IMPROVED MEANS AND APPLIANCES FOR ASCERTAINING AND RECORDING THE SPEED AND DIRECTION OR MOVEMENT (LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE) OF A VESSEL
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Tito Visino, of Hill Street, Brompton, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVED MEANS AND APPLIANCES FOR
ASCERTAINING AND RECORDING THE SPEED AND DIRECTION OR MOVEMENT
(LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE) OF A VESSEL.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Tito Visino at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 9th November 1876.
TITO VISINO, of Hill Street, Brompton, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVED
MEANS AND APPLIANCES FOR ASCERTAINING AND RECORDING THE SPEED AND
DIRECTION OR MOVEMENT (LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE) OF A VESSEL."
This Invention relates to improved means and appliances for ascertaining and
recording the speed and direction or movement (latitude and longitude) of a vessel,
and consists of three special adaptations of mechanism.
Firstly. A counting apparatus or log.
Secondly. An electro-magnetic needle to act in conjunction with the log.
Thirdly. A graphic apparatus governed by the log and the needle.
The counting wheel or log is within a casing affixed on or in the vessel; if upon
the outside I slide into position upon rails or guides, as found convenient. In
the casing is a turbine or fan wheel, whose axle is threaded to gear into a disc or
wheel having a projection on or near its periphery, which projection is caused by
the rotation to strike or bear upon or against a spring or plate, and thereby put
it in contact with the two wires of a battery and forms the circuit, the wires being.
also in connection with the graphic apparatus, the escape of the projection breaking
the contact, the water which acts upon the turbine or fan wheel passes out of
the casing at angles to the entry aperture.
The electro-magnetic needle or bar is shaped like the needle of a compass, and
has a metal plate on the same side but at the ends that, as it vibrates or turns
through the changes of position of the vessel, comes into contact with light tempered
springs and "makes" the circuit, the springs being in communication with the
galvanic apparatus. The springs are arranged round the race of the needles in order
to touch each of them as intended.
The graphic apparatus is suspended in a frame, within which are two bars fixed
parallel one to the other to support it. One one of the bars is a wheel capable of being

page_text: turned to the right and to the left by a winch handle to impart motion to the frame
or platform, which is guided by small rollers which move in rails.
Under the platform are two cylinders, one for giving off clean hydrographic
paper, and the other for taking on the paper when marked, the paper passing over
the surface of the platform in its passage, the cylinders being rotated in proportion
to each other by a double-threaded screw rod. Upon the bars is a rail, in which
slides a ring or wheel which supports the writing apparatus and its frame. This
frame holds two other supports, to which a small bar is fixed, the bar carrying a
casing containing clockwork for imparting a circular movement to two wheels
arranged to act in accordance with the emissions of polarized magnets. These two
wheels are in gear with a central wheel at intervals, one to move the central wheel
to the right and the other to move it to the left. The axle of the central wheel
acts upon a system of small bars arranged in the vertical plane of a micrometric
screw, which moves horizontally in all directions subject to the action of the
magnets. This screw has at one end a train of clock gearing to effect the rotation
of a disc or circular casing, which can be put under the influence of a magnet to
stop it when desired. The disc or circular casing rides upon wheels which travel
in circular rails and are isolated among themselves to establish communication
between the galvanic pile, the magnets, and the counting apparatus.
The writing pencil or stiletto constantly presses upon the paper and is held by
a carrier, and moves with the circular travel of a threaded rod which is secured by
two guide rods.
C
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Tito Visino in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th May.1877.
TITO VISINO, of Hill Street, Brompton, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVED
MEANS AND APPLIANCES FOR ASCERTAINING AND RECORDING THE SPEED AND
DIRECTION OR MOVEMENT (LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE) OF A VESSEL."
This Invention relates to a hydrodograph destined to trace by self-acting
mechanism on a kind of hydrographic map the course of a vessel, thus continually
registering and permanently showing her movements and position at any moment
by day or by night.
The following are the constituent parts of the new system called the hydro-
dograph :-
Firstly. The electric log indicating the speed of the ship, as is shown at Figures
A, D, E, and F, of the annexed Drawings.
Secondly. The electro-magnetic needle, Figures B, and 1, 2, and 3.
And, Thirdly. The graphic apparatus, Figure C, from which the name of this
system is derived.
The basis of the principle on which the said apparatus works is the following:-
Assuming the vessel reduced to the line of her keel, and placing parallel with the
same an endless screw disposed in such a manner as to follow all the movements of
the keel in every direction, then it will constantly indicate all points of the compass
(the latitude) as well as the way made (the longitude), for if the screw by making
one revolution indicates a certain fraction of a mile upon the scale of a plan placed
beneath the screw, which is obtained by means of a female screw guiding a pencil
or writing stiletto, and works in accordance with the electric log indicating the
speed of the vessel, then the pencil will continually trace upon the plan or hydro-
graphic paper the progress of her course and her position. For this purpose the
micrometric screw is able to follow in a gyratory movement all the several
deviations of the mariner's compass, and to continually register the same in pro-
portion to the progress in longitude of the vessel.
"
The electric log, Figures A, D, E, F, is fixed below the water line on the inside
or outside" of the vessel, according to her construction and employment. The log,

page_text: Figure A, if used inside a vessel, as at Figure D, consists of a simple cylinder; while
for outside service, as in Figures E, E, F, this cylinder is fitted into another one of
strong metal, Figure A¹. At E there is the support of the helice D; at e, the
entrance of the water; and at f, the three tubes for its outflow from the chamber B.
The helice D terminates in the chamber C in a projecting point g, which at every
revolution of the helice engages into the wheel h and advances one tooth of the
same. When this wheel h has completed one revolution its projection i engages
into the wheel, advancing each time one tooth of the same until completing one
revolution, when the projection m touches the spring n, which then establishes
an electric communication which passes through the cable of two conductors a
Figure F, passing to the graphic apparatus, Figure C, if in connection with the
same, or to a simple indicator, making on a series of dials or printing on paper the
knots and fractions of knots of the progress of the vessel if the log be used, as
it also may be separately without the graphic apparatus.
Figure D shows the electric log placed inside the vessel; F and G are tubes for
the entrance and outflow of the water, the former being protected at its mouth by
a strong wire net; g, h, are their respective taps for opening and closing the
passage when desired; i is a. key with a thin wire net; k, l, l, and m, m, the
fastenings by unions; n is the wires of the electric cable a; o, being a square valve
opening seawards.
Figures E, E, show the position of the log when outside the vessel, Figure F; at
b there are two small rails for lowering and raising the log; & shows a flat and
flexible iron bar supporting the electric cable a and fixed into the bolts e, which
maintain the log in horizontal position, Figures E and F.
The most palpable advantages of this log are,-
First. Its great strength and hardiness.
Secondly. That it cannot be snapped away by large sized fish, or get entangled
and lost by sea-weeds or other floating bodies, as it is working deep enough below
the water line to be out of their reach.
And, Thirdly. That it always exactly follows and records the progress of the
vessel, and is not liable to the usual irregular or incorrect registerings of longitude
caused by the violent swerving and jerking pulls of the usual tow rope when
tossed about in stormy weather, when according to experience no tow-rope log
can answer its purpose.
The electro-magnetic needle, Figure B, and Figures 1, 2, 3, is placed in a cylinder
box above the platform 4 containing the clockwork h, which imparts the gyratory
movement to the micrometric screw 9, 10, is similar in its form to the mariner's
compass, but it bears on its extremity, pointing to the north pole, a small
rectangular fork of platina, Figure 1, shown enlarged in the views for the sake of
its easier perception to three times its natural size; m shows the disc of the wind
rose; and'n, the position of the needle; Figure 3, the metal ring a, b, concentric
with the disc m and carrying the small isolated plates c of ivory or cbonite ;
Figure 2, a, b, bearing on each face four thin metal plates, those of one face c +
corresponding to pole + d to line, e to pole -, and f to earth, while of
those on the reversed face the plate c corresponds to pole d to line, e to pole +,
and f to earth. These plates, Figure 2, are also shown enlarged. If therefore the
magnetic needle in its gyratory movements touches one of those plates, then the
positive or negative electric currents pass and put in movement the clockwork h,
turning the micrometric screw 9, 10, according the respective electric impulses,
and in the same time the metallic ring a, b, Figure 3, drops for a moment in order
not to check the gyratory movement of the magnetic needle, which if it again
touches one of the small plates c rivetted round the ring a, b, will continue in its move-
ments as well as the micrometric screw 9, 10.
-
The hydrodographic apparatus Figure C is suspended according to the system
Lecardan in a board frame; fixed to the same by screws are two bars A, B, situated
parallel as a support to the apparatus. At C there is placed upon one of the said
bars a toothed wheel moveable to the right or left by the winch or handle G, and

page_text: imparting movement to the crenellated screw at c, d, fixed on the side of a board
or platform supporting the hydrographic plan or paper for the same.
At m, m,
there are small wheels of ivory moving against a rail at c, d, placed along the
bar A, B, thus facilitating the sliding movement of the said platform (supporting
the plan) from the right to the left, or vice versa, by means of the winch G.
C, D, E, F, are two cylinders situated beneath the platform, one for holding and
giving the unwritten or white hydrographic paper, which passes between the
opening at f, g, on to the platform beneath the hydrographic apparatus, and
disappears when written over by the same through the other parallel opening
at f, g, symetrically rolling up itself on the other cylinder C, D, E, F, both having
on their axles two crenellated wheels, m, m, in gear with the two threaded ends
of an axle n forming two inverted endless screws n,. n, which in turning by means
of the handle H causes the written plan to be rolled up and to be replaced on the
platform by exactly the same surface or length of unwritten or white hydrographic
paper.
Upon the two parallel bars A, B, there is a rail o, p, in which slide the wheel q, q,
forming part of the ring or circle Y, K, which supports the platform of the writing
apparatus. Fixed to this platform there are two supports 12, carrying the small
bar 33, which supports the dise or platform 4 containing a clockwork h, which
communicates gyratory movement to the wheels 5 or 6, according to the emissions
of the polarised electro-magnets 7 or 8. The wheel 5 moves the centre wheel L
from the left to the right, and the wheel 6 causes the wheel L to move from the
right to the left.
On the axle of the central wheel L moves a system of small bars 14, 15, exactly
in the vertical plan of the micrometric screw 9, 10, which they connect with the
above said clockwork h. The screw 9, 10, moves in perfect horizontal position,
and in all directions horizontally, subject to the regulations imparted by the
electro-magnets 7 or 8. This screw bears at its extremity 9 a disc M containing a
clockwork i, which produces the gyratory movement, and an electro-magnet 11 to
detain the same when necessary. This disc M slides upon two small wheels e, e,
rolling in the circular rails 12, 13, which grooves as well as the wheels are isolated
among themselves and establish the communication between the galvanic pile, the
electro-magnet 11, and the counting wheel or log.
The two small bars 14, 15, support the disc 16 with an electro-magnet 7, which
at the gyratory movement of the micrometric screw 9, 10, upon the axle L fixes
the writing pencil or stiletto 17 bearing from a small vertical tube a to constantly
touch the plan or hydrographic paper. When the screw 9, 10, ceases turning round
then the electro-magnet releases the writing pencil, which at that time is fixed in
the place where it stood when the screw commenced turning round, in order not to
hinder the screw's circular movement.
The writing pencil or stiletto 17 is attached to a small horizontal crenellated bar
sliding from the right to the left, or vice versa, according to the impulses received
through the micrometric screw 9, 10.
For working this apparatus. Place the hydrographic paper or the plan in the
then position of the ship, adjust the same by placing the micrometric screw 9, 10,
in exact direction of the keel line or axis of the ship, and fix the writing pencil in
the place occupied by the vessel, the subsequent movements of which will be traced
in the plan by the graphic apparatus.
When the writing stiletto reaches the extremity of the screw 9, 10, then it is
necessary to change the plan by fixing the screw k, and thus preventing any change
in the position of the several parts; then the writing stiletto is quickly raised and
slid without touching the plan along the small bars 14, 15, to the other extremity
of the screw. The handle H is then immediately turned with the object of rolling
up the written portion of the plan, and rolling out a new portion of the hydro-
graphic paper. When this last written piece is placed opposite the actual spot or
present point occupied by the writing pencil then the platform Y, K, will be slid
upon the rails of the bars until the stiletto touches the last point which it has

page_text: written. When this is done the small screw which prevented the movement of
the system is loosened, and the apparatus is again in full working order.
In both extremities of the screw 9, 10, there are two springs, which if touched
by the platform 16 establishes communication of the galvanic pile with the circuit
of an electric bell, which commences to ring the moment when the plan must
be changed and for the writing stiletto to be replaced at the other extremity of the
micrometric screw 9, 10.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
Firstly. The construction and arrangements of the parts forming an apparatus
described as a log, fitted or applied. as set forth and substantially as shown in the
annexed Drawings, said log having in connection electric appliances by which its
rotation is recorded in board.
Secondly. I claim the combination of said log with the writing apparatus, as set
forth, the whole acting as described.
Thirdly. I claim the appliances described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, and
Figure B of the annexed Drawings, and the fixation or application to the positions
shown in Figure C, by which the writing stiletto is guided, as described.
Fourthly. I claim the hydrodograph herein-before set forth, by which the speed
and direction of a vessel can be automatically ascertained and recorded upon a plan,
as shown in the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Tito Visino, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Eighth day of May, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
seven.
TITO VISINO. (L.S.)