IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING TELEGRAPHS OR STEERING INDICATORS AND TELL-TALES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Jullien Viehoff, of Paris, in the French
Empire, and of Montague Place, Russell Square, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, and James Adolphe Matthiessen, of Paris, in the
French Empire, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Jullien Viehoff
and James Adolphe Matthiessen at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 5th April 1866.
We, CHARLES JULLIEN VIEHOFF, of Paris, in the French Empire, and of
Montague Place, Russell Square, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, and
JAMES ADOLPHE MATTHIESSEN, of Paris, in the French Empire, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEERING TELEGRAPHS OR STEERING INDICATORS AND TELL-TALES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to instruments to be used either as indicators to
direct the person in charge of the steering apparatus, or as tell-tales, or
axiometers to shew the angle or position of the rudder.
The apparatus constructed according to these improvements consists of a disc,
in which are three openings covered with transparent or translucent material,
one of these openings is a slot or narrow longitudinal opening extending

page_text: nearly across the disc through the centre, and on each side of it is an
opening preferably of or nearly of the form of sectors or segments. Behind
or under the disc are two pieces, preferably of the shape of sectors or segments,
each is mounted and turns on an axis one on either side of the longitudinal
slot, and brings a desired portion of its surface opposite the large or sector-
One portion
like openings in the disc, so as to be visible through the same.
of the surface of each sector, segment, or turning piece is blank or plain, and
the other portion is marked off, as, for example, by transparent or translucent
radiating or sector-like strips held in frames, each strip representing an angle
or portion of a right angle.
The sectors or turning pieces of the indicator are worked by hand, those
of the tell-tale by gearing from the steering apparatus. For this purpose
cams and levers or other contrivances may be used, and the movements are
repeated by connections on similar but smaller instruments connected with
the main instruments. By making the discs of colours differing from those
of the openings, or of their transparent or translucent coverings, the indica-
tions will be visible by day, and they are illuminated at night; a single light
of one colour, say, white or blue, may thus be employed instead of the two
colored lights used in ordinary steering telegraphs.
Sometimes instead of the foregoing arrangement a disc, in which is an
opening of the shape of a pointer and fitted with transparent or translucent
substance, works in a flat ring marked with numbers or divisions made of or
on transparent substance, and thereby forms a steering telegraph indicator or
tell-tale.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed 2
by the said Charles Jullien Viehoff and James Adolphe Matthiessen in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th October 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CHARLES
JULLIEN VIEHOFF, of Paris, in the French Empire, and of Montague Place,
Russell Square, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, and JAMES ADOLPHE
MATTHIESSEN, of Paris, in the French Empire, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Charles Jullien Viehoff and James Adolphe Matthiessen, Her special licence

page_text: that we, the said Charles Jullien Viehoff and James Adolphe Matthiessen,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
Charles Jullien Viehoff and James Adolphe Matthiessen, our executors, admi-
nistrators, 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 STEERING TELEGRAPHS OR STEERING
INDICATORS AND TELL-TALES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Charles Jullien Viehoff and James Adolphe Matthiessen, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their
hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 we, the said Charles Jullien Viehoff and James
Adolphe Matthiessen, 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 thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to instruments to be used either as indicators to
direct the person in charge of the steering apparatus, or as tell-tales or
axiometers to shew the angle or position of the rudder.
The apparatus constructed according to these improvements consists of a
disc in which are three openings covered or fitted with transparent or trans-
lucent material; one of these openings is a slot or narrow longitudinal
opening extending nearly across the disc through the centre, and on each
side of it are openings of or nearly of the form of sectors or segments.
Behind or under the disc are two pieces of or nearly of the shape of sectors or
segments. Each of these pieces is mounted and turns on an axis one on
either side of the slot, and brings a desired portion of its surface opposite
the large or sector-like openings in the disc, so as to be visible through the
One portion of the surface of each sector, segment, or turning piece
is blank, opaque, or plain, and the other portion is marked off by transparent
or translucent, radiating or sector-like strips held in frames; each strip cor-
responds with an angle or portion of a right angle.
'same.
The sectors or turning pieces of the indicator are worked by hand; those of
the tell-tale by gearing from the steering apparatus. For this purpose caus

page_text: and levers or other contrivances may be used, and the movements are repeated
on similar but smaller instruments connected with the main instruments.
By making the discs of colors differing from those of the openings or of their
transparent or translucent coverings the indications will be visible by day, and
they are illuminated by night. A single light of one colour, say white or
blue, may thus be employed instead of the two colored lights used in ordinary
steering apparatus.
We now proceed, with reference to the accompanying Drawings, to
exemplify particularly in what manner the Invention may, be carried into
effect.
We may first state that the object of the steering indicator is for the officer
in command to signal or telegraph to the belmsman by day and night the
changes to be effected in the position of the rudder, that is to say, to direct
him in steering the vessel. The object of the tell-tale is to show by day and
night the position into which the rudder is moved so that the officer in
command may ascertain whether his orders have been duly carried into
effect.
The two instruments, namely, the steering indicator and the tell-tale
(sometimes called also an axiometer), are alike in their construction and
method of operation; they chiefly differ only in their position and in the
power by which they are actuated, the indicator being worked by hand so as
to give the desired signals to the helmsman, and the tell-tale being actuated
by being geared or connected with the rudder or steering apparatus so that it
may indicate the angle or position of the rudder with regard to the keel.
Also, in the examples given in the Drawing, the two instruments shown differ
slightly from each other in this respect, that the appliances for working the
blades and the repeater are placed at the upper part of the indicator but at
the lower part of the tell-tale. The tell-tale is best placed near to the steering
apparatus or rudder wheel shaft from which it receives motion. The steering
indicator is placed in any convenient position so as to be close at hand of the
officer in command who has to work it or to direct or control its, working;
its face or front is turned towards the wheel house, so that the helmsman may
at once see its various indications or signals. The steering indicator must be
readily moveable bodily in order that it may always be placed on the weather
side of the vessel to prevent it from being concealed by the sails.
i
Figure 1 is a front view of a steering indicator constructed according to our
Invention Figure 2, vertical section of the same; Figure 3, back view with
part of case removed to shew the internal arrangements; Figure 4, a plan
showing the repeating dial. Figure 1 also serves as a front view of the tell-

page_text: tale, and Figures 2 and 3 will also serve respectively as section and back view
of the tell-tale, except that in the latter instrument there is no hand wheel
and the driving gearing and shafting are at the lower part of the instrument
instead of at the upper part; also the repeater of the tell-tale being at the
lower part below the face, as shown in Figure 7, instead of at the top, Figure 4,
which is a plan of the indicator case and its repeater will serve as a view of
the lower part or repeater of the tell-tale. Figure 5 shows the sectors.
partially with their connections; Figure 6 is a view of the driving cam with
connections, herein-after referred to; these Figures are on a larger scale than
the preceding, and are on the real scale usually adapted in constructing the
instruments. Figure 7 shows the tell-tale in its position at the top of the
wheel house when motion is communicated to it by an endless chain and
wheels or pinions, as afterwards described.
Fig. 8 is a diagram of one of the vanes detached. A is a metal cylindrical
box or case, the front or face of which is of course circular, and may be called
a dial or disc; in this front face disc or dial are three openings a, B, C. The
opening a is a vertical slot passing through the centre of the face or front, and
extending nearly from top to bottom thereof; this slot a is covered or filled
with a strip of white ground glass which contrasts with the dark colour
of the front or face of the case A, which for this purpose is made of dark
metal or painted of a dark color. As the direction or position of the
slot a corresponds with the direction or position of the axis of the instru-
ment and of the ship or vessel the position of the slot a distinctly indicates
the position of such axes, and prevents errors in reading off the signals: The
other two openings B and C are formed one on each side of the central
opening a, one to the starboard and the other to port. Each opening B, C,
is shaped like the sector of a circle, and radiates, as it were, towards the
edge of the face A; the narrow end of each opening (or centre from
which such sector or opening may be said to be struck) being towards the
opening a.
Fig. 9 is a diagram of one of these openings. b, b, are two blades or vanes
fitted within the case A; these vanes are made of a light substantial material,
such as zinc, light wood, or brass. The said vanes are placed one on each
side of the slot a, so that one works at or behind the opening B, and the other
at or behind the opening C, one vane corresponding to the starboard side and
indications, and the other to the port side and indications. Each blade or
vane b, as shewn in Fig. 8, is of or nearly of the shape of a sector or segment,
and is of twice the size or superficial area of the opening behind which it
works. Each vane is mounted on an axis; m, m, are these two axes to

page_text: which rotary motion is communicated, so that the vanes which they carry
may be turned to the required extent in both directions. Each blade or vane
is thus constructed:-Its lower portion e is plain blank, opaque, or of solid
material like a plain panel or shutter, but in its upper portion are formed four
radial or sector-shaped openings or slots e*, e, e³, e, each of which is covered,
fitted, or filled with a strip of white ground glass; these openings are sepa-
rated from each other by plain, opaque, or blank portions of the vane or frame
picces 8, 8, each such separation being of the same breadth as any one of the
openings ex, e, e, e. The plain parts e, s, of the vanes are made of dark
opaque material or colored dark, so as to contrast with the strips of glass. As
these vanes are caused to work behind their respective openings B or C, they
present thereat either the blank, opaque, or plain parts of the vane or the
glazed openings therein, as desired. The gearing or arrangements for
working them are so combined and arranged that when the rudder is amid-
ships the vertical slot a will alone be visible, the dark or blank parts or
panels e of the vanes filling or closing the openings B, C; but if the rudder
be put to starboard or to port one or more of the glass strips of the openings
ex; e, e, e, of the starboard or port vane will accordingly present itself and
become visible at the corresponding opening B or C, and thus shew a glass
strip or division forming an angle with the direction of the central slot a. The
gearing or driving arrangements of the vanes are so arranged and combined
that the appearance or presentation at the opening of one strip or glazed
division of the vane shall correspond with the fourth part of the greatest angle
formed between the rudder and the keel (or formed by the rudder with
respect to the line of the keel) when two strips or glazed divisions are visible;
this will indicate that the rudder is in the middle of the aforesaid angle (or
bisects it). When three of the glazed divisions are visible this indicates that
the rudder is at three-fourths of the extreme steering angle, and when the
four divisions are visible this shews that the rudder is in its extreme position
to port or to starboard.
At night lamps i, i, are placed within the case A so as to illuminate the glass
strips and show their position clearly; three oil or candle lamps with reflec-
tors are sufficent;-k is a lid or door which is opened in order to introduce,
remove, and trim the lamps. A smaller instrument of similar action and
construction to the main instruments, and intended to repeat the indications of
the main instrument is combined and connected with the tell-tale, and another
such repeating iustrument is combined and connected with the indicator;
these instruments being worked by connections or gearing with the main
instrument. This repeating instrument is most conveniently placed on the

page_text: top of the steering indicator case, in order that the officer in command may
be enabled to control the orders or instructions transmitted by the instrument
to the helmsman. The repeating instrument of the tell-tale is placed at the
lower part of such tell-tale when the latter is on the top of the wheel house
(which is the most convenient position for it), so that the helmsman may
readily ascertain the position of the rudder.
The best form of repeating instrument consists of a small case H in the
face d*, of which are two openings each of a shape resembling a sector. A
circular plate or disc c* is fitted within the case and works at or behind these
openings, that is to say, under them when the repeater is at the top, and
behind them when it is at the bottom of the instruments. The plate has four
sector-like or radial slots or openings filled or covered with glass and sepa-
rated by divisions c. The plate is turned in both directions by gearing or
connections with the axes of the vanes of the main instruments. Now, when
the rudder is amidships or the steering indicator is at rest the plain parts of
the plate present themselves at the openings in the dial or face d* of the
repeater case and close them, but when the main instruments are at work.
and the glazed divisions or openings in their vanes appear at the openings in
their dials (or at the faces of their cases) then the plate following the motion
shews its own glazed divisions or openings at one or other of the openings in
the case of the repeating instrument and repeats the indications. Although
various arrangements of ordinary construction for transmitting motion may
be used for working the main instruments and for transmitting motion from
them to the repenters we proceed to describe with reference to the Drawings
what we consider the best arrangements for these purposes..
We first proceed to describe the driving arrangements of the steering
indicator, Figures 2, 5, and 6. The vanes b, b, are mounted on axes or pivots
m, one to each vane. To each axis or pivot is attached the upper end of a
connecting rod r, the lower end of each rod r carries a link or crank arm n,
on which is a roller z which travels on a cam or heart wheel m of peculiar
shape, as shewn, mounted on a shaft f in gear with another shaft fx. The
shafts f, f*, are worked by a hand wheel h mounted on the end of the shaft f*
outside the case A, and motion is transmitted therefrom to the other shaft f
by gear wheels g,g. When the wheel h, and hence the shaftf, are turned in one.
or other direction the cam m assumes a corresponding position and causes tho
corresponding connecting rod, and thereby the corresponding sector or vane, to
follow the motion. Thus as the wheel h is worked the cam m changes its
position and thus works the required vane 6 and places it in the required

page_text: position. The shaft falso carries a pinion d which geers into the teeth of a
toothed ring g* attached to the under side of the plate c*, and thereby actuates
the repeating instrument.
The like arrangements to those above described for actuating the vanes of the
steering indicator may also be employed for working the vanes of the steering
tell-tale, except that in the latter case the shafts f,fx, and the parts carried
by them are placed at the lower part of the case A instead of at the upper part,
and there is no wheel h, as the shafting f, f*, is driven by connections with
the rudder shaft or steering apparatus. These connections may consist of the
arrangement shewn in Figure 7, in which p, p, q, show wheel and pinion
connected and worked by an endless chain o for transmitting motion from the
rudder to the tell-tale; or this may be simply effected by fixing a vertical
rod at the top of the rudder head continuing the centre line of the rudder
spindle. On the top of this rod is a small toothed sector in gear with a small
pinion placed at the back of the instrument on the working shaft (or shaft f
which drives the vanes of the tell-tale). The repeater of the tell-tale may be
worked in the mode described for working the repeater of the indicator. We
wish it however to be distinctly understood that we do not confine ourselves
to the exact mechanical details or contrivances shewn and described for com-
municating motion to the vanes or blades of our telegraph tell-tales or
indicators, or to the repeating instruments connected therewith, though we
consider the arrangements described the best for the purposes, but they may
be varied, and any convenient ordinary appliances or arrangements for
transmitting motion for the purpose may be substituted for them. Neither
do we confine ourselves to the exact arrangements of repeating instru-
ments described, though we consider those shewn most suitable for the
purpose. 1, 1, are wheels or rollers, on which the steering indicator is
mounted, so that it may be readily moved, as it should be always on the weather
side of the ship to keep it clear of the sails. The plate c** at the bottom
of Figure 1 shews what may be the position of the plate of the repeating
instrument of the tell-tale. We may mention that axiometers or tiller tell-
tales have long been in use on board ship to enable the helmsman to examine
the position of the rudder with regard to the keel by day. Various arrange-
ments of night tell-tales have also been tried, but the results have not been
sufficiently satisfactory to ensure their general adoption. In some of such
arrangements red and green lights are employed which is dangerous, as this
interferes seriously with the regulations adopted for the Admiralty logs of steam
ships, on a dark night the green or red tell-tale light might be readily mistaken

page_text: for an Admiralty or position lights, and hence occasion false manoeuvres and
collisions; but in our improved tell-tale we use white lights and wholly
obviate the above-named evils.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, we declare that we claim,—
First, an apparatus or instrument suitable as a steering indicator or as a
tell-tale, in which a dial disc or face or front of a case or frame has three
openings formed therein and is combined with blades, vans, or pieces of or
nearly of segmental or sector-like shape, formed with transparent or trans-
lucent parts, and with plain, blank, or opaque parts, and capable of turning
or working in both directions to the required extent, substantially as and for
the purposes described.
Second, the steering indicator and steering tell-tale herein-before described,
each in the general arrangement and combination of parts of which the same
consists.
In witness whereof, we, the said Charles Jullien Viehoff and James
Adolphe Matthiessen, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
First day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-six.
Witness,
H. W. ALMA,
Consul of the Netherlands,
Marseilles.
(L.S.)
CH. J. VIEHOFF.
J. A. MATTHIESSEN. (L.s.)