GB2131655A - Radio rescue beacon - Google Patents

Radio rescue beacon Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2131655A
GB2131655A GB08235128A GB8235128A GB2131655A GB 2131655 A GB2131655 A GB 2131655A GB 08235128 A GB08235128 A GB 08235128A GB 8235128 A GB8235128 A GB 8235128A GB 2131655 A GB2131655 A GB 2131655A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
ofthe
casing
ring
beacon
reed switch
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB08235128A
Inventor
Roy Denison
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LOCAT DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Original Assignee
LOCAT DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by LOCAT DEVELOPMENTS Ltd filed Critical LOCAT DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Priority to GB08235128A priority Critical patent/GB2131655A/en
Publication of GB2131655A publication Critical patent/GB2131655A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
    • G01S1/00—Beacons or beacon systems transmitting signals having a characteristic or characteristics capable of being detected by non-directional receivers and defining directions, positions, or position lines fixed relatively to the beacon transmitters; Receivers co-operating therewith
    • G01S1/02—Beacons or beacon systems transmitting signals having a characteristic or characteristics capable of being detected by non-directional receivers and defining directions, positions, or position lines fixed relatively to the beacon transmitters; Receivers co-operating therewith using radio waves
    • G01S1/68—Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
  • Remote Sensing (AREA)
  • Transmitters (AREA)

Abstract

The beacon comprises a reed switch (13) incorporated in the circuit of the radio beacon so that when the switch is in one condition the beacon is operative; the reed switch (13) being incorporated in the circuit so that it lies in the interior of the casing and adjacent the interior surface thereof; and a ring (23) carrying a magnet (27) and mounted on the exterior of the casing at the location of the reed switch so as to be rotatable on the casing whereby, on rotation of the ring, the magnet can be moved from a position in which it does not cause operation of the reed switch to said one condition, to a position in which it operates the reed switch to said one condition. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFiCATION Radio rescue beacon The present invention relates to a radio rescue beacon ofthe kind which is intended to float in water.
In recent years to assist in rescuing ships' personnel in distress, it has becomethe practiceto provide radio beacons which are capable of floating in watersothat, after a ship has been abandoned,the beacon will provide a signal indicating the position ofthe ship or ofthe position atwhichtheship sank it has become increasinglythetrendto reduce the overall size ofthe radio beacon even to the extent of providing a radio beacon for use by individuals. it follows from the circumstances oftheir use, that the beacons must be water-tight, butthis gives rise to the problem ofhowthe beacons areto be actuatedfrom the exterioroftheir casings wh en the need arises.
Acommon method of achieving this end, isto usea magnetically operated reed switch, that isto say, a magnet is displaceably mounted on the exteriorofthe casing of the beacon and,when the beacon isto be actuated,the magnet is displaced to a position in which it operates the reed switch located in the casing ofthe beacon. However, the existing arrangements of this kind are notentirelysatisfactory. Forinstance, one arrangementcomprisesablind bore in the casing of the beacon into which is inserted a magnetic pin; the pin being withdrawn when the beacon isto be actuated.Since a beacon may be used morethan once, itis necessaryto fasten the pin to the exterior of the sing-Le. bya chain or similar el em ent This gives risers the possibility of inadvertant operation of the beacon if the chain should accidentally be pulled on and, sincethe beacons concerned are operated by battery, this could lead to discharge ofthe battery thereby rendering the beacon useless.
In anotherarrangementthefluxfrom a small magnet is induced to pass through a metal strip which is attached to a seal passing round the periphery ofthe casing ofthe beacon (the casing usually being cylindrical). This not only entails removal oftheseal forthe purpose of operating the beacon, it also means thatthe beacon cannot again be used without installing a new seal along with a metal strip.
it is an object of the present invention to provide a radio rescue beacon having a moreefficaciousform of means for actuating We beacon.
There is provided bythe present invention a radio rescue beacon comprising a reed switch incorporated in the circuit ofthe radio beacon so that when the switch is closed, the beacon is operative; the reed switch being incorporated in the circuit so that it lies in the interior of the casing and adjacentthe interior surfacethereof; and a ring carrying a magnetand mounted on the exterior ofthe casing atth e location of the reed switch so asto be rotatable on the casing whereby, on rotation ofthe ring, the magnet can be moved fro a position (hereinafter called the off position), to a position in which it operates the reed switch to closethe switch {hereinafter called the operative position).Any bodily shifting ofibe ring in the direction of the axis of rotation is readily prevented by fixing suitable stops to the exterior ofthe casing of the beacon; andthecasing may provide atthe peripherythereof covered by the ring, indentations, and the ring, a resiliently loaded catch to seat in an indentation so that a catch seats in an indentation in both the off and operative positionsofthe ring,thus permitting the ring readily to be stationed in whichev er ofthe off and operative positions is chosen. As an alternative, the indentations may be provided in the ring atthe inner peripherythereof the catch housed in a suitable recess in the casing.
The reed switch isveryconvenientlyincorporated in the circuit by being mounted on the circuit board itself.
In radio beacons of the kind to which the present invention relates, the circuit board is usually of an elongate rectangularform having a width substantially equal to the internal diameter ofthe casing so that, when the circuit board is inserted into the casing,the lateral edges thereof lie closely adjacentto or in contactwith the interior surface ofthe casing.By mounting the reed switch at a lateral edge ofthe board,the switch is automatically positioned closely adjacentto the interior surface ofthe casing. lithe circuit provides for a test operation ofthe circuit,th e circuit may incorporate a second reed switch which likewise may be operated by means ofthe ring. it follows from the above that any such second reed switch is again conveniently mounted cioselyadja- centthe interiorsurfaceofthecasing by being mounted on the circuit board to lie at the lateral edge thereofoppositeto that at which the first reed sitch is mounted.
The magnet for operating the or each switch preferablytakesthe form of a length of magnetic rod housed in an axial bore in the ring; and it is also preferred to locate the circuit board in the required position within the casing ofthe beacon by providing the beacon with an end end sealing member having therein a diametrical groove to receive an end edge of the circuitboard sothatwhenffie end edge ofthe circuit board is received in the groove, the or each reed switch is necessarily lies in a given position closely adjacent the interiorsurface ofthe casing.
The present invention will now be described, byway of example only, with referencetothe accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a rescue radio beacon according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is an outline of a circuit board employed in the beacon of Fig.1; Fig. 3 is a plan viewofthe beacon of Fig.1; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of a memberemployedinthe beaconof Fig. 1.
The illustrated radio rescue beacon comprises a generally cylindrical casing 1 sealed at each end by end caps 3,5 and housingtherein a circuit board 7 of the form shown in Fig. 2. The circuitofthe radio beacon is printed on the circuit board which, as is evident, is of elongate rectangularform. It has a width which is substantially equal to the internal diameter of the cylindrical casing and is mounted therein so that one end 9 ofthe circuit board bears against the end cap 3when the circuit board is in place within the casing. Forthe purpose of locating the circuit board on a given diameter of the casing, the end cap 3 contains a diametrical slot 11 into which the edge of end 9 of the board is received.In this instance, the circuit board incorporates two reed switches 13, 15 disposed atthe opposite lateral edges ofthe board at substantially the same position along the length thereof and on the same face ofthe circuit board. As a result, each reed switch lies closely adjacent the interior surface ofthe casing 1 of the beacon. When so positioned, the arc through which a magnet would need to be moved on the exterior of the casing to move from a position in which it operates one reed switch to a position in which it operates the other reed switch is a little less than 90 . Atthese positions, the exterior ofthe casing bears marks 17, 19, respectively.The circuit, in this instance, incorporates a test facility and one of the reed switches, in this instance, assumes to be reed switch 15, is provided for actuation of thins facility whereas the other reed switch 13 is provided for actuating the beacon for operation. Accordingly, the exterior ofthe casing at the location of mark 17 bears the word "on" and atthe location of mark 19, the word "test". The casing also bears a further mark 21 located mid-way between the marks 17 and 19 and the casing atthe location ofthis mark bears the word "off". These marks, as the device is viewed in Fig. 1, lie just above the location on the interior of the casing of the reed switches 13, 15 and at this location, a ring 23 is mounted on the exterior ofthe casing so as to be rotatable thereon.The ring bears an axial bore 25 in which is housed a magnet 27 in theform of a short length of metal rod. The portion ofthe periphery of the exterior of the casing covered by the ring 23 bears three indentations (not shown) angularly displaced from one another as are the marks 17, 19 and 21, and the ring 23 at its inner periphery thereof comprises a resiliently loaded catch, generally indicated at 29, in the form of a ballbearing 31 resiliently loaded by means of a spring 33 housed in a recess 35 entering into the ring radiallyfromtheinnerperipherythereof.
The indentations are disposed in a single diametrical plane and so that, when the ring 23 is orientated with the magnet thereof in a position to operate reed switch 13, the ball 31 seats in a first of the indentations, when the ring is orientated with the magnet positioned to operate the other reed switch 15, the bore 31 seats in the next-but-one-i.e.thethird, ofthe identationsand when the ring is orientated with the magnet lying mid-way between the respective positions in which it operates reed switches 13, 15, the bore 31 seats in the second ofthe indentations. The ring is therefore positively stationed at each ofthe "on", "off" and "test" positions.
The ring is mounted between two annular collars 37, 39, each oftriangularform in section, welded to the exterior of the casing. in assembly, one ring,-e.g. ring 39, is first welded to the exterior of the casing, the ring 23 with its magnet and ball catch then mounted on the exterior ofthe casing and then the second collar 37 welded in position on the exterior of the casing to that the ringcan rotate betweenthetwo collars but is prevented from shifting in the axial direction ofthe ring.
To permitthe orientation ofthe ring readily to be established, the ring itself bears a reference mark 41 and the collar 37 bears marks, 43,45,47 respectively indicating the "on", the "off" and the "test" positions, By making the ring and the collars of suitable material, they not only serve as a switch-operating mechanism, they also constitute a bouyancy member to keep the beacon rightside up in the water.
It is believed that it will be evident from the above that the illustrated embodiment provides a very simple, conveniently operated but nevertheless effective means of operating the reed switches ofthe beacon.
CLAIMS (filed on 24/10/83) 1. A radio rescue beacon comprising a reed switch incorporated in the circuit ofthe radio beacon so that when the switch is in one condition, the beacon is operative; the reed switch being incorporated in the circuit so that it lies in the interior of the casing and adjacent the interior surface thereof; and a ring carrying a magnet and mounted on the exterior ofthe casing at the location of the reed switch so as to be rotatable on the casing whereby, on rotation ofthe ring, the magnet can be moved from a position in which it does not cause operation ofthe reed switch to said one condition (hereinafter called the off position), to a position (hereinafter called the operative position) in which it operates the reed switch to said one condition.
2. A beacon according to Claim 1, wherein stops are fixed to the exterior of the casing in order to prevent any bodily shifting ofthe ring in the direction ofthe axis of rotation.
3. A beacon according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the casing provides at the periphery thereof covered by the ring, indentations, and the ring, a resiliently loaded catch to seat in an indentation so that a catch seats in an indentation in both the off and operative positions ofthe ring,thus permitting the ring readily to be stationed in whicheverofthe offand operative positions is chosen.
4. A modification of the beacon of Claim 3, wherein the indentations are provided in the ring at the inner periphery thereof and the catch is housed in a recess in the casing.
5. A beacon according to any ofthe preceding Claims, wherein the reed switch is incorporated in the circuit by being mounted on the circuit board itself.
6. A beacon according to Claim 5, wherein the circuit board is of an elongate rectangularform having a width substantially equal to the internal diameter of the casing so that, when the circuit board is inserted intothecasing,thelateral edges thereof lie closely adjacentto or in contact with the interior su rface of the casing.
7. A beacon according to Claim 5 or 6, wherein the switch is mounted at a lateral edge of the board so that the switch is automatically positioned closely adjacent to the interior surface ofthe casing, when the circuit board is inserted therein.
8. A beacon according to any ofthe preceding Claims, wherein, the circuit provides for a test operation of the circuit by incorporating a second reed
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (12)

  1. **WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.
    the cylindrical casing and is mounted therein so that one end 9 ofthe circuit board bears against the end cap 3when the circuit board is in place within the casing. Forthe purpose of locating the circuit board on a given diameter of the casing, the end cap 3 contains a diametrical slot 11 into which the edge of end 9 of the board is received. In this instance, the circuit board incorporates two reed switches 13, 15 disposed atthe opposite lateral edges ofthe board at substantially the same position along the length thereof and on the same face ofthe circuit board. As a result, each reed switch lies closely adjacent the interior surface ofthe casing 1 of the beacon.When so positioned, the arc through which a magnet would need to be moved on the exterior of the casing to move from a position in which it operates one reed switch to a position in which it operates the other reed switch is a little less than 90 . Atthese positions, the exterior ofthe casing bears marks 17, 19, respectively. The circuit, in this instance, incorporates a test facility and one of the reed switches, in this instance, assumes to be reed switch 15, is provided for actuation of thins facility whereas the other reed switch 13 is provided for actuating the beacon for operation. Accordingly, the exterior ofthe casing at the location of mark 17 bears the word "on" and atthe location of mark 19, the word "test".The casing also bears a further mark 21 located mid-way between the marks 17 and 19 and the casing atthe location ofthis mark bears the word "off". These marks, as the device is viewed in Fig. 1, lie just above the location on the interior of the casing of the reed switches 13, 15 and at this location, a ring 23 is mounted on the exterior ofthe casing so as to be rotatable thereon. The ring bears an axial bore 25 in which is housed a magnet 27 in theform of a short length of metal rod.The portion ofthe periphery of the exterior of the casing covered by the ring 23 bears three indentations (not shown) angularly displaced from one another as are the marks 17, 19 and 21, and the ring 23 at its inner periphery thereof comprises a resiliently loaded catch, generally indicated at 29, in the form of a ballbearing 31 resiliently loaded by means of a spring 33 housed in a recess 35 entering into the ring radiallyfromtheinnerperipherythereof.
    The indentations are disposed in a single diametrical plane and so that, when the ring 23 is orientated with the magnet thereof in a position to operate reed switch 13, the ball 31 seats in a first of the indentations, when the ring is orientated with the magnet positioned to operate the other reed switch 15, the bore 31 seats in the next-but-one-i.e.thethird, ofthe identationsand when the ring is orientated with the magnet lying mid-way between the respective positions in which it operates reed switches 13, 15, the bore 31 seats in the second ofthe indentations. The ring is therefore positively stationed at each ofthe "on", "off" and "test" positions.
    The ring is mounted between two annular collars 37, 39, each oftriangularform in section, welded to the exterior of the casing. in assembly, one ring,-e.g. ring 39, is first welded to the exterior of the casing, the ring
    23 with its magnet and ball catch then mounted on the exterior ofthe casing and then the second collar 37 welded in position on the exterior of the casing to that the ringcan rotate betweenthetwo collars but is prevented from shifting in the axial direction ofthe ring.
    To permitthe orientation ofthe ring readily to be established, the ring itself bears a reference mark 41 and the collar 37 bears marks, 43,45,47 respectively indicating the "on", the "off" and the "test" positions, By making the ring and the collars of suitable material, they not only serve as a switch-operating mechanism, they also constitute a bouyancy member to keep the beacon rightside up in the water.
    It is believed that it will be evident from the above that the illustrated embodiment provides a very simple, conveniently operated but nevertheless effective means of operating the reed switches ofthe beacon.
    CLAIMS (filed on 24/10/83) 1. A radio rescue beacon comprising a reed switch incorporated in the circuit ofthe radio beacon so that when the switch is in one condition, the beacon is operative; the reed switch being incorporated in the circuit so that it lies in the interior of the casing and adjacent the interior surface thereof; and a ring carrying a magnet and mounted on the exterior ofthe casing at the location of the reed switch so as to be rotatable on the casing whereby, on rotation ofthe ring, the magnet can be moved from a position in which it does not cause operation ofthe reed switch to said one condition (hereinafter called the off position), to a position (hereinafter called the operative position) in which it operates the reed switch to said one condition.
  2. 2. A beacon according to Claim 1, wherein stops are fixed to the exterior of the casing in order to prevent any bodily shifting ofthe ring in the direction ofthe axis of rotation.
  3. 3. A beacon according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the casing provides at the periphery thereof covered by the ring, indentations, and the ring, a resiliently loaded catch to seat in an indentation so that a catch seats in an indentation in both the off and operative positions ofthe ring,thus permitting the ring readily to be stationed in whicheverofthe offand operative positions is chosen.
  4. 4. A modification of the beacon of Claim 3, wherein the indentations are provided in the ring at the inner periphery thereof and the catch is housed in a recess in the casing.
  5. 5. A beacon according to any ofthe preceding Claims, wherein the reed switch is incorporated in the circuit by being mounted on the circuit board itself.
  6. 6. A beacon according to Claim 5, wherein the circuit board is of an elongate rectangularform having a width substantially equal to the internal diameter of the casing so that, when the circuit board is inserted intothecasing,thelateral edges thereof lie closely adjacentto or in contact with the interior su rface of the casing.
  7. 7. A beacon according to Claim 5 or 6, wherein the switch is mounted at a lateral edge of the board so that the switch is automatically positioned closely adjacent to the interior surface ofthe casing, when the circuit board is inserted therein.
  8. 8. A beacon according to any ofthe preceding Claims, wherein, the circuit provides for a test operation of the circuit by incorporating a second reed
    switch also operated by means ofthe ring.
  9. 9. A beacon according to Claims 6 or7 and Claim 8, wherein the second reed switch is again mounted closely adjacent the interior surface ofthe casing by being mounted on the circuit board to lie at the lateral edge thereof opposite to that at which the first reed switch is mounted.
  10. 10. A beacon according to any ofthe preceding Claims, wherein the magnetfor operating the or each reed switch takes the form of a length of magnetic rod housed in an axial bore in the ring.
  11. 11. A beacon according to any ofthe preceding Claims, wherein the circuit board is located in the required positions within the casing ofthe beacon by providing the beacon with an end sealing member having therein a diametrical groove to receive an end edge ofthe circuit board so thatwhen the end edge of the circuit board is received in the groove, the or each reed switch is necessarily lies in a given position closely.
    adjacent the interior surface of the casing.
  12. 12. A radio rescue beacon substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
GB08235128A 1982-12-09 1982-12-09 Radio rescue beacon Withdrawn GB2131655A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08235128A GB2131655A (en) 1982-12-09 1982-12-09 Radio rescue beacon

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08235128A GB2131655A (en) 1982-12-09 1982-12-09 Radio rescue beacon

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB2131655A true GB2131655A (en) 1984-06-20

Family

ID=10534847

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB08235128A Withdrawn GB2131655A (en) 1982-12-09 1982-12-09 Radio rescue beacon

Country Status (1)

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GB (1) GB2131655A (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0268420A2 (en) * 1986-11-18 1988-05-25 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Marker for detecting buried object
EP0404280A1 (en) * 1987-09-08 1990-12-27 Susumu Sakuma System and method for determining the position of a person or other body
GB2241852A (en) * 1990-03-05 1991-09-11 Motorola Inc A portable radio having a magnetically actuated emergency switch

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0268420A2 (en) * 1986-11-18 1988-05-25 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Marker for detecting buried object
EP0268420A3 (en) * 1986-11-18 1989-01-18 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Marker for detecting buried object
EP0404280A1 (en) * 1987-09-08 1990-12-27 Susumu Sakuma System and method for determining the position of a person or other body
GB2241852A (en) * 1990-03-05 1991-09-11 Motorola Inc A portable radio having a magnetically actuated emergency switch

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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)