IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING A SHIP'S COURSE, BY ELECTRICITY APPLICABLE ALSO TO SENSITIVE SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1884

page_text: I JAMES HAROLD BARRY of 71 Bishopsgate Street Within in the City of
London Master Mariner do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING A SHIP'S COURSE, BY ELECTRICITY
APPLICABLE ALSO TO SENSITIVE SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS to be as follows:-
=
The first part of my invention relates to "Improvements in apparatus for
registering the course steered by ship's compass during the voyage and the second
part of my Invention to registering the candle power of electric lamps the Aneroid
Barometer the wind etc.
I carry out the first part of my invention I suspend from the Compass Card two
arms or bars of metal from any point of the card to its opposite point and to which
I attach at both ends thin platinum or other wires working loose from hooks or
eyes at the ends, the bars to which these are attached as well as those pendants
are thoroughly insulated so as not to influence the action of the magnetic needle
this attachment travels with the card or rather at every movement of the ship's
head the compass card brings the pendants in connection with the poles of a
battery thus forming a contact the pendants being the switch and this occurring at
every quarter point of the Compass registers the movements of the ship on a drum
or roller worked by clock work or by the battery direct on which drum is wound a
roll of paper with the compass and the time of the day thereon, the wires from
the battery being led to the compass and also to this clock work the said clock
work may be actuated by springs and kept constantly revolving an ink pencil is
now attached to the movements from the card and is operated along the surface as
the ships head turns thus marking the course steered on the surface of the paper-
this machine may be quite separate from the Binacle and placed on the Bridge
House or Commanders Cabin. With slight alteration the movements of the
Radiometer the Aneroid Wind and Weather may be correctly registered with or
without the aforesaid Drum or Roller.
Substituting therefor when required a mechanical Counter with Clock face or
dials. The Radiometer for registering light would be attached to a counter similar
to the one now used with the Anemometer while the Anemometer and Aneroid

page_text: would be registered on a drum like the ships compass as above described thus
these instruments would correctly register the force and not simply shew it as
they now do.
To more particularly describe the electrical action that opperates the pencil; the
pencil is fitted on two shafts the one plain, on which it moves freely and the other
has a screw thread its whole length; and by turning this screw shaft to the right
at one end it moves the pencil in one direction and when it is moved round to the
right at the opposit end it moves the pencil the reverse way; to effect this
electricaly I place an electro magnet and an armature at each end of the drum, the
armatures carrying a pawl at the end, this pawl is brought into connection with
the teeth of a wheel fitted at each end of the screw carrying the pencil, and when
the current is recieved by one electro magnet it works the screw one way but
when the current is recieved by the other electro magnet, it turns the screw the
oposite way and thus moves the pencil right or left along the surface of the paper;
one battery would effect this with two sets of wires from the Compass card and to
the electro magnets but it will be cheaper to have two Batteries and each with its
"own wires; and it may also be found necessary to have a return wire for a return
current.

page_text: I JAMES HAROLD BARRY Lieutenant R.N.R of 71 Bishopsgate Street, in the
City of London, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING A SHIPS COURSE BY ELECTRICITY APPLICABLE
ALSO TO OTHER SENSITIVE SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The first part of my Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for
Registering the course steered by Ships Compass during the voyage and the second
part of my Invention to Registering the Candle Power of Electric Lamps, the
Aneriod Barometer the Wind &c.
To carry out the first part of my Invention I suspend from the Compass Card
Fig. 4. two-arms P. N. & N. P. or bars of metal from any point of the Card to
its opposite point and to which I attach at both ends a thin Platinum or other.
wire S & S. Fig 5 working loose from a hook at the ends. The bars to which
these are attached as well as those pendants are thoroughly insulated so as not to
influence the action of the Magnetic Needle this attachment travels with the Card
or rather at every movement of the Ships head the Compass Card Fig 4. 5 c. c.
brings the pendants in connection with the poles of Battery. Fig 5. P. B. thus
forming a contact. The pendants S. S. being the switch and falling across a small
spur or crutch cb at every quarter point of the Compass.
This registers the movement of the Ship on a drum roller or cylender Fig 3.
D. M. worked by Clockwork at F. 3. C. L or by the Battery direct. The wires
from the Battery being led to the Compass as at Fig 5. and also to this Clockwork
at T. T. the terminals. The said Clock work may be actuated by springs and
kept constantly revolving. An ink pencil P. P. Figure 3. is now attached to a
spiral or screw S. H. attached to the Drum and operated along the surface as the
Ships head moves thus marking the course steered on the paper attached to the
Drum, roller or rotary disc, This is obtained by a step by step motion actuated
by Electro Magnets on such Magnets when excited by a Battery operates a rachet
motion as at R R fig 3 Sheet 2. or this step by step motion may come direct from
the Clockwork the Electro Magnetic lifting the pauls of the wheel to allow the
clock power freedom of action on the pencil until the contact ceases with the
compass card and allows the paul to fall back and lock the wheel.
I will now fully explain this action and how the reverse one is obtained. I first
place two bars of steel across the compass card paralell to each other as in Fig 4
Sheet 1. and from these I suspend thin platinum or other wires hanging loose and
as the Card moves cause them to dip or graze across as many pieces of metal (or
mercury) as there represents the number of contacts to be made as in the Compass
at every quarter point, These pieces of metal are shaped somewhat like crutches
or horse shoes; when the pendants are brought into contact with any two of
these by the bars on the Card first at the ends marked P. and the opposite end

page_text: ."
marked N, a contact is made and the Electro magnet E L Fig 3 Sheet 1 is excited
and moves the paul at the end of the armiture this moves the pencil P. P. in one
direction When the compass card moves in the other direction then the paralell
bar or card is brought into action and as the poles are placed the opposite way the
reverse action and movement of the pencil is obtained When seperate wires and
seperate batteries are used one Electro-Ratchet movement, will suffice to change the
current but when as in Fig, 5 sheet 1 one battery is shown then. duplicate wires
and duplicate magnets are necessary; The Composs Motion directing. the current to
the Magnets at either end of the drum-these magnets being placed the reverse of
each other moves the pencil either way.
The second part of the Invention has for its object to provide a more perfect
Register of the Candle power of Electric Lamps and to answer the same purpose as
the "Meter" to Gas consumers at a very small cost. In carrying out my invention
I take a glass bulb or tube Figs 1 and Sheet 2. in which I have fixed a vertical
spindle S. P. made of glass or other light insulating material and on which 2 or
more bars b. b. crossed horizontally and to which I add round or square discs d. d.
at each end thus practically making a radiometer I now take a very thin piece
platina or steel wire N P. figs 1. x 2 Sheet 2. and fix it at right angles on this
vertical spindle below the arms containing the discs then platina wire or silk S S.
is fitted at the ends into the loops or hoops H H the same as described for the
Compass Card, but with this difference while the Compass had two rods and sets of
wires to obtain a reverse action of the pencil on the Drum DM. a single cross bar
will produce the register one way for the counter M R. and suspended from the
bars are two short lengths of platina or silk wire S. S. already described dipping
on c. b Fig 1 × 2 or other good conductor of the Electric current into cups
containing mercury if necessary may be used. I now fix this part of the apparatus
on a counter or Mechanical Register M R figs. 1. x 2 Sheet-2 which may be of
the simplest kind but to which is attached a Battery P B The poles or wire of
the Battery are brought into the Radiometer at P¹ x P the same as shewn at
Figures 1 & 2. Sheet. 2. the poles to connect with such Battery are fixed to the
Counter and brought up into the Radiometer. These poles terminate with cross
pieces or loops as at Cbx Cb. figs 1 x 2. which the platina pendents traverse and
graze in passing or dip on mercury when the arms of the Radiometer revolve
by this means contact is made easy revolution or half revolution with the Battery
but with such slight friction as not to impede its speed but I claim to retard or
increase the speed of the Radiometer as required for the various purposes to which
it may be applied.
This Invention by the same application as described may be used to register
other sensitive scientific instruments.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING.
Fig 1. Sheet 1. is the face of the Clock work designed to work the drum at Fig 3.
by the application of a pinion A. on an internal wheel B. as at fig 2 Sheet 1. fig 3.
sheet 1. is the drum on which a paper scale is placed and P. P. fig 3 is an Ink
pencil working on a screw shaft, such shaft or screw being worked or operated by
an Electro Magnet at one or both ends as at E L. fig. 3. R, is a smooth rod to
steady the bracket containing the pencil-Fig 4. is the compass card containing
the two Conductors or rods P. N. x N. P. these letters also stand for the positive
& negative poles. Fig 5. is the Compass stand or Binacle containing sections of
the horizontal rods P N x N P. the Card C. C. the cups Cb Cb and hair or silk
pendants S. S. The Battery P. B. may also be kept inside the Binacle stand and
the wires from the drum Ď M and the card C. C. led to it Sheet 2 Fig 1 x 2.
shows the Radiometer G. G. the Register M R and the Battery P. B as already
described. Fig 3. sheet 2 shews the Electro Magnet E L. with ratchet motion
at P R this motion being reversed at the opposite end of the Drum.

page_text: 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 The horizontal rods with pendant wires silk or hair in the Compass and
Radiometer.
2. I claim the application of the grazing or dipping every revolution of these
wires forming a connection with the battery and making a complete circuit every
revolution or part of a revolution with the reverse action.
3. I claim the Electro Magnet in connection with this ratchet motion producing
a moving or rotary mechanical motion from the battery direct.
4th I claim the combination of the above Mechanical Counter or Drum, when
used electrically for the purposes set forth.