AN IMPROVED ELLIPTICAL COMPASS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of the Firm of John Gedge
and Son, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED ELLIPTICAL
COMPASS."A communication from abroad by Pierre Jacques Carmien,
of Luze, Haute Saône, France.
Sealed the 19th May 1863, and dated the 22nd November 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 22nd November 1862.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of No. 11,
Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
ELLIPTICAL COMPASS," a communication to me from abroad by Pierre Jacques
Carmien, of Luze, (Haute Saône,) France, to be as follows:-
In the accompanying Drawing, forming part of this my Provisional Specifi-
cation, A indicates a knob or button with nut screwed on the piece B, and
serving to turn the latter, and set the entire apparatus of the compass in
motion; B, turn-piece, serving to fix the sliding branch C, and turning in the
horizontal piece D; C, branch sliding on the piece B, and fixed thereto by
means of the screw a. This piece C regulates the length of the ellipsis. D,
horizontal piece supporting the piece B, and resting on the support E. The
breadth of the ellipsis is determined by the greater or lesser inclination of this
piece, which is fixed to the piece E by a nut 6 and screw. c; Esupport.or rest
which may be raised and lowered, sliding in a triangular groove made in the

page_text: foot F, to which it is fixed by the press screw d; this piece serves to raise the
entire arrangement perpendicularly to the drawing to be traced, and according
to the length of the pen or pencil used. F, foot supporting the whole
apparatus; d, press screw; "G, piece T-shaped pivoting at e, at the two ends
of the cross-piece, and which may be raised perpendicularly to give passage to
the pen.
It is furnished with two points, f and g, which serve on lowering this
piece to determine the position of the ellipsis on a straight line, and with the
point to trace the centre of the circumference as well as of all the breadths of
any ellipsis; H, piece hinging to the sliding branch C, and having a rod fitting
in the recall screw I. This rod turns right and left in the screw I, while the
ellipsis is being traced. I, recall screw serving to enlarge the ellipsis, so as to
trace several circular or elliptical lines parallel and near to each other. This
screw is held in position by the screw h; J, triangular piece surmounted by an
It serves to
ear or lug, through which passes horizontally the recall screw I.
fix the two pair of hinges K, K¹; K, K¹, hinges fixed on pivots and at right
angles to the triangles J, L. These hinges in opening or shutting permit the
triangle J to rise or fall perpendicularly to the branch or stem of the pen or
pencil, according to the more or less inclined circular movement described by the
piece B in causing it to turn. M, M, pivot hinge serving-to maintain the pen
or pencil perpendicular to the plan. This hinge only shuts on one side, and is
retained on the other by the stop screw i. N, barrel through which passes a
spindle fixed at E between two small ears or lugs on which it slides up and
down. This barrel is placed between the two ends of the hinge M, which
turns and also slides on the spindle. It serves to raise these hinges and the
pen. By slightly turning this barrel when the hinge is raised, it rests on a
stop which prevents its redescending, and upholds the hinge and the pen. O,
stem or rod passing through the ends of the hinge M, where it turns, and
carrying at its lower extremity the pen or pencil. Its upper end is solidly
fixed to the triangle L, which causes it to turn in tracing circumferences, or
ellipsis, so that the pen will be always in the proper position to trace the lines,
no matter how curved. P, pen fixed to the stem O by the press screw J.

page_text: lington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Edward Gedge, Her especial license, that I, the
said William Edward Gedge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said William Edward Gedge, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from.
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN. IMPROVED ELLIPTICAL COMPASS," a
communication to me from abroad by Pierre Jacques Carmien, of Luze
(Haute Saône), France, upon the condition, amongst others, that .I,
the said William Edward Gedge, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Gedge, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawing
hereunto annexed and forming part of this my Specification, in which A
indicates a knob or button with nut screwed in the piece B, serving to turn
this latter and set the entire apparatus of the compass in motion; B, turn
piece serving to fix the sliding branch C, and turning in the horizontal piece D;
C, branch sliding in the piece B, and secured thereto by means of the screw a.
This piece C regulates the length of the ellipsis; D, horizontal piece supporting
the piece B, and resting on the support E. The breadth of the ellipsis is
determined by the greater or lesser inclination of this piece, which is fixed to
the piece E by a nut 6 and screw c; E, support or rest, which may be raised
or lowered, sliding in a triangular groove made in the foot F, to which it is fixed
by the press screw d. This piece serves to raise the entire arrangement perpen-
perpendicularly to the drawing to be traced, and according to the length of the
pen or pencil used. F, foot supporting the whole apparatus; d, press screw,

page_text: à piece T-shaped pivoting at its upper limb to give passage to the pen, or it
may be formed as shewn in the Drawing at G, G, furnished with two points
f and g, which serve, on lowering this piece to determine the position of the
ellipsis on a straight line, and with the point to trace the centre of the circum-
ference, as well as of all the breadths of any ellipsis. H; piece hinging to the
sliding branch C, and having a rod fitting in the recall screw I; this rod turns
right and left in the screw I, while the ellipsis is being traced; I, recall screw
serving to enlarge the ellipsis, so as to trace several circular or elliptical lines
parallel and near to each other. This screw is held in position by the screw h.
J, triangular piece surmounted by an ear or lug, through which passes
horizontally the recall screw I. It serves to fix the two pair of hinges K, K¹;
K, K', hinges fixed on pivots and at right angles to the triangles J, L. These
hinges in opening or shutting permit the triangle J to rise or fall perpen-
dicularly to the branch or stem of the pen or pencil, according to the more or
less inclined circular movement described by the piece B in causing it to turn;
M, M, pivot hinge serving to maintain the pen or pencil perpendicular to the
plan. This hinge only shuts on one side, and is retained on the other by the
top screw i, and works on a barrel, through which passes a spindle, the barrel
being attached to E; or it is fitter as shewn in the Drawing, and slides up and
down by means of a handle shown on E; in either case the support is placed
between the two ends of the hinge M. By slightly turning the barrel (when
the first mentioned contrivance is used) when the hinge is raised it rests on a
stop, which prevents its redescending, and upholds the hinge and the pen.
The same effect is produced by turning the handle (on E) shown in the
Drawing.. O shews a stem or rod passing through the ends of the hinge M
(where it turns), and carrying at its lower extremity the pen or pencil, its upper
end is solidly fixed to the triangle L, which causes it to turn in tracing
circumferences or ellipsis, so that the pen will always be in the proper position
to trace the lines, no matter how curved. P, pen fixed to the stem O by
means of the press screw J.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three..
W. E. GEDGE. (L.S.)