IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND INDICATING THE DISTANCE TRAVELLED BY SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Adcock, of Marlborough Road, Dalston, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanician, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND INDICATING THE DISTANCE TRAVELLED BY
SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS."
Scaled the 15th April 1856, and dated the 17th October 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Adcock at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
October 1855.
I, JOHN ADCOCK, of Marlborough Road, Dalston, in the County of Middle-
sex, Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MEASURING AND INDICATING THE DISTANCE TRAVELLED
BY SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS" to be as follows:-
The apparatus which forms the subject of my Invention I call a marine
odometer, or ship progress indicator. The indicating instrument may be fixed
in the cabin, or any other part of the vessel thought most convenient, and will
be actuated by means of a column of atmospheric air confined in a tube, con-
nected at the other end with the driving apparatus, which will be placed under
the stern, in or at the side of the keel of the vessel, and will consist of a
wheel, &c., as follows:-
The driving apparatus, which is acted on by the water as the vessel
proceeds, consists of an open chamber or box, in which is mounted a wheel,
constructed somewhat like a screw propellor. The wheel will be acted upon
by the water that passes through the box, and made to revolve at a speed
On the spindle
dependent upon the velocity of the vessel through the water.
of this wheel is an endless screw working in the teeth of a wheel, which by

page_text: means of a crank and connecting rod gives motion to a blower. This blower
may be formed of a cylinder, divided by a transverse partition into two equal
parts, and from each division or compartment rises a tube. The upper end of
one of these tubes opens into the air chamber of the indicator above, and the
other into the common atmosphere. The blowing cylinder has each of its ends
closed by an india-rubber or elastic cover, moveable by the rod on the crank of
the screw wheel, and the two elastic ends are made to act with each other by
means of a connecting link, so that when one is drawn out the other is thrust
in, thereby counteracting the gravitating tendency of the water, and by means
of the column of air in the tube connected with the air chamber of the
indicator being thus set in motion by the blowing cylinder below, motion will
be communicated to the corresponding elastic ends of the cylinder of the
indicating apparatus. The indicating dial is formed of three flat graduated
rings, which are made to rotate one within the other. The largest ring will
contain the units and tens, the middle ring will shew the hundreds, and the
smallest and innermost ring the thousands. These rings are set in motion as
follows-By the in and out action of the india-rubber cap of the air chamber
of the indicating apparatus, two clicks are made to take alternately into
the opposite teeth of a ratchet wheel, giving it thereby a revolving motion, and
on the axle of this wheel is a pinion, which gears in the teeth of a segment
wheel mounted on the dial axis. By this segment the instrument is rendered
adjustable, so as to suit itself to any particular action of the water wheel.
This adjustment is contrived in the following way:-Through a slot in the
rim a pin projecting from the inner face may be moved backward or forward,
and fastened by a screw, so that as the segment turns, this pin or projection
will be brought sooner or later into contact with a click dropped into the teeth
of a ratchet wheel, which carries with it the large or unit dial ring. As the pin
strikes the click, it moves the dial wheel one tooth, so as to indicate one mile;
at the same time the segment wheel by a simple contrivance is thrown out
of gear, and is by a spring returned to its original position, when it is again
thrown into gear, the like motion being repeated until this the largest dial
wheel of 100 teeth has performed a complete revolution, when a pin projecting
from one of its arms imparts motion to the second dial wheel, which has 10
ratchet teeth, and causes that to turn one tooth, indicating one hundred miles;
in like manner, the ten-toothed wheel when it has revolved once will act upon
'the third or smallest dial wheel, which indicates the thousands. Thus the
instrument will continue its action, if deemed necessary, even to the indication
of fifty thousand miles.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Adcock in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th April 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ADCOCK, of Marlborough Road, Dalston, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanician, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Adcock, Her special license that I, the said John Adcock,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Adcock, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR MEASURING AND INDICATING THE DISTANCE TRAVELLED BY SHIPS OR OTHER
VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Adcock,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly.
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Adcock, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
forined, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
:-
The apparatus which forms the subject of my Invention I call a "marine
odometer, or ship's progress indicator." The indicating instrument may be
fixed in the cabin, or any other convenient part of the vessel, and will be
actuated by means of a column of atmospheric air confined in a tube, connected
at the other end with the driving apparatus, which may be placed under the.
stern, in or at the side of the keel of the vessel. The driving apparatus, which:
is acted on by the water as the vessel proceeds, consists of an open chamber or
box, in which is mounted a wheel, constructed somewhat like a screw propeller..
The wheel will be acted upon by the water that passes through the box, and

page_text: made to revolve at a speed dependent upon the velocity of the vessel through
the water. On the spindle of this wheel is an endless' screw working in the
teeth of a wheel, which by means of a crank and connecting rod gives motion
to a blower. This blower may be formed of a cylinder, divided by a transverse
partition into two equal parts, and from each division or compartment rises a
tube. The upper end of one of these tubes opens into the air chamber of the
indicator above, and the other into the common atmosphere. The blowing
cylinder has each of its ends closed by an india-rubber or elastic cover,
inovable by the rod on the crank of the screw wheel; and the two elastic ends
are made to act with each other by means of a connecting link, so that when
one is drawn out the other is thrust in, thereby counteracting the gravitating
tendency of the water, and by means of the column of air in the tube 'connected
with the air chamber of the indicator being thus set in motion by the blowing
cylinder below, motion will be communicated to the corresponding elastic end
of the cylinder of the indicating apparatus. The indicating dial is formed of
three flat graduated rings, which are made to rotate one within the other.
These rings are set in motion by the in and out action of the india-rubber cap
of the air chamber of the indicating apparatus, and which motion actuates two
clicks that are made to take alternately into the opposite teeth of a ratchet
wheel, giving it thereby a revolving motion, and on the axle of this wheel
is a pinion which gears in the teeth, of a segment wheel mounted on the
'dial axis.
Fig. 1, Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, represents a longitudinal
vertical section of that part of the apparatus which is placed under water, and
as the vessel passes through the water is made to act on the indicator, or
registering apparatus 'above; Fig. 2 is an end view of the same part of the
apparatus, shewing the wheel, whereby the other parts are driven; Figures 3,
4, and 5 are sectional representations of different modifications of the blower,
their elastic ends being so contrived as perfectly to balance the water pressure;
Fig. 6 represents one of the apparatus adapted to the bottom of a. vessel,
shewing the pipes leading up from the driving apparatus to the indicator,
which may be placed in the cabin, or other convenient part of the vessel. The
driving apparatus may, however, be placed in some other part, if préferred.
Fig. 7, Sheet II., is a front view of the indicator, shewing the inside (the
dials having been removed), and the air chamber shewn in section.. Fig: 8 is
a cross section of the dials, with their driving wheels attached to the back
plate of the instrument; Fig. 9 represents the instrument. complete. The
driving apparatus, which is acted upon by the water as the vessel proceeds, is
placed in a cylindrical chamber or box, open at both ends,..as shewn-.in

page_text: Figures 1 and 2. In this chamber or box is mounted a wheel A, which is set
in motion by the water as it passes through the box. By this means the
wheel is made to revolve at a speed: dependant upon the velocity of the vessel
through the water. On the spindle of the' wheel A is an endless screw' A';
working in the teeth of the wheel B. Four 'holes, each at a different distance
from the centre, are made in this wheel, so that by inserting a screw pin in
one or other of these holes a crank will be formed of greater or less throw.
To this crank pin is attached a connecting rod C, which gives motion to the
bell-crank lever D, which swings on the fulcrum 1. One arm of the crank
lever D rises through the neck E of the blower F, F, and is connected at its
upper end to the diaphragm G, and communicates motion thereto as the water
wheel A rotates. In order to exclude the water from the interior of the
blower F, I have fastened round the neck E, also 'round tlie lever D near the
fulcrum 1, a pièce of elastic tube H. The blowing cylinder is divided by the
diaphragm G into two compartments, from each of which ŕisés a tube I and J.
The tube I communicates with the indicator, and the tube J opens above into
the atmosphere. The tubes above the cylindrical chamber or box, which
contains the above-mentioned working parts, may be made of some elastic
material, if thought desirable. In the Drawing they are shewn as being
elastic, and are protected by a strong elastic pipe K, through which they
pass.
.
The indicating dial, shewn in Sheet II., is formed of three flat graduated
and revolving rings, one placed within the other; the largest ring is intended
to indicate units and tens, the middle ring hundreds, and the smallest thousands.
The indicator is acted upon as follows:-L, Fig. 7, Sheet II., is a sectional
representation of the air chamber. M is the passage for the air from the tube
I, communicating with the blower F of the driving apparatus; N is an elastic
cover or end to the air chamber M. The motion of this elastic cover will
correspond with the action of the moveable diaphragm G of the blower F;
thus, by the in and out motion of this elastic cover N of the air chamber M
through the crank lever O, the pendant clicks P, P, will be made to act alter-
nately in the opposite teeth of the ratchet wheel Q, giving it thereby a rotating
motion. On the axle of this wheel is a pinion R,. that gears into the teeth of
a segment wheel S, which is mounted on the same.centre as the dials. The
wheel.Q with the pinion R is mounted in .bearings in the frame T, which is
capable of rocking, and is held in position by the india-rubber cord U, whereby
the pinion R is held in gear with the wheel S. By means of this segment
wheel the instrument is rendered adjustable, so as to suit itself to any par-
ticular action of the water wheel. This adjustment is contrived in the following

page_text: manner-At the back of the slot V in the rim of the segment wheel S is a
plate, which is moveable backward or forward, and can be fastened at any
point by the screw W. From the inner face of this plate is a projection or
stud, so that as the segment S turns, this stud or projection will be brought
sooner or later into contact with the click X, which drops into the teeth of the
ratchet wheel Y. This wheel Y carries with it the large or unit dial ring Y',
and as the stud strikes the click X and it moves the dial wheel Y' one tooth,
so as to indicate one mile; the side projection on the end of the click X being
thus pushed forward, so as to pass the notch in the lever Z, will allow the
tension of the india-rubber cord A to pull down that end of the lever Z, and
thereby raise the other end, which.thrusts from it the frame T, thereby throwing
out of gear the pinion R. By the point of the lever Z lifting the slide C, C,
the upper slide C is brought against the frame T, and holds it back. The
segment wheel S being now set at liberty, will, by the india-rubber cord d, be
pulled round, and the plate e projecting from the inner side of the rim, as
shown.by the dotted line, will force up that end of the lever Z, and drive the
click back one tooth; at the same time the pin f, seen in the toothed rim of
the segment, will push down the lower disc of the slide c. Thus the return
of the segment S will be. stopped (at the position shown in the Drawing) by
the notch in the levers Z, and the pinion R will again be allowed to fall into
gear with the segment; the like motion being repeated until the largest dial
wheel Y of one hundred teeth has performed a complete revolution, when the
convolute piece g, g, on the under side of this wheel Y will force down the
end of the lever h, and carry with it the click i, until the latter is forced by
the spring into a fresh tooth of the middle dial wheel k of ten teeth. The
lever h will then slip off from the convolute piece g, and by the india-rubber
cord will be drawn up, while the click i will be made to turn the wheel k
one tooth, locking itself into the tooth by the pin m, thereby preventing the
wheel from turning too far. This is indicated on the middle dial ring Y¹ one
hundred miles. In like manner the ten-tooth wheel k, when: it has revolved
once, will, by a pin projecting from one of its arms, have lifted the end of the
lever n, and when liberated will be drawn down by the india-rubber cord o, so
as to move the smallest dial wheel q one tooth by means of the spring click p
indicating thereby one thousand miles; thus the instrument will continue in
action, if deemed necessary, even to the indication of fifty thousand miles. The
connection between the blower F of the driving apparatus, and the air chamber
L of the indicator, may with facility be cut off at any time, as circumstances
may require, by the adoption of an ordinary gas cock, whereby the connecting
tube,may be opened to the atmosphere; and to insure the proper supply of air

page_text: with the re-connection, the valve r is adapted to the upper part of the air
chamber L, Fig. 7. If the blower F and the air chamber L of the indicator
should both chance to be in a collapsed state, the lever O will be forced back,
so as to cause the pins to push back the horn t, thereby stretching the india-
rubber cord u, rendering it so thin as to suffer the air to pass either into or out
of the chamber. Should the blower and the air chamber both at the same
time be inflated, the lever O will be forced out, so that the pins will draw
the horn of the valve t, until the cord u allows the redundant air to escape;
by this means a uniform supply of air will be ensured.
Now, although I have here shewn my indicating instrument as adjustable,
still I shall not feel it necessary to confine myself to the application of the
adjustable part and principle of the Invention. When making it otherwise
than adjustable, I propose to do so by substituting for the segment S a com-
plete wheel, and having it so divided that it shall be made to revolve once for
three or else four miles.
Having now described my Invention of improved apparatus for measuring
and indicating the distance travelled by ships or other vessels, and also the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I would here observe that I do not
mean or intend to confine myself rigidly to the precise arrangement and con-
struction of parts herein shewn and described, as they may, perhaps, be varied
in some parts without departing from the nature and object of my Invention.
In conclusion, I claim, first, the general arrangement and combination of
the driving and indicating apparatus herein-before described, or any mere
modification thereof. I claim particularly the application of air as the
medium of communication between the driving apparatus and the indicator.
Secondly, I claim the several forms of the blower F, shewn and described,
or any mere niodifications thereof. I also claim the use and application to
the air chambers of a valve, for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Adcock, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Seventeenth day of April, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty Give
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
JOHN ADCOCK. (L.S.)