Apparatus for Imitating the Motion of a Ship at Sea.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1899 - Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Imitating the Motion of a Ship at Sea.
I, HERMANN WEIGELT, of No. 1, Ludwigskirchsplatz, Wilmersdorf, near Berlin,
Germany, Engineer, 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 apparatus whose object is to give to the occupants of
a stationary vessel a sensation like that produced by the motion of a ship at sea.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a sectional side elevation, Fig. 2 a plan,
and Fig. 3 an end elevation of apparatus constructed according to this invention.
Upon a pontoon a there is situated a cabin intended for the reception of
passengers. The pontoon floats in a basin z, and is provided at its centre with a
bearing cap b, which fits a hemispherical bearing c that is fastened at the middle
of the basin to the foundation f by means of bolts d. The arrangement is such
that when the pontoon has its complement of passengers the cap 6 will just be in
contact with the bearing c. At each of the four corners of the pontoon engages
one of four levers u which are independent of one another and are mounted in
supports (not shown in Fig. 3) that are provided on the sides of the basin. Around
the basin there extends a breakwater e (also not shown in Fig. 3) which prevents
the water from splashing over the sides of the basin during the motion of the
pontoon.
As is well known, the motion of a ship is composed of two motions practically
at right angles to each other. One of these is the rolling of the ship about its
longitudinal axis, and the other is the pitching of the ship about its transverse
axis. The resultant of these two motions is a peculiar rolling or pitching, which
is characteristic of progressive movement of a ship.
Now in apparatus according to the present invention, this motion is produced
by means of the four levers u, which are operated by four persons. It will be
seen that by means of these levers, it is possible to imitate very perfectly the
motion of a ship.
In order to render the illusion of being at sea still more striking and realistic
to the persons occupying the interior of the cabin, there are provided on the
pontoon such apparatus as are usually found on board ship-for instance, a
bridge for the captain, with speaking-tube o, compass, signalling apparatus,
and so forth. Upon the roof of the cabin there is provided, in addition to the
ventilators r that serve to supply fresh air to the interior of the cabin, a water
tank s, which, on being suddenly emptied, produces the impression of seas being
shipped. There is also provided an apparatus q for producing the impression of
wind and rain; and a windlass t with an anchor chain or cable coiled on it, which,
when drawn up over a projecting wooden beam, produces the exact sensation of
weighing a real anchor.
Obviously in carrying out the invention a number of other devices may be
added, if desired, to those above mentioned. The essence of the invention consists
in provision of means for reproducing the motion of a ship at sea in a vessel in
which there is no danger of drowning.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is;-
Apparatus for imitating the motion of a ship at sea comprising a pontoon upon
which is mounted a cabin g for passengers and which is provided with a bearing
cap that is arranged at the centre of the pontoon a and fits a hemispherical
bearing c and also with four levers u which are independent of one another and by
means of which the motion of the pontoon can be produced.
law of 1000
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.