IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR USE IN ASCERTAINING THE SPEED OF VESSELS MOVING IN WATER
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Ferdinand Walker, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR USE IN ASCERTAINING THE SPEED OF VESSELS MOVING IN WATER."
Sealed the 22nd April 1879, and dated the 30th October 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Ferdinand Walker
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th October 1878.
THOMAS FERDINAND WALKER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR USE IN ASCERTAINING THE
SPEED OF VESSELS MOVING IN WATER."
The improvements relate to that class of apparatus for use in ascertaining the
speed of vessels moving in water, in which the rotator employed to obtain the
necessary motion to a train of wheelwork is when in use in the water separate
from the wheelwork, which may be affixed to any suitable portion of the vessel
whose speed is desired to be ascertained, so that the speed may be at any time
ascertained without hauling in or drawing in the rotator. And the object of
the Invention is to afford increased facilities in the use of such class of apparatus.
In carrying my Invention into effect the rotator, which may be of the ordinary
character, that is, a tube with inclined rings or vanes, is connected by a rope of
suitable length to the spindle of that portion of the apparatus forming the regis-
tering wheelwork.
This wheelwork is contained in a case, which is pivoted or supported by a com-
pound or universal joint in a frame, which is connected to any suitable part of the
vessel whose speed is to be measured, so as to admit of free movement to such case
in order to adjust itself to variations in the inclination of the connecting rope.
To increase the bearing surface and reduce as much as possible the friction pro-
duced on the parts by the rotation of the spindle connected by rope to the rotator

page_text: I apply to or form with such. spindle arms, on each of which is applied a conical
friction-roller, the apex of the conical figure of which would if continued terminate
in the centre of such-spindle, and these conical rollers revolve between corresponding
conical surfaces. I also arrange-the-wheelwork in the case so that the-dial_or_dials
and the indicating hands working with it or them may be in a plane at right
angles or thereabouts to the spindle immediately connected by rope to the rotator,
and I apply to the case a bell with a hammer capable of being acted upon from one
of the train of wheels-so-as. .to indicate audibly at intervals the working of the
apparatus.
A-convenient interval for such striking I find to be ten minute knots, but such-
interval may be varied.
The advantage of the use of such audible signal-is-that-the-working may be
ascertained without the necessity for constant direct attention, and by placing the
dial in the position indicated facility is afforded for viewing it at a distance.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Ferdinand Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th April 1879.
THOMAS FERDINAND WALKER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR USE IN ASCERTAINING THE
SPEED OF VESSELS MOVING IN WATER."
The improvements relate to that class of apparatus for use in ascertaining the
speed of vessels moving in water, in which the rotator employed to communicate
the necessary motion to a train of wheelwork is when in use in the water separate
from the wheel work which may be affixed to any suitable portion of the vessel
whose speed is desired to be ascertained without hauling in or drawing in the
rotator. And the object of the Invention is to afford increased facilities in the use
of such class of apparatus.
In carrying my Invention into effect the rotator, which may be of the ordinary
character, that is, a tube with inclined wings or vanes, is connected by a rope of
suitable length to the spindle of that portion of the apparatus forming the regis-
tering wheel work.
This wheelwork is contained in a case, which is pivotted or supported by a
compound or universal joint in a frame which is connected to any suitable part
of the vessel whose speed is to be measured, so as to admit of free movement to
such case in order to adjust itself to variations in the inclination of the connecting
rope.
To increase the bearing surface and reduce as much as possible the friction pro-
duced on the parts by the rotation of the spindle connected by rope to the rotator
I apply to or form with such spindle arms, on each of which is applied a conical
friction roller, the apex of the conical figure of which would if continued terminate
in the centre of such spindle, and these conical rollers revolve between corresponding
conical surfaces. I also arrange the wheelwork in the case so that the dial or dials
and the indicating hands working with it or them may be in a plane at right
angles or thereabouts to the spindle immediately connected by rope to the rotator,
and I apply to the case a bell with a hammer capable of being acted upon from one
of the train of wheels so as to indicate audibly at intervals the working of the
apparatus.
A convenient interval for such striking I find to be ten minute knots, but such
interval may be varied..
The advantage of the use of such audible signals is that the working may be
ascertained without the necessity for constant direct attention, and by placing the
dial in the position indicated facility is afforded for viewing it at a distance.
But that the Invention may be the better understood I will by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings proceed more fully to describe means pursued by me in
carrying the same into effect.

page_text: stem 62 may also be formed with a neck b³ to receive the end of a screw or a spring
or other pin, or it may be otherwise formed to admit of free rotation in use without
the risk of its jumping out of its socket. The-case_a_is_thus supported by a com-
pound or universal joint.
I prefer to load the fore end of the rotator so that that end may have a tendency
downwards, which in use will prevent it from jumping out of the water, and the
rope therefrom is connected to the eye d¹ of the main spindle d of the indicator.
This spindle d'is supported, as shown, so as to be capable of revolving freely in the
framing or case a, and it has applied to or formed on its-inner-end arms with
-conical_rollers d², the apex of the conical figure of which is coincident with the
centre.of the spindle d, and these conical-rollers.revolve between the correspondingly
conical form of the case at a², and that of the disc d³ of the spindle-d-dis.a
crank pin from the back of the disc d³ to act on the lever arm e' of the screw
shaft e, the thread e2 of which takes into the teeth of the wheelf on the screw
shaft, the thread f of which takes into the teeth of the wheel g on the screw
shaft g', the thread of which screw shaft g' takes into the teeth of the wheel h² on
the screw shaft h, and the thread of the screw shaft h¹ takes into the teeth of the
wheel on the shaft or axis of the pointer I2 to cause the rotation of that
pointer; or if desired, by suitable change of the wheelwork to give motion to another
or other pointers carried by the same axes i¹ or by other axes to indicate successive
movements of the parts.
It will be seen that the dial and the indicating hand working with it are
supported in a plane at right angles to the spindle d. is a bell, and m is the
haminer for striking the same, and thereby producing an audible sound or indica-
tion. This hammer m is supported at the end of the lever arm m¹ carried by the
shaft m², which is supported to make partial rotations in suitable bearings, and
carries another arm in position to be acted upon by a projection m* from the
wheel in the rotation of that wheel. The shaft m² is provided also with a
spiral or other suitable spring tending to bear its arm to its tappet or pro-
jection.
Having thus described my Invention and means which I adopt in carrying the
same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is, the adaptation or
combination of means or apparatus for use in ascertaining the speed of vessels
moving in water, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Ferdinand Walker, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.