Improvements in Electrical Sounding Apparatus.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Sounding Apparatus.
I, FRANCIS GWYN GRIFFITH, of Llansannor House, near Cowbridge, in the County
of Glamorgan, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to apply to the plumet or lead weight attached to
the end of a sounding line commonly used on board ship for ascertaining the depth
of water under the keel of the vessel, an electrical arrangement for automatically
signalling to the vessel the moment the lead touches the bottom.
The invention consists in the following arrangement. The lead is made, preferably,
of double conical form, the largest part being in the centre. This is made hollow
for the purpose hereinafter described. Across the interior of the hollow cone, a
metallic or other diaphragm is placed, through the centre of which there passes a
metallic rod. This rod is fixed to the diaphragm securely and projects a certain
distance in both directions. The diaphragm is flexible, in order that the central rod
shall move easily when operated from the outside. The lower end of the rod passes
out through an aperture in the lead and has upon its end, any convenient form of
knob or cup which may contain tallow or its equivalent, for the adhesion of sand or
the like from the sea bed. The upper end of the rod is in electrical connection with
a wire which passes out and along the sounding line. Within the hollow and upper
part of the cone, a metallic ring is attached, which must be insulated from the lead.
The object of this ring is to secure an electrical connection with the central rod
which passes up normally through the centre of the ring, so that when the outer end
of the rod, with the projecting knob or cup, is forced on one side in any direction by
reason of its coming in contact with the ground, the upper end of the rod being
correspondingly depressed shall be put in contact with the inside of the ring.
Platinum or other non-oxidiseable metal may be employed for the contacts.
Attached to the ring, is another insulated wire, through which the current passes.
This wire is also conveyed out and away along the sounding line, both wires being
perfectly insulated. One of the wires is in contact with the central rod and the other
in contact with its encircling ring.
Where the wire attached to the ring, passes through the head of the cone, a suitable
water-tight insulator is secured to an insulated terminal fixed thereon, the other wire
being attached to any portion of the metallic part of the lead; or the central rod
may be insulated from the flexible diaphragm, so that electrical connection may be
made direct to the rod itself and insulated from any other portion of the weight.
The cup or enlarged part at the end of the rod, is made of any suitable insulating
material, such as ebonite, or its equivalent, a ring of insulating material being also
secured to the opening in the bottom portion of the weight through which the central
rod passes, so as to prevent metallic contact. The lead itself may be encased in
copper or the internal chamber wherein the metallic contacts are placed, may be
lined with copper so that there shall be no possibility of moisture getting inside the
apparatus and there interfering with the electrical contact.
The wires along the sounding line, pass with it on to the deck or other part of the

page_text: vessel. A suitable battery and bell is coupled up, so that when the end of the
sounding apparatus touches the ground and makes electric contact within the lead,.
the bell shall immediately ring and so indicate that the lead has touched bottom.
Dated this 30th day of November 1895.
Improvements in Electrical Sounding Apparatus.
I, Francis Gwyn GRIFFITH of Llansannor House, near Cowbridge in the County
of Glamorgan, Gentleman, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in electrical sounding apparatus and its
object is to provide a new device by applying to a plumet or lead weight attached to
the end of a sounding line commonly used on board ships for ascertaining the depth
of water under the keel of the vessel, an electrical arrangement for automatically
signalling to the vessel the moment the lead touches the bottom.
Referring to the accompanying figures
Figure 1 is an elevation of portion of the sounding line, plumet and central rod.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the same.
A is the plumet or weight, it is hollow and preferably made of copper and of a
double conical form a, b, the largest part or bases being at the centre. The bottom
half or cone being lined with lead B. c is a flexible diaphragm placed across the
interior of the hollow cones where their bases meet. d is a metallic rod it passes up
through bottom cone band through the flexible diaphragm c. The metallic rod is
secured to the flexible diaphragm at e and projects for a certain distance in both
directions.
is an aperture made in the bottom cone 6 and through which the lower end of
the metallic rod d passes, y is a knob or cup at the lower end of the rod d for
containing tallow or its equivalent and is preferably made of ebonite or its equivalent.
The upper end of the rod passes up normally through the centre of a metallic ring h
which is insulated from the plumet or lead weight by insulite i and which is preferably
placed inside and near the apex of the upper cone a. jis the sounding line or lines
passing through the head of the cone and through which passes a wire k electrically
connected to the ring h. is the return wire and which may be attached to any
portion of the metallic plumet or weight or direct to the upper end of the rod d.
m is a watertight insulator through which the sounding line or lines pass and which
acts to prevent moisture getting to the inside of the cone a containing the electrical
contacts. Platinum or other non-oxidiseable material may be employed for the
contacts.
l
n is a ring of insulating material securely fixed in the aperture f of the apex of the
lower cone of the plumet or weight A so as to prevent metallic contact between the
rod and the weight A.
The apparatus works as follows. The plumet or lead weight is dropped over board
and lowered until the rod d with its projecting knob or cup g containing the tallow or
its equivalents comes in contact with the ground, is forced on one side, the point e in
the flexible diaphragm acting as its fulcrum consequently the opposite end will be
equally forced on one side and make contact with the inside of the ring h, the electric
current instantly commences to flow through the sounding line to a suitable battery
and bell fixed at any convenient position on the deck which commences to ring
indicating to those on board that the weight has reached the bottom.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A hollow plumet or lead weight of a double conical form as set forth.
2. A hollow plumet or lead weight containing a water tight compartment as set
forth.
3. A hollow plumet or lead weight, a rod fixed to a flexible diaphragm and adapted
to wobble and make an electrical contact as set forth.
4. A hollow plumet or lead weight containing a flexible diaphragm, rod fixed to
said diaphragm and projecting from either side, one end projecting beyond the
plumet or lead weight and carrying a cup for tallow, the opposite end entering a
water tight compartment containing the electrical contacts the top end being
encircled by a metal ring to which one end of the sounding line or lead is.
attached said rod making contact with the ring as set forth.
5. A hollow plumet or lead weight substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 31st day of Anost 1896
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C...
Agents for the Applicant.