AN IMPROVED UNIVERSAL DIAL AND CHRONOMETER COMPASS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ralph Reeder, of Cincinnati, in the State of Ohio,
United States of America, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED UNIVERSAL
DIAL AND CHRONOMETER COMPASS."
Sealed the 6th January 1857, and dated the 5th September 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ralph Reeder at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th
September 1856.
I, RALPH REEDER, of Cincinnati, in the State of Ohio, United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
UNIVERSAL DIAL AND CHRONOLIETER COMPASS," to be as follows:-
I construct gimbals or rings similar to those of a marine compass, receiving
the parts, and properly weighted so as to hang level, and attach to said gimbals
an are graduated so as to adjust a plate carrying a chronometer, and around
which is a ring or equator, and by the aforesaid arc this is adjusted according
to the latitude of the location. The before-mentioned chronometer is con-
structed to revolve once in twenty-four hours, carrying a sight or gnomon. By
this means the gnomon will follow the motion of the sun or any of the heavenly
bodies; hence, if the chronometer be correct, the line of sight or shadow from
the gnomon on the equator will determine the position of the twelve o'clock
divisions of said equator, and the meridian line of said heavenly body. This
instrument will thus determine the true meridian line by an observation at any

page_text: time of the day or night, and can be used for steering vessels by in high
latitudes, as well as for correcting local variations in the magnetic needle; and
for this purpose, I place below said instrument a properly constructed compass,
with the north and south points of the box on the same vertical plane as the 12
figures of the equatorial ring, which brings said points on to the true meridian
when the instrument is turned around to bring the gnomon on the hand of the
chronometer into the line of the given heavenly body, thereby the variation of
the magnetic needle will be indicated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Ralph Reeder in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th February 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RALPH
REEDER, of Cincinnati, in the State of Ohio, United States of America, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Ralph
Reeder, Her special license that I, the said Ralph Reeder, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Ralph Reeder,
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 "AN IMPROVED UNIVERSAL DIAL
AND CHRONOMETER COMPASS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Ralph Reeder, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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 Ralph Reeder, 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,
reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters
and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-

page_text: Fig. 1 is a plan of the base of my instrument and compass with the
chronometer and dial removed; Fig. 2 is a plan of the instrument complete;
Fig. 3 is an elevation at the side A; and Fig. 4 is an elevation at the side B.
Similar marks of reference indicate the same parts.
My said universal dial and chronometer compass is adapted to taking any
horizontal bearing, in any latitude, at any time of the day, by bringing the shadow
of a gnomon to its proper place. The gnomon revolves once in twenty-four
hours by means of a chronometer, and when the instrument is levelled and
elevated to true latitude, and adjusted at the meridian, the gnomon points
steadily to the sun, which it follows in its course, and conversely, if the instru-
ment be levelled and elevated to the latitude of the place, and turned around
horizontally until the gnomon points to the sun it will be adjusted to the
meridian, and a horizontal angle laid off therefrom. It will also solve prac-
tically all problems that can be solved by any armillary spheres or by spherical
trigonometry, so far as its circles and their motions extend. For example,
having the declination and the time given, it will shew the altitude and the
latitude; or having the declination and the meridan given, it will give both
the time and the latitude at any hour and at any place. My instrument can
also be used as a compass, or serve for determining any variations in the
magnetic needle, and the time of the dial is easily converted into longi-
tude, the latitude being determined by the latitude arch, and subtracting or
adding the sun's declinations. The moon and fixed stars may also be used,
as well as the sun, by an easy adjustment of the instrument, and refraction is
to be added if south of the equator.
Having thus described the general features of my instrument, and shewn
how any person familar with such sciences can apply the same to navigation,
surveying, or astronomy, I will now proceed to describe the construction of the
instrument itself; premising, first, that such changes might be made from
time to time as would adapt it to the peculiar circumstances under which it
is to be used.
In the Drawing, a is a base of mahogany or suitable material, supported on
legs, and carrying within an opening in the centre the gimbals b, supporting
the mariners' or surveyors' compass c; d, d, are standards on the north and
south line of the compass box, and slotted for sighting, as usual. These
standards d, d, carry a ring e, set on pivots, within which ring pivots 1, 1, sup-
port the chronometer f, and parts attached, so as to form gimbals similar to
those of the compass. The pivots 1, 1, stand in an east and west direction, so
that the chronometer f, and its hand o, can be inclined either north or south.

page_text: the amount necessary to bring the same on a plane parallel to the equator, or
to the angle of the sun's north or south declination; and in this position the
said chronometer is sustained by the frame g depending from the shaft 1,
which frame g is provided with balancing weights i, k, to bring it properly
level, which is indicated by the spirit levels h, h; and said frame g is connected
to said chronometer f, by the latitude arc 1, attached to the chronometer at
its centre (1), and passing against the vernier m, and secured by the clamp
screw 2. This arc is so divided as to indicate north and south latitude when the
chronometer is inclined to the angle of the sun at noon, and the declination is
allowed for. n is a ring attached to the chronometer at 3, 3, 3, and forms an
equator or universal dial; p is the gnomon, formed by two wires attached to
the hand o of the chronometer; and q is a magnifying glass, adjustable
vertically on wires 4, 4, and having its focus at the equator n. The hand of the
chronometer revolves once in twenty-four hours, and the dial of said chrono-
meter is divided into twice twelve hours, the twelve o'clocks being on the same
plane as the north and south points of the compass box. The equator n is
divided into twice twelve hours, corresponding with the chronometer face, and
also in quarter circle degrees, with the nonius at north and south line, and the
90° at east and west.
The chronometer (if the instrument be stationary) must run to mean time,
and if on a vessel the hand must be set to meridian time as necessary. The
latitude can be determined by the latitude arc 1, as before mentioned, at any
time of day, if that time be known, and the hand o set accordingly, and the
instrument adjusted so that only one shadow falls on the equator n from the
gnomon, and the plane of the equator n is correct to the sun. This will also
give the true line of the meridian for correcting the compass as well as deter-
mining longitude, and the vessel can be steered by this means at any time
during sunshine, even without the compass, should that become inoperative, or
even not be fitted to the instrument, for the gnomon will follow the sun in its
course.
The other uses of my instrument will be apparent to the scientific navigator,
astronomer, or surveyor, and the reflectors or lenses necessary for using this
instrument at night or south of the equator, or adapting said instrument to
any particular use, will be apparent without further explanations.
What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is, the combination of
the universal dial or equator chronometer, and latitude arc, in the manner and
for the purposes substantially as specified, whether combined with the magnetic
needle or not, and whether the parts be formed precisely in the manner herein

page_text: described and represented, or in any other that is the same in its operation
and effect.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ralph Reeder, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witnesses,
LEMUEL W. SERRELL,
289, Broadway, New York.
THOMAS G. HAROLD,
289, Broadway, N. Y.
RALPH REEDER. (L.S.)