A NEW INSTRUMENT TO DETERMINE OR ASCERTAIN THE DEPTH OF WATER, AND THE DISTANCE A SHIP HAS RUN
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Walker, of Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Optician, for the Invention of "A NEW INSTRUMENT TO
DETERMINE OR ASCERTAIN THE DEPTH OF WATER, AND THE DISTANCE A SHIP
HAS RUN."
Sealed the 10th February 1868, and dated the 14th August 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Walker at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th August 1862.
I, ALEXANDER WALKER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Optician,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW INSTRUMENT
TO DETERMINE OR ASCERTAIN THE DEPTH OF WATER, AND THE DISTANCE A SHIP HAS
BUN," to be as follows (that is to say):-
The object of this Invention is the construction of an instrument capable of
being used as a log for ascertaining the distance a ship has run, and also as a
sounding instrument to determine the depth of water.
An instrument constructed according to this Invention consists of a tube
which surrounds or partially surrounds an archimedean screw, or one, two, or
more fans, or a wheel like the paddle wheels of a steamboat, or any other
suitable revolving power communicator which is capable of being actuated by
water passing through the tube, and which is connected with a train of index
wheels outside the tube which indicate the distance the ship has run or the
depth of water sounded. When the instrument is used for sounding, a weight
is attached to the bottom of the tube to facilitate the sinking thereof, the
propellor inside the tube revolves by reason of the action of the water passing
up through the tube acting against the blades of the propellor, and when used

page_text: as a log, by being drawn horizontally through the water by the velocity of the
ship;
in the latter case the weight is dispensed with. The quantity of water
acting upon the propellor may be regulated by the size (diameter) of the tube,
or by the size of the screw or other form of power communicator.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th February 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
WALKER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Optician, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alexander Walker, Her special licence that I, the said Alexander
Walker, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Alexander Walker, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW INSTRU-
MENT TO DETERMINE OR ASCERTAIN THE DEPTH OF WATER AND THE DISTANCE A
SHIP HAS RUN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Alexander Walker, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Walker, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say): :-
The object of this my said Invention is the construction of an instrument
capable of being used as a log for ascertaining the distance a ship bas run, and
also as a sounding instrument to determine the depth of water.

page_text: An instrument constructed according to this Invention consists of a tube
which surrounds or partially surrounds an archemedian screw, or one, two or
more fans, or a wheel like the paddle wheel of a steamboat, or any other
suitable revolving power communicator which is capable of being actuated
by water passing through the tube, and which is connected with a train of
indice wheels enclosed in a case placed on the outside of the tube, and which
indicate the distance a ship has run, or the depth of water sounded. When the
instrument is used for sounding, a weight is attached to the bottom of the tube
to facilitate the sinking thereof. The propeller inside the tube revolves by
reason of the action of the water passing up through the tube acting against
the blades of the propeller, and when used as a log by being drawn horizontally
through the water by the velocity of the ship; in the latter case the weight is
dispensed with. The quantity of water acting upon the propeller may be
regulated by the size (diameter) of the tube or by the size of the screw or
other form of power communicator.
That this my said Invention may be the more readily seen and understood,
I have hereunto annexed Drawings to illustrate the practical application of the
Invention as applied to a log and sounding instrument. Like letters and
figures marked thereon are used to denote similar parts.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a full-sized log, and Figure 2 is a longitudinal
vertical section of the same; and Figure 3 is a side elevation, and Figure 4 a
vertical transverse section of a sounding instrument constructed according to
my said Invention, also drawn full size.
A, a cylindrical open-ended tube, in which is fitted B and B', two trans-
verse stays for carrying C, the revolving shaft of D, the propeller; E, a worm
on the shaft (C) working into F, a toothed wheel working into G,first wheel
of the index movement, the pinion of which works into h, a second toothed
wheel, the pinion of which works into i, a third toothed wheel, the axle of
which carries j, a pointer travelling on the surface of the index dial, and the
pinion of which works into k, a fourth toothed wheel, the axle of which
carries, a second pointer, and the pinion of which works into l, a fifth toothed
wheel, the axle of which carries another pointer; G, pallets or frames for
carrying wheelwork; H, index dial; I, index case; J, index cover; K,
guard on front of the log to prevent the admission of sea weed or other like
substance; L, lug for attaching it to M, the log line; N and N' fin
blades placed one on each side of the top of the tube, for keeping the log
steady; p (Figure 4), a toothed wheel, the pinion of which works into g,
(Fig. 4), another toothed wheel. The face of the wheels p and q are
marked with a graduated scale, and the ends of the pallett frames r (Figure 4),

page_text: are extended so as to form fixed pointers. P (Figure 4), lead surrounding the
tube for causing the instrument to sink in a vertical direction; Q (Figure 4),
recesses for the insertion of tallow; R (Figure 4), a valve cover on the head
of the tube of the sounding instrument which opens during the descent of the
instrument, and closes upon being drawn upwards; S (Figures 3 and 4), a
loop handle which is cast into the sinking lead, as shown in the dotted line
(Figure 3), and to which is attached T, the lead line.
I would here remark, when I use a paddle wheel propeller, I form a hood
on one side of the tube to receive the upper part of the paddle wheel, so that
the main force of the stream through the tube will only act against a portion
of the float at one time, and in some cases it may be desirable to use a spring
latch or its mechanical equivalent to insure the lid of the sounding instrument
being kept closed during its passage upwards.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my said
Invention and how I believe the same may be best carried into practical effect
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details,
dimensions, or relative proportions of the several parts herein-before described
and set forth, as it will be readily seen that the same may be considerably
varied without departing from the Invention, nor do I claim the use
of a propeller for actuating the index motion for registering the distance
the ship has run, or the depth of water sounded, but what I do claim is,―
Firstly, surrounding the propeller for actuating the index with an open-
ended tube through which the water passes.
And, lastly, the general arrangement, form, and combination of the various
parts herein-before described and set forth, taken collectively, in the manner
and for the objects herein-before specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Walker, have hereunto set
my hand and affixed my seal, this Thirteenth day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
three.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
of 44, Castle Street,
Liverpool.
ALEXANDER (Ls.) WALKER.