US841616A - Signal-reading device. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JAN. 15, 1907. H. H. BROWN.

- SIGNAL REA-DING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.5.1-906.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIGNAL-READING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 15, 1907.

Application filed February 5, 1906. Serial No. 299,443.

T 0 all 1071 0111, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HAROLD HASHELL BROWN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal-Reading Devices, of which the following is a specification.

In military and naval service where visual signals are used it is often desirable that signals being transmitted should be read or verified by persons unfamiliar with the code. Moreover, it often occurs that it is essential at times for signals to be sent or read when no signalman is at hand, and as a consequence the work must necessarily be performed by others unfamiliar with the code used. To meet these conditions is the object of the present invention, which consists in providing a device by which the signals transmitted. may be readily read by persons not versed in the code used and which may be used as well for the purpose of transmitting signals.

The invention consists in certain novel fea tures of construction and arrangement of parts which will be readily understood by reference to the description of the drawings and to the claims to be hereinafter given.

Of the drawings, Figure 1 represents a face view of a device embodying the features of this invention. Fig. 2 represents a reverse view of the same, and Fig. 3 represents a section on line 3 3 on Fig. 2.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, represents a plate of any suitable material. On the front face of the plate 10 is a raised point or line 11, representing the position of the signalman sending the message. Branchingfrom this point 1 1 in either direction are raised horizontal lines 12 and 13, the ends of which are curved upwardly, as at 14 and 15, forming thereby a U- shaped character on the top of the point 1 1. At the extremity of the curved line 14 is a character, such as I, while at the extremity of the curved line is a character, such as T. The lines 12 1.4 indicate a wave of the flag to the right, which in the Myers code (the code shown in the drawings) indicates I, while the lines 13 and 15 represent a wave to the left, or in the abovementioned code a T.

At the extremity of the curved line 14 is a U-shaped character 16, at the lefthand end hand end 18 of which is the letter E. In like manner to the end of the curved line 15 is another U-shaped character 19, at the lefthand extremity of which is the letter O and at the right-hand extremity 21 of which is the letter A.

If the flag operator waves to the right, the party reading the message may readily follow with his finger along the raised lines 12 and 14 to the horizontal line 16 for one right wave and then along 16 to the end 17 for a second right wave, and the letter for the two right waves, N, will be found there located. Should the operator send one right wave and then a left wave, the party reading the message will follow the lines 12 and 14 to 16 and then along 16 to the extremity 18, where the letter E will be found, which corresponds with a right and left wave. In like manner will follow the lines 13 and 15 to 19 and then continue along to the right to the extremity 21, where the letter A will be found, which is the letter in this particular code indicated by two right waves. By following out the line 14 to the right and then along 19 20, following the motions of the flag, the letter O will be discovered.

To the extremity 17 is a similar U-shaped character 22, at the ends 23 and 24 of which will be found, respectively, the letters Y and U, and these extremities are provided with other U-shaped characters 25 and 26, having suitable letters and figures located at the code being used.

The extremities 18 2O 21 are similarly provided with other U-shaped characters, as clearly shown in the drawings, each of said U-shaped characters having located at the extremities thereof letters or figures corresponding to the code in use.

Where four waves are used in order to obtain a certain letteras, for instance, J the operator makes two waves to the right and then two to the left, and the party reading the message when facing the operator moves his finger along the lines 12 and 14 to 16, along 16 to 22, which movements correspond with the two right waves, then to the right along the lines 22 24 and to the right on 17 of which is a letter N, or at the right.

if the signal sent be two left waves the reader the extremities thereof in accordance with in the exact reverse position.

are raised above the face of the plate 10, so

party writing down the message.

26, these movements corresponding with the two left waves, and the letter J .will there be found.

All of the characters such as the horizontal and curved lines and the figures and letters that the finger of the reader may readily trace qhe movement in either direction and at the termination of said movement feel the letter there located, so that it may be called to the After a little use of the device the finger of the reader becomes very sensitive, so that the reader may tell the letter located at the extremity of any series of lines without look ing at the same. When the reader is facing the sender of the message, it is moreconvenient to use the side marked Front, as shown in Fig. 1, as the movement along the lines will be in the same direction as the movement of the flag in sending the message. If, however, a person reading the message finds it more convenient to move his finger to the right when the flag is moved to the right, the reverse side of the plate is used, this side being provided with similar lines and U- shaped characters, at the extremities of which are the letters and figures of the code This face, marked Rear, as shown in Fig. 2, may also be readily utilized when reading the message being sent when the reader is to the rear of the sender and he desires to move his finger along the lines in the same direction that the flag is moved in transmitting the message.

It is obvious that by using either the front or rear face of the device a person may stand in front of a signalman or to the rear of a sig nalman and by following his motions along the various raised lines thereon readily read the message being transmitted.

The device may also be used equally as Well for the transmission of messages by parties unfamiliar with the code-as, for instance, one person may operate the flag while another uses the device to inform the sender of the number of right motions or left motions necessary to send a given letter or figure.

It is believed that from the foregoing an understanding of the operation of the invention will be thoroughly understood and that its advantages will be fully apparent.

I claim 1. A device for interpreting signals made by motions in certain directions to represent characters, comprising a diagram made up of lines having a starting-point and running in I dlrections corresponding to the d1rect1ons of 1 the motions made in transmitting the signal and having at the ends of said lines the characters represented by the motions.

2. A device for interpreting signals made by motions in certain directions to represent characters, comprising a diagram made up of raised lines having a starting-point and running in directions corresponding to the directions of the motions made in transmittin the signal and having at the ends of said ines the characters represented by the motions.

3. A device for interpreting signals made by motions in certain directions to represent characters, comprising a member having on opposite sides-diagrams made up of raised lines having a starting-point and running in directions corresponding to the directions of the motions made in transmitting the signal and having at the ends of said lines the characters represented by the motions, one of said diagrams corresponding to the motions as viewed from the front and the other as viewed from the rear.

1. A device for interpreting signals made by motions in certain directions to represent characters, comprising a member having on opposite sides diagrams made up of lines having a starting-point and running in directions corresponding to the directions of the motions made in transmitting the signal and having at the ends of said lines the characters represented by the motions, one of said diagrams corresponding to the motions as viewed from the front and the other as viewed from the rear.

5. A device for interpreting visual signals consisting of a member provided With a plurality of characters so united together as to correspond with the movements made in transmitting signals, and a plurality of letters and figures each properly located at the extremity of such characters as would correspond with movements made in transmitting that particular letter or figure.

6. A device for interpreting visual signals consisting of a member provided with a plu rality of raised characters so united together as to correspond with the movements made in transmitting signals, and a plurality of letters and figures each properly located at the.

extremity of such characters as would correspond with movements made in transmitting that particular letter or figure.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts. this 3d day of February, 1906.

HAROLD HASHELL BROWN. Witnesses:

EDNA C. CLEVELAND, WALTER E. LOMBARD.

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