US2281986A - Marine sky beam signaling device - Google Patents

Description

May 5, 1942.

B. A. NOLAN MARINE SKY BEAM SIGNALING DEVICE Filed Oct. 7, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 26 5 477mm? y y 5, 4 B. A. NOLAN 2,281,986

MARINE SKY BEAM SIGNALING DEVICE Filed Oct. 7, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /WVf/VTO? 56 mm. A a/m7 x713 Array/var Patented May 5, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MARINE SKY BEAM SIGNALING DEVICE Benjamin A. Nolan, Stillwater, Minn.

Application October 7, 1939, Serial No. 298,476

6 Claims.

My invention relates to new and novel marine life saving means and more particularly to a floating self-signaling means as a position 10- cator of the point of a sea disaster.

My invention further resides in a simple manufacture, as a floating signal means, which sends an illuminated beam skyward at the locational point of a disaster.

My invention further resides in a simple marine sky beam signaling device which provides a water tight, air sealed compartment for the carrying of disaster records or the ship's log, passenger list or all combined.

My invention further resides in a simple marine sky beam signaling device which can be manually operated and controlled or which automatically when immersed, starts a beam signal through its self-contained moisture expanding switch.

My invention further resides in the construction which is more specifically described and the novelty of the same herein is furthermore pointed out in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a direct top view of my invention;

Figure 2 is a one-half side View of my invention showing a quarter in section along the lines of 2-2 of Figure 1 and showing a section through the moisture expanding switch;

Figure 3 is a side View of my invention showing the back of the moisture expanding switch;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the moisture expanding switch from the rear;

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the moisture expanding switch from the contact controlling side;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of an alternate method of construction of a moisture expanding switch through which manual contact can be readily made with ease;

Figure 7 is a section taken on the line of l'! of Figure 6 of the alternate moisture expanding switch;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the locking plunger, and,

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the interior tube showing the locking slots for the retention of the locking plunger disc.

In referring to the drawings, A represents a water-tight air-contained float which is provided with a series of screw threading of which I affords a holding and a retaining means for an outer water-tight compartment B for the retention of the ships data, log, history or other notations of disaster.

The container B is spaced apart from the float member A by means of a compressible packing 2 positioned well. above the retaining means for the outer compartment and provides an additional air chamber 3 about the float A. The chamber B is further provided with a removable cover 4 which when made fast atop the chamber B compresses the gaskets 5 and 6 to make the outer chamber B air tight and render the compartment within water-proof.

The chamber A is further provided with side tie straps I made fast to the exterior periphery of the chamber A by holding or fastening means 8 so that the entire unit signaling means may be attached to life savers or bit of wreakage, yet permitting the signaling assembly to submerge its bottom structure below a water line C.

In the direct center of the float there is provided an orifice 9 into which is positioned an electric dry cell beam light D permitting its lens L to point skyward. The beam light D is provided with the usual reflector E and electric light F with its cooperating electric socket G and likewise with the usual dry cells H whose electric current is enclosed within the compartment of the beam light D.

The beam light D is held positioned by a series of threadings H on the side of the casing containing the batteries and these threadings cooperatewith a holding series of threadings l2 =2 within the orifice 9 and near the base of the The casing of beam light D is provided with a switch holding and supporting band [3 so as to sustain the expanding switch compartment l4 to one side of the beam light casing. The expanding switch compartment I4 is an enclosed compartment packed with a water expanding element l5 and which expands when contacted by moisture admitted through the orifice 16 so as to push moveable the inner contact closure I! out against the switch contact controls.

The moveable inner closure member ll is springly connected to and made fast at the bottom of the expanding switch compartment by a downward extending bracket I 8 held positioned by the holding means l9 so as to seal the compartment to the water expanding materials. The downward extending bracket l8 likewise supports a companion spring member 20 which is spaced apart at its base fastening means l9 by the spacer 2|. The members I1 and 20 being spaced apart by the spacer 2| form a U shaped construction for the saddled rocking contact suspension of the switch contact control S.

The switch contact control S is transversely positioned between two projecting and aligning fingers 23 and 24 protruding from the top of the expanding switch compartment |4 so as to guide and operatively position the switch contact control S and. its saddle supporting element 25 to rest astride the spring member 20.

The switch control S is likewise fitted with a contact point P which when the moisture expanding material within the expanding switch compartment |4 kicks out the spring sustaining inner closure member |1 so as to pushupon the switch contact control S, it will cooperate with the contact point Q positioned upon the peripheral band 25 and hold the same in locked contact. Through an orifice in the casing of the beam light D, an electrical connection X is made inwardly under the band and contact points Q. The electrical connection X entirely insulated from the batteries and within the casing terminates in the electric connection with the socket G for the illumination of the light F through the closed circuit electricity generated by the batteries H within the beam light caseD. I V

The batteries H enclosed within the casing of the beam light D and placed atop each other permits one side of the electric circuits stored energy HI to be transmitted-to the battery housing or casing H3 while the uppermost H is in direct contact with the contact point PI of the electric light F resting in the socket G.

The energy transmitted through the battery casing H3 is insulated from'contact by the batteries peripheral insulator H4 thus sealing any possible shortage of electric energy from within.

The energy to be expended by the batteries is transmitted at the lowest point of the beam light casing D outward through an insulated contact point 21 to the exteriorconductor 28 and then transmitted to the contact connection 29 upon the sustaining band l3 supporting the expanding switch compartment |4 permitting the same to make contact at will.

In the alternate moisture expanding switch, the

I switch holding and supporting band 3 encompasses the cylindricaliexpanding switch tube 30 while the, conductor band 26 is provided with a bracket 250;- which supports the contact point Q operatively functioning the same as previously described.

The cylindrical casing 30 of'the moisture 'expanding switch is provided with a top closure 3| and provided with an opening permitting the plunger 32 to pass through the same and sustaining same in slidable position. The lower portion of the cylindrical casing is equipped with a knurled screw closure. 33 held positioned by threaded connection 34 to the inner wall of the exterior tube 30.

' The plunger 32 is equipped at a predetermined.

point with a rigidly positioned piston 35 which has lock lugs 36 provided upon its sides. cylindrical chamber 30 of the moisture expandingswitch is further provided with an interior cylindrical chamber 31 which at its uppermost ends are provided with lock lug guides 38 and arresting means 39 for the lock lugs. The lower end of the shaft 32 is provided with a threading 40 upon which is made fast a. knurled thumb screw 4|. 1

In the assembling of this unit, a tension spring 42 is provided at the top end of the inner tube 31 to hold compressed the various discs l5 made of moisture expanding material. Both the inner and outer cylindrical chambers housing the moisture expanding materialare perforated with device comprising a buoyant body supporting The pockets would permit free floating of the marine life saving sky beam signaling device upon the complete submersion of the pocket containing said appliance. Should an accident befall a ship and should the ship sink at sea, these marine signaling beam devices, would, because of their air-tight compartments and their automatic releasement from their resting position float upon the waters and the bobbing about of the said marine sky beam signaling device, because of the wave motion, would spasmodically send a light beam Skyward.

In the second case the operation of the assembly would permit manual operation by a pressure upon the knurled head 4| to compress the tension spring 42 causing the plunger 32 to rise upward and contact the point Q which through its bracket 26a and 26 would complete the circuit from the holding band l3 which is the termination of the other side of the circuit and cause a signal beam to any pointed direction.

In the automatic operation, or floating operation of the cylindrical type of moisture expanding switch, the holes 43 expand and the moisture expanding material |5 within theinner casing,

causes the piston 35 to compress the tension spring 42 and raise'the shaft 32 to contact the point Q thus completing the circuit while in the original case the moisture would enter through the orifice |5to expand the moisture expanding element and obtain the same contact results. Should it be desired with the cylindrical type that after a specific length of time to make beam light inactive, the shaft 32 with its rigidly fastened piston 35 may be pulled back againstith'e moisture expanded elements l5 and compress the knurled head 4| and its shaft 32 with its piston 35 may be rotated so that the lugs 36 which normally have slid up and down in guides 38 may be rotated sideways so that the lugs 36 would register and lock in the side guide arresting means 39 and hold piston 35 in compressing locked position thus expelling moisture through the orifice 33.. The same may be unlocked when dry by a slight turn so as to release the lugs 36 from their locking position in 39-and manual operation of the beam light can again proceed.

I claim: 7

1. In a floating marine sky beam signaling batteries, an electric signal lamp held atop said buoyant body, an electric circuit normally held open connecting the batteries and the signal lamp; a switch for said electric circuit comprising a body member adapted to be attachedto the buoyant body, moisture expanding material held within said body member, a yieldable closure member yieldably positioned in said body member, a switch contact point carried upon said yieldable body closure member, said body member being formed with a hole to allow moisture to enter said body member to expand the moisture expanding material so as to press against the yieldable closure member with its switch contact point to close said electric circuit.

means for compressing the expanded material to reset said switch, and means to lock the switch after expulsion of moisture, from the moisture absorbent material.

4. In an electrical device including an electrical circuit and a buoyant element supporting the same, a switch for the electrical circuit comprising a body member adapted to be attached to the buoyant body, said body member having moisture transmission means through which moisture may seep into said body member, moisture expanding material held within said body member, a yieldable element within said body member in cooperable relation with said moisture expanding material to be operated thereby and movable with respect to said body member, a switch contact point carried by said yieldable element, and a cooperable contact point on said body member engageable with said contact on said yieldable element when said yieldable element is moved by expansion of said moisture expanding material.

5. A switch for use in combination with a buoyant body comprising a body member secured to the buoyant body and having moisture transmission means through which moisture may seep into said body member, a yieldable closure thereupon, a moisture expanding material within said body member in cooperable relation to said closure to actuate said closure, a contact point carried by said yieldable closure and movable therewith, and a cooperable contact point in fixed relation to said body member, said moisture expanding material operating upon contact with moisture to move said yieldable closure and to force said contacts together.

6. A switch comprising a body member having moisture transmission means through which moisture may seep into said body member, a yieldable closure on said member, moisture expandable material in said body member in cooperable relation with said closure to actuate said closure, a contact secured to said yieldable closure and movable therewith, and a cooperable contact secured in fixed relation to said body member, the moisture expanding material operating upon expansion and contraction to actuate said closure to make or break the contact between said contact points.

BENJAMIN A. NOLAN.

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