Improvements in Effecting Electric Telegraphic Communication, Applicable Especially for Telegraphing to Lighthouses, either Floating or on Rocks at a Distance from the Shore, or for Telegraphing to and from Vessels.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 7th June, 1887
Complete Left, 6th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 6th Apr., 1888
Improvements in Effecting Electric Telegraphic Communication,
Applicable Especially for Telegraphing to Lighthouses, either
Floating or on Rocks at a Distance from the Shore, or for
Telegraphing to and from Vessels.
1, WILLOUGHBY SMITH of North Grove Highgate in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
At the present time wherever electric telegraphic communication is established
between the shore and a lighthouse either floating or on a rock at a distance from the
shore it is effected through an insulated conductor of a telegraph cable but much
difficulty is experienced owing to the rapid wearing of the cable so that it is liable to
break when ever a storm comes on and when consequently it is most required to be in
proper working order.
By my invention I am able to effect communication between the sending station
and distant point without their being in metallic connection one with the other.
One way in which I effect this say in the case of a lighthouse erected on a rock at
a distance from the shore is to submerge one or metallic plates or masses on opposite
sides of the rock so that the two plates or sets of plates may be as far apart as
practicable and from each plate or sets of plates I lead an insulated conductor to a
telephone in the lighthouse.
I also lead two insulated conductors from the shore to the vicinity of the rock and
connect each to a submerged metallic plate one in proximity to one set of plates and
the other to the other set of plates but at such a distance from them as to be at
sufficient depth not to be injured by the waves.
To communicate from the shore to the lighthouse an interrupter or reverser and
battery are connected to the shore ends of the two insulated conductors.
On starting the interrupter or reverser the sound is clearly reproduced in the
telephone and communication can readily be carried on by the Morse alphabet by
shunting in and out the interrupter or reverser.
For communicating from the lighthouse to the shore the battery and make and
break apparatus are coupled to the insulated conductors on the rock and the telephone
to the shore ends of the two submerged insulated conductors.

page_text: In the same way communication could be carried on from the shore to a vessel at a
distance from it if the vessel were in the vicinity of two submerged plates or anchors
each having an insulated conductor passing from it to the shore and if two metallic
plates were let go from the vessel so that these plates might be at a distance apart
from one another. The position of the two submerged plates coupled to the submerged
insulated conductors might be indicated by buoys.
A similar result might be obtained with a single insulated conductor from the
shore by the use of an induction apparatus with the ends of the secondary winding
coupled by insulated conductors to submerged plates at a distance apart.
The conducting plates or masses may be of any suitable form, as an anchor, chain,
wire rope, or simply the bared ends of the insulated conductors may be used.
Transmitting and receiving instruments of other kind than those above mentioned
might also be used.

page_text: Improvements in Effecting Electric Telegraphic Communication,.
Applicable Especially for Telegraphing to Lighthouses, either
Floating or on Rocks at a Distance from the Shore, or for
Telegraphing to and from Vessels.
I, WILLOUGHBY SMITH of North Grove, Highgate, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, 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:--
At the present time wherever electric telegraphic communication is established
between the shore and a lighthouse either floating or on a rock at a distance from
the shore it is effected through an insulated conductor of a telegraph cable but much
difficulty is experienced owing to the rapid wearing of the cable so that it is liable to
break whenever a storm comes on and when consequently it is most required to be in
proper working order.
By my invention I am able to effect communication between the sending station
and distant point without their being in metallic connection one with the other.
I effect this say in the case of a lighthouse erected on a rock at a distance from the
shore by submerging one or more metallic plates or masses on opposite sides of the
rock so that the two plates or sets of plates may be as far apart as practicable and
from each plate or sets of plates I lead an insulated conductor to a telephone in the
lighthouse.
I also lead two insulated conductors from the shore to the vicinity of the rock and
connect each to a submerged metallic plate one in proximity to one set of plates and
the other to the other set of plates but at such a distance from them as to be at
sufficient depth not to be injured by the waves..
A diagram of this arrangement is shewn in the drawing annexed.
A is a two conductor cable led from a signal station B on shore towards the rock C.
At a distance from the rock one of the conductors of the cable is led to a metallic
plate or mass D submerged on one side of the rock at such a distance from it as to
be in water deep enough for it not to be affected by waves. The other conductor of
the cable A is similarly led to another metallic plate or mass E similarly submerged
at a distance from the opposite side of the rock-F F are two submerged metallic
plates or masses upon the rock one opposite to the plate D the other opposite to the
plate E and G are insulated conductors leading from the plates F to a lighthouse or
signal station H on the rock.
To communicate from the shore to the lighthouse an interrupter or reverser I and
battery K are connected to the shore ends of the two insulated conductors and the
telephone in the lighthouse responds to the repeated makes and breaks or reversal of
the current so that communication can readily be carried on by the Morse alphabet.

page_text: If a vibrating interrupter or reverser be used a short or long sounding of the
telephone can be obtained by a contact key held down for short or long intervals.
A more convenient way is to use two finger keys one of which by a series of teeth
on its stem or in other more convenient way produces a few breaks or reversals of
the current whilst the other key when depressed produces a greater number of breaks
or reversals.
For communicating from the lighthouse to the shore the battery and make and
break apparatus are coupled to the insulated conductors on the rock and the telephone
to the shore ends of the two submerged insulated conductors.
As the strength of the signals sent will depend upon the electro-motive force
employed it follows that any known call can be used, and any code of signals
employed.
In the same way communication could be carried on from the shore to a vessel at
a distance from it if the vessel were in the vicinity of two submerged plates or anchors
each having an insulated conductor passing from it to the shore and if two metallic
plates were let go from the vessel so that these plates might be at a distance apart
from one another. The position of the two submerged plates coupled to the submerged
insulated conductors might be indicated by buoys. In this way communication might
be effected between passing vessels and the shore or between the shore and a moored
lighthouse or signal station.
A similar result might be obtained with a single insulated conductor from the
shore by the use of an induction apparatus with the ends of the secondary winding
coupled by insulated conductors to submerged plates at a distance apart.
The conducting plates or masses may be of any suitable form, as an anchor, chain,
wire rope, or simply the bared ends of the insulated conductors may be used.
Transmitting and receiving instruments of other kind than those above mentioned
might also be used.
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 :-
:―
Signalling from or to a floating or other lighthouse signal station or vessel at a
distance from the shore by the use of two submerged metallic plates or masses fixed
to or suspended from their opposite sides and of two other metallic plates or masses
also submerged on the two opposite sides of the lighthouse signal station or vessel but
at such a distance from it as to be in sufficient depth of water not to be disturbed by
waves and insulated conductors leading from these latter plates either directly or
through induction apparatus to a station on shore where they are connected either to
a telophone or to apparatus for sending alternating or broken electrical currents as
required the pair of plates connected with the lighthouse, signal station or vessel
being similarly connected through insulated conductors with a telephone and
transmitting apparatus.
Dated this 1st day of March 1888