Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Closing Electric Circuits for use in connection with Position Finders or the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Mar., 1892-Accepted, 4th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Closing Electric
Circuits for use in connection with Position Finders or the like.
A communication from abroad by GIULIO BERTOLINI, of Santa Apostoli, Calle
della Pegola, Venice, Italy, Naval Lieutenant.
1, WILLIAM LLOYD WISE of 46 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of London,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to apparatus described for use in cases where it is
desired to produce an electrical action in certain receivers upon the movable part
of the apparatus assuming predetermined bearings or alignments. It is designed
especially for use in war operations for firing guns on board ship, and in coast
batteries, for projecting self-moving torpedoes from ships and from submarine
batteries for exploding mines &c., these operations being effected by receivers of
electrical energy hereinafter called electrical devices.
The apparatus is constructed with as many separate discs or parts of discs as
there are electrical devices to be operated when the movable part of the instrument
which may be a position finder or the like and which is provided with springs or
other contact devices, has assumed predetermined bearings or alignments.
The discs or parts of discs are furnished with contact pieces designed with regard
to extent, to correspond with the electrical action to be produced.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of apparatus according to this invention and
Fig. 2 is a detail view.
The apparatus is mounted on a stand Z which may be supported upon a pillar
and adjusted by any suitable means as for example by levelling screws provided
with adjusting nuts and lock nuts as shewn.
Upon the stand Z, after it has been arranged in the proper position is fixed a
circular base A provided at the centre with a tube or cylinder D and on one side
with a graduated scale. Around the central tube D there are placed as many
discs C as there are electrical devices to be operated. On the edges of the discs C
are arranged one or more insulated metal plates f which are connected to corre-
sponding terminals c by means of insulated conductors d. Each disc may be fixed
independently of the others, with relation to the central tube D, it may be by means
of a set-screw e.
When the necessary discs have been placed over the tube D a collar G is fixed
thereon. This collar carries a spindle provided with an endless screw or worm I
which is caused by a spring arrangement to move towards the centre of the instru-
ment in opposition to a rotary tappet g which serves to place the spindle I in and
out of gear. The spindle I is provided with a crank arm or small wheel H for the
purpose of rotating the same. In the central tube D is located a spindle U
forming the axis of rotation of the movable part of the apparatus.
The spindle U is of square or polygonal cross section near its lower part and is
provided at its lower extremity with a screw thread. At its upper part the
cylinder U is provided with a collar X formed with teeth on its periphery to serve
as a worm wheel that engages with the endless screw or worm.
Upon the worm wheel X means are provided such as handles i for producing a
rapid rotary motion of the movable part of the apparatus. At the centre of the
worm wheel X is mounted a column Y designed to carry a telescope Z dioptric
instrument or alidade hereinafter referred to as a telescope.

page_text: To one of the trunnions of the telescope is fixed a toothed sector B¹ which
engages with an endless screw A' carried by a support O.
On one of the surfaces of the column Y is fixed an insulated bracket V' having
at its outer end, a rectangular slot, through which passes a metal cross bar M
which is capable of moving parallel to itself about the axis of the tube D as a
centre.
By suitable means such as screws h¹ the cross bar M has fixed to it contact
brushes or springs N which are metallic and elastic and are formed with one or more
branches.
A vernier N¹ and a terminal u are fixed to the cross bar M below the brushes or
springs.
The lower end of the cross bar M which is insulated enters the slot of an arm V
which is rigidly fixed to the spindle U.
The apparatus is furnished with a circuit breaker W and with a telephone. The
circuit breaker W which as will be seen is a short circuiting key of improved type
is shewn in Fig. 2.
With respect to the different applications of the circuit closing apparatus herein-
before referred to, the mode of arranging the said apparatus that is to say, of
placing it in circuit, may be varied to suit the conditions under which it is to be
used, without departing from the essential features of the invention.
The apparatus may be adapted for use in single observation firing or double
observation firing, that is to say if it is desired to produce electrical action in one
or more electrical devices at the moment in which the telescope is brought to bear
upon a certain space, of greater or less extent, comprised between given bearings
or alignments only one instrument is employed; but if it is desired to effect the
said electrical action by the meeting of two lines of vision in a given zone of action
two instruments are employed.
In all cases, an electrical circuit is to be established between each electrical
device, one or two connecting apparatus and one or more circuit breakers, as the
case may be, and a source of electricity.
The horizontal arc of action is represented in each apparatus by the calculated
angular opening of the contact plate or plates f. The closing of the circuits is
effected by the contact of the springs N with one or more plates f of the discs C.
By operating the hand wheel H, the telescope can be rotated so as to follow a
given object. This movement also moves the contact cross bar M. When the
given object reaches a determined bearing or alignment, one or more brushes N are
caused to make contact with one or more plates f, and the circuit or circuits are
formed and electric action produced in one or more of the connected electrical
devices.
When one apparatus only of the kind heretofore described is employed, the
closing of the circuit is sufficient to produce the desired effect. But if two
apparatus are employed, the desired effect is produced when the circuits are closed
in both apparatus.
The telephonic apparatus serves only to establish communication between the
observer at the stations when there are two stations. This apparatus is or
may be of ordinary construction comprising a transmitter and receiver for each
observer.
Dated this 2nd day of February 1892.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Closing Electric
Circuits for use in connection with Position Finders or the like.
A communication from abroad by GIULIO BERTOLINI of Santa Apostoli, Calle
della Pegola, Venice, Italy, Naval Lieutenant.
I, WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of No. 46 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of
London, Consulting Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has reference to apparatus designed for use in cases where it
is desired to produce an electrical action in certain receivers upon the movable
part of the apparatus assuming predetermined bearings or alignments. It is
designed especially for use in war operations for firing guns on board ship, and
in coast batteries, for projecting self-moving torpedoes from ships and from sub-
marine batteries and for exploding mines &c. these operations being effected by
receivers of electrical energy hereinafter called electrical devices. The apparatus
is constructed with as many separate discs or parts of discs as there are electrical
devices to be operated when the movable part of the instrument which may be
a position finder or the like and which is provided with springs or other contact
devices has assumed predetermined bearings or alignments.
The discs or parts of discs are furnished with contact pieces designed with regard
to extent, to correspond with the electrical action to be produced.
In the drawings left with my Provisional Specification,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of apparatus according to this invention and
Fig. 2 is a detail view.
The apparatus is mounted on a stand Z which may be supported upon a pillar
and adjusted by any suitable means as for example by levelling screws provided
with adjusting nuts and lock nuts, as shewn.
Upon the stand Z, after it has been arranged in the proper position, is fixed a
circular base A provided at the centre with a tube or cylinder D, and on one side
with a graduated scale.
Around the central tube D there are placed as many discs C as there are
electrical devices to be operated. On the edge of the discs C are arranged one or
more insulated metal plates which are connected to corresponding terminals c by
means of insulated conductors d. Each disc may be fixed independently of the
others, with relation to the central tube D, it may be by means of a set screw e.
When the necessary discs have been placed over the tube D, a collar G is fixed
thereon. This collar carries a spindle provided with an endless screw or worm I
which is caused by a spring arrangement to move towards the centre of the instru-
ment in opposition to a rotary tappet g which serves to place the spindle I in and
out of gear. The spindle I is provided with a crank arm or small wheel H for the
purpose of rotating the same. In the central tube D is located a spindle U forming.
the axis of rotation of the movable part of the apparatus.
The spindle U is of square or polygonal cross-section near its lower part and is
provided at its lower extremity with a screw thread. At its upper part the
spindle U is provided with a collar X formed with teeth on its periphery to serve
as a worm wheel that engages with the endless screw or worm. Upon the worm
wheel X means are provided such as handles i, for producing a rapid rotary motion
of the movable part of the apparatus. At the centre of the worm wheel X is
mounted a column Y designed to carry a telescope Zx, a dioptric instrument or an
alidade hereinafter referred to as a telescope. To one of the trunnions of the
telescope is fixed a toothed sector B' which engages with an endless screw A¹
carried by a support O.

page_text: On one of the surfaces of the column Y is fixed an insulated bracket V' having
at its outer end, a rectangular slot through which passes an adjustable metal cross-
bar M which is capable of moving parallel to itself about the axis of the tube D as
a centre.
By suitable means such as screws the cross-bar M has fixed to it contact
brushes or springs N which are metallic and elastic and are formed with one or
more branches.
A vernier N¹ and a terminal u are fixed to the cross bar M below the brushes or
springs.
The lower end of the cross bar M which is insulated enters the slot of another
arm V which is rigidly fixed to the spindle U.
The apparatus is furnished with a circuit breaker (Fig. 2). The circuit breaker
comprises two insulated semi-annular contact pieces a a adapted to form part of the
circuit, and a metal plug b attached to a handle W and surrounded by a metal
sleeve 6, the arrangement being such that the plug will fit between the contact
pieces a, a, and the sleeve *, will closely fit the exterior of the same.
With respect to the different applications of the circuit closing apparatus herein-
before referred to, the mode of arranging the said apparatus that is to say, of
placing it in circuit may be varied to suit the conditions under which it is to be
used, without departing from the essential features of the invention.
The apparatus may be adapted for use in single observation firing or double
observation firing; that is to say if it is desired to produce electrical action in one
or more electrical devices at the moment in which the telescope is brought to bear
upon a certain space of greater or less extent comprised between given bearings or
alignments only one instrument is employed; but if it is desired to effect the said
electrical action by the meeting of two lines of vision in a given zone of action two
instruments are employed.
In all cases an electrical circuit is to be established between each electrical device
one or two connecting apparatus and one or more circuit breakers, as the case may
be and a source of electricity.
The horizontal are of action is represented in each apparatus by the calculated
angular opening of the contact plate or plates f. The closing of the circuits is
effected by the contact of the springs N with one or more plates of the discs C.
By operating the handwheel H the telescope can be rotated so as to follow a
given object. This movement also moves the contact cross bar M. When the
given object reaches a determined bearing or alignment, one or more brushes N is
or are caused to make contact with one or more plates f, and the circuit or circuits
is or are formed and electric action produced in one or more of the connected
electrical devices.
When one apparatus only of the kind hereinbefore described is employed, the
closing of the circuit is sufficient to produce the desired effect. But if two apparatus
are employed, the desired effect is produced when the circuits are closed in both
apparatus.
The telephonic apparatus serves only to establish communication between the
observers at the stations when there are two stations. This telephonic apparatus
is or may be of ordinary construction comprising a transmitter and receiver for each
observer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A circuit closing apparatus for producing electrical action in one or more
electrical devices as set forth, and comprising a fixed part having as many separate
dises or parts of discs C as there are clectrical devices to be operated and a movable
part provided with a telescope or dioptric instrument, and a cross bar M which
moves therewith in a horizontal direction and to which are fixed contact brushes or
springs N which close the circuits upon coming in contact with metal plates f

page_text: arranged upon the cylindrical surface of the fixed discs C substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in the drawings.
2. Circuit closing apparatus of the kind referred to in the preceding claim
provided with the means for electrically connecting the plates f to the terminals C,
the mechanism for operating the telescope and bar M with contacts N and the
circuit breaker, with or without telephonic apparatus all substantially as described
and illustrated in the drawings for the purpose specified.
Dated this 29th day of February 1892.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham.