IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA- BATUS FOR MEASURING AND INDICATING THE DEPTH OF WATER IN A SHIP'S HOLD
Year: 1838

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
HAMMOND FISKE, of Portsmouth, in the County of Hampshire, Watch and
Clock Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Fifth day of June, in the first year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas
Hammond Fiske, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Thomas Hammond Fiske, my exors, admors, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Thomas Hammond Fiske, my exors, admors, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPA-
BATUS FOR MEASURING AND INDICATING THE DEPTH OF WATER IN A SHIP'S HOLD;"
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Thomas
Hammond Fiske, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in
Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as
in and by the, same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Hammond Fiske, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Inven-

page_text: tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following description, reference
being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
My Invention consists of a new mechanical arrangement of apparatus
acting on two combined principles, the one shewing at all times the depth of
water in the ship's well, and the other giving an alarm when the water rises to
any important height The depth is shewn on a scale which is placed on any
one of the decks, see Drawing, letter C. A ball or buoy F is placed in the
well and floats on the water, and as the water increases the ball rises and
presses up the collar D, which slides in a groove in the frame C, on which
inches are marked. The number parallel with the collar D is the number of
inches of the depth of water in the well. The ball is made fast by the means
of a rod which is secured to the bottom of the well and conveyed up to the
under part of the deck that the scale stands on, or to the deck above the scale,
as drawn at A, A. The Drawing annexed is adapted to ships generally, but I
differ from it in some cases; but the principles of the instrument, a floating,
buoy and an alarm, are the same in every instance, only varied to suit the
build of the vessel and wishes of the owners; and by virtue of this Patent I
distinctly claim a right to the exclusive construction of it. The box I, which
contains an alarm bell, is placed on the back of the scale C, which can be moved
to any part of the scale by means of a screw fixed in plate H. The lever L is
shewn set at fourteen inches on the scale. The moment the collar D lifts the
lever L, that instant the alarm bell commences ringing, and will continue for
half an hour. This alarm is constructed by means of wheels, pinions, escapement,
and lever, which are moved by a spring when released from the stop by the
lever L, and can be fitted up in the cabins or any part of the ship. The im-
portance of this is, that the captain need not depend on the man sounding the
well, as he may see at all times the quantity of water marked on the scale;
and, in case of an extreme leak, he sets the alarm, say at twenty-four
inches, no one can alter its position without a key; being set at twenty-four
inches, the captain concluding that the ship should be pumped when that
quantity of water is in the well, the alarm will give him the notice, and those
employed in working the ship will see its gradual increase by the rising of the
collar D on the scale C. For further reference see Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Hammond Fiske, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of December, One thousand
eight hundred and thirty-eight.
THOS HAMMOND (L.8.) FISKE.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fourth day of December, in the
year of our Lord 1838, the aforesaid Thomas Hammond Fiske came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and thirty-eight.