Year: 1886

page_text: I, FRANK DELLA TORRE, gentleman, residing at No. 239, North Charles Street, in
the City of Baltimore, County of Baltimore, and State of Maryland, one of the United
States of America, 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 a method of ascertaining the presence of obstructions to
navigation, their direction and location by reflecting sounds and hearing said sounds
from various locations upon steam ships or other vessels using my invention.
This method involves the use of sound, either direct from its original point or from
an object returning it as an echo. It also requires that the sound be reflected before
it is heard and that the reflection should be made from a known angle or angles.
It involves some of the principles presented in my patent of June, 10th, 1884,
No. 8794, but the present method is more reliable and sensitive, as a parabolic sound
receiver will catch sound although its axis may be at angle of, 10, to, 30, degrees with
the direction of the sound produced.
The use of this method is applicable for ships in foggy weather or at night when it
is most needed to detect the presence of ice-bergs, other vessels, the near proximity of
land, or other obstacles to safe navigation.
The principal devices employed in the practice of my method are a sound reflector
and a sound receiver arranged together at known angles, these devices being preferably
mounted upon a pivot whereby any sound can be receiver upon the reflector at an
angle of 45, degrees and directed into the sound receiver. In the accompanying
drawings.
Figure, 1, represents in perspective an apparatus illustrating the application of my
method.
Figure, 2, is a top view of substantially the same device.
Figure, 3, represents a top view of a modification of the same.
Figure, 4, represents in plan the deck of a vessel and roof of its deck house
illustrating the application of my invention.

page_text: Figure, 5, is a top view of the device shown in figure, 2, enclosed in a hood or
sound absorber.
Figure, 6, is a diagramatic view of a portion of a harbor or river with signals or
indication stations.
Figure, 7, is a side view of two of the reflectors.
A, represents a sound reflector preferably made of a flat surface; it is mounted
vertically upon one end of a rod B, pivotally supported about the middle of its length
upon a vertical shaft, C, projecting from a stand, D, adapted to be secured in a
suitable location upon a vessel, for example upon the forward portion of the deck or
upon the roof of the deck house or in front of the bridge of a steam ship.
The opposite end of the rod, B, carries a series of short tubes, b, preferably with
flaring or trumpet shaped mouth pointing toward the focus or centre of the sound
reflector, A.
The receiving tubes may have their rear end straight as shown at, b, or curved as
shown at 62, and the latter provided with flexible tubes, 63, carrying the sounds
received therein to a distance, either horizontally or to any location under the deck.
The shaft, C, carries horizontally near its upper end a pointer, c, travelling upon a
platform, D³, divided into degrees, and said shaft may extend under deck to the top
of a table or platform similarly divided, and be provided with a similar pointer to
rotate over said lower platform.
The horizontal rod, B, may carry only one receiving tube, b, as shown in figure, 3,
in which case, one end of the rod, B, is provided with a segmental bar, B², upon
which said tube, b, may be moved horizontally to change the angle made by the axis
relatively to the surface of the sound reflector, A.
The bar, B³, is either slotted to guide the collar, 63, upon the receiving tube, or the
lower end of said collar may be made to straddle and slide upon the bar, B.
The forward part of the deck house, E, may be made V-shaped, or prismatic with
the point forward and its faces, e, used to reflect sounds into the flaring mouth of the
tubes, b, and be directed through tubes to any location where an officer may be
stationed. The sounds may come direct from some object or vessel, or be an echo
or sound reflected by said object from a whistle, a gun or a bell, F, under control of a
person on board of the vessel carrying my apparatus. Said apparatus may be
provided with a second reflector as shown dotted at, A³, in figure, 2, and the reflected
sound carried again forward in the direction from which it came or be received in
tubes located under a hood, G, similar to that shewn in Fig. 5 acting as a sound
absorber, under which the officer on watch takes his position and is thus in the
acoustic shadow of sounds striking the reflector, A.
The reflector may be inclined forward to direct the sounds under the hood of a
companion way in the deck to an officer stationed under the deck. By this method
and means a person stationed adjacent to the rear end of the tubes, b, can ascertain
the precise direction from which sounds reach his vessel, and if he uses the echo of a
sound produced on board of his vessel and reflected by an unknown object he can
also ascertain the distance of said object. If he uses an apparatus similar to that
shown in figures, 2, and, 5, having the pointer, c, set parallel to the axis of his vessel
and applying his ear successively to each one of the tubes, b, he receives a larger
amount of sound from the central tube than from the others, it will indicate that there
is an obstruction dead ahead: If he receives a large amount of sound from the tube
on the left side it will indicate an obstruction on the starboard side, &c., and if the
arm, B2, has graduation marks, the exact location of the obstruction can be located
and the danger of collision with unseen objects is obviated.
As preliminary to the practicing of the second portion of my invention and as
auxiliary thereto, it is necessary to provide, construct, or furnish the following
instrumentalities.
First, a chart of the localities such as is usually employed by navigators; second,
the location at intervals at or about prominent points, suitably indicated upon the
chart, a series of sound reflectors or echo producing media, each having some
characteristic feature whereby it can be distinguished from others, as by the number,

page_text: direction or intervals of the echoes produced or by its association with other echo
producing bodies; and third, a sound producing medium, a compass and an observer
located upon the vessel.
In figure, 6, of the drawings the full lines represent the shore of a bay, or bank of
a river, and the dotted lines the channel. V, designates a vessel approaching the bay
and, R, the reflectors located one on each side at the entrance and at a considerable
distance apart, so that the navigator sailing by compass will be able to ascertain from
the direction of the echo to which side the channel or entrance lays. S, designates
the second echo station furnished with two reflectors the one located some distance in
rear of the other and in position to create a double echo.
As the vessel approaches and passes the first station, R, the navigator determines
his course by the compass, and proceeding until the double echo of station, S, is
observed, he approaches the last named station to within a given or determinate
distance (which latter is ascertained by the direction of the sound received and the
length of time elapsing before the echo is received,) when the course of the vessel is
again changed and pursued until the echo from station, T, is observed, thereby
establishing another point, & so on throughout the whole course.
Where the channel is particularly tortuous or narrow as at, N, in the drawing, it is
desirable that a signal station should be provided of such character as to enable the
navigator to readily ascertain the centre of the channel, and this is accomplished by
locating a reflector, n, ou each side and at or about equal distances from the centre of
the channel.
Upon approaching and passing such a station, if the vessel pursues the proper
course, which will carry it through the centre of the channel, a single echo will be
observed but should the vessel be carried out of its course and to the right or left of
the channel a double echo will be observed the first proceeding from the nearer
reflector and the second from the more remote.
From the signal thus produced, the navigator is not only warned of his dangerous
position, but is provided with the means whereby to correct his course, as by steering
in the direction of the second echo & away from the first until the two echoes are
merged and produce an impression as of a single echo, which point will be reach
when the reflectors are equidistant from the vessel, thus bringing the latter in the
channel.
A signal system such as this can be utilized with good effect for navigating narrow
and tortuous channels both in clear weather and in the night time, as well as during
a fog, for by its use either alone or in connection with visible objects, and the vessel
can be guided through the centre of the channel and any departure & quickly
accurately noted & as readily corrected.
The distance intervening between the vessel and any reflector or echo signal station
can be readily ascertained by the application of well known rules for determining the
rate of sound transmission.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. The method herein set forth of detecting the direction of invisible obstacles
to navigation, which consists in producing a sound at the observers station, the echo
of which from any obstacle is caught and reflected at a known angle to the ear of the
observer.
Second. The method herein set forth of detecting distant & invisible objects
upon navigable waters which consists in producing a sound upon a vessel or in a
known locality reflecting it & ascertaining the direction of a body which returns
said produced sound to the vessel, substantially as described.
Third. The method of ascertaining the direction of an object dangerous to the
navigation of a vessel which consists in receiving a sound upon said vessel and
deflecting it according to well known angles into receivers, substantially as described.
Fourth. The method herein set forth of detecting distant and invisible objects
dangerous to the navigation of a vessel which consists in receiving a sound upon said

page_text: vessel deflecting it according to well known angles within a sound protected location
and thereby ascertaining the direction of the obstruction, substantially as described.
Fifth. The method herein set forth of disclosing obstacles to navigation which
consists in reflecting at a known angle or angles before being heard, sounds received
on board of a vessel and thereby ascertaining the direction of said obstacles.
Sixth. The herein described improved method for facilitating the navigating of
shallow coast or inland waters at night or during a fog, which consists in first,
establishing a series of sound reflecting and signal stations at predetermined points,
second, locating their position upon a chart of the particular locality, & third,
causing a sound producing device to be operated upon the vessel in a manner to
produce an echo or series of echoes be reffection from the signal stations, whereby
the observer is enabled to ascertain his proximity to any given signal station and by
reference to the chart can determine his position and proper course to be sailed.
Seventh. The herein described method of navigating narrow or tortuous channels
which consists in locating sound reflectors upon opposite sides and equidistant from
the centre of the channel, operating a sound producer upon the vessel and determining
the course to be sailed by reference to the successive echoes as observed upon the said
vessel and produced by the said reflectors, as set forth.
Eighth. As an improvement in the art of navigating shallow coast or inland
waters, the employment of a series of sound reflectors or echo signal stations located
at predetermined intervals, and a sound producer upon the vessel, & ascertaining
the position of said vessel with respect to said station or stations through the medium
of the echo signals so produced, as and for the purpose set forth.
Ninth. In a system for navigating shallow coast or inland waters, the employment
of a series of stations composed of sound reflectors located at predetermined points for
producing echo signals, each of said stations being adapted to produce a characteristic
echo signal, whereby each station can be located by means of its echo as received
upon a passing vessel, substantially as described.