AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING AND RECORDING SPEED OF VESSELS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Friedrich Hermann Felix Engel Civil Engineer and
Patent Agent in the city of Hamburg, Germany for an Invention of
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING AND RECORDING SPEED OF
VESSELS a communication to me by Oscar Pezoldt of Hamburg in the
German Empire
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Friedrich Hermann Felix
Engel at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th July 1883.
FRIEDRICH HERMANN FELIX ENGEL Civil Engineer and Patent Agent in the
city of Hamburg, Germany, AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING AND
RECORDING SPEED OF VESSELS a communication to me by Oscar Pezoldt of
Hamburg, in the German Empire
"
This improved apparatus constructed for measuring the speed of vessels and for
recording a distance travelled, consists in its main part of a small float-board
wheel connected to a frame that can be lowered in guides of a vertical channel
arranged in the corresponding vessel. The channel is open at the bottom of the
vessel and the apparatus for bringing it in action must be lowered so far that part
of the wheel projects from the channel end and reaches into the water underneath
the vessel in consequence of which the wheel is brought in rotation by the motion
of the vessel. The revolutions of the wheel or of its axle, are by means of gearing
supported in bearings of the frame, transferred to a vertical shaft, the bottom part
of which is likewise carried by the frame while the upper part is in connection
with a counter indicating either the number of revolutions made by the wheel
or on a special scale directly the speed of vessel. The upright shaft may be
passed through the channel and be carried upward to the deck or other part of
the vessel convenient for mounting of the indicating counter.
The float-boards of the wheel may be constructed feathering by a similar
arrangement as used with feathering paddles of paddle-wheels.
The apparatus can be brought out of operation after disengaging the connection

page_text: between vertical shaft and counter by drawing it up the channel. The frame of
the apparatus moves in guides formed or attached to the inner sides of said
channel and stops are arranged to set the working position of the apparatus when
sufficiently lowered within the channel.
The apparatus can be adjusted by taking observations in time on the measured
mile or on measured distances during different speeds of the vessel; these observa-
tions have to be compared with the number of revolutions made by the wheel or
by the vertical shaft. From these numbers of revolutions of the wheel transported
to the counter a scale can be constructed recording the distance travelled during
different speeds of the vessel

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Friedrich Hermann Felix Engel in the Patent Office on the
28th January 1884.
FRIEDRICH HERMANN FELIX ENGEL Civil Engineer and Patent Agent in the
city of Hamburg Germany. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING AND
RECORDING SPEED OF VESSELS a communication to me by Oscar Pezoldt of
Hamburg in the German Empire
"
This improved apparatus constructed for measuring the speed of vessels and for
recording a distance travelled consists in its main part of a small float-board wheel
connected to a frame that can be lowered in guides of a vertical channel arranged
in the corresponding vessel. The channel is open at the bottom of the vessel and
the apparatus for bringing it in action must be lowered so far that part of the
wheel projects from the channel end reaches into the water underneath the
vessel in consequence of which the wheel is brought in rotation by the motion of
the vessel. The revolutions of the wheel or of its axlo aro by means of gearing
supported in bearings of the frame transferred to a vortical shaft the bottom part
of which is likewise carried by the frame whilst the upper part is in connection
with a counter and dial or scale and index indicating either the number of
revolutions made by the wheel or directly on to a special scale indicating
the speed of the vessel. The upright shaft may be passed through the channel and
be carried upward to the deck or other part of the vessel conveniently for the
mounting of the indicator mechanism
The float boards of the wheel may be constructed to feather by a similar
arrangement to that used for feathering paddles of paddle wheels.
The apparatus can be brought out of operation after disengaging the connection
between the vertical shaft and counter device by drawing it up out of the channel.
The frame of the apparatus moves in guides formed or attached to the inner sides
of the said channel and stops are arranged to set the working position of the
apparatus when sufficiently lowered within the channel.
The apparatus can be adjusted by taking observations in time on the measured
mile or on measured distances during different speeds of the vessel, these observa-
tions have to be compared with the number of revolutions made by the wheel, or
by the vertical shaft. From these numbers of revolutions of the wheel as
transported to the counter device a scale will be made or set out to record the
distance travelled during different speeds of the vessel.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings is illustrated a mechanism constructed
according to this invention. Fig 1 is a cross section. Fig 2 an end view and
Fig. 3 a plan of the float-board wheel in connection with its frame and gearing for
transmitting the revolutions of the wheel to the upright shaft. Figs 4 and 5
represent in transverse and longitudinal sections respectively and on reduced scale
the apparatus in combination with a ship's body.
A designates the supporting frame of float-board wheel R with axle w upright
shaft m and gearing for transporting the motion of the wheel to shaft m.
O designates an open upright channel passed through the ship and k designates
an indicating counter device placed on deck or other convenient part of the ship
which counter is in communication with shaft m and indicates as well as records
the number of revolutions of the wheel during the motion of the ship.
The apparatus can be lowered and lifted within channel C in which it is guided
in a manner as will be understood with reference to Fig 3 of the drawings or in

page_text: other suitable way. The wheel boards of the lowered apparatus project somewhat
from below the outer end of channel C as represented in Figs 4 and 5 of the
drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I claim :
The speed indicator for vessels consisting of the float-board wheel R and trans-
mission gear to the shaft m arranged in and whilst working partly projecting from
channel C of the vessel and revolving by the motion of the water against the
course of the vessel which revolutions are transmitted to an indicating counter
device substantially as hercin set forth and described in reference to and shown
by the drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Friedrich Hermann Felix Engel have hereunto
set my hand and seal this twenty fifth day of January in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty-four.