Improvements relating to Objective Indicating in Coast Batteries and to Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 19th June, 1891-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Objective Indicating in Coast Batteries and
to Apparatus therefor.
I, Captain FRANCIS GLEADOWE STONE, of 8 Guilford Lawn, Dover, in the
County of Kent, Brigade Major Royal Artillery, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to objective indicating in coast batteries and to apparatus
therefor, and more especially to apparatus of the kind or class described in the
Specification accompanying a former application for Letters Patent No. 9333
dated 17th June A.D. 1890. That is to say apparatus for ascertaining simul-
taneously at a main or central station the range or bearing, or both the range and
bearing of an object from one or more other stations in the vicinity thereof, by
means of a suitable chart, a bar or pointer pivoted at a point on the said chart
corresponding with the main station, and provided with a graduated scale and
sliding block or traveller, and one or more bars tapes or cords coupled or pivoted
to the said traveller, and extending therefrom to points on the said chart which
correspond with the other station or stations.
One feature of my present invention is the combination with the said objective
indicator of a suitable range-finder.
Another feature of my said invention is the provision of means for converting
the varying angles of depression or elevation in vertical pointing of a range finder
(as compared with equal increments of range) into equal, vertical, horizontal or
circular movements of a suitable index upon a scale equally graduated or divided,
or by a movable scale and a fixed or stationary index.
I thus obviate the objection to range finders as hitherto commonly employed,
viz. The variations made in the graduations or divisions of the scale in order to
allow or compensate for the varying angles of depression or elevation in vertical
pointing. For example the angles of depression, between 1000 yds. and 1500 yds.
vary considerably more than the angles of depression between 3000 yds. and
3500 yds. although the horizontal space (500 yds.) is the same, therefore in order
to obviate this difficulty the graduations or divisions of the scale upon the drum of
the range-finder, from which the range is read off, are placed further apart for the
short ranges than for the long ranges.
I prefer to employ for the above purpose the range-finder commonly known as
"Watkins Depression Range-finder." I may however use a range-finder of any
other suitable description.
In carrying my said invention into practice I adjustably secure the bracket or
frame of the said range-finder in any suitable manner to the upper extremity of a
bracket or stand the lower extremity whereof is rotatably supported in a bearing
or socket fitted in the table or board carrying the chart. A suitable worm wheel
is keyed or otherwise secured to the lower extremity of the said bracket or stand
and a corresponding worm is firmly secured to or formed on one extremity of a
shaft or spindle supported in suitable bearings attached to the underside of the
said board or table and having a hand-wheel, keyed or otherwise secured to the
other extremity thereof for permitting the rotation of the said shaft or spindle and
consequently through the worm and worm wheel of the said bracket or stand and
the range-finder so as to effect the lateral or horizontal pointing of the latter. Any
other suitable means however may be employed for this purpose. For operating
the lateral or horizontal pointing of the said range-finder I provide a worm-wheel
supported in suitable bearings in the hereinbefore mentioned bracket or stand,
and with which is adapted to engage a corresponding worm formed on or firmly

page_text: secured to one extremity of a spindle also supported in suitable bearings in the
said bracket or stand, and having at the other extremity thereof a hand-wheel,
crank arm or other means for conveniently operating the same. provide more-
over a connecting rod one extremity of which is hinged or jointed in any con-
venient manner to the end of the elevating lever of the said range-finder, and the
other extremity of which is provided with a stud, pin, or projection adapted to
engage in a curved or spiral cam groove formed in one of the sides of the above
mentioned worm-wheel. Upon the said worm shaft or spindle is firmly -keyed-or
otherwise secured a bevel or mitre wheel gearing with a corresponding bevel or
mitre wheel firmly keyed or otherwise secured upon the upper, or one extremity of
a vertical shaft or spindle. This vertical shaft or spindle is provided at its other
or lower extremity with another mitre or bevel wheel gearing with a corresponding
mitre or bevel wheel secured upon one extremity of a screw-threaded spindle. This
screw-threaded spindle is arranged to screw into a correspondingly internally
screw-threaded hole provided in a slide-block or slide-piece fitted to slide or move
freely in suitable ways provided in guides firmly secured to or formed on the above
mentioned bracket or stand. The said slide-block or slide-piece has upon its upper
surface a suitable index or pointer adapted to indicate upon a suitably graduated
scale provided upon the said guide bars the amount or vertical adjustment imparted
to the range-finder through the hereinbefore mentioned worm, worm-wheel, cam
groove and connecting rod.
By means of the above mentioned curved or spiral cam groove (the curve of
which is calculated mathematically) the said graduations can be converted into
uniform horizontal, circular or vertical graduations, so that if one complete turn of
the wheel gives a difference of 1000 yds. between 1000 yds. and 2000 yds., a second
turn will in like manner give a difference of 1000 yds. between 2000 yds. and
3000 yds.
Although I have hereinbefore described a convenient and advantageous method
of carrying my said invention into practice it is obvious that I can somewhat
modify the construction of my improved apparatus without however in any way
departing from the nature of my said invention. For instance instead of employing
a movable index I sometimes employ a fixed or stationary index.
Dated this 6th day of October 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Objective Indicating in Coast Batteries and
to Apparatus. therefor.
I, FRANCIS GLEADOWE STONE, Captain and Brigade Major, Royal Artillery,
8 Guilford Lawn, Dover, in the County of Kent, 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 objective indicating and to apparatus therefor and
more especially to apparatus of the kind or class described in the Specification of
Letters Patent granted to me No. 9333 dated 17th June A.D. 1890 that is to say,
apparatus for ascertaining at a main or central station the range or bearing or both
the range and bearing of an object from one or more other stations in the vicinity
thereof.
One feature of my present invention is the combination with an objective
indicator such as described in the aforesaid Specification of a suitable range-finder.
Heretofore in the use of my objective indicator it has been customary to find the
range by any suitable or convenient means not mechanically connected with the
said indicator. I now provide for connecting the range finder. with the. objective
indicator in such a manner that the movement or adjustment of the telescope of

page_text: the range-finder will cause or be accompanied by the movement of the traveller
along the indicator arm.
Another feature of my said invention is the provision of means whereby not-
withstanding the variation in the ratio of the angular movements of the telescope
to the distances of the objective at different ranges the movements of the indicator
index will be caused to be proportional to such distances. That is to say the
varying angles of elevation or depression of the range-finder corresponding to equal
increments or decrements of range are converted into or are accompanied by equal
movements of a suitable index upon a scale which is graduated or divided equally
throughout its entire length. I thus obviate one objection to range finders as
hitherto commonly constructed eiz.:-The necessity for employing a scale whereon
the graduations or divisions corresponding to equal increments of range are of
varying length from one end of the scale to the other.
I prefer to employ for the above purpose the range-finder commonly known as
"The Watkins Depression Range-finder." I may however use a range-finder of any
other suitable description. I connect the said range-finder to the objective indicator
in a suitable manner, that is to say, in such a manner that the said range finder and
objective indicator will move together, for instance I mount them both on a common
axis. I moreover so connect the sliding block or traveller of the objective indicator
to the gearing for elevating or depressing the range-finder that the said block or
traveller is moved outward as the range-finder is elevated and inward as the
range-finder is depressed, and in such a manner that the position of the block or
traveller on the indicator arm corresponds always with the range of the field of
vision of the range-finder, and in order that the movements of the block or
traveller for equal increments of range may be constant I provide an automatic
compensating device which operates to continuously increase the effect of the
actuating gear on the block or traveller relatively to its effect upon the range finder
as the range of vision increases.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown a convenient manner of carrying my
invention into practice.
The said drawing represents partly in elevation and partly in vertical central
section my present improvements as applied to an objective indicator of the kind
or class described in the aforesaid Specification No. 9333 of 1890, so much of
the said indicator being shown as is necessary to enable my invention to be clearly
understood.
A is the board or other surface to which the indicator chart is fixed, A² is
the socket in which the pivot pin F of the indicator arm F is centred the said
socket being situated at the position on the chart corresponding to the main or
head observing station as fully described in the aforesaid Specification, G is the
sliding block or traveller mounted on the said arm F. instead however of moving
the traveller G by hand I now provide for moving it by a screw-threaded spindle
as hereinafter fully set forth.
a is the range-finder, the bracket or frame & of which is adjustably secured in any
suitable manner to a frame or stand which is mounted or secured on the pivot
pin F of the indicator arm F, the said pivot pin being suitably constructed to
receive the said bracket or stand. A worm wheel d is keved or otherwise secured
to the lower extremity of the pivot pin F1 and a worm gearing with the said
worm wheel d is firmly secured to or formed on one extremity of a stem or spindle d².
The latter is supported in suitable brackets e attached to the underside of the board
or table A' and has a hand-wheel keyed or otherwise secured to the other extremity
thereof. By means of this hand wheel the said pin and with it the indicator
arm F and the range-finder a may be rotated so as to effect the horizontal or lateral
pointing. Other suitable means however may be employed for this purpose. For
effecting the vertical pointing of the range finder I provide a worm wheel which
is supported in suitable bearings in the frame or stand c, and with which said
worm wheel is adapted to engage a worm 2 formed on or firmly secured to one

page_text: C
extremity of a spindle g³. The latter is supported in suitable bearings, in the
frame or stand and has at the other extremity thereof a hand wheel whereby
the said spindle may be conveniently operated. In the face of the worm wheel g
or in a disc secured on the spindle or axle of the said worm wheel, I form a spiral
groove or channel i so constructed that the curvature of the spiral continuously
increases from its greatest to its smallest diameter. To the elevating lever a of.
the range-finder I pivot at a² a link in the lower end of which is fitted a stud or
pin that projects into the said spiral groove i. Moreover I provide the frame b
with a projection in which is formed a vertical slot 62. The said pin j works in
the said slot and is guided thereby in its up and down movements.
It is obvious
that when the hand wheel h is rotated the wheel will be turned about its axis and
the spiral groove or channel i will operate to elevate or depress the range-finder, the
rate of elevation or depression depending upon the position of the pin j' in the said
spiral groove or channel.
Upon the worm shaft or spindle g³ is firmly keyed or otherwise secured a bevel
or mitre wheel & which gears with a bevel or mitre wheel / firmly keyed or other-
wise secured upon the upper extremity of a vertical shaft or spindle m. The said
shaft or spindle m is provided at its lower extremity with another mitre or bevel
wheel a gearing with a mitre or bevel wheel o secured upon one extremity of a
screw-threaded spindle p. The said screw-threaded spindle is carried in suitable
bearings in the indicator arın F and extends from one end to the other of the
said arm.
Moreover the spindle engages with a screw-threaded hole or nut
provided in the slide-block or traveller G of the said arm so that when the hand
wheel is rotated for the purpose of elevating or depressing the range finder or
sliding block or traveller Gis thereby caused to move in one or the other direction
along the indicator arm. Each complete turn or similar number of turns of the
hand-wheel. causes the traveller G to move the same distance along the indicator
arm and also gives to the worm wheel y a proportionate movement about its axis.
As, however the spiral groove or channel is of constantly increasing curvature
from its greatest to its least diameter the movement of the range finder relatively
to the movement of the traveller G during the turning of the hand-wheel in either
direction is continuously accelerated or retarded according as the said range finder
is being depressed or elevated. It will thus be seen that by making the groove or
channel of such a form that each complete turn of the hand wheel will move the
range-finder through distances corresponding to equal increments or decrements of
range, then the movements of the range-finder and the traveller G will synchronize
or in other words the said traveller will always occupy a position on the indicator
arm corresponding to the range of vision of the range-finder and the said traveller
therefore does not require an independent setting or adjustment. The shape of the
curve will depend on the vertical height of the range finder above the plane of the
objects the distance or range of which it is desired to ascertain.
Although I have hereinbefore described a convenient and advantageous method
of carrying my said invention into practice it is obvious that I can modify the
construction of my improved apparatus without in any way departing from the
nature of my said invention. For instance instead of employing the spiral groove
or channel may provide for actuating the range finder by means of a screw
of varying pitch, the said screw being connected to a hand wheel in any suitable
manner, and the elevating lever of the range finder being provided with a pin or its
equivalent engaging with the said screw.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
First. The combination of a range finder with an objective indicator for the
purpose above specified.
Second. A range-finder so constructed that in the adjustment of the telescope to

page_text: different ranges the unequal angular movements of the telescope corresponding to
equal increments or decrements of range will cause or be accompanied by equal
movements of an index upon a scale, for the purpose specified.
Third. The telescope and traveller connected or geared together substantially as
described through the medium of a shaft by the turning of which the said range-
finder and traveller can be simultaneously moved or adjusted for the purpose
specified.
Fourth. The apparatus constructed and operating substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 19th day of June 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.