US9384A - Improvement in marine signals - Google Patents

Description

T. H. DODGE.

(Signat Light. No. 9.384.v f Patented Nov. 9,1862.

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UNITED .STATES Partnr rrrcn.

IMPROVEMENT IN MARINE SIGNALS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. 9,3134@ dated November 9, i852.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. DODGE, of Nashua, in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Night Signal-Lights for Vessels at Sea and for other Purposes; and l do hereby declare the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being` had to the accom- -panying drawings, forming part of this speciication, in which- Figure l is a perspective View of one of my improved signals. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan or top view of the compass, pulley, and cords for raising and lowering the lamp.

The same letters of reference in each of the several Iigures indicate corresponding parts.

The nature of my invention consists in a hollow pyrainidal-shaped box having a number of different-colored indicating-glass windows on all of its sides from the top to the base, and also having a lamp with suitable reflectors placed within the same, which is made to move up and down on a pedestal in the hollow pyramidal-shapedbox when it is desired to change the color of the signal by means of a horizontal pulley and a cord, which is passed round the same and has its ends secured fast to the Ytop and bottom of the pedestal in such a manner that when the pulley is turned in one direction the pedestal will be elevated and when moved in the contrary direction the lamp will be lowered. The top surface of the said pulley may have the courses E, WV, N, S, 85e., marked out on it, so

that when it is desired to bring the lamp directly opposite the red signals at the top, which mayindicate nortln the operator will know exactly how far to turn the pulley to elevate the lamp to the desired position, for it will be seen that the operator in this case has only to move the pulley round until the letter N points opposite to north or any other set point, and thereby bring the lamp directly opposite the red signals on all the sides of the box, the light from which will be reflected on the red windows by suitable reflectors, thereby indicating to vessels at a distance and in different locations that her course is north. If the course of the vessel should be northeast, the pulleyT must in like manner, as

I before, be turned until the letters N E occupy the position vacated by N. rlhis will bring the lamp opposite the mixed-colored glass windows, yellow and red, the light in like manner, as before, being reflected on the yellow and red glasses on all the sides oi' the box. The fact that the vessel is moving in a northeast course will be made known to vessels at a distance, no matter what may be their position,and consequently running into or coming in contact with each other when it is very dark will be very effectually prevented.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to dcscribe its construction and operation.

A represents the base ot' the signalbox, and B is the hollow pyramidical or other suitable shaped signal-box.

O C O C represent a number of colored glass lights arranged on all sides of the box B from the top to the base. Some of these lights O, it will be seen, are mixed, being composed of half red and yellow, or half blue and green, and so on, as may be thought best. The object in mixing the colors is to make them more attractive or distinct, so that they may be seen at a greater distance by vessels. By placing these lights of glass of dierent colors or shades on all sides of the vessel her course may be known by crews of other vessels at a distance, whether they be situate behind or before her, or on her sides, and collisions may thereby with certainty be prevented, and in case of distress assistance might be obtained in a very short time by continually raising and lowering the lamp or changing the signal from one color to another.

D is the lamp, which rests on the end of a pedestal E, with which it is made to rise and fall in the manner substantially as shown in Fig. 2.

E is a reiiector placed above the lamp (and another one may be placed on the upper surface of the lamp) for throwing the light full upon the colored-glass windows immediately opposite the flame in a horizontal line. There may be partitions or slides so arranged underneath and above the iiame that there will be no possible chance of the light being seen through any of the windows above or below the one opposite the light or lamp unless the lamp be lowered below the lower partition or e met slide, or raised above the upper partition, and be brought directly opposite the window above or below the said slide.

G is a horizontal pulley supported by a standard S and having` the courses E l N S marked out on its top surface. This pulley is seen clearly in Fig. 3. A cord H Il passes round and in the groove ofthe pulley and is secured fast near the center of its length in the sa1ne,and has one of its endsl passed over the barrel K, and then seeured to the lower part of the sliding pedestal E, and the other end J passed under the barrel K and secured to the upper part of the pedestalin the manner shown in Fig. 2. By moving this pulley round in one direction it will elevate the pedestal E, and by turnin` it in the opposite direct-ion the pedestal and lamp will be lowered in the manner shown in Fig-2 in dotted lines. The lamp can thus be always raised and lowered so as to bringv it always opposite the colored-glass Windows in a line with the lamp or light which indicate the yessels course.

K is a small horizontal barrel over which the oord is guided, and L L are small pillars for sustaining and keeping the cord properly adjusted when in motion.

M are ventilators in the top and sides of the box B.

N is a door through which the lamp is taken from and inserted into the box.

This apparatus can be made to answer Very well as a nightsignal for railroads to indicate whether the switches are in their proper position and whether there is any danger ahead by simply placing one of these signalboxes on the top ot' a pole and then vraising and lowering a lamp from one color to the other to indicate danger or safety byv means of a cord or ehain passing` over a pul-v ley at the top of the pole and connected to a wiudlass on which it winds or is wound as the lamp is elevated.

.As this signal may be operated in many different ways from that shown, either by cord and pulley and rack and pinion, the., and as it can he constructed somewhat differently from that vshownfor instance, the colored lights may be made round or like a Circular disk, and the box could be niade with six,

eight, or more sides-I therefore do not confine myself to the precise construction and operation described and shown.

Having thus fully described the nature and operation of myinvention, I will state what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

Placing the lamp on a movable pedestal E or its equivalent inside the manyhsided signal-box B and raising and lowering` the same from one colored glassto another by means of the oord H H and pulley G or their equivalents, the whole bein g constructed, arranged, and operating in connection with a signal B O in the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein described.

THOMAS il. DODGE. Witnesses;

GEO, Y. SAWYER, A. J. ROBINSON.

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