Improvements in Mariners' Compasses.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 9th July, 1595
Complete Specification Left, 9th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 23rd May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mariners' Compasses.
We, ORLANDO PARTRIDGE, of 25 Beauchamp Street, Cardiff, in the County
of Glamorgan, Master Mariner, and SAMUEL CHERRY of 3 Machen Place,
Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
our invention to be as follows:-
In carrying it
Our invention relates to improvements in mariners compasses.
into effect we place upon the inside of the case or bowl and fixed upon its base,
a pair of iron or steel rings, each ring divided into two equal portions or segments,
one ring being smaller in diameter than the other. Each piece is fixed to the
base and kept a certain distance apart from each other, so that the sides and ends
of the segments shall be separate and distinct from each other. The segments are
slightly magnetic, each piece being distinct and independent of the others.
Insulation may be applied if necessary to the parts, where the segments are
secured to the base.
At the bottom of the bowl and through its centre, a pin passes which forms
an axis for a pair of arms made in the form of a cross, similar to the arins of a
wheel, the cross being of a non-magnetical metal such as brass. Upon the ends of
the arms, a steel globe or ball is fixed, these balls representing the four points
of the compass. Attached to the axis of the arms and at the outside of the bowl,
a lever is carried around and upwards with an indicator upon its end, so that the
indicator and lever when moved, shall have the effect of carrying around with it
the steel balls before mentioned. The object of these balls is to contain a sufficient
amount of magnetism and at as close a point as necessary to the magnetic needles
of the compass.
When any error is found in the compass, in consequence of a local attraction,
the balls are shifted around, a required number of degrees, until the defect is
rectified and the compass adjusted in every point. The object of the steel rings
upon the base is to form a magnetic field so that the slight magnetism contained
therein acts upon the ends of the needles, the free ends of the segmental rings
being placed fore and aft and athwartships, each segment having a tendency to
exert its magnetism at a number of points equally, as close to the card as
possible. This magnetism thus applied counteracts the effect of any exterior local
attraction.
The four steel balls beforementioned have slightly more power and being
capable of adjustinent upon being turned round on their axis, effect the desired
adjustment.
A bridge or bar is placed across the bowl and immediately above the steel
segments, the centre of the bar carrying the bearings upon which the card revolves;
as well as a disc of a non-magnetic nature for the purpose of slightly insulating the
magnetic metal in the bowl below. The compass card is supported on an agate
or other centre of any convenient form and revolves in the usual way.
Upon the top of the bowl and outside of the glass, a series of brass rings is
placed and upon the rings are engraved suitable markings, to assist in the adjustment
and correction of the compass.
The outer ring is a base upon which the inner ones revolve and has suitable

page_text: guides for this purpose. A cross bar or bridge attached thereto, carries a centre
upright shadow pin, which casts a shadow when the sun is shining upon the
compass and rings, so that errors can thereby be detected and corrected. A mark
denoting the ship's head is also engraved on the outside ring. This latter is a
fixture to the bowl. A pair of revolving rings work easily upon the fixed one
already mentioned, the first revolving ring having engraved upon it, markings to
indicate the number of degrees in a circle. The inner ring has engraved upon
it the same points as those upon the compass below. Suitable clamping screws
are attached to allow of their revolving and of being fixed when the compass is
adjusted.
The pointer upon the end of the lever for manipulating the steel balls upon the
inside of the bowl, is brought close up to the revolving ring upon which the
degrees are engraved so that the number of degrees the balls are moved around,
can be easily seen when adjustment is to be made.
Dated this 9th day of July 1895.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicants.
improvements in Mariners Compasses.
We, ORLANDO PARTRIDGE, of 25 Beauchamp Street, Cardiff, in the County
of Glamorgan, Master Mariner, and SAMUEL CHERRY of 3 Machen Place,
Cardiff, in the County of Glamorgan, Engineer, 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 :-
Our invention relates to improvements in mariners' compasses.
It is well known that mariners' compasses as heretofore constructed present
the inconvenience of being very much affected by local magnetism or attraction,
so that in iron and steel ships, where these influences are considerable, frequent
adjustment is necessary. In order to counteract these influences large permanent
magnets are usually fitted on the deck or other support in proximity to the
compass.
In a compass constructed according to our said invention the deleterious influences
hereinbefore alluded to are to be obviated.
Such an improved compass is represented in the accompanying drawing,
wherein
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the same.
Figure 2 is a plan, the left hand side of which shows the top part, and the right-
hand side principally the bottom part of the compass; whilst
Figure 3 is a plan of a novel device provided at the bottom of the compass
bowl.
In carrying our invention into effect we fix inside the case or bowl A of the
compass, and on the base thereof, a pair of concentric iron or steel rings a a', each
of which is divided into two segments of equal length as shown. These segments,
which are separate and distinct from each other, are slightly magnetic, and
insulation may be applied, if necessary, to the parts where these segments are
secured to the base of the bowl A.
Through the centre of this base passes a bolt serving as an axis for a cross c
made of brass or other non-magnetic metal and arranged in the interior of the
bowl. Upon the extremities of the arms of this cross c we secure four steel
balls d which correspond to the four points of the compass. Attached to the
bolt is a lever e extending along the outside of the base and outer periphery
of the bowl A and having a pointer e at its upper extremity, so that when the

page_text: said lever is turned it will carry around with it the cross c together with the balls a
thereon.
These balls contain a certain amount of magnetism and are placed at as close a
point as necessary to the magnetic needles C of the compass. When any error is.
found in the latter, in consequence of local attraction, the balls are shifted around
the required number of degrees until the defect is rectified and the compass adjusted
in every point. The before-mentioned rings a a' upon the base of the bowl A have
for their object to constitute a magnetic field, the slight magnetism contained
therein being designed to act upon the ends of the needles C. We place the free.
ends of the segments of these rings a a¹ fore and aft and athwartships, each segment.
having a tendency to exert its magnetism at a number of points equally as close-
to the card B as practicable, such magnetism counteracting the effect of any
exterior local attraction. The four steel balls d have slightly more power than
the rings a a', and by turning their cross c upon its axis they will effect the
desired adjustment, in case there should be any preponderating magnetic influence.
from the outside.
At a short distance above the aforesaid rings a a¹ and balls d we arrange in
the interior of the bowl A a disc f made of a non-magnetic material, for the
purpose of slightly insulating the magnetic metal in the lower part of the bowl..
This discf carries at its centre the bearing 9 furnished with an agate or other-
vibrating centre h which supports the centre point i, the latter being held in
the bridge-piece ; secured to the compass card B which in conjunction with.
the magnetic needle C indicated in dotted lines, Figure 1, revolves in the customary.
manner.
Upon the top of the bowl A, and outside the glass plate k, we place brass.
rings adapted to be turned by means of handles m m and upon which
appropriate marks are engraved to facilitate the adjustment and correction of the
compass. For instance the marks on the outer ring 1 may indicate the degrees.
in a circle, and those on the inner ring may be similar to the points on the
compass card B below. A mark denoting the ship's head may also be engraved.
upon the upper edge of the bowl A.
As the pointer e at the end of the lever e for operating the cross c with the-
steel balls d is immediately above the revolving ring upon which the degrees are
engraved, it will be easy to observe how many degrees the aforesaid balls are:
displaced during the adjustment.
The bowl A of the compass is pivotted to the ring D in the usual manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said'
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we claim :-
:-
1. In mariners' compasses the arrangement of magnetic rings a a¹ secured.
to the base of the bowl A, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore-
set forth.
2. In mariners' compasses the arrangement of magnetic balls d revolved,.
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
3. In mariners' compasses the combination of stationary magnetic rings a al
divided into segments, and magnetic balls d which are fixed to a cross c adapted.
to be revolved upon its axis b by means of an operating lever e, substantially as and
for the purpose herein before set forth.
4. In mariners' compasses the combination of stationary magnetic rings a a¹,.
revolving magnetic balls d, a non-magnetic disc f, and the compass card B and.
needles C, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
5. In mariners' compasses the support of the compass card B with the needles C
by means of a bridge piece j, point i, vibrating centre h and bracket g secured at.
the centre of the disc fin the bowl, substantially as herein before set forth.
6. In mariners' compasses the arrangement, at the top of the bowl A, of revolving
rings provided with marks for facilitating the adjustment of the compass,.
substantially as herein before set forth.

page_text: 7. A mariners' compass constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 9th day of April 1896.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.