Improvements in the Method of Lighting Ships to Indicate the Direction of Steering.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 17th May, 1887.
Complete Left, 13th Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 7th Oct., 1887.
Improvements in the Method of Lighting Ships to Indicate the
Direction of Steering.
I, DAVID JOHN MORGAN, of 33 Fitzhamon Embankment, Cardiff, in the County of
Glamorgan, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to a lighting device to be fitted on ships, so that one vessel
approaching or passing another, the direction in which each other is steering and the
degree in which the helm is put hard over may be clearly indicated to the other.
My invention consists essentially in the use of a light suitably placed between and
in line with the usual port and starboard lights, and which is normally, when the helm
is amidship, bright and white in colour, but which upon the helm being put over to
port or starboard alters in colour and indicates the direction in which the helm has
been put over. This I effect by enclosing a white light in a frame containing three
panes or panels of glass. The central one being preferably white, the top one being,
say red, and the lower green, or of other suitable colours.
This frame may not only work in front of the light, but all round the light, which
may be arranged to show in all directions, and it is operated from the steering gear
mechanically or electrically, so that, say when the helm is to be over to starboard, the
red pane is first brought partially over the light indicating to what degree the helm
has been moved and completely over the light when the helm is hard over; and the
same way when the helm has been put over to port, a green pane for instance is
brought in front of the light. Although I have specified that my light should
preferably be a pole light and situate amidships, between and in line with the star-
board lights, yet it might be placed at any convenient part of the vessel, and more
than one indicating light might be employed.
It is obvious that I need not confine myself to any illuminating agent, either oil,
gas or electric light being employed as circumstances may render advisable.

page_text: I may have the parti colored glass a fixture, and employ a pierced shield working
over same, or three lamps, red, white and green, may be fitted vertically in line and
a shield sliding over same.
The operation of my device effected from the steering gear is as before stated by
any convenient mechanical or electro mechanical connections. Such for instance as
by means of a quadrant or worm on the tiller actuating rods or cords in communica-
tion with the sliding glass or shield, or again by means of electrical contacts made by
the movement of the steering gear bringing into operation electro magnets controlling
the movement of the sliding glass or shield; but it is obvious that there are many
equivalent methods of communicating the relative movements without departing from
my invention.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of Lighting Ships to Indicate the
Direction of Steering.
I, DAVID JOHN MORGAN, of 33 Fitzhamon Embankment, Cardiff, in the County
of Glamorgan, 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 :—-
My invention relates to a lighting device to be fitted on ships, so that on one vessel
approaching or passing another, the direction in which each one is steering and the
degree in which the helm is put over may be clearly indicated to the other.
My invention consists essentially in the use of a light or lights, which may be either
electric or of other suitable character, and suitably placed either between and in line
with the usual port and starboard lights, or where two lights are used, one on either
quarter of the vessel or any other suitable position. This light or lights are normally
when the helm is amidships, bright and white in colour, but, upon the helm being put
over to port or starboard, they alter in colour, and indicate the direction in which the
helm has been put over.
This I effect by enclosing a white light or lights in a frame containing three panes
or panels of glass, the central one being preferably white, and the other two, say red
on one side, and upon the other green, or they may be of other suitable colours. This
frame may not only work in front of the light, but all round the light, which may be
thus arranged to show in all directions, and it is operated either by a rotating, vertical
or oscillating traverse from the steering gear, mechanically orțelectrically, so that when
the helm is put over to starboard, say the red pane is first brought partially over the
light, indicating to what degree the helm has been moved, and completely over
the light when the helm is hard over, and in the same way when the helm has been
put over to port a green pane for instance is brought gradually in front of the light.
In order that my invention may be the better understood, I now proceed to
describe the same in relation to the drawings hereunto annexed, reference being had
to the letters and figures marked thereon. Like letters refer to like parts throughout
the figures.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my automatic steering light indicator operated
by gearing direct from the steering wheel.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of a modified arrangement of the same in which
the indicator light is operated by bands and pulleys direct from the steering gear.
Figures 3 and 4 are sectional elevation and plan of the deck of a vessel showing
general disposition of the lights.
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of my indicating steering light in which the shade
is fixed and movable lights are employed.
Figure 6 is a side and back elevation of an arrangement by which the steering
indicator may be operated electrically by the movement of the helm.

page_text: Figure 7 is a diagramatic view of the electrical connections between the tiller and
the indicator.
Figure 8 is an elevation of my steering light in which the shade is divided, each
division being raised as desired.
The above figures show convenient and equivalent methods by which the indicating
lamp may be automatically operated; as for instance in figure 1, A is the tiller wheel
which, carrying a bevel wheel B, operates through the vertical bevel wheel shaft Ca
horizontal bevel geared shaft D, geared to the vertical spindle E of the lamp pole.
This vertical spindle being screwed and working in the nut F will cause the outside
shield G which is divided into parti-coloured glass compartments (as hereinbefore
described) to rise or fall according to the movements of the tiller, and thus to show
the indicating light with various colouring according to the movement of the helm to
port or starboard.
In figure 2, the movement of the tiller wheel A is again transmitted by the endless
band H, which, passing over suitable pulleys lifts or lowers the lamp and spindle K
within the parti coloured glass screen or frame G, which in this case is a fixture.
In figures 3 and 4, a a are the usual port and .starboard lights, b is the usual
mast head light, and c is my indicating steering light and placed amidships; or
alternatively a d'are a pair of my indicating steering lights fixed at the quarters of
the vessel.
In figure 5 I show a modification in which I may use three lights K of which the
globes are variously coloured and they are surrounded by a screen G in which only
the centre portion is transparent, the upper and lower parts are partially opaque.
This frame mounted on the nut F is caused to rise and fall by the rotation of the
screwed vertical spindle E operated by the bevel gear and the horizontal shaft D, as
in figure 1. This device may be operated as shown in figure 2, or the lamps may
be raised or lowered instead of the partially opaque frame G to produce the same
effect.
In figure 6 I use an oscillating quadrant L provided with three variously coloured
compartments of glass which is caused to oscillate according to the movement of the
tiller in front of the lamp K, and thus to indicate a light corresponding to the move-
ment of the tiller. This glass quadrant is balanced on the pivote by the balance
weight f, and may be controlled by a friction spring so as to remain normally in the
given position in which it is placed. The said quadrant L is provided with a
segmental rack M into which gears a pinion N, fixed to the axis of a disc m, carrying
a pair or more of electro magnets. This is free to revolve and faces a ring of fixed
electro magnets shown in diagramatic plan at P, figure 7, in which the connections are
shown to the contacts QQ, closed by the movement of a switch from the tiller R, as
it moves towards port or starboard. The said switch closes a series of contacts R¹ as it
moves, and in that way closes a corresponding series of circuits through the electro
magnets P.
These serve to bring the frame quadrant L into any desired position
corresponding to that of the tiller, by causing the disc m to rotate until the pair of
electro magnets or soft iron armatures thereon are caused to come opposite to the
excited electro magnets on the fixed ring P P and thus to satisfy them. The
quadrant L may be bolted in any required position by employing a solenoid 1, which
is provided with a spring pressed core, and is always in circuit, so that the core is
withdrawn within the solenoid until the armature on the disc m has satisfied the
excited pair of electro magnets; and thus cuts out the said solenoid 7. The spring
pressed core of the solenoid then shoots out, and engages into a series of holes
provided for that purpose on the said quadrant L, thus serving to lock it in position
until a change of position is desired.
Ꮮ
In figure 8, instead of having one frame as in preceding figures, I use a frame to
each colour, and these frames g g' are raised as required by gearing from the tiller
hereinafter described. In the figure, K is the light which, when uncovered, answers
to amidships position of rudder; gare the coloured frames, g or g¹ being raised
according as the rudder is moved from amidships to port or starboard. This is
effected by the endless rope or chain H, operated by the tiller wheel A, as shown in

page_text: figure 2, and to which is attached two stops h¹ these, by coming into contact with the
lugs on the lower part of frames 9 g', raise one or the other, according to direction of
travel. If the direction given by the tiller is as shown by the arrow, it is obvious the
stop will raise the frame g¹ to the dotted position, and the other stop h will recede
from the frame g. On the return travel, the shade g₁ will drop to normal position,
when the signal will be giving amidships; continued movement will raise the other
shade g by the stop h.
It is obvious that this movement may be obtained by a cross
lever on the end of the shaft D, figure 1. To each end of this lever a rod is attached,
and the free ends of these rods are attached one to each shade. Movement of the
shaft in one direction will depress one end of the lever and raise the other and so one
shade will be raised and the other lowered and vice versa. Also the vertical
screws E (figures 1 and 5) may actuate a similar lever and rods producing the same
effect.
It is evident that there are many equivalent methods of communicating the relative
movement of the tiller to the shield surrounding the light or to the lights themselves
without departing from my invention, such as by the ordinary steering chains, ropes,
rods, levers, gearing, bands or pulleys, and I may either use a series of parti coloured
lights with a pierced shield or a single light with a parti coloured shield, the light
being moved either relatively to the shield or the shield to the light. I may further
use any illuminating agent such as oil gas or electric light as circumstances may
render advisable.
It is obvious I may operate a pivotted arm or arms by the before described move-
ment of the shield or lamp the same movement thus sufficing to give an indication of
the movement of the helm either by night or day.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The combination of parti coloured lights and a pierced shield moved relatively
to one another by suitable connections with a ships' tiller so that the movement of the
latter is indicated by the change of colour of the light by the said suitable connections,
substantially as described.
2nd. The combination of a light with parti coloured transparent frame moved
relatively to one another by suitable connections with a ships tiller so that the move-
ment of the latter is indicated by the change of colour of the light by the said suitable
connections, substantially as described.
3rd. The operation of a parti coloured light or a parti coloured transparent shield
in front of or around a light by gearing, ropes or bands, rods or chains from the tiller,
to automatically indicate thereby the movement of the tiller whether to starboard
or to port and the degree to which the helm has been put over, substantially as
described.
4th. The operation of a transparent parti coloured frame in front of or around a
light by electricity set in operation automatically by the movement of a ships' tiller,
so that the said transparent frame shall partake of and indicate the movements of the
said tiller, substantially as described.
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