Improvements in Sounding and Signalling Apparatus.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 7th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sounding and Signalling Apparatus.
THOMAS HOWARD BLAMIRES, and WILLIAM BLAMIRES, Manufacturers,
Phoenix Mills, Leeds Road, Huddersfield, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is an electrical arrangement for automatically
sounding the bottom of the sea, rivers, or harbours, and automatically signalling
or indicating by means of electricity to and from ships or other vessels, to the
bottom of the water. This is especially necessary for any vessel or ship when
navigating in dangerous places where the water is shallow, and the bottom of the
sea or river is narrow, and rocky, or where sand banks and the like exist; or under
other dangerous or insecure conditions. It may also be used for deep sea sounding
and bringing up samples of the sea bottom; or it may be attached to other existing
sounding apparatus, and for similar submarine purposes.
This we perform by establishing an electric current, by an arrangement of wires
insulated from each other, preferably a two wired cable, in such a manner that we
are enabled to send a current of electricity to and from the vessel when the sinker
is in contact with the bottom of the sea, or any other dangerous object is struck or
pressed against, whereby contact is made with the poles of an electric battery, or
other electric generator, thus conveying the current to or from the vessel or ship;
by means of an ordinary electric insulated submarine cable with insulated wires
and of sufficient strength to carry the sounding sinker or weight. This sounding
sinker or weight can be made in various ways and contains the terminals of the
insulated wires. These terminals may be brought in contact with each other by
different means, such as, springs which can be arranged in many various positions
on the sinker either inside or outside, in such a manner that when the sinker or
weight strikes the bottom of the sea or any portion of a dangerous obstacle contact
is thereby made with the insulated wires or terminals, and the electric circuit is
therefore established conveying the current to the vessel or ship, and thus auto-
matically actuating any desired signal such as ringing of bells, moving coloured
screens, galvanometers, or other various known devices. The current actuating
the signals can be communicated from any depth of the sea, or from any distance
from the ship, to any suitable place on the ship or other vessel; or we may employ
metallic or other kinds of rods passing through insulated glands or stuffing boxes;
these glands may be insulated by packing with india rubber or other non-
conducting substances; by the movements of these rods electrical contact is made
either inside or outside the sounding sinker or weight, causing the electric current
to automatically actuate the signals on the vessel or ship.
The bottom or any portion of these rods passing through the insulated glands or
stuffing boxes, may have springs or weights attached to them which move them
back to their original position as soon as the sinker or weight rebounds from the
rock, or dangerous obstacle thus causing the current to be intermittently made and
broken, and which actuates the signal or indicator fixed at the other terminus.
Or we may use a vessel enclosed in the sinker or sounding weight containing
mercury which when the sinker strikes anything tilts or becomes partially inverted
which causes the mercury to flow and thereby make a contact with the insulated
wires or terminals thus establishing the current, and automatically actuating the
electric signals on the vessel, whereby the officers entrusted with the safety of the
vessel can ascertain when dangerous places are being approached, by the electric
current putting automatically in motion the above named signal or signals.
When the apparatus is required for bringing up samples of the sea bottom the

page_text: sinker or weight, may be as usual so arranged as to carry some sticky substances
such as wax or tallow.
The cable may be marked or other known modes of measurements employed so
as to know the length of the cable paid out. The cable containing the insulated
wires may be paid out or hauled in either by hand or other mechanical means.
Dated this 6th day of May 1890.
THOMAS HOWARD BLAMIRES.
WILLIAM BLAMIRES.
('OMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sounding and Signalling Apparatus.
THOMAS HOWARD, BLAMIRES and WILLIAM BLAMIRES, Manufacturers,
Phoenix Mills, Leeds Road, Huddersfield, 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:-
The object of this invention is an electrical arrangement for automatically
sounding the bottom of the sea rivers or harbours, and automatically signalling or
indicating by means of electricity to and from ships or other vessels to the bottom
of the water. This is specially necessary for any vessel or ship when navigating in
dangerous places where the water is shallow and the bottom of the sen or river is
narrow and rocky or where sandbanks and the like exist or under other dangerous
or insecure conditions. It may also be used for deep sea sounding and bringing up
samples of the sea bottom or it may be attached to other existing sounding
apparatus, and for similar submarine purposes.
This we perform by establishing an electric current, by an arrangement of wires
insulated from each other, preferably a two wire cable in such a manner that we
are enabled to send a current of electricity to and from the vessel when the sinker
is in contact with the bottom of the sea or any other dangerous object is struck or
pressed against whereby contact is made with the poles of an electric battery or
other electric generator, thus conveying the current to or from the vessel or ship
by means of an ordinary electric insulated submarine cable with insulated wires and
of sufficient strength to carry the sounding sinker or weight. This sounding sinker
or weight can be made in various ways, and contains the terminals of the insulated
wires. These terminals may be brought in contact with each other by different
means, such as springs, which can be arranged in many various positions on the
sinker either inside or outside in such a manner that when the sinker or weight
strikes the bottom of the sea, or any portion of a dangerous obstacle contact is
thoreby made with the insulated wires or terminals and the electric circuit is there-
fore established conveying the current to the vessel or ship and thus automatically
actuating any desired signal, such as ringing of bells, moving colored screens,
galvanometers or other various known devices.
The current actuating the signals can be communicated from any depth of the
sen or from any distance from the ship, to any suitable place on the ship or other
vessel.
Or we may employ metallic or other kinds of rods passing through insulated glands
or stuffing boxes; these glands may be insulated by packing with indiarubber or other
non-conducting substances; by the movements of these rods, electrical contact is
made either inside or outside the sounding sinker or weight, causing the electric
current to automatically actuate the signals on the vessel or ship. The bottom or
any portion of these rods passing through the insulated glands or stuffing boxes
may have springs or weights attached to them, which move them back to their
original position as soon as the sinker or weight rebounds from the rock or
dangerous obstacle, thus causing the current to be intermittently made and broken,
and which actuates the signal or indicator fixed at the other terminus.

page_text: Or we may use a vessel enclosed in the sinker or sounding weight containing
mercury, which when the sinker strikes anything, tilts or becomes partially inverted
which causes the mercury to flow and thereby make a contact with the insulated
wires or terminals thus establishing the current and automatically actuating the
electric signals on the vessel, whereby the officers entrusted with the safety of the
vessel, can ascertain when dangerous places are being approached, by the electric
current putting automatically in motion the above named signal or signals.
When the apparatus is required for bringing up samples of the sea bottom, the
sinker or weight may be as usual so arranged as to carry some sticky substance
such as wax or tallow. The cable may be marked or other known modes of
measurement employed so as to know the length of the cable paid out. The cable
containing the insulated wires may be paid out, or hauled in either by hand or
other mechanical means.
In order that our said invention may be properly understood and practically
carried into effect we will now proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
In Figure 1, A represents a sinker with various insulated attachments and con-
nections for automatically conducting the electricity to and from the sinker to the
various electrical indicators on the vessel.
A is the sinker inside of which passes a metallic rod B, which is attached to one
pole of the battery, 1 in Figure 2, or other electric generator, and passes through the
gland C. The metallic piston rod and contact makers D press against the rod B
when struck by the sea bottom or any other obstacle on the outside of the shell A,
thereby automatically making electrical contact and thus establishing the electrical
current so as to actuate any required signalling apparatus on the vessel. E is an
insulated terminal or connection of the other pole of the battery which terminal is
in connection with the shell A but insulated from the water and the other pole K
which is in connection with the rod B. This terminal E completes the circuit
when contact is made by the rod B with the spring piston rods and contact
makers D. The letter F represents glands or stuffing boxes which are in contact
with the metallic sinker A thereby completing the electric circuit with the pole or
terminal E thus making the electric connections through the signalling apparatus
on the vessel. G is the cable carrying or supporting the sinker and attached to it
or enclosed in it are two or more insulated wires, for conducting the electric current
to and from the sinker to the signalling instruments on the ship. H is the tube
preferably built in the vessel and may be made telescopic and large enough to allow
of the free passage of the sinker and the cable or cables into the water.
Figure 2 is the indicating board to which may be affixed the various desired
signalling indicators. I is the battery or other electric generator. J is a signalling
bell for giving the alarm when the sinker has struck or come in contact with any
dangerous obstacle.
His a galvanometer or other form of indicator.
Figure 3. is another kind or design of sinker with insulated wires and supporting
cables attached somewhat in the same manner as Figure 1. This sinker is so
arranged as to tilt or fall on its side when it strikes the bottom of the sea or comes
in contact with any other obstacle thereby causing the mercury F to flow against
the metallic plate B and thus automatically completing the electric circuit and
working the signals on the vessel.
A is the sinker the bottom part of which contains a quantity of mercury F.
B is a metallic disc insulated from the shell of the sinker A, and connected with
one pole of the battery I. C is the insulated plug or gland through which passes
one of the insulated wires to the terminal or connecting point D, and completes the
circuit with the insulated metallic disc B. G is the supporting cable carrying the
sinker and its electrical connections, as previously described in Figure 1. Figure 3
design of sinker is made in such a manner that when it comes in contact with the
sea bottom or any object it tilts or inclines to such an angle that the mercury F
flows against the edge and face of the metallic plate 13 which plate is insulated
from the shell of the metallic sinker A, but in connection with the terminal D

page_text: thereby automatically completing the electric circuit and thus actuating the
galvanometer or other desired signals on the vessel.
Figure 4 is a drawing representing the insulated disc 1 containing the metallic
terminal D.
Figure 5 is another design or 'orm of sinker or sounding apparatus. The outside
of this sinker is composed of a flexible material which is a non-conductor of electricity
and impervious to moisture, such as vulcanised indiarubber, leather or other equiva
lent flexible material or substance which encloses or encases the core or weight and
leaves an annular space which space is wholly or partially filled with mercury as
may be required. By the pressure of the water this mercury automatically ascends
to various heights in the tube of the sinker accordingly as the pressure increases by
the sinker descending to various depths in the water thus automatically establishing
an electric circuit in a somewhat similar manner as described in Figures 1 and 3.
A is the weight or core of the sinker which is enclosed in the case B3, composed
of a flexible material as above described. ( is the merenry which is contained in
the flexible and non-conducting jacket or covering. 1) represents two or more
webs or ribs which support the weight A, and are perforated so as to allow the
mercury C to flow round the core or weight A, when under pressure caused by the
various depths to which it sinks in the water. E is one of the poles or electric
insulated terminals which makes contact with the mercury C. is an insulated
water tight gland or stuffing box which connects the pole E with the battery or
other electric generator. is an insulated water tight gland or plug through
which the metallic screw or rod H passes, and when the mercury (nscends and
makes contact with this screw E to which is attached the other pole or terminal K
the electric circuit is thus completed thereby operating the signalling instruments
on the vessel or other place of observation. I is a valve which may be required
umler certain circumstances to let out the air from the tube containing the lettered
scale, when the mercury ascends and makes contact with the screwed metallic
rod 11. represents a scale which is marked so as to indiente varying depths of
the water and by moving the screwed rod 11 opposite to any figure on the scale J,
electrical contact may be made at any desired depths and when properly adjusted
may be made to show the different depths to which the sinker has descended thus
causing the signals or instruments to be put in operation on the vessel; or if
desired the screwed rod I can be so adjusted that no electrical contact will be
made by the mercury Cuntil the flexible case B has struck or come in contact with
the bottom of the sea or other objects when the mercury (' will ascend by the
pressure caused by striking the bottom of the sea, thus making contact with the
screwed rod I thereby completing the electric circuit and putting in motion
the desired signals on the vessel.
The bottom or outside case of these sinkers may be made in such a form as to
carry any sticky or adhesive substances such as wax or tallow when required to
bring up samples of the sea bottom.
Where any ordinary lead weight or other design of sinker is used, our sinker
with its electrical insulated cables may be used in combination with any suitable
form of the above, thus giving an electrical communication in addition to the usual
method.
Having now described our improvement and the mode in which it can be
practically carried into effect, we must have it understood that we do not strictly
confine ourselves to the above shapes of sounder or sinkers, as many equivalent
forms or designs can be substituted, without departing from the leading features of
the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. An improved electrical navigational sounding and signalling apparatus by

page_text: sounding recorder, with any desired room or part of the vessel, by various desired
signals so as to indicate automatically to the officers or persons in charge, the
approach of shallow water, rocks, or other obstacles when navigating in dangerous
places.
2. That our improvements may be applied to or used in conjunction with, where
adaptable any other navigational sounding or signalling machine or apparatus
substantially as herein illustrated and described.
Dated this 6th day of February 1891.
THOMAS HOWARD BLAMIRES.
WILLIAM BLAMIRES.