Engine Order Telegraph(EOT) specs & installation

[Akitene]

First of all, happy new year to all!

@Mfoxchicago: that's definitely a nice find, Mack. My little finger tells me that you will have to invert the way the cables work between your wheelhouse and your engine room (just a guess). Please let us know how you'll get around putting them back to work!

[Mfoxchicago]

Yes, I suspect I will have to reverse the cable orientation from what I have seen in diagrams. Or, I could remove, and have fabricated a new face plate for one of the units to match the other's order of commands. I've worked it out on paper and suspect I have the right idea in mind. It may prove different once I open up the units and discover the manner and method for attaching the cables.....????

I keep you updated.

Mack

[dhic001]

I do wonder how this is all going to workout for you, as you seem to have a pair of engine room telegraphs, rather than a bridge and an engine room telegraph. You may find it necessary to make a new face for one unit with the reversed position for the lettering or something of the sort.
Daniel

[Mfoxchicago]

Yes Daniel,
I do think that may be the route I have to go. But, I was working out the "actions" of the cable runs for each transmit lever and its respective pointer on the mated unit, and depending on how the cables are fed in to the EOT unit itself (either Clockwise or Counter-clockwise) AND how those cables are or would be attached(anchored) on the relevant wheel - it appeared a reversed entry of one of the two necessary cables "should" actuate the correct pointer movement on the receiving unit. Thus saving me from having to have a new faceplate fabricated. On paper, anyway, that is how it looks. ??????

[Jack Innes]

If you mount the STBD unit on the starboard side of the wheelhouse and the PORT unit on the port side of the engine room the ahead-back orientation will be correct. I would think you can cross the cables as needed to reverse the action.

No matter what you do, they are a real find!

[Mfoxchicago]

Excellent idea Jack. I have envisioned both of these being install on the center line of both the Wheel House & the Engine Rm....but, I am really thinking you might have something there. I let you know what develops.

Yes, I am very pleased and proud to have acquired them. I hope to see them return to their good and proper use. I will always hope to someday discover the name of the sweeper they came from.

[Oilking]

Mack,
What a great find!
I noticed that your EOT's have Navy style speed designations rather than merchant. Do you have any idea of their history?

Inquiring minds want to know

Dave

[Mfoxchicago]

Unfortunately Dave, I don't know their history. The man I bought them from will keep me updated should he ever run into the fello. he bought them from. WWII Minesweeper iis all I have so far.

[artemis]

The former HMS Harbor Service Lauch which became Oceanid had a new EOT fitted in 1961 when she was converted in England. I was an advisor/engineer on her in the early/mid 1970s in Seattle when she was operated by the Sea Scouts. She had chain to engage sprokets within the housing and cable connecting the engine room with the wheel house.

Before each use of her, it was necessary to check the EOT cable for stretching by "ringing up" various positions as the calbe tended to stretch. If you handled the telegraph "vigorously" it was possible to go cause the engine room unit to incorrectly "repeat" the bridge order. Caused some scary landings a few times. Spotting a cable type (sailboat rigging) tension adjuster (which Oceanid had) in an easy to access space a few feet away from the engine room device worked great!

[Mfoxchicago]

Before each use of her, it was necessary to check the EOT cable for stretching by "ringing up" various positions as the calbe tended to stretch. If you handled the telegraph "vigorously" it was possible to go cause the engine room unit to incorrectly "repeat" the bridge order. Caused some scary landings a few times. Spotting a cable type (sailboat rigging) tension adjuster (which Oceanid had) in an easy to access space a few feet away from the engine room device worked great!

As always Ron, your advise and experience is spot on. I had already thought of having to install some sort of "turnbuckle" in each cable run to adjust tension on the cable runs after they had been anchored in the units. I am certain this is what I will need to do. Each of my EOT's has "smooth channels" on both wheels in the housing. That is why I was certain that I would need to use cable, and two for each wheel; one to pull when activated one direction and one to pull when the opposite direction is actuated.

When it comes time for install Ron, I will keep your email address close at hand. Thanks for your "two bits"!

Mack