IMPROVEMENTS IN NAUTICAL SOUNDING APPARATUS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I JAMES ALFRED BRIGGS, of 20 Buckingham Street, Strand, London in the
County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN NAUTICAL SOUNDING APPARATUS" to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to increase the security of life and property at sea
by arrangements, such that the officer on duty on the bridge of any vessel shall
bave at hand a dial or other indicator giving constant and reliable indication
shewing the depth of water (within certain limits) through which the vessel is
passing. The invention is applicable to all classes of vessels, it is chiefly intended
for use in Shallow, Unknown and Dangerous waters; it consists essentially of
three principal parts, used separately or in combination, viz-(a) a pressure meter
which is trailed or towed along at, if necessary, considerable speed (b) The
Indicator fitted to the vessels bridge (c) The rope cord or cable containing the
electrical connecting wires completing circuit between the pressure meter and the
Indicator.
The pressure meter is fitted into an outer cover or casing the exterior shapo
and other arrangements of which are such as to cause it to act in the water as an
inverted kite would do in air, and thus to utilise the resistence of the water in
effecting its submersion.
The pressure meter consists of a collapsable vacuum chamber one end of
which is fixed to its frame the other end being free to move under the influence
of the pressure of the water; the motion of the free end of the chamber is
multiplied by appropriate apparatus and results in the relative motion, in contact,
of one end of a style and lever and a surface which latter is divided into parts
alternately conducting and non-conducting for electricity; the style or lever above
referred to is pivoted in such manner that where motion is set up between it and
the before mentioned surface, the style or lever is caused, or tends, to move through
a certain small arc, the extent of such movement being determined by two limiting
points or screws; by suitable arrangements when the one end of the style or lever
is exactly midway between the before mentioned points or screws the style or
lever is in unstable. equilibrium; with which of the two points or screws the one
end of the style or lever shall make contact is decided by the direction of the
relative motion between the other end of the style or lever and the before mentioned
surface

page_text: The ends of two insulated wires which extend from the vessels bridge through
the connecting rope cord or cable are led into the pressure meter and terminate in
electrical contact with the two points or screws referred to, the one wire being
attached to the one point or screw, the other wire being attached to the other
point or screw these arrangements being premised it will be understood that so
long as the pressure on the pressure meter remains constant there will be no
motion between the aforesaid surface and the one end of the aforesaid style or
lover, the other end of which latter will therefore remain in contact with that
point or screw towards which it was last carried. Suppose now the depth to
which the pressure meter is sunk (and therefore the pressure) to vary, motion will
be set up between the one end of the style or lever and and the before mentioned
surface, this will bring about and secure two results viz: first electrical contact
between the one end of the style or lever and one or other of the two points
aforesaid, and secondly intermittent electrical contact and discontinuity between
the other end of the style or lever and the aforesaid surface. When the one
end of the style or lever and the aforesaid surface are in electrical contact a
complete electrical circuit is established consisting of one of the conducting wires
in the connecting cord rope or cable, a voltaic battery on board, and an electro
magnet in the before mentioned Indicator-the exterior covering of the cord rope
or cable or the "Earth" being used as a portion of the circuit: in this manner
when the pressure on-the-Pressure Meter is increasing. intermittent currents are
set up in one of the conducting wires carried in the connecting cord rope or
cable, and when the pressure on the pressure meter is decreasing intermittent
currents are set up in another of the conducting wires carried in the connecting
cord rope or cable.
The Indicator on board consists of a dial the finger or pointer of which is fitted
to the axle of a toothed wheel, wheel rotates-in one direction under the action of
one escapement lever, and in the opposite direction under the action of another
escapement lever, these levers are themselves-actuated-each-by-an-electro-magnet.;.
one of these magnets being in circuit with one of the wires in the connecting cord
rope or cable, and the other magnet being in circuit with the other wire in the
connecting cord rope or cable. The intermittent electric currents set up by an:
increase of depth will excite the one magnet and actuate its respective lever, and
the intermittent currents set up by a decrease of depth will excite the other
-magnet-and-actuate its respective lever, thus bringing about the required indications
on the dial.
The escapeinent lever actuated by currents due to a decrease in depth closes a
local circuit of an ordinary chattering electric bell each time the said lever is
operated.
The rope cord or cable previously referred to consists of a suitable iron wire or
steel wire rope in the interior of which is a core consisting of one or more
conducting wires covered with a substance (such as Gutta percha or India Rubber)
which will effectually insulate the conducting wire or wires from the water.
The connecting cord rope or cable is kept wound on a drum, to which drum
apparatus is fitted for paying out the connecting cord rope or cable slowly and
hauling it in again, a friction wheel is occasionally made use of for the same
purpose, in this latter case the wire rope is wound once round the groove in the
periphery of the wheel-the wheel itself being furnished with a brake and a crank
handle.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, JAMES ALFRED BRIGGS of 20 Buckingham Street Strand London in the
County of Middlesex Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN NAUTICAL SOUNDING APPARATUS and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to increase the security of life and property at
sea, by arrangements such that the officer on duty on the bridge of any vessel shall
have at hand a dial or other indicator giving constant and reliable indications
showing the depth of the water (between certain limits) through which the vessel
is passing. The invention is applicable to all classes of vessols; it is chiefly
intended for use in shallow unknown or dangerous waters, & it consists of three
principal parts, viz:-(a) a pressure meter which if necessary is towed along at
considerable speed (b) the indicator fitted to the ships bridge (c) the connecting
electrical conductor.
The pressure ineter is carried in an outer casing or cover, the exterior shape and
other arrangements of which are such as to cause it, (i.c the casing), to act in the
water as an inverted kite would do in air and thus to utilize the resistance of the
water in effecting its submersion.
The pressure meter consists of a collapsible vacuum chamber, formed preferably
of two cylinders with their axes coinciding, one end of which is fixed to the
casing the other end being free to move under the influence of variations in the
pressure of the water, & is supported by two springs which react against the pressure
of the water. The motion of the free end of the chamber is multiplied by appro-
priate apparatus, & results in the relative motion in contact of one end of a stylo
or lever and a surface, which latter is divided into parts alternately conducting and
non conducting for electricity. The style or lever above referred to, is pivoted in
such manner that when motion is set up between it and the before mentioned
surface, the style is caused to rotate through a certain small arc, the extent of such
rotation being determined by two limiting points or screws. By suitable arrange-
ments when the one end of the style or lever is exactly midway between the two
before mentioned points or screws, the style is in a position of unstable equilibrim
This can be brought about by a small bent spring or a jockey wheel acting on one
end of the style or lever. With which of the before mentioned two points or
screws the one end of the style shall make contact is decided by the direction
of the relative motion between the other end of the style and the before mentioned
surface. The ends of the insulated wires which extends from the vessels bridge
through the connecting cord or cable are led into the pressure meter & terminate
in electrical contact with the two points or screws referred to, the one wire being
attached to one point or screw the other wire being attached to the other point or
screw.
These arrangements being premised it will be understood that so long as the
pressure on the pressure meter remains constant there will be no motion between
the aforesaid surface and the one end of the style, the other end of which latter
will therefore remain in contact with that point or screw against which it was last
carried. Suppose now the depth at which the meter is carried, and therefore the
pressure acting thereon, to vary, motion will be set up between the one end of the
style or lever and the before mentioned surface. This will bring about and secure
two results; viz 1st, electrical contact between one end of the style & one or other
of the two points or screws aforesaid; 2nd, intermittant and alternating electrical
contact & discontinuity between the other end of the style and the aforesaid surface.
When the one end of the style and the aforesaid surface are in electrical contact
a complete circuit is established consisting of an electro magnet in the indicator on

page_text: the bridge, a voltaic battery also on board and one of the insulated wires in the
connecting cord or cable.
It will now readily be seen that any variation of the depth at which the pressure
meter may be carried will set up intermittant electrical currents through one or
other of the two insulated conducting wires in the cord or cable, the circuits being
set up in the one wire when the depth is increasing & in the other wire when the
depth is diminishing.
The indicators on the ship's bridge consists of a dial the indicating finger of
which is fitted on the axle of a toothed wheel which wheel can be moved under
the action of two escapement levers i.c. one escapement lever moving the wheel in
one direction and the other escapement lever moving the wheel in the opposite
direction. These levers are themselves each actuated by an electromagnet; one of
these magnets is in circuit with one of the insulated wires in the cable, the other
electro magnet is in circuit with the other insulated wire in the cable. It is evident
therefore that intermittent currents set up by an increase of dopth will excite the
one magnet and actuate its escapement lever, and the intermittent currents set up
by a decrease of depth will excite the other magnet & actuate its escapement
lever; thus bringing about the required indications on the dial. When the magnet
last referred to is excited it also closes the local circuit of a chattering electric bell,
thus-affording an acoustical as well as an optical warning that the water is shoaling.
This bell will also continue occasionally to sound. owing to the fact that the pressure
ineter will rise & fall slightly as the vessel moves.
This will afford the officer on
watch a constant indication that the apparatus is in working order.
The connecting electrical conductor consists of a suitable iron wire or steel wire
rope, in the interior of which is a core consisting of one or more conducting wires
covered with a substance (such as gutta percha or India rubber) which will
effectually insulate the conducting wire or wires from the water The connecting
wire is kept wound-on-a-drum,-to-which-drum-apparatus is titted for paying out
the connecting wire slowly and for hauling it in again. A friction wheel is some-
times used for these purposes In this latter case the wire rope is passed once round
a groove in the periphery of the wheel which latter is-furnished with an Appold's
brake and crank handle in the usual manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the naturo of my said
invention & in what manner _the_same is to be performed I declaro that what
I claim in connection with the above described sounding apparatus is
1 The use of an exhausted chamber for the purpose described.
2 The employment of any form of spring in connection with the collapsible
chamber.
3 The use of apparatus for multiplying the motion of the collapsible chamber.
4 The surface divided into alternately conducting & non conducting parts.
5 The conducting line from the pressure meter to the indicator on deck in its
special adaptation to this invention.
6 The indicator on the ship.
7 The external form and arrangement of the casing of the pressure meter by
which the kite action is set up.
8 The use of an electric alarum bell to call attention to shoaling. All substan-
tially as described,