AN IMPROVED STEAM WHISTLE
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Olark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
STEAM WHISTLE" to be as follows:-
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This invention consists of an extension contrivance of the lower end of the
bell of a steam whistle, the object of which is to enable the same to be shifted
nearer to or farther from the nozzle as may be required to adapt it to high or
low steam in the adjusting of the whistle for producing sounds most agreeable to
the ear.
The improvement is adapted to any ordinary whistle but is more particularly
designed for use in connection with a whistle having a bell that is divided into two
or more longitudinal chambers of different length, formed by partitions and separate
head plates, one of which head plates may be the top of the bell, constituting a
chime whistle producing different sounds which blend in harmonious and musical
union more agreeable to the ear than the common single tone.
For this purpose to the lower end of the bell is fitted a wide ring to screw up
and down within a considerable range, for shifting the edge on which the steam
impinges towards and from the nozzle, according as the nozzle is to be used for
high or low steam, and above the ring I fit a check ring to jam against the
adjusting ring for holding it securely in any position to which it may be set, and
thus provide an extensible bell the edge of which may be readily set lower down
for low steam and be shifted up for high steam, which it is desirable to be able to
do readily at any time, as if the edge of the bell is too high when steam is low the
effect of the jet is very feeble because the jet spreads and escapes outside of tho
bell whereas if the said edge of the bell be sufficiently low the sound will be much
stronger and clearer and if the bell be too low for high steam which does not spread
as low down as the jet of lower pressure, the jet will not expand sufficiently at the
point of impingement on the bell and too much of the steam will go inside of the
bell for clearness of sound.
A set screw or other suitable mechanical contrivance may be employed for
securing the adjustable part of the bell instead of the check ring.

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow. of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
STEAM WHISTLE" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention consists of an extension contrivance of the lower end of the bell
of a steam whistle, the object of which is to enable the same to be shifted nearer
to or farther from the nozzle as may be required to adapt it to high or low
steam in the adjusting of the whistle for producing sounds most agreeable to
the ear.
The improvement is adapted to any ordinary whistle but is more particularly
designed for use in connection with a whistle having a bell that is divided into two
or more longitudinal chambers of different length constituting a chime whistle
producing different sounds which blend in harmonious and musical union more
agreeable to the ear than the common single tone; all as hereinafter fully described
and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all
the figures.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of this improved steam whistle on line x x of
figure 2.
Figure 2 is an end view of the lower end of the bell.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on line y y of figure 1.
To the lower end of the bell a, which is here represented with three longitudinal
chambers of different lengths formed by partitions b and separate head plates b¹
one of which heads may be the top of the bell, I fit a wide ring c to screw up and
down within a considerable range, for shifting the edge e on which the steam
impinges towards and from the nozzle f according as the nozzle is to be used for
high or low steam, and above the ring c I fit a check ring h to jam against the
adjusting ring c for holding it securely in any position to which it may be set, and
thus provide an extensible bell the edge of which may be readily set lower down
for low steam and be shifted up for high steam, which it is desirable to be able to
do readily at any time, as when steam is low the jet leaving the annular opening
of the nozzle has less force and expands or spreads quickly, so that if the edge e of
the bell is too high the effect of the jet is very feeble because the jet spreads and
escapes outside of the bell whereas if the said edge of the bell be sufficiently low.
the sound will be much stronger and clearer and if the bell be too low for high
steam which does not spread as low down as the jet of lower pressure, the jet will
not expand sufficiently at the point of impingement on the bell and too much of
the steam will go inside of the bell for clearness of sound.
While I prefer the check ring for securing the adjustable part of the bell, I do
not mean to limit myself to that device but will when preferred employ a set screw
or other suitable mechanical contrivance for the purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The combination with the bell a, having its lower end screw threaded and
provided with longitudinal chambers having different lengths, of the screw threaded

page_text: ring c, and means substantially as described, for locking said ring in position, as
set forth.
2. A steam whistle having the lower end of the bell fitted to screw up and down
on the upper part and provided with a check ring to set the adjustable part in a
fixed position, substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of October 1884.
A. M. CLARK.
By his Agents,
A. M. & Wm Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, W.C.