Improved Means • for Taking Hydrographic Soundings and Diagrams or Sections of same and for Giving Alarms or Indicating the Depths of such Soundings, Applicable to Ships or other Navigable Vessels or the like.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improved Means
•
for Taking Hydrographic Soundings and
Diagrams or Sections of same, and for Giving Alarms or
Indicating the Depths of such Soundings, Applicable to
Ships or other Navigable Vessels or the like.
I JAMES DILLON of 36 Dawson Street, Dublin in the county of Dublin, Ireland,
Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVED MEANS
FOR TAKING HYDROGRAPHIC SOUNDINGS AND DIAGRAMS, OR SECTIONS OF SAME AND
FOR GIVING ALARMS OR INDICATING THE DEPTHS OF SUCH SOUNDINGS, APPLICABLE
TO SHIPS OR OTHER NAVIGABLE VESSELS OR THE LIKE: -
In Letters Patent granted to me on the 8th day of August 1881, No. 3418,
I described an improved method of indicating the depth of water in and the
nature or character of the ground for preparing sections or diagrams of water
courses, rivers, harbours and the like and in apparatus employed therein. Such
method and apparatus consisted firstly in fitting a vertically swinging bar or lever
to a boat or other vessel and causing the fluctuations of the same on the ground to
be indicated and read off on a dial or the like and secondly in combining with
the said swinging bar or lever a clockwork or other arrangement driven by the
progressive motion of the boat or vessel and serving to move a travelling section
paper or sheet on which the swinging bar or lever moved a pen or pencil to trace
a corresponding diagram of the bottom of the river or other bed over which it
travelled.
Now my present invention is designed to still further improve such method and
more especially to adapt such principle to the use of sea-going vessels and especially
to war-ships, and also to render or obtain continuous sections or diagrams; when
the apparatus carried by the ship or vessel touches bottom, also to measure the .
depth of water contained in reservoirs and the like.
While the continuous diagram or section of ground under water is taken there
is also indicated a continuous series of soundings. whereby officers in charge of
ships navigating dangerous waters are at all times apprised of the safe depth of
water below the ship while the apparatus touches bottom, also an alarm is sounded
or given when the minimum depth of safety is in danger of being approached.
i

page_text: I arrange a flexible or jointed or rigid rod or wire arranged to drag along the
sea or other subaqueous bottom and carrying a pressure guage capable of being
drawn along such bottom.
I divide the dial or scale of this guage to indicate feet fathoms or like factors
indicating depth in place of pounds pressure. I connect this dial by mechanical
electrical pneumatic or other means with a dial or dials placed in various parts of
the ship or floating structure so that the submerged dial shall actuate such dial or
dials correspondingly.
For instance if the draught of water of a ship or like floating structure is known
before going to sea or entering a lake, harbour river or other water, the guage is
lowered over the side or other part of the ship or like structure by the said rod or
wire swinging on its pivots.
The length of the said rod or wire being adjusted to ensure a sufficient depth of
safety.
If the guage and rod or wire so adjusted hang free without touching bottom
then it will be apparent that the ship is not in danger but as the water shoals, the
guage will touch the bottom and ring a bell or other alarm and of course the lesser
depths be recorded on board on a travelling roll of section paper or otherwise so
forming a continuous diagram- or section and when in danger of reaching a
minimum depth of safety or striking bottom the dial on board can ring two or
more bells or other alarms or the same make contact with electrical, pneumatic or
other apparatus to operate the starting gear engines actuating the valves of the
main engines so as to stop or reverse the latter.
The aforesaid rod or wire if for considerable depths, required for preparation of
charts &c, can be suspended from the stern of the ship or like structure or if the
same rod or wire is for short or dangerous depths it can be placed forward of the
ship or like structure. Instead of allowing the guage to travel on the bottom
I may use a flexible or pivotted rigid or other tube to reach the same and com-
municate with a pressure guage or guages on board the ship or other floating
structure, this would be especially useful in determining the water supply in a
reservoir, lake, pond, canal and the like as the depth could be hourly telegraphed
or recorded at distant stations and the various depths ascertained and the air
pressure readily tested.
If it is desirable not to use electricity for actuating the dials or indicators on
board the ship or floating structure I connect a jointed swinging tube of suitable
length to a pendant dial hand moving on a dial or quadrant, pivotting the jointed
swinging tube in a suitable part of the vessel or like structure.
The weight of this tube will keep it vertical when not touching the bottom or
like obstruction; when the said tube touches ground in a depth sufficiently shallow
to endanger the ship and where the ship may presently, if not stopped or reversed,
touch bottom or run áground, the dial hand points to the said dangerous depth.
The hand records the various depths on the dial as the ship enters shallow or
deep water till the tube hangs vertically.
-
The hand then points to the total length of the tube marked on the dial. The
tube carries a wheel at its end of known diameter and its revolutions are recorded
by a clockwork arrangement actuated by electrical, pneumatic or mechanical means,
Such movement of the aforesaid wheel is recorded on a roll of section paper.
The varying depths of water and the distance traversed by such tube on the
bottom can be thus recorded as the tube actuates also a pencil or pen tracing a
diagram of the ground on the section paper.
If it is inconvenient to use too long a tube I use a short tube, which may carry
a wheel at its end, and' pass through the same a strong wire, such as a piano wire,
of suitable length and weighted, so that one end of the wire rests on the subaqueous
bed, the angle formed by it and the tube with the pendant dial hand varying as
the ship is passing through the different depths of water; the wheel on the end of
the tube is worked by the weighted wire and through it a corresponding wheel or
dial on board, thus recording the varying depths of water, or I may dispense with

page_text: the wheel and use a length of wire passing through the tube, or wire alone to
measure angle between sounding wire and zero on dial.
If the aforesaid dial only turns round 4 or 90° of the circle then by transmitting
this motion. to a drum of small diameter, the circumference being equal in length
to 90° it can be made to work the dial hand round a whole circle of large radius
so as to secure a large arc or circle to contain the figures representing a given
number of fathoms, say 100 or more.
тох Partny Ayarga
58 aut
Diagrams or Sections of same, and for Giving Alarms or.
Indicating the Depths of such Soundings, Applicable to
Ships or other Navigable Vessels or the like.
I JAMES DILLON of 26 Dawson Street Dublin in the county of Dublin Ireland
Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner.
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
In Letters Patent granted to me on the 5th day of August 1881 and num-
bered 3418, I described an improved method of indicating the depth of water
and the nature or character. of the ground for preparing sections or diagrams of
water-courses rivers, harbours and the like and in apparatus employed therein.
Such method and apparatus consists. Firstly, in fitting a vertically swinging
bar or lever to a boat or other vessel and causing the fluctuation of the same on
the ground to be indicated and so read off on a dial or the like and Secondly in
combining with the said swinging bar or lever, a clockwork or other arrangement
driven by the progressive motion of the boat or vessel and serving to move a
travelling section paper or sheet on which the swinging bar or lever moved a pen
or pencil to trace a corresponding diagram of the bottom of the river or other bed'
over which it travelled. Now my present invention is designed to still further
improve such method and more especially to adapt such principle to the use of sea-
going vessels and especially to war-ships and also to render or obtain continuous
sections or diagrama. when the apparatus carried by the ship or vessel touches

page_text: bottom, also to measure the depth of water contained in reservoirs and the like.
While the continuous diagram or section of ground under water is taken there is
also indicated a continuous series of soundings whereby Officers in charge of ships
navigating dangerous waters are at all times apprised of the safe depth of water
below the ship while the apparatus touches bottom; also an alarm is sounded or
given when the maximum depth of safety is in danger of being approached.
I arrange a flexible or jointed or rigid rod; or wire to drag along the sea or other
subaqueous bottom and carrying a pressure gauge capable of being drawn along
such bottom.
1 divide the dial or scale of this gauge to indicate feet, fathoms or other like
factors indicating depth in place of pounds pressure. I connect this dial by
mechanical, electrical pneumatic or other means with a dial or dials placed in
various parts of the ship or floating structure so that the submerged dial shall
actuate such dial or dials correspondingly. For instance if the draught of water
of a ship or like floating structure is known before going to sea or entering a lake,
harbour, river or other water the gauge is lowered over the side or other part of
the ship or like structure by the said rod or wire swinging on its pivots; The
length of the said rod or wire being adjusted to ensure a sufficient depth of safety.
If the gauge and rod or wire so adjusted swing free without touching bottom then
it will be apparent that the vessel is not in danger but as the water shoals the
gauge will touch the bottom and ring a bell or other alarm and of course the
lesser depths be recorded on board on a travelling roll of section paper or otherwise
so forming a continuous diagram or section and when in danger of reaching a
minimum depth of safety or striking bottom the dial on board can ring two or
more bells or other alarms, or the same make contact with electrical, pneumatic or
other apparatus to operate the starting gear engines operating the valves of the
main engines so as to stop or reverse the latter. The aforesaid rod or wire, if for
considerable depths required for preparation of charts &c, can be suspended from
the stern of the ship or like structure or if the same rod or wire is for short or
dangerous depths it can be placed forward. Instead of allowing the gauge to
travel on the bottom I may use a flexible or pivotted, rigid or other tube to reach
the same and communicate with a pressure gauge or gauges on board the ship &c,
or on the tube, this would be especially useful in deterinining the water supply
in a reservoir, lake, pond, canal and the like as the depth could be hourly tele-
graphed or recorded at distant stations and the various depths ascertained and the
air pressure readily tested. If it is desirable not to use electricity for actuating
the dials or indicators on board the ship or floating structure I connect a jointed
swinging tube of suitable length to a pendant dial hand moving on a dial or
quadrant, pivotting the jointed swinging tube in a suitable part of the vessel or
like structure. The weight of this tube will keep it vertical when not touching
the bottom or like obstruction. When the said tube touches ground in a depth
sufficiently shallow to endanger the ship and where the ship inay presently, if not
stopped or reversed touch; the bottom or run aground, the dial hand points to the
said dangerous depth and records the various depths on the dial until the tube
hangs vertically the hand then pointing to the total length of the tube as marked
on the dial. The tube carries a wheel at its end of known diameter and its
revolutions are recorded by a clockwork arrangement actuated by electrical,
pneumatic or mechanical means. Such movement of the aforesaid wheel is recorded
on a roll of section paper; the varying depths of water and the distance traversed
by such tube on the bottom can be thereon recorded as the tube actuates also a pen
or pencil tracing a diagram of the ground on the section paper. If it is incon-
venient to use a long tube I use a short tube which may carry a wheel at its
end, and pass through the same a strong wire, such as a piano wire, of suitable
length and weighted so that one end of the wire rests on the subaqueous bed, the
angle formed by it and the tube with the pendant dial hand varying as the ship
is passing through the different depths of water; the wheel on the end of the
tube is worked by the weighted wire and through it a corresponding wheel or dial

page_text: on board thus recording the varying depths of water or I may dispense with the
wheel and use a length of wire passing through the tube, or wire alone to measure)
angle between sounding wire and zero on dial.
'
If the aforesaid dial or hand only turns round 90° or of the circle then by.
transmitting this motion to a drum of small diameter, the circumference. being
equal in length to the aforesaid of circle it can be made to work the dial.hand
round a whole circle of large radius so as to secure a large arc or circle to contain:
the figures representing a given number of fathoms say 100 or more.
Referring to the accompanying drawings and to the Figures and letters of
reference marked thereon
Sheet 1 Fig. 1. shews an elevation of an ironclad fitted with several forms of my
invention.
"
Sheet 2. Fig. 2 shews a perspective view of a form of indicating and registering
apparatus as worked by a long tube oscillating on a centre.
•
Fig. 3. an elevation and a part section of another modification shewing part
of my original invention applied to my present improvements.
Sheet 3. Fig. 4. shews a method of recording say by electricity in a Captain's or
Officer's cabin the distance run by the ship or other floating structure and also
moving rolls of section paper to receive diagrams of ship's soundings.
Fig. 5. an elevation of a boat fitted with the simplest form of sounding tube,
pressure gauge and indicating dial.
Sheet 4. Fig. 6 is an elevation of another modification wherein a length of piano'
wire passing through a short pivotted tube is used for sounding.
Fig. 7. a further modification of same.
Figs. 8 and 9. elevations of electrical dials for recording the variations of a
pressure gauge dragged along the sea bed.
Fig. 10. cross section of alternate sided contact makers.
Sheet 5. Figs. 11, 12 are further modifications in elevation of my methods of
sounding by a piano wire and recording the distance run.
Sheet 6. Fig. 13. is another modification in which I dispense with a gauge and
use the piano-wire passing through a short tube, the varying angle of the tube
moving the dial hand by a sliding weight.
Fig. 15 is a diagram of a useful method of using my invention.
Fig. 16 is an elevation of a tube and pressure gauge, pivotted on the bottom of
a lake, pond or reservoir.
Sheet 7. Fig. 14 is another modification of Fig. 13.
}
:
In Fig. 1. I shew a piano-wire at A passing through a short pivotted tube B.
at the stern of the ship or other floating structure and carrying a pressure gauge
C
at its end dragging on the bottom or bed of the sea and which may communicate.
its movements to dials on. board the ship or other floating structure as hereafter
described, or, where short or dangerous depths are known or likely to be en-
countered I prefer to suspend the tube B or the wire and gauge from the jib-
boom end or other forward portion of the ship or structure and in order to place
it well forward I prefer to fire the wire and gauge from a rocket tube mortar or.
gun such as at D from whence the wire and gauge will fall in advance of the ship
or structure.
Instead of allowing the gauge C to travel on the bottom I may use a flexible
or rigid pivotted tube E to reach the bottom and communicate with a pressure.
gauge on board as hereafter more minutely referred to.
The tube E or the piano wire A can communicate its angular motion also to,
pointer F. and semaphores G or other signalling apparatus.
Fig. 2. shews a more detailed view of this E is the tube pivotted on axis H
furnished with a weighted pointer I. moving on a dial J. the other end of the
axis H as shewn in dotted lines moves a wheel K by frictional or other contact,
which operates a semaphore L on deck or otherwise, or may also operate by
électrical contact a roll of section paper M in any desired manner.
J

page_text: N is a toothed wheel on axis H which operates a pinion O moving a rack P to
cause a pencil pointer. Q. to draw a diagram on a roll of section paper operated by
clock work or otherwise and so record the varying heights of sea hed travelled over
by the tube or rod E. R is a semaphore to which the motion is transmitted by an
endless band from the axis H.
Fig. 3. shews the tube E connected to a gauge at S and refers to the employ-
ment of such gauges with the apparatus shewn at Figs. 6. 7. 8. 9.of my former
specification. The motion of the dial hand is shewn working the pencil by a
parallel motion and the section paper is set in motion by means as in my former
Letters Patent, that is, by a travelling wheel.
Fig. 4. shews an arrangement which may be used for recording the distance run
and the depths traversed, say in a captain's or officer's cabin. E is the tube S is
the gauge and from the pivot of the tube, pencil pointers may be actuated to draw
on the rolls of section paper.
Fig. 5. shews the pivotted tube E carrying a gauge S and also pointing on a dial
carried by the boat and is the simplest form of my invention.
Fig. 6. is another method of sounding by means of a piano wire A passing
through a short tube B pivotted on a centre A¹.
The wire passes up tube B and then out to a winch A³ for winding in or letting
out more wire. On the centre A¹ is pivotted a weighted rod or tube A³ carrying
an adjustable nut A' on which is a roller A³. On the end of the tube B is another
adjustable nut Aº to which is secured a cord band or chain passing over the roller A³
over another roller, A' fixed to a bracket or frame and thence over a roller A
carrying a pointer A° its end being counterweighted so that as the tube B and
wire A assume various angles their motion is transmitted to the pointer A³ which
moving over the dial A10 records the depth. The wire A may simply touch the
bottom not carrying a gauge.
-
Fig. 7. is a still further modification in this A is the wire B the tube pivotted on
centre A¹. It carries a curved arm B2 from which hangs a pendulum or plumb B³
which moves over a scale B as the tube B assumes various angles. A² is the winch
for the wire A as before..
Fig. 9. shewa a diagram of eléctric-recording dial which may be enclosed in a
strong case with the gauge dragging on the sea bottom and communicate its
motions to a dial worked by right or left hand magnets and pawls by insulated
wires on board the ship or other structure such as in Fig. 8. The double parallel
lines on the dial Fig. 9. shewing contact pieces in cross section in Fig. 10. over
which the pointer moves to make or break the circuit.
The short black segmental line in Fig. 9. may be the contact for ringing a
danger bell or alarm when the wire or gauge indicates dangerous depths or shallow
water.
In Fig. 11. A is the wire Ba tube on pivot A¹. A is the winch as before for
the wire A. B is a gauge connected to a tube B° filled with liquid.
Over the dial hand passes a band B7 connected to half of a wheel or segment B³.
B is a counterweight on band B. B10 is a band connected to the other half of
wheel or segment B³. B is a spring connected to band B10 and to a pencil
holder B moving over a roll of section paper B¹³ which may be actuated by
a cord B¹ from a log rotating and towing astern and so driving suitable gearing
moving the section paper and so recording the vessel's speed also the angular
movements of the wire and so the depth of the water, the liquid in the tube B°
operating the gauge as the said liquid moves in the tube by the varying angles
of tube B.
In Fig. 12. A is the wire B a tube which may carry a gauge B³ as placed above
the centre A' or below it as dotted. The tube B.carries a. dial moving over a
stationary hand and by a parallel motion attached to both dial and hand a pencil.
can draw on the roll of section paper operated as in Fig. 11.
The tube B may be transformed into a solid rod and the gauge dispensed with, a
counterweight B¹ being put on the rod if desired,

page_text: A modification is shewn in Fig. 13. where A is the wire B the tube on centre A'.
B16 the counterweight sliding with the pencil pointer and carrying a rack B1G
moving the dial hand as the weight slides due to varying angles of the tube B:
B17 is a buffer spring between the weight and casing carried by tube B.
:
Fig. 14 shews another variation wherein A is the wire B the tube A¹ centre on
which tube B oscillates A' winch for the wire B15 is the counterweight and B16ª a
rack quadrant taking the place of straight rack B16 in Sheet 6.
'
The counterweight is carried on a bell crank as shewn pivotted to the dial, the
rack quadrant Bio carried by it operating the rack wheel carrying the pointer
which moves over the dial and which rack wheel also operates the pencil pointer
moving over the roll of section paper operated by gearing driven by the revolution
of a worm turning with the line of the log rotator as clearly shewn towing astern
and as referred to in the before named figures.
A very advantageous method of using any of the sounding and recording devices
before described, particularly those using the piano-wire, is, in place of carrying the
wire or tube depending from the ship to place it on a locomotive torpedo, such as the
Whitehead, or on a surface or submarine boat or other floating structure propelled
at a greater speed than the ship, and in advance of the same, either by steam, air,
electricity, gas or other suitable means, the sounding apparatus being connected to
the ship by electric wire or otherwise so that the soundings made by the wire or
tube carried by the torpedo or boat in advance of the ship may be transmitted to
the latter, or, the depth may be noted by watching the angular motion of a vane
on the bar or tube, a duplicate vane at right angles being also actuated, and for
night use these could carry colored lamps this is shewn in diagram Fig. 15.
By propelling a submarine or partly submerged boat or torpedo catcher in
advance of an ironclad or warship I can connect the same by wires or connectors
to steer the ship and connect both by an electric cable for transmitting signals, and
as the boat in advance of the ship is fitted with any of my sounding appliances
herein before described the soundings can be transmitted to the ship by observing
the fluctuations of a longitudinal or transverse vane or lamps carried thereby and
actuated by the sounding appliances or the soundings be electrically conveyed to
the ship.
I
Fig. 16. shews a method of signalling the varying depths of water or liquid
contained in reservoirs, lakes and the like. In this I suspend the tube B from an
anchor C by a pivot or flexible support C and mount a float C³ on the tube.
also fix a gauge C and pointers on the top of the tube making electric contact with
wire C and so telegraph hourly, daily or otherwise the rise and fall of the water to
stations or offices. It will be finally observed that the mere details to be used with
my methods of sounding and recording same and ship's speed, and giving alarms
can be greatly varied and I do not bind myself to those shewn as many gauges,
electric recorders etc now in use will answer my purpose. In place of using a
gauge attached to the piano wire as in Fig. 1 to drag on the bottom I may use a
plain weight at the end of the wire.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. The improved means for taking hydrographic soundings and diagrams or
sections of same and for giving alarms or indicating the depths of such soundings
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings and with
reference to my former Letters Patent, 3418 of 1881.
Secondly. The method of signalling to Officers or others in charge of war or other
ships or floating structures the varying depths of water through which the ship is
moving by placing signals (advantageously such as semaphores) in various parts of
the ship or other floating structure such signals being actuated by means of a rod,
tube or wire dragging on the bottom and communicating with such signals by
suitable means substantially as described.

page_text: Thirdly. The employment of a pressure gauge in connection with a swinging
tube on the vessel or floating structure, such swinging tube being capable of
dragging on the bottom and, while communicating its fluctuations by suitable
means for record or alarm, recording or indicating also the depth by varying
pressure in such tube actuating such gauge substantially as described.
Fourthly. The methods herein before described for sounding by means of a piano
or like strong wire passing through an oscillating tube or centre and dragging its
end (or a pressure gauge connected therewith) so that the varying angles assumed
by the wire and tube shall indicate by a dial or index the depth when the end (or
gauge) drags on the bottom, with or without the combination of -1
recording the speed of a ship or other floating structure or for drawing a diagram
of such soundings substantially as described.
- means for
Fifthly. The method of indicating or signalling to distant or adjacent stations or
offices the depth of water or liquid in reservoirs, lakes or the like by the employ-
ment of an anchored pivotted tube carrying a pressure gauge and means for
telegraphing or recording the angular movements of such tube when floating on
the different levels of such water or liquid substantially as described.