US815783A - Signal box or package. - Google Patents

Description

. APPLIOATIO N FILED APR.27, 1905- PATBNTED MAR. 20, 1906. J. W. BEGHERBR. SIGNAL BOX 0R PACKAGE.

"2 SHEETS-[SHEET 1.

No.'815,783. I PATENTED MAR. 2ov

J. W, BEGHBRER. SIGNAL BOX ORYPAOKAGE.

APPLIOATIONIILED APR. 27, 1905.

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- WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.-

I JAY W. BEOHERER, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR To GOSTON SIGNAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION on NEW YORK.

ISIGNAL BOX OR PACKAGE.

- To all whom it may concern/.1

i. The object ofthis invention is to produce a 1 portable water tight compartment box or carrying-case of compact form and of a construction adapted particularly for the safe storage and carriage of the well-known Coston signal-lights now universallycarried on merchant and other vessels for the purpose of signaling for aidin case of distress. These signal-lights are manufacturedin the form of cartridges, each containing difierent-colored burning lights and mounted on a cylindrical block adapted whenthe signal is to be burned to be inserted in a handle or holder having a firing-pin which when actuated explodes a percussion-cap in the base of the cartridge and ignites thejsignal. boat Inspectors of the United States Government have promulgated re ulations requiring that the life-boats and ife-rafts carried by merchant vessels be equipped with a supply of thesesignals, the present regulations calling for six distress cartridges or signals and a firing-handle to be carried in a water-tightbox or case. My invention is designed, therefore, Withspecial reference to the production of a carrying-case to meet these conditions; and the invention consists of a compartment-box comprising a number of'non-conimunicating water-tight compartments mounted and sustained in fixed rela tions in a casing and each compartment having one end open and provided with a movable water-tight'closure, so that access may be had to the interior of the compartments.

The invention consists also in the improved water-tight signal-package formed with a plurality of non communicating compartments containing a designated equipment of signals and a firing-handle.

The invention consists also in the details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a pers ective view of my improved compartmentox. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the same, showing the signalcartridges and firing-handle in their respective compartments. Fig.3 is a transverse sec- Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed April 27, 1905. Serial No. 267,794.

The Board of Steam Patented March 20, 1906.

tion on the line a, a of Fig. '2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the sustaining-casing in which the tubular compartmentsare mounted and by which they are sustained in fixed relations.

Referring'to the drawings, my improvedbox comprises three tubular elongated compartments 1, 2, and 3, preferably constructed of sheet metal with their lower ends closed and their upper ends open and provided with removable water-tight. closures in the formof removable caps 4. 7 These compartments are constructed water-tight, so that when the caps are applied thereto the access of water or moistureilto the interior of the compartments is effectually prevented. The tubular compartments are held in fixed relations side by side, so as to constitute a single fiat portable body or case which is; effected economically and conveniently by providing a sustaining-casing'of the form represented more particularly in Figs. 1 and '4. In these figures it will be seen that a single sheet of metal is bent into Fl shape, so'as to form two parallel side walls 5 and a top 6, which top is provided with a central circular'opening 7 and has its ends formed -with semicircular recesses 8 and 9.' At the "lower ends, the side walls are connected with a horizontal bottom ing ends of the plate 10 and extending be. tween the edges of the side walls and seated near the upper ends in the semicircular recesses Sand 9 in the top, the edges of the side walls being soldered or otherwise connected to the sides of the tubes, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3. The central tubular compartment 2 is extended between the other compartments and within the side walls 5, its lowerend resting on the bottom plate 10 and its upper end extending through the opening 7 in the top.

The upper ends of'these three compartments terminate a short distance beyond the top of the, casing and are provided with screwthreads to receive the closing-caps 4, which caps are correspondingly screw-threaded, so as to form a water-tight joint. I prefer, as shown, to form the screw-threads in collars 12 and solder or otherwise fasten these collars over the projecting ends of the tubes; but of course the threads may be formed in the ends of the tubes. The tubular compartments are of such size that there is sufiicient space for the storage of three signal-cartridges A in each compartment, so that the full number or equipment 6 demanded by the regulations may be stored in the two compartments 1 and 2, the firing-handle B being stored in the other compartment 3.

In the construction described it will be seen that I have produced a water-tight readily-accessible package containing a full signal equipment, such as is demanded that every life-boat and life-raft shall carry. The package as a whole isin compact conveniently portable form, is of such construction that the si nalswill be protected against the access 0 water or moisture, so that under the conditions usually encountered on the high seas the signals are at all times ready for use in case of distress.

An important feature of my invention resides in the fact that the three compartments are wholly andentirely independent of each otherthat is to say, each is complete in itself, there being no. division-plate or separate wall common to two adjoining compartments and serving as a wall for both compartments. As shown in Fig. 3, the compartment 1 is provided with its continuous tubular closing-wall which is separated from and independent of the wall of the next compartment 2, which latter is in like manner separated from and independent of the Wall of the next compartment 3. These three tubular compartments are sustained, however, in fixed relations and their separation maintained by the sustaining and inclosing casing, which serves as a means for holding the tubular compartments in fixed relations and in. the form of a flat compact single body.

The construction described greatly reduces the liability of injury to one compartment affecting the next, for one of the compartments may be destroyed throughout without affecting the next compartment, which would not be the case with a common dividing-wall employed to separate two adjoining compartments.

In the practical use of the device, more particularly under conditions encountered in times of war, there is considerable danger of the box being perforated by bullets, and it is of the greatest importance that the danger of the injury or perforation of one compartment affecting another be reduced to a minimum. A leakage of water into one compartment if it finds its way into the next would destroy or render unfit for use the entire supply of signals. By having the three tubular compartments entirely independent of each other, with its complete and continuous closing-wall separated from the others, the risk of leakage from one compartment to the other is greatly reduced.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1.. In a compartment box the combination with a sustaining-casing having a top, recesses in its ends, side walls connected to the edges of the top, and a bottom plate connected with the lower ends of the side walls, of tubular compartments seated on the bottom plate and in the recesses in the top, with the edges of the side walls connected to said coinpartments, and closures for the ends of said compartments.

2. In a compartment-box the combination with a sustaining-casing having a to formed with an opening therethrough, and having recesses in its ends, side walls connected with the top, and a bottom plate connected with the lower ends of the side walls and extending at its ends beyond said walls, of two tubular compartments seated respectively on the projecting ends of the bottom plate and in the recesses in the top, the side walls being connected to said tubular compartments along the sides of the same, and an intermediate tubular compartment extending throu h the opening in the top and within the side wallsbetween the end compartments, and closures for the upper ends of said tubular compartments.

3. In a compartment-box the combination of a flat sustaining-casing provided with side walls, a plurality of independent tubular bodies arranged side by side between the said walls of the casing with the outer edges of the casing secured along the sides of the two tubular end bodies, leaving the outer sides of said tubular bodies exposed, and closures for said tubular bodies.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 25th day of April, 1905, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

JAY W. BECHERER.

Witnesses:

HARRY J. B. YOUNG, HARRY E. SYPERREK.

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