Improvements in Apparatus for Sounding the Depth of Water.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Sounding the Depth of Water.
I, EDWIN SUTTON CORNISH of 7 Albert Park West, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows:-
The kind of sounding apparatus or appliances to which this Invention has
reference, is that in which a weight or weighted body is lowered from a ship, and
while in motion, is drawn over or trailed upon the bottom of tho sea, rivor,
electera; and through suitable means, indicates or records upon the ship the depth
of water under her at every instant of time.
According to this invention, this weight or weighted body is connected to and
trailed by the ship by a wire or cord, the weight resting or trailing on the bottom,
and the cord or wire extending from the weight up to the ship's side at a suitable
point forward of the weight. "This weight or weighted body is provided with, or
has in connection with it, an inclined plane or planes, so disposed and arranged
upon it, that by the propulsion or drawing of the body through the water, the
inclined plane or planes press it downwards and keep it upon the bottom, and so
avoid defects or inaccuracies of sounding, due to the weight or body being kept
off the bottom, by the drawing of the wire or cord, or wires or cords, connecting it
with the ship, through the water when moving at more or less high velocities.
These inclined planes can also be arranged at such inclinations, say in opposite
directions, to keep the course of the body or weight steady, as well as to keep it on
the bottom.
The means by which the depth of water between the ship and the bottom is
indicated, and in some cases recorded, upon the ship, may consist of a wire or cord
extending from the weight or body to a suitable indicating, or recording apparatus
or mechanism of a suitable kind (or both) upon the ship; and in the case of a wire
or cord being so used, tension will be kept upon it by a weight, which would
alternately automatically take in wire or cord, or allow it to be paid out, as the
bottom of the sea rises or falls. In most cases, a reducing mechanism would be
used in connection with the indicating or recording mechanism, to render the
indications or recording actions, and the movement of the parts thereof, of a con-
veniently small or diminished scale.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15 Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.

page_text: I, EDWIN SUTTON CORNISH of 7 Albert Park West, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, 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:-
The kind of sounding apparatus or appliances to which this Iuvention has
reference, is that in which a weight or weighted body is lowered from a ship, and
while in motion, is drawn over or trailed upon the bottom of the sea, river,
etcetera; and through suitable means, indicates or records upon the ship the depth
of water under her at every instant of time.
According to this invention, the weight or weighted body is connected to and
trailed by the ship by a wire or cord, the weight resting or trailing on the bottom,
and the cord or wire extending from the weight up to the ship's side at a suitable
point forward of the weight. This weight or weighted body is provided with, or
has in connection with it, an inclined plane or planes, so disposed and arranged
upon it, that by the propulsion or drawing of the body through the water, the
inclined plane or planes press it downwards and keep it upon the bottom, and 80
avoid defects or inaccuracies of sounding, due to the weight or body being kept
off the bottom, by the drawing of the wire or cord, or wires or cords, connecting it
with the ship, through the water when moving at more or less high velocities.
These inclined planes can also be arranged at such inclinations, say in opposite
directions, to keep the course of the body or weight steady, as well as to keep it on
the bottom.
The means by which the depth of water between the ship and the bottom is
indicated, and in some cases recorded, upon the ship, may consist of a wire or cord
extending from the weight or body to a suitable indicating, or recording apparatus
or mechanism of a suitable kind (or both) upon the ship; and in the case of a wire
or cord being so used, tension will be kept upon it by a weight, which would
alternately automatically take in wire or cord, or allow it to be paid out, as the
bottom of the sea rises or falls. In most cases, a reducing mechanism would be
used in connection with the indicating or recording mechanism, to render the
indications or recording actions, and the movement of the parts thereof, of a con-
veniently small or diminished scale.
In the drawings illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation, and
Figure 2 a plan of the sounding instrument, and Figures 3 and 4 shew diagram-
matically the general arrangement and mode of use or application of this apparatus.
In Figure 3, the arrangement is one in which the length of the tow line by
which the instrument is connected with the ship and pulled through the water, is
constant, and the length of line used for hauling it up, and in some cases also for
measuring the depth, for each unit of depth descended through vertically, is not
constant, but varies; whilst in the arrangement in Figure 4, the length of the
tow rope varies according to the depth at which the soundings are being taken,
while the lifting and measuring line is vertical, and the amount paid out for each
unit of depth vertically, constant.
Referring to the drawings, a is the body of the instrument carrying an inclined
plane 6 at its forward or lower end, and inclined planes c and d at its upper or rear
end. The body a is sloped in opposite directions from its longitudinal centre
line or back; that is the body in itself consists of inclined planes on the opposito
side (as indicated by dotted section at a Figure 1), so as to keep the course of
the body steady when being dragged through the water. The forward inclined
plane bis hinged at 6', and the rear inclined planes c, of which there is one on

page_text: either side of the body, a, are hinged at c. The body is propelled from the
ship through a bridle say of chain-from its rear and forward ends, and the
forward end is turned round and up as a toe f, in the manner shewn, so as to
better slide over the surface of the bottom of the sea, and over any obstacles it may
meet, in being drawn through the water, on the bottom. The inclined planes bc
serve to, vertically or radially, propel the apparatus through the water by the
bodily forward pull through the water by the tow rope, they being so arranged,
and of such area, as to overcome the resistance to the sinking of the apparatus
offered by the towing and lifting lines in passing through the water; and the
uppermost incline d is placed in an opposite direction to b and c, at the first part
of the descent, but when reverses its position when the device is at considerable
depths, it-the incline assists b, having become active as a downward pro-
peller. The full action of the apparatus will be described liereafter in connection
with the whole apparatus.
Referring now to the diagram shewn in Figure 3, h is the ship, with the
sounding device being towed from a fixed point on the forward part of the ship,
being the tow rope, connecting the bridle e of the device with this point, and k
the measuring and lifting or controlling line connecting the device with a point /
at the after part of the vessel, where it passes over a pulley. At m there is shewn
diagrammatically a device for automatically indicating the depth vertically to
which the sounding apparatus has descended, and shewing also, when the device
is on the bottom, the variations of depth of water directly under the ship as she
travels forward; and as the amount of line between the point and the device,
at varying depths, is not constantly proportional to the vertical or true depth
of water at which it may stand under the ship, the indicating device m will be
adapted, necessarily, to correct this, and indicate directly and correctly the depth
of water at all points at which the apparatus may stand.
Any of the well known kinds of indicators in which the movement of the pointer
is reduced, such, for instance, as those used in connection with indicating the
depth of water in reservoirs, rivers, etcetera, would be suitable for this purpose:
and the indicator forms no part of the invention
This apparatus will be placed on the bridge of the vessel, or at other point
desired, and connected with the lifting or measuring line k of the apparatus, or
a special line connected therewith, and the line will be automatically taken in
and paid out by this mechanism by a sliding adjustable counterbalance weight.
There may be one or more of these indicating mechanisms placed at different parts
of the vessel. To adapt the apparatus to ships having different draughts, or under
different load lines, the gauges or indicators would of course he adjusted
accordingly.
As another mode of indicating the depth of immersion of the sounding device,
the line at different points will have marks upon it, which indicate in fathoms
the depth which will be under the ship when these respective marks are, say, at
the water level, or the ships side. Or, if desired, similar marks on the tow line j
may be used. As a further mode of measuring the depth, a cord may be attached
to the tow line j, near its point of connection, i, with the ship, and passed over
pullies », and taken to a suitable indicating mechanism 2. In this case, the
depth of water under a ship would be indicated by the tow line; but of course
the variations of the angular positions of such tow line, would not be directly
proportional to the varying depth at which the sounding device would stand; and
therefore the indicator would be constructed and adjusted to meet this varying
factor.
With regard to the system shown in Figure 4, the sounding device and the
lifting or controlling line are adapted to descend and ascend vertically, from
the point of support or fixing on the ships; and the length of the tow line j will
vary as the sounding device descends and ascends; that is to say, as the sounding
device descends, the tow line is simultaneously paid out to give the vertical
descending movement. To effect this action, a winch designated o (see Figure 4

page_text: and 4) having a coned drum o' for the tow line, and a parallel drum for tho
lend line k is used; a suitable indicator of any known kind for registering or
indicating the depth, being used in connection with the winch. Of course the
winch and wheels over which the ropes pass, together with the indicator, can
be fixed at any suitable position on the vessel.
In action, the device is lowered over the side of the ship over the pulley into
the water, (which may be done while the ship is going at full speed), and the
forward movement through the water acting on the inclined planes and e, of
the device, irrespective of its own weight, tends to move the device down, that is,
propels it downwards against the upward resistance of the tow and lifting or
measuring lines and due to the passage of such lines through the water, by the
motion of the ship. When the sounding device has moved down a certain distance,
the angle of the whole device will be such, that the position of the hinged
incline b, in relation to the direction of motion through the water will be buch,
that pressure will begin to act on its underside, instead of its upper side; where-
upon it will be forced over into the position shewn in dotted lines, in which position
it will continue to act as a propeller, tending to propel it down deeper. The same
action will happen to the hinged inclines or vanes c, according to the depth to
which the instrument is moved, and their angle in relation to the body a; but
in their case, they cease to be active when so moved up.
By the form and shape of the toe of the apparatus, and by the bridle e, if the
article comes against any sunken body, or a wreck, or the like, it rides (over it,
and then descends on the other side.
It will be seen that, according to this invention, the sounding device is practically
always directly along the side of the ship, while the ship is sailing ahead; and
when turning, if the device and lines get under the ship, it is of no moment, as
they will soon, of themselves come right along side, when the ship takes its course,
and they cannot get foul of the propeller or other part of the ship. Therefore,
under all circumstances, the apparatus is not liable to become foul with any part
of the ship, and is under any case self righting, after it has been in any abnormal
position, due to any special movement of the ship.
A further effect is, that the sounding apparatus can be worked and soundings
taken or indicated, and continuously, while the ship is going at full speed; and
therefore it being unnecessary to slow the ship, either when the apparatus is being
loweren into the water, or at any other time, and the apparatus being directly
under the ship, and the sounding continuously taken and indicated or visible,
the ship can go at full speed without danger at any time, until or unless the
the indicator shews, by the depth of water under her, it would be dangerous to
do so. By these advantages, particularly in foggy weather, the ship is enabled
to obviate the loss of time which at present invariably takes place in foggy weather,
in having to reduce her speed in making a coast, or going up channel, or coming
into port.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. Apparatus for sounding the depth of water, substantially as described,
namely, an apparatus comprising a weight or body connected with a ship by a
tow line or rope, by which it is towed through the water, and by a line or cord by
which its movement and position, vertically, are controlled, said device having
means, such as described, adapted to propel it downwards by its forward move-
ment by the tow line through the water.
2. Apparatus connected with sounding the depths of water on board ship, com-
prising a body adapted to descend, and be pulled up, and having towing and lifting
lines, and a recording or indicating mechanism connected with said lines;
operating substantially as set forth.
3. An apparatus for sounding the depth of water, on board ship, comprising a 5

page_text: body and inclined planes 'thereon, adapted to propel the said body downwards in
being moved horizontally through the water.
4. An apparatus for sounding the depth of water on board ship, comprising a
body, with hinged inclines adapted to act in the manner substantially as set forth.
5. A sounding apparatus having the constructive characteristics substantially as
set forth with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.
6. The sounding apparatus having parts arranged constructed and adapted to
operate particularly as shewn in and set forth with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 17th day of May 1897.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15 Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.