Improvements in Compasses with Electrical Appliances for Signalling and Recording the Course and Speed of a Ship.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 20th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Compasses with Electrical Appliances for Signalling
and Recording the Course and Speed of a Ship.
I, JOSEPH VON PEICHL, of Fiume in the Kingdom of Hungary, Austro-
Hungarian Empire, Director of the Hungarian Sea Navigation Company "Adria"
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates more particularly to improvements in the construction of
electrical compasses of the kind described in the Specification to my Patent No. 1031
of 1890 whereby instead of effecting the rotation of the compass frame or case in
the contrary direction to the deviations of the ship by means of a motor with
reversing gear as described in the said Specification, such rotation in the one
direction or the other is effected by means of an electro-motor, which is provided
with two commutators and circuits operating in contrary directions, whereby a
special reversing mechanism is dispensed with.
The transmission of the motion from the axis of the compass case can be effected
by means of one or more intermediate wheels controlling the speed of rotation.
A further improvement relates to arrangements whereby the speed of the vessel
can be registered together with the graphic registration of the course.
My said improvements will be understood on reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which
Figure shews a vertical section of the electrical compass with electro motor
and course recorder.
Figure 2 shews a sectional plan of the reversing apparatus for the distant
compasses.
Figure 3 shews a plan of the internal arrangement of a distant compass of the
kind described in Specification 103100.
Figure 4 is a diagram shewing the direction of the current through the
commutator, the electro motor and back to the source of electricity.
Figure 5 is a plan of the needles of a dry compass with contact arm, and the
contacts forming the ends of the conductors leading from the source of electricity
to the commutator.
As shewn at Figure 1, the arrangement of the upper part of the apparatus, from
the toothed wheel B' upwards, is the same as described in the Specification 103100,
but without the weight and gear there described for winding up and actuating the
motor, as these are dispensed with.
The recording cylinder M is arranged at the side of the axis b, and is geared
with the latter by toothed wheels. The pencil or style m' is moved in the known
manner by a clockwork mechanism M³ along the recording cylinder.
The axis is shortened and is carried with its bottom trunnion in a frame G' G¹
which also carries the current reverser consisting of two toothed wheels H H'
Figure 2, and serving to transmit the course indications to the distant compasses,
such as shewn at Figure 3; the frame G also serves for mounting separate parts of
the electro motor.
EFE is an electro motor of any construction suitable for the purpose, consisting,
as shewn by way of example, of an annular electromagnet E fixed to the bottom
of the binnacle B, of the cylinder armature F, the double commutator I) and the
driving wheel Z.
The commutator D and wheel
wheel gears with the wheel
are fixed on the cylinder armature. The
which is geared with the wheel B' fixed on the
axis through the intermediate wheels, whereby the rotation of the cylinder

page_text: armature is transmitted to the axis band to the frame or box of the magnetic or
unmagnetic compass.
The galvanic battery or other source of electricity C serves in this arrangement
for supplying the clectric circuit proceeding from the positive pole into the compass
box, thence to the clectro motor and back to the negative pole of the battery.
C¹is the source of electricity for the circuit of the distant compasses Fig. 3 arranged
and operating as described in the Specification 105190,
According as the ship deviates to the right or to the left or according as a
contact is made between the arm a³ Fig. 5 of the compass needle G and one or
other of the contacts a¹ a² forming the terminals of the wires 1, 2, leading to the
commutator D, the direction of the current in the circuit of the battery C will be
as follows:
If for example the ship turns to the right, causing the circuit 1 and 3 to be
closed by contacts a² a³, the current 3 passes from the positive pole through the
sliding contact and the lead 3 into the hollow axis or along the same if it be
solid, to the mercury cup Fig. 5. From the current passes through the contact
pieces 3a² into the branch conductor 1 leading to the sliding contact c¹ and thence
to the commutator D. The further course of the current through the commutator,
electromotor, and back to the battery C will be seen from the diagram Fig. 4, in
which i&c. represent eight semicircular metal combs which are fixed in an
insulated manner on the cylinder D fixed on the armature axis.
According to the arrangement usual with commutators, the ends of the opposite
combs such as i and&c. should of course be in close proximity to each other;
in Fig. 4 however a space is left between them in order to enable the distribution
of the current to be shown.
For the sake of clearness the sliding spring contacts a a¹ 3 ẞ are also shown
somewhat removed from the cylinder, whereas they of course really extend over
the combs &c. and are pressed with spring action against them, in order to form
sliding contacts as at ccc Fig. 1.
The branch current 1 arriving at a flows through the fork e¹, and commutator
segment, which is connected at o with the windings of the armature F, so that
the current passes into the latter, leaving them at r, and passing through r³ and
fork of spring contact a¹ and lead a- into the windings of the electro-magnet E,
which it leaves at y, returning thence to the battery again. The armature F
being set in motion by this closing of the circuit, the springs a a¹ &c. will pass on
to the segments of the second half of the commutator cylinder, whereupon a
current will be sent through the armature windings in the contrary direction to the
previous one, thus producing the well known continuous rotation of the armature,
which motion is transmitted through the wheels, &c. to the axis thereby
producing a rotation of the compass frame a Fig. 1 in the contrary direction to the
deviation of the ship.
As soon as by this motion the contact between a² and a³ is interrupted, the
current will cease and the electromotor will come to a standstill. The compass box
is then again set to the meridian.
The
If the ship turns to the left, contact is made between a¹ and a³ Fig. 5.
current 3 passes in this case through the branch conductor 2 to the sliding spring B,
then over and into the windings, through which it flows in the contrary
direction to that in the case of the contacts a² a³, thence it passes from o over i e
and 3 to æ, and after flowing through the electromagnet E it passes from y back
to the negative pole of the battery C.
In consequence of the reverse circulation of the current in the windings of the
armature a change of poles will be effected therein the reverse of that with the
circuit through conductor 1, so that the rotation of the armature will also take
place in the contrary direction, causing the compass frame to be turned to the right,
until the contact between a' and a³ is broken, when the current will cease and the
apparatus is ready for further action.
When using an electromotor, the upper compass box A', as also the motor and

page_text: the recording cylinder M, and current reverser H H' can be arranged separate
from each other, according to the requirements of the ship, the transmission of the
rotation of the armature F to the shaft b cylinder M and current reverser H H¹
being effected either by electro-magnetic or mechanical transmission.
The arrangement may also be such that the branch conductors 1, 2, after issuing
at c c², instead of passing to the electromotor, are led to two relays and thence
back to the battery C.
In this case, according as a' or a² is in contact with a³, the one or the other
relay will then close the respective branch conductor of a special circuit of the
electromotor, leading from a special source of current to the commutator springs a ß,
and after issuing at y passing back to the said source.
Lastly, in order to avoid the possibility of dead-centre positions of the armature,
there may be used in place of a single large electro motor, two smaller ones, the
armature wheels of which gear with the wheel in such manner that the armatures
have their relative positions approximately at right angles to each other.
The above described construction for turning the compass case or frame by
electro motive force can also be applied to liquid compasses, as also to non-magnetic
compasses such as gyroscopes.
The registering device actuated by the clockwork M' can also be utilised for
registering upon the cylinder M the speed of the ship at successive intervals of
time.
For this purpose, there is placed at the side of the style in Fig. 1 a second style
which is pressed at certain intervals of time by an electro-magnet fixed on the
slide of the style, against the recording cylinder M, and is withdrawn again by a
From the electro magnet
spring when the circuit of the electro magnet is broken.
of this second style a conducting wire forming part of an electric circuit passes to
a suitable log with counter and signal bell. The said conducting wire has an
interruption with contact pieces at the log or counter, and the signal hammer, or a
wheel of the counter, is so arranged that at each stroke of the hammer or at every
complete revolution of the wheel it operates a contact lever so as to make contact
with the said contact pieces, thereby closing the electric circuit, while on the
withdrawal of the hammer or the passing away of the stud on the wheel the contact
lever is withdrawn again by a spring, and the circuit is broken again.
At the moment of closing the contact, the electro magnet of the said registering
style is actuated so as to cause it to press the style against the paper on the cylinder,
while on the breaking of the contact immediately after, the style is withdrawn
again by its spring thus causing a dot or mark to be registered upon the paper of
the cylinder.
The apparatus being so arranged that at the end of every series of registrations
on the counter which represents a knot, the before described closing of the circuit
and consequent registration on the cylinder is effected, it will be seen that as the
style is traversed over the cylinder at a determined constant speed by the clock-
work M, the distance between the successive dots marked on the paper by the
style will indicate the time in which the knot or other unit of distance was run.
It is true that the total number of knots run in a given time can at present be
read off from the dial of the patent log itself, but it is also frequently of practical
importance to know the time taken for each individual knot, which can be readily
done by means of the above described registering device, as the movement of the
styles being regulated by the clockwork M', the vertical divisions of the paper on
the cylinder will indicate the time taken by the style in passing across them.
In applying the hereinbefore described electrical devices to liquid compasses, 1
construct these so that the electrical contacts are kept dry that is to say, are not
immersed in the liquid in which the compass floats; for this purpose employ the
following arrangement.
1
Within a case filled with liquid is a hollow float carrying diametrically opposite,
compass needles or blades, and having a conical recess on its underside passing up
into a dome-shaped upper part of the float; the float being supported at its centre

page_text: upon a pin passing up from the bottom of the casing to the apex of the coned
recess. The top of the casing is formed with a recessed central part such recessed
part having a dome shaped bottom with central opening surrounded by a funnel
shaped upward projection.
The float has a conical cup-shaped upward extension which extends through the
hole and into the said funnel shaped part of the casing, and the latter has an arm
fixed at one side thereto, which arm carries a pin projecting centrally downward
into the conical cup of the float so as to dip in a small quantity of mercury placed
in the latter. By this means the casing is maintained in conducting connection
with the float; the extension of the latter has also a curved conducting arm passing
down over the edge of the funnel of the casing and into the space within the
recessed part of the top of the casing, and the end of this arm is situated between
two contacts in the said recess, corresponding to the before described two
contacts a¹ a Fig. 5, while the said arm corresponds to the arm a³. The contacts
are connected to conductors such as 1 and Fig. 5, and a third conductor corre-
sponding to 3, is connected to the funnel of the casing, and through this and the
before mentioned arm and pin, with the float.
Thus on the ship deviating from its course the arm of the float will make
contact with either one or other of the contacts such as a' and a², and will thus
close the electric circuit for conveying an indication of such deviation to a distance
or for effecting the rotation of the compass casing and recording cylinder as
described. The contacts being situated in the recessed part of the cover, they are
out of contact with the liquid in the casing.
The compass needles or blades arc. carried by arms on the float at such a height
that their centres are in the same plane as the point of support of the float, and
the contacts in the recess of the cover are also arranged to be situated in about the
same plane.
Dated this 3rd day of June 1891
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Compasses with Electrical Appliances for Signalling
and Recording the Course and Speed of a Ship.
I, JOSEPH VON PEICHL, of Fiume, in the Kingdom of Hungary, Austro-
Hungarian Empire, Director of the Hungarian Sea Navigatian Company "Adria,"
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates more particularly to improvements in the construction of
electrical compasses of the kind described in the Specification to my Patent
No. 1031 of 1890, whereby, instead of effecting the rotation of the compass frame
or case or of the contacts therein in the contrary direction to the direction of the
ship by means of a mechanical motor with reversing gear as described in the said
Specification, such rotation in the one direction or the other is, according to my
present invention, effected by means of an electro-motor, which is provided with a
suitable commutator and circuits operating in contrary directions, whereby a special
resversing mechanism is dispensed with.
The transmission of the motion to the axis of the compass case can be
effected by means of one or more intermediate wheels controlling the speed of
rotation.
A further improvement relates to arrangements whereby the speed of the vessel
can be registered together with the graphic registration of the course.
My said improvements will be understood on reference to the drawings

page_text: accompanying my Provisional Specification and those filed herewith, marked
Figs. 6 and 7.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the electrical compass with electro motor and
course recorder.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan of the reversing apparatus for the distant
compasses.
Figure 3 is a plan of the internal arangement of a distant compass of the kind
described in my previous Specification 1031 of 1890.
Figure 4 is a diagram shewing the direction of the current through the commu-
tator, the electro motor and hack to the source of electricity.
Figure 5 is a plan of the needles of a dry compass with contact arm, and the
contacts forming the ends of the conductors leading from the source of electricity
to the commutator.
Figure 6 is a plan of the appliance for recording speed.
Figure 7 is a vertical section of a fluid compass arranged with electrical contacts
clear of the fluid.
As shewn at Fig. 1, the arrangement of the upper part of the apparatus from
the toothed wheel B upwards, is the same as described in the Specification
No. 1031 of 1890 but without the weight and gear there described for winding up
and actuating the motor, these being according to my present invention dispensed
with.
The recording cylinder M is arranged at the side of the axis h, and is geared to
the latter by toothed wheels. The pencil or style m' is moved along the recording
cylinder in the known manner by a clockwork mechanism M¹.
The axis is shortened and is carried with its bottom trunnion in a frame G¹
which also carries the current reverser consisting preferably of two toothed
wheels H H Fig. 2 and contacts serving to transmit the course indications to the
distant compasses such as shewn at Fig. 3. The frame G also serves for mounting
separate parts of the electro motor.
EFE is an electro motor of any construction suitable for the purpose, consisting,
as shewn by way of example, of an annular elecrto-magnet E fixed to the bottom
of the binnacle B, of the cylindrical armature F, the double commutator D and
the driving pinion both fixed on the armature shaft. The pinion gears
with the wheel which is geared with the wheel B' fixed on the axis 6 through
the intermediate wheels and E' whereby the rotation of the armature is
transmitted to the axis band to the frame or box of the compass A.
The battery or other source of electricity C serves in this arrangement for
supplying the electric circuit proceeding into the compass box, thence to the
electro motor and back to the battery. C is the source of electricity for the
circuit of the distant compasses (Fig. 3) arranged and operating as described in
the Specification No. 1031 of 1890.
According as the ship deviates to the right or to the left or according as a
contact is made by the arm a³ Fig 5 of the compass needle G with the one or the
other of the contacts a² a² forming the terminals of the wires 1, 2, leading to the
commutator D, the direction of the current in the circuit of the battery C is as
follows:
If, for example, the ship turns to the one side causing the circuit 1 and 3 to be
closed by contacts a' a³, the current passes from the one pole through the rubbing
contact and the lead 3 in the hollow axis bor along the axis, if it be solid, to
the mercury cup g Fig. 5. From the current passes through the contact
pieces a a into the branch conductor 1 leading to the rubbing contact c' and thence
to the commutator D. The further course of the current through the commutator,
electromotor, and back to the battery C will be seen from the diagram fig. 4, in
which &c. represent eight semicircular metal segments which are fixed in an
insulated manner on the cylinder D fixed on the armature axis.
According to the arrangement usual with commutators, the ends of the opposite

page_text: segments such as i and &c. should of course be in close proximity to each other:
in Fig. 4 however a space is left between them in order to enable the distribution
of the current to be shown.
For the sake of clearness the rubbing spring contacts a a¹ 33 are also shown
somewhat removed from the cylinder, whereas they of course really extend over
the segments &c. and are pressed with spring action against them, in order to
form rubbing contacts as at c c Fig. 1.
"
The branch current l'arriving at a flows through the fork e', and commutator
segment, which is connected at o with the windings of the armature F, so that
the current passes into the latter, leaving them at and passing through and
fork of spring contact a¹ and lead into the windings of the electro-magnet. E,
which it leaves at y, returning thence to the battery C. The armature being
set in motion by this closing of the circuit, the springs a a¹ &c. are brought to bear
on the segments i on the other side of the commutator, whereupon a current is
sent through the armature windings in the direction opposite to that of the previous
one, thus producing in the well known manner continuous rotation of the armature.
This motion transmitted through the wheels = &c. to the axis & thereby causes
rotation of the compass frame a Fig. 1 in the direction opposite to that of the
deviation of the ship.
As soon as by this motion the contact between a¹ and a³ is broken, the current
ceases and the electromotor comes to rest.
A brake may be applied to the shaft of the motor in order to bring it quickly to
rest when the current ceases, and for this purpose the brake may be operated by
the armature of an electro magnet having its coil in the circuit of the motor, so
that, when there is no current in the circuit, the brake is on, but when there is a
current causing attraction of the armature of the electro magnet, the brake is
taken off, allowing the motor shaft to revolve.
"'
If the ship turns to the other hand, contact is made between a and a³ Fig. 5.
The current passes in this case through the branch conductor 2 to the rubbing
spring ẞ, then by and into the armature windings, through which it flows in
the direction opposite to that in the former case, it passes from o bye and ẞ to a,
and after flowing through the electro magnet, coils E it passes from y back to the
battery C.
In consequence of this reversal of current in the windings of the armature the
armature is made to rotate in the opposite direction, causing the compass frame to
be turned, until the contact between a and a³ is broken, when the current ceases
and the apparatus comes to rest.
The upper compass box A', as also the motor and the recording cylinder M, and
current reverser H H instead of being all in one framing, might be arranged
separately from each another, the transmission of motion from the armature I to
the shaft and to the current reverser H H being effected either by electro
magnetic or by mechanical connections.
Also the branch conductors 1, 2, after issuing at cc, instead of passing to the
electromotor, might be led to two relays and thence back to the battery C.
In this case, according as a or a comes in contact with a³, the one or the other
relay closes a branch_conductor lending from a special source of current to the
one or the other of the commutator springs a, ß, the current after issuing at y
passing back to the special source.
Lastly, in order to avoid the possibility of dead-centre positions of the armature,
there may be used instead of a single electro motor two smaller ones with their
proper commutators, having these pinions arranged to gear with the wheel in
Such manner that the armatures have their relative positions approximately at
right angles to each other.
The above described construction for turning the compass case or frame by
electro motive force can also be applied to liquid compasses as I shall presently
describe, as also to non magnetic compasses such as gyroscopes.

page_text: The registering device actuated by the clockwork M' can also be utilised for
registering upon the cylinder M the speed of the ship at successive intervals.
of time.
For this purpose as shewn in Fig. 6 there is placed at the side of the style m³ in
Fig. 1 a second style m² which is pressed at certain intervals by the attraction of
an electro-magnet E fixed on the slide of the style, against the recording
cylinder M and is withdrawn again by a springs when the circuit of the electro
magnet E is opened. The coil of the electro magnet I is connected by a conducting
wire 6 forming part of an electric circuit to a suitable log L provided, if desired,
with counter and signal bell. The conducting wire 6 connects to a contact piece.
at the log or its counter, and the signal hammer, or a wheel of the counter, is so.
arranged that at each stroke of the hammer or at every complete revolution of the
wheel it causes contact to be made with, thereby closing the electric circuit. On
the withdrawal of the hammer or the passing away of the contact stud on the.
wheel, the circuit is opened.
By the closing of the circuit, the electro magnet E is excited attracting its
armature which presses the style m² against the paper on the cylinder M and on
the breaking of the contact with i, immediately afterwards, the style m² is with-
drawn again by its spring a dot or mark being thus made upon the paper of the
cylinder.
The contact apparatus at the log L being so arranged that the circuit is closed
whenever a knot or other unit of distance is registered on the log counter, a mark
being then made on the cylinder M, it follows that as the styles m³ m² are traversed.
along the cylinder at a constant speed determined by the clockwork M', the distance
between two successive marks made by the style m indicates the time in which the
knot or other unit of distance was run.
Although the total number of knots run in a given time can be read on the
dial of a registering log, it is frequently of practical importance to know the time
taken for each individual knot, which can be readily done by means of the above
described registering device.
In applying the hereinbefore described electrical devices to liquid compasses, I
construct these so that the electrical contacts are kept dry, that is to say, are not.
immersed in the liquid in which the compass floats; for this purpose I employ the
arrangement shewn in Fig. 7.
Within a case K filled with liquid is a hollow float G³ carrying the compass
needles or blades G and having a conical recess on its underside extending up into
the dome shaped upper part of the float; the float being supported at its centre
upon a pin extending up from the bottom of the casing K to the apex of the coned
recess. The cover K of the casing is formed with a dome shaped central part
with a central funnel projecting from it upwards.
The upper part of the Hoat has on it a conical cup K within the funnel of the
cover Kand an arm g³ is fixed at one side of the funnel, this arin carrying a pin
which dips into mercury placed in the cup. Thus the casing K is maintained in
conducting connection with the float G. To the cup K2 is fixed a curved.
conducting arm a³ which passes down over the edge of the funnel and has its end
situated between two contacts a¹ a (of which only the one is shewn) these
corresponding with the two contacts a' a² Fig. 5 the arm a³ of Fig. 7 thus corre-
sponding to the arm a³ in Fig. 5. The contacts a' a² are connected to conductors
such as 1 and 2 Fig. 5, and a third conductor corresponding to 3, is connected to
the funnel of the casing and through this and the arm g pin g and mercury to the
Hoat G³.
Thus on the ship deviating from its course the arm a³ of the float makes contact.
with the one or other of the contacts a' a² and thus closes the electric circuit for
conveying an indication of such deviation to a distance or for effecting the rotation
of the compass casing and recording cylinder as hereinbefore described.
By the construction and arrangement of fluid compass shewn in Fig. 7 the

page_text: electrical contacts are so placed as to be quite apart from the liquid in the
casing.
Instead of making the electrical connection through mercury as shewn in Fig. 7
it might be made by a light flexible wire sufficiently weak to yield to the small
amount of relative motion of the compass and bowl.
Although in what precedes I have described a single electromotor with
commutator and brushes or rubbers arranged for rotation in the one direction or
the other, obviously two electromotors might be employed or an electromotor with
two sets of coils, the one electromotor or the one set of coils being connected to
the contacts for rotation in the one direction, and the other for rotation in the
opposite direction according as the compass makes the one contact or the other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what mauner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim in respect of compasses with electrical appliances for signalling and recording
the course and speed of a ship, is :-
1. Effecting the required movement of the compass frame and recording cylinder
in the direction opposite to that in which the ship deviates, by the rotation of an
electromotor as determined by the one or the other of the contacts made by the
compass arm, substantially as described.
2. For operating the spindle of the compass frame in the manner above referred
to, the combination therewith of an electromotor and its commutator and the
conductors for its exciting currents, substantially as described.
3. In combination with the course recording style, a speed registering style
worked by the spring armature of an electro magnet having its coil in a circuit
closed momentarily by the movement of a log for each knot or unit of distance,
substantially as described.
4. The construction of fluid compass in combination with electric contacts apart
from the fluid, substantially as described with reference to Fig. 7.
Dated this 19th day of February 1892.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.