Improvements in Telemeters, and in Apparatus for Determining Positions and Bearings.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1897-Accepted, 12th June, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Telemeters, and in Apparatus for Determining
Positions and Bearings.
I, OSWIN WELLES LOWRY, Lieutenant, United States Navy, 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:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in tolemeters, or distance instruments
used to determine the distance of vessels from fixed objects.
The invention consists in certain improvemonts hereinafter described, having for
their object to increase the convenience and efficiency of the apparatus.
Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,—
Figure 1 shows a plau view of a telemeter embodying my improvements.
Figure 2 shows a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 shows a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 shows a section on line 4-4 of Figure 1.
Figure 5 shows the stationary disk and adjacent parts, in sido elovation.
Figure 6 shows a plan view of the same, with the disk partially broken away.
Figure 7 shows a section on line 7-7 of Figure 1.
Figure 8 shows a plan viow of a portion of the graduated base-plato and the index
beneath the movable disk.
The same lotters indicate the same parts in all the figures.
In the drawings-
a represents a busc-plate, which is graduated in convenient units on both sides of a
central longitudinal slot a'. At one end of this base-plate is rovolubly mounted n
graduated disk b, and a similar rovoluble disk c is mounted upon a sliding pioce c
within the slot a', and is adapted to be moved toward or away from the said
stationary disk b. The two disks are so supported that their edgos may overlap when
the disks are brought close together.
are two arms pivotally secured above the centers of the two disks and provided
with clamping-nuts, whereby they may be secured in any position, the said
arms having their edges graduated in units to correspond with the graduation of the
base-plate a.
The sliding piece c¹ is provided with a double index-point of, which indicates on the
scalo a the distance between the centers of the two disks.
When it is desired to ascertain the distance of a vessol from a stationary object,
the instrument is aligned with the keel of the vessel, and the object is sighted
along the arm, the said arm being then clamped in position. After the vessel
has run an ascertained distance in a straight line, the sliding diske is moved to &
position on the scalo a corresponding to the number of miles run, and the object
is sighted along the arm . Then the reading along each arm, from its pivot to
the point of intersection of the two, will give respectively the distance from the
vessel to the object at the time of the first observation, and at the timo of the second.
The disks b c are preferably marked according to the divisions of the compass,
thus enabling the observer to ascertain the bearings of an object, as well as its
distance. For this purpose, the said disks are made to rotate on their standards,
and are provided with clamping devices, whereby thoy may be secured in any
position. The clamp for the disk b comprises a movable block b₁ actuated by a

page_text: thumb-scrow b, which screws in a fixed lug 6, the said blook having a projection b
which fits an aperture in the said lug and forms a guide for the block.
The disk c is provided with an upwardly projecting central sleeve c³, and is clamped
against a shoulder formed on the sliding piece c', by means of a clamp
consisting of a wide head which abuts against the summit of the sleeve c', and a
shank which is screw-threaded on its lower portion to engage the sliding piece o'.
dd are movable indexes, frictionally mounted underneath the disks b c and having
These indexes have
their outer edges projecting beyond the edges of said disks.
each a flat body portion, and a split collar for attachment to the disk-standards,
and each is provided on its outer edgo with an upright lug or stud d', the said
lugs being caught by the arms & c' as they are swung around. The purpose of
the said indexes is to registor the position of the said arms on the disks
allow the arms to be moved back without losing the reading. The rending edgo
of each index, therefore, should lie immediately beneath the sighting edge of each
arm when an observation is made, and the distance between the lug d' and the reading
edge of the index is made exactly equal to the width of an arm.
and
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manuer the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a telemeter, the combination with a graduated baso-plate, revoluble disks
theroon, one of which is movable longitudinally, and graduated arms pivotally
mounted above said disks, of means for clamping said disks independently of said
arms.
2. In a telemeter, the combination with a graduated base-plate, rovolnble disks
thereon, one of which is movable longitudinally, and graduated armis pivotally
mounted above said disks, of means for clamping said disks independently of said
armis, and movable indexes underneath said disks adapted to be moved outwardly
by said arms and to remain stationary when said arms are moved back.
B. A telemeter comprising in its construction a graduated base-plate slotted-
longitudinally, a graduated revolublo disk stationarily mounted at one end of said
plate, a graduated revoluble disk mounted on a sliding piece in said slot, an indox-
point fixed to said sliding piece, graduated arms pivotally mounted above said disks
and provided with clamps, means for clamping said disks independently of said
arms, and movable indexes underneath said disks adapted to be moved outwardly by
said arms and to remain stationary when said arms are moved back.
HEX KAJAL UHY UPHOLDAT
1000
UMAN MIX CAPAI UBY UKOULUAL LUN
OSWIN WELLES LOWRY..
Haseltine, Like & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.