Improvements in and connected with Electrical Indicating Apparatus for Ships' Steering-gear, Guns, and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 1st Feb., 1897-Accepted, 20th Mar., 1897
PROVISIONAL SEMITATIO
Improvements in and connected with Electrical Indicating Apparatus
for Ships' Steering-gear, Guns, and the like.
A communication from abroad by MATHIAS PFATISCHER, of 2734 Montgomery
Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America, Engineer,
EDWARD S. HOSMER, of 220 Fourth Avenue, New York City, New York,
United States of America, Attorney-at-Law, and HAROLD BINNEY, of
38 Park Row, New York City, New York, United States of America,
Attorney-at-Law.
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech. E., of Norfolk House,
Norfolk Street, Strand, London, W.C., in the County of Middlesex, Chartered
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (as communicated
to me from abroad) to be as follows:-
The object of the invention is to produce a simple and reliable telltale that may
be located in the pilot house, or other convenient position on a ship, and which will
accurately and automatically indicate the position of the ship's rudder, gun, or
other apparatus.
The nature of the invention is such that it will be very readily understood from
the drawings wherein
Fig. 1, is a diagrammatic illustration of a simple form of the invention employing
storage or other batteries as the source of electric power; and
Fig. 2, is a similar diagram in which the electric power is derived from the
lighting or other electric circuits of the ship.
Throughout the drawings like letters of reference indicate like parts.
The rudder is indicated at R; the rudder post by R' and the telltale by T.
The telltale itself is substantially similar to a volt meter, or any other device
capable of indicating voltage, current, or difference of electric potential. In
Fig. 1 batteries B are used as the source of electric power. There are ten of
these batteries connected in series, and from the terminals of each battery, or pair
of batteries, a connection is made to one of a series of eleven contact plates.
A movable contact C moved by the ship's rudder, travels over these contacts.
A conductor L connects one terminal of the telltale with the center of the set of
batteries. That is to say, there are five batteries on each side of this central
connection. The other terminal of the telltale is connected to the movable
contact C, by the conductor L'. The contacts b, are so arranged that when the
rudder is in its central position, the movable contact or switch C is upon the
central contact. b, and therefore no electro-motive force is introduced in the circuit
of the telltale. When, however, the rudder is turned in one direction or the other,
the contact C, moving over the series of contacts b, introduces more or less of the
batteries B into the telltale circuit, and so introduces more or less electro-motive
force in one or the other direction, causing the telltale index to be moved in a
corresponding direction. The index dial, or telltale plate, is calibrated to corre-
spond with the degrees aud direction through which the helm or rudder of the
ship is moved, and in this manner the telltale always accurately indicates the
exact angular position of the rudder or helm. It will be seen that the batteries B

page_text: may be located conveniently near the rudder post, and the switch or movable
contact C may be turned directly by the rudder as indicated. The two wires LL',
only, are led to the telltale, and in place of either one of these, the iron body of the
ship or the ocean may of course be substituted. It is merely essential that one
point in the series of batteries and one terminal of the telltale shall have the same
potential at all times.
In Fig. 2, my preferable arrangement is shown, in which the dynamo D, and
lighting circuit M of the ship is employed for the necessary electromotive force
and the resistance coils N are connected to the two mains and subdivided as shown,
to give the several connections for the contacts b. As before, the conductor L
may be run to the centre of the resistance coils N, and the conductor L' connects
the other terminal of the telltale with the movable contact C. It is obvious that
the motion of the contact C in one or the other direction will be indicated upon the
telltale T, just as in Fig. 1. Moreover, so long as the voltage of the lighting
circuit is kept constant, the calibration and correct indication of the telltale is
assured, since the resistance coils, N, accurately subdivide the voltage between the
mains M at all times. Indeed, any increase or decrease of the voltage of the
lighting circuit would merely cause an increase or decrease in the angle indicated
by the telltale; but this change would be strictly proportionate, and would
therefore be of small importance.
I have now shown two means of producing the necessary electric energy for
operating my device, and have shown a telltale constructed substantially on the
lines of a Weston, or other volt-meter.
Dated this 2nd day of June 1896.
J. G. LORRAIN,
Chartered Patent Agent.
Improvements in and connected with Electrical Indicating Apparatus
for Ships' Steering-gear, Guns, and the like.
A communication from abroad by MATHIAS PFATISCHER, of 2734 Montgomery
Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America, Engineer,
EDWARD STURGES HOSMER, of 220 Fourth Avenue, New York City, New
York, United States of America, Attorney-at-Law, and HAROLD BINNEY, of
38 Park Row, New York City, New York, United States of America,
Attorney-at-Law
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech. E., of Norfolk House,
Norfolk Street, Strand, London, W.C., in the County of Middlesex, Chartered
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (as communicated
to me from abroad) and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of the invention is to produce a simple and reliable telltale that may
be located in the pilot house, or other convenient position on a ship, and which will
accurately and automatically indicate the position of the ship's rudder, gun, or
other apparatus.
The nature of the invention is such that it will be very readily understood from
the drawings left with the Provisional Specification, wherein
Figure 1, is a diagrammatic illustration of a simple form of the invention
employing storage or other batteries as the source of electric power: and

page_text: Figure 2, is a similar diagram in which the electric power is derived from the
lighting or other electric circuits of the ship.
Throughout the drawings like letters of reference indicate like parts.
The rudder is indicated at R; the rudder post by R' and the telltale by T.
The telltale itself is substantially similar to a voltmeter, or any other device
capable of indicating voltage, current, or difference of electric potential. In
Figure 1 batteries B are used as the source of electric power. There are ten of
these batteries connected in series, and from the terminals of each battery, or pair
of batteries, a connection is made to one of a series of eleven contact plates.
A movable contact C moved by the ship's rudder, travels over these contacts.
A conductor L connects one terminal of the telltale with the centre of the set of
batteries. That is to say, there are five batteries on each side of this central
connection. The other terminal of the telltale is connected to the movable
contact C, by the conductor L'. The contacts b, are so arranged that when the
rudder is in its central position, the moveable contact or switch C is upon the
central contact b, and therefore no electro-motive force is introduced in the circuit
of the telltale. When, however, the rudder is turned in one direction or the other,
the contact C, moving over the series of contacts b, introduces more or less of the
batteries B into the telltale circuit, and so introduces more or less electromotive.
force in one or the other direction, causing the telltale index to be moved in a
corresponding direction. The index dial, or telltale plate, is calibrated to corre-
spond with the degrees and direction through which the helm or rudder of the ship
is moved, and in this manner the telltale always accurately indicates the exact
angular position of the rudder or helm. It will be seen that the batteries B may
be located conveniently near the rudder post, and the switch or movable contact Ć
may be turned directly by the rudder as indicated. The two wires L L', only,
are led to the telltale, and in place of either one of these, the iron body of the ship
or the ocean may of course be substituted. It is merely essential that one point in
the series of batteries and one terminal of the telltale shall have the same potential
at all times.
In Figure 2, my preferable arrangement is shown, in which the dynamo D, and
lighting circuit M of the ship is employed for the necessary electromotive force
and the resistance coils N are connected to the two mains and subdivided as shown,
to give the several connections for the contacts b. As before, the conductor L
may be run to the centre of the resistance coils N, and the conductor L' connects
the other terminal of the telltale with the movable contact C. It is obvious that
the motion of the contact C in one or the other direction will be indicated upon the
telltale T, just as in Figure 1. Moreover, so long as the voltage of the lighting
circuit is kept constant, the calibration and correct indication of the telltale is
assured, since the resistance coils, N, accurately subdivide the voltage between the
mains M at all times. Indeed, any increase or decrease of the voltage of the
lighting circuit would merely cause an increase or decrease in the angle indiested
by the telltale; but this change would he strictly proportionate, and would
therefore be of small importance.
I have now shown two means of producing the necessary electric energy for
operating my device, and have shown a telltale constructed substantially on the
lines of a Weston, or other volt-meter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The steering gear provided with an electric switch which sweeps over a series
of contact points having various graduations of electric potential and which is
connected by a single conductor with one terminal of an electrically actuated
indicator, the other terminal of the said indicator being connected to a point of
substantially fixed potential, so that the direction and movement of the said

page_text: steering gear or other operating mechanism will be automatically shown by said
indicator, substantially as set forth.
2. In combination with a ship's steering gear and lighting or other electric
mains, a resistance N introduced between the said mains, a series of contacts, b
respectively connected with different portions or subdivisions of the said resistance N,
a single wire circuit and electric telltale connected between a point of constant
potential, and a movable contact C, and mechanical connections between the said
steering gearing and said movable contact, for actuating said contact, the said
movable contact being arranged to make contact with the said series of contacts,
substantially as set forth.
Dated this First day of January 1897.
J. G. LORRAIN,
Chartered Patent Agent.