Improvements in Mariners' Compasses.
Year: 1890

page_text: !Date of Application, 5th May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 5th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mariners' Compasses.
I, JOSEPH VON PEICHL, of Fiume, in the Austrian Empire, Lientenant of the
Imperial Austro-Hungarian Navy, and Director of the Hungarian Sea Navigation
Company, Limited, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to the construction of a mariner's compass in such a
manner as to obtain the buoyancy resulting from floatation in liquid, and to
[
present a dry card, not subject to rapid undulating or vibratory movements.
mount the outer case of the compass in the usual way on gimbals, and I provide
in the middle of this case a vessel shaped somewhat like a wide short bottle,
1 charge
having a body of large diameter and little depth, and a narrow neck.
I mount
this vessel with suitable liquid up to about the middle of the neck.
within the vessel, submerged in the liquid a float carrying the magnets on its
underside and having in its middle a tubular cavity covered by a jewel which
rests on the needle pivot projecting up from the centre of the bottom of the
vessel.
From the top of the float above the jewel extends up, and a little above the
neck of the vessel, part of the Hoat in the form of a closed tube which nearly
fills the neck of the vessel, leaving around it only sufficient room to admit of
the oscillatory movements to which the compass may be subjected. To the top
of this closed tube I attach three or more radial arms which bend downwards
outside the vessel and carry the annular compass card at about the level of the
pivot bearing, this card having freedom to move in the annular space between
the vessel and the outer casing. The float carrying the magnets and card is so
far supported by the liquid that there is very little weight on the pivot, and
the liquid also acts as a break to the float preventing rapid vibrations of the
compass, while it permits the needles to take their proper direction.
Owing to the contraction of the neck of the vessel, the undulations of the
liquid are almost insensible notwithstanding that there is a considerable volume
of it in the vessel, and very little surface of the liquid is exposed. Around the
neck of the vessel I form a closed annular space holding additional liquid, this
space communicating with the interior of the neck through small holes, so that
notwithstanding evaporation or contraction of the liquid, its level in the neck
does not greatly vary.
Dated this 5th dor of May 1800
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mariners' Compasses.
I, JOSEPH VON PEICHL, of Fiume, in the Austrian Empire, Lieutenant of
the Imperial Austro-Hungarian Navy, and Director of the Hungarian Sea
Navigation Company, Limited, 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 :-
My invention relates to the construction of a mariner's compass in such a
manner as to obtain the buoyancy resulting from floatation in liquid, and to
present a dry card, not subject to rapid undulating or vibratory movements.

page_text: The accompanying drawing is a vertical section of a compass according to my
invention. 1 mount the outer case A of the compass in the usual way in
gimbals B. and I provide in the middle of this case à vessel (shaped somewhat
Eke a wide short bottle, having a body of large diameter and little depth
and a narrow neck D. 1 charge this vessel with suitable liquid up to about
the middle of the neck D. mount within the vessel, submerged in the liquid,
a float E carrying the magnets on its underside and having in its middle a
tubular cavity covered by a socket containing a jewel (, which rests on the
needle pivot II, projecting up from the centre of the bottom of the vessel.
From the top of the Hoat above the jewel extends up and a little above the
neck of the vessel part of the float in the form of a closed tube K which nearly
fills the neck D of the vessel, leaving around it only sufficient room to adinit
of the oscillatory movements to which the compass may be subjected. To the
top of this closed tube attach three or more radial arms L which bend
downwards outside the vessel and carry the annular compass card Mat
about the level of the pivot bearing II, this card having freedom to move
in the annular space between the vessel C and the outer casing A. The
float E carrying the magnets F and card M is so far supported by the liquid
that there is very little weight on the pivot II, and the liquid also acts as a
brake to the float preventing rapid vibrations of the cumpass, while it permit
the needles to take their proper direction. Owing to the contraction of the
neck D of the vessel, the undulations of the liquid are almost insensible notwith-
standing that there is a considerable volume of it in the vessel, and very little
surface of the liquid is exposed. Around the neck D of the vessel I form a
closed annular space N holding additional liquid, this space communicating with
the interior of the neck through small holes, so that notwithstanding evaporation
or contraction of the liquid, its level in the neck does not greatly vary.
A. ring 1ª surrounds the annular space N, this ring having inclined slots in
which are engaged studs Q projecting from N. By turning the ring it is
made to rise and slightly lift the arms I, thus stopping the compass card M.
The tube K is screwed into its place so that it and the socket containing the
jewel G can be easily removed, giving access to the pivot I which can be
unscrewed when necessary by a suitable key.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A. mariner's compass having its magnets and card carried by a float pivotted
within a vessel containing liquid, which vessel has a wide body and narrow
neck all constructed and arranged, substantially as and for the purposes herein
Bet forth.
2. In a compass such as is above referred to, attaching the annular card
external to the float vessel by arms to the top of a tube which projects up from
the float through the narrow neck of the float vessel, substantially as described.
3. In a compass such as is above referred to, in combination with the float
vessel an annular space surrounding the narrow neck of the vessel and com-
municating with it by perforations through the neck, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of March 1891.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.