Improvements in Sound Locating Instruments.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sound Locating Instruments.
I, JAMES ANTHONY, of Hamburg Chambers, Quayside, Newcastle-on-Tyne,
in the County of Northumberland, Surveyor, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that class of instrument for use particularly on vessels
for determining the direction of sounds or sound signals, and is designed for
increasing the intensity of the sound in the instrument.
According to this invention, I mount horizontally on an axle, a chamber open
at each end, and having a vertical partition at its centre. The ends of the said
chamber, I prefer to make trumpet shaped. In each compartment of the said
chamber, I fix, near the back, a saucer, made preferably of bell-metal; the convex
portion of such saucer being fitted towards and almost close up to the aforesaid
partition: the concave portion of said saucer, I cover with a diaphragm of thin
vulcanite or other suitable material.
I fix a cowl or receiver inside the aforesaid chamber, directly facing the said
diaphragm, and I provide suitable connections for transmitting the sounds
The aforesaid chamber containing sounding
reflected to the ears of the listener.
drums and receivers may be turned round on its axle by a handle or wheel, to
ascertain the direction of the sound. The aforesaid cowl or receiver, I prefer to
make of brass.
may
Instead of having one chamber, as above stated, with two compartments, I may
be turned
mounted SO
chambers,
two separate
that they
have
independently of one another in any direction most suitable for locating the sound.
According to another way of carrying out this invention, I may make the
chamber conical, preferably with incurved sides and preferably of mild steel. In
the said chamber, I may place a ring of vulcanite or other suitable material, over
which I stretch a sheet of very fine vellum, vulcanite or other suitable material,
for forming, in connection with the apex of the aforementioned conical chamber a
sounding drum. Inside the aforesaid conical chamber, I fit a cowl or receiver.
This receiver is fitted with suitable connecting pipes to carry the sound to the
ears of the listener. I may have two of these conical chambers mounted so as to
turn independently of one another or combined into one instrument.
1
BROWNE & Co..
Agents for the Applicant,
9, Warwick Court, Gray's Inn, London, W.C.

page_text: Improvements in Sound Locating Instruments.
I, JAMES ANTHONY, of Hamburg Chambers, Quayside, Newcastle-on-Tyne
in the County of Northumberland, Surveyor, 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 that class of instrument for use particularly on vessels
for determining the direction of sounds or sound signals, and is designed for
increasing the intensity of the sound in the instrument.
According to this invention, I mount horizontally on an axle, a chamber open
at each end, and having a vertical partition at or near its centre; the ends of the
said chamber, I prefer to make trumpet shaped. In each compartment of the said
chamber, I fix near the back, a saucer, made preferably of bell-metal; the convex
portion of such saucer being fitted towards and almost close up to the aforesaid
partition; the concave portion of the said saucer I cover with a diaphragm of thin
vulcanite or other suitable material, so as to act as a resonator.
I fix a cowl or receiver inside the aforesaid chamber, directly facing the said
resonator, and I provide suitable connections for transmitting the sounds reflected
to the ears of the listener. The aforesaid chamber containing resonator and
receivers may be turned round on its axle by a handle or wheel, to ascertain the
direction of the sound. The aforesaid cowl or receiver I prefer to make of brass.
I fix at the trumpet ends of the aforesaid chamber, perforated plates.
Instead of having one chamber, as above stated, with two compartments, I may
have two separate chambers, mounted SO that they may be turned
independently of one another in any direction most suitable for locating the
sound.
According to another way of carrying out this invention, I may make the
chamber conical, preferably with incurved sides and preferably of mild steel. In
the said chamber, I may place a ring of vulcanite or other suitable material, over
which I stretch a sheet of very fine vellum, vulcanite or other suitable material,
for forming, in connection with the apex of the aforesaid conical chamber a
resonator. Inside the aforesaid conical chamber, I fix a cowl or receiver.
This receiver is fitted with suitable connecting pipes to carry the sound to the
ears of the listener. I may have two of these conical chambers mounted so as to
turn independently of one another or combined into one instrument. I may cover
the open end or ends of the said conical chamber or chambers with perforated
plates.
And in order that my said invention may be better understood I will now
proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings accompanying this
Specification, in which Fig. 1 shews elevation of a sound locating instrument
made according to my invention and mounted upon a stand; Fig. 2 shews elevation
of a similar instrument, mounted upon the roof of a chart room or other deck-
house of a vessel; Fig. 3 shews a detail hereinafter referred to, and Fig. 4 shews
in partly sectional elevation a modified form of construction of instrument, in
this case also mounted upon a stand. Fig. 4 is drawn to a larger scale than that
of the other figures.
The same letters denote the same parts in all the views.
a shews a chamber, of approximately conical shape, made of suitable metal,
e a ring of vulcanite or other suitable material over which is stretched a sheet of
very fine vellum, or other suitable material, so as to form, in connection with
the apex b of the chamber a, a resonator. Inside the chamber a is fitted a cowl-

page_text: shaped receiver d.
e shews a suitable connecting pipe, to carry the sound to the
ears of the listener. The pipe e is bifurcated at its end, as shewn at Fig. 3, and
ear pieces ff are provided, as will be seen in the same figure. The open end g
of the conical chamber a may be covered in by perforated plates.
h shews a wheel mounted upon a hollow spindle or tube i for turning the
instrument upon the said spindle. The connecting tube e passes down through
this tube or hollow spindle i. The arrow at j (Fig. 1) shews a "tell tale" for
indicating the direction in which the axis of the conical chamber a is turned.
Fig. 4 shews a particular arrangement by which, when the instrument is not
required for use, it may be stowed within the stand, as shewn by the dotted
lines, and the loose tubes may be hung up as shewn at m. The connecting pipe
is shown in this figure as being in several parts e e e 3, which may be readily
fitted together and unfitted. J in this figure shews a pointer, and a compass
dial, for indicating the direction in which the axis of the conical chamber a is
turned.
Although I have shewn only one chamber a in use, I may have a group of two
or more of these chambers, turning independently one of the other.
The sound to be observed enters the mouth of the instrument and impinges
upon the outer edge of the resonator, setting the latter in vibration. The note
given off from the central portion of the said resonator will be of a shrill tone,
which can be easily discerned, and the intensity of which can be easily estimated
by the observer.
The operator having the ear-pieces f f attached to his ears, turns the wheel h
until the greatest volume of sound is heard, and the "tell-tale" then indicates
the direction from which the sound waves proceed.
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. A sound-locating instrument, consisting of a rotatible chamber, provided
with a cowl-shaped receiver, the open portion of which latter faces a resonator
or drum fitted in the said chamber, in combination with an ear tube communi-
cating with the said cowl-shaped receiver, substantially as set forth.
2. In a sound-locating instrument, the particular arrangement of parts herein-
before described and shewn on the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of Alav 1809
Dated this 19th day of
May
1800
BROWNE & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant,
9, Warwick Court, Gray's Inn, London, W.C.