US1216678A - Bilge-water alarm. - Google Patents

Description

c. R. FORD. BILGE WATER ALARM.

APPLlCAIlON FILED SEPT-22, I915- Patented Feb. 20-,

. UNITED STATES PATEISTT OFFICE.

CHARLES R. FORD, 0F PADUCAH, KE SITUCKY.

BILGE-WATER ALARM.

Paducah, in the county of McCracken and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Bllge- WaterAlai-ms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for indieating the depth of water in the hold of a vessel and to sound an alarm when the water reaches a predetermined height.

The object of the invention is to provide a device which will be simple in construction, composed of very few parts, and efficient in operation to sound an alarm and indicate inwhatpart of the vessel the high water is located.

The stated object and other incidental objects of the invention are attained in an apparatus of the type disclosed inthe accompanying drawings, and the invention resides 1n certain novel features which will first be fully described and then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In thedrawings:

Figure 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of my improved apparatus, the said figure being somewhat diagrammatic in its nature;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail vertical sec tional view of the movable indicator member.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a hollow standard or tubular post 1 which is secured in a bracket or base plate 2 rigidly secured upon the deck of the vessel. This post or standard may be opened or closed at its upper end, asmay be preferred, and is constructed with a longitudinal slot 3 through which the indicator finger may play. Along one. side of said slot, I provide a series of graduations 4 which will indicate the height of the water in the hull at any time. The post or hollow standard is preferably threaded into the base plate or bracket 2, as shown at 5, whereby it may be easily removed when necessary.

Within the post or standard 1 is slidably mounted a bar or rod 6 to the lower end er which is secured, in any desired manner,".a float 7 which is preferably a hollow body l having a wide base 8 so as to present an extended surface to the actlon of the water.

In order that this float or air chamber may be protected :trom inj ury by contact wlth Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 22, 1915. Serial 1 lo. 51,966.

any objects W 11011 may happen to befioating in the water, I secure to the frame of the vessel or to th e lowest deck or flooring thereof a cage 9 wiich may be of any foraminous or erforatec construction and which will pre erably be constructed of stout wire net'- ting in order that the water'may circulate freely theretl rough. The top of the cage is open, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, so as to ofier no obstruction to the free ri se and fall of the float and the rod or bar '6 carrying the same. I1 the base plate or bracket 2 and in the deck 10 0f the vessel, I form registering openings or passages 11 through which may pass a lifting rod or wire 1.? which has its lower end attached to the float 7, as shown at 13, so that the float and the bar 6 may be raised and lowered at will to test the operativeness' of the apparatus. Secured around the post or standard 1, near or at the up er end thereof, is a collar 14 which is iIlSL' lated from the post by a band 15 of vulcanile or other insulating material. At an convenient point in this'collar 14, I provi e a birding post 16 to which an electric conductcr 17 is attached. In the masters cabin or at some other point of the vessel, -Where it may be very readily observed, I pr )vide a signal board 18 upon which is mounted a bell or similar alarm 19 and a plural .ty of lamps 20.- Any number of these lamps may be provided and in the present insta uce I have illustrated four, the said lamps corresponding to the; port and star-board sides of the vessel and to the fore and aft posit ions. The conductor 17 is connected with one terminal 21 of the lamp circuit. A iattery or other source of electrical energy, indcated at 23, is connected by a conductor 24 with the bell 19 and a conductor 25 cornects the hell with the terminal 26 of the lam p. To the upper end of the bar or rod 6, I secure an indicator finger 27 which is ins ilated from the barand from the post by v ulcanite or other material, indicated at 28, and to the said indicator finger, I secure one end of a conductor 29 which leads to the battery 23. It will be readily understood that as many gages will be provided as may be desired andthat each gage will be conne cted with a lamp corresponding to the position of the gage in the vessel, each lamp being in circuit with the hell or other alarm in substantially the manner indicated and ust descrbed. The operation of device will readily understood. As

' cend or descend-and the indicator bar or-.rod

' 6 will cause the finger 27 to play correspondingly past the ga e 4, thereby showing, at all times, the exact eight of the water in the hold. The collar 14 may, of course, be set at any desired point of the post 1 so that an alarm may be sounded at any predetermined height of water in the vessel. .When the water reaches the said predetermined height, the indicator finger 27 will be carried against the collar 14 and ,theelectric circuit will be thereby closed so that the lamp will be ignited and theialarm sounded. A glance at the signal board will show the master or other oilicer in charge the location of the high water and the pumps may be manned accordngly or other action taken to prevent sinking or other damage to the vesscl.

My device is obviously simple in its construction and may be applied to any vessel at a very low cost.

It is to be understood that the apparatus may be provided with a circuit closer at a vors for use as a low-water alarm.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a post, an indicator bar playing in the post, a float carried by said indicator bar, and a lifter secured to the float and extending upywardlytherefrom adjacent the indicator bar.

2. The combination of an indicator post, a collar secured about and insulated from the post and forming a contact member, a float, an indicator bar rising from the float and guided by the post, an indicator finger forming a contact member carried by and in- :sulated from said bar and playingover the post to be carried into contact with the collar on the post, and means for guiding the finger in a rectilinear path.

In testimony whereof-I aflix my signature.

CHARLES R. FORD. 11. 5.

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