IMPROVEMENTS IN DIVINING RODS OR APPARATUS BY WHICH THE EXISTENCE AND POSITION OF METALLIC LODES MAY BE DISCOVERED AND WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Cromwell Fleetwood Varley, of Cromwell House, Bexley
Heath, in the County of Kent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DIVINING RODS OR APPARATUS BY WHICH THE EXISTENCE AND POSITION
OF METALLIC LODES MAY BE DISCOVERED AND WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE
TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by tho said Cromwell Fleetwood Varley
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th December 1881.
CROMWELL FLEETWOOD VARLEY, of Cromwell House, Bexley Heath, in the
County of Kent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DIVINING RODS OR APPARATUS BY WHICH
THE EXISTENCE AND POSITION OF METALLIC LODES MAY BE DISCOVERED AND
WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES."
The object of the Invention is to discover the existance and position of metallic
lodes by means of observations made upon the surface of the ground.
The apparatus in the form I find most convenient, consists of a rod or axis of
from one meter to two or three in length. The rod is pivotted into a frame.
The rod carries on each end two helices of twenty to thirty centimeters in
diameter. The planes of the rings are parallel with the axis, and the centres of
the two helices aro placed about one meter apart, more or less. These helices are
connected together by two wires so as to form one continuous wire, but are broken
at a convenient part of the axis and are attached to two insulated semi circular
pieces of metal, against which two springs.press. The axis is connected by means
of a pulley and cord with a large wheel, or is geared so as to permit of its being
rapidly rotated. The two springs of the commutator are connected to an asthatic
galvanometer, or to a movable coil placed in a magnetic field. At right angles to
the plane of the helices projects a pointer, perpendicular to the planes of the
helices.
This pointer is attached to the frame carrying the rod. The frame is mounted
on pivots so as to turn in any direction around the axis of the rod. The whole
frame is mounted on a transverse axle or axles, so that it can be turned in any

page_text: direction. If there be an electric current passing in a straight line of indefinite
length underneath the axle it will produce a magnetic field, diminishing in power
as the distance from it increases. This magnetic field, when cut by the helices,
tends to generate currents in them.
The commutator causes all the currents to flow through the galvanometer in one
direction if the pointer is placed in a line perpendicular to the lode, but when the
pointer is in the direction of the load the currents are divided half in one direction
and half in the other through the galvanometer which returns to zero, thus if the
galvanometer is deflected it shows the presence of a lode.
By turning the pointer perpendicular to the line of the lode and inclining the
axle until no current is produced to indicate the direction of the lode and by taking
two observations, one on each side of the lode at which the pointer shows an angle
of 45 degrees, half the horizontal distance between these two stations is the
distance of the lode beneath the surface of the earth supposing the surface to be
level or uniform.
As cases may arise when it is not possible to place the apparatus on each side
of the lode, for example, suppose the lode to be near the side of a sloping mountain
the apparatus is provided with two rings, each attached to the ends of the lower
helix and underneath the commutator.
Two insulated springs coming from these insulated rings are connected with a
shunt box. By shunting the lower coil until the currents generated in the two
coils are equalised, then by a little calculation based upon the known laws of
electricity, the distance of the lode from the surface is indicated.
Lastly. By making the resistance coils of the shunt suitable functions of the
resistance of the coils and making them into the form of a slide resistance box and
numbering thein, the position of the shunts at which neutrality is obtained,
indicates without calculation the number of meters that the lode is below the
surface.
The hollow helices at each end of the rotating bar may be replaced by two bar
electro magnets.
I attach to the needles of the astatic galvanometer a long very light tube to
make it a "dead beat" instrument.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Cromwell Fleetwood Varley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th June 1882.
CROMWELL FLEETWOOD VARLEY, of Cromwell House, Bexley Heath, in the
County of Kent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DIVINING RODS OR APPARATUS BY WHICH
THE EXISTENCE AND POSITION OF METALLIC LODES MAY BE DISCOVERED, AND
WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO Other Useful Purposes.”
The object of the Invention is to discover the existence and position of metallic
lodes by means of observations made upon the surface of the ground.
The apparatus in the form I find most convenient consists of a rod or axis of
from one metro to two or three in length. The rod is pivotted into a frame.
The rod carries on each end two helices of twenty to thirty centimetres in
diameter, as indicated in the Drawing annexed. The planes of the rings are
parallel with the axis, and the centres of the two helices are placed about one
metre apart, inore or less.
These helices are connected together by two wires passing along the rod so as
to form one circuit, but broken at a convenient part of the axis and attached to
two insulated semi-cylindrical pieces of metal mounted upon the axis and against
which two springs press. This arrangement forms a commutator, and the contacts
change during the rotation as the planes of the rings or helices become vertical.
The axis is connected by means of a pulley and cord with a large wheel carried on
the frame, which supports the pivots or is otherwise geared so as to permit of its
being rapidly rotated. The two springs of the commutator are connected to a
delicato astatic galvanometer at a convenient distanco or to a moveable coil placed
in a magnetic field. At right angles to the plane of the rod projects a pointer.
This pointer is attached to the fraine carrying the rod. The frame is mounted on
pivots so as to turn in any direction; the stand carrying the frame having two
axes, one horizontal, the other vertical as in the altazimuth mounting of a
telescope.
If there be an electric current passing in a straight line of indefinite length
underneath the axle it will produce a magnetic field diminishing in power as the
distance from it increases. This magnetic field when cut by the helices tends to
generate currents in them.
The commutator causes all the currents to flow through the galvanometer in onc
direction if the pointer is placed in a line perpendicular to the lode, but when the
rod is suitably placed and the pointer is in the direction of the lode, the currents
are directed half in one direction and half in the other through the galvanometer,
which returns to zero. Thus if the galvanometer is deflected with the rod in any
position it shows the presence of a lode.
By inclining the rod until no current is produced the pointer is brought to a
position in which it indicates the direction of the lode, and by taking two
observations one on each side of the lode at which the pointer shows an angle
of 45 degrees, half the horizontal distance between these two stations is the
distance of the lode beneath the surface of the earth supposing the surface to be
level or uniform.
As cases may arise where it is not possible to place the apparatus on each side
of the lode, for example, suppose, the lode to be near the side of a sloping mountain,
the apparatus may be provided with means of shunting the lower coil until the
currents generated in the two coils are equalized, thon by a little calculation based
upon the known laws of electricity the distance of the lode from the surface is
ndiented.

page_text: Lastly, if desired by making the resistance coils of the shunt suitable functions
of the resistance of the coils and making them into the form of a slide resistance
box and numbering them, the position of the shunts at which neutrality is obtained
may be arranged to indicate without calculation the number of metres that tho
lode is below the surface.
The hollow helices at each end of the rotating bar may be varied in form and
may be replaced by two bar electro magnots.
I attach to the needles of the astatic galvanometer a long very light tube to
make it a "dead beat" instrument.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim my divining rod or
instrument by which metallic lodes may be discovered and their positions ascertained
from the differential action of an electric current traversing the lodo on coils,
helices, or electro magnets at suitable distances apart and simultaneously rotated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Cromwell Fleetwood Varley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.