Improvements in Apparatus for Measuring the Quantity and Velocity of Currents of Water, also adapted for use as a Ship's Log.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application. 25th June, 1890-Accepted, 13th Sept., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Measuring the Quantity and
Velocity of Currents of Water, also adapted for use as a
Ship's Log.
I, WILLIAM WILSON HORN, of the Firm of Horn & Son, of 151 Strand, London,
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, (a com-
munication to me from abroad, by Francis Augustus Bishop, a citizen of the United
States of America, formerly residing at San Francisco in the County of San
Francisco and State of California United States of America and now temporarily
residing at No. 162 Phillip Street, Sydney, in the Colony of New South Wales,
Australia, Engineer), 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 means for securing accuracy in measuring
the quantity and velocity of water currents passing through a meter, and for
cheapening its cost, adapted also for registering the speed of ships.
I attain these objects by mechanism hereinafter described and shown in the drawings,
in which
Figure 1 is a plan and part section of the meter in operating position showing
the inlet and outlet apertures in the lower and outer casing, the wheel chamber and
a portion of the measuring wheel enclosed therein, the head covering the wheel
chamber, and the transmitting chamber.
Figure 2-is a vertical section of the meter taken on line -y of Figure 1 showing
the principal parts of the mechanism viz. :-the lower casing, the inlet and outlet
apertures, the measuring wheel, the head covering the measuring wheel, the outer and
inner shells, the cap or water tight cover for the transmitting chamber, the transmitting
chamber, the adjustable regulating vanes and the train of wheels for registering the
velocity of the current.
Figure 3: is a similar view to Figure 1 but shewing my apparatus adapted for a
ship's log, by placing the regulator and register at a suitable vertical distance from
the measuring wheel chamber.
Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on line a-y of Figure 3 shewing similar
parts of Figure 2 minus the train of wheels which in this case may be placed in
any convenient part of a ship by elongating the vertical axle from the transmitting
chamber.
Figure 5- is a top view of Figure 3 shewing the cover and transmitting
chamber.
Figure 6-is an elevation of Figures 3, 4 and 5 shewing the machine adapted for
a ship's log but minus the register, which may be placed in any convenient position.
Figure 7 is a plan of Figure 4 shewing the head covering the measuring wheel
chamber, and the cap covering the transmitting chamber, and the screwed neck for
receiving the tube containing the elongated vertical spindle.
:-
Figure 8-is a vertical section of Figure 7.
Figure 9-is a plan of Figure 7 shewing the transmitting chamber without the
cover and exposing the pinion and wheel and adjustable regulating vanes.
Figure 10-is a plan of the head covering the measuring wheel and the cap or
water tight cover for transmitting chamber when operated by prolonging the axle of
the measuring wheel.
Figure 11-is a vertical section of Figure 10.
Figure 12-is a plan shewing another form of cap for Figure 2 suitable for
carrying the gearing for the register.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the various views.
A is the lower and outer casing; B the wheel chamber; ( the inlet aperture;

page_text: D the outlet aperture; E the measuring wheel made of vulcanite, indurated wood
fibre, or other suitable material; F the head covering the measuring wheel; G the
outer shell provided with an internal screw thread; H the inner shell provided
with an external screw thread; I the transmitting chamber containing pinion and
wheel and regulating vanes; J the cap or water tight cover for transmitting
chamber.
The head F covering the measuring wheel E is provided with an outer rim flange
and is held in position by the inner shell, H being screwed down to it. The inlet
aperture C and the outlet aperture D of the wheel case B are changed from circular
to rectangular form at the part immediately adjacent to the measuring wheel. The
measuring wheel revolves in said case conformably to the impulse of the passing
currents of water, and its revolutions are regulated and registered for observation by
suitable devices.
The cross section of the inlet and outlet apertures at (t) and (u) are rectangular in
form but their sides in plane with the measuring wheel E are curved to suit its face.
as shown in Figure 1 due space for clearance being allowed.
A line drawn from (t) to (u) and parallel to (ay) is tangent to, and touches the
hub (1) of the measuring wheel. By this arrangement the entire stream of water
flowing through is guided directly to the vanes of the wheel without practical change
of sectional area during its passage, thus enabling the wheel to register a very slow
velocity of current.
A measuring wheel composed of ebonite, indurated wood fibre, or of such durable
material as will nearly approach the specific gravity of water.
Its parts consist of a thin circular disk (d) with a central hub (!) and properly
curved radiating vanes (nn, oo) and form a wheel as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3,
and 4. The vanes (nn) have one end attached to the hub (i) and one side to the
disk (d) all component therewith, making a light and strong wheel.
The short vanes (oo) are placed alternately on the disk and are component there-
with, one end of the vanes being periphery as shown.
The object of the short vanes (oo) are twofold; to aid in preventing the wheel
from overrunning the current under high velocities, by permitting a circulation of
water among the vanes, and to increase the sensitiveness of the wheel when subjected
to low velocities.
The number of vanes for a wheel depend upon the quantity desired to measure in
a given time. I find that a meter connected with a conduit having an internal
diameter of three fourths of an inch may have from sixteen to eighteen vanes, (but
I do not confine myself to any specified number as an essential part of my invention)
long and short, with satisfactory results. The short vanes (oo) may be dispensed with
when construction of the meter is undertaken for definite velocities, the number of
long vanes (nn) being adjusted in connection with the regulating fan-vanes described
in another place.
The axle (m) which is solidly fixed in the hub (1) of the measuring wheel and
carrying pinion (e), is supported at its lower end upon the pivot (s), and the
socket bearing (c) in the cap J receives its upper end as shown in Figures 2
and 4.
The body of the meter above the wheel chamber B is enlarged to form a seat for
the flange (v) of the head F, also to make the rim (i) as shown in Figures 2, 4, 8
and 11.
The office of said rim is to support the shells G and H Figure 2 or shell H with
its upper part removed and leaving a flanged ring, as shown in Figures 8 and 11,
should it be necessary to separate the registering mechanism from the body of the
meter.
The rim () is provided with an internal screw thread, and the inner screw H is
provided with an external thread at its lower end which screws into the rim as
shown.
When H is screwed home upon the flange of the head F, that member is held

page_text: rigidly in place. The screw thread on H is somewhat longer than the depth of the
rin (i); the outer shell G having a suitable internal screw thread at its bottom
passes down over H until the rim is met.
Lugs (q, r) one on the rim (i) the other on the shell G, adjusted so as to come
one over the other when in place, affords a way for locking or sealing the parts
together.
The upper end of shell G supports a glass plate (9) and the upper end of the inner
shell H supports the dial or dials as shown in Figure 2.
The head F covering the measuring wheel, has a flange (v) upon its periphery, this
is fitted to its seat with a water tight joint. The raised rin (k) is made a part of the head
and is of such internal diameter that when fixed in its eccentric or concentric position
the centre of F will be enclosed therein. The cap J is flanged, and is fitted upon top
of () with a water tight joint and is held in place by screws passing through the
flange into the rim, or by other suitable means. When necessary for support of the
register work the flange of J is extended, as shown in Figure 12.
A hole in the centre of the head F admits the passage of the axle (m) and its
pinion (e). When cap J is in place it will be seen that the chamber (v) Figures 2, 4
and 8 is formed and that it communicates with the measuring wheel chamber through
the hole in the centre of the head.
Within the chamber (b) operate the driving pinion (e) the toothed wheel (f) on its
axle (p) as shown in Figures 2 and 4.
The axle (p) passes through the cap J a suitable stuffing box and gland being
provided for cutting off the water from the chamber (b). At the top of (p) is mounted
the worm wheel (h). This worm imparts motion of the measuring wheel to a train of
gear work for registering its revolutions by aid of dials and pointers.
Said train is not shown in the drawings, there being a number of devices in common
use for accomplishing registration.
On the upper face of the wheel (f) Figures 2, 4 and 9 are placed the meter fan-
vanes (a, a, a, a) which assist in regulating the speed of the measuring wheel E.
These vanes are so secured to (f) that they may be adjusted on their vertical axis,
and given a certain degree of obliquity as shown. The resistance of these vanes is
the water in the chamber (b). When in a radial position as regards the diameter
of (f) the vanes offer the greatest resistance. În large meters these regulating
vanes (a, a) properly supported, on radial arms or a disk, will be placed around the
axle (m) in a chamber similar to (b), but concentric with the head F as shown in
Figure 8.
For use in countries where frost is considered detrimental to its effectiveness, and
when also used for registering the speed of ships, it will be evident that an axle
coming from the chamber (b) can be extended for a distance upwards, and that the
worm wheel (h) and the registering train can be placed equally well at the
terminus.
By this arrangement the meter can be placed below the frost line of the ground
and have the register near the surface; or the meter may be carried (through a
suitable well) to the water beneath the ship's bottom, ard have the register above the
deck or bridge or other suitable position to record the forward movement of the ship.
Should any extension of an axle from the chamber (6) be required a protecting tube
will enclose it to the extent of its length the lower end of the tube being screwed into
a neck () as shown on Figures 4 and 6.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed I wish to state I am aware that prior
to my invention meters have been made with rotary measuring wheels, and that
regulating vanes have been used in such construction, also that measuring wheels of
various kinds have been employed for obtaining the speed of ships. I, therefore, do
not claim such a combination broadly, but what I do claim as my invention, and desire
to secure by Letters Patent, is :-
1. The combination with a casing having tangent inlet and outlet openings

page_text: angular in cross section, of a measuring wheel baving vanes each being equal in
area and conforming in shape to the cross section of the inlet opening, substantially
as set forth.
2. The combination with a casing having tangential inlet and outlet openings
rectangular in cross section; of a measuring wheel having a series of vanes (n) cach
being equal in area and conforming in shape to the cross section of the inlet opening,
and a series of smaller vanes (o) located between the vanes (n) substantially as sot
forth.
3. The combination with the wheel having vanes (n, o) arranged alternately, of
a casing having inlet and outlet openings the former being rectangular in cross
section.
4. In a meter the combination with a casing having large and small chambers and
a measuring wheel located within the larger chamber, of a wheel driven by the
measuring wheel and located in the smaller chamber, a shaft attached to said driven
wheel for attaching the registering mechanism and vanes attached to said wheel for
retarding and regulating its movements, substantially as set forth.
-
5. The combination with a casing and a measuring wheel, of a driven wheel and
vanes adjustably attached to said driven wheel for retarding and regulating its move-
ments, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 25th day of June 1890.
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.