IMPROVEMENTS IN MAGNETIC OR MARINERS' COMPASSES, AND IN ORNAMENTING THE SAID COMPASSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Hair Haseler, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Goldsmith and Jeweller, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MAGNETIC OR MARINERS' COMPASSES, AND IN ORNAMENTING THE SAID
COMPASSES."
Sealed the 22nd March 1878, and dated the 15th November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Hair Haseler at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th November 1877.
"
WILLIAM HAIR HASELER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Goldsmith
and Jeweller. IMPROVEMENTS IN MAGNETIC OR MARINERS' COMPASSES, AND IN
ORNAMENTING THE SAID COMPASSES."
In magnetic or mariners' compasses as ordinarily constructed persons unaccus-
tomed to the use of them frequently have some difficulty in ascertaining which
end of the magnetic needle, or which part of the card when the needle carries a
card, points north. Another inconvenience attending the said compasses as
ordinarily made, is the excessive mobility of the magnetic needle and card, the
vibrations of which before they come to rest, or nearly to rest, continue for an
inconvenient length of time.
The object of my Invention is principally to remedy these inconveniences. This
I effect by fixing on the magnetic needle, or on the card carried by it, a small
light figure of some living thing, such for example as a bird in the act of flying,
a quadruped in the act of running. The bird or quadruped is by preference fixed
on the magnetic needle or card in such a position that its head points to the north.
I do not however limit myself to any particular position of the bird or animal.
The position of the bird or quadruped is recognized so immediately and with such
certainty that the indications of the instrument are readily observed under
circumstances which would render a mariners' compass of the ordinary construction
useless.
In order to rapidly reduce the ampletude of the vibrations of the magnetic

page_text: needle and card portions of the figure, such for example as the wings of a flying
bird, may be bent upwards or downwards out of the horizontal plane in which
the needle or card vibrates. The said bent portions by the resistance which
the air offers to their motion speedily reduce arc of vibration, and bring the
needle or card to rest, or nearly to rest, without diminishing the sensitiveness of
the instrument.
In some cases the magnetic needle itself may be made in the form of a bird or
animal.
Besides remedyig the inconveniences referred to, the addition to the magnetic
needle or card of the said figures of living things gives an ornamental appearance to
the magnetic or mariners' compass.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Hair Haseler in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
May 1878.
WILLIAM HAIR HASELER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Goldsmith
and Jeweller. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MAGNETIC OR MARINERS' COMPASSES, AND IN
ORNAMENTING THE SAID COMPASSES."
In magnetic or mariners' compasses as ordinarily constructed persons unaccus-
tomed to the use of them frequently have some difficulty in ascertaining which
end of the magnetic needle, or which part of the card when the needle carries a card,
points north. Another inconvenience attending the said compasses as ordinarily
made is the excessive mobility of the magnetic needle and card, the vibrations
of which before they come to rest, or nearly to rest, continue for an inconvenient
length of time.
The object of my Invention is principally to remedy these inconveniences. This
I effect by fixing on the magnetic needle, or on the card carried by it, a small light
figure of some living thing, such for example as a bird in the act of flying, a
quadruped in the act of running, a man in the act of rowing, and the like. The
bird or quadruped or living thing is by preference fixed on the magnetic needle
or card in such a position that its head points to the north. I do not however
limit myself to any particular position of the bird or animal or living thing. The
position of the bird or quadruped or living thing is recognized so immediately,
and with such certainty, that the indications of the instrument are readily observed
under circumstances which would render a mariners' compass of the ordinary
construction useless.
In some cases the magnetic needle itself may be made in the form of a bird or
quadruped or other living thing.
In order to rapidly reduce the amplitude of the vibrations of the magnetic needle
and card, portions of the figure, such for example as the wings of a flying bird, may
be bent either upwards or downwards out of the horizontal plane in which the

page_text: needle or card vibrates. The said bent portions by the resistance which the air
offers to their motion speedily reduce the arc of vibration, and bring the needle or
card to rest, or nearly to rest, without diminishing the sensitiveness of the
instrument.
Besides remedying the inconveniences referred to, the addition to the magnetic
needle or card of the said figures of living things gives an ornamental appearance to
the magnetic or mariners' compass.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the
manner in which the same is to be performed.
In the accompanying Drawing I have represented, as examples, six mariners'
compasses, the magnetic needles of which are provided with figures of living things,
the heads of the said figures pointing to the north.
In Figure 1 I have represented a fish, its head pointing to the north.
In Figure 2, a dog in the act of running, its head pointing to the north.
In Figure 3, a man rowing a boat, the direction of the boat's motion pointing to
the north.
In Figure 4, a flying bird, its head pointing to the north.
In Figure 5, a man in the act of swimming, his head pointing to the north; and
in Figure 6, a fly or insect, its head pointing to the north.
It is preferred to employ in the compass a magnetised needle constructed in the
ordinary way, and to attach the figure of the living thing to the upper side of the
said needle. The said figures of living things are by preference made of thin sheet
brass, but I do not limit myself to the use of any particular material. The said
figures may be attached to the needles by shellac or other cement; or they may
be attached by rivetting, pinning, or other mechanical attachment; or the ordinary
magnetic needle may be dispensed with, and a magnetized steel needle in the form
of a living thing may be used in place thereof, the said needle being provided with
the same means of suspension as the ordinary magnetic needle.
The ordinary card may be used in conjunction with a magnetic needle, the figure
of a living thing being in this case fixed on or made upon the upper side of the
card; or in conjunction with a magnetic needle made in the form of a living thing,
in which case the magnetic needle is on the upper side of the card.
In diminishing the amplitude of the vibration of the magnetic needle and card
according to my Invention, I either bend portions of the figure of the living thing,
such as the wings of a bird or insect, upwards, or by preference downwards, out of
the horizontal plane in which the needle or card vibrates. The said bent parts
must be situated in or nearly in a plane perpendicular to the line in which they
move, so that they may present as large a surface as possible to the air in the
direction in which they move.
Where it is inconvenient to bend portions of the figure in the manner described,
the same effect may be produced by the employment of one or more vanes on the
underside of the figure or the needle or card, the said vanes being situated in the
same vertical plane as that in which the needle is situated, that is, in a plane at
right angles to that in which the needle vibrates.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention
of improvements in magnetic or mariners' compasses, and in ornamenting the said
compasses,
First. Attaching to the magnetic needle or card of the compass, or forming on the
card of the compass, the figure of a living thing, for the purpose of indicating that end
of the needle which points to the north; or making the magnetic needle itself in the
form of a living thing for the same purpose, the said figures of living things also
giving an ornamental appearance to the compasses, substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly. Rapidly reducing the amplitude of the vibrations of the magnetic
needle and card by the use of vanes, either made by bending portions of the figures

page_text: of living things, or by the addition of separate vanes to the needle or card,
substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Hair Haseler, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.