A New or Improved Electric Sounding Device.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 26th July, 1898-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Electric Sounding Device.
We, Joux PATRICK BUCKLEY and WILLIAM AUGUSTUS CROFFERT, both of
635, M Street, Washington, D.C.. C.S.A., Gentlemen, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
This invention relates to a long-distance sounding apparatus for ships or other
vessels, and particularly to an electrical sounding device to ascertain the depth
of the water far in advance of the vessel, and operate an alarm on board the
same.
The prime object of the invention is to provide means whereby the depth of
the water may be determined considerably ahead or in advance of the ship or
other vessel under navigation without stopping or retarding the speed of the ship,
thus avoiding all danger and risk of running into hidden shoals or other obstruc-
tions.
A further object of the invention is to provide a channel or course sounder for
nautical vessels, adapted to be discharged from a vessel in advance thereof, to
determine the safe course of the said vessel.
A further object of the invention is to provide a sounding device to be dis-
charged from a vessel while in motion, to locate a shoal, or shallow water, and to
give an alarm on board said vessel simultaneously with such location.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an electric sounding device
adapted to be vertically suspended in the water or course of a vessel, by a suit-
able float in advance of the vessel to indicate that the water for the vessel's course
is of sufficient depth; said device adapted to come in contact with any obstacle
or obstruction that would lessen the said depth and by such contact to assume
substantially a horizontal position establishing a continuous connection from the
sounder to a bell on the vessel which gives an alarm simultaneously with said
interference upsetting of the sounder.
The invention consists in discharging an electric sounder in advance of a vessel
to give an alarm or warning on board of said vessel of an obstruction or shallow
water.
In the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, Fig. 1, is an
elevation of the front portion of a vessel showing the sounder, in dotted lines,
being discharged, and floating in full lines.
Fig. 2, is an enlarged sectional view of the sounder and float in position to
indicate a clear course for a vessel showing the bell and electrical connection
from the sounder to the bell in elevations and partly broken away.
Fig. 3 is a detached sectional view of the sounder in position to establish the
electric current through the bell, and give an alarm of approaching shallow
water.
The same letters of reference denote the same parts throughout the several
figures of the drawings.
The cylindrical shell or casing A has a stopper B, to confine in the shell the
murcury C though any other suitable liquid contact maker may be employed to
the same end. This shell, the stopper and the murcury constitute the sounder.

page_text: The stopper B is of a non-conducting, material and is tightly secured to the
mouth of the shell by set screws through which stopper the contact wires c
run parallel and terminate on the inner side, for the purpose of allowing them
to be immersed in the imurcury C when the sounder is resting in a horizontal
position.
e.
D is a chord preferably of a flexible-order, one end of which is fixed to the
shell at point while the other is tightly fixed along the circuit line Fat point
Before securing these ends, however, I cause a slack of the circuit line to be
taken in between the said ends, that the line 1 may receive any shock that may
happen in the throw, which is for the purpose of protecting the terminals cc'.
The float E is of a light substance, preferably of cork through which the bell
circuit passes, and is held thereto by means of the strings g and is for the
purpose of carrying the shell perpendicularly when the depth is greater than that
which has been allotted between the said shell and float. The distance on the
depth between the shell and float may be lessened or shortened by drawing the
float back or forward, and afterward secured by the bowstrings g. In this way
the shell is carried over certain depths, which may or may not afford it rest,
as the case might be:
The bell circuit F is composed of the usual insulated wire, which may be made
water proof by chemical treatment, or by being passed through a rubber tubing
and is connected in the usual manner to a switch and battery, and thence to
an alarm bell G, which is placed in the pilot house or in some suitable place
within hearing of the operator aboard the vessel.
His a small size mortar or gun, by which means the shell or sounder is dis-
charged or projected and may be of any design or pattern.
"
"
In practice the line F is coiled or placed in a faking box, after which the
float E is drawn to the desired depth or distance from the shell and tied by the
strings. The shell is now ready to be placed in the gun and is afterwards
fired by the usual methods. This action projects the shell A to a distance corte
sponding to the charge of powder, or air, which may range from one foot to two
thousand feet from the vessel.
If the depth of the water be greater than the operator thinks or supposes, the
shell will sink to the full depth of the line, intervening between the said shell
and float, and thus allow the circuit to remain open, which will assure the operator
of the safety of his vessel in venturing over the ground.
In order to ascertain the depth from the fartherest throw of the sounder to the
side of the vessel, the line is drawn in and allowed to rest while in progress, a
second or two, which will result in either continuous silence, or in a perceptible
alarm, as the case might happen.
In the event of a shell encountering a rock or shell the said shell
will topple over on its side, and thus cause the murcury C to fill
up the intervening space between the terminals & , which will complete
the circuit and cause the bell G to give out an alarm, thus notifying the operator
that the prescribed depth has been found and granting him ample time in which
to change his course. In order to facilitate investigations we employ two lines
with their proper connections as herein described, and fire the second one when
the first one has been drawn in about half the distance which after the first throw
will enable the vessel to keep up uniform speed while sounding.
We do not confine this apparatus to sounding the sea only, as it may be
employed to an equal advantage in steam boilers, or in any place which a float
will act in conjunction with a shell as described.
Having thus particularly described our said invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is:-
1 A shell or easing containing a liquid contact maker and connected by
electric wires to an alarm device, ria an adjustable float, and adapted to be

page_text: suspended without giving an alarm, and when not suspended or only partially
suspended to give an alarm, substantially as set forth.
2: The sounder and float aforesaid, connected by a length of wire to an alarm
device on board ship, and adapted to be projected by mortar or other suitable
device in advance of the ship, as set forth.
3: The sounder aforesaid comprising casing (A), stopper (B) cord (D), and
wires (c) (e), as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this with love of 1..1.. 1000
JOHN PATRICK BUCKLEY,
WILLIAM AUGUSTUS CROFFERT,
By J. G. Wilson & Co.,
Agents.