CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' COMPASSES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Adkins, of Church Street, Islington, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, and Thomas Odemcy Lebert Buss, of
Hatton Garden, in the same County, Specific Gravity Instrument Maker,
for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' COMPASSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Adkins and Thomas
Odemcy Lebert Buss at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 21st April 1858.
We, JOHN ADKINS, of Church Street, Islington, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, and THOMAS ODEMCY LEBERT BUSs, of Hatton Garden, in the
same County, Specific Gravity Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' COMPASSES,"
to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates, firstly, to an improved mode of constructing the
compass so as to counteract the vibrations to which it is subject in rough
weather, or from other causes. To effect this object, we divide the "bowl" or
case into two compartments, the lower one of which is filled with alcohol or
any other suitable liquid. Floating on or beneath the surface of this liquid is
a light ball of sufficient bulk to support the weight of the magnetic needle and
card; pendant from the bottom of this ball is a short rod, which carryies the
magnetic needle at its lower extremity; to the upper part of the ball another

page_text: rod is attached, which passes through a hole in the partition that divides the
two compartments, and to which rod is affixed the compass card, the upper
compartment being covered with a glass as in the ordinary compass; screwed
into the centre of the bottom of the "bowl" or case is a steel point, upon which
the magnetic needle drops; should there be any loss of fluid from the bowl by
leakage or in case of any injury occurring to the ball, the instrument would
then act as an ordinary compass.
The second part of our Invention consists in affixing around the inside of
any compass "bowl" an annular ring, upon which is engraved the degrees or
points of the compass in reverse, that is to say, when looking in the direction
of the north, the east point shall be on the left hand of the observer instead of
on the right hand, and the west point on the right hand instead of on the
left hand, and so on through all the points of. the compass. The magnetic
needle carries a card, which shows only its north and south poles; the north
point may be marked "ship's head" or "ship's course;" when in its proper
position the compass box is so placed that the north and south points on the
annular ring shall coincide with the fore and aft line of the ship. The helms-
man will then have to keep the vessel in such direction that the point on the
floating card marked "ship's head" or "ship's course" shall correspond with
the course marked on the annular ring which he has to steer. The annular
ring is made adjustable in the compass bowl, so as to allow for the deviations
of the magnetic needle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Adkins and Thomas Odemcy Lebert Buss in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 20th October 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
ADKINS, of Church Street, Islington, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
and THOMAS ODEMCY LEBERT Buss, of Hatton Garden, in the same County,
Specific Gravity Instrument Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said John Adkins and Thomas Odemcy Lebert Buss, Her special licence that
we, the said John Adkins and Thomas Odemcy Lebert Buss, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Adkins and

page_text: Thomas Odemcy Lebert Buss, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' COMPASSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said John Adkins and Thomas Odemcy Lebert Buss, our executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or one of our or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Adkins and Thomas Odemcy
Lebert Buss, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawing,
that is to say:-
Our Invention relates, firstly, to an improved mode of constructing the ship's
compass, so as to counteract the vibration to which they are subject in rough
weather, or from other causes. To effect this object, we divide the "bowl" or
case into two compartments, the lower end of which is filled with alcohol or
other suitable liquid; floating on or beneath the surface of this liquid is a
light ball of sufficient bulk to support the weight of the magnetic needle and
card; pendant from the bottom of this ball is a short rod, which carries the
magnetic needle at its lower extremity; to the upper part of the ball another
rod is attached, which passes through a hole in the partition that divides the
two compartments, and to which rod is affixed the compass card, the upper
compartment being covered with a glass, as in the ordinary compass. Screwed
into the centre of the bottom of the "bowl" or case, is a steel point, upon
which the magnetic needle drops; should there be any loss of fluid from the
bowl by leakage or in case of any injury occurring to the ball, the instrument
would then act as an ordinary compass.
The second part of our Invention consists in affixing around the inside of
any compass "bowl" an annular ring, upon which is engraved the degrees or
points of the compass in reverse, that is to say, when looking in the direction
of the north, the east point shall be on the left hand of the observer instead of
on the right hand, and the west point on the right hand instead of on the left

page_text: hand, and so on through all the points of the compass. The magnetic needle
carries a card, which shows only its north and south poles, the north point may
be marked "ship's head" or "ship's course;" when in its proper position the
compass box is so placed that the north and south points on the annular ring
shall coincide with the fore or aft line of the ship. The helmsman will then
have to keep the vessel in such direction that the point on the floating card
marked "ship's head" or "ship's course," shall correspond with the course
marked on the annular ring, which he has to steer. The annular ring is
made adjustable in the compass bowl, so as to allow for the deviations of the
magnetic needle.
The first part of our Invention is shewn at Fig. 1 of the accompanying
Drawing, which is a transverse vertical section of the improved compass. a, a,
is the bowl or case mounted in gimballs, and loaded in the ordinary manner;
b is a partition which divides the case into two compartments, the lower one of
which is filled with alcohol or other suitable liquid; c is a light hollow ball
which floats beneath the surface of this liquid, and carries at its lower extremity
a short rod, to which is attached the magnetic needle e, and also a weight f,
which counterpoises the dip of the needle, and also serves to balance the ball c.
The weight f is made hollow to allow of the entrance of the point g, which
serves to prevent the needle e from touching the sides of the bawl or case,
and also receives it in case of the ball c being injured and no longer able to
support its weight, or in case of any loss of the fluid from within the case, by
leakage or other cause. To the upper part of the ball c is attached another
rod h, "carrying the compass card i," which rod passes through a hole in the
partition b, and bears against the agate cup j, secured to the centre of the glass
cover k. A cistern & placed at the side of the bowl or case of the compass
supplies any trifling loss from evaporation or other cause, and keeps the lower
compartment always full.
The second part of our Invention is shewn at Fig. 2, which is a plan view
of the improved compass card and annular ring. a is the card which is
attached to the magnetic needle in the ordinary manner, the north point only
being marked thereon; 6 is an annular ring attached to the bowl or case of
the compass, and marked with the points of the compass reversed, as shewn in
the Drawing; when placed in its proper position on board the ship, the north
and south points of this ring are made to coincide with the fore and aft line of
the vessel, the floating card will then at once indicate the direction in which
the ship is proceeding.
Having now described our Invention of "Improvements in Ships' Com-

page_text: passes," and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, we
wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent,
we claim,-
First, the mode of mounting ships' compasses, as herein described, and shewn
in Fig. 1 of the accompanying Drawing, or any mere modification thereof.
Secondly, the mode of marking the compass card and the annular ring, as
shewn at Fig. 2.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Adkins and Thomas Odemcy
Lebert Buss, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Nineteenth
day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-eight.
Witness,
GEORGE HUBBLE,
Olive Place, Lewisham.
(L.S.)
JOHN ADKINS.
THOS. O. L. BUSS. (L.S.)