Improvements in Automatic Recording Nautical Sounding Apparatus.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Apr., 1895-Accepted, 4th May, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Automatic Recording Nautical Sounding
Apparatus.
1, JOHN GEORGE LOVERING of No. 38 Vicarage Road, Stratford, in the.
County of Essex, Master Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
My invention relates to improvements in automatic recording nautical sounding
apparatus, and the special objects of it are to provide for the line recording its
length as the lead pulls it out of the apparatus, for the line to be automatically
locked at the sounded depth by the first part of the act of hauling the sounding
apparatus inboard, as well as for preventing line being paid out accidentally from
the apparatus.
Referring to the accompanying figures :-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of part of the buoy, the sounding line drum, the
automatic recorder, its actuating mechanism and the line by which the drum
locking bar detent is released.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, omitting the
Bounding line.
1
Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a plan of the lever of the recorder actuating mechanism.
Figure 6 is a side elevation shewing the apparatus in use astern of a vessel, the
lead having nearly reached bottom.
Figure 7 is a side elevation, and Figure 8, a plan of the apparatus and of lines
therefrom to the vessel. The position illustrated by the full lines is the same as is
illustrated in Figure 6. That illustrated by the dotted lines is the one of a line
drum locked preparatory to hauling inboards.
a is a heart shaped buoy. a' is a spring hook pendent from the bottom of it by
which the frame of the line drum is connected to it and suspended from it.
c is the line drum. It is fast upon the axle c' which has its bearings in the sides
of the frame. This frame takes the shape of an inverted U, the bend of which,
i.e., the top of the frame, is provided with a swivel d acting between the frame
and the spring hook a'. d¹ is the sounding line. It is preferably of fine silk and
is made fast by one end to the drum c and by the other, to the lead d. The latter
is of the usual construction, but the line carries a series of balls or beads d', d,
made fast to it at intervals of a fathom, the first of the series being a fathom from
the bottom of the lead.
e is the guide for the line d'. It is tubular with two trumpet shaped ends and
is supported in a vertical position about the path of the line d', by a pair of angle
shaped extensions e', e, from the bottom of the frame of the line drum.
fis the recorder. It may be a counter of any suitable construction shaped to
work within a cylindrical case which is fitted into a corresponding cavity formed
by two mutually concaved portions of the extensions e', e' above mentioned.
g is the lever through which the distance which the lead falls, is communicated
to the recorder. It is pirotted upon a horizontal pivot gl and stands with its nose g³
projecting through a vertical opening in the side of the guide. This nose is
forked so as to stand right and left of the line d' but the distance between the

page_text: prongs of the fork is less than the diameter of a ball so that the passage of
each ball past the nose g' means the tripping of the lever g upon its pivot g' once
and a consequent actuation of the recorder once, through the connecting rod g*,
the lower end of which is loosely connected to the lever g by means of a stud and
slotted fork g³.
It is obvious that it will not be required to actuate the recorder during the
reverse travel of the line d¹. To prevent such actuation taking place, the nose g³
is pivotted to the lever so as to be swung out of their way, by the balls or
beads d', d. It is provided with a returning spring 9-the lever being, provided
with a suitable abutment for the nose to rest against after its return by the
spring 9.
h, hare a series of equidistant and equal sized notches standing radially in the
rims of both sides of the line drum c, those in one side being exactly opposite
those in the other. i is a locking bar capable of a reciprocating vertical motion
in a pair of vertical guides i, ¹, in which it is held against motion in any other
direction than those specified, by pins . The function of this bar is to lock the
drum c against all rotary motion, and for that. purpose, it is made of a proper
thickness to enter any pair of notches h, h. There is, therefore, provided a
device whose action is to constantly push the bar i down the guides into a pair
of notches h. This device is illustrated as consisting of a spiral spring k
situated between the closed top of the frame of the line drum and the top of the
bar in question. Any suitable equivalent for the spring, such as a weight, or the
weight of the bar itself, may be substituted.
It is obvious that as the locking bari will not be wanted to engage in the line drum
until the apparatus is to be drawn inboards again, a mechanism capable of keeping it
clear of the drum and of setting it free to engage therewith, under control, in both
respects, from the vessel, is necessary. The mechanism in question is as follows.
kis the line from the vessel to the apex of the buoy. k¹, kare two bridles from
the line k to the angles of the buoy. The outer ends of these bridles are con-
nected to the line by a detachable fitting consisting of a V spring grip k³ to
which the said ends are made fast, and a socket aligned with the line k and
made fast to it, and in which the V spring grip is adapted to hold with some
tenacity. is a third line made fast to the line k at a point between the fitting k³, k
and the vessel, but near to the former. The other end of the line l is made fast
to a detent adapted to slide to and fro in holes, in the frame of the line
drum. The bar is perforated to correspond with the said holes 1, 1.
When, therefore, the detent is in the perforations in the bar i, and the spring
grip in the socket k, which is the position of the parts illustrated in Figures 7
(full lines) and 8, the buoy a rides upright at the end of the line
bridles k', k; care being taken by the man on the vessel in charge of the said line,
that there is not set up sufficient tension thereon, to pull the socket
spring grip-k. At the same time, the line is slack.
A sharp pull on the line k pulls the socket off the spring grip k³, whereby
the pull is transferred to the line 1. The detent is withdrawn from
and hangs free. The bar i is, at the same time forced down the guides
pair of notches h, h, then presenting themselves immediately under it.
The sounding line d is wound up on to the line drum c by a detachable winch
handle provided for that purpose.
and the
off the
the bar i
into the
c is a spring washer on the axle c'. Its function is to serve as a break on the
line drum c so far as to prevent-accidental motion of it.
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. The combination of buoy and sounding apparatus, as set forth.
The combination of buoy; sounding apparatus; line and bridles to buoy ;
aevice for locking the sounding line drum against rotary motion; mechanism for

page_text: keeping the said device disengaged from the said drum; a third line from the line
first mentioned; and a device by which a sharp pull on the said line is transferred
to the said third line; as set forth.
3. The combination of recorder; the arrangement of balls or beads on the
sounding line; and the intermediate mechanism for actuating the recorder as the
balls pass in one direction only; as set forth.
4. The combination of sounding line drum; locking bar-and notches to receive
the same; spring or an equivalent to drive the said bar into the opposite pair of
the said notches; and controllable detent for keeping the locking bar clear of the
drum; as set forth.
5. The combination of sounding line drum; locking bar and notches to receive
the same; spring or an equivalent to drive the said bar into the opposite pair of
the said notches; controllable detent for keeping the locking bar clear of the
drum; recorder; mechanism for actuating the latter as the line passes from
the drum; and a series of balls on the said line for actuating the said mechanism
as set forth.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.