IMPROVEMENTS IN NAUTICAL LOGS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Brewster Ely, of Newton, in the County of
Middlesex, and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN NAUTICAL LOGS."-A communication
from Truman Hotchkiss, residing at Stratford, Connecticut, United
States of America.
Sealed the 26th February 1867, and dated the 29th December 1866.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alfred Brewster Ely at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration,
on the 29th December 1866, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent
Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
BREWSTER ELY, of Newton, in the County of Middlesex, and State of Massa-
chusetts, United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
NAUTICAL LOGS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the
same, and have made solemn Declaration that it is a communication from
Truman Hotchkiss, a person resident at Stratford, Connecticut, United States
of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Brewster Ely, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully

page_text: describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, in and by the following statement, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon (that is to say) :-
Figure 1 is a top view of the indicator and its enclosing box, and a view
of the winged log and cord attached; Figure 2 is an end view of the box
enclosing the indicator with its supporting frame and stand; Figure 3 is a
side elevation of the indicator without the enclosing box; Figure 4 is an
enlarged vertical section of the device for preventing friction at right angles
to the shaft.
The nature of this Invention consists in the employment of a winged log or
propeller in combination with a cord and a clockwork indicator, or, in other
words, of a winged log or propeller connected with and operating a clockwork
indicator by means of an intervening cord, whereby, when the log is thrown
into the water from a moving vessel and allowed to drag, the distance passed
over will be correctly shown by the dial hands of the indicator, which is
suitably placed and kept on board the vessel.
1
I
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(which are made one-half the size of the present operating machine).
E, E, is a conically-shaped spindle, ten inches in length and one inch in its
greatest diameter, provided with four propeller wings or blades e, e, e, e, made
of sheet brass or other suitable material four and one half inches long and one
and one half inches wide, and arranged on the spindle spirally in such manner
that when the circumference of the spindle is divided by longitudinal lines into
eight sections the head of a blade or wing being placed at one line the foot
will reach the next line; the size and proportions of the winged log or pro-
peller may, however, be varied with the clockwork of the indicator; fis a
cord, chain, or wire of any suitable material intended to be about thirty
fathoms, or sufficiently long to clear the eddies produced by the motion of the
vessel; one end of this cord is attached to the winged log and the other to
the outer end of a spindle F projecting from the indicator. The clockwork
of the indicator is enclosed in a frame of brass or other suitable material
G, G, G, G, with a dial 9 and hands M, M, and m; this is enclosed in a
box A, A, of brass or other material having a brass cover a, a, with a glass
over the dial and hands, and a hole or slot on one side d for the spindle F.
The enclosing box A, A, is hung and oscillates vertically in a frame B, B, by
means of the two pivoting screws D, D, which pass through the frame and
screw into the sides of the box. Underneath the frame B, B, is a spindle b

page_text: which freely turns horizontally in the base C, C, in which it is retained by the
screw c. The spindle F passes longitudinally through the end of the box A, A,
the front end of the former resting and turning on friction rollers at O, and
the rear on a bearing at h; this spindle is provided with an endless screw H, H,
which engages with a toothed wheel J, J, causing it to rotate with its axis,
which turns in suitable, bearings in the top and bottom of the frame G, G.
The rotation of the spindle F causes the wheel J to rotate, and the revolution
of this wheel with its pinion; communicates motion through the wheel and
pinions K, K, L, l, and so on by ordinary clockwork to the hands M, M, and m,
upon the dial plate. The dial is provided with two graduated scales and two
hands; the outer scale divided into one hundred parts indicates tenths of a
mile; the inner scale divided in the same manner indicates tens of miles. The
revolutions of the winged log E, E, are communicated with accuracy through
the cord f, f, to the spindle F, and thence by the clockwork to the hands of
the dial. It being known how many revolutions the log will make in passing
through the water in a mile it is obviously easy to construct the clockwork so
as to register the distance passed over. Instead of one dial with two hands,
one of which registers tenths and the other tens of miles, several dials may be
used with a hand to each, one indicating units, a second tens, a third hundreds,
and a fourth thousands.
The Invention is very simple, cheap, and compact, and can be used as
readily as a compass on any vessel, the distance passed over being always
shown by the hands of the indicator.
In order to avoid friction against the frame by the revolution of the log and
spindle the following device is used (see Figure 4). Upon the spindle Fat
the outer end of the endless screw is placed a fixed collar N, N, half an incli
from the plate n, n, between which and the frame G are placed the friction
rollers O. Between N, N, and n, n, is placed a loose collar P, P, from which
project four studs s, s, s, s, over which are placed four loose wheels with
bevelled edges p, p, p, p, held in place by screws t, t, t, t. When the log drags
through the water the pull upon the spindle is very great; the collar N, N,
presses upon the wheels p, p, p, p, which press against the plate n, n, these
wheels revolving loosely upon their studs, while the collar also revolves loosely
upon the spindle, the friction is reduced to a minimum. This device may be
used for other purposes than those connected with nautical logs where there
is a revolving pull.
Having now described the construction and operation of this Invention,
what I claim is,-
First, the employment of a winged log or propeller in combination with a

page_text: cord, chain, or wire, and a clockwork indicator, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
Second, the device for lessening friction, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Brewster Ely, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Eleventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
ALFRED BREWSTER ELY. (L.S.)
Witnesses,
P. E. TESCHEMACHER,
N. W. STEARNS,
13, Exchange St.,
Boston, U.S.A.