IMPROVE- MENTS IN DOUBLE HYDROSTATIC SCALES FOR DETERMINING THE LOAD OF SHIPS OR BOATS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DOUBLE HYDROSTATIC SCALES FOR DETERMINING THE LOAD OF SHIPS
OR BOATS." A communication from abroad by Wilhelm Oscor Reim, of
Springfield, in the County of Clark, and State of Ohio, United States of
America.
Sealed the 11th December 1866, and dated the 8th August 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th August 1866.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DOUBLE HYDROSTATIC SCALES FOR DETERMINING THE LOAD OF
SHIPS OR BOATS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a new and improved method of placing two or
more hydrostatic scales in a ship or boat, the external water having free access
to the barrels of such scales, the said scales being situated on different sides of
the keelson and on the diagonally opposite corners of a rectangle in such a
manner that by the aid of the said scales the load can be evenly distributed
throughout the vessel, and the strain to which the various parts of the boat or

page_text: ship are exposed by the cargo on the inside and the water pressing from the
outside can be readily ascertained and equalized.
The Invention also consists in the arrangement of a double scale with a
single hinged index in such a manner that by putting up the said scale in the
middle of a boat or vessel the hinged index will show when the boat stands
even in the water, and the uniform distribution of the cargo throughout the
boat or vessel is facilitated..
The Invention consists, finally, in the arrangement of an automatic alarm in
combination with the hydrostatic scale in such a manner that if by the increase
of the amount of bilge water in the vessel the said vessel sinks below a certain
point the alarm will sound and the attention of the person or persons having
charge of the vessel will be called to the fact that the quantity of the bilge
water in the vessel has increased beyond the desired point. The alarm is
discharged by an adjusting piece fixed on the floating scale, which when it rises
beyond a certain point operates a lever which releases the detent of the alarm
apparatus which may be of any ordinary kind.
A single hydrostatic scale is composed of a barrel of copper or any other
suitable material which is secured perfectly tight in the bottom of a ship or
boat, so that the water has free access to the interior of the barrel without
being allowed to find its way into the vessel itself. The water in the barrel
rises to a level with the water line, and this water supports a float which is
fitted loosely in the barrel. From the float rises a scale which is guided in
its up and down movement by grooved rollers, and which passes freely through
a stationary tube to which an index is firmly attached. If the water in the
barrel rises, the scale rises simultaneously, and the amount of immersion of
the boat or vessel at the point where the hydrostatic scale is situated can be
ascertained at any moment. If the scale is indicated by tons actually put into
the vessel, and if the index is so adjusted that the same points to the starting
point of the scale when the vessel is empty, the number of tons carried by the
vessel can be ascertained at any moment. The index itself is so arranged that
it can be adjusted up and down so that its position can be made to correspond
to that of the scale if the weight of the empty vessel changes from some
cause. With the scale may be combined an automatic alarm which is operated
by a sleeve piece that is adjustable on the scale, and which acts on a lever
connecting by a rod with the stop lever of the alarm movement. If the vessel
is loaded to a certain point, and the weight of the load increases by the entrance
of water or from some other cause, the scale rises and the alarm is sounded."
In large boats or seagoing vessels two (or more) hydrostatic scales will be
put up on opposite sides of the keelson, and by these means the operation of

page_text: placing the vessel on an even keel, or of distributing the cargo throughout the
vessel so that the same stands on an even keel, is materially facilitated. By
placing the hydrostatic scales in this diagonal position the degree of rolling
of the vessel can also be ascertained. Instead of using two scales in a diagonal
position a double hydrostatic scale may be used. The barrel of this scale is
secured amidships, and it passes through the keel; in this case an index is
secured to the upper end of a rod rising from the float, the said index being.
so arranged that the same has a tendency to place itself in a horizontal
position. From the upper end of the barrel rise two scales each opposite to
one of the points of the index. If the vessel is properly loaded, or if it floats
evenly in the water, the index points to corresponding marks on both scales,
but if the vessel hangs towards one side the index (which retains its horizontal
position) immediately points to different marks on the two scales, and by.
shifting the cargo the vessel can be readily brought in a correct position. By
these means the operation of distributing the cargo throughout a vessel of any
size is materially facilitated, and the vessel can be easily loaded so that it stands
on an even keel, whereby the strain on the various parts of the vessel is
reduced, and its sailing and carrying qualities are greatly increased.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th February 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Clark, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Clark, 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 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN DOUBLE HYDRO-
STATIC SCALES POR DETERMINING THE LOAD OF SHIPS OR BOATS," a communication

page_text: to me from abroad by Wilhelm Oscor Reim, of Springfield, in the County of
Clark, and State of Ohio, United States of America, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 Clark, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to a new and improved method of placing two or
more bydrostatic scales in a ship or boat, said scales being situated on different
sides of the keelson and on the diagonally opposite corners of a rectangle in
such a manner that by the aid of said scales the load can be evenly
distributed throughout the vessel, and the strain to which the various parts of
the boat or ship are exposed by the cargo on the inside, and the water pressing
from the outside can be readily ascertained and equalized.
The Invention also consists in the arrangement of a double scale with a
single hinged index in such a manner that by putting up said scale in the
middle of a boat or vessel the hinged index will show when the boat stands
even in the water, and the uniform distribution of the cargo throughout the
boat or vessel is facilitated.
The Invention consists, finally, in the arrangement of an automatic alarm in
combination with the hydrostatic scale in such a manner that if by the increase
of the amount of bilge water in the vessel said vessel sinks below a certain
point the alarm will sound and the attention of the person or persons in
charge of the vessel will be called to the fact that the quantity of the bilge
water in the vessel has increased beyond the desired point.
This Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1
represents a longitudinal vertical section of a boat provided with a double
hydrostatic scale at or about the middle of the boat and two single scales
situated on opposite sides of the keelson; Figure 2 is a transverse section of
the same, the line x, x, Figure 1, indicating the plane of section. Similar letters
of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A represents a single bydrostatic scale which is composed of a barrel a of
copper or any other suitable material which is secured perfectly tight in the

page_text: bottom of a ship or boat, so that the water has free access to the interior of the
barrel without being allowed to find its way into the vessel itself. The water
in the barrel rises to a level with the water line, and this water supports a
float 6 which is fitted loosely in the barrel a. From the float brises the
scale c which is guided in its up and down movement by the grooved rollers d,
and which passes freely through a stationary tube e to which the index fis
firmly attached. If the water in the barrel a rises, the scale rises simul-
taneously, and the amount of immersion of the boat or vessel at the point
where the hydrostatic scale is situated can be ascertained at any moment.
If the scale is indicated by tons actually put into the vessel, and if the index
is so adjusted that the same points to the starting point of the scale, if the
vessel is empty the number of tons carried by the vessel can be ascertained
at any moment. The index itself is so arranged that it can be adjusted up
and down so that its position can be made to correspond to that of the scale
if the weight of the empty vessel changes from some cause. With the scale c
is combined an automatic alarm B which is operated by a sleeve 9 that is
adjustable on the scale, and which acts on a lever h connecting by a rod i with
the stop lever j of the alarm movement. If the vessel is loaded to a certain
point and the weight of the load increases by the entrance of water or
from some other cause the scale rises and the alarm is sounded.
In large boats or seagoing vessels two (or more) hydrostatic scales will
be put up on opposite sides of the keelson, and by these means the operation
of placing the vessel on an even keel, or of distributing the cargo throughout
the vessel so that the same stands on an even keel, is materially facilitated.
By placing the hydrostatic scales in this diagonal position the degree of rolling
of the vessel can also be ascertained. Instead of using two scales in a
diagonal position a double hydrostatic scale A* may be used, such as shown
particularly in Figure 2. The barrel of this scale is secured amidships and
it passes through the keel, as shown in the Drawing; in this case the index
f* is secured to the upper end of a rod rising from the float 6* and said index
is so arranged that the same has a tendency to place itself in a horizontal
position. From the upper end of the barrel rise two scales c* each opposite
to one of the points of the index. If the vessel is properly loaded, or if it floats
evenly in the water, the index f* points to corresponding marks on both scales,
but if the vessel hangs towards one side the index (which retains its horizontal
position) immediately shows different marks on the two scales, and by shifting
the cargo the vessel can be readily brought to a correct position. By these
means the operation of distributing the cargo throughout a vessel of any size
is materially facilitated, and the vessel can be easily loaded so that it stands

page_text: on an even keel, whereby the strain on the various parts of the vessel is
reduced, and its sailing and carrying qualities are greatly increased.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st, placing two or more hydrostatic scales in a ship or boat in a diagonal
position or on the diagonally opposite points of a rectangle, substantially as and
for the purpose described.
2ndly, the double bydrostatic scale A* constructed and operating
substantially as and for the purpose set forth...
3rdly, the automatic alarm B in combination with a hydrostatic scale con-
structed and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
JAMES DAISH,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLARK. (L.S.)