Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 7th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 6th Apr., 1889
We, ALFRED JOPLING COOPER, of Billiter House, Billiter Street in the City of
London Captain of a vessel, and EUSTACE ERNEST WIGZELL of Billiter House, Billiter
Street, in the City of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
The apparatus consists of four separate parts, the Sounder, the wire, the fairlead
pulley and the Winch. The Sounder consists of a tubo about 5 feet long, weighted
to act as a sinker and provided at one end with a ring or eye for attaching the
sounding line or wire. Inside of this is placed a cylindrical tube closed at one end.
A piston with a long rod works in this tube; the lower portion of the rod passos
through a spiral German Silver spring whilst the upper portion is formed into a rack
by having fine teeth or grooves cut transversely in it. The spiral spring is attached
at one end to the bottom of the piston rod, and at its other end to a block fixed in the
top of the tube.-We use two German silver spiral springs one at each side of piston,
when we desire to measure great depths.
The piston is made to fit the tube loosely, and it is furnished with a dermatine
washer of a saucer shape. This style of washer whilst giving much less friction than
the ordinary hydraulic cup leathers, yet serves to keep the piston water-tight at high
pressures.
When this instrument is lowered into the sea the water enters through holes bored
in the tube below the piston.-As the hydrostatic pressure due to increased immersion
acts on the piston, the piston moves along the sealed tube and pulls against the
spring. Also when the hydrostatic pressure is removed on account of the instrument
being drawn to the surface, the spring brings back the piston to its original position,
or zero on the scale to be mentioned.
On the rack portion of the piston rod there is a sliding box containing a spring.-
This spring is fitted with a projection or projections which fall into the teeth of the
rack and hold it rigidly at any point to which it may be moved by the action of the
piston.-Opposite the lower end of the rack a conical or wedged shaped piece is fixed
to the case so that its end may catch and release the spring of the pointer and thus

page_text: allow the rack to move down through it.-When the piston and rack have moved their
maximum distance, which in all cases will correspond with the pressure exerted by
the depth obtained the pointer will grip the rack by means of its spring projections
and become immovable the withdrawal of the cone piece allowing the spring projection
to close. On the return of the piston and rod to zero owing to the decreased pressure
the pointer will be carried up still fixed to the same groove or tooth to which it became
attached on the instrument attaining the maximum depth. On this spring indicator
which no blow or jolt can displace, is a pointer or line which will indicate the depth
in accordance with the scale marked upon the case or tube which serves to protect the
rack.
Inside the upper portion of the protecting case or tube there is a sliding piece with
a conical or wedge shaped piece pointing downward. This sliding piece serves to
replace, by hand, the pointer to zero,in the same manner that the wedged shaped pieces
fixed at the lower end of the rack release from the rack and detain the pointer whilst
the rod slides down.-The scale mentioned is marked in fathoms, or other convenient
measures of depth on the protecting case in the immediate vicinity of the rack, this
case being slotted or cut away so as to allow the pointer on the rack to be seen in
conjunction with the scale.
It should be stated that when the Sounder is hovo in board the inner tube is drawn
out from its protecting case to enable the depth to be read off. After the depth has
been ascertained the pointer may be set to zero and the inner tube replaced.
After many experiments we have decided to adopt a twisted galvanized Steel wire,
cored with hemp, and braided on the outside with hemp or cotton steeped in a
solution of Stockholm tar or a compound of Gutta-percha, as our Sounding line.
This wire is wound on the drum of a winch fitted with a frictional brake and fixed
in the stern of the vessel or other suitable place.-The wire is passed from the Winch
over a pulley which automatically indicates the moment the Sounder has reached the
bottom. This is done in the following manner :-The fairlead pulley is suspended by
a rod or rods or bars, which bars are pivoted a few inches from the centre of the
fairlead pulley. These rods are extended forward from the pulley like a lever with a
shifting weight which weight we make heavier than the pulley end.-As the Sounder
is descending its weight resting on the pulley causes it to drop and the lever or
weighted end to rise but when the Sounder reaches the bottom the wire slackens and
the weight is thus taken off the pulley allowing the weighted end to drop thereby
giving a signal to the brakesman to apply the brake to stop the wire from running
out. We can, also, fix a gong or signal which can be heard by the brakesman at
night time thus giving an intimation in the dark that the bottom has been reached.
Our special improvements adopted in this Sounding in this instrument may be
summarised as follows:
A piston fitted with a saucer shaped washer of dermatine working watertight, a
spiral spring or springs of German silver, and the combination of these two specialities
in a cylindrical tube sealed at one end.-A grooved notched or threaded piston rod or
rack with a spring pointer fitted so that its projection falls into the said grooves; and
the wedge shaped pieces by which the spring pointer is made to release itself from the
grooved rod or rack as the rod travels and by which the pointer may be released and
set to zero.
The combination of such an instrument with a steel wire cable galvanized and
twisted, and covered with braided hemp or cotton, and also the method of indicating
by means of the fairlead pulley and balance weight the moment when bottom has been
reached by the submerged instrument.
Datodithio 16th dow of Nov 1000
ALFRED J. COOPER.
E. E. WIGZELL.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Instruments for Taking Soundings.
We, ALFRED JOPLING COOPER, of Billiter House, Billiter Street, in the City of
London, Captain of a vessel, and EUSTACE ERNEST WIGZELL, of Billiter House,
Billiter Street, in the City of London, 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 apparatus consists of four separate parts, the Sounder, the wire, the fairlead
pulley and the winch.
The Sounder consists of a tube about 5 feet long, weighted to act as a sinker and
provided at one end with a ring or eye for attaching the sounding line or wire.
Inside of this is placed a cylindrical tube closed at one end.-A piston with a
long rod works in this tube, the lower portion of the rod passes through a spiral
German silver spring whilst the upper portion is formed into a rack by having fine
teeth or grooves out transversely in it.-The spiral spring is attached at one end
to the bottom of the piston rod, and at its other end to a block fixed in the top of
the tube. We use two German silver spiral springs, one at each side of piston,
when we desire to measure great depths.
The Piston is made to fit the tube loosely, and it is furnished with a dermatine
washer of a saucer shape.-This style of washer whilst giving much less friction
than the ordinary hydraulic cup leathers, yet serves to keep the piston water-tight at
high pressures.
When the instrument is lowered into the sea the water enters through holes
bored in the tube below the piston. As the hydrostatic pressure due to increased
immersion acts on the piston, the piston moves along the sealed tube and pulls
against the spring. Also when the hydrostatic pressure is removed on account of
the instrument being drawn to the surface, the spring brings back the piston to its
original position, or zero on the scale to be mentioned.
On the rack portion of the piston rod there is a sliding box containing a spring.
This spring is fitted with a projection or projections which fall into the teeth of the
rack and hold it rigidly at any point to which it may be moved by the action of the
piston. Opposite the lower end of the rack a conical or wedge shaped piece is fixed
to the case so that its end may catch and release the spring of the pointer and thus
allow the rack to move down through it.
When the piston and rack have moved their maximum distance, which in all cases
will correspond with the pressure exerted by the depth obtained the pointer will grip
the rack by means of its spring projections and become immovable, the withdrawal
of the cone piece allowing the spring projection to close.-On the return of the
piston and rod to zero owing to the decreased pressure the pointer will be carried up

page_text: still fixed to the same groove or tooth to which it became attached on the instrument
attaining the maximum depth.-On this spring indicator which no blow or jolt can
displace is a pointer or line which will indicate the depth in accordance with the
scale marked upon the case or tube which serves to protect the rack.
Inside the upper portion of the protecting case or tubo there is a sliding piece
with a conical or wedge shaped piece pointing downward.-This sliding piece serves
to replace, by hand, the pointer to zero, in the same manner that the wedge shaped
pieces fixed at the lower end of the rack release from the rack and detain the pointer
whilst the rod slides down.
The scale mentioned is marked in fathoms, or other convenient measures of depths,
on the protecting case in the immediate vicinity of the rack, this case being slotted
or cut away so as to allow the pointer on the rack to be seen in conjunction with the
scale.
It should be stated that when the Sounder is hove in board the inner tube is
drawn out from its protecting case to enable the depth to be read off.-After
the depth has been ascertained the pointer may be set to zero and the inner tube
replaced.
After many experiments we have decided to adopt a twisted galvanized steel wire,
cored with hemp, and braided on the outside with hemp or cotton steeped in a
solution of Stockholm tar, or a compound of Gutta-percha, as our sounding line.-
This wire is wound on the drum of a winch fitted with a frictional brake and fixed
in the stern of the vessel or other suitable place. The wire is passed from the winch
over a pulley which automatically indicates the moment the sounder has reached the
bottom. This is done in the following manner.-Tho fairlead pulley is suspended
by a rod or rods or bars, which bars are pivoted a few inches from the centre of the
fairlead pulley-These rods are extended forward from the pulley like a lever with
a shifting weight which weight we make heavier than the pulley end.-As the
Sounder is descending its weight resting on the pulley causes it to drop and the
lever or weighted end to rise, but when the Sounder reaches the bottom the wire
slackens and the weight is thus taken off the pulley allowing the weighted end to
drop thereby giving a signal to the brakesman to apply the brake to stop the wire
from running out. We can also fix a gong or signal which can be heard by the
brakesman at night time, thus giving an intimation in the dark that the bottom has
been reached.
Our special improvements adopted in this Sounding instrument may be summarised
as follows:-
A piston fitted with a saucer shaped washer of dermatine working watertight, a
spiral spring or springs of German Silver, and the combination of these two
specialities in a cylindrical tube sealed at one end. A grooved notched or threaded
piston rod or rack with a spring pointer fitted so that its projection falls into the
said grooves, and the wedge shapod pieces by which the spring pointer is made to
release itself from the grooved rod or rack as the rod travels and by which the
pointer may be released and set to zero.-The combination of such an instrument
with a steel wire cable galvanized and twisted and covered with braided hemp or
cotton, and also the method of indicating by means of the fairlead pulley and
balance weight the moment when bottom has been reached by the submerged
instrument.
We also make the pointers or markers in the following manners :-
Inside a case we place a sliding piece projecting through the carrier or case,
with a square hole in the centre to fit the toothed rod or rack, this is held in
position by a cross piece.-At the bottom end of this plate or sliding piece there
is a projection so that when it comes into contact with the wedge shaped piece
on the top of the block which holds the spring it brings the sliding piece out of
the teeth of the rack, but when it is released from the wedge shaped projection
there is a circular spring made so that one part fits in the top end of the plate or
sliding piece and keeps it in the toothed rack thus preventing the pointer or marker
from moving.

page_text: Or we make the marker in the shape of a ring with a piece inside the ring at
the bottom made to fit in the teeth of the rack, so arranged with a spring under-
neath as to keep it in the teeth, the release from the teeth being offected in the
same manner as last described above.
At the bottom end of the outer protocting case we arrange a water buffer or
plunger fastened in the case by means of a pin passed through the bottom end of
the case to prevent its falling out.-When the buffer or plunger is down, there are
holes arranged so that the cylinder chamber may fill with water, so that when the
instrument strikes a rock or the bottom, the water that is in the cylinder is forced
out by the plunger, the water acting as a buffer and preventing a sudden shock or
blow.
For this purpose we also make a sliding cylinder with a solid bottom, which
acts as a lead and is furnished with a recess for arming with tallow in the usual
manner.
This cylinder slides over the outer protecting case the bottom end of this case
being filled with lead; a slot is cut in the sliding cylinder and a pin placed
in the outer protecting casing to prevent the sliding cylinder from falling off and
yet allowing it to slide up and down frocly.-When the cylinder fills with water
and the sounder reaches the bottom the same action as described above take
place the water acting as a buffer.
We can also use a spring to take the place of the water if necessary or
desirable.
To put the sounder in the outer protecting case and to hold it in position we adopt
the following method. We have a half ring swivelled in the outer case, on the top;
the sounder is placed inside the case and comes against a spring placed at the bottom
of the case, the sounder being pushed in compresses this spring, the swivolled ring on
the case is then brought over the centre of the top of the sounder and fitted into a
recess which is made in the latter and so prevents it coming out, but it can be readily
released at pleasure.
In the drawings annexed hereto fig. 1 is a section of the sounder.
A is the cylinder with a closed end at the bottom, inside this cylinder there is
a piston B. working with a saucer-shaped washer C. made of Dermatine, at the top of
this washer there is placed a second piston D. which prevents the washer C. from
being dragged off.-Attached to this piston there is a square rod E E, the top end of
which is toothed or cut as a rack. At the piston end of this rod there is a spring F.
made of German Silver or other suitable material to prevent corrosion.
The bottom end of the spring passes through a hole G. in the rod, the top end is
fixed to a block H. which is fixed on the top of the tube I. so that when the pressure
of the water passes through the holes J. it forcos the piston B. down the cylinder A.
and opens the spring F.
On the squaro rod E. above the block H. is placed a moving pointer or marker K.
as shown on an enlarged scale in fig. 2.-On the top end of the block H (shown in
fig. 2) there is a wodgo shaped projection L.-The marker K. has a sliding plate M.
shown in front view fig. 3. with a square hole O through the centre, the bottom end of
the plate or marker has a projection N. also shown in fig. 2.-This marker has a
spring Pas shown in fig. 3. to keep it in its place, so that when the marker is pressod
down to release it from the teeth, or the wedge piece L. pulls it out of the teeth, the
spring P takes it back to its normal position.-In the outer case Q of this marker
fig. 2 is shown a projection with two springs R. R sliding against the square bar E
so that when the square bar E is pulled down by the piston B. it brings the marker
against L. shown in fig. 2. and releases it from the teeth, but as the pressure decreases
on the ascent of the instrument through the water the two springs R. R. bring the
marker up with the square rod E and by so doing release the plate M. from the
wedge L. and allow it to come against the teeth of the square rod and so prevent
the pointer moving by any shock or blow.-The marker or pointer is thus carried as
the pressure is reduced opposite a number or index S. (shown in fig. 4) of the various
depths, and on the instrument being brought to the surface the depth can be then

page_text: read off. By pressing the plate M. shown in fig. 2 it releases it from the teeth and
enables the marker to be put down to zero, when the square bar E is again free to
travel down with the pressure of the water.
Fig. 5 shows another method of making the pointer or marker-we place inside a
case a ring T with a strip or projection U. along the bottom fitting into the toothed
rack E and which is kept in position by a spring Y. as shown.
Fig. 6. is another marker-Inside a case we form a spring W. with a piece H
projecting at the end of the spring, so that when you press down the button Y. it
releases it out of the toothed bar E.
Fig. 7. shows another description of pointor, Z. is a plate having at its bottom end
a projection A' (samo as marker fig. 2. letter N.) the spring B', for keeping it in the
teeth, in this case being placed underneath the plate Z.
Fig. 4 shows another means of releasing the pointer K. for bringing it back
to zero on the scale.-Outside the case we put a ring Z' with a wedge shaped
projection A shown also in fig. 2 and fig. 7.-When the ring Z is pulled down tho
wedge a³ presses in the plate M. in fig. 2 or Z. in fig. 7. and releases the pointer or
marker out of the teeth of the rack when it is free to travel down with the ring, the
ring being put back to the top end of the scale out of the way after the marker has
beon set to zero.
Fig. 8. shows a drawing of the outer casing into which fig. 4 goes. At the bottom
end of this case is a buffer or a plunger (water entering in at D and filling up the
cylinder E which has a solid end.-When the Sounder reaches the bottom E' is
filled with water which enters through D' and as the instrument strikes the ground
the weight of the upper part forces the water out of El past the plunger (₁ (which is
made a loose fit) and lets the case slide down C₁ slowly, so preventing any sudden
blow or shock.
Fig. 9. shows the bottom end of a modification of water tube, with an outer casing Fi
which forms a cylinder for the water buffor, water entering in at G₁, the bottom end
of the outer casing H₁ forming the plunger, H being filled with load up to 1' to
weight the instrument.-The action of the end Fi is the same as E' fig. 8.
J shows the lead with aperture for arming or filling with tallow in the usual
manner.
The top end of this drawing (fig. 9) shows the spring K' inside the outer case on
which the bottom end L' of the sounder fig. 4 rests.
Fig. 10 shows the buffer fitted with a spring M¹ this spring taking the place of
water.
Fig. 11 shows the arrangement for holding the sounder in the outer case by means
of the half-ring N' swivolled in the case O' the sounding instrument having a groove
or slot in its top end as shown in fig. 4. P¹ into which the half ring fits.
Fig. 12 shows the fairlead pulley with its signal for indicating when bottom
is reached.--The drum Q¹ runs on pin R' which is the end of a bar or bars.-These
bars are supported or swung from S³, when the bottom is reached and the line
suddenly slackened, the drum Q¹ lifts up, the end of the bar T¹ being the heaviest,
and the pin U falls down and is held in the position shown by dotted lines by
weighted pawl V' thus indicating when the greatest depth has been reached.
Fig. 13. shows the description of winch used fitted with brake gear.
Fig. 14 is the special make of line or cable used, Wis a thin core of hemp or
cotton, are twisted Galvanized steel wires, and outside these is woven or braided,
or plaited, tightly, hemp or cotton Y' and this is steeped in a solution of Guttapercha
or tar.-By this we prevent any twisting or snarling.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :
1. The improved Sounding Instrument substantially as described.
2. The piston fitted with a saucer shaped washer of Dermatine working watertight ¦
anhatantial

page_text: 3. The combination of a piston fitted with a saucer shaped washer working water-
tight, and a spiral spring or springs made of German silver or other non-corrosive
material in a cylindrical tube sealed at one end, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
4. The grooved, notched, or threaded piston rod or rack substantially as and for
the purpose described.
5. The methods of holding in position on the grooved notched or threaded piston
rod or rack the pointers or markers for showing the greatest depth attained by the
hydrostatic pressure so that no blow or shock can move them substantially as
described.
6. The grooved notched or threaded piston rod or rack combined with a spring
pointer or marker so arranged that a spring or plate or projection or projections on a
spring or plate fall into the said grooves notches or threads and so hold the marker
or pointer firmly in any position on the piston rod or rack substantially as, and for
the purpose described.
7. The wedge shaped piece or pieces by which the spring pointer or marker is
made to release itself from the grooved notched or threaded piston rod or rack as the
said rod or rack travels, substantially as described.
8. The method of releasing the pointer or marker from the grooved notched or
threaded piston rod or rack when it is required to bring the said pointer or marker
back to zero, substantially as described.
9. The method of securing the sounder inside the outer case by means of a swivelled
half ring and spring, substantially as and for the purpose described.
10. The water buffer substantially as and for the purpose described.
11. The spring buffer substantially as and for the purpose described.
12. The combination of such a sounding instrument with a steel galvanized wire
cable, twisted and covered with woven, plaited or braided hemp or cotton substantially
as described.
13. The cable or cord made of twisted galvanized steel wires, with a suitable core,
and covered with woven, plaited, or braided hemp or cotton, for sounding purposes
substantially as described.
14. The method of indicating for sounding purposes the moment when bottom has
been reached by the submerged instrument by means of a fairlead pulley substantially
as described.