The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-11-17
4 BOON TO MARINERS.
Invention which VIII Make an
Artificial Horizon.
HAS STOOD 4 TssT ~ The NAVY.
Capt Revue, Of Trseyson. selves . Hard
fresfem-Tiny Mnehsne which
wiz Help sssIgatorA


gators - SECOND in importance only 70 the
mariners compass. The invention - an
instrument called the 'tgyroscope artificial
hcrszos. ana enables . navigator 10 TAKE
an observation ct sea without reference to
the natural herizon. which has never be-
fore been possible.
For years ssch an instrument has heen
thought Of and many attempts have been
made 20 construct one. but failure has in
.vsrlahiy followed. After fifteen years OF
experimenting and large expenditure Of
money. Csps. Joshua n. Rowe. Of Tracy
ton, has perfected the instrument and. in
conjunction with Charles e. Crane. of this
city. has just been granted patents, both
in this country and In England. They
will also secure patents in France. Ger
many and other European countries.
That the instrument 10 Of great import
ance to all navigafors can be easily CON-
pretended by any one when IL 10 remem-
bered that all observations taken al sea
for ascertaining the latitude and longitude
OF the ships position are entirely depend
ent on q correct vision of the natural hori-
zon. The liability of ship to strike a
rocky coast where fog or mist obscures the
natural horizon is one Of the greatest
dangers TO navigation. and many of the
most disastrous shipwrecks have occurred
from just such conditions OF the atlnos-
phsre, " hen the sun or stars could be dis
tinetly seen above. With the gyroscope
artificial horizon on board the navigator
becomes independent of the natural
horizon and an observation can be
taken even in the cabin OF the ves-
sci provided the sun or star is visible
through the skyiight. 1t is largely due to
the fact that Capt. Rowe Is an expert
navigator of many years experience that
the problem is At last solved. Such an
instrument has been ionged for by all
navigators, and Cspt. Rowe will deserve
the thanks OF all who sail the sea.
The instrument is q compact affair, oc-
cupying O space about ten inches square.
All that is seen of the mechanism is
mirror revoived at speed of about 5000
revolutions per minute, in which the re-
hection of the sun or stars is seen through
the ordinary sextant or quadrant used in
taking an observation. The instrument is
50 adjusted that it is perfectly independent
OF the roll of the vessel up to 80 degrees.
The square box which contains the
mechanism is little larger than any ordi-
nary chronometer case. By throwing
back the cover the round mirror is abou,
ali that can be seen. Underneath Is the
mechanism for revolving the disc, which
Is simply combination of small gears
like q clock. propelled by a crank adjusted
through the side of the box. No part of
:his machinery Is covered by patents.
That part OF the instrument which repre-
sents the result of years of experiment is
the feature which makes the disc
instantly come to horizontal posi-
ton when set in motion at the
proper speed. The trouble heretofore
has been that the disc of the gyroscope
would always remain in the same plane in
which il was started TO revoIye. In Capt.
Rowe's instruments the disc is always hor-
izontal. The disc is nicely balanced on a
steel point under the center. aud Capt.
Rowe solved the difficulty by having
weight attached underneath the disc and
below the point of rest. The same prin-
cipIs is taken advantage of by juggiers
who will balance q bowl bottom upward
on the point of a stick and then set the
bowl TO revolving rapidly. If the stick be
held other than in perpendicular posi-
ton it will be noticed that the bowl Is still
horizontal. This is because the weight of
the bowl is lower than the point resting
on the stick.
Underneath the disc of the artificial
horizon and forming O part of the metal
of the disc itself Is hollow cone extend
ing down about two inches, fiaring toward
the bottom. This is called the female
cone and fits down closely OH a male cone,
which is attached to the machinery be-
low. 1t is the friction between these two
that causes the disc 10 revolve. When the
desired speed Is attained the moving of n
lever sheves the pin up under the center
OF the disc and lifts it a couple of inches
above the MAZE cone. The machinery is
then stopped, but the disc continues to
revolve. and the weight of the female cone
hanging underneath Immediately brings
il to true horizontal position. The
speed Of 5000 revolutions PEI minute Is at
tanned by turning the crank one reyolu-
ton per second.
L. is a remarkable fact that the atten-
ton of the navy department was attracted
to this invention soon after the papers
were filed in the patent Office. and when
the United States monitor Monterey was
In Seattle last summer, the officers of that
l.
ventors and take the instrument 20 test.
Few inventors have ever had Uncle Sam
hunt them up. and the incident goes 10
show little OF the interest surrounding
the invention. The instrument, though
not then perfected. was taken aboard the
Monterey and tested, receiving the highest
praise from the naval officers. They wanted
90 retain the instrument on the shin for
experiment.
With the present instruments of nayiga-
ton the navigator of a naval ship must 60
ashore at every port 10 take an observa-
ton for correction of the chronometer.
and the same thing must be done every
ten days when IN port. With the new in
strGment this can not only be avoided. but
the signal can be giyea from the coming
tower for nrIng the big guns a, the proper
moment Now the ganner's eve must
judge when the ship comes 10 level Tor
airing.
i large number of sea captains and
nsvsi officers have examined the new in
ssTnmeng and ali recommend il highly.
Lieut. Ayckaf, formerly in command OF
the Puget Sound naval station at Port
Orchard, has written a very high recon-
mendatien OF il. Mr. Crane is now in cor
respoadenee with parties relative TO manu-
featuring the instruments, which viii
probably be done in Seattle. A board of
examiners who locked into the invention
have pronoan ced the patent worth from
$4,000 10 500, 90 TIE instruments viii
be made of aluminium bronze.
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GOOD SAILORS GET PREFERENCE.