A Method of and Improvements in Apparatus for Ascertaining the Distance and Direction of Sonorous Bodies or Sound-producing Appliances.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th June, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 10th Apr., 1900-Accepted, Sth June, 1900
A Method of and Improvements in Apparatus for Ascertaining the
Distance and Direction of Sonorous Bodies or Sound-producing
Appliances.
I, CORNELIUS EDWARD KELWAY, of 111, Southwark Bridge Road, London, S.E.;
Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows;-
-
The object of this invention is to provide means whereby the distance of a
sonorous body or sound-producing appliance may be ascertained in fog, rain,
mist, haze, falling snow, smoke, and when from any cause the position of the
sonorous body is invisible.
In clear weather or under conditions when the flash or smoke from a gun or
the escape of steam from a whistle, siren, or like apparatus can be
seen, it is
easy to note such emission and by suitable apparatus such as a watch, clock,
chronograph or other time-recording appliance, to measure the time interval
between the observation of the flash, smoke &c. and the report of the gun or
the sound of the whistle, siren &c., and by a simple calculation based
upon the knowledge of the rate of travel of sound to ascertain the distance
of the source of sound to a close approximation. But with the source obscured
by fog, rain, falling snow &c. it has hitherto been impossible to apply that
method.
wave or
In my present invention I apply (in combination with other apparatus herein-
after described) at the source of sound, apparatus whereby simultaneously with
the discharge of the gun, er emission of steam, air, gas (when compressed air
or gas is used) or with the beat of a drum, gong, bell, or by any other sonorous
or sound-producing body, an electric or Hertzian " high-frequency"
waves which is/are transmitted through the ether and received at a distance on
a suitable receiver so that it/they be announced audibly by a bell or other
sound-producer and/or be recorded on an autographic apparatus similar to that
which is known to telegraphists as the "Morse-inker" and upon which latter
time intervals or a time-scale to fractions of a second may also be autographic-
ally and automatically recorded upon the travelling paper and upon which
indications may by suitable apparatus be recorded showing graphically the
intervals between the receipt of the electric wave or waves and the port of
the gun and/or sound of the whistle, siren, drum, gong, bell, or any other
sonorous or sound-producing body.
"
66
Or, instead of Hertzian high-frequency" waves, "slow-frequency" waves on
the lines of induction, and conduction, or earth-leakage," with large, slow-
pulsating currents, may be used.
Although not exclusively, this invention is more particularly of use as an
aid to navigation--enabling navigators to ascertain their distance from light-
ships, lighthouses, &c. provided with sound-producing apparatus.

page_text: The transmission of sound is affected by the state of the atmosphere and force
and direction of wind, and it frequently happens that sound-waves are inaudible
on the deck of a vessel when by going aloft the sound can be heard. To obviate
the necessity of going aloft I place there a telephone or other similar instru-
ment sensitive to and capable of transmitting sound-waves-suitable connections
being made with a receiving instrument of any well-known character placed in
any convenient position on deck or elsewhere adjacent to the electric wave
receiver herein before mentioned. I sometimes arrange the receiving instrument
to mark the travelling paper of the Morse-inker so that a record is made
of the interval between the production of the sound waves at their source and
their arrival at the receiving station.
"
I sometimes provide for the transmission of the sound-waves through water
instead of through air. In this case, as sound travels more quickly through
water than through air, the calculations are varied accordingly.
But in either case the calculations involve some trouble which under the
• circumstances of navigation is inconvenient and inexpedient on the score of the
time occupied. To obviate this inconvenience and delay, I employ a chrono-
graph to which is added a long centre-seconds hand marking, say, fifths of
seconds. The long centre-seconds hand acts when in use quite independently
of the movement of the hour and minute hands showing the time as in ordinary
watches. The normal position, i.c. when not in use, of this centre-seconds hand
is at zero, or xii. To set this hand in motion a slight pressure on a stud is
necessary, a second pressure stopping it any desired time-interval, which can
be read on the dial at a glance; and a third pressure causing it to fly back to
its zero position, ready for future observations. The application of this instru-
ment to distance measuring is based on the method depending upon the rate
of travel of sound. Taking this, at an ordinary temperature, to be 380 yards
in a second, if the interval between the flash of a distant gun, or the emission
of steam from a whistle, siren &c. be noted in seconds and multiplied by 380
the product will be the distance in yards (nearly). With this chronograph the
calculation is unnecessary. Adjacent to each second and fifth-second on the
watch dial are placed figures representing the distance corresponding to the
time-interval, so that by starting the centre-seconds hand at the flash of the gun
or the emission of steam, and stopping it at the report, the distance can be
immediately read off. A third pressure on the stud, as previously described,
sends the hand back to zero until again required.
62
For navigational purposes, the dial is also marked for nautical miles and
cables. The first pressure of the stud, to start the centre-seconds hand, is made
on hearing the bell sounded by the electric or Hertzian waves or the slow-
frequency waves and the chronograph is stopped on hearing the sound-wave
or the bell actuated by the telephone apparatus.
To approximately ascertain the direction whence the sound comes, I some-
times arrange at the mast-head or other suitable position several telephonic
apparatus with their transmitters directed to different points of the compass
so that the difference in intensity of the sound at the receivers may indicate
the direction audibly, or graphically on the travelling paper in connection
with the Morse-inker or other suitable apparatus beforenamed.
"
Or, the
well-known receiving cylinders of wax or discs of other material may be used
to record the sound indications, and be reproduced by any suitable phonographic
apparatus.
By placing a telephonic apparatus aloft, a great advantage is secured in
obtaining freedom from local noises due to the whistling of wind &c. through
the rigging.
To protect the diaphragm of the telephonic apparatus from the wind, rain,
hail &c. which might tend to prevent its proper action, I arrange a protector
or storm-shade in such a manner that the wind, rain &c. is deflected in a
downward direction and only a slight amount of wind reaches the diaphragm.

page_text: Instead of a telephonic apparatus, I sometimes use one or more ordinary
voice or speaking tubes with suitable mouths or openings aloft, the said tubes
being led to any convenient place on deck or below.
1 1
171
£1900
A Method of and Improvements in Apparatus for Ascertaining the
Distance and Direction of Sonorous Bodies or Sound-producing
Appliances.
I, CORNELIUS EDWARD KELWAY, of 111, Southwark Bridge Road, London, S.E.,
Electrical Engineer, 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:
1
The object of this invention is to provide means whereby the distance of a
sonorous body or sound-producing appliance may be ascertained in fog, rain,
mist, haze, falling snow, smoke, and when from any cause the sonorous body
is invisible.
In clear weather or under conditions when the flash or smoke from a gun
or the escape of steam from a whistle, siren, or like apparatus can be seen,
it is easy to note such emission and by suitable apparatus, such as a watch,
clock, chronograph or other time-recording appliance, to measure the time
interval between the observation of a flash, smoke, or other optical phenomenon,
on the one hand, and the report of the gun producing the flash or smoke, or
the sound of the whistle or siren emitting visible steam, on the other hand,
and by a simple calculation based upon the knowledge of the rate of travel
of sound, to ascertain approximately the distance of the source of sound. But
with the source obscured by fog, rain, falling snow, or other atmospheric
obstructions, it has hitherto been impossible to apply that method.
According to my present invention, I apply (in combination with other
apparatus hereinafter described) at the source of sound, apparatus whereby
simultaneously with the discharge of the gun, or emission of steam, compressed
air or gas, or with the beat of a drum, or the sound of a bell, or with any
other acoustic signal, an electric or Hertzian "high-frequency" wave or series
of waves, is transmitted through the ether by what is known as wireless tele-
graphy and received at a distance on a suitable receiver adapted to announce
it audibly by means of a bell or other sound-producer, or to record it on an
autographic apparatus similar to that which is known to telegraphists as the
Morse-inker," the latter being so constructed, that time intervals on a time
scale to fractions of a second may also be automatically recorded upon the
travelling paper. If desired, the receiving instrument sensitive to electric waves
may be adapted to produce a graphic record in addition to an acoustic alarm
or signal.
.
Instead of Hertzian "high-frequency" waves, "low-frequency" waves pro-
duced by electric induction, conduction, or earth-leakage" with large, slowly-
pulsating currents, may be used.
Although not exclusively, this invention is more particularly of use as an
aid to navigation-enabling navigators to ascertain their distance from light-
ships, lighthouses, or other localities provided with sound-producing apparatus.
As the transmission of sound is affected by the state of the atmosphere and
by the force and direction of the wind, it frequently happens that sound-waves

page_text: are inaudible on the deck of a vessel, when by going aloft, the sound can be
heard. To obviate the necessity of going aloft, I place there a telephone or
other similar instrument sensitive to and capable of transmitting sound-waves-
suitable connections being made with a telephone or other receiving instru-
ment of known construction placed in any convenient position on the deck or
elsewhere adjacent to the electric wave receiver herein before mentioned. The
said receiving instrument may be adapted to produce an optic signal instead
of or in addition to the acoustic signal or to mark the travelling paper of the
modified "Morse-inker" operated by the Hertzian or other waves, as mentioned
above, so that a record is made of the interval between the production of the
sound-waves at the distant source and their arrival at the receiving station.
I sometimes provide for the transmission of the sound-waves through water,
instead of through air. In this case, as sound travels more quickly through
water than through air, the calculations are varied accordingly.
But in either case the calculations involve some trouble which under the
circumstances of navigation and warfare is inconvenient and inexpedient on
the score of the time occupied. To obviate this inconvenience and delay, I
employ a chronograph or stop watch having a long centre-seconds hand which
indicates fractions, say fifths of seconds. The long centre-seconds hand acts
when in use quite independently of the movement of the hour and minute
hands showing the time as in ordinary watches. The normal position of this
centre-seconds hand is at zero, or 12. To set this hand in motion, a slight
pressure on a stud is necessary, a second pressure stopping it after any desired
interval of time, which can be read on the dial at a glance, and a third pressure
causing it to fly back to its zero position, ready for future observations. The
application of this instrument to distance measuring is based on the know-
ledge of the speed with which sound travels in a given medium, such as air.
Taking this, at ordinary temperatures, to be 380 yards per second, if the interval
between the flash of a distant gun, or the emission of steam from a whistle,
siren, etc. be noted in seconds and multiplied by 380, the product will be the
approximate distance in yards. To render such calculation unnecessary, the
dial of my chronograph has adjacent to each second and fifth-second, a figure
or figures representing the distance corresponding to the time interval, so that
by starting the centre-seconds hand at the flash of the gun or the emission of
steam, and stopping it at the report, the distance can be immediately read off.
A third pressure on the stud, as previously described, sends the hand back
to zero, until again required.
For navigational purposes, the dial is also marked for nautical miles and
cables. The first pressure of the stud, to start the centre-seconds hand, is
made on hearing the bell sounded by the Hertzian or other ether waves; and
the chronograph is stopped on hearing the direct sound-wave arriving from
the distant station or ship, or the diaphragm or bell actuated by the telephone
apparatus. I do not, however, claim the use of stop watches for range finding
in general.
To approximately ascertain the direction, whence the sound comes, I some-
times mount on the mast-head or in any other suitable elevated position several
aerial telephone transmitters directed to different points of the compass, and
separately connected with a suitable instrument or instruments in the officer's
cabin, or other suitable place, so that the difference in intensity of the sound
given out by the different receivers may indicate the direction audibly, or that
it can be ascertained by a comparison of the graphic records produced on the
travelling paper belonging to a "Morse-inker or other suitable recording
apparatus.
In this manner, the different effects produced by a given sound on the
diaphragms of the different telephonic transmitters may be utilized for ascer-
taining the direction, from which the sound reaches the said transmitters.
By placing a telephonic apparatus aloft, a great advantage is secured in

page_text: obtaining freedom from local noises due to the whistling of wind through the
rigging and to other causes. To protect the diaphragm of the elevated tele-
phonic apparatus from wind, rain, hail and other atmospheric disturbances
which might prevent its proper action, I arrange a storm-shade in such a
manner, that the wind, rain &c. is deflected in a downward direction and only
a slight amount of wind reaches the diaphragm. This protective appliance
may be similar to that described in the Patent Specification No. 24,832
of 1897.
Instead of a telephonic apparatus, I may use one or more ordinary voice or
speaking tubes with suitable mouths or openings aloft, the said tubes being
led to any convenient place on the deck or below.
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-
1. The method of ascertaining the distance between two localities, such as
two ships or a ship and a lighthouse, which consists in producing at one of
them an acoustic signal simultaneously with Hertzian or analogous ether waves,
and measuring at the other locality the lapse of time between the arrival or
perception of the said ether waves and the arrival or perception of the sound
waves produced by the acoustic signal, substantially as described, and for the
purposes specified.
2. The method of ascertaining the distance between two localities, which
consists in operating at one locality simultaneously an acoustic signal and a
Hertzian or analogous ether wave transmitter, and observing at the other
station by means of a stop-watch or analogous time piece the lapse of time
between the operation of a Hertzian or analogous ether wave receiver corre-
sponding to the said transmitter, on the one hand, and the perception of the
acoustic signal, on the other hand, substantially as described.
3. The method of ascertaining the distance between two localities, which
consists in operating at one locality simultaneously an acoustic signal and a
Hertzian or analogous ether wave transmitter, and receiving at the other
locality the Hertzian or analogous ether waves by a Morse-inker or other
graphic recording instrument adapted to be operated by ether waves, substan-
tially as described.
4. The combination of a Morse-inker adapted to be operated by Hertzian or
other ether waves, so as to produce a record on a graduated travelling strip
or sheet, with a recording instrument adapted to be operated by aerial sound
waves, so as to produce a record on the said travelling strip, substantially as
described and for the purpose specified.
5. A ship having an aerial sound receiving apparatus, such as a telephone
transmitter mounted in an elevated locality, and in a convenient locality on
the deck or below, a telephone receiver or other sound producing or distri-
buting device connected with the elevated receiving apparatus, as well as an
acoustic or optic alarm or signalling or recording device adapted to be operated
by Hertzian or other ether waves, substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.
6. The combination of a gun, whistle, fog-horn, or other sound-producing
device, with a Hertzian transmitter or analogous ether wave producer placed
in proximity to the sound producing device and connected with the same, so
as to be operated simultaneously, and a Hertzian receiver or analogous instru-
ment adapted to be set in motion by the waves produced by the said trans-
mitter or ether wave producer, and thereby to operate an acoustic alarm or
signal, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
7. The combination of a group of aerial telephone transmitters mounted in
an elevated position so as to face different points of the compass, with a corre-
sponding number of telephonic receivers, or with a recording instrument or

page_text: instruments connected with the said telephone transmitters and adapted to be
operated by the same, so that the differences between the signs produced by
the different transmitters may be utilized for ascertaining, in what quarter of
the compass any source of sound acting on the elevated receivers is situated,
substantially as described.
8. The method of ascertaining the direction in which a sound reaches a ship
or other locality, which consists in mounting in an elevated position a group
of telephone transmitters, so as to face different points of the compass, and
utilizing the differences between the effect produced by the sound on the
diaphragms of the different transmitters, for ascertaining its direction, sub-
stantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of April 1900.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
Agents, 37 and 39, Essex Street, Strand, London.