Improvements in Apparatus for Preventing Collisions at Sea.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 10th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 9th Dec.,
1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Preventing Collisions at Sea.
I, NICOLAS GHÉRASSIMOFF, of 16, Rue des Officiers, St. Petersburg, Russia,
Military Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
A disaster at sea is almost always the result of a collision between the ship and
some moving or stationary body which is situated in the path of the said ship,
either at the surface or at a depth less than the draught of the ship, and which
is not perceived in time; or it is due to an error made in estimating the position
of the said body and the course of its deviation. Consequently, in order to avoid
collisions, the ship should be provided with a warning apparatus that will fulfil
the following requirements.
Such apparatus should:-
:-
1. Discover the dangerous obstacle that is situate in the path of the ship, and
discover it soon enough to allow, such measures to be taken as may be necessary
for avoiding a collision therewith, even if the moving body discovered, continue
its original course.
2. Indicate automatically the direction that must be followed by the ship in
order to avoid collision.
3. Indicate at the same time to the ship being met, the position of the steamer
that is following the apparatus, and the direction of its deviation.
4. Operate in a satisfactory manner, whatever may be the state of the atmos-
phere and the sea.
5. Give to the ship possessing it, a sure guarantee against accidents, inde-
pendently of the vigilance of the other ships.
Signals of the luminous, acoustic, and electric kinds (wireless telegraphy
through air or water) have all serious drawbacks in that safety against accidents.
depends on the proper working of the system of signalling on the two ships which
are moving towards each other, on the vigilance of the two captains, etc., and
that, further, they cannot give any guarantee against collisions with obstacles
that are unprovided with a warning apparatus. Moreover, luminous and acoustic
signals cannot give any sure result during fog, when the most powerful beacon-
lights can only be seen at a few metres distance and when the sounds of the
siren are propagated very irregularly. Thermic waves, and probably electric
waves, will not give better results in misty weather than waves of sound and
light, and for this reason no successful result could be obtained by employing
in this case thermo-electric apparatus, or wireless aerial telegraphy. It appears
to the inventor that the safest solution of this problem will be given when the
comprising
ships will be provided with "feelers" or long "sensitive antennae
three floating bodies,. suitably situated forwards, whose position with reference
to the ship will always be known and controlled at will, which, on actually.
touching any object on their course, will immediately apprise the ship thereof,
and which, by deviating in the direction in which they will find it easier to
move, will point out the path that should be followed by the ship. At the same
time, by the shock and the luminous signals with which they will be provided,
the floating bodies will indicate to the ship met with, the position of the steamer
to which the apparatus belongs, and will give the direction of deviation of the
latter. It is evident that in that case, the proper working of this warning
"

page_text: apparatus, which can always be checked, will give to the ship that is fitted with
it a complete guarantee against collisions with stationary and moving obstacles
if the following rules be accurately observed; the ship provided with feelers
must always follow them, and the ship that has not any feelers must take a path
opposite to that of the feeler met with.
!
Having stated these general conditions, I shall examine the following
questions:-
1. What position must be given to the feeler (floating body) in relation to the
ship? and
2. How must these feelers be constructed in order to insure proper working?
I
The distance at which the feelers must be placed in advance of the ship, is a
function of its speed v, of the time't that the steamer will take to deviate from
its original course to a sufficient extent to avoid collision with a body which
continues on its way with the speed ¹. Three feelers must be provided, which
are to guarantee the steamer against collisions with ships whose paths mav inter-
sect the path of the steamer at different angles. The most unfavourable direction
will be the direction at right angles to the path of the ship. The latter will
always be warned in time, if the three feelers be arranged at the ends of the
diameters of the circle, of which the centre O is situated on the straight line of
the path of the ship, at a distance from the bow of the latter (Fig. 1). The
radius of this circle is given by the formula
vt + z
R =
(V)
in which z is the length
of the ship in question, and the other letters bear the meanings above stated.
In order to give a numerical example, it will be assumed that by an Inter-
national Convention all ships that travel in a fog with a speed greater than two
metres per second shall be provided with feelers, so that the steamer will be
guaranteed against collision with a sailing vessel having a perpendicular course
and sailing with a speed of v₁ = 2 metres per second. If 6 metres per second
and 75 seconds, at the end of which the steamer will have deviated 23° from
its original path, along the line indicated by dots in Fig. 1, and if z 120 metres,
then vt= 40 metres and R =
R
R
= 95
405 + 120
6
-
190 metres.
If
1 metre, then
2
metres. And if all
the ships are provided with feelers,
= 50 metres at most. In Fig. 1, the sailing vessel V is shown in the
most unfavourable position for itself, because a collision is unavoidable unless
the two vessels alter their courses, and there remain 75 seconds before the vessel
will he struck amidships; but it will be seen from the drawing that the ship A
will have time to deviate. All vessels that will not be touched by the side.
feelers and 3, are not dangerous to the ship A. It is clear that in case of
contact between the feelers of the two ships, they will have still more time to
make the necessary manoeuvres.
II.
The construction of the feelers and their position with reference to the ship is
indicated in the annexed drawings, in which
Fig. 1 shows the general arrangement of the feelers in plan;
4
Fig. 2 shows the same arrangement, but in side elevation the vertical distances 4
being increased ten times;
Figs. 3, 4. and 5 illustrate the general construction of the middle feeler, of
which Fig. 3 is a vertical section corresponding to the line 3-3 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 4 a horizontal section corresponding to the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5
a vertical section corresponding to the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and

page_text: Figs. 6 and 7 are two vertical and horizontal sections, drawn to a larger scale,
of the same feeler and correspond respectively to the lines 6-6 and 7-7;
Fig. 8 illustrates the arrangement of the apparatus for indicating the deviations
of the middle feeler;
Fig. 9 is a vertical section, corresponding to the line 9-9 of Fig. 10, illus-
trating the construction of a side feeler, and
Fig. 10 is a horizontal section of the same feeler on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9;
Fig. 11 illustrates, to a larger scale, the arrangement of the apparatus for
indicating the deviations of the side feeler; and
Fig. 12 is a plan of the arrangement, on the ship, of a graduated scale with
a telescope for verifying or ascertaining the position of the conducting cable..
As shown in Figs. 3 to 7, and Figs. 9 and 10, each feeler comprises a casing
having the shape that will offer the least resistance to movement in water. In
this casing, there are situated electric motors E which transmit the motion to
the shaft of a screw-propeller H. These electric motors must be sufficiently
powerful to enable them to overcome not only the resistance to the motion of
the feeler with its accessories, but also to drag the conducting cable Z along,
and consequently to exert a pull of a given force upon the ship. Consequently
the conductors Z, Z, Z, in addition to being designed to conduct the electric
current to the electric motors E from the dynamo placed on the ship, have also
to act as tow-ropes stretched from the feelers. The middle feeler (2) (Figs. 3
to 8) is provided with a fixed rudder g, which is arranged in the vertical plane
passing through its axis and which will maintain the feeler always in the.
direction of the movement of the entire apparatus-i.e., in the position in which
it will meet with the minimum resistance from the water. The feeler is con-
nected to its framing b by means of vertical trunnions and t¹, which pass
through its centre and which can rotate freely in the bearings of the framing b.
A special apparatus to be hereinafter described, enables the feeler to be affixed
at the desired moment in relation to its framing in order to cause them to turn
together. The conducting cable Z is permanently connected to the framing b,
so that, if the power of the screw-propeller of the feeler alone comes into
operation, the conductor Z will assume the direction of the feeler and the
framing b will be at right angles to it. If the conductor Z change its
direction from any cause, it will cause the framing to turn;
but the posi-
tion of the feeler will remain parallel to the former position; consequently
when the accidental force cease to act, the conductor will resume its original
position. In order to change the position of the feelers, the middle feeler
is provided with an apparatus that enables it to be rendered immovable in its
framing and to be brought back into a position perpendicular to the latter;
and the propelling force of the side feelers is capable of being varied. As
shown in Figs. 4 and 7, the framing b has two side-pieces f and f¹, which
limit the oscillations of the feeler to 10° to each side and upon which bear the
heads of the screws and when these screws are moved into their extreme
positions. The screws work in nuts and 1 by means of their central screw-
threaded portion. At their inner ends, the screws carry rollers or discs
and g
which are in gentle contact with the surface of an iron wheel F fixed, on an
extension of the screw-propeller shaft, which is made of a diamagnetic metal.
On the other side of the wheel F there is placed a coil B, which receives the
current through special conductors. In normal circumstances, the motion of the
wheel F is unable to move the rollers 7 and g', which are held back by springs y
and y. But when the coil B receives current the adhesion between the mag-
netized wheel F and the rollers and g becomes so great that the screws and
and their heads are turned until both the screws have reached their extreme
positions, which are indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 7. When the current of
the coil is interrupted, the springs y and y' return the screws into their original
positions. It will be seen from Fig. 1 that the feelers 1 and 3 have, in relation
to the feeler 2, oblique positions, in which they are maintained by the rudders G,
9

page_text: =
the simple cables cc, and the conducting cables ZZ", which connect them
to the feeler 2 and to the ship A. In consequence of the oblique position of the
feelers, there exist normal components R, and R, which are equal to the propelling
force multiplied by the cosine of the angle a between the direction of
propulsion and the line normal to the movement of the entire apparatus. In
norinal conditions, F₁ Faa, and R, = R,; but when the meeting with any
object increases a, as in Fig. 1, then equilibrium no longer exists, R₁ becomes
less than R, and consequently the feelers will receive a movement in the
direction opposed to the obstacle. The ship must follow them. When, on
the contrary it is desired to change the direction of the entire apparatus, the
desired movement can always be given, by making F, greater or smaller than
F3, whilst rendering the middle feeler immovable. In order to give the desired
position to the entire apparatus, to measure, the angle of inclination, and to
ascertain or verify the position of the apparatus in relation to the vessel, I
arrange on the vessel, at the point of attachment of the conducting cable Z
of the middle feeler, a graduated scale P (Fig. 12), of which the zero-mark
coincides with the point of attachment of the cable, which is situated in the
centre line (ligne de foi) of the ship. Upon this scale and perpendicularly thereto,
there is arranged a telescope S, which is capable of being moved whilst always
retaining its respective or relative position or its perpendicularity to the scale P.
Upon the conducting cable Z, there is arranged a small electric lamp Z
situated at a determined distance from the scale. It is obvious that the angle
of inclination of the conducting cable Z-that is to say, of the entire apparatus―
can be measured with the aid of this appliance.
Having now shown how the position of the feelers can be controlled and
ascertained, I shall now proceed to describe the warning arrangements.
All the feelers must indicate places of insufficient depth; further, the feeler 1
will indicate inclination to the right, feeler 3 will indicate inclination to the
left, and feeler 2 will indicate inclination to the right and to the left and the
contact of its bow against the obstacle. In order to render the movement of the
'feelers more steady they are entirely immersed in the water, at about one-half
of the draught of water of the ship, and the point of attachment of the conducting
cables Z and of the simple cables and must correspond with the conditions
of equilibrium of the forces that come into operation. In order that the feeler
may indicate to the vessel met with the position of the ship that is following,
and for the purpose of balancing the excess of the weight, each feeler is provided
at the surface of the water with a buoy that carries an electric lamp having a
colour which corresponds to the position of the feeler in relation to the ship..
For the purpose of offering the least resistance during motion, the buoy is
made capable of turning on the lever K, which is rigidly connected to the
framing b The cables M M which connect the parts of the feeler or feelers
together, are attached to the levers K at a certain depth in order that the
apparatus may only give warning of floating bodies that are situated at a depth
such as will render their meeting dangerous for the ship, and in order that, in
the case of ships of greater draught, it may be easier to force the cables, together
with the feelers, down to a greater depth, than to break them. For the purpose
of indicating shoals, the feelers are provided with levers D, D1, D₁ cach carrying
at its end a weight Q, which is situated at the depth of the draught of the
vessel, with the usual clearance, and the inclination of which in its universal
joint J, moves the contact-piece T towards one of the springs r, as will be seen
from Figs. 6 and 7; then the current of the bell, which is situated on the ship,
will be closed, and the sound will give an indication of the obstacle; as the
levers D, D, D) are connected together by cables, any intermediate obstacles
will also be indicated, but in this case by two bells.
In the middle feeler, the bell for indicating depth will also be set into operation
when the bow of the feeler meets with any obstacle; the bent lever or bar i

page_text: will move the spring r towards the contact T, and the current circuit will be
closed. The springs and j' are designed to retain the levers i and D in their
original positions. In order to indicate the inclination of the framing of the
feeler 2 in relation to the latter, the rudder G of the feeler is provided with a
lever (Figs. 4 and S), which is bent into the form of an arc of a circle and the
ends of which are provided with pistons and that work in tubes, which are
rigidly connected to the framing and which contain conductors m and m' that
act as weak springs. The deviation of the framing displaces the pistons p and 2
and closes the circuit at one side or the other, and the corresponding bell is
caused to ring.
The side feelers 1 and 3, are different from the feeler 2, in that the position of
the rudder G (Fig. 10) that produces the oblique motion, is inclined. Further,
the framing is in one piece with the feeler and the warning apparatus has only
to indicate the decrease of the angle comprised between the conductor Z and the
cable c. From Figs. 10 and 11 it will be seen that the principle of the apparatus
is the same as hereinbefore described, but the possible displacements of the
pistons and " in relation to the tubes s, are very small.
The conducting cables ZZZ" are supported in the middle by a buoy W
(Fig. 1) in order to prevent them from dipping so much as they would without
such a support and in order to enable the conducting cables and 7" to be
inclined according to requirement.
The conducting cables must comprise conductors for the electric motors, with
branches for the lamps of the buoys, and conductors for the depth-indicating
bells. Also, the conducting cable Z must comprise the conductors of two bells
and of the fixing apparatus; and the conducting cables Z and Z" must each
comprise a conductor for one bell.
There are thus on the ship, three depth-indicating bells, one bell for the left-
hand feeler, two bells for the middle feeler, and one bell for the right-hand
feeler. This is quite sufficient for the purpose of indicating the position of the
obstacle and the direction of the deviation. If required, it is not difficult to
produce also an automatic deviation of the rudder of the ship in accordance with
the position of the feelers, but the apparatus would be more complicated. The
apparatus can, on the other hand, be simplified in the case of ships that do not
travel fast and whose turning circle is small by connecting the middle feeler
rigidly to its framing and consequently dispensing with the fixing apparatus
and the right and left hand bells. It will still be possible to check or ascertain the
position of the apparatus with the aid of the telescope. There is no certainty
that such an apparatus will always indicate the path to be followed, but it will
always be useful for warning the vessels that are met with.
I shall not enter into the details of the warning devices on the ship, because
this depends very much on local conditions, and will also not offer any difficulty:
and for the same reason I shall not give any calculations. I may also state that
it should be possible to regulate within wide limits the intensity of the current
that is sent to the electric motors, for the purpose of varying the speed of the
latter; and a windlass should be provided for the purpose of drawing back or
taking up the feelers when their services are no longer required.
It is obvious that the condition of the atmosphere cannot have any influence
and that the condition of the sea can only have an insignificant influence, upon
the mode of operation of the apparatus, because, although large waves may inter-
fere to a slight extent with the travelling of the feelers, the respective position
of the feelers cannot be changed either by these waves or by rolling or pitching.
I have thus attempted to show in this specification that the proper working
of the herein described apparatus will give, alone, to the ship fitted therewith a
complete guarantee against collisions with stationary obstacles and also with
vessels fitted with feelers or travelling at the speed limited by the International
Convention. My apparatus thus complies with all the conditions mentioned at
the commencement of the present specification, and everything tends to the belief

page_text: that with antennae of sufficient length, which can be guided at will, and are, so
to speak, intelligent, a ship will have a safety in travelling that has been hitherto
unknown. The ship will in future always be able to find its way in an unknown
sea, without a pilot, without beacon-lights, and even without appreciably re-
ducing its speed, with nothing but its own feelers.
Dated this 10th day of January 1899.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Apparatus for Preventing Collisions at Sea.
I, NICOLAS GHERASSIMOFF, 16, Rue des Officiers, St. Petersburg, Russia,
Military 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:
A disaster at sea is almost always the result of a collision between the ship and
some moving or stationary body which is situated in the path of the said ship,
either at the surface or at a depth less than the draught of the ship, and which
is not perceived in time, or it is due to an error made in estimating the position
of the said body and the course of its deviation. Consequently, in order to avoid
collisions, the ship should be-provided with a warning apparatus that will fulfil
the following requirements.
Such apparatus should:
1. Discover the dangerous obstacle that is situate in the part of the ship, and
discover it soon enough to allow such measures to be taken as may be necessary
for avoiding a collision therewith, even if the moving body discovered, continue
its original course.
2. Indicate automatically the direction that must be followed by the ship in
order to avoid collision.
3. Indicate at the same time to the ship being met, the position of the steamer
that is following the apparatus, and the direction of its deviation.
4. Operate in a satisfactory manner, whatever may be the state of the atmos-
phere and the sea.
5. Give to the ship possessing it, a sure guarantee against accidents, inde-
pendently of the vigilance of the other ships.
Signals of the luminous, acoustic, and electric kinds (wireless telegraphy
through air or water) have all serious drawbacks in that safety against accidents
depends on the proper working of the system of signalling on the two ships which
are moving towards each other, on the vigilance of the two captains, etc., and
that, further, they cannot give any guarantee against collisions with obstacles
that are unprovided with a warning apparatus. Moreover, luminous and acoustic
signals cannot give any sure result during fog, when the most powerful beacon-
lights can only be seen at a few metres distance and when the sounds of the
siren are propagated very irregularly. Thermic waves, and probably electric
waves, will not give better results in misty weather than waves of sound and
light, and for this reason no successful result could be obtained by employing
in this case thermo-electric apparatus, or wireless aerial telegraphy. It appears
to the inventor that the safest solution of this problem will be given when the
ships will be provided with "feelers" or long "sensitive antennae" composed of
three floating bodies, suitably situated forwards, whose position with reference
to the ship will always be known and controlled at will, which, on actually
touching any object on their course, will immediately apprise the ship thereof,
and which, by deviating in the direction in which they will find it easier to

page_text: move, will point out the path that should be followed by the ship. At the same
time, by the shock and the luminous signals with which they will be provided,
the floating bodies will indicate to the ship met with, the position of the steamer
to which the apparatus belongs, and will give the direction of deviation of the
latter. It is evident that in that case, the proper working of this warning
apparatus, which can always be checked, will give to the ship that is fitted with
it a complete guarantee against collisions with stationary and moving obstacles
if the following rules be accurately observed; the ship provided with feelers
must always follow them, and the ship that has not any feelers must take a path
opposite to that of the feeler met with.
Having stated these general conditions, I shall examine the following
questions:
1. What position must be given to the feeler (floating body) in relation to the
ship? and
2. How must these feelers be constructed in order to insure proper working?
I.
The distance at which the feelers must be placed in advance of the ship, is a
function of its speed v, of the time t that the steamer will take to deviate from
its original course to a sufficient extent to avoid collision with a body which
continues on its way with the speed ¹. Three feelers must be provided, which
are to guarantee the steamer against collisions with ships whose paths may inter-
sect the path of the steamer at different angles. The most unfavorable direction
will be the direction at right angles to the path of the ship. The latter will
always be warned in time, if the three feelers be arranged at the ends of the
diameters of the circle, of which the centre O is situated on the straight line of
the path of the ship, at a distance from the bow of the latter (Fig. 1). The
vt + z
radius of this circle is given by the formula R= (V)
Vi
in which Z is the length
of the ship in question, and the other letters bear the meanings above stated.
In order to give a numerical example, it will be assumed that by an Inter-
national Convention all ships that travel in a fog with a speed greater than two
metres per second shall be provided with feelers. so that the steamer will be
guaranteed against collision with a sailing vessel having a perpendicular course
and sailing with a speed of v₁ = 2 metres per second. If = 6 metres per second
and t 75 seconds, at the ends of which the steamer will have deviated 23° from
its original path, along the line indicated by dots in Fig. 1, if
then vt450 metres and R
R
=
450 + 120 190 metres.
6
2
If
120 metres,
1 metre, then
R = 95 metres. And if all the ships are provided with feelers,
= 50 metres at most. In Fig. 1. the sailing vessel V is shown in the
most unfavorable position for itself, because a collision is unavoidable unless
the two vessels alter their courses, and there remain 75 seconds before the vessel
will be struck amidships; but it will be seen from the drawing that the ship A
will have time to deviate. All vessels that will not be touched by the side
feelers 1 and 3, are not dangerous to the ship A. It is clear that in case of
contact between the feelers of the two ships, they will have still more time to
make the necessary manoeuvres.
II.
The construction of the feelers and their position with reference to the ship is
indicated in the annexed drawings, in which
Fig. 1 shows the general arrangement of the feelers in plan:
Fig. 2 shows the same arrangement, but in profile the vertical distances being
increased ten times;

page_text: Figs. 3, 4, and 5 illustrate the general construction of the middle feeler, of
which Fig. 3 is a vertical section corresponding to the line 33 of Fig. 4,
Fig. 4 is a horizontal section corresponding to the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5
a vertical section corresponding to the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and
Figs. 6 and 7 are two vertical and horizontal sections, drawn to a larger scale,
of the same feeler and corresponding respectively to the lines 6-6 and 7-7;
Fig. 8 illustrates the arrangement of the apparatus for indicating the deviations
of the middle feeler;
Fig. 9 is a vertical section, corresponding to the line 9-9 of Fig. 10, illus-
trating the construction of a side feeler, and
Fig. 10 is a horizontal section of the same feeler on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9;
Fig. 11 illustrates, to a larger scale, the arrangement of the apparatus for
indicating the deviations of the side feeler; and
Fig. 12 is a plan of the arrangement, on the ship, of a graduated scale with
a telescope for verifying or ascertaining the position of the conducting cable.
As shown in Figs. 3 to 7, and Figs. 9 and 10, each feeler comprises a casing
having the shape that will offer the least resistance to movement in water. In
this casing, there are situated electric motors E which transmit motion to a
screw-propeller H. These electric motors must be sufficiently powerful to enable
them to overcome not only the resistance to the motion of the feeler with its
accessories, but also to drag their conducting cable along, and consequently to
exert a pull of a given force upon the ship. Consequently the conducting cables Z
Z, Z, in addition to being designed to conduct the electric current. to the electric
.motors E from the dynamo placed on the ship, have also to act as tow-ropes
stretched from the feelers. The middle feeler 2 (Figs. 3 to 8). is provided with a
fixed rudder G which is arranged in the vertical plane passing through its axis
and which will maintain the feeler always in the direction of the movement of
the entire apparatus, i.e., in the position in which it will meet with the minimum
resistance from the water. The feeler is connected to its framing b by means of
vertical trunnions and t¹, which pass through its centre and which can rotate
freely in bearings of the framing b. A special apparatus hereinafter described
enables the feeler to be affixed or rendered immovable at the desired moment in
relation to its framing in order to cause them to turn together. The conducting
cable Z is permanently connected to the framing b, so that, if the power of the
screw-propeller II of the feeler alone comes into operation, the conductor Z will
assume the direction of the feeler and the framing b will be at right angles to it.
If the conductor Z change its direction from any cause, it will cause the framing
to turn; but the position of the feeler will remain parallel to the former posi-
tion; consequently, when the accidental force ceases to act, the conductor will
resume its original position.
"
In order to change the position of the feelers, the middle feeler is provided
with an apparatus that enables it to be rendered immovable in its framing and
bringing it back into a position perpendicular to the latter; and the propelling
force of the side feelers is capable of being varied. As shown in Figs. 4 and 7,
the framing has two side-pieces f and f¹, which limit the oscillations of the
feeler to 10° each side and upon which bear the heads of the screws and
when these screws are moved into their extreme positions. The screws work in
nuts and 7 by means of their central screw-threaded portion. At their inner
ends, the screws carry rollers or discs g and g which are in gentle contact with
the surface of an iron wheel F fixed on an extension of the screw-propeller shaft,
which is made of a diamagnetic metal. On the other side of the wheel F there
is placed a coil B, which receives the current through special conductors shown
in Figs. 6 and 7..
In normal circumstances, the motion of the wheel F is unable to move the
rollers and g', which are held back by springs y and y¹. But when the coil B
.receives current, the adhesion between the magnetized wheel F and the rollers, g
and g¹ becomes so great that the screws and ¹ and their heads are turned until

page_text: both the screws have reached their extreme positions, which are indicated by
dotted lines in Fig. 7. When the current of the coil is interrupted, the springs y
and y cause the screws to revolve and return to their original positions. It will
be seen from Fig. 1 that the feelers 1 and 3, have, in relation to the feeler-2;
oblique positions, in which they are maintained by the rudders G, the simple
cables cc, and the conducting cables Z¹Z", which connect them to the feeler 2
and to the ship A.
In consequence of the oblique position of the feelers, there exist normal com-
ponents R, and R, which are equal to the propelling force F₁ F, multiplied by
the cosine of the angle and between the direction of propulsion and the line normal
to their movement of the entire apparatus. In normal conditions,
F, F, and R, R₂,
=
but when the meeting with any object increases a, as in Fig. 1, then equili-
brium no longer exists, R₁ becomes less than R₂, and consequently, the feelers
will receive a movement in the direction opposed to the obstacle. The ship
must follow them. When, on the contrary, it is desired to change the direction
of the entire apparatus, the desired movement can always be given, by making F,
greater or smaller than F3, whilst rendering the middle feeler immovable.
In order to give the desired position to the entire apparatus, to measure the
angle of inclination, and to ascertain or verify the position of the apparatus in
relation to the vessel, I arrange on the vessel, at the point of attachment of the
conducting cable Z of the middle feeler 2, a graduated scale P (Fig. 12), of which
the zero mark coincides with the point of attachment of the cable, which is situ-
ated in the centre line of the ship. Upon this scale P and perpendicularly
thereto, there is arranged a telescope S, which is capable of being moved, whilst
always retaining its respective or relative position or its perpendicularity to the
scale P.
Upon the conducting cable Z, there is arranged a small electric lamp q Fig. 12
situated at a determined distance from the scale P. It is obvious that the angle
of inclination of the conducting cable Z, that is to say, of the entire apparatus, .
can be measured with the aid of this appliance.
Having now shown how the position of the feelers can be controlled and ascer-
tained, I shall now proceed to describe the warning arrangements.
All the feelers must indicate places of insufficient depth; further, the feeler 1
will indicate inclination to the right, feeler 3 will indicate inclination to the left,
and feeler 2 will indicate inclination to the right and to the left and the contact
of its bow against the obstacle. In order to render the movement of the feelers
more steady, they are entirely immersed in the water, at about one-half of the
draught of water of the ship, and the point of attachment of the conducting
cables ZZZ and of the simple cables c and c¹ must correspond with the con-
ditions of equilibrium of the forces that come into operation.
In order that the feeler may indicate to the vessel met with the position of the
ship that is following, and for the purpose of balancing the excess of the weight,
each feeler is provided at the surface of the water with a buoy u Figs. 3 and 9
that carries an electric lamp having a color which corresponds to the position of
the feeler in relation to the ship.
For the purpose of offering the least resistance during motion, the buoy u is
made capable of turning on an upright arm K, rigidly connected to the framing b.
Cables (of which M, M are shown in Figs. 3 and 9) connect the arms K together
in order that the apparatus may give warning of floating bodies that are situated
at a depth such as will render their meeting dangerous for the ship.
For the purpose of indicating shoals, the feelers are provided with pendent
levers D, D, Figs. 3, 6 and 9 each carrying at its end a weight Q, which is
situated at the depth of the draught of the vessel, with the usual clearance, and
the inclination of which in its universal joint J, moves the contact-piece T
towards one of the springs r, as will be seen from Figs. 6 and 7; then the circuit
of a bell, which is situated on the ship, will be closed, and the sound will give an

page_text: indication of the obstacle; as the pendent levers D', D" are connected together
by cables, of which M M are shown, any intermediate obstacles will also be
indicated, but in this case by two bells.
As to the middle feeler 2, a bell for indicating depth will also be set into
operation when the bow of the said feeler meet with any obstacle; the bent
bar i will move the spring towards the contact T, and the electric circuit will
be closed. Springs j and Figs. 9, 3 and 6 are designed to retain the bar i
and pendent levers D D in their original normal positions, respectively.
In order to indicate the inclination of the framing of the feeler 2 in relation
to the latter, the rudder G of the feeler is provided with a lever (Figs. 4 and 8),
which is bent into the form of an arc of a circle and the ends of which are pro-
vided with pistons p and p¹ that work in tubes, which are rigidly connected to
the framing and which contain conductors m and m³ that act as weak springs.
The deviation of the framing displaces the pistons ? and p¹ and closes the cir-
cuit at one side or the other, and a bell is caused to ring on board.
The side feelers 1 and 3 are different from the feeler 2 in that the position
of the rudder G (Fig. 10) that produces the oblique motion is inclined. Further,
the framing is in one piece with the feeler and the warning apparatus has only
to indicate the decrease of the angle comprised between the conductor Z' and
the cable c. From Figs. 10 and 11, it will be seen that the principle of the appara-
tus is the same as herein before described, but the possible displacements of the
pistons q¹ and q in relation to the tubes s, are very small.
The conducting cables Z, ZZ are supported in the middle by a buoy W
(Fig. 1) in order to prevent them from dipping so much as they would without
such a support, and in order to enable the conducting cables Z' and Z¹ to be
inclined according to requirement.
The conducting cables must comprise conductors for the electric motors, with
branches for the lamps of the buoys, and conductors for the depth-indicating bells.
Also, the conducting cable Z must comprise the conductors of two bells and of
the immobilizing device f f¹, gg', vv, yy¹ Fig. 7; and the conducting cables Z¹
and Z must each comprise a conductor for one bell.
There are thus on the ship three depth-indicating bells, one bell for the left-
hand feeler, two bells for the middle feeler, and one bell for the right-hand
feeler. This is quite sufficient for the purpose of indicating the position of the
obstacle and the direction of the deviation. If required, it would not be difficult
to produce also an automatic deviation of the rudder of the ship in accordance
with the position of the feelers, but the apparatus would be more complicated.
The apparatus can, on the other hand, be simplified in the case of ships that do not
travel fast and whose turning circle is small, by connecting the middle feeler
rigidly to its framing and consequently dispensing with the immobilizing appara-
tus and the right and left-hand bells. It will still be possible to check or ascertain
the position of the apparatus with the aid of the telescope. There is no certainty
that such an apparatus will always indicate the path to be followed, but it will
always be useful for warning the vessels that are met with.
I shall not enter into the details of the warning devices on the ship, because
this depends very much on local conditions, and will also not offer any difficulty;
and for the same reason I shall not give any calculations. I may also state that
it should be possible to regulate within wide limits the intensity of the current
that is sent to the electric motors, for the purpose of varying the speed of the
latter; and a windlass should be provided for the purpose of drawing back or
taking up the feelers when their services are no longer required.
It is obvious that the condition of the atmosphere cannot have any influence
and that the condition of the sea can only have an insignificant influence upon
the mode of operation of the apparatus, because, although large waves may inter-
fere to a slight extent with the travelling of the feelers, the respective position
of the feelers cannot be changed either by these waves or by rolling or pitching.
I have thus attempted to show in this specification that the proper working

page_text: of the herein described apparatus will give, alone, to the ship fitted therewith a
complete guarantee against collisions with stationary obstacles and also with
vessels fitted with feelers or travelling at the speed limited by the international
convention. My apparatus thus complies with all the conditions mentioned at
the commencement of the present specification, and everything tends to the belief
that with antennae of sufficient length, which can be guided at will, and are, so
to speak, intelligent, a ship will have a safety in travelling that has hitherto been
unknown. The ship will in future always be able to find its way in an unknown
sea, without a pilot, without beacon-lights, and even without appreciably re-
ducing its speed, with nothing but its own feelers.
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 combination with a ship, of a feeler moving in advance of said ship,
and means for causing a signal to be given on board such ship when said feeler
collides with an obstruction, for the purposes set forth.
2. The combination with a ship, of a feeler moving in advance of said ship, a
depth indicator depending from said feeler, and means causing a signal to be
given on board such ship when said feeler or the depth indicator collides with an
obstruction, for the purpose set forth.
3. The combination with a ship, of a feeler moving in advance of said ship,
and means causing a signal to be given indicating the location of the feeler, and
a signal indicating collision when said feeler collides with an obstruction, for
the purpose set forth.
4. The combination with a ship, of a feeler moving in advance of said ship,
a signalling device connected with the feeler a signalling device aboard ship, and
means actuating both signalling devices when the feeler collides with an obstruc-
tion, for the purposes-set forth.
5. The combination with a ship, of a submerged feeler moving in advance of
said ship, and means causing a signal to be given on board such ship when said
feeler collides with an obstruction, for the purposes set forth.
6. The combination with a ship, of a feeler flexibly connected with and moving
in advance of the ship, means for controlling the course of the feeler, and means
causing a signal to be given on board such ship when said feeler collides with an
obstruction, substantially as set forth.
7. The combination with a ship, of a feeler flexibly connected with and moving
in advance of said ship, means for controlling the course of said feeler from
aboard ship, and means causing a signal to be given on board such ship when
said feeler collides with an obstruction, for the purposes set forth.
8. The combination with a ship, of a submerged feeler flexibly connected with
and moving in advance of said ship, a depth indicator flexibly connected with
and depending from said feeler, a float likewise connected with said feeler, a sig-
nalling device connected with, the float, a like device on board ship, and means
actuating said signalling devices when the feeler or depth indicator collides with
an obstruction, for the purposes set forth.
9. The combination with a ship, of a submerged feeler flexibly connected with
and moving in advance of said ship, means for steering the feeler, a depth indi-
cator flexibly connected therewith and depending therefrom, a float rod rigidly
secured to the feeler, a float mounted to revolve on said rod, a signalling device
connected with said float, a like device on board ship, and means actuating said
signalling devices when the feeler or the depth indicator collides with an obstruc-
tion, for the purposes set forth.
-10. The combination with a feeler serving the purposes specified, of a frame in
which said feeler is mounted to rotate on vertical journals, and means for limit-
ing the amplitude of rotation, for the purposes set forth.
11. The combination with a feeler serving the purposes specified, of a frame in

page_text: which said feeler is mounted to revolve, on vertical journals, and means for lock-
ing the feeler against rotation, for the purposes set forth...
***
12. The combination with a ship, a feeler serving the purposes specified, and
a frame in which said feeler is mounted to revolve on vertical journals; of means
indicating on board ship, the angle of displacement of the feeler on its journals,
for the purpose set forth.
13. The combination with a ship, a feeler serving the purposes specified, a
frame in which said feeler is mounted to revolve on vertical journals, and a
rudder for said feeler; of appliances controlled by said rudder and in
indicating
on board ship the inclination of the feeler relatively to its frame, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
14. The combination with a ship, a feeler serving the purposes specified, a
frame in which said feeler is mounted to revolve on vertical journals, and a rudder
for the feeler; of electrically operated appliances controlled by said rudder; indi-
cating on board ship the inclination of the feeler relatively to its frame, for the
purpose set forth.
15. The combination with a ship, a feeler serving the purposes specified, and a
frame in which said feeler is mounted to revolve on vertical journals; of elec-
trically operated appliances for moving the feeler back into a normal position,
when displaced on its journals, and for locking said feeler against such displace-
ment, and means on board ship for controlling the operation of said appliances,
for the purposes set forth.
16. The combination with a ship, a feeler, a rudder rigidly secured thereto, a
frame in which said feeler is mounted to revolve on vertical journals, and means
controlled by the rudder indicating on board ship the displacement of the feeder
on its journals relatively to its frame, or vice versa; of electrically operated
appliances for moving the feeler back into its normal position when displaced,
and a device on board ship for controlling the operation of said appliances, for
the purposes set forth.
17. The combination with a ship, three self-propelling feelers, a parallelogram
of flexible connections with the feelers at three of the angles, and a flexible con-
nection connecting the fourth angle with the ship at the bow; of means control-
lable from on board ship directing the course of said feelers, and appliances
causing a signal to be given on board such ship when one of said feelers or a
flexible connection between two of them meets with an obstruction, for the pur-
poses set forth.
18. The combination with a ship, three self-propelling feelers, a parallelogram of
flexible connections with the feelers at three of the angles, and a flexible con-
nection connecting the fourth angle with the ship at the bow; of means control-
lable from on board ship directing the course and controlling the speed of said
feelers, and appliances causing a signal to be given on board such ship when one
of said feelers or a flexible connection between two of them meets with an obstruc-
tion, for the purposes set forth. .
19. The combination with a ship, three self-propelling feelers, a parallelo-
gram of flexible connections with the feelers at three of the angles, and a flexible
connection connecting the fourth angle with the ship at the bow; of means con-
trollable from on board ship, maintaining the feeler at the forward angle in the
ship's course, the other two feelers connected to take courses diverging from said
ship's course controllable from on board ship and controlling the speed of the
feelers, and appliances causing a signal to be given on board when one of the
feelers or a connection between two of them meets with an obstruction, for the
purposes set forth.
20. The combination with a ship, three self-propelling feelers, a depth indica-
tor flexibly connected with and depending from each of said feelers, a parallel-
ogram of flexible connections with the feelers at three of the angles thereof, a
like connection connecting the fourth angle to the ship at the bow, and flexible
connections between the depth indicators; of means controllable from aboard ship
"

page_text: maintaining the feeler at the forward angle in the ship's course, means for
maintaining the other two feelers in courses diverging from the ship's course,
means controllable from aboard ship controlling the speed of the feelers, and
means causing a signal or signals to be given on board when a feeler or depth
indicator or a connection between them meets with an obstruction, for the pur-
poses set forth.
21. The combination with a ship, three self-propelling feelers, a depth indica-
tor flexibly connected with and depending from each feeler, a float rod rigidly
secured to each of said feelers, a float mounted to revolve on the respective rods,
a signalling device connected with each float, a parallelogram of nexible con-
nections with the feelers at three of the angles thereof, a like connection con-
necting the fourth angle with the ship at the bow, and similar connections
between the depth indicators; of means controllable from aboard ship for main-
taining the feeler at the forward angle of the parallelogram in the ship's course,
means maintaining the other two feelers in courses diverging from the ship's
course, means controllable from aboard ship controlling the speed of the feelers,
means causing a signal or signals to be given aboard ship when a feeler or depth
indicator or a connection between two feelers or depth indicators meets with an
obstruction, and means simultaneously operating the float signalling device, for
the purpose set forth.
22. The combination with a ship, three self-propelling feelers, a parallelogram
of flexible connections with the feelers at three of the angles thereof, a like
connection connecting the fourth angle with the ship at the bow, means main-
taining the feeler at the forward angle in the ship's course, and the other two
feelers in courses diverging from said ship's course, appliances controlled by devia-
tions of the feelers from their respective courses causing a signal or signals
to be given aboard ship, and appliances controllable from aboard ship causing
the feelers to resume their normal courses, for the purposes set forth.
23. The combination with a ship, three self-propelling feelers, a parallelogram
of flexible connections with the feelers at three of the angles thereof, a like con-
nection connecting the fourth angle with the ship at the bow, means maintaining
the feeler at the forward angle in the ship's course, and the other two feelers
in courses diverging from said ship's course, appliances controlled by deviations
of the feelers from their respective courses causing a signal or signals to be
given aboard ship, and appliances controllable from aboard ship acting on the
feeler at the said forward angle to bring the same into its normal course and
therethrough the other two feelers, for the purposes set forth.
24. The combination with a ship, of appliances substantially such as described,
comprising three feelers connected together and with the ship as set forth; of
means on board ship for determining the proper position of the feelers relatively
to said ship, means controllable from aboard ship and controlling the advance
feeler for bringing the latter and therethrough the other feelers into their proper
operative positions relatively to the ship, for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 10th day of October 1899
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.