M-227 Signal Lamp Equipment SE-11

© Brooke Clarke 2007




M-227 Signal Lamp Equipment SE-11

Description

In 1943 the War Department contracted with J. A. Maurer, Inc. to make these signal lamps.  It's a fully loaded 5 "D" cell flashlight.  In the central one degree half angle the candlepower is greater than 3,000 with a peak of 4,500.  The beam width for half power is plus 2 degrees to minus 2 degrees, a fairly narrow beam.  When you point it up at night the beam is clearly visible.

Can be turned on and off by a trigger or by means of a J-51 hand key and 16 foot cord which operates a relay in the M-227 signal lamp.  Can by used hand held either as the plain M-227 or with a rifle type stock using sights on the top.  Permanent mounting on the telescoping leg tripod.  A Red filter hinges down for use with white light.  This is not infrared, but just dark red.  The M-172 goggles or MC-430 filters for the M3 or EE  binoculars were never part of my set.  If you know where I can get them please let me know.

The BA-30 is listed in TM 11-392 as the battery.  That was a first generation zinc carbon battery.

Although designed for visual use, I'm sure it also puts out a lot of near and far IR light since it's a filament bulb source. 
A modern improvement would be to replace:
Such a device should allow for communications between two people at ranges over a mile at noon and neither of then need to know Morse code.
Pulse width modulation where the leading edge is always a clock edge and the time until the falling edge denotes a 0 or 1 bit.  That way the receiving station can synchronize the receiving clock. 

M-227 Signal Lamp

M-227 Signal Lamp w/M-341 stock
The red filter bracket holds the filter in the open position.  Folded sights are up.  The relay coil is 77 Ohms so with 7.5 volts the current will be just under 100 ma.  When the relay is de-energized the current can not change so 100 ma flows through the 1k Ohm snubber resistor producing a voltage of 100 volts.

The idea of the filter is that when the M-227 is used against a green background the eye has a hard time seeing red.  So when the operators are wearing red goggles they can not see the green background and do see the red signal.   The parabolic reflector is about 2.25" diameter.

Some of the parts are interchangeable with the TL-122-B Flashlight (also a "D" cell type).

LG-21 Tripod

LG-21 Tripod
The tripod is about 17" collapsed and about 39" when extended.  Each leg is 14" collapsed and has two pulls or three times the collapsed length when extended.  The ball head and a notch that mates with a pin so the signal lamp will not rotate in a light wind.

J-151 Key

J-151 Thumb & Finger KeyThe loop is electrically connected to the terminal on it's side of the key but the paddle is electrically insulated from both contacts.  That way you don't get a shock, unless you touch the other conductor.  When the relay opens it produces a "kick" voltage.  If this key was used with a transmitter and if one side of the keying circuit was ground you would want ground on the loop side.


Patents

Searching for Patent, if you have the number let me know.

Google patent for all the words: code light and at least one of the words: morse telegraph
5804829 Programmable infrared signal beacon, 250/504H; 340/321
3668684 Portable Morse Code Signaling Device 340/321 ; 341/13; 341/173; 341/66 - like a flashlight
Refereces:
3001185 Morse Code Signaling Devices, Cleek, Sep 1961,340/321 ; 116/18; 340/815.75; 362/157; 398/182  -looks like coffee can over pistol grip, hand held  Aldis
3142052 -Emergency Signaling Device,Norman E. Tambert, Jul 1964,340/321 ; 116/18; 340/815.77; 362/193; D28/13 - looks like coffee can over pistol grip, has large clock wnid key & generator
3021516 February 1962 Spitz et al.
3142052 July 1964 Tambert
3300582 January 1967 Himes et al.
3496294 February 1970 Emanuels
1966354 High Speed Telegraph System 178/3 ; 178/17D; 358/474; 370/304
7261433 Miniature flashlight having replaceable battery pack and multiple operating Modes, 429/39 ; 429/34
3001185 Morse Code Hand Signaling Devices, 340/321 ; 116/18; 340/815.75; 362/157; 398/182 - hand held Aldis type light
2923069 Code Transmission Device, 434/222 ; 174/153R; 178/115; 340/321; 340/815.54 - a round window (dot) and a long narrow window (dash)
4124842 Morse Code Signaling Device, 340/321 ; 340/331 -
References:
3205487 September 1965 Vriend
3614528 October 1971 Craddock
3668684 June 1972 Johnson
3764849 October 1973 Ohta
3953763 April 1976 Herrick
3215842 Optical Communications System, 398/170 ; 359/290; 359/529; 398/131; 398/169; 398/201
4408182 Lighting and Morse Code Signaling Device, 340/321 ; 178/79; 340/331; 341/187
References:
3205487 September 1965 Vriend
3668684 June 1972 Johnson et al.
3786494 January 1974 Clark
3810150 May 1974 Jacobs
4058679 June 1978 Hashimoto
4124842 November 1978 Bachelor
4163220 July 1979 Henningsen et al.
2370601 Small Flashlight Structure, Wimpfheimer, Feb 27 1945, 362/103 ; 362/190; 446/337; 446/485; D11/51
5670942 Illumination and communication device, Michael L. Lewis, Sep 23, 1997, 340/555 ; 340/556; 398/109; 398/130; 398/172 - sealed IR beacon
References:
4717913 January 1988 Elger
4727600 February 1988 Avakian
5289306 February 1994 Hirohashi et al.
5416627 May 1995 Wilmoth
5424859 June 1995 Uehara et al.
3205487 Portable Visual Signal Device for giving , Joseph A. Vriend, Sep 7 1965, 340/321 ; 340/332 -  distress signal for boats
References:
2066145 CHANGEABLE COLOR ELECTRIC LAMP
2283442 PERIODIC SWITCH
2695403 FLASHING FLASHLIGHT
2739305 COMBINATION FLASH AND BEACON LIGHT
2767390 EMERGENCY ROAD LIGHT
3056945 PROCESSING SEISMIC TRACES AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
3114906 PORTABLE FLARE
3007110 Flashlight Electric Utility Tester, Hyman Rosenstrach, Oct 31 1961, 324/506 ; 362/205; 362/310; 429/90; 429/97; 439/500; 439/912
References:
1653669
2231660
2540471
1946595 Signaling Device, Joseph Straughan, Feb 13, 1934, 379/108.01 ; 340/321; 340/815.74; 362/253; 379/419 - close to the M-227
4048631 Portable variable intensity signalling flashlight, Jose Flores, Sep 13, 1977, 340/321 ; 362/184 - two beams each of different color
References:

1822619 September 1931 Grossman
2498805 February 1950 Gurevsky
2751490 June 1956 Emerson
3030497 April 1962 Cheng
3197757 July 1965 Porta
3205487 September 1965 Vriend
3800136 March 1974 Edelson
2436515  SYSTEM FOR VISUAL CODE SIGNALING, Swift, Feb 24 1948, 340/332 ; 178/115 - used 5 lights in paraller, i.e. Baudot
References:
546499
655264
2315456
2350551
  1424334 Device for Temporarily Converting a Continuous Ray Pencil into an Intermittent One, Paul Becker (Carl Zeiss), Aug 1 1922, 116/18 - shutter for search light

Heilograph is in patent class 116/20 Signals & Indicators/Heilographic
116/202
2237523 Wick Fuse, Philip E. Damon, Apr 1941, 431/151 ; 116/202; 126/25B; 431/269; 431/287; 431/291; 431/350; 44/506; 44/519 - we called them smudge pots
a lower cost option for a barricade light

116/18 is code signaling
2377414 Blinker Signaling Device, Sam Gold (Einson-Freeman Co), Jun 5 1945, 434/223 ; 116/18; 229/76; 40/491; 446/486 - cardboard
2377345 Blinker Singaling Device, John V. Horr (Einson-Freeman Co),  Jun 5, 1945, 434/223 ; 116/18; 446/486 - made from this sheet metal and when  you squeeze it the bars change from white to black.
2363566 Signaling Lamp, A.C.W. Aldis (Aldis Brothers Ltd), Nov 28, 1944, 116/18 ; 160/134; 359/233; 359/889; 362/282; 74/97.1 - rotary vanes
2359187 Signaling Lamp, A.C.W. Aldis (Aldis Brothers Ltd),  Sep 26 1944, 359/889 ; 116/18; 116/202; 340/815.56; 362/290; 362/354 -
vertical vanes - This is the navy signal lamp that shows up in many W.W. II movies.  used for Morse code
2336927 Code Signal Display Apparatus - used with flags
2206169 Light Modulating System, Eisenhut (Carl Zies), Jul 1940, 359/223 ; 116/18; 359/225; 359/837 - voice


patent class 398 optical communications
2345445 Transmission and Modulation of Light Beams, Ben F. Atwood, Mar 1944 - voice
2399715 Signal System, Leonard M. Wittlinger (GM), May 7, 1946 - voice
2404696 Communication and Recognition System, Harmon B. Deal (RCA), Jul 1946 - uses neon lamp transmitter and photo cell receiver for IFF
2423254 Frequency Modulation Light Beam Transmission, Michael Rettinger (RCA), Jul 1, 1947 - electromagnet rotates a prisim - voice
2428713 Signaling System, Linderg, Oct 7 1947, 250/461.1 ; 342/410; 380/59; 398/129; 455/345 - Telegraphy, black light (UV) and fluorescent screens
References:
2310852 Luminescent Light Source and Method of Manufacture, Leverenz, Feb 1943
1149123 signaling Apparatus, PEBCY W. FULLER, Aug 3, 1915 - for determining bearing and distance between ships
2074737 Cathode Ray Modulation Indicator
2075094 signaling System, Lewis W. Chubb (Westinghouse), Mar 1937 - polarized invisible light is rotated to signal compass bearing
2334085 Device for Location of a Source of Radiation, Graves (Alltools, UK), Nov 1943, - IR thermocouples to get bearing to aircraft
2199066 Electro-optical Method and Apparatus, Philip Bernstein (Press Wireless), Apr 30, 1940 - frequency conversion using CRT & photocells
1335520 ?
1385657 Method and Apparatus for Utilization of Observable Radiation, Louis Bell, Jul 1921 - using IR or UV for telegraphy
1936514 Discharge Tube, Tomas C. Lengnick, Nov 1933, - sends IR light ti illuminate object
2032588 Communication System, Herman. Potts Miller, Mar 3, 1936 - complex mixing systems for light communication using sidebands
2062512 Motor Vehicle Vision Preserver
2120765 Infrared Bat Viewing means, Lars Jdrgen Orvin, Jun 1938, general IR image Viewer
2225044 Method and means for Reproducing Infrared Images, Roscoe H. George (RCA), Dec 17, 1940 - 7.5 to 10 nm IR, zinc or magnesium sulphate is used on the secondary lens of a telescope whose primary mirror sends the IR to the secondary where is changes the phosphorescent chemical which in turn radiates visible light
2443258 Optical Signaling System Including means for Dispersing and , N. E. Lindenblad, Jun 15 1948, 398/201 ; 353/81; 359/615; 380/54 -
disperses the image of a word such as "ATTACK" using the wavelength of light so can only be recombined using the correct optical path components
2457502 Signal System Emp;oying Polarized Light, Judson O D. Shepherd, Dec 28 1948, 340/906 ; 340/902; 398/140; 398/152; 398/184 - voice
2466000 Photophone, Chester L. Brown, Apr 5 1949, 398/132 ; 362/253; 398/131- two 5 cell flashlights modified to send and receive voice using light beams
References:
796254 Photophone, Hartmann, Aug 1 1905, 398/132 ; 359/224; 359/291, -carbon arc and Selenium photo cell voice over light beam 2-way
1973089 Optical Signaling Apparatus, Robert Median (Carl Zeiss), Sep 11, 1934, 398/132 ; 398/131- vibrating string modulator Selenium photo cell Rx
2153709 Apparatus for Establishing Communications by means of Light, Bournisien, Apr 11 1939,
 398/132 ; 359/230; 359/727; 359/889; 362/263; 362/293; 362/298; 398/131 - uses mechanical electromagnetically driven light valve & photo cell
2389649 Variable Intersity Light Signaling Appaaratus, Donald E. Stark, Nov 27, 1945, 398/130 ; 250/226; 315/176; 315/246; 315/76; 340/331; 398/186 -
uses ceramic negative resistor as light source

Links

Papers of John Maurer - at Ruters
M-227 Signal Lamps from Normandy - Mentiones TO/E 7-37, Infantry Rifle Company, Parachute

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