Improvements in Indicators or Signals for Use with Steam Engines, specially applicable for Use on Steamships.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 3rd Mar.,
1894
Improvements in Indicators or Signals for Use with Steam Engines,
specially applicable for Use on Steamships.
We, EDWIN OLIN QUIGLEY, of 6 Wall Street, New York City, United States
of America, Banker, and GEORGE WILBUR QUIGLEY, of 12 South Delaware
Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America, Clerk, 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:—
This invention relates to certain improvements in indicating systems and more
particularly to improved indicating or annunciator systems for steamships.
The object of the invention is to provide an improved system, whereby the
reversal, stoppage or forward movement of the engine is automatically indicated
at a desired point on the vessel.
The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in combina-
tions of parts more fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the
claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view showing part of a marine engine and
present invention applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the indicator or annunciator.
the
Figure 3 is a similar view to that of Figure 2, showing other portions of the
annunciator in section and in elevation, respectively.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the annunciator taken in a plane at right
angles to the planes of the sections of Figures 2 and 3.
Considerable difficulty is sometimes experienced in managing or piloting steam
vessels when the captain or pilot gives orders to the engineer in rapid succession,
and does not know whether his previous order has been obeyed in giving the next
order, or when he does not remember his previous order. This invention is
intended to automatically indicate in the pilot house (or elsewhere if desired)
every start, reversal or stoppage of the engine, and at the same time indicate such
action by an audible alarm so that the pilots orders will be answered and that
without imposing any extra action or attention on the part of the engineer.
In Figure 1 any ordinary engine is shown such as a marine engine.
a, indicates the throttle lever.
b, indicates the reversing mechanism including the links c.
d, indicates the condenser of the engine.
e, indicates the pump of the engine.
"
<
"
, indicates a suitable annunciator or indicator located where desired in some
portion of the ship preferably in the pilot house. The face of this annunciator is
""Back
provided with certain characters or words to indicate "Ahead Stop
or "Astern." These words are located on the face of the annunciator.
This annunciator is so constructed as to be operated by differences in pressurè,
as hereinafter more fully described, and this invention is not limited to any particular
peculiar construction of annunciator, although a specific construction is berein
shown and claimed.
The connecting tube extends from the operating mechanism of the annunciator
to the engine, and within its length is provided with a three way cock h, one duct
thereof opening to the outer atmosphere through pipe i, the pipe g, opening into
another duct thereof, and the third duct thereof connected by pipe j, to one duct
of a second three way cock k, having one duct connected by a tube l, to the air

page_text: chamber of pump e, or some other source of pressure, as a steam pipe shown by
dotted lines. The remaining duct of the cock k, is connected by tube m, to the
condenser d, wherein there is normally a partial vacuum or less than atmospheric
pressure.
communication.
The three way cock h, controlling the outlet to the atmosphere has its valve
stem operating arm n, connected by a link o, to the throttle lever a, so that when
said lever is in its normal position and the engine is working the outlet to the
atmosphere through the tube i, will be closed and the tubes y and j, will be in
When the throttle lever is moved to stop the engine the valve
of the cock h, is turned to close communication between tubes g, and j, and the
tube g. is opened to the outer atmosphere, thereby permitting the parts of the
annunciator in the pilot house to assume their normal positions with the finger or
indicating finger thereof over" Stop."
The operating arm of the three way cock k, is connected by a link q, to one of
the links c, of the reversing mechanism of the engine so that when said link is in
the "Go Ahead" position, the three way cock will close communication through
tube 1, to the air chamber of the pump, but will place the tube j, in communication
with the tube m, and the condenser and the reduced pressure will permit the
springs to force the operating parts of the annunciator so that the fingers thereof
will indicate "Ahead." When the engine is reversed and the link c, moved to
its opposite position the valve of the cock k, will be shifted to close tube m, and
place tubes j, and 7, in communication and the high pressure in the pump forces the
parts of the annunciator to move the finger back to "Astern."
From the foregoing description and the drawings it will be readily understood
that when the person directing the movements of the vessel sounds an order to the
engineer, as soon as this order is obeyed it will be indicated in the pilot house or
elsewhere, and the person in charge knows when his orders are obeyed and whether
the engines are working or not and in which direction, and furthermore all
indications are made without any extra action or thought on the part of the engineer,
but entirely automatically by the action of the engine or parts in stopping, starting,
or reversing.
While specific constructions are here described for carrying out this invention,
such as three way cocks and peculiar connections for operating them, yet we do
not wish to limit ourselves to these exact constructions and arrangements as they
are merely here specifically described herein merely as the preferred way of carrying
out our invention.
We do not wish to limit ourselves to the employment of any particular
construction of annunciator in connection with this system, but in Figures 2, 3,
and 4, we illustrate the form of annunciator we prefer to use. In these figures
2, indicates a case provided with the face over which the indicating finger 3, travels,
and which is provided with the characters indicating "Astern "
Stop'
"Ahead." The shaft carrying this indicating finger is provided with a pinion 4,
rigid thereon. The shaft 5, is also provided with the two discs 6 6' rigid thereon
within the case preferably located on opposite sides of the gear +.
"
and
7, indicates a cylinder extending down from said case and rigidly secured at
its upper end thereto. The tube g, opens into the lower end of this cylinder.
8 indicates a piston in said cylinder having its piston rod 9, extended upwardly
and at its upper end provided with the rigid loop 10, surrounding the gear 4, and
provided with vertical gearing 11, on one side thereof engaging and meshing
with said gear. The piston rod 9, is provided with lateral lugs or projections 12,
projecting out through longitudinal slots in the cylinder 7, above the piston
therein and located between the inner ends of two springs 13, 13, embracing the
periphery of said cylinder and at their outer ends bearing against stops on the
cylinder so that if said piston is moved up or down it will act against the upper or
the lower spring.
14, indicates a gong mounted above the case.. 15, 16, indicate two clappers
suitably pivoted beneath the gong so as to move independently. These clappers

page_text: "C
are located on opposite sides of the gong and the clapper 15, is provided with a
toe 17, extending down beside the disc 6, while the clapper 16 is provided with
a toe 18, extending down beside the disc 6'. The two clappers are also provided
respectively with springs 19, holding them in their normal positions. The disc 6,
is provided with the spring pawls, 20, 21, 22, arranged on the side thereof, and
preferably pointing in the direction the disc turns when the finger is moving to
* Astern."
These discs are in the drawings shown so arranged that when the
finger is over Stop" the toe 17 will be located between the pawls 20 and 21:
Hence if the person in the pilot house rings two bells to start the engine back,.
the tube will be thrown into communication with the source of pressure and the
piston. 8 will be forced up against the tension of the upper spring 13, moving the
loop 10, up and by means of the gearing 4, 11, and shaft 5, rotating the indicating
finger around to the word "Astern." As the shaft 5 rotates the two pawls 21
and 22 will in succession trip the toe 17, and thereby sound the gong twice in the
pilot bouse in answer to the pilots order to the engineer. If the order "Stop"
should now be given by say one bell from the pilot to the engineer, the tube y,.
will be opened to the atmosphere when the engineer obeys the order thereby
permitting the piston 8, and spring 13, and other parts of the annunciator to return
to their normal positions with the finger on the word "Stop." In moving back
the pawl 23 on the side of the disc 6¹ will engage the toe 18, and sound the
gong 14, once in answer to the pilots order. The construction and arrangement
of these pawls and parts operated thereby is such that every order of the pilot to
the engineer will be answered in the pilot house by the same number of bells, when
the engineer obeys the order.
It is evident that various changes might be resorted to in the forms, constructions.
and arrangements of the parts described without departing from the spirit and
scope of our invention, hence we do not wish to limit ourselves to the construction
herein disclosed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. An indicating system for steam vessels comprising a pressure annunciator, a
duct therefrom having branches, respectively, to the atmosphere, to a source of
pressure, and to a chamber wherein the pressure is less than that of the atmosphere,
means substantially as described controlling said branches whereby said duct can
be successively thrown into communication with the outer atmosphere, said source
of pressure, or said chamber, substantially as described.
2. An indicating system for steam vessels comprising a pressure operated
annunciator, a connection therefrom having branches, respectively communicating
with the atmosphere, a chamber or portion of the engine wherein there is excessive
pressure, a chamber wherein the pressure is less than that of the atmosphere, and
valves controlling said branches and connected with and operated by movable
portions or parts of the engine, as and for the purposes set forth.
3. An indicating system comprising an annunciator or indicator, a tube from the
operating parts thereof having branches to bodies of fluid under different pressure
valves controlling said branches so that the branches can be successively thrown
into continuity with the main tube, and connections between said valves, respectively,
and the mechanism controlling the stopping and starting of an engine, and the
reversing mechanism of the engine, substantially as described.
4. An indicating system comprising a pressure operated, annunciator, a connection,
such as a tube, therefrom having branches connected respectively with bodies of
fluid under different pressure, valves controlling said branches, a connection from
the throttle lever to operate one of said valves, and a connection from the other
valve to the reversing mechanism of the engine, substantially as described.
5. In an indicating system, the combination of an annunciator, a tube therefrom
connected with sources of alternating pressure and having a connection to the

page_text: outer atmosphere, a valve controlling said connection, to the outer atmosphere, a
steam engine having a throttle lever and connections from said lever to said valve
for closing and opening said tube to the outer air as said lever is moved to start or
stop the engine, substantially as described.
6. In an indicating system, the combination with an annunciator, of a tube from
the operating parts thereof, connected with sources of different pressure, a valve
arranged to alternately connect said tube with said sources of different pressure,
the reversing mechanism of an engine, and connections between said reversing
mechanism and said valve to operate the valve as and for the purposes substantially
as described.
7. In an indicating system, the combination of a pressure operated annunciator
of a steam engine, a tube from said annunciator having an opening to the outer
atmosphere, a valve controlling said opening and connected with and operated by
the throttle lever of the engine, said tube having branches connected with a pump
cylinder or chamber, and with a condenser chamber, respectively, a valve
controlling said branches, and connections from the reversing mechanism of the
engine to said last mentioned valve for operating the same, substantially as
described.
s
8. In an indicating system, the combination of an annunciator operated by
differences in pressure, connections for placing the operating mechanism of the
annunciator into communication with sources of different pressure, and mechanisms
controlled by operating parts of a steam engine for successively placing said
annunciator in communication with said sources of different pressure when the
direction of the movement of the engine is changed or the engine is stopped or
started, substantially as described.
9. In an annunciator, a spring controlled piston in a cylinder, an indicating
finger moving over a face and geared to and operated by the piston rod or steam of
said piston, and an audible alarm mechanism operated by the movement of said
piston rod, substantially as described.
10: An annunciator comprising the cylinder, the case thereon having the face, a
shaft in the case having the finger moving over the face and provided with a gear,
a spring controlled piston in said cylinder having the loop embracing said gear,
and provided with gearing meshing with the same, substantially as described.
11. An annunciator having the spring controlled piston, the shaft carrying the
indicating finger and geared to and rotated by the reciprocation of said piston, the
gong, the separate spring controlled clappers, and the discs on said shaft having
pawls to engage said clappers, substantially as described.
12. The herein described. indicating system.