IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING AND INDICATING THE RATE OF VESSELS PASSING THROUGH THE WATER
Year: 1838

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JEAN
LEANDRE CLEMENT, of Rochefort, in the Kingdom of France, but now of
Janney's Hotel, Leicester Square, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by
Her Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Twenty-first day of August, in the second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said. Jean Leandre. Clement, Her especial licence, full power,
sole privilege,, and authority, that I, the said Jean Leandre Clement, my
exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Jean Leandre
Clement, my, exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with;
and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend.
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING AND INDICATING THE
RATE OF VESSELS PASSING THROUGH THE WATER;" in which said Letters Patent
is contained a proviso, that I, the said Jean Leandre Clement, shall cause a
particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in. compliance with the said proviso, I, the said,
Jean Leandre Clement, do hereby declare the nature of my said In-
vention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully.
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference

page_text: being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed and to the figures and letters
marked thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in constructing an apparatus which I call a watch
(à syllage), hereafter described, to supply the place of the log at present used
by sailors to ascertain the speed at which a vessel is passing through the
water. This log consists of a piece of lead attached to a cord knotted, which
is thrown into the sea, and as each knot runs out, the time of its running out
is marked by a sand glass kept for the purpose; but there are several
inconveniences resulting from this plan; it, of necessity, occupies several men
in throwing out and drawing in the line; you are also subject to the variations
of the glass arising from the dryness or dampness of the sand, all which
prevents you arriving at an exact state of the passage of the vessel; these are
remedied by my Invention.
In the Drawing marked number 1, Figure 1 represents the surface of
the dial of the watch (à syllage); and Figure 2, the plate at the back of it.
In the Drawing 2, Figure 1 shews the interior of the watch with all
the works; Figure 2 shews the tube and the various pieces for the drawing
up of the apparatus.
In the Drawing number 3, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus;
and Figure 2, the plate at the back, with the chain and several other
parts of the mechanism. Drawing 4 shews an additional apparatus to be
added to the watch (à syllage). This apparatus is to ascertain the drift of
the vessel, shewing the number of degrees the vessel passes through the water.
The mechanical parts are the same as the watch (à syllage), only viewed in
a different direction.
In Drawing No. 1 at Figure 1, number 1 represents the face of the
apparatus, upon which is shewn at number 2 the watch (à syllage). Number 3
is a dial, representing what are called by sailors, knots. The hand of this
watch upon the face of it follows all the movements of the vessel, and shews
the number of miles she passes through. This hand is connected with the
works of the watch; it consequently follows that they being actuated by the
motion of the vessel, the dial will shew the rate at which the vessel has
been going, and this may be observed at any time you please. Number 4
shews a plate or dial similar to a common watch. This watch serves to
make known the operation of the watch (à syllage). The two watches
work together when the dial of knots, number 3, is at zero, but the
moment it leaves zero the watch (à syllage) advances upon the ordinary watch.
The ordinary or common watch need not necessarily belong to the apparatus.
The pocket watch of the party superintending may be used, it being only

page_text: necessary to notice the difference between the two watches at the point of
starting, to ascertain the advance of the watch (à syllage) beyond the other.
To know the number of miles run out, it is only necessary to notice (in the
first instance) the difference between the ordinary watch and the watch (à
5 syllage), for example, supposing the vessel had been running for an hour by
the observations made, we know that the watch (à syllage) shews an advance
of 15 seconds for a mile; these two watches being set at the same point, say,
12 o'clock, and going for an hour, the common watch will shew the hour
exactly run out, whilst the watch, à syllage, will shew an advance of two
minutes fifteen seconds, thus shewing that the vessel has run nine miles in
the hour, calculating one mile for each fifteen seconds. Number 5 are pins
which fix the minute and second hands. Number 6 shews the regulator ;
number 7, the handle of the chain attached to the hands of the main
wheel ; number 8, the handle to draw up the main wheel to bring back
the hands to 12 o'clock; number 9, the handle to draw out the spring of
the hook. In Figure 2 of the same Drawings, No. 1 shews a plate of copper,
upon which is fixed a hook, and below that a copper tube. No. 2 shews the
hook or sliding frame; and No. 3 is a wheel carrying upon its axis a small
wheel which is connected to the regulating wheel No: 3. No. 4 shews the
wheel which supports the hands of the dial of knots; No. 5 is a screw which
joins the hook to a spring inclosed within the copper tube No. 6, which is
place below the plate; No. 6 is a copper tube, within which is a steel spring;
No. 7 is the same as shewn at No. 9 in Figure 1; No. 8 are springs carrying
the pullies which slightly press against the hook marked 2. In Drawing marked
Fig. 1, 2, No. 0 represents the main wheel which ungears the hour hands; No. 1,
the point upon which rests the ends of the catch retaining the spring of the
main wheel of the hands; the point being raised, the springs will be at liberty;
No. 2 are wheels which communicate motion to the minute hands; No. 3,
the back wheels for the hour hand; No. 4, wheels for the hour hands; No. 5,
wheels for the minute hands; No. 6, back wheels of the minutes ungearing
of the hour wheel and the minute wheel by the lever 7, which is connected
on one side to the lever of the minutes, and the other to the main handle
wheels of the hands; No. 8 is a lever, the pins of which stop the hands at
12 o'clock; No. 9 is a lever acted upon by the drawing up of the main wheel
for the support of the hands upon the lever No. 8, and conducting the wheel
hand No. 10 upon the pinion of the second hand; No. 10 is a main wheel
hand which supports the wheel upon the pinion of the second hands; No. 1:1
are wheels fixed upon the pinion of the second hands; No. 12, a small
barrel upon which the spring binds, when the lever No. 9 conduct; the wheel

page_text: upon the pinion of second hand; No. 13, a catch holding the wheel No. 11;
and not abandoning it until it has caught into the pinion of the second
hands; No. 14 is a spring to bring back the catch to its former position
after having acted upon the pinion of the second hands; No. 15, pinion of
the second hands; No. 16, connecting rod of chain of the main wheel hand;
No. 17, copper tube serving to draw the main wheel hand.
:
DESCRIPTION OF FIGURE 2, IN THIS PLATE.
No. 1 is a copper tube put at the place of gage; No. 2 is a stopper
passing down the tube No. 1. ; No. 3, connecting chain attached to the stopper;
No. 4, a copper ball fixed to the stopper by a peg about a foot or 18 inches
below it; No. 5, a small chain attached to the lower end of the stopper, and to
the end of the lever No. 6; No. 6, regulating lever of the machine; No. 7
shews the face of the apparatus, which may be in the interior. of the ship, or
on the outside. The copper ball being in the water is acted upon by the
water, and the motion thus caused is communicated to the machinery by.
means of the connecting chain 5 to the lever 6. When the vessel is not
advancing, the watch, à syllage, shews the same by not acting more than an
ordinary watch, but when the vessel.is passing through the water, the works
being actuated, the dial plate shews exactly the rate at which she is going,
and this may be seen at any time that you may require. In applying this
apparatus on steam boats, to avoid the effect of the dead water caused by
the paddle wheel, which might impede its proper action, it is only necessary to
place the copper tube No. 1 in front of the wheels, or it may be placed at
the stern with a line.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING MARKED 3. -
No. 1 shews a perspective view of the interior of the apparatus; No. 2,
wheels working in the hook or sliding frame, the axes of this wheel having at
its end the wheel No. 10, which works the wheel No. 3, the effect of which is
to put in motion the shaft No. 5; No. 3, regulating wheel; No. 4, a small
wheel of regulation acting upon the small spiral 6; No. 5, a large spiral, to
which the hook is connected to the wheel No. 2; No. 6; small spiral; No. 7,
advancing or retarding wheel acting upon the small wheel 4 No. 8, balance;
No. 9 is a support; No. 10 is a wheel working in the wheel 3; No. 11,
pins attached to the wheel 3. In Figure 2, No. 12 shews the lower part
of the machine, which supports the plate, prepared to receive the hook;
No. 13 shews the works of the watch: (à.syllage); No. 14, works of the ordi-
nary watch; No. 15, lower view of the main wheel; No. 16, à wheel which

page_text: supports the hands of the knotted dial and working into the hook; No. 17,
the
copper tube which is attached to the drawing of the main wheel; No. 18,
the chain which binds the spring of the main wheel.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ADDITIONAL MACHINE ATTACHED TO THE WATCH
(A SYLLAGE), AND CALLED THE DRIFT.
In the Drawing marked 4, No. 1 shews the face of the apparatus; the
advantage of this apparatus is for ascertaining the motion of the vessel, which
is called drifting, and also for what sailors call (embarden). The mechanical
parts of this machine are the same as the watch, à syllage, looking at it in
another direction; No. 2, dial plate of the drift on the right-hand of the
machine; No. 3, dial plate of the drift on the left-hand of the machine; No. 4,
dial plate of the drift which marks the degrees at the same instant; No. 5, .
chain of the hook; No. 6, wheel upon which the chain No. 5 runs; No. 7, a
piece of iron fixed to the machine, on the top of which is the wheel No. 6,
and the bottom the lever 8. No. 8 is a lever, which moves to the right or to
the left according to the drift or to the embarden of the vessel; No. 9, common
watch, used with the drift; No. 10, button of the handle, placed on the face
of the machine to bring back the hands to.12 o'clock; No. 11 is a rod to act
upon the pins, which ought to stop at the point of 12 (the point of departure)
shown on the three watches; No. 12 are bands acted on by the pressure of the
rod 11, which stops the hands at 12 o'clock.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jean Leandre Clement, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Third day of September, One thousand
eight hundred and thirty-eight