Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Feb., 1887.
Complete Left, 12th May, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 14th June, 1887
I, WILLIAM MILLER WALTERS, of Chew Stoke, in the county of Somerset,
master mariner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention consists, firstly, in an improved register for use with a taffrail log,
the mechanism employed therein being simplified.
This invention consists, secondly, in an improved rotator, for use with a taffrail log,
having adjustable wings or vanes whereby the rate of rotation may be retarded or
increased as desired.
This invention consists, thirdly, in the use of a specially designed alarm
whereby a signal is provided of any obstruction to the working of the mechanism
of the log register. The alarm is adapted for use with logs of either the taffrail or
towing type.
The arrangement of mechanism of the register is as follows:-The main spindle
connected to the line or rope, as is well understood, is provided with a worm screw
which gears with a toothed wheel the axis of which is vertical and is situated towards
one side of the register box in which the mechanism is enclosed. On the same axis as
the toothed wheel above mentioned is a second worm which gears with a toothed wheel
carried upon a spindle placed obliquely in the box. Upon this second spindle is a third
worm which gears with a toothed wheel carried upon the same axis as the index finger
or pointer of the dial, which axis is supported above the worm of the main spindle by
a bracket.
The face of the dial may be coated with luminous paint to render the register visible
at night.
The index finger or pointer is driven through the medium of the simple train of
worms and toothed wheels above described instead of by the complicated train of wheel-
gearing hitherto usually employed in which the scope for error is largely increased,
nore especially as the mechanism becomes worn in practice.
Price 811

page_text: The improved rotator in which this invention secondly consists is furnished inside
with an elongated nut free to work on the central spindle which is provided with
screw threads therefor. From this nut spring two or more flat wings or vanes which
are rigidly fixed to the nut and move backwards or forward with it in suitable slots or
grooves according as the spindle is turned by the operator engaged in setting it.
Towards the rear end the body of the rotator is pierced to permit the wings to pass
inwards or outwards according as the nut is operated.
.
The pitch at which the usual fixed vanes of the rotator are set upon the body thereof
is such as would, in the absence of any means of control, indicate à falsely high rate of
speed of a vessel, but by operating the elongated nut so as to expose the wings which
it carries to the water to the requisite extent, resistance is offered thereby to the
revolution of the rotator the rate of rotation of which is thus capable of control and
regulation to absolute accuracy. The rotator may thus be adapted for use with any
vessel or form of register.
The means of affording an alarm or indication of obstruction to the mechanism of
the register of either a taffrail or towing log, to which this invention thirdly relates,
consists of a circular metallic box the internal wall of which is milled or otherwise
roughened. To a central axis extending into the box are attached or connected a pair
At the outer end of the spindle attachment is made
of pliant metal wings or arms.
with the line or rope which connects the apparatus with the rotator. At the other end
the apparatus is fitted with a cap linked to the register of a taffrail log or, in the case
of a towing log, to a convenient holdfast on the ship.
Normally the entire instrument rotates with the rope by which it is connected to the
register, but should, in the case of a taffrail log, the mechanism of the register
becomes obstructed or, in the case of a towing log, the connection of the log and the
towing rope become fouled and jammed, the central spindle and wings of the alarm are
caused to turn in the milled chamber and a rasping sound is produced whereby
warning of the obstruction is given.
1007
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: I, WILLIAM MILLER WALTERS, of Chew Stoke, in the county of Somerset, master
mariner, 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 improved register mentioned in the Provisional Specification left with my
application for Letters Patent as a feature of this invention I have found to possess
certain disadvantages and I have, in consequence, abandoned that part of the invention,
the rotator and use of an alarm in connection with ships logs, which constitute the
other features of this invention, only being retained.
The rotator which outwardly consists of the usual body with fixed vanes is, according
to this invention, fitted with an internal screw spindle passed through an elongated nut
from which spring vanes formed in one piece with or fixed to the nut. The screw
spindle, which is centrally situated in the instrument, is furnished at the rear with a
milled head or button the inner face of which bears against the tail of the body of the
instrument. Towards the leading end of the instrument the spindle is supported in a
disc or bracket and is free to turn in its bearings. The spindle is rotated from the
milled head or button aforesaid and according to the direction in which it is rotated
the elongated nut carried thereon is moved backwards or forwards on the spindle.
Thus the vanes on the nut may at will be made to protrude beyond the body of the
instrument which is slotted therefor, or to recede into it. The vanes are supported
and guided in their travel by guides or grooves provided therefor in the interior of the
instrument.
The pitch at which the vanes which spring from the body of the instrument are set
is such as would cause to be indicated a falsely high rate of speed of a ship to which it
is attached, and, by adjusting the internal nut backwards and thereby projecting into
the water to the necessary extent the vanes carried on the nut, the rate of rotation
of the instrument is retarded and governed to indicate with accuracy the speed at which
the ship is impelled. The rotator is thus capable of adaptation to any vessel or kind of
register.
This invention also consists in the use of an audible signal which is employed
to give warning of obstruction to the action of either a towing or a taffrail log.
Under one form, the alarm consists of a circular metallic box the interior of which
5 milled or otherwise roughened. To a central spindle extending into the box are
itted a pair of flexible metal wings or arms. At the outer end the spindle is connected
to the line or rope which at the opposite end is attached to the rotator. At the upper
end the alarm is fitted with a cap or cover to which is attached one end of the line or
ope which, in the case of a taffrail log, is, at the opposite end, connected to the

page_text: register, and, in the case of a towing log, to a ring, eye or other convenient connection
on board the ship. When used in connection with a taffrail log the whole instrument
normally rotates with the ropes or lines attached, as aforesaid, to its ends, and, in event
of the mechanism of the register becoming obstructed, the central spindle of the alarm
rotates within the box and an audible signal is given by the passage of the outer 5
extremities of the wings or arms aforesaid over the roughened surface of the interior
of the box. Similarly, if the mechanism of a towing log becomes fouled or jammed
and the entire log thereby caused to rotate, the spindle is also rotated by the rear part
of the towing line and the signal sounded.
Under a modification, a gong or bell may be used instead of the upper cap or cover
and roughened chamber aforesaid, and, instead of the vanes or arms, described as
carried upon the central spindle-of the appliance, a striker or hammer may be used
carried upon a swivel or link which hammer, as the link or swivel is rotated
by the obstruction of the action of the log, is brought into contact with knobs
or projections provided in the interior of the gong, thereby producing an audible
signal.
Other forms of alarms or signal producing appliances may be employed.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings, Fig. 1 represents a
longitudinal section of a rotator designed, in accordance with this invention, for use in
connection with a log of the kind known as a taffrail log. Fig. 2 is a traverse section
on the line, Fig. 1. The body a of the rotator and the vanes carried thereon are
of the usual kind. Along the centre of the instrument is carried the screw spindle c
carrying and free to work in the nut d from which spring the vanes e of which there
The pitch at
are two in the example illustrated but of which there may be more.
which the vanes are set upon the body a is such as to cause a falsely high rate of
speed to be indicated as that at which a ship is moving. This is counteracted and
aljusted to accuracy by operating the screw spindle c from the milled head c¹ so as to
cause the nut d to move towards the tail of the instrument and the vanes e to protrude
into the water to the requisite extent through slots provided therefor in the body of the
instrument, and by the surface they present to the water the rate of rotation is
controlled. The dotted outline indicates the vanes e partially extended. The vanes e
are supported on and guided by the guide rails i provided on the body a of the rotator.
They may be guided in grooves or otherwise.
At Fig. 3 is represented a section of one form of instrument for affording an audible
signal or alarm in event of obstruction to the action of a log. It is intended to be
attached at both ends to the rope or line which connects a log to a ship. Extending
into the box or chamber, the interior of which is milled or otherwise made uneven or
rough, is a spindle y furnished with flexible metallic vanes or arms which at their
outer edges impinge upon the roughened face of the chamber. The box or chamber
is surmounted by a cap or cover into which the box fis screwed or otherwise fitted
The instrument when in place constitutes a link in the log line and when used in
connection with a taffrail log normally rotates with the line. In event, however, of
obstruction to the action of the mechanism of the register the cap or cover and the
box or chamber f being stationary, the spindle g turns within the box and, by the
passage of the flexible vanes over the roughened or uneven interior of the box
a rasping sound is produced which gives warning of the obstruction. Similarly, when
the instrument is used in connection with a towing log, the alarm is sounded by th
rotation of the rear part of the towing line in event of obstruction of the mechanism
of the log, the cap or cover and the box or chamber being, as aforesaid
stationary.
At Fig. 4 is represented a section and at Fig. 5 an underside plan of a modificatio
and box f, and th
of the alarm in which the gong or bell is substituted for the cap
and vanesh respectively
link n and striker or hammer o for the central spindle
The interior of the gong or bell is furnished at intervals with knobs or projections
corresponding to the roughened surface of the box or chamber, Fig. 3. The gong
attached to that part of the log line which is nearest the ship. When obstructic
occurs to the working of the log the bell is sounded by contact of the head of th
1

page_text: hammer or striker with the knobs of the gong as it is carried round with the rear part
of the line. The stem of the hammer is flexible or jointed to admit of its passage over
the knobs or projections l¹.
As will be obvious, other appliances may be employed to afford a signal and be
actuated by the log line in a manner substantially similar to the appliances above
described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In the rotator of a taffrail log, setting the vanes fixed thereto at such a pitch as
would, in the absence of any compensating means, cause to be indicated a falsely high
rate of speed of the vessel to which such log is connected, and providing compensating
means in the form of vanes or arms adjustable to offer increased resistance to the rate
of rotation of the rotator whereby the rotator is capable of being retarded and adjusted
to cause the speed of the vessel to be accurately indicated, substantially as herein before
described.
2. In the rotator of a taffrail log, the vanes springing from the body of which are
set to indicate a falsely high rate of speed of a ship, the use of vanes or blades such
as e springing from a nut such as d carried upon a screw such as c extending
longitudinally in the instrument, and upon which the said nut is adjustable so as to
cause the vanes or blades carried by it to protrude outwards beyond the body of the
instrument or to recede therein and, by the surface thereby offered to the water, to
govern the rate of rotation of the instrument and to afford a means of obtaining a
correct indication of the speed of a ship, substantially as described.
3. The use in connection with a taffrail or a towing log of an appliance for
producing an audible signal when any obstruction to the working of the register
occurs, such warning appliance being connected to the log line at any convenient
point and actuated through the medium of the line, substantially as described.
4. The use, for producing an audible signal or warning of any interruption or
obstruction to the working of the register of a taffrail or towing log, of an appliance
such as herein before described with reference to Fig. 3 of the appended drawings,
consisting of a chamber such as f, spindle such as g fitted with flexible metallic wings
or vanes such as h, the parts being so arranged that on the occurence of obstruction
the spindle rotates within the chamber, and, by the passage of the wings or vanes over
the roughened internal surface of the chamber, a rasping sound is produced, the
appliance being linked in the log line, substantially as described.
5. The use, for producing an audible signal or warning of any obstruction to the
working of the register of a taffrail or towing log, of an appliance such as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5 of the appended sheet of drawings, consisting
of a bell or gong such as having internal knobs or projections against which a
hammer or striker such as o carried upon a link or swivel such as n is impelled when
the said obstruction occurs, the appliance being connected to the log line accordingly,
substantially as described.