An Improved Dynamometer for use in Laying Submarine Cables.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 14th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Dynamometer for use in Laying Submarine Cables.
I, WALTER JOHN MURPHY, of 39, Courtfield Gardens, Earl's Court, London,
Cable Engineer and Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows;―
This invention relates to a cable dynamometer and has for its object to improve
and simplify the construction of such instruments. Hitherto in dynamometers
of this description the strain of the cable instead of coming directly in a line
with the centre of gravity of the instrument has been placed more or less to one
side thereof, thereby increasing the wear upon the instrument and decreasing
its recording efficiency owing to the clutch like action of the outer guide as well
as the piston or pistons within the dashpot or dashpots as the case may be, as
well as rendering such instruments cumbersome and heavy, placing a great strain
upon the deck by which they are supported. Now in carrying this invention
into effect I construct the usual dashpot or cylinder which is filled with oil
in the usual manner and within which is placed a plunger which I provide with
a suitable valve and seating to allow of the descent of the plunger when the strain
of the cable is relieved. The cylinder or dashpot I place beneath the deck and
provide it at its upper end with a suitable flange by which it is bolted or other-
wise secured to the underside of the said deck and close the mouth thereof with
a suitable cover through which passes the plunger rod. Formed integral with
the said rod or secured thereto in any suitable manner is a vertical standard or
support having a pin upon which is revolubly mounted a sheave under which the
cable is led to the paying out machinery. The peripheral centre line of the
sheave is directly in a line with the centre of gravity of the plunger and therefore
of the dashpot. The lower end of the dashpot I provide with an external flange
in which is formed a number of holes through which pass bolts or studs serving
to clamp between the said flange and a flange upon the upper end of a cylindrical
or other support the lower end or head of the dashpot, and upon which head
rests a buffer of rubber or the like to absorb the shock should the cable part and
the plunger suddenly fall from this or any other cause. The support aforesaid
in addition to supporting the dashpot helps to support the upper deck thereby not
only relieving it of the weight of the dynamometer but materially helping to
strengthen that part of the ship. A tap or cock is provided in the lower cover
of the dashpot through which the oil therein may be drawn off when desired
and a guage glass may be fixed to the side of the dashpot to indicate the quantity
of oil therein. Instead of having the end of the dashpot closed in the manner
aforesaid I may close it by means of a suitably shaped plug which I retain in
position by means of a sett stud or screw carried by a suitable boss cast in the
supporting pedestal and by means of which ready access to the dashpot is obtained
when necessary.
ש.
1
LT
001
13 1
1000

page_text: GDC Maying Name Caples,
I, WALTER JOHN MURPHY, of Duque de la Victoria, Vigo, Spain, late of 39,
Courtfield Gardens, Earl's 'Court, London, Cable Engineer and Electrician, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a cable dynamometer and has for its object to improve
and simplify the construction of such instruments. Hitherto in dynamometers
of this. description the strain of the cable instead of coming directly in a line
with the centre of gravity of the instrument has been placed more or less to one
side thereof, thereby increasing the wear upon the instrument and decreasing
its recording efficiency owing to the clutch like action of the outer guide as well
as the piston or pistons within the dashpot or dashpots as the case may be, as
well as rendering such instruments cumbersome and heavy placing a great strain
upon the deck by which they are supported. Now in carrying this invention
into effect I construct the usual dashpot or cylinder which is partly filled with oil
in the usual manner and within which is placed a plunger which I provide with
a suitable valve and seating to allow of the descent of the plunger when the strain
of the cable is relieved. The cylinder or dashpot I place beneath the deck and
provide it at its upper end with a suitable flange by which it is bolted or other-
wise secured to the underside of the said deck and close the mouth thereof with
a suitable cover through which passes the plunger rod. Formed integral with
the said rod or secured thereto in any suitable manner is a vertical standard or
support having a pin upon which is revolubly mounted a sheave under which the
cable is led to the paying out machinery. ne peripheral centre line of he
sheave is directly in a line with the centre of gravity of the plunger and therefore
of the dashpot. The lower end of the dashpot I provide with an external flange
in which is formed a number of holes through which pass bolts or studs serving
to clamp between the said flange and a flange upon the upper end of a cylindrical
or other support the lower end or head of the dashpot, and upon which head
rests a buffer of rubber or the like to absorb the shock should the cable part and
the plunger suddenly fall from this or any other cause. The support aforesaid
in addition to supporting the dashpot helps to support the upper deck thereby not
only relieving it of the weight of the dynamometer but materially helping to
strengthen that part of the ship. A tap or cock is provided in the lower cover
of the dashpot through which the oil therein may be drawn off when desired
and a gauge glass may be fixed to the side of the dashpot in indicate the quantity
of oil therein. Instead of having the end of the dashpot closed in the manner
aforesaid I may close it by means of a suitably shaped plug which I retain in
position by means of a sett stud or screw carried by a suitable boss cast in the
supporting pedestal and by means of which ready access to the dashpot is obtained
when necessary.
In order that the invention may be the better understood drawings are
appended in which:-
Fig. 1, is a longitudinal section of the improved dynamometer.
g. 2, is a side elevational view.
is the dashpot or cylinder within which slides the plunger which may
be either a solid rod or it may be tubular as may be found most suitable. C is
the valve at the end of the rod b which valve in the present instance consists
of a cup leather secured to the end in any convenient well known manner. The
cylinder is located below the deck d to which it is secured by bolts or the like

page_text: h
passing through the flange e and into the deck upon the underside, and is closed
at its upper end by means of the cover f perforated to allow of the passage there-
through of the rod b. Secured to or cast integral with the rod at its upper
end is a vertical standard g having at its upper end a boss through which passes
a pin upon which is revoluably mounted the sheave i the cable being led there-
under to the paying out machinery. As will be seen from the drawings the
peripheral centre line of the sheave is directly in a line with the centre of
gravity of the instrument so that any strain that may be thrown upon the plunger
by the pull of the cable or from other causes will be a direct strain and will
not in any way interfere with the free action of the instrument. j is a flange
cast integral with the cylinder a and between which and the flange k, formed
at the upper end of the cylindrical support 1, is clamped the disc or plate m
forming the end of the cylinder. To permit of the oil or the like with which
the dashpot is partly filled being drawn off, a cock o is provided to which access
may be attained through suitable openings formed in the support aforesaid.
A suitable gauge p is attached to the cylinder a by which the level of the oil
or the like can be seen and by which it can be introduced into the cylinder.
To avoid any damage to the cylinder head m consequent upon the sudden parting
of the cable or other cause a buffer n of rubber or other suitable material is pro-
vided and is placed on the bottom of the cylinder to protect the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A dynamometer for the purpose herein set forth so constructed and arranged
that the strain is applied directly in a line with the centre of gravity of the instru-
ment substantially as herein set forth and illustrated by the appended drawings.
2. The dynamometer for use in laying submarine cables constructed and
operating substantially as herein described and illustrated by the appended
drawings.
Dated this 14th day of November 1899