Improvements in Sounding Apparatus for Ships' Use.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 21st Jan., 1896-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sounding Apparatus for Ships' Use.
HERBERT KYNASTON BRIDGER, Gentleman, of Oxford Road, Upper
Teddington, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention for improvements in sounding apparatus for ships use has for its
object to produce a simple efficient and thoroughly reliable apparatus that can be
easily used and read by an ordinary seaman, and consists essentially in causing the
extension of a steel or other suitable surface subjected to the water pressure and
forming part of a surface enclosing a suitable liquid to force the liquid up a small
bore glass or transparent tube visible from outside the apparatus and communicating
at its top with an enclosed air chamber. The water in the glass tube actuates a
sliding index fitting in the tube to show the maximum height to which it is
raised. The index can be reset by a magnet. The tube is graduated to indicate
fathoms.
In one form of apparatus, the thin steel tube closed at its lower end is fitted in
and extends nearly to the bottom of an outer strong iron vessel so as to leave an
annular space between them divided into an upper and lower chamber. The upper
chamber is filled with air and the lower with boiled water, alcohol, mercury or
other suitable liquid. A glass tube of the desired length having a capillary bore
and situated in an external recess in the outer vessel connects the water chamber
to the air chamber. Normally the liquid fills the lower annular chamber and the
air fills the air chamber and bore of the tube. The bottom of the outer vessel is
cone shaped and provided with an adjusting screw to vary the volume of the lower
chamber. The glass tube is provided with a maximum index and is graduated to
indicate fathoms.
Dated this 21st day of March 1895.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sounding Apparatus for Ships' Use.
HERBERT KYNASTON BRIDGER, Gentleman, of Oxford Road, Upper
Teddington, in the County of Middlesex, 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 :--
This invention for improvements in sounding apparatus for ships use has for its
object to produce a simple efficient and thoroughly reliable apparatus that can be
easily used and read by an ordinary seaman, and consists in causing the extension
of a steel or other suitable surface subjected to the water pressure and forming part
of a surface enclosing a suitable liquid to force the liquid up a small bore glass or
transparent tube visible from outside the apparatus and communicating at its top
with an enclosed air chamber. The water in the glass tube actuates a sliding index
Di

page_text: fitting in the tube to show the maximum height to which it is raised. The index
can be re-set by a magment. The tube is graduated to indicate fathoms.
In one form of apparatus, the thin steel tube closed at its lower end is fitted in
and extends nearly to the bottom of an outer strong iron vessel so as to leave an
annular space between them divided into an 'upper and lower chamber. The upper
chamber is filled with air and the lower with boiled water, alcohol, mercury or
other suitable liquid. A glass tube of the desired length having a capillary bore
and situated in an external recess in the outer vessel connects the water chamber
to the air chamber. Normally the liquid fills the lower annular chamber and the
air fills the air chamber and bore of the tube. The bottom of the outer vessel is
cone shaped and provided with an adjusting screw to vary the volume of the lo ver
chamber. The glass tube is provided with a maximum index and is graduated to
indicate fathoms.
The accompanying illustration is a central vertical section of a sounding
apparatus constructed according to this invention.
The thin tube a of steel or phosphor bronze or other suitable material has
brazed sweated or otherwise secured to it the two plugs and c and is closed at the
lower end d. It is fitted in and extends to nearly the bottom of a strong cast iron
or other suitable vessel e f divided into two parts ef secured together by the plug 5,
the plug c serving to close the upper end of the annular space between the tube a
and the vessel e, f. The upper part of the annular space between the tube fand
the tube a forms an air chamber whilst the lower part of the annular space
between the tube e and the tube a is filled with water. The water chamber can be
filled by removing the screw plug l. The air chamber can be filled with air or
examined by removing the plugs m.
The air chamber and water chamber are connected by a guage tube 9 connected
to the vessel ef at the top and bottom by the usual guage glass fittings h. The
tube is graduated and sliding in the tube is an index that is forced forwards
with the water and remains at the highest position to which it is forced, similar to
the maximum index of a thermometer or the like. The glass may be protected by
any suitable covering having a longitudinal slot through which the position of the
indicator can be ascertained.
The action is as follows: The upper chamber and tube being filled with air and
the lower chamber with water, as the depth of the sounder increases, the pressure
of water acting within the tube a expands it, and the vessel e, f being sufficiently
strong to be practically of a constant volume, the water is forced out of the lower
chamber up the guage glass and compresses the air in the air chamber. The
height which the water passes up the guage tube indicates the pressure and
consequently the depth. The tube may be graduated to indicate fathoms.
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 sounder consisting of a thin or flexible vessel, a stout or inflexible vessel,
both closed at the lower ends and fitting one within the other, a means for closing
the upper end of the space between the two vessels, a means for dividing the space
into two chambers, and a guage glass or tube connecting the two chambers.
2. The improvements in sounding apparatus for ships use, substantially as
described with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 21st day of January 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.