CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MEASURING THE VELOCITIES WITH WHICH SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS OR BODIES MOVE IN FLUIDS, AND ALSO. FOR ASCERTAINING THE VELOCITIES OF FLUIDS IN MOTION
Year: 1840

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
ROBINSON WILLIAMS, of Cheapside, in the City of London, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-seventh day of August, in the fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Robinson Williams, Her especial licence, full power, sole privi-
lege and authority, that I, the said Thomas Robinson Williams, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, and such others as I, the said Thomas Robinson
Williams, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with; and no others, from time to time and at all times during the terin
of fourteen years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MEASURING THE VELOCITIES WITH
WHICH SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS OR BODIES MOVE IN FLUIDS, AND ALSO. FOR
ASCERTAINING THE VELOCITIES OF FLUIDS IN MOTION;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Thomas Robinson
Williams, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly

page_text: to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner, the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in
Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and
by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Robinson Williams, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
My Invention consists in several different arrangements of apparatus
adapted, after repeated trials, to the various circumstances under which moving
bodies have relation to the fluids in which they move. I will first describe
these different arrangements, which apply more particularly to ships and
vessels, and which also become more conveniently adapted by various modi-
fications, agreeable to circumstances, as to whether these be propelled by
wind or steam, as well as whether they be principally intended for river or
sea navigation. For river-navigation, where the cargo. is not liable to great
fluctuation in weight, and the perpendicular height of the vessel as regards
the water line or the horizontal line or evenness of keel is less disturbed
than in sea navigation, I use a bent tube (which I prefer of copper) A, B,
Fig. 1, inserted either through the stern post or, keel, or by the side of either
of them, and passed down the stern to near its heel, and then being bent
backward, that is, in a direction contrary to the bows or head of the vessel,
and made to point rather below or under the rudder. This projects but
a short distance from the stern post, according to its size, and should be
merely of sufficient length to be clear of the dead water behind the post or
heel. This end is left open to the water. The inner end is then bent
upwards through the floor of the worm or cabin a, where a float bob of light
hollow glass or metal, with a rod attached b, provided with a scale similar to
common guages for steam, &c.; or when the water line is not inconveniently
low, a strong glass tube is made to form the upper part of this tube, including
the water line, that is, the point to which the water will rise when the vessel
is not in motion. This, then, becomes the zero point upon the-scale, and with
whatever velocity the vessel sails in a forward direction produces a partial
exhaustion of the water from this tube, or a depression of its surface therein,
and consequently indicates the speed with very great accuracy. I may also

page_text: here observe, that it is evident this tube may be extended much further
forward in the vessel if wished, say into the engine room of steam vessels, and
that there may be more than one upright tube or indicator when desirable.
I have also attached to this main a bent glass tube, the two ends being
upwards, and one of them connected with the main, the other open to the
atmosphere (as in the other cases). This bent tube being partially filled with
mercury, and having a scale attached, of course indicates the velocity by the
surface of mercury in the proportions of the weight of mercury to that of
water. To remedy the inconvenience, however, on this principle, of the fluc-
tuations of the weight of cargo, I sometimes provide a water cistern C of one,
two, or three feet square, and of sufficient depth, which I place in the most
convenient situation, and as near midships and over the keel as possible,
having small and safe external communications c, c, through the vessel, into
which the water may flow in and out that its surface may always correspond
with the external water line. Within this box or cistern another flat hollow
metallic or other box d is made to float, but so as to sink considerably below
the surface of the before-mentioned cistern. Through the bottom of this float
are firmly soldered or fixed either the single or bent tube with its scale, and
which I then connect by a flexible india-rubber or other tube e, with the
before-mentioned main A, B.
Another apparatus for this purpose which has been found to answer for sea
or river navigation, whether by wind or steam, and all general purposes
exceedingly well, consists of an instrument suspended in gimbles, or, in other
words, by an universal joint, in any convenient part of the vessel, such as the
companion way or captain's room, and a plummet or drag, or a drag chain or
line, &c., to be towed overboard and attached thereto, as herein-after described.
Fig. 2 is a Drawing of the instrument entire; Fig. 3 is another view with
its outer case removed; and Fig. 4, those of the various plummets or drags
which I use with this and the hereafter-described instruments.
arts.
Fig. 3, A, is an iron cylinder or chamber of about one and a quarter inch
nternal bore, and eighteen inches in length, connected by the small bent tube 1
with the glass tube B, which is cemented into the socket 2 with its upper
nd open to the atmosphere. C, the woodwork for supporting the internal
D is a plunger of hollow glass or other material with the bottom end
losed, and made to slide very freely in the iron chamber A. E is the
tandard, by which the whole is supported and secured to the woodwork of the
oom or cabin. F, a circular ring within the arch 3 of the standard E,
hich, with the screw pivots 4, 5, 6, 7, from the universal joint for pre-
erving the perpendicularity of the instrument. In the standard E is a

page_text: In other cases I have used a
finely adjusted pulley 8, and 9 another such pulley. 10, the cap of the
plunger D, from which projects an ear or staple to which a strong flexible
silk cord 12 is fastened, which passes over the pulley 9, and thence over
the pulley 8. G is the scale on which the knots per hour are graduated.
O is the zero point upon this scale, to which line and that intersecting
11 on the iron cylinder A they are filled with mercury when the plunger
is in its place and floating at liberty upon the surface of the murcury.
It will now be seen that when the cord 12 is pulled the column of mercury in
the glass tube B, as well as in that of A, will rise by the descent of the
plunger, and consequent displacement of the mercury, and this in an equal
ratio as the degree of tention is increased. The drag to be towed overboard
for occasioning the resisting power (which resistance will always correspond
with the velocity of the vessel), and for operating upon the instrument, is
represented by the line 12, 12, Fig. 1, connected therewith, and may be of
various kinds as well as shapes. In some cases I have used merely a plain
braided rope of one hundred feet or more in length, and of the size of the
common log line,' which it is better to saturate with india rubber or other
adhesive materials to prevent wear. This plan I prefer for measuring currents
or small velocities and in shallow water.
plummet of metal or glass, and which I have for some purposes found best
If this be used about half the length
of the shape represented at A, Fig. 4.
of line only is necessary. But what I have found the most uniform and
steady in action, and I should recommend as best for practice at sea is, a
sinaller line of about a quarter of an inch diameter and two hundred feet
long, having a number of conical or egg-shaped plummets of metal, glass, or
ivory upon it at the extreme end from the ship, as represented at B, Fig. 4,
about three feet apart; twelve of these, with a line of this length, at the speed
of ten knots per hour, indicate six pounds avoirdupoise upon the pound and
ounce scale of the instrument, or nine knots upon the scale of knots by the
mercury. The pound and ounce scale is intended as a ready way of adjusting
the instrument at all times by proving it with such weights attached on shore
In this case, as with the other drags before 'mentioned, by shortening o
lengthening the tow line, the proper length is readily ascertained for adjusting
the column of mercury to the scale and rate of sailing by measured miles of any
It remains now to be
vessel, and which can always afterwards be adhered to.
shewn how the connection between the towing 'drag or plummets 'and th
instrument is effected. 'This of course depends upon where it is preferred t
station and suspend the instrument, and from what part of the vessel t
use the drags. If if be hung in the cabin, as represented at D, Fig. 1 (an

page_text: for which purpose it is very convenient on another account hereafter described
for shewing the trim of the vessel); I.prefer, working the, plummets, or drag
from: the stern; and in order that the point of suspension; of the cord or line 12
be as near the surface of the water as possible a hole is bored through the
stern in a slanting direction downwards as near the middle of the vessel as
may be, but avoiding the rudder. To prevent, the line rubbing the sides of
this hole two pullies f. f; are inserted in the woodwork, of, the stern. outside,
one above and one below, to take off the friction-from, the cord. From, what
has now been said. it is evident that this: instrument, as well as the next
described, is equally applicable for measuring the velocities of currents, them-
selves in the same way, but from fixed positions, as from vessels, or boats at
sea, where a heavy body is lowered to a great depth, as, a mooring, the
strength and 'direction of a surface current may be easily, ascertained.
.
.At E, Fig. 1, is shewn the manner in which the instrument is made to answer
another valuable purpose, that of showing the trim of the vessel. As-before
observed, the perpendicularity. being always maintained by its manner of suspen-
sion, I place immediately under. it a strong table g, g, having upon its surface a
metal plate h, being horizontally secured, when the vessel is in. perfect trim as to
stem and stern as well as crosswise, or otherwise the best determined position
for sailing. This plate has a centre point i; which is placed, precisely under
the index point upon the instrument D, and which is as near the plate as
possible without-touching. it. The plate is divided into lines running at right
angles with each other, one, half longitudinally with the vessel, and the other
at right angles thereto. These lines or divisions are calculated to form degrees
of a circle (the length of the instrument from. its point of suspension k to.the
index point / being the-radius), consequently, shewing at all times the degrees of
inclination (if any) which the vessel has acquired from the perpendicular, or
previously best determined sailing position.
Figures 5, 6, and 7, represent another form of-instrument likewise for this
purpose, which is more conveniently.used upon deck than. the before-men-
tioned, as it may be placed upon the taffrail, or even, in the, binnacle, by
passing a bell wire under the deck to the stern, and, attaching to this wire at
the stern the same tow line.and plummets; or. what I prefer, in all cases is the
egg-shaped ivory balls, about twelve in number, placed three feet apart upon
the end of the tow line. These balls have a hole-through them longitudinally,
which allows of their being strung upon the line, and a knot being tied in the
line behind each of them secures them all in their proper places; the smaller or
pointed end being forward upon the line-prevents any accumulation of, sca
weed or obstruction of any kind attaching itself. Fig. 5 represents a plan or

page_text: top view of the instrument entire, shewing the scale and index wire which
passes across the scale. Figures 6 and 7 shew the instrument with the cover
removed. Fig. 6 is a side view, and Fig. 7 a front view, and in both Figures
the same letters refer to similar parts. A is the frame or bed of the instru
ment. B is a barrel or arbor, with its pivots supported in the raised parts of
the frame 1 and 2. Upon this barrel the inner end of the tow line 3 is wound
a turn or two, and secured to it. 4 and 5 are weights fastened to the barrel B,
which occasion the necessary resistance as they are more or less lifted by the
partial revolution of the barrel B, when the tow line 3 is pulled by being
dragged through the water. 6 and 7 are other smaller weights, with the
arms 8 and 9, for carrying the scale or card D, upon which are marked the
miles per hour or knots. It must be observed that these arms and weights
are suspended upon, although loose and independent of, but act from the same
centre of gravity as the barrel B, the pivots of which pass through them
within the raised parts of the frame 1 and 2. It is necessary for the perfection
of the instrument that the distinct weights which govern the position of the
scale or card and the index should be freely and equally acted upon by gravity,
although their relative weights are unimportant. The index wire or point o
is firmly fixed in the barrel B, and passes over and across the card or scale D,
and is made to work as close to the scale as possible without touching it. It
will now be seen that when the instrument is placed horizontally or nearly so
in the stern of a vessel, whether in motion or not, that the card or scale will
always find its true position by gravity as steadily as the compass card by
polarity, and that as the barrel B, with the weights attached to its under side,
is more or less acted upon by the resistance of the water and the tow line 3,
so will the index o point out upon the scale (when properly adjusted) the
number of knots or rate at which the vessel is sailing.
Having now complied with the proviso of the Act which requires me to
fully describe and ascertain the nature of my Invention, and the various
means by which it may be carried into effect, I shall now further state what I
claim thereby to be protected in, viz*:-
I claim in the first-described apparatus the general arrangement, and
especially the reversed open-mouthed tube, as well as the double water
cistern; and in the second and last the general arrangement of the instru-
ments, together with the tow plummet, conical or otherwise, or a number of
towing plummets, a flexible rope saturated with india rubber or other adhesive
material, a close flexible chain, or, in fact, the towing of any body after or
from a vessel for obtaining a resistance (not rotatory) for operating upon the
herein-described instruments, or any other weighing instrument which might

page_text: be used herewith on board of vessels for ascertaining their velocities, or by
the same means in fixed positions for ascertaining the velocities of currents
whether they be in water or other fluids.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Robinson Williams, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of January, in the.
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-one.
Inrolled the Twenty-seventh day of February, One thousand eight hundred
and forty-one.