US2362553A - Natural colors floating signal - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 14, 1944. R. c. HITT NATURAL COLORS FLOATING SIGNAL Filed March 17, 1943 INVENT OR.

Raymond 61 Hitt l ATTORIVY covered by searching planes.

Patented Nov. 14, 1944 2,362,553 NATURAL GOLOESJLOATING SIGNAL Raymond C: Hitt, SeattlaWash. ApplicationMarch 17, 19 13, Serial-No. 4?9,5 29

1 Claim.

'This invention relates to smoke andvaporsignals, andparticularly to such signals to be'operated in daylight hours on the high seas, as in -cases of ship wrecked survivors. During war times, and other occasions when ships are wrecked, the survivors sometimes float for many days-or weeks in small boats, without being dis- Blacksmoke signals are often overlooked by observers flying over them at high elevations, or at distances, be-

cause such colored signals are not readilydiscov- 'ered' against the surface of the water whichappears darkfrom above.

It is therefore importantthatsuch signals may be provided.0f yellow .or light colors which may be readily discovered.

against a dark background or sea,,particularly ifrom elevations .above thesea. In some instances chlorate of potash has been used farsignalslby production of dark or black; smoke, or

other colors, but chlorate of potash has been: -found dangerous in use, particularlywhen carried in quantities together sufficient for a signal device as the same may explode or becomeignited spontaneously or by heat in the tropics, and

cause injuries to ships .and boats and persons-,1

thereon. It is also important that receptacles be provided for transporting such materials or chemicalsv for such signal purposes, which shall be of relatively light material and yet strong to withtsand hard usage and to require little space for storing in small boats, and be sufficiently buoyant when loaded to readily float on the surface of the ocean while giving out the desired signals.

Some chemicals suitable for producing desirable colors in smoke and gases generally leave or form a body of hot ashes or pumice through which the smoke when rising, becomes faded and loses its natural and desirable colors for observing at a distance.

It is therefore among the objects of this invention to provide a receptacle for retaining suitable smoke producing chemicals, for packing and transportation on small life boats and ships, with means for utilizing suitable chemicals for producing desirable light colors in smoke and vapors when burned, and to provide meari's for prevention of the fading of suitable colors before they are discharged from the receptacles'for observation.

With these and other objects to be hereinafter stated, I have illustratively exemplified my invention by the accompanying drawing, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device complete and wrapped in a Waterproof sheath for ;,transportation and ,use. Figure 2- is a-,-.verti cal cross section of the device: and interionparts.

,Figure 3 is-a crosssection view looking-down from lines 3?-3 on Fig. 2. Figure 4 isaperspec- .tiverview of a non combustibletube with perforations for discharging colored smokeandjya- 1 sentlike parts.

casing formed from fabric pors to prevent the same from being faded by passing through burned material.

Like characters onthe difierent figures repre- The letter, A -represents tube or or other suitable na- ,terial with sufficient strength for. the purpose and yet lighterin weight thanheavy metals, for buoyancy-when cast overboard into the sea. Que end .15

of, the tube,,which for convenience and descripative-purposes is designated the bottom, is partially filledqwith clay 2, or other, suitable material to support a chargeof smoke material pr powder 3, and to protect the same from water, andalso to provide weight to cause such lower end to sink and sustain .the device in perpendic- ,ular position when used for a signal on the wa- .ter,-;such weight however being insufiicient to cause-the upper ,portionof the;dey ice toremain immersed. Theupper end of the tube is closed bya suitable plug fi which may be of wood or other suitable material, and provided with relatiyely small hole 1 through the center thereof,

for escape of smoke and vapors, but insufficient to provide a large supply of air to cause blazing of the smoke producing material. A pair of fuses 4 and 5 are trained through the hole I, and the lower ends 5" and 4" are rested against the charge of powder 3 for readily igniting the charge when desired. The upper ends of the fuses shown as 5' are pressed down upon the top surface of the plug 6 and thereto amxed by a patch 9 of material for being ignited by friction and thereby igniting the fuses, such as the usual material used for match heads. The upper ends of the fuses and patch are protected from undesired friction or injury during transportation or storage by a cap "(which may be of any suitable material, and is provided on its upper surface with a patch I3 of friction material for causing the patch 9 to ignite, and may be so used by the operator manually by removing the cap and inverting the same and rubbing the patches together. A depression 8 on the underside of the cap provides further protection for the patch 9. A ribbon or tape H1 is preferably attached at one end to the cap, and carried thence over the cap and down one side of the tube, and terminates in an outturned tip ID to be readily grasped by the operator, when necessary to remove the cap. Normally the entire device is sheathed with a water proof covering H to prevent moisture or water injuring the powder dur dizing agents such as inorganic nitrates asbarium nitrates with organic ammonium and zinc picrates together with oxidizable substances such as amino-azo-benzine with beta-naphthol and wood flour. As such material when burningv forms considerable heavy ashes or pumice which to meet emergencies of a life boat crew or cast-v destroy and fade out the natural colors of the smoke or vapors if passed therethrough, it is necessary to provide means for. the escape of such smoke and vapors laterally into and up through a "central flue l4 projected centrally and perpendicularly through the material, such smoke and vapors to pass from beneath such pumice laterally as the combustion progresses downward. In order to prevent any of the material or powder from falling into the flue, a noncombustible' o tube I5 is provided, preferably from asbestos composition, for slidable adjustment into the flue,

and holes'or large perforations I6 through the walls of the tube permit the smoke and vapors from the burning powder to pass into the tube and out from the top thereof, into a central chamber B, above the powder and beneath the plug, and thence out through the hole 7. A thin paper wrapper I! is first placed over the tube, to prevent any of the powder from prematurely or" otherwise entering the same from top or bottom and through the perforations. This paper .burns away as the combustion of the powder progresses, to permit free :passagewaysfor the smoke and vapors. The portion over the top of the tube is also burned and destroyed by the combustion.

The chamber or space B is of suitable size to first contain suflicient air to provide buoyancy for the device, and cause the same to rise to the surface when cast overboard and sustain the top above the water, and as so positioned and formed centrally and over the powder the chamber dimensions of the device may be retained relatively small, for easy transportation; As the original air is first consumed by the first burning powder, the chamber is filled withheated vapor and smoke, which rapidly flows out through the hole 1 and prevents any entrance of water into the chamber even in case of immersion of the device beneath waves.

The relative small sizes required for the devices permit the storage of a sufficient number thereof for opening and igniting the device, 'a bright smoke or signal may b produced under all circumstances, and each device may be sufficient to provide such signals for relatively long periods.

Having described my invention I claim as new:

A floatable device for providing a smoke signal for daylight use at sea, comprising a tube, a relatively heavy base therein for ,maintaining the tube in perpendicular position while floating, a charge of smoke producing chemicals packed above thebase, and provided with a perpendicular flue through the charge for .flow of smoke therefrom as the charge is burned'to prevent loss of the natural colors provided by the charge,'a

fuse for igniting the charge, the tube provided with an open space centrally located above the charge for buoyancy and for formation of smoke and gases therein above the charge, a cover for the upper endof the tube provided with a relatively small'hole therein for passageway for said ignition fuse and for escape of smoke and vavice to prevent the entrance of moisture.

RAYMOND C. 'HITT.

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