IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING ON BOARD SHIP
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Robinson, of Sunderland, in the County of
Durham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS
FOR SIGNALLING ON BOARD SHIP."
Sealed the 11th July 1879, and dated the 23rd January 1879.
"IMPROVEMENTS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Robinson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd January 1879.
RICHARD ROBINSON, of Sunderland, in the County of Durham.
IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING ON BOARD SHIP."
The Invention has for its object improvements in the method of signalling on
board ship, and in means or apparatus to be employed therein.
.
Having discovered by experience the great want and necessity of a safe code of
signals by which persons in command of steamers and other ships could signal to
each other their movements or intended movements both by day and night, and in
foggy weather, I have made various experiments with a view to supply the above
mentioned want.
The method of signalling I propose to adopt consists in the employment of three
distinct sounds, the first for port, the second for starboard, and the third the
common steam whistle, horn, or trumpet, or a sound in lieu thereof.
In illustration, I will suppose the case of two vessels A, B, proceeding in a
crossing position in a fog; A hears B's fog signal on his port bow, and B hears A's
fog signal on his starboard side; with the present system there is no signal to say
in what direction those steamers are proceeding, but according to my Invention by
A giving B the port signal, the latter is informed that A's port side is towards him,
that it becomes the duty of B to give the signal for porting, or that he is stopped,
as he may think safest, the same rule applies to night. A sees B's green light on
his port bow, and he finds that B is holding his starboard helin too long, A calls B's
attention by sounding his port signal, whereupon B will give A the port signal as
the case requires, this same rule applies to day, the one system of signals answering
for the three different times.

page_text: These three sound signals may also by being sounded in different order be caused
to indicate when the ship is stopped or going astern.
In carrying the above method of signalling into operation, I employ three different
sounding instruments, each having a note distinct from the other, and capable of
being separately operated.
The arrangement I prefer to employ consists of a whistle to be employed in lieu
of the ordinary steam whistle, horn, or trumpet, and two trumpets, or horns, or it
may be whistles of different notes, one for the port, the other for the starboard side.
I connect these instruments to a steam pipe or pipes, and provide them with
Buitable cocks or valves to enable each of them to be separately operated. The
port and starboard instruments are preferably directed each toward its own side.
In the case of a sailing ship where steam is not available, the instruments can be
worked by compressed air supplied thereto by any suitable means, such for instanco
as a piston and cylinder. If desired, a single instrument provided with three
different notes capable of being separately sounded may be employed in lieu of the
three separate instruments.
My Invention also serves to signal orders to the engineer and helmsman.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Richard Robinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd July
1879.
RICHARD ROBINSON, of Sunderland, in the County of Durham. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR SIGNALLING ON BOARD SHIP."
The Invention has for its object improvements in the method of signalling on
board ship, and in means or apparatus to be employed therein.
Having discovered by experience the groat want and necessity of a safe code of
signals by which persons in command of steamers and other ships could signal to
each other their movements or intended movements both by day and night, and in
foggy weather, I have made various experiments with a view to supply the above
mentioned want.
The method of signalling I propose to adopt consists in the employment of three
distinct sounds, the first for "port," the second for "starboard," and the third the
common steam whistle, horn, or trumpet, or a sound in lieu thereof.
In illustration, I will suppose the case of two vessels A, B, proceeding in a
crossing position in a fog; A hears B's fog signal on his port bow, and B hears A's
fog signal on his starboard side; with the system hitherto in use, there is no signal
to say in what direction those vessels are proceeding, but according to my Invention
by A giving B the "port" signal, the latter is informed that A's port side is
towards him, thus it becomes the duty of B to give the signal for porting, or that
he is stopped, as he may think safest, the same rule applies to night. A sees B's
green light on his port bow, and he finds that B is holding bis starboard helm too
long. A calls B's attention by sounding his port signal, whereupon B will give A
the port signal as the case requires, this same rule applies to day, the one system of
signals answering for the three different times, namely, day, night, and foggy
weather.
These three sound signals may also by being sounded in different order be caused
to indicate when the ship is stopped or going astern, or one of the three signals
may be used for that purpose.
In carrying the above method of signalling into operation, I employ three different
sounding instruments, each having a note distinct from the other, and capable of
being separately operated.
The arrangement I prefer to employ is represented in the Drawing annexed, and
consists of a whistle a to be employed in lieu of the ordinary steam whistle, horn,
or trumpet, and two trumpets or horns b, c, or it may be whistles of different notes,
one 6 for the port, the other c for the starboard side.
I connect these instruments to a steam pipe or pipes d, and provide them with
suitable cocks or valves e, f, g, to enable each of them to be separately operated
when desired. The port and starboard instruments are preferably directed each
towards its own side.
In the case of a sailing ship, or where steam is not available, the instruments can
bo worked by compressed air supplied thereto by any suitable means, such for
instance as a piston and cylinder or air pump of any suitable form.
If desired, other descriptions of instruments may be employed, or a single
instrument provided with three different notes of sufficiently distinct sounds, and
capable of being separately sounded when required, may be employed in lieu of the
three separate instruments above described.
My Invention also serves to signal orders to the engineer and helmsman, as will
be readily understood.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode I prefer to
employ in carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I

page_text: claim is the employment of one or more instruments capable of emitting three
distinct and separate sounds in manner and for the purpose, substantially as herein
shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Robinson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand 5
eight hundred and seventy nine.
RICHARD ROBINSON. (L.S.)