Improvements in and relating to Sounding Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Sounding Apparatus.
I, HENRY HARVEY FRANKLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at
75 Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn, in the County of Kings, and State of New
York, U.S.A. Sheet Metal Workman, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to shallow water alarms; and the object thereof is to
provide an improved electrical alarm device of this class which is adapted to be
connected with a ship, steam boat, or other vessel, and by means of which the
depth of the water may be easily and quickly determined, whenever necessary;
a further object being to provide a device of this class which is adapted to be
connected with a vessel or any part thereof, and to indicate at once, the fact that
the vessel is in shallow water; and with these and other objects in view, the
invention consists in the construction combination and arrangement of parts
bereinafter described and claimed.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the
accompanying drawing forms a part, in which :-
Fig. 1, is a central, vertical section of a casing which I employ, and which forms
a part of my improved indicator or signal device.
Fig. 2, a central, vertical transverse section at right angles to Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, a sectional view of a drum which I employ, which may be connected
with a vessel or any part thereof and from which the signal apparatus or device is
suspended; and,
Fig. 4, a diagramatic view of the apparatus.
In the practice of my invention, reference being made to Figs. 1, and 2,
I provide a circular casing which comprises two sides A, within which is a circular
chamber a, which is provided with non-conducting sides b, and a non-conducting
ring C, and at each side of said circular chamber a, is a circular piece, or open
ring D, the open ends of which are directed upwardly as shown in Fig. 2, and
which is composed of copper, or other conducting material.
I also provide a cable M, through which passes two conductors m, and the
cable M, is secured in the upper side of the casing, or passes therethrough, and
through a tubular head a³, formed thereon, part of said tubular head being formed
on each side of the casing, and the cable M, is secured in the upper side of the
casing or in said tubular head, and the conductors m, pass therethrough and enter
the chamber a, and said conductors are separated where they enter the chamber,
and one of said conductors connects with each of the open rings D.
Passing centrally through the casing and the chamber a, is a shaft B, which has
its bearings in the sides A, and the stuffing boxes F, which are designed to prevent
any leakage around the shaft, and at the center of this shaft B, is mounted a
non-conducting block E, which is bolted to the shaft or secured thereto in any
desired manner, and at one side of this block E, are two spring loops or arms e,
which are composed of good conducting material, and which are adapted to slide,
in the operation of the device, between the two circular conductors D, and the
conductors e, of the block E, are for the purpose of closing the circuit between the
conductors D.

page_text: Mounted on the extreme ends of the shafts B, are arms H, which are brought
together and secured by bolts or other devices as shown at g, in Figs. 1, and 2, and
a rod or pendulum H2 is connected therewith, and formed in the inner surfaces of
the plates A, Dear their perimeters are annular grooves K, which, when the plates
are bolted together form a circular annular chamber, which is filled with prepared
asphalt or similar material, and the bolts by which the sides A, of the casing are
held together, pass through this annular chamber, and the asphalt or similar
material therein renders the same water-tight.
The groove K2, is formed in the outer edges of the plates A, and a small
cable K³, is secured in this groove, and passed around the casing and united with
the cable M, as shown at K, by a clamp or band K', or in any desired manner,
and which, when connected therewith, forms one cable, and assists in the support
of the casing, and the cable M, is wound on a drum O, which is shown in Figs. 3,
and 4, and said drum is preferably connected with the rail E³, or side of the boat
or vessel at any desired point or place by means of vertical standards or arms d
which are hinged to said rail.
The drum is inade to revolve on bearings connected with said standards or arms,
and said standards or arms are hinged to the rail in order that the drum may he
swung outwardly over the side of the vessel when the signal device or casing is to
be lowered into the water.
The cable M, with the fathom marks thereon, not shown, is lowered to any desired
depth, and should the boat run into shallow water, the pendulum or rod H* will
strike the bottom which causes the pendulum to move to one side of a plumb line,
which will also move the conductors e, to one side, thus closing the circuit in the
chamber a.
The cable M, is wound on the drum O, and the conductors m, therein, are each
connected with contact pieces a 4, which are connected with conductors a 5, which
extend through a block a 6, by means of contact springs or brushes of the usual
construction, and the conductors a 5, are in circuit with a battery u, and an alarm bell
or similar device w, which are preferably located in the pilot house.
In winding and unwinding the drum, one of the arms or standards d, is grasped
by the hand, as shown in Fig. 3, and the thumb is pressed against a spring
operated lever C 2, which is provided with a projection or stop which is adapted
to enter apertures or openings in the adjacent head of the drum, and this will allow
the drum to be turned by means of the crank x, and the stop or projection on the
lever C 2, will stop the drum every half revolution, and this construction is designed
to correspond with the arrangement of the contact springs at a 4, so as to insure a
perfect circuit every time the drum stops.
I also provide stays R, which may be connected with the sides of the casing, as
shown in Fig. 2, and also with the vessel at any desired point, and which are
adapted to securely hold the casing or signal apparatus when lowered into the
water, and the operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description
when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.
It will be understood that the arms H, are rigidly mounted on the shafts B, and
that in practice, the casing is thrown overboard with the pendulum H 2, suspended
therefrom said pendulum being secured to said arms H, and if the pendulum H 2,
strikes the bottom, the operation thereof on the shaft B, will cause the circuit to
be completed within the casing and the alarm to be given in the pilot house.
The cable M, is divided, as herein before described into fathoms, or provided
with a scale of fathoms or feet, whichever may be desired, and the amount
thereof unwound from the drum may be readily determined at any time, and
thus, the amount of water, or the depth thereof in which the vessel is moving, can
quickly be determined.
The vessel, if large, may be provided with two of these devices, and the casing,
composed of the parts A, and other parts connected therewith, is preferably
made of considerable weight, and the object of passing the cable around the
casing in the grooves K³, and connecting it with the cable M, is to give

page_text: greater strength thereto, and to securely support the casing, and prevent the
loss thereof.
These cables may be made of any desired material, and my invention is not
limited to the exact form, construction, combination and arrangement of the parts
herein described, as it is evident that changes therein, and modifications thereof,
may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, or sacrificing its
advantages.
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 :-
1. An electrical alarm device or apparatus which is adapted to be connected with
a vessel, and to determine the depth of the water in which said vessel is moving, by
coming in contact with the ground, said alarm device or apparatus being constructed
as herein described, and as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, of the drawing.
2. An electrical alarm or signal apparatus adapted for use on board a vessel, and
for determining the depth of water, which comprises a casing which is suspended
by a cable through which passes two conductors, said casing being provided with
a shaft, which passes centrally therethrough, and with a device or devices connected
therewith, and adapted to complete the circuit through said conductors, said shaft
being provided at each end with arms to which are secured a rod or pendulum
which is adapted to come in contact with the ground, and said cable being
wound on a drum which is suitable mounted on the vessel, and the conductors
therein being in electrical connection with an alarm and a battery, substantially as
described.
3. An electrical alarm for use on board a vessel and for determining the depth
of water, which consists of a casing which is suspended by a cable through which
passes two conductors, said casing being provided with a shaft which passes centrally.
therethrough, and with an arm connected therewith, which is adapted to complete
the circuit through said conductors, said shaft being provided at each end with
arms to which are secured a rod or pendulum which is adapted to come in contact
with the ground, and said cable being wound on a drum which is supported upon
the vessel, and the conductors in the cable being in electrical connection with
conductors which are in circuit with a battery and an alarm bell, substantially
as described.
4. An electrical alarm for use on board a vessel, and for determining the depth
of water which consists of a casing which is suspended by a cable through which
passes two conductors, said casing being provided with a shaft, which passes
centrally therethrough, and with an arm connected therewith, which is adapted to
complete the circuit through said conductors, said shaft being provided at each
end with arms to which are secured a rod or pendulum which is adapted to come in
contact with the ground, and said cable being wound on a drum which is supported
upon the vessel, and the conductors in the cable being in electrical connection with
conductors which are in circuit with a battery and an alarm bell, and said casing
being constructed as herein described, and as shown in Figs. 1, and 2.
Dated this 9th day of Anvil 1906
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.