Improvements relating to Ships' Compasses.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Oct., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 2nd July, 1898-Accepted, 13th Aug., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Ships' Compasses.
I, KNUT ERIK OLOF PETERS, of Emsfors, Paskallavik, Sweden, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The improvements in ships' compasses is intended for causing signal, when by
some accident the vessel makes lee-way. The apparatus is further so arranged as
accurately as possible to show how great the deviation is and how long it has
lasted. Through the latter property it is possible in the way further on to be
described to bring back the vessel into the true course, which bringing back can
be made with the least possible waste of time and without any noteworthy addition
to the length of course.
The compass is arranged in the following manner. At the bottom of the
compass box there is a suitable number of sector shaped cells which are formed by
radial walls, rising from the bottom. From each such cell, which may for instance
correspond to a line on the dial, a pipe leads out through the wall of the box. The
mouths of these pipes project each beyond its own into another number of cells
being of the same shape with the first named cells and also connected with the
compass box. From these cells pipes lead each of which by means of a tube is
connected with a graduated gauge tube. At the centre of the magnetic needle
there is further fixed a cup with a pipe which projects a little way beyond the
upper cells, and just above the cup there is placed the end of a tube leading from a
reservoir filled with water or another suitable liquid, at the mouth of which there
should be a self regulating drop apparatus. From what has been said above one
can easily understand, that the liquid dropping from the cup down into the
reservoir comes from the cup into either of the cells of the box and from there
through the pipe to the corresponding lower cell in order from there finally to
make its way to the corresponding gauge tube. As long as the vessel keeps the
true course, the flowing of the liquid takes place through the middle cell in each
cell group and the liquid gathers in the middle tube, but as soon as there is the
least deviation, some part of the liquid will enter into either of the cells by the
side of the middle cell and gather in the corresponding tube. The walls being
very keen at the upper edge, they are able to separate almost any small part of a
drop of liquid, and the pipe from the cup is so situated as to make the drop come
down into the cells where their breadth corresponds to the diameter of the drop.
From this it is clear that even at the least deviation there must enter liquid into
the cells by the sides of the middle cell. Thus it will show at once at the gauge
ubes when a deviation is taking place and the height of the liquid column in the
ube corresponding to the deviation indicates how long a time the vessel has sailed
n the wrong course. If thus the deviation is for inst. 2 lines, that is to say the
iquid has gathered into the second tube at either side of the middle, the vessel,
an be brought into true course through the first steering so as to make water enter
nto the corresponding tube on the other side of the middle one, and this course is
eld, until there has gathered in this corresponding tube a liquid column of the
ame height as the one in the first mentioned tube. When this is the case, the true
ourse has been reached, and the vessel is steered into this. At the now last

page_text: .
described steering in of the vessel into the true course, there is however no need of
steering so as to cause the water to enter into the corresponding second tube from
the middle, but the water can instead be steered into the first tube. In this way
one comes finally up into the course line a considerable bit further on than in the
first described manner, and the way is thereby inade shorter. To this end how-
ever there is needed an exact knowledge of the time required for the tubes to be
filled to certain degrees.
Besides what has been mentioned above the apparatus has this advantage, that
the commander on board always has an opportunity at the gauge tubes to ascertain
what deviations have been made during a certain time. The part of the apparatus
serving as alarm consists of small funnel scoops. open at the bottom in which
sponges or the like are placed. They are placed so as to hang down one in each
or, as one in each of the cells at each side of the middle and so as to be
exactly under the mouth of the corresponding pipe. They are carried up by stems
resting partly on the outpart of the cell, partly on running bow. The stem holding
a somewhat recumbent position, is prevented from sliding down by a nose resting
against the edge of the cell. At a small distance above the bow there is fixed another
bow running parallel with the former and like it fixed on some projecting part. The
latter bow besides is at the fixing point insulated from its fastenings and by means
of a wire connected with an electric battery and a bell. From some suitable part
of the cells the other wire proceeds. If thus a deviation is made from the course
and water is dripping down into a scoop, this will soon go down through the
addition in weights, and the stem comes in contact with the latter bow and closes
the current, thus sounding the bell. The sponge in the scoop thus prevents the
water from running out through the open bottom of the scoop in the same measure
as it is brought into the scoop, but it does not afterwards prevent the water from
passing off to the cells, the inflow from the pipe being ended. The scoop could
also, as is easily understood, be fastened on the upper cells under the pipe of the
cup, but this is less suitable, because these upper cells are very narrow. The other
cells thus exist, exclusively for the sake of the signalling arrangement, and if the
apparatus were arranged only for visual control, these cells could be dispensed
with.
Improvements relating to Ships' Compasses.
I, KNUT ERIC OLOF PETERS, of Emsfors, Paskallavik, Sweden, Manufacturer,
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 :-
The improvements in ships' compasses aimed at by the present invention is
intended for use on board ships for causing a signal, when by some accident the
vessel deviates from its course; the improvements being also so arranged to show
as accurately as possible how great the deviation is and how long it has lasted and
through the latter property making it possible to bring back the vessel into the
true course, which bringing back can be made with the least possible waste of
time and without any noteworthy addition to the length of course steered.
The accompanying drawing shows a compass arranged according to this inven-
tion in vertical section and in plan. The compass is arranged in the following manner.

page_text: At the bottom of the compass box A there is a suitable number of sector shaped cells
which are formed by radial walls B, rising from the bottom. From each such
cell, which may for instance correspond to a line on the dial, a pipe C leads out
through the wall of the box A. The mouths of these pipes project each beyond
5 their own into another number of cells D, being of the same shape with the first
named cells and also connected with the compass box A.
pipes E lead each of which by means of a tube F is connected with a graduated
From these cells D
gauge tube G.
At the centre of the magnetic needle H there is further fixed a
cup I with a pipe, which projects a little way beyond the upper cells, and just
above the cup I there is placed the end of a tube K leading from a reservoir. L
filled with water or another suitable liquid, at the mouth of which tube there is a
self regulating drop apparatus. From what has been said above and from the
drawings one can easily understand, that the liquid dropping from the cup I
down from the reservoir L flows from the cup into either of the cells of the box A
and from there through the pipe C to the corresponding lower cell D in order
'from there finally to make its way to the gauge tube G.
keeps its true course, the flowing of the liquid takes place through the middle cell
As long as the vessel
in each cell group and the liquid gathers in the middle tube G, but as soon as
there is the least deviation, some part of the liquid will enter into either of the
cells by the side of the middle cell and gather in the corresponding tube G.
The walls B being very keen at the upper edge, they are able to separate
almost any small part of a drop of liquid, and the pipe from the cup I is
so situated as to make the drop come down into the cells where their breadth
corresponds to the diameter of the drop. From this it is clear that even
at the least deviation liquid must enter into the cells by the sides of the middle
cell. Thus it will show at once at the gauge tube G when a deviation is taking
place and the height of the liquid column in the tube G corresponding to the
deviation indicates how long a time the vessel has sailed in the wrong course.
thus the deviation is for instance, 2 lines, that is to say the liquid has been
If
collected into the second tube at either side of the middle, the vessel can be
brought into true course through first steering so as to make water enter into the
corresponding tube G on the other side of the middle one, and this course is held,
until there has collected in this corresponding tube a liquid column of the same
height as the one in the first mentioned tube. When this is the case, the true
At this last described
however no need of steering so
course has been reached and the vessel is steered on this.
steering of the vessel into the true course, there
as to cause the water to enter into the corresponding second tube from the middle,
but the water can instead be steered into the first tube.
finally up
into the course line considerably further on in the course and the way is
In this way one comes
thereby made shorter. This is made plain by Fig. 3 on the drawing. If ad is the
line of the course and one has deviated into b, one can in the first described manner
come up to c, in which case ab be. In the last described manner however one
can reach even up to d, which is favourable as bd < bc + cd. To this end however
an exact knowledge of the time required for the tubes G to be filled to a certain
degree is needed.
=
Besides what has been mentioned above the apparatus has this advantage, that
the commander on board always has an opportunity at the gauge tubes G of ascer-
taining what deviations have been made during a certain time.
apparatus serving as alarm consists of small funnel scoops M, open at the bottom
The part of the
n which sponges or the like are placed. On the drawing two such scoops are
shown. They are placed so as to hang down [one in each or] one in each of the
elle D equidistant from each side of the middle and so as to be exactly under the
nouth of the corresponding pipe C. They are carried by stems N resting partly
n the outpart of the cell D partly on bow O. The stem holding a somewhat
nclined position, is prevented from sliding down by a nose P resting against the
dge of the cell. At a small distance above the bow O there is fixed another bow Q
arallel with the former and like it fixed on some projecting part from the cells D.

page_text: The bow Qis at the fixing point insulated from its fastenings and by means of a
wire R connected with an electric battery and a bell. From some suitable part of
the cells D the other wire S proceeds. If thus a deviation is made from the
course and water is dripping down into a scoop M, this will soon go down through
the addition in weight, and the stem N comes into contact with the latter bow Q
and closes the current, thus sounding the bell. The sponge in the scoop N thus
prevents the water running out through the open bottom of the scoop in the same
measure as it is brought into the scoop, but it does not afterwards prevent the
water from passing off to the cells D. The scoops M could also, as is easily
understood, be fastened on the upper cells under the pipe of the cup I but this is
less suitable, because these upper cells are very narrow. The other cells D thus
exist exclusively for the sake of the signalling arrangement, and if the apparatus is
arranged only for visual control, the cells D can be dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. In compasses an arrangement for use in the controlling of vessels deviating
from their course, consisting of a number of radial cells in the compass box which
by means of suitable pipes are connected each with its own gauge tube and with
a fixed cup or similar object at the centre of the magnetic needle from which cup a
pipe leads projecting over the cells, and above which is placed the mouth of a tube,
pipe or the like, supplied with liquid from a suitably situated receptacle for
liquid.
2. In the arrangement stated in Claim I an arrangement whereby by means of
ringing a bell or the like the deviation is signalled, such arrangement consisting of
a number of lower situated cells, but corresponding to the cells in the compass
box and from which hang down small scoops each exactly under its own pipe which
scoops are carried from the upper cells by stems resting on the outer edge of the
cells projecting a little way over same, which cells as well as the lower cells are in
connection with an electrical battery and a bell..
3. In the arrangement stated in Claims 1 and 2 the arrangement whereby the
scoops are provided with openings at the bottom and in such scoops there is laid a
spongo or the like, all substantially as described and illustrated and for the
purposes set forth.
1
S T 11000
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London.