IMPROVEMENTS IN MARINERS' COM- PASSES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William .Edward Newton, of the Office .for,
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MARINERS' COM-
PASSES." A communication from abroad by Demetrius Bittle
Strouse, of Salem, in the State of Virginia, United States of
America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, 'on
the 5th September 1868.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery.
5 Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MARINERS'
COMPASSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a battery of two or more magnets to be
attached to the axle or suspending arrangement, by which motion is

page_text: communicated from the lower or main battery to the card above. This
battery will occupy an intermediate position between the lower or main
battery and the upper or main directive needle, and will correct the
upper or main directive needle by repulsion in a contrary direction 'to
*that in which it may be moved by any local magnetic force. The upper
or main directing needle has two bars parallel to each other with similar
poles in same direction corresponding to and parallel with the cor-
-recting battery below, when there is no disturbing cause to move them
from the magnetic meridian. This secures the repulsive influence of a
*correcting battery when the parallel has broken the advance motion of
.the correcting battery, a result of the magnetic law of distance that may
intervene between the upper or main directive needle and the lower or
main moving battery. The suspension of the main needle should be
attached to the battery frame and concentric to the card that moves with
it. The cards of needle and battery should be adjustable to compensate
for difference in polar intensity of the magnet. There are two cards
from which the difference in the conduct of the upper and lower
arrangements can be read, and thereby determine the amount of local
disturbance. The lower or main moving battery has all the features of
an ordinary compass, will traverse correctly, and will be subject to dis-
turbing local magnetic influence as the common compass in the same
position; but the construction affords the means by which the result of
the law of distance can be compared. In separating the lower moving
'battery three or four feet from the upper or main directive needle a
difference in amount of reflection must result, which will move the
corrective battery in position to counteract the force that will tend to
move the main directive needle in the same direction. A change of
position and also change of direction and intensity of local disturbing
causes require a corresponding change in the correcting battery, either
to be placed nearer to or further from the main needle or up or down,
-as the case may require. The horizontal position necessary to correction
is self-adjusting, being moved into position by the lower battery, a result
derived from the direction and intensity of the local force.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th March 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
.EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents,.66, Chancery Lane, in the:
County of Middlesex; Civil Engineer, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by. Her-
Letters Patent,.bearing; date the Fifth day of September, in the year-
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty--
second year of Her reign, did; for Herself, Her heirs and successors,..
give and grant unto me, the said William.Edward Newton, Her special!
licence that I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, adminis--
trators, and assigns, or such others as I; the said William Edward
Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
.time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times:
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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MARINERS' COMPASSES," being a communication
to me from Demetrius Bittle Strouse, of Salem, Virginia, United States.
of America, upon the condition (amongst. others) that I, the said
William. Edward Newton;,my executors or-administrators, by an instru-.
ment in writing under my, or their,. or one of their hands and seals,,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-..
tion, 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 date of the said Letters.
Patent..
NOW KNOW YE,. that I, the said William: Edward Newton, do hereby.
declare the nature of the said Invention,. and. in what manner. the same;
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to. the Drawing.
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked. thereon (that..
is to say):
::
This Invention consists of a combination of three or more systems: of
magnetised needles or bars attached to one or more axles and arranged..
in different horizontal plancs..

page_text: The first or upper system of magnetised needles consists of two bars
parallel to each other with similar poles in the same direction and
parallel to the systems of magnetised needles below when these is no
disturbing cause to move them from the magnetic meridian. The
Figure in the accompanying Drawing is a perspective view of the 5
improved construction of compass. A graduated card or plate a is
attached to the first system of magnetised needles in the manner of
ordinary floating compass cards or plates.
The second or intermediate system of magnetised needles or bars consists
of two (or more) magnetised needles or bars fixed in a frame d, which
may 1
bė attached to a vertical axle (or shaft) and be moveable up and down
the same, or the frame may be adapted to uprights or pendent rods on
which it may be moved up and down as shewn in the accompanying.
Drawing.
The third or lowest system of magnetised needles or bars 9 consists of 1
a number of magnetised needles or bars also fixed in a frame f which
may be adapted to the same axle (or shaft) in the same way as the
frame of the second system is adapted, or it may be adapted to the
pendants or uprights as shewn in the Drawing.
The purpose of the first or upper set or system of magnets is to serve
as the directive needle and to indicate the magnetic meridian.
The purpose of the second or intermediate set or system of magnets d
is to correct the upper or directive needle by repulsion in a direction
contrary to that in which it might otherwise be moved by any local
magnetic force, and thus to keep the directive needle upon the magnetic
meridian. With a view to the accomplishment of this purpose the
intermediate set of magnets & may be adjusted by sliding it up and
down vertically in a line parallel with its axle or shaft.
The purpose of the third or lower set of magnets g is to effect the
horizontal adjustment (by reason of its lower position) of the second or
intermediate set of magnets d, and thus to enable the latter to move in
advance of the directive needle, and thereby correct by the repulsion of
similar poles the deviation of the directive needle under the influence
of any local magnetic attraction operating from below. A graduated card
or plate e is also attached by a bar c to the top of the central spindle of
the two lower systems of magnets for the purpose in conjunction with
the card or plate a of the directive needle of exhibiting the difference in
the conduct of the directive needle and of the lower magnets, and thereby

page_text: to determine the extent of the local disturbance. Two similar systems
of magnetised needles may also be similarly adapted to a similar axle,
and arranged in different horizontal planes above the directive needle,
and for similar purposes of correcting the deviation of the directive
needle under the influence of any local magnetic force operating from
above.
The comparative action of the above-described arrangement is that the
lower or main moving system of magnets has all the features of an
ordinary compass, and will traverse correctly and be subject to dis-
turbing local magnetic influence, just like the common compass in the
same position. But the construction and arrangement of the parts
affords the means by which the result of the law of distance can -be
compared. In separating the lower moving system of magnets three
or four feet from the upper or main directive needle a difference in
amount of reflection must result which will move the corrective magnċts
into a position to counteract the force that will tend to move the main
directive needle in the same direction.
In the Drawing a is the floating card, on the under side of which is the
main directive needle suspended upon the central point in the cross bar
or frame c, c. d is the system of correcting magnets placed in a frame
made adjustable up or down the vertical frame or pendants, or on the
axle by any mechanical device by which the same can be effected so as
to arrive at the position necessary to proper correction. A change of
position and also change of direction and intensity of local disturbing
causes require a corresponding change in the correcting magnets, which
require either to be placed nearer to or further from the main needle on
the floating card a above, that is up or down the frame or pendants, as
the case may require. The horizontal position necessary for correction
is self-adjusting, the magnets being moved into position by the lower
system of magnets g, a result derived from the direction and intensity
of the local force. Magnetic correcting apparatus, as heretofore used,
change their position with the ship.
According to the present improvements the local magnetism gives the
position to the correcting magnets by causing them to move round in a
horizontal plane. 9 is the main moving system of magnets constructed of
a number of magnets placed parallel at the lower end of a pendent frame
connected with the graduated card e above. The purpose is to effect the
horizontal adjustment of the correcting magnets d, and in consequence

page_text: of its lower position the system of magnets 9 will move in advance of
the main directive needle above,, and will thereby effect the necessary.
correction by repulsion..
From the above description of the Invention it will be understood that
the use of the lowest or main system of magnets g is.to move the cor- t
recting magnets d above it into a position to correct the main directive.
needle immediately above it..
. Having now described the Invention which has been communioated:
to me as aforesaid, I would remark that what I claim. therein as new. and
desire to secure by Letters Patent is,―
First. The combination of the lowest system of magnets. with the:
correcting magnets. above it, substantially as and for the purpose:
described.
]
Second. The combination of the correcting system. of magnets with:
the upper or main directive needle, as well as the arrangement. for 1
adjusting the position of the magnets, as and for the purpose described..
Third. The combination of the main directive needle with a set of:
correcting magnets either above or below it, as and for the purpose.
hercin described.
In witness whercof, I, the said William Edward Newton,. have 2
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON.. (L.S.)