Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 30th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1896
I, ALFRED NEWEY, of 29 Littledale Road,' Seacombe, in the County of
Chester, Master Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention has relation to the telescopes of sextants for nautical and
astronomical purposes, and consists in an instrument attached to the telescope of a
sextant for the purpose of making or forming an artificial horizon to be employed
when the true horizon is obscured by haze or fog.
Thus it often happens that a navigator is prevented from making observations or
from taking the altitude of heavenly bodies, although the same are fully visible,
consequent upon the horizon being obscured by haze, and it thus becomes impossible
to find the angle between two celestial objects or the altitude of a celestial object
in consequence of there being no true horizontal plane from which to project
the angle.
The new or improved instrument which is attachedly connected to the object end
of a telescope by screwing one to the other or by clips, consists of a cylindrical
metal tube or casing, of about the same diameter as the telescope to which it is to
be applied, with the inner end suitably formed to take upon the object end of the
said telescope, whilst the outer end is fitted with a disc of glass, bisected diametrally
by a fine and stationary hair wire, which crosses the line of vision and forms the
fixed termination of the artificial horizon to be formed.
The relative position which the attachment has with the telescope is determined
by lines or points at the opposed ends of both instruments being brought coincident
or in line one with another. Situated within the interior of the casing is an oval
and flanged ring-frame, horizontally pivoted thereto at its two opposite sides, whilst
its fore and after ends or terminations are provided with loops or eyes, which
constitute bearings wherein the ends of a rod, capable of freely rotating, are
mounted. The exteme ends of this rod, which project slightly beyond the ends of
the ring frame, carry V or U-shaped brackets, with the open parts bridged between
the branches by fine hair wires which horizontally intersect the axis of the
instrument on the same being brought into a horizontal plane, which is indicated by
the sight wires of the V-brackets coming in line with the fixed wire intersecting
the glass disc at the front of the instrument, hence an artificial horizon is
formed.
The sight wires are kept in a constant horizontal plane by the rod being
provided at its middle and at the opposite side to the brackets, with a pendulum or
plumb weight, and thus it is that the rod carrying the sight wires is constrained to
rotate in a plane at right angles to that of the frame carrying it, which is, by its
mounting, constrained to oscillate.

page_text: I, ALFRED NEWEY of 29 Littledale Road, Seacombe, in the County of Chester,
Master Mariner, 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 relation to the telescopes of sextants for nautical and
astronomical purposes, and for quadrants and like navigating instruments, and
consists in an instrument attached to the telescope of a sextant or the like for the
purpose of making or forming an artificial horizon to be employed when the true
horizon is obscured by haze or fog.
Thus it often happens that a navigator is prevented from making observation or
from taking the altitude of heavenly bodies, although the same are fully visible,
consequent upon the horizon being obscured by haze, and it thus becomes impossible
to find the angle between two celestial objects or the altitude of a celestial
object in consequence of there being no true horizontal plane from which to
project the angle.
The new or improved instrument, which is attachedly connected to the telescope-
supporting ring of a sextant by clamping collars, clips or like means, consists of a
tubular casing with the inner end suitably formed to take upon the object end of
the telescope, whilst the outer end is fitted with a disc of glass, bisected diametrally
by a fine and stationary hair wire, which crosses the line of vision and forms fixed
termination of the artificial horizon to be formed.
The proper position of the attachment relative to the telescope may be determined
by lines or points at the opposed ends of both instruments being brought coincident
or in line one with another."
Located within the interior of the said casing are a pair of upright V or U-shaped
branched brackets separated from each other and with the tips of the branches of
each bracket spanned by a fine hair wire constrained to remain in a horizontal
plane by the said brackets being gimbal-mounted and fitted with a gravitating
plumb weight. The said fine hair wires intersect the axis of the instrument on the
same being brought into a horizontal plane, which is indicated by the said sight
wires of the brackets coming in line with the fixed horizontal wire intersecting
the glass disc at the front of the instrument, hence an artificial horizon is
formed.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in longitudinal vertical
section, an artificial horizon finding attachment for the telescopes of sextants
constructed according to one form of my invention.
Figure 2 represents an elevation of the after end of the instrument which is
fitted with a sighting tube which takes the place of the eye-glass when in use.
Figure 3 represents an elevation of the fore end of the instrument.
Figure 4 represents a horizontal section of the instrument upon the dotted line
Figure 1, showing the wires of the pair of upright brackets, which are constrained
to preserve a horizontal plane consequent upon the same being gimbal mounted and
plumb weighted, and also the fixed wire crossing the fore end of the object glass
fitted within the fore end of the instrument.
Figure 5 is a part transverse vertical section of the instrument upon the dotted
line Figure 1, showing the ledge supports of the pivoted hoops constituting the
gimbals.
Figure 6 represents the brackets bridged by the sighting wires and carried by
the hollow gimbal-mounted plumb-weight.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in Figures 1 to 6 of
the drawings.

page_text: a is an enclosed tubular casing, having suspended and balanced within it,.
a hollow plumb weight b, turning upon opposite pivots or trunnions 6', carried by
an inner hoop c, which itself turns upon pivots d', disposed at right angles to the
pivots b', and carried by an outer hoop d, which is provided with flanges d², adapted
to rest upon fixed ribs e, directed from opposite points along the inner walls of the
casing a.
Mounted upon the top of the hollow plumb weight b, are a pair of brackets f...
separated from each other and with their upper ends forked or bifurcated at f, the
tips of the branches f3, of which are spanned or bridged by fine hair wire 9, which
are parallel and at all times remain in a constant horizontal plane consequent upon:
their balanced mounting.
Thus the artificial-horizon-finding part of the instrument is constrained to remain-
in a horizontal position, undisturbed by the motion of a vessel, by the sighting
wires being carried by a plumb weight suspended within a pair of concentric hoops.
one included with the other, with the said weight being pivoted to the inner hoop-
at a direction at right angles to the pivots connecting the outer hoop to the inner,.
whereby the plumb weight is at liberty to swing in two planes at right angles to.
each other and will maintain the wires carried by it horizontal whatever may be.
the changes of position of the ship.
The hollow plumb weight is partially filled with oil which, by its frictional:
adhesion to the inside of the said weight and its sluggish movement, acts as a brake
against sudden change of movement of the mounting and thus any sudden motion or
change of position of the weight is neutralized or counteracted.
Fitted to the fore end a², of the casing a, is a plain tube 1, having an object.
glass ¹, whose axis is crossed horizontally by a fixed wire i, representing the
horizon when brought in line with and covered by the sight wires g, of the
brackets, whilst fitted to the back end a³, of the casing a is a second plain tube j,.
in line with the tube h, which is excentric to the said casing a. The tubes and k
constitute the telescope of the apparatus, the latter being fitted with a glazed
eye piece k¹.
m and n are collar abutments between which the telescope-supporting ring on the."
main framing of a sextant is clamped after the telescope part of the attachment has.
been passed therethrough. By one of the said collars being adjustable, supporting
rings of different sizes can be clamped between them.
Figure 7 represents in longitudinal vertical section, a further form of my sextant.
telescope attachment.
Figure 8 is a horizontal section of Figure 7 upon the dotted lines x³.
Figure 9 represents a vertical section of Figure 7 upon the dotted line *.
Figure 10 is an elevation of this form of artificial horizon-making instrument.
In Figures 7 to 10, a is an upright barrel casing, intersected by plain tubes h and k,.
the latter being provided with an eye piece k¹, and the former having a stationary,
and horizontal hair wire i, crossing the line of vision or axis of the instrument..
fare a pair of U-shaped brackets, with bifurcated upper ends f³, from the tips of
which inwardly directed and parallel sight wires or bars g, are supported and are
separated by sighting gaps g', coming within the axial or vision line of the
instrument. These said brackets, which are separated from each other, are mounted
upon a hollow plumb weight b, partially filled with oil and suspended within
an inner gimballed frame c, by pivots c', which frame c is itself supported by
pivots a, taking through the sides a³, of the casing a, so that the said casing forms.
as it were the outer hoop of the gymbals carrying the plumb weight.
The collars m, and n, are abutments between which the telescope-supporting ring.
on the main framing of the sextant is clamped.
Instead of the plumb weight or its equivalent carrying the parallel sighting wires.
being gymbal-mounted it may be mounted on a ball and socket or other universal
joint balanced or counterpoised by the centre of gravity being below the joint, and
to reduce friction at the contact surfaces, ball bearings may be employed.
In the arrangement, Figures 7 to 10, the attachment ends of the brackets.

page_text: carrying the wires are screwed and take into tapped holes in the cover of the
hollow weight, by which means the sighting wires can be vertically adjusted and
permanently affixed after adjustment by soldering or otherwise.
As a modification of the last arrangement; after adjustment of the brackets,
opposite portions of the bridge wires of each bracket may be removed as
represented in Figure 11, thus forming semaphores, so that when the instrument is
on a dead level, they form one line with a gap in the centre.
An instrument so constructed is more sensitive and distinct.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. In an artificial horizon attachment for the telescopes of sextants, quadrants
and like navigating instruments, making an artificial horizon by two separated
parallel and supported wires directed in a common plane across the axis or line of
vision of the instrument and carried by a gymbal-mounted plumb weight, and
a fixed horizontal wire also crossing the line of vision or axis of the instrument, and
which, when rotated in common with the said instrument and brought in line with
the suspended or movable wires, creates an artificial horizon, substantially as
described and set forth.
Secondly. In an artificial horizon attachment for the telescopes of sextants,
quadrants and like navigating instruments, supporting the sighting wires upon a
hollow suspended and gymbal or universal mounted plumb weight, partly filled
with oil or like sluggish moving liquid, substantially as and for the purpose
described and set forth.
Thirdly. The general construction, arrangement and combination of the parts of 2
the artificial horizon attachment for the telescopes of sextants, quadrants and like
navigating instruments, substantially as described and set forth in Figures 1 to 6.
Fourthly. The general construction, arrangement and combination of the parts
of the artificial horizon attachment for the telescopes of sextants, quadrants
and like navigating instruments, substantially as described and set forth in 3
Figures 7 to 10.
Dated this 29th day of January 1896.
ALFRED NEWEY,
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.