IM- PROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' LOGS AND SOUNDING MACHINES AND IN THE ROTATORS.
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Francis Reynolds, of 16, Albert Square,
Commercial Road, in the Parish of Ratcliff, in the County of
Middlesex, Nautical Instrument Maker, for the Invention of “IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' LOGS AND SOUNDING MACHINES AND IN THE ROTATORS.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Francis
Reynolds at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 15th January 1870.
I, WILLIAM FRANCIS REYNOLDS, of 16, Albert Square, Commercial
Road, in the Parish of Ratcliff, in the County of Middlesex, Nautical
Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' LOGS AND SOUNDING MACHINES, AND IN THE ROTATORS
THEREOF," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in improvements in ships' logs, which register
on board the vessel the distance travelled, and of an' improved method

page_text: of making rotators, fans, or propellers (herein called "rotators), of ships'
logs and sounding machines.
In making a ship's log to register on board I make the distance
travelled to be shewn by the exhibition of numbers through suitable
apertures in a screen, which said numbers alter or change instan- 5
taneously.
I also make the bearing of the spindle which actuates the machinery
for changing the figures to adjust itself to the direction of the strain of
the tow line connected with the the rotator, so that the seat of the bearing
and the collar (on the spindle) which takes the strain are always at 1
right angles with the tow line, the log itself remaining a fixture.
In making rotators I make the blades to be fixed or driven into
diagonal cuts or slits in the cylinder forming the body or axis of the
same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 1
filed by the said William Francis Reynolds in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 14th July 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
FRANCIS REYNOLDS, of 16, Albert Square, Commercial Road, in the
Parish of Ratcliff, in the County of Middlesex, Nautical Instrument 2
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Francis Reynolds, Her special
licence that I, the said William Francis Reynolds, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Francis Reynolds, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times a
thereafter, 'during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use,. exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS' IN SHIPS' LOGS AND SOUNDING MACHINES AND
IN THE ROTATORS THEREOF," upon the condition (amongst others) that

page_text: I, the said William Francis Reynolds, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention; and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the dato of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Francis Reynolds, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained.
in and by the following statement (that is to say)
My Invention consists of improvements in ships' logs, which register
on board the vessel the distance travelled, and of an improved method.
of making rotators, fans,, or propellers. of ships logs and sounding
machines.
In making a ship's log to register on board I register the distance
travelled by means of numbers or figures shewn through apertures in
a screen, which said numbers or figures alter or change instantaneously.
I also make the spindle (which actuates the machinery for changing
the figures or numbers) and the bearings thereof to adjust themselves
to the direction of the strain of the tow line connected with the rotator,
so that the seat of the bearing and the collar on the spindle which takes
the strain are always at right angles with the tow line, the register of
the log itself remaining a fixture.
In making rotators, fans, or propellors of ships' logs or sounding
machines (herein called " rotators ") I make the blades to be fixed into
diagonal cuts or slits in the cylinder forming the body or axis of the,
same.
The face or dial of a log, according to my Invention, as viewed from
the deck of a vessel under weigh is shewn in the accompanying
Drawings. It may be fixed to the stern rail or to any convenient part
of the ship's side or to either end of a steamer's bridge in such a position
that the dial or face (Fig. 1) will shew forward, and at an angle of
about 45 degrees to the ships's keel. Revolving plates with figures or
numbers thereon as shewn by the dotted lines and figures A, B, and C,-
are actuated by means of an ordinary train of wheels or movement.
These plates (A, B, and C,) revolve behind a fixed screen having openings

page_text: therein, through which the figures or numbers upon them are exposed.
In the Drawing the black figures "4,3," represent two of the figures so
exposed. The dotted figures are those behind the screen.
Fig. 2 represents a back view and Figure 3 is a section of Fig. 2
through "X, X," shewing the spindle with its bearings and connections.
a (Fig. 3,) is the back plate with a collar 6 cast or fixed thereon; c. is a
part of a hollow globe having a vertical axis working in the collar 6,
within the globe c is a part of another hollow globe d having a hori-
zontal axis therein; a pipe or socket e projects from d at a right angle
to the axes; a slit or opening in c allows the pipe or socket e and the
spindle passing through it to work in a downward direction as shewn by
the dotted lines; f is the spindle to which the tow line of the rotator
is attached, it passes through the socket e and is connected with the
oup g, within which is a Hooke's universal joint h, having its axes in the
same plane as the axes of the globes c and d. The under side of the
flange of the cup g takes a bearing upon friction wheels running upon
the flattened surface of the inside of the globe d, and revolving upon
axles radiating from a ring working round the outside of the cup g; i is
a short rod, one end of which forms the centre of the universal joint h,
and the other end may be fitted in any suitable way to form a connection
with the first pinion i, i, of the train of wheels or movement for driving
or working the dials. By this arrangement of parts the spindle fis
enabled to revolve freely in a line with the tow line, whatever the angle
of the same may be to the register. Any combination of wheels, worms,
or pinions may be used for acting on the revolving plates, but I prefer
such a combination of wheels and pinions as requires about 900 révo-
lutions of the pinion i, i, (Fig. 3,) to one revolution of the plate c which
indicates one mile. On the spindle of the last wheel a snail or cam f
Fig. 5, is fixed, which works a lever 1, Fig. 5, having at its end a
vertical spring 2, Fig. 1. On the same spindle, is fixed the circular
plate c, Fig. 1, which shews the parts of a mile. At the end of the
spring is a catch 5, Fig. 1, working in a ratchet wheel 3, Fig. 1, having
ten teeth, and fixed to the spindle of the circular plate B. This
circular plate has one tooth k projecting from the backside thereof
between the Figures 8 and 9. The tooth k at each revolution of, B
catches against one of a series of pins projecting, from the back and
-near the edge of the circular plate A which causes the plate A to
make part of a revolution to every revolution of the plate B. The
+
.

page_text: extent of the partial revolution of the plate A will be governed by the
number of the projecting pins arranged upon the back thereof. I prefer
to use only ten such pins, for as to cach pin there is a corresponding
number upon the face of the plate, ten pins will enable the plates to
shew any number of miles up to 100. By adding more revolving plates
or by increasing the number of the figures and pins upon the plates
higher numbers may be shewn, I do not confine-myself to any number
of revolving plates or pins and figures thereon. Neither do I confine
myself to the use of revolving plates. The circular plates A and B are
kept in position by means of spring stops X, X, Fig. 1, pressing into the
teeth of the ratchet wheels 3 and 4.
Fig. 4 represents a rotator according to my Invention. k is the body
or axis made of any suitable material, but I prefer hard wood;
1, 1, 1, represent the wings or blades which are to be made of galvanized
iron or any other suitable material; m, m, m, represent diagonal slits or
grooves in the body or axis k into which the wings 1, 1, 1, are to be
tightly fitted.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my
said Invention, and how I believe the same may be best carried into
effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my said Invention,―
1. The hanging of the spindle and its bearing in a universal joint.
2. The use of a screen or screens having apertures, through which
figures or numbers may be exposed for indicating the distance travelled.
3. The making of slits or grooves in the body or axis of the rotator
in which the blades thereof are to be fitted.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Francis Reynolds, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of July,
One thousand cight hundred and seventy.
WILLIAM FRANCIS REYNOLDS. (L.S.)