Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 26th May, 1886
Complete Left, 28th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 29th Mar., 1887.
RESERVI
"
I, JOHN WILSON GILLIE, of New Quay, North Shields, in the County of North-
umberland Maker and Adjuster of Ships' Compasses, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to construct a course corrector having the following
advantages viz-
1st. That it can be readily fitted to the top of "binnacle," over the compass, by
removing the brass cap; which mode of application prefer, or may be used
independently of the "binnacle" when more convenient.
2nd. That the centre of oscillation in the "gimbals which are of very small
diameter being close underneath the dial, the sights do not roll to any disturbing
extent, and the edge of dial being free from any projecting divided circle or frame
allows the eye to be brought close up to the sight while the instrument is much
lighter and more portable.
3rd. The taller sight being on a hinge can be used as a shadow pin as well as a
sight vane.
4th. The instrument supplies at a moderate price means whereby in almost any
weather the deviation of the compass can be ascertained with ease and accuracy and
in rough weather a correct magnetic course is obtained at once and it is more simple
of application and of greater accuracy than some much more expensive and complicated
instruments.
It consists primarily of a metal dial plate divided to degrees and quarter points,
which is movable round a centre, which centre forms the end of a spindle swung in
gimbals" and weighted at one end.
The "gimbals" are small in diameter and placed close underneath the plate or dial,
they are supported exteriorly by lugs rising from a brass cone which cone is made
so that it can be easily fitted to the top of a binnacle.
Above the dial plate, and fitting upon a square filed on the spindle upon the bearing
of the dial plate is a pointer to indicate the position of the ship's head. Above the
pointer, movable round the spindle and bearing upon it, and capable of being clamped
TD 017

page_text: to the dial plate, is a bar carrying two sight vanes, one much taller than the other, the
taller sight, being hinged and placed nearer the centre of the bar than the shorter
sight, which latter is screwed to the end of the bar. In front of the taller sight, and
carried by two arms, spreading out towards the edge of the dial plate is a segment of
a circle divided to 40° more or less on each side of a nonius, the nonius being in the
line of the sights. This divided segment fitted to move rather stiffly on the edge of
the plate, over-lapping about 4th of an inch, its degrees touching the degrees on the
divided plate or dial. On this segment is movable a sliding pointer, capable of being
clamped, at any degree on the divided segment, and also when clamped there of
pointing to the degrees on the divided plate. On the end of the spindle is a small
thumb screw capable of clamping the bar and dial together if necessary.
The application is as follows:
Having set off the variation, by means of the sliding pointer, on the divided
segment on end of sights bar and fixed the pointer, move the bar with the segment
and the pointer so fixed until it points to the bearing, taken from Burdwoods tables,
on the dial plate.
Then clamp the bar and dial together and move them round until the shadow of the
wire in taller sight falls upon the slit in the shorter sight when the pointer' will
indicate the magnetic course on the dial.
An alternative method, I propose to adopt is that of having two pointers instead of
one, having one fixed, the second movable round the other on each side of it and over
or under it, so that by doing away altogether with the divided segment and sliding
index, and substituting this extra pointer, and putting a small pointer at the short end
of the bar to point to the degrees on the divided dial, I would set off the amount of
variation by the second pointer, in the same way as I did with the sliding pointer on
divided segment only in the opposite direction, and using the degrees on the dial plate
instead of those on the divided segment. Then, proceeding as before, set off the
bearing taken from Burdwood's tables on the dial, by means of the pointer attached
to the bar, then move the bar and dial plate round together until the shadow of the
taller sight as thrown by the sun, falls upon the slit in the smaller sight vane, when
the fixed pointer will show the magnetic course while the movable pointer shows the
true course.
The instrument is equally applicable when the sun is obscured so as not to throw a
shadow or when the bearing is that of a star or a fixed point on land by the sights
being used so that the wire in latter sight cuts the object.
Dated this 26th day of May 1886.
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Course Correctors for Ships' Compasses.
I JOHN WILSON GILLIE of North Shields in the County of Northumberland Maker
and Adjuster of Ships Compasses do hereby declare the nature of said 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 my invention is to construct a Course Corrector having the following
advantages namely
1st. That it can be readily fitted to the top of "binnacle" over the Compass, by
removing the brass cap; which mode of application I prefer, or may be used
independently of the "binnacle" when more convenient.
2nd. That the centre of oscillation in the "gimballs" which are of very small
diameter being close underneath the dial, the sights do not roll to any disturbing
extent, and the edge of dial being free from any projecting divided circle or frame
allows the eye to be brought close up to the sight while the instrument is much lighter
and more portable.
3rd. The taller sight being on a hinge can be used as a shadow pin as well as a
sight vanc.
4th. The instrument supplies at a moderate price means whereby in almost any
weather the deviation of the compass can be ascertained with ease and accuracy nnd
in rough weather a correct magnetic course is obtained at once and it is more simple
of application and of greater accuracy than some much more expensive and complicated
instruments.
It consists primarily of a metal dial plate divided to degrees and quarter points,
which is moveable round a centre, which centre forms the end of a spindle swung in
gimballs" and weighted at one end.
"
.
The "gimballs" are small in diameter and placed close underneath the plate or dial,
they are supported exteriorly by lugs rising from a brass cone which cone is made so
that it can be easily fitted to the top of a binnacle or on an independent tripod or
other stand. In one form it is constructed as follows.
Above the dial plate, and fitting upon a square filed on the spindle upon the bearing
of the dial plate is a pointer to indicate the position of the ship's head. Above the
pointer, moveable round the spindle and bearing upon it, and capable of being
clamped to the dial plate, is a bar carrying two sight vanes, one much taller than the
other, the taller sight, being hinged and placed nearer the centre of the bar than the
shorter sight, which latter is screwed to the end of the bar. In front of the taller
sight, and carried by two arms, spreading out from the sight bar towards the edge of
the dial plate is a segment of a circle divided to 40° more or less on each side of a
nonius, the nonius being in the line of the sights. This divided segment is fitted to
move rather stiftly on the edge of the dial plate, overlapping about 4th of an inch, its
degrees touching the degrees on the divided dial. On this segment is moveable a
sliding pointer, capable of being clamped at any degree on the divided segment, and

page_text: also when clamped there of pointing to the degrees on the divided dial. On the end
of the spindle is a small thumb screw capable of clamping the bar and dial together if
necessary.
The application is as follows.
Having set off the variation, by means of the sliding pointer, on the divided
segment on end of sights bar and fixed the pointer, move the bar with the segment
and the pointer so fixed until it. points to the bearing, taken from Burdwood's tables,
on the dial plate.
Then clamp the bar and dial together and move them round until the shadow of the
wire in taller sight falls upon the slit in the shorter sight when the pointer will indicate
the magnetic course on the dial.
In an alternative method which I prefer and propose to adopt I use two pointers
instead of one, having one fixed, the second moveable round the other on each side of
it and over or under it, so that by doing away altogether with the divided segment
and sliding index, and substituting this extra pointer, and putting a small pointer or
notch at one end of the bar to point to the degrees on the divided dial, I set off the
amount of variation by the second pointer, in the same way as I did with the sliding
pointer on divided segment only in the opposite direction, and using the degrees on
the dial plate instead of those on the divided segment. Then proceeding as before
I set off the bearing taken from Burdwoods tables on the dial, by means of the pointer
or notch on the bar, then move the bar and dial plate round together until the shadow
of the taller sight now hinged on the extreme end of the bar as thrown by the Sun,
falls upon the slit in the smaller sight vane, when the moveable pointer will show the
magnetic course while the fixed pointer shews the true course of vice versa.
The instrument is equally applicable when the sun is obscured so as not to throw a
shadow or when the bearing is that of a star or a fixed point on land by the sights
being used so that the wire in taller sight cuts the object.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
On the accompanying sheet of drawings I illustrate my invention according to both
methods of carrying it out the instrument being in both shewn with a cone support
intended to fit into the socket on top of Binnacle over the compass by removing the
cap. When intended to be used separated from the Compass it is furnished with
means for attaching it to a tripod or other stand of convenient form.
Figures 1 and 2 shew to its natural size a plan on top and section through a Course
Corrector made according to the second method of my invention.
Figures 3 and 4 shew, to one quarter the natural size, a plan on top and section..
through a Course Corrector made according to the first method of my invention.
On all the Figures the same letters refer to corresponding parts when such parts
occur.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 A is the divided dial marked with the points of the
Compass carried by and turning upon the top of central spindle B, a collar C upon
which carries studs D which work in the "gimbal" ring E which is centred on studs F
(indicated by dotted mes) in lugs projecting from the Cone G which is arranged to
fit into the socket on top of Binnacle. The spindle B has on its lower end a weight H
by which the dial and other parts of the Course Corrector are kept steady against
rolling or pitching of the ship.
The Crossbar which carries the fixed short sight K and the hinged taller sight L
with wire at opposite ends is movable round the centre spindle B and by a set screw M
can be clamped to the dial A so that both can be moved together.
Above the dial plate on spindle B is a square upon which fits the pointer N turning
only with the spindle to indicate the ships head, and above it is the pointer O by
which the variation is set off, moving freely round the spindle but capable of being
fixed by the clamping screw P on top of spindle in any relative position to the
pointer N.
Referring to Figures 3 and 4 A is the dial movable round the spindle B. Above

page_text: the dial A is a pointer N which turns only with the spindle to indicate the Ship's head
and above this pointer is the Cross Bar J carrying the fixed short sight K and the
hinged taller sight L and movable round the centre spindle B but capable of being
clamped to the dial plate A by the set-screw P. This Crossbar at one end is spread
out and carries the segment Q set out 40° on each side forming the arc upon which
the variation is set off by an adjustable pointer 0 (corresponding with that on
Figures 1 and 2) which can be clamped at any position on the variation arc Q.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
1st. In Compass Course Correctors attached to the Binnacle over the Compass or
independent thereof shewing the magnetic course at once and allowing for local
variation or declination as herein before described namely by the use of a single dial or
divided circle and two pointers attached to the centre of the spindle which forms the
centre of the dial; whether one of the pointers be placed on a divided segment on
the sight bar, described as my first method and shewn by Figures 3 and 4, or both
pointers be placed on the centre spindle, described as my second method and shewn
by Figures 1 and 2. Or by any other method, in the exercise of which one dial and
two pointers are used, whether one of the pointers be attached to the centre of the
spindle oil to some outside support.
"
2nd. In Compass Course Correctors of this or other forms making the "gimballing"
arrangement of small diameter, thereby leaving the edge of the divided plate free and
allowing the eye to be brought close up to the sights; and placing the gimbals:
close up beneath the dial plate so bringing the centre of the sights as near as possible
to the centre of suspension; thereby giving a less range of oscillation to the former
and so permitting the object sighted to be more easily kept in view, while the vessel
is rolling about in a seaway.
3rd. The combination of parts constituting the instrument in either of the two
forms described and shewn by Figures 1 and 2 and Figures 3 and 4 or any mere
modification thereof.