of a strap) serves for the
purpose of priming and at the same time causes a roller provided in said apparatus
to turn, thus pushing forward another light-ball cartridge. Two of these devices
are provided, one for green light-balls and the other for red ones. The siren
shown at 20 is an instrument by which shrill discordant sounds can be produced by
blowing into it at 21. These sounds originate on a rotatable disc, which is provided
with conic perforations and turns below a cover, which is also perforated, but the
perforations of the one must not coincide with the perforations of the other.
soon as the disc begins to rotate the discordant sounds are produced. This
instrument or siren 20 is arranged in front of the funnel, from whence an india
rubber tube or hose 22 leads to the interior of the ship and near to the head of the
operator, who can thereby easily make the siren sound.
As
An electric battery 23 placed in the interior of the vessel serves as feed engine
for the electric lighting, for the steering or position lanterns, and for the search
light 24. This said battery 23° consists of accumulators of about 70 hours
lighting power. For the lights inside the ship incandescent lamps of 10 candle
illuminating power are arranged in such a manner that they can be lighted or
extinguished by means of a circuit changer I on a board 23. The steering or
position lanterns, three in number, are placed outside, a red one at the port, a
green one at the starboard, and a white one in front of the mast above the deck.
These three lanterns can be lighted or extinguished by means of a circuit changer II
in the same board 23.
The searchlight 24 for the detection of torpedoes is arranged above the deck,
and can be turned on ball bearings 25 in any desired direction. A powerful
reflector behind, and magnifying lens in front of the searchlight 24 combine to
make its rays remarkably strong. A handle 27 in the interior of the ship serves
for turning the searchlight in any direction whilst a weight 26 screwed on to the
lower end of the rod carrying the search light causes the rod to assume an
upright position when not in use. By means of circuit changer III on board 23
the searchlight may be lighted or extinguished.
The number of guns on board the model may be exactly the same as is usual in
an actual warship or "man of war," the guns being arranged in a similar manner.
Guns shown at 28 may be called hig revolvers because they too have rotating drums
rotating to a certain extent after each shot has been fired each gun being provided
with 26 cartridges. The barrel of each gun is of the same shape as the gun of an
actual "man of war" and projects through the side of the ship. The trigger
device consists of a strong cord 29 attached to the gun by means of a carbine
book; after passing between several pulleys the other end of the cord terminates
in a ring. Said ring hangs on a board shown at 30 which is arranged at the side
of the operator, who is thus able to fire off any gun desired.
All trigger devices of the guns at the starboard terminate at the starboard
side of the operator, and all those for the guns at the port side at the opposite
side of the operator, so that confusion or mistake in firing the guns is entirely
prevented.
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. An improved model of a warship or "man of war," for the purpose of
demonstrating all the functions and manœuvres of an actual warship or
66 man of
war," whereby an operator situated inside said model can manipulate the various
devices provided for demonstrating said functions and manoeuvres by setting in
motion a motor for propelling said model, steering said model, controlling and
operating by lighting or extinguishing the various lights and searchlights, fire the
models of guns and light balls, and cause to sound the siren provided, to cast and

page_text: weigh the anchors, and generally to control and manipulate said model of a
warship in its various motions and functions substantially as herein set forth and
described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th day of December 1895.
REGINALD W. BARKER,
Monument Chambers, E.C., Applicant's Agent.