Improvements in Navigational Sounding Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPILULTIVATION.
Improvements in Navigational Sounding Machines.
I, WILLIAM THOMSON, BARON KELVIN OF LARGS, Professor of Natural Philosophy
in the University of Glasgow, North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the navigational sounding machine
described in my previous Specifications Nos. 5675 of 1883 and 12240 of 1885.
The apparatus consists of a drum carried on a spindle supported on bearings in
the framework on which is coiled about 300 fathoms of steel wire and a depth
recorder for indicating the depth of water. The wire is coiled on a V-shaped
ring, which can revolve independently of the spindle or may be clamped to the
spindle by means of a metal plate on each side of the ring carrying lignum vitae
rubbing pieces. According to my previous Patent No. 5675 of 1883 the resistance
required to prevent the wire running out too fast was obtained by the friction of
the V-shaped ring revolving on the circumference of a wheel attached to the
spindle and held fixed while the V-shaped ring was revolving. In order to obtain
a more reliable and regular resistance I extend inwards the bearing of the
V-shaped ring so as to allow it to revolve on the spindle with very little resist-
ance, and I provide sufficient resistance of a definite amount by means of flat
metal bars fixed radially between the spindle and the circumference of the
V-shaped ring and having lignum vitae rubbing pieces at their outer ends. These
rubbing pieces are pressed against the V-shaped ring near its circumference by
means of adjustable springs pressing against the flat bars.
The V-shaped ring is clamped to or released from the spindle by means of two
plates one on each side of the drum. One of these plates is fixed to the spindle
and the other works on a screw cut on the spindle. On the circumference of the
latter there are a number of projections like teeth of a wheel and on the frame-
work of the machine there is hinged a catch which can be turned over to catch
one of the projections. When one of the projections is thus caught the plate is
prevented from turning. If the spindle is now turned in one direction the movable
plate will be moved away from the V-shaped ring and the ring will be released
from the spindle and be free to revolve independently of the spindle, but if the
spindle is turned in the opposite direction, the plate will be screwed up against
the V-shaped ring and the ring will be clamped between the two plates to the
spindle.
The depth recorder is similar in principle to that described in my Specification
No. 12240 of 1885. It consists of a bottle having a neck prolonged inwardly con-
stituting a smooth cylinder in which a niston is fitted with a leather or equivalent
collar so as to be nearly watertight against a head of water of sav 100 fathoms and
vet free to move with but small frictional resistance. The fluid pressure tending
to thrust the piston into the bottle is balanced by a spring. A light marker pushed
along a slot in the framework of the recorder by a projecting part of the spiral

page_text: spring and retained by friction in the extreme position to which it is pushed
while the instrument is let down to the bottom of the sea and drawn up again
shows on a scale the depth that has been reached. The marker is of springy material
so shaped with projections, that it exerts balancing pressure on the metal of the
slotted tube in which it works while it is guided by the edges of the slot so as to
prevent it from turning while it moves longitudinally. Inside the neck of the
bottle in which the piston works there is a stop to prevent the spring from being
drawn out too far when the depth recorder goes to a greater depth than the instru-
ment is intended for.
The depth recorder is placed inside a hollow sinker of galvanised iron loaded
with iron or lead at its lower end properly shaped for moving through the water
with as little resistance as may be. To prevent the shock on the bottom from
disturbing the marker the depth recorder rests on a spiral spring placed inside
the sinker and at the bottom of depth recorder there is a leather valve piston
allowing the recorder to move downwards relatively to the sinker with comparative
freedom and strongly resisting the return motion produced by the spiral spring.
The upper part of the sinker is slotted so that the indications of the marker may be
read off and the marker set without taking it out of the sinker. The sinker is
also cut out at the top so that the valve provided at the top of the depth recorder
can be opened and any water that has leaked into the bottle run out without taking
the depth recorder out of the sinker. The depth recorder instead of being placed
in the sinker may be lashed to the rope between the sinker and the wire.
Dated this 90th day of October 1807
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Patent Agents.
Improvements in Navigational Sounding Machines.
I, WILLIAM THOMSON, BARON KELVIN OF LARGS, Professor of Natural Philosophy
in the University of Glasgow, North Britain, 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 relates to improvements in the navigational. sounding machine
described in my previous Specifications Nos. 5675 of 1883 and 12240 of 1885.
The apparatus consists of a drum, carried on a spindle supported on bearings in
the framework on which is coiled about 300 fathoms. of steel wire and a depth
recorder for indicating the depth of water. The wire is coiled on a V-shaped
ring, which can revolve independently of the spindle or may be clamped to the
spindle by means of a. metal plate on each side of the ring carrying lignum vitae
rubbing pieces: According to my previous Patent No. 5675 of 1883. the resistanco
required to prevent the wire running out too fast was obtained by the friction of
the V-shaped ring revolving on the circumference of a wheel attached to the.
spindle and held fixed while the V-shaped ring was revolving. In order to obtain
a more reliable and regular resistance I extend inwards. the bearing of the
V-shaped ring so as to allow it to revolve on the spindle with very little resist-
ance; and I provide sufficient resistance of a definite amount.by. the above mentioned
lignum vitae rubbing pieces pressed against. the V-shaped ring near its circum-
ference by means of adjustable springs.
The V-shaped ring is clamped to or released from the spindle by means of two
plates one on each side of the drum. One of these plates is fixed to. the spindle
and the other works on a screw cut on the spindle. On the circumference of the

page_text: latter there are a number of projections like teeth of a wheel and on the frame-
work of the machine there is hinged a catch which can be turned over to catch
one of the projections. When one of the projections is thus caught the plate is
prevented from turning. If the spindle is now turned in one direction the movable
plate will be moved away from the V-shaped ring and the ring will be released
from the spindle and be free to revolve independently of the spindle, but if the
spindle is turned in the opposite direction the plate will be screwed up against
the V-shaped ring and the ring will be clamped between the two plates to the
spindle.
In order that my invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
effect I have hereunto appended two sheets of drawings, of which,
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the machine.
Figure 2 shows the inside of the movable plate on the spindle.
Figure 3 the outside of this plate.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the depth recorder.
Figure 5 is a vertical section of the recorder and
Figure 6 is a cross section showing the marker.
F
In Figure 1A A is the framework of the machine, B is the spindle supported
on bearings in the framework and carrying the drum. D D on which is coiled
about 300 fathoms of steel wire. The wire is coiled on a V-shaped ring d d. The
bearing of the V-shaped ring d d is extended inwards by means of a plate d' carry-
ing a tubular collar lined with lignum vitae so as to allow it to revolve on the
spindle B with very little resistance. The drum can revolve independently of the
spindle when paying out the wire or it may be clamped to the spindle for wind-
ing in the wire by means of two metal plates E and F one on each side of the ring.
One of these plates E is fixed to the spindle and the other F works on a screw b
cut on the spindle. The plates E and F carry lignum vitae rubbing pieces e and f
near their outer ends. The plate F has a number of projections fi, Figures 1, 2
and 3, on the circumference, and on the framework of the machine there is a
hinged catch G, Figures 1 and 3, which can be turned over to engage with one
of the projections fi on the plate. When one of these projections is caught by
the catch the plate F is prevented from turning with the spindle so that by turn-
ing the spindle in one direction the plate F can be screwed up against the outside
of the V-shaped ring and the drum clamped between the two plates.
By turning the spindle in the other direction the plate F is removed from
the V-shaped ring and the drum is free to revolve without the spindle. The
lignum vitae pieces e are fixed to the plate E but to provide sufficient resistance
of a definite amount on the drum while the wire is running out the lignum vitae
pieces are loose in receptacles provided in the plate F and are pressed against
the V-shaped ring by means of spiral springs H. The amount of pressure of the
springs can be varied by means of a nut I working on a pin J passing through the
centre of the spiral spring and attached to the bracket K fixed to the plate F.
The depth recorder is similar in principle to that described in my Specification
No. 12240 of 1885. It consists of a bottle L having a neck M prolonged inwardly
constituting a smooth cylinder, in which a piston N is fitted with a leather or
equivalent collar so as to be nearly watertight against a head of water of say
100 fathoms and vet free to move with but small frictional resistance. The fluid
pressure tending to thrust the piston into the bottle is balanced by a spring 0.
A light marker P, pushed along a slot in the framework of the recorder by a pro-
jecting part o, of the spiral spring and retained by friction in the extreme position
to which it is pushed while the instrument is let down to the bottom of the sea and
drawn up again, shows on a scale the depth that has been reached. The marker is
of springy material so shaped with projections that it exerts balancing pressures
on the metal of the slotted tube in which it works while it is guided by the edges
5 of the slot so as to prevent it from turning while it moves longitudinally. It is
replaced by finger at or near its zero after taking a sounding. Inside the neck of
the bottle in which the piston works there is a perforated stop or a stop bar m to

page_text: prevent the spring from being drawn out too far when the depth recorder goes to
a greater depth than the instrument is intended for. Q is a screw valve by means
of which any water which may have leaked into the bottle is emptied out after
taking a sounding.
Figure 7 shows another form of marker which is pushed along the slot by means
of a light metal quadrant T connected to the piston rod S by arms R.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. Extending inwards the bearing of the V-shaped ring and mounting it so as
to allow it to revolve on the spindle with very little resistance, substantially as
described and illustrated on the accompanying sheets of drawing.
2. Providing proper resistance against the running out of the wire by means
of the lignum vitae rubbing pieces, of which those on one side of the drum are
mounted so as to be moveable relatively to the metal clamping plate, substantially
as described and illustrated on the accompanying sheets of drawings.
3. Using a number of projections from the loosely mounted clamping plate
whereby its motion may be stopped in any small part of a turn instead of only
at one point of its circumference as according to my previous Specification No. 5675
of 1883, substantially as described and illustrated on the accompanying sheets of
drawings.
4. A light springy marker mounted on the edges of a slot and held by friction
due to its pressures on these edges with force sufficient to keep it in position when
untouched, but not so great as to seriously resist the motion of the piston moving
inwards in its tube, substantially as described and illustrated on the accompany-
ing sheets of drawings.
וד
T
1000
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Patent Agents.