IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING SIGNALS APPLICABLESTEERING AND ENGINE Room TELEGRAPH
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sir Samuel Canning, of 7, Great Winchester Street
Buildings, in the City of London, Civil Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING SIGNALS APPLICABLE
Scaled the 11th March 1873, and dated the 11th January 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sir Samuel Canning at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 11th January 1873.
I, Sir SAMUEL CANNING, of 7, Great Winchester Street Buildings, in
the City of London, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING
SIGNALS APPLICABLE AS STEERING AND ENGINE Room TELEGRAPHS," to be as
follows:-
:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement
of telegraphic apparatus especially applicable to ships for conveying
messages to and from the engine room and bridge or other part of the
ship.
The said apparatus consists essentially of three distinct instruments;
namely, the communicator, the indicator, and the reply instrument,
which latter instrument, in applying the Invention to the rudder for
indicating the course steered is to be attached to the rudder head.

page_text: The communicator is to be placed on the bridge or other part of the
ship from and to which the signals are to be transmitted and received.
The indicator is to be placed in the engine room, wheel house, or other
part of the ship to which signals are to be sent, and the reply instrument
is also to be fitted in the same locality as the indicator.
My improvements as regards the communicator consist in arranging
the various orders or signals round the surface of the brass head of the
instrument in lieu of as heretofore on the face of the instrument only.
These orders or signals may be painted on glass let into the brass head,
and they are illuminated by the usual lamp attached to the back of the
instrument. The actuating lever handle is situate in the front in lieu of
at the back of the instrument, so as to admit of the free introduction or
removal of the lamp without interfering in any way with the signals.
A pointer or indicator attached to the back of the lever handle, and
projecting over the surface of the brass head, indicates clearly the order
or signal given. The whole of the face plate of the communicator is
left transparent, and a separate pointer shews the orders or signals
which have been received and acted upon by those for whom they were
meant.
The indicator may be of the usual construction, with the exception
that I propose to make it (in the case of an engine room apparatus)
separate and distinct from the reply instrument. The reply instrument
consists of a case with an illuminated dial in front and a lever handle
for turning the chain wheel, which transmits the movement through a
chain back to the ordinary loose wheel of the communicator, or I fix the
reply handle upon the indicator shaft, the signal from the communicator
being indicated by the handle of the indicator and the reply by the
handle of the communicator. In adapting the reply instrument to the
rudder I propose using a horizontal cross bar attached to the rudder
head, such bar being made with right and left screws on opposite ends
on which traversing nuts are mounted. To the said nuts are attached
the reply chains which lead back to the communicator, and by suitably
adjusting the positions of the nuts the movement of the rudder may be
made to produce the exact required movement of the reply pointer or
handle in the communicator.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Canning in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Sir SAMUEL
CANNING, of 7, Great Winchester Street Buildings, in the City of
London, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the 36th
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Sir Samuel Canning, Her special license that
I, the said Sir Samuel Canning, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Sir Samuel Canning, my executors, admini-
strators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING
SIGNALS APPLICABLE AS STEERING AND ENGINE ROOM TELEGRAPHS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Sir Samuel Canning, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Sir Samuel Canning, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:
My said Invention relates to a peculiar construction and arrangement
of telegraphic apparatus especially applicable to ships for conveying
messages to and from the engine room and bridge or other part of the

page_text: The said apparatus consists essentially of three distinct instruments,
namely, the communicator, the indicator, and the reply instrument,
which latter instrument, if the Invention be applied to the rudder for
indicating the course steered may be worked from the rudder head in the
usual way.
The communicator is to be placed on the bridge or other part of the
ship from and to which the signals are to be transmitted and received.
The indicator is to be placed in the engine room, wheel house, or other
part of the ship to which signals are to be sent, and the reply instrument
is also to be fitted in the same locality as the indicator.
In my improved communicator the various orders or signals are
arranged round the surface of the brass head or cover of the instrument in
lieu of or in addition to the orders or signals arranged on the face of the
instrument only as heretofore. These orders or signals may be painted
on glass, let into the brass head or cover, and they are illuminated by
the usual lamp attached to the back of the instrument. The actuating
lever handle is situated in the front in lieu of at the back of the
instrument, so as to admit of the free introduction or removal of the
lamp without interfering in any way with the signals. A pointer or
indicator attached to the back of the lever handle, and projecting over
the surface of the brass head or cover, indicates clearly the order or
signal given. The whole or portions of the face plate of the communi-
cator is or are left transparent, and a separate pointer in connection with
the reply instrument or the rudder shows the orders or signals which
have been received and acted upon by those for whom they were
meant.
The indicator may be of the usual construction, with the exception
that I propose to make it (in the case of an engine room apparatus)
separate and distinct from the reply instrument. The reply instrument
consists of a case with an illuminated dial in front or with illuminated
glass plates containing the orders and signals disposed round the surface
of the casing, and with a lever bandle for turning the chain wheel, which
transmits the movement through a chain, rod, or wire back to tho
ordinary loose wheel of the communicator, such lever handle being
situate in front. Or I fix the reply handle upon the indicator shaft, the
signal from the communicator being indicated by the handle of the
indicator, and the reply by the handle of the communicator. In adapting
the reply instrument to the rudder I use a horizontal cross bar in the

page_text: form of a screw spindle attached to the rudder head, such screw spindle
being made with right and left screws on opposite ends on which
traversing nuts are mounted. To the said nuts are attached the reply
chains which lead back to the communicator, and by suitably adjusting
the positions of the nuts the movement of the rudder may be made to
produce the exact required movement of the reply pointer or handle in
the communicator.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed two Sheets of Drawings,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the
corresponding Figures.
Figure 1 (Sheet 1) of my Drawings represents a front elevation and
partial section of my improved "communicator," with the upper part of
the pedestal on which it is mounted.
Figure 2 is a corresponding side elevation and partial section of the
same corresponding to Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan of the "communi-
cator" also corresponding to Figure 1; Figure 4 is a front clevation of
the indicator; Figure 5 is a front elevation of the "reply
" instru-
ment; Figure 6 is a vertical section of the same, and Figure 7 is a plan
thereof; Figures 8 and 9 are respectively a front elevation and vertical
section of a combined "indicator" and "reply" instrument constructed
according to my Invention.
Figure 10 (Sheet 2) of my Drawings represents a front clevation of
the "communicator" and pedestal intended for a steering telegraph;
Figure 11 is a side view thereof; Figure 12 is an external front elevation
of an "indicator" specially designed for use as a steering telegraph.
Figure 13 is a plan of a vessel shewing the disposition or arrangement
of mechanical signals therein, the blue lines shewing the communication
between the "communicator" on the bridge and the indicator at the
wheel, whilst the red lines shew the connection of the reply from the
rudder back to the bridge.
In Figures 1, 2, and 3, A represents the semicircular brass head or
casing of the communicator with the orders or signals painted on glass
plates a, a, inserted into grooved holders in the brass head, casing, or.
lever beneath openings made round the surface or periphery thereof in

page_text: addition to the usual orders in the front or face, as shewn in the
Drawings, whereby they are more easily seen.
These glass plates are illuminated by the usual lamp B from the back
of the instrument which is mounted on the stand or pedestal C. D is
the actuating lever handle situate in front of the instrument as and for
the purpose herein-before stated; 6 is the pointer or indicator attached to
the back of the handle and projecting over the surface of the brass head.
A separate pointer c indicates on the transparent front glass plate & the
signals or orders which have been received and acted upon. The handle
D is fast on the front end of the spindle E, which turns in suitable
bearings inside the brass head or casing A. This spindle has keyed or
otherwise secured thereon a chain pulley F, round which passes an
endless chain, wire, or cord leading to and actuating the "indicator"
situate in the engine room or other part of the ship, as herein-after
more fully explained. G is a second chain pulley mounted loose on the
spindle and having a long boss e which carries the before-mentioned
indicator or pointer c. An endless chain, wire, or cord leading from
the "reply" instrument, as herein-after more fully explained, passes
round the loose pulley G and serves to move the indicator or pointer c
to the particular order in the face plate d, which has been duly received
and carried out. f is a strong plate glass front secured to the head A
for protecting the pointer c and opal glass d containing the signals or
orders from external injury.
The "indicator shewn at Figure 4, which is placed in the engine room
or other locality, may be of the usual construction, and need not there-
fore be further described; I prefer, however, to make it separate and
distinct from the " reply" instrument. This instrument, shown at
Figures 5, 6, and 7, is arranged and constructed internally in the usual
manner, but has the various orders and signals painted on transparent
glass plates, which are inserted into grooved holders under apertures
formed round the curved head A of the instrument, as shewn at a, a, in
lieu of being painted on a transparent plate situate in the front of the
same as heretofore. The handle D', moreover, is provided with an
indicator 6¹ projecting from the back so as to pass in succession over the
several orders and signals let into the curved surface of the head or
casing. The indicator (Figure 4) and the reply instrument (Figures 5,
6, and 7) thus constitute separate and independent instruments in lieu
of being combined in one. An endless chain passes from the fixed

page_text: D. Caronty & improvements
Apparatus for Transmuting signals.
pulley Fin the " communicator" round a corresponding pulley fast on the
axis of the pointer c² of the indicator (Figure 4) whilst another chain
passes from the pulley G¹ on the axis of the handle D¹ of the reply
instrument Figures 5, 6, and 7 back to the loose pulley G in the
communicator.
"
In Figures 8 and 9 I have represented the "indicator" and "reply"
instrument combined in one. In general construction and arrangement
it resembles the "communicator " already described but it is arranged for
attachment to any convenient support overhead by the lugs g, g. The
reply handle D" is consequently caused to project downwards in lieu of
upwards, and the orders or signals are disposed round the under curved
surface of the casing A, as shewn at a, a, so as to be readily visible
from below. A pointer is fitted to the front of the handle .D¹¹ so as
to travel over the several orders or signals in succession. The handle
D" is attached to the boss of the lose wheel G¹, from which a chain /
passes round the wheel G in the communicator, whilst the pointer c¹¹ of
the indicating part of the combined instrument is attached to the spindle
E', which has also fixed thereon the grooved pulley F¹, round which a
chain i passes to the wheel F in the communicator.
When the before-described communicator, shewn in general external
front elevation and side view in Figures 10 and 11 on Sheet 2, is
employed as a steering telegraph, the chain, wire, or cord shewn by blue
lincs in Figure 13 from the fast pulley passes in the usual way to tho
pulley of the ordinary indicator Figure 12 placed near the person
steering, whilst the reply chain is attached at its two ends to travelling
nuts working along a right and left screw spindle mounted horizontally
or cross wise upon the rudder head. This chain, shewn by the red lines
in Figure 13, passes over the before-mentioned loose pulley in the
communicator, and thus the exact position of the rudder is constantly
shown on the front face of that instrument. The object of the travelling
nuts and right and left screw spindle is to enable the amount of move-
ment of the chain to be adjusted so as to bring the pointer in the front
face of the "communicator "exactly over the different divisions on the
front plate which correspond o tthe positions of the rudder, as by bringing
the nuts nearer to the rudder head by suitably turning the screw spindle
the length of lever is diminished and the movement of the chain reduced
in proportion, and vice versa.

page_text: In all the instruments the orders or signals are illuminated by the
usual lamp B placed at the back or other convenient part of the
apparatus.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion, that what I consider
to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
"
First. Disposing the various orders or signals in the "communicator'
employed in telegraphs for engine rooms and other places upon the
upper surface of the head or casing of such instrument in combination
with the usual orders or signals in the front thereof, substantially as
herein-before described and illustrated by my Drawings.
Second. The placing the actuating handle of the "communicator"
and reply instruments in front of such instruments, the said handlo
having a pointer attached to the back thereof when used in combination
with orders or signals disposed on the surface of the casing of the
instrument, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before described.
Third. Disposing the various orders or signals in the "reply" instru-
ments employed in telegraphs for engine rooms or other places upon
the upper or under surface of the casing thereof in lieu of in front,
substantially as hercin-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sir Samuel Canning, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, the Tenth day of July
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.