Improvements relating to Ships' Compasses.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Ships' Compasses.
I, WALLACE JOIN REYNOLDS, of 1, Aldgate Avenue, City of London, Ships
Compasses Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
"
This invention relates to certain improvements connected with ships com-
passes specially for what are known as overhead compasses "i.e. those that
can be raised high above the hull of a vessel for self-adjustment of the card
magnetically and then when steady to be fixed so that the deck binnacle and
cabin compasses can be adjusted therefrom, the object being that captains and
master mariners can adjust the ships compasses without the necessity of employ-
ing outside aid or of being detained for the usual adjustment by special scientists
as at present.
For the purpose of this invention such as for the above purpose a compass
card on the end of an upright pin projecting from a kind of inverted saddle or
stirrup, the upper or outward arms of which are suspended from the wall of a
bowl so as to have motion in two directions only by trunnion like form of axles
through which plunger rods pass and have their inner ends provided with discs
or stops. The plunger rods are loosely connected with liquid tight diaphragms
or membranes affixed and their outer ends (if two be applied) are loosely con-
nected to vertical levers pivotted to projections of the bowl carrying frame,
said levers being governed by springs which tend to keep the levers inwards
and the card a fixture.
The upper ends of the levers are jointed to links forming the connection
with a sliding cup socket or plug centrally fitted on a stem at the upper part
of the bowl carrying frame.
The frame has a cord to maintain the proper position of the compass while
being raised or lowered said cord having one end attached to the top of the
bowl framing for suspending it and the other affixed to an eye from the lower
part of the framing. The cord is rove through guide pullies to enable the cord
to be kept stretched and yet to run when the bowl with its frame is raised or
lowered.
The bowl is suspended from a guide pulley forming part of a stop hung
from a cross bar of a frame suspended from say the "jumper stay" somewhat
after the manner referred to in a previous patent granted to me and dated
4th December 1888 No. 17711 of that year, but with this addition that the
cross beam is pivotted and above it from arms is suspended a weighted bar
having a swinging motion within certain limits which serves to steady the
appliances against the vibration of the stay from which the compass frame
hangs.
I purpose fitting a compensating appliance between the lower eye of the
frame and the cord to prevent sudden concussion being given to the bowl when
lowered and also to take up any slack of the cord.

page_text: The upper part of the frame has two half round projections at opposite
points which by means of springs engage with corresponding half rounds of
the compass frame supports when raised for " taking a bearing," for fixing the
frame and freeing the card to enable it to take up its magnetic position.
The compass frame has tubes and is guided up and down by means of stays
fixed respectively to the deck and the pivoted beam, said stays being preferably
of copper wire and rope formation.
To facilitate the removal of the adjustment compass and its frame the tubes
may be of half round formation hinged and clipped together by any clipping
or sliding ring device which can be readily undone when the compass is lowered.
Dated this 2nd day of October 1899.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said W. J. Reynolds.
Improvements relating to Ships' Compasses.
I, WALLACE JOHN REYNOLDS, of 1, Aldgate Avenue, City of London, Ships
Compasses Manufacturer, 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 relates to certain improvements connected with ships com-
passes specially for what are known as "overhead compasses" i.e. those that
can be raised high above the hull of a vessel for self-adjustment of the card
magnetically and then when steady be fixed so that the deck binnacle and
cabin compasses can be adjusted therefrom, the object being that captains and
master mariners can adjust the ships compasses without the necessity of employ-
ing outside aid or of being detained for the usual adjustment by special scientists
as at present.
For the purpose of this invention, such as for the above purpose, a compass
card is supported on the end of an upright pin projecting from a bridge. The
bowl is suspended to have motion in two directions only by trunnion like form
of axles, through which plunger rods pass and have their inner ends provided
with discs or stops.
The plunger rods have liquid tight diaphragms or membranes affixed and their
outer ends are exposed to be pressed in by vertical levers pivotted to projec-
tions of the bowl carrying frame, said levers being governed by springs which
tend to keep the levers inwards and the card a fixture.
The upper ends of the levers are jointed to links forming the connection
with a sliding cup, socket, or plug centrally fitted on a stem at the upper part
of the howl carrying frame.
The frame has a cord to maintain the proper position of the compass while
being raised or lowered, said cord having one end attached to the top of the
bowl framing for suspending it, and the other affixed to an eye from the lower
part of the framing.
The bowl is suspended from a guide pulley forming part of a stop hung
from a cross bar of a frame suspended from, say, the "jumper stay."
I employ a pivotted cross beam, and above it from arms is suspended a weighted
bar having a swinging motion within certain limits which serves to steady the
appliances against the vibration of the stay from which the compass frame
hangs.
The upper part of the frame has two half round projections at opposite

page_text: points which by means of springs engage with corresponding half rounds of
the compass frame supports when raised for "taking a bearing," for fixing the
frame and freeing the card to enable it to take up its magnetic position.
The compass frame has tubes and is guided up and down by means of stays
fixed respectively to the deck and the pivotted beam, said stays being preferably
of copper wire and rope formation.
To facilitate the removal of the adjustment compass and its frame, the tubes
may be of half round formation hinged and clipped together by any clipping
or sliding ring device which can be readily undone when the compass is lowered.
My invention of details connected with overhead compasses, is shown on the
annexed drawings.
Figure 1 part sectional elevation of such a compass in position near the upper
end of its travel and near the jumper stay.
Figures 2 and 3 end views of the card unlocking appliances.
Figure 4 end of link.
Figure 5 plan of guide leg with easy release end for unshipping from
strained rope.
Figure 6 general diagram of the apparatus.
A, compass card balanced on pin B projecting from a bridge C within a
weighted bowl D) of the usual construction. This bowl D is suspended on
axles E, E, for sway motion in two directions only and not on double gimballs
like ordinary compasses. The axles E are of box like formation held between
two uprights F, F, constituting the frame, the upper and lower ends having
extension G with guide eyes to slide up and down strained ropes H fitted to
the deck of a vessel and to a cross bar I respectively, and from which the over-
head compass is hung by rope J, or as desired. The cross bar I carries in addi-
tion to a guide pulley K for the hauling up rope J, a couple of spring legs L, L,
with abutment shoulders M, M, with a slight yielding action when pressed
against.
To the lower part of the frame G, a couple of arms N, N, are pivotted, these
by links N, N₁, make the connection with a traveller thimble or sleeve P,
which moves upon a tubular rod Q through and to which one end of the hauling
up rope is affixed. Each of the arms N, N, has a spur R to act as stops to
the inward motion of the arms N, N, by bearing in contact with the frame
legs F, F.
1
The spurs R, R, have holes in them for the passage of pins S, S, the outer
ends of which project, as shown, their inner ends being within the bowl D
and carrying dished discs T, T, centrally arranged with the position of the
compass card.
The pins S, S, are scored at the parts within the box like axles E, E, and
are furnished with rubber or other diaphragms U, U, the edges of which are
nipped in the joints of the box like axles E, E, said diaphragms serving to
prevent escape of liquid from the pivotted box like axles E.
The cross bar I is weighted to produce steadiness, and is suspended by
links W, W, from an upper cross bar X hooked, or otherwise attached to the
jumper stay Y. The upper and lower cross bars X, I, are in a sense further
connected by quadrant ended guides Z, Z, held at their respective distances
apart by a weighted rod Z. These connections produce steadiness and absorb
all tremulous motion which might be imparted from the vibrations or oscilla-
tions from the ship to which the compass apparatus is fitted.
I have not shown the apparatus as fitted to a ship, but it can readily he
gathered that when suspended as indicated from the jumper stav Y. the two
strained ropes H, H, are secured by tightening tackle or parbuckle to the deck
of a vessel. The hauling rope J has one end attached to the upper part of
frame G, and the other end to the lower part of same frame, the slack being
about level with the deck it can easily be conceived how the up and down
travel of the overhead compass can be controlled,

page_text: .
The compass card A during the hauling up and hauling down operations, is
fixed by the pressure of the two springs V, V, forcing the arms N, N, inwards,
but so soon as the apparatus is raised high enough for the projection G¹ of the
frame G to strike against and enter between the shoulders M of the springs L,
the link N' and arm N become forced apart and draw the pins S with them.
Simultaneously with this action the compass card is released and is free to
adjust itself magnetically out of the influence of the magnetic action of the ship,
the card, becoming again fixed by action of the springs V on the spurs R, so that
the arms N, N, again press in the dished discs T, T, to hold the compass card
in its self adjusted position for enabling the reading to be taken when the
compass and its apurtenances are lowered on to the deck, or other part of a ship.
a, is a pin projecting inside the compass bowl for engaging a notch or recess
in the disc T, which disc is marked with the lubber line so that the disc being
prevented revolving, a proper reading can be taken.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The combination of the various features of detail arranged as represented
on the annexed drawings in connection with overhead self-adjusting compasses
in which the card is automatically released from grip when the bowl is at its
highest point, as and by the means herein before explained.
2. In overhead self-adjusting compasses, the pins S, S, carrying heads for
operation by spurs R of arms N, as and for the purposes specified.
3. In or to overhead self-adjusting compasses, the particular suspension
appliances I, W. X, Y, Z, arranged for the purpose described
4. In overhead self-adjusting compasses, the springs L, L, with shoulders
M, M, as and for the purposes set forth.
The 20th day of November 1899.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Wallace John Reynolds.