AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND CONTRIVANCES FOR SIGNALLING ON BOARD SHIP
Year: 1884

page_text: I HENRY HARRISON DOTY of 449 Strand in the County of Middlesex late
Captain in the Chilian Navy do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
"AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND CONTRIVANCES FOR SIGNALLING ON BOARD
SHIP" to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to signal or indicate from the bridge of a ship at
night the position of the ship's helm to an approaching vessel whereby the chances
of collision will be greatly diminished.
My invention consists in the use of red and green (or other differently colored)
flare lights, one light say the red indicating that the ship's helm is to "port
"and
the other or green light that the helm is to "starboard "-These lights which are
worked from the bridge are under the immediate control of the Captain or officer
in charge and may be used as auxiliaries to the ordinary side lights by throwing
a strong beam of light lasting from ten to fifteen seconds (more or less) over the
"port" or "starboard" fore quarter of the ship when a vessel appears in sight.
In carrying out my invention I place at the middle of the bridge (or at each
end) a signal box having its sides arranged trianglewise and closed at the top and
bottom-In each side facing the fore quarter of the ship is a door, one door
opening to "port" and the other to " starboard so that the light shown from the
interior of the signal box will be visible only within the radius shewn by the
ordinary side lights of the ship-In the bottom of the signal box is mounted
horizontally a Y shaped or three armed lever pivoted near its centre and its arms
corresponding with the sides of the signal box-On the end of each fore arm of
this lever is a socket-the socket on the "port" side containing a red light made
with the ordinary composition as usually used for such lights and the socket on the
"starboard" side containing a green light. Each light is formed with a centre core
of steel or iron wire on the top of which is a percussion cap which is exploded by
a detent or hammer cocked and actuated in a similar manner to that of a gun-
Each light may be brought into the desired position by moving the lever at the
back of the box to the "port" or "starboard."
On the officer or look out sighting a vessel and wishing to signal or indicate the
position of his ship's helm he opens the door of the signal box confronting the
approaching vessel, and if the helm is to "port" he will move the lever to the left

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"
or "port" so as to bring the red light into position under the detent or hammer of
the signal box but if the helm is to "starboard" he will move the lever to the
right or starboard so as to bring the green light into position under the hammer
and then pulling the trigger the desired light will be shown to those in charge of
the approaching vessel.
"
"
At the back of the signal box are two drawers one colored red and marked
'port" containing red cartridges and the other green and marked "starboard'
containing green cartridges, the red and green cartridges being covered with red
and green labels marked "port" and "starboard" respectively by which means all
chance of mistake will be obviated.
Amongst the advantanges of my invention are (1) The light being confined
within the radius of the ordinary side lights and screened by the signal box
from observation except to the "port" or "starboard" it will only be seen by those
in the direction for which it is intended to be shewn and will not daze or impede
the sight of the officer or look out in charge.-(2) When fired another light may
be immediately recharged from its magazine ready for repeating a signal if
necessary (3) Owing to the absence of glass in the construction of the apparatus
it is simple, durable and inexpensive and (4) It may also be used successfully as a
private signal by the various steam ship lines, to signal passing vessels, or when
approaching port to indicate the line to which the signalling ship belongs.
Dated this 5th day of January 1884
H. H. DOTY.
Edward W. Furrell, M. Inst. M.E.
Agent.
Bank Buildings,
124, Chancery Lane, W.C.

page_text: I HENRY HARRISON DOTY of 449 Strand in the County of Middlesex Late
Captain in the Chilian Navy do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
"AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND CONTRIVANCES FOR SIGNALLING ON BOARD
SHIP" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to signal or indicate from the bridge of a ship at
night the position of the ship's helm to an approaching vessel whereby the chances
of collision will be greatly diminished.
My invention consists in the use of red and green (or other differently colored)
flare lights, one light say the "red" indicating that the ship's helm is to "port"
and the other or "green" light that the helm is to "starboard "-These lights which
are worked by suitable apparatus or contrivances from the bridge are under the
immediate control of the captain or officer in charge and may be used as auxiliaries
to the ordinary side lights by throwing a strong beam of light lasting from ten to
fifteen seconds (more or less) over the "port" or "starboard "fore part of the ship
when a vessel appears in sight ahead; or on the "port" or "starboard" quarter
when a vessel appears astern.
And in order that my said invention may be well understood I shall now
proceed particularly to describe the same reference being made to the accom-
panying sheet of drawings like letters of reference indicating corresponding parts
in all the figures.
Figure 1. is a sectional plan of my improved apparatus or contrivances for
signalling on board ship-Figure 2 a sectional elevation on line 1, 2 in figure 1.
and figure 3 a back view thereof.
In carrying out my invention I use a signal box a which is placed at the middle
of the bridge of a ship (or at each end of the bridge) and has its sides b. c. d.
arranged trianglewise-This box a is closed at the top and bottom and in each
side c. d. facing the fore part of the ship is a door, one door e opening to "port" and
the other door f opening to "starboard" (or one opening forward and the other
aft) so that a light shown from the interior of the box a will be visible only
within the radius shown by the ordinary side lights of the ship-To the bottom
and on the inside of the signal box a is pivoted at ga Y shaped or three armed
lever h arranged horizontally and having its arms h¹. h. h. facing or at right angles
to the corresponding sides b. c. d. of the signal box a the arm h¹ being extended
through an opening i in the side b of the box a as shewn.-On the end of each
fore arm h². h. of the lever h is a socket j j¹. the socket ; on the "port" side
containing a "red" light & made with the ordinary composition used for such lights
and the socket j' on the "starboard" side containing a green" light k¹ each
light k. k. being formed with a centre core of steel or iron wire on the top of which
is a percussion cap which is exploded when requisite by a detent or hammer
pivoted to a bracket m at right angles to the inside b of the box a and normally
"cocked or kept away from either light kor k¹ by a spring -The pivoted
portion of the detent or hammer l. is formed or provided with a pulley o round
which passes a chain or cord p attached at one end to the detent or hammer and
its other end extending through a hole in the side b of the signal box a where it
terminates in a ring or handle q.-Each light k or k'. may be brought into the
desired position beneath the detent or hammer l. (when the latter is lowered as in
dotted lines, figures 1 and 2) on moving the lever h at the back of the box a to
"port" or "starboard."
"
"

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The operation of my invention is as follows-On the officer or "look out " sighting
a vessel and wishing to signal or indicate the position of his ship's helm if the
latter is to " port he opens the left or 'port" door e of the signal box a
confronting the approaching vessel and moves the lever h. so as to bring its arm h²
and socket containing the red light / to the left or "port" until the red light k. is
in line with the detent or hammer . when pulling the ring q. the detent or hammer l.
will be pulled down upon and fire the red light c. but if the helm is to "starboard"
the door e will be closed and the right or starboard door f opened the lever h being
moved in the opposite direction so as to bring the green light k¹. beneath the detent
or hammer By thus exhibiting a
" red light to port and a "green" light to
"starboard" it will at once be seen by those in charge of the approaching vessel
whether the ship's helm is to "port" or "starboard" and so the danger of collision
averted.
"
Or if desired the red and green lights may be fired by simple fuses in which case
the detent or hammer l. is dispensed with.
At the back of the signal box a (figure 3) are two drawers 7. 8. the drawer
colored red and marked "port" containing "red" cartridges and the drawer 8
colored green and marked "starboard" containing "green" cartridges the "red"
and "green" cartridges being covered with red and green labels marked "port"
and "starboard" respectively whereby all chance of mistake will be prevented.
Amongst the advantages of my invention are.
"
1. The light being confined within the radius of the ordinary side lights and
screened by the signal box from observation except to the " port" or "starboard'
(or forward and aft) it will only be seen by those in the direction intended to
be shown and will not daze or impede the sight of the officer or
"look out" in
charge-2-When fired another light may be immediately recharged from its
magazine ready for repeating a signal if necessary.
3. Owing to the absence of glass in the construction of the apparatus it is
simple durable and inexpensive-4. It may be also successfully used as a private
signal by the various steam ship lines to signal passing vessels or when approaching
port to indicate the line to which the signalling ship belongs.
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
The improved method of and arrangement of apparatus or contrivances for
signalling on board ship substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by
the accompanying drawing.