A NEW METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SOUNDING AT SEA AND IN OTHER WATERS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Pier Alberto Balestrini, of Brescia, Italy, now
temporarily of 39, Mark Lane, in the City of London, Gentleman, for
the Invention of "A NEW METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SOUNDING AT SEA
AND IN OTHER WATERS."
Sealed the 16th February 1858, and dated the 19th August 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Pier Alberto Balestrini
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th August 1857.
I, PIER ALBERTO BALESTRINI, of Brescia, Italy, now temporarily of 39,
Mark Lane, in the City of London, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "A NEW METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SOUNDING AT
SEA AND IN OTHER WATERS," to be as follows:-
My method consists in ascertaining depths at sea and in other waters, by
the agency of electricity applied through and in conjunction with a plummet
or sounding apparatus constructed and connected with wires leading to a
battery, in such manner that upon the plummet reaching the bottom, a part
of the apparatus shall rise, fall, or move so as to make or break the electric
current or circuit, and cause the ringing of a bell, or give motion to any other
electric indicator. Upon the indication, ringing, or other signal being
observed by the man heaving the apparatus, he will examine his line, and
read off the depth at which the sounding has been taken.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Pier Alberto Balestrini in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th February 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PIER
ALBERTO BALESTRINI, of Brescia, Italy, now temporarily of 39, Mark Lane,
in the City of London, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Pier Alberto Balestrini, Her special licence that I, the said Pier
Alberto Balestrini, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Pier Alberto Balestrini, my executors, administrators, 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 law-
fully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "A NEW METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SOUNDING AT SEA AND IN OTHER
WATERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Pier Alberto
Balestrini, 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 Pier Alberto Balestrini, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, that is to say:-
My method consists in ascertaining depths at sea and in other waters by
the agency of electricity, applied through and in conjunction with a plummet
or sounding apparatus, constructed and connected with wires leading to a
battery, in such manner that upon the plummet reaching the bottom, a part of
the apparatus shall rise, fall, or otherwise move, so as to make or break the
electric current or circuit, and cause the ringing of a bell, or give motion to
any other electric indicator. Upon the indication, ringing, or other signal

page_text: being observed by the man heaving the apparatus, he will examine his line
and read off the depth at which the sounding has been taken.
The Drawing hereunto annexed represents a section of an instrument con-
structed for carrying my Invention into effect. A is a cylinder of cast iron
or brass; B is a wrought-iron piston within the cylinder A, having a hole
drilled through it in the position and direction of its axis; C is a cylinder of
hard wood, the outside of which is furnished with two rings of brass and
platinum combined; D is a double spring, of plated steel, serving to establish
the electric communication required for effecting the desired indication. This
spring is insulated at bottom by an ivory or other suitable support. E is a
wrought-iron rod, hollowed at F, at the upper end, and entering into and
closing the bottom of the cylinder A, to which it is secured by screws. This
rod E carries at its lower end the foot of the instrument, above which it
receives the weights used for ballasting the instrument. In the bore F is
placed the piston G, and from the said bore lead out four apertures f, f, f, f,
which allow the internal and external pressures to be equalized, and permit of
the displacement of water caused by the descent of the piston B. The body
of the instrument is filled with oil, water, alcohol, or some other non-conduct-
ing liquid through the hole H, which the piston G prevents from escaping
when the instrument is thrown into the sea. If there be too much liquid in
the body, the piston B must be depressed, by which means the piston G will
be forced down below the apertures f, f, through which the excess will
escape. Two electric conducting wires, covered with silk, pass into the instru-
ment through the hole drilled in the piston B. One of these communicates
with the upper ring on the cylinder C, and the other with the lower ring.
When the instrument descends, the double springs bring the two rings into
connection, and thus establish the electric current. When the foot of the
instrument touches the bottom, the piston B continuing to descend, the springs
are both brought to bear upon the upper ring, whereby the lower ring is
insulated, the current broken, and the signal consequently given.
My method and apparatus may, if desired, be used in conjunction with
weights, which become detached when the instrument reaches the bottom, or
with a screw for indicating the space passed through by the instrument, or
with any other known or similar contrivances.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the method herein-before described of ascertaining depths at sea and
in other waters, by the agency of electricity applied through and in conjunc-

page_text: tion with a plummet or sounding apparatus, constructed and connected with
wires leading to a battery, in such manner that upon the plummet reaching
the bottom, a part of the apparatus shall rise, fall, or otherwise move, so as
to make or break the electric circuit, and thereby give motion to an indicator.
Second, the particular construction of apparatus herein-before described,
and represented in the Drawing hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Pier Alberto Balestrini, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of February, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
PAUL DE BRANVILLE.
PIER ALBERTO BALESTRINI. (L.S.)