IMPROVEMENTS IN INSTRU- MENTS OR APPARATUS FOR RECORDING DISTANCES TRAVELLED BY SHIPS OR NAVIGABLE VESSELS APPLICABLE ALSO FOR ENABLING THE SPEED OF THE TIDE TO BE ASCERTAINED.
Year: 1882

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to George Charles Lilley of Osborne Road, Finsbury Park,
in the County of Middlesex for an invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN INSTRU-
MENTS OR APPARATUS FOR RECORDING DISTANCES TRAVELLED BY SHIPS OR
NAVIGABLE VESSELS APPLICABLE ALSO FOR ENABLING THE SPEED OF THE
TIDE TO BE ASCERTAINED.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Charles Lilley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th May 1882.
GEORGE CHARLES LILLEY of Osborne Road, Finsbury Park in the county of
Middlesex, "IMPROVEMENTS IN INSTRUMENTS OR APPARATUS FOR RECORDING
DISTANCES TRAVELLED BY SHIPS OR NAVIGABLE VESSELS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR
ENABLING THE SPEED OF THE TIDE TO BE ASCERTAINED.'
This Invention has reference to apparatus of the kind in which a fan or screw
in the water is connected by a flexible connexion, such as a cord or line, to
counting or recording mechanism placed on board a ship or vavigable vessel where
the speed of such is to be recorded, or connected to some stationary object where
it is the speed of the tide that is to be ascertained.
With such apparatus as heretofore usually constructed for recording distances
travelled by ships or navigable vessels it has been found that the number of
revolutions made by the fans or screw of the recorder and consequently also the
distance through which the indicator finger or hand is moved over the dial whilst
the ship or vessel to which the apparatus is applied travels a given distance is not
invariably the same; consequently the indications on the dial are subject to con-
siderable correction according to circumstances. Now this invention has for object
to enable the apparatus to be adjusted so that the indications on the dial will
agree as nearly as may be with the distance actually travelled. Thus by my
invention the apparatus that works the counting or recording mechanism can be
[Price 6d 1

page_text: adjusted so that the number of revolutions of the fan or screw may be converted
under varying conditions into terms or denominations of known value such as
nautical miles indicated by the finger or hand on the dial. In an apparatus
according to my invention for this purpose the fan or screw in the water is caused
through its line or cord, and any suitable intermediate arrangement (it may be a
couple of spindles whereof one has the cord attached to it and the other carries a
worm or thread) to actuate a cam that through an adjustable lever and pawl and
ratchet gear works the counting mechanism.
In one arrangement the cam is in the form of a face plate with its face set at an
inclination to the shaft or axis upon which it is mounted or about which it
rotates but the cam may be made in other forms, one of which for example is an
eccentric.
The lever or arm it actuates carries a pawl which gears into and engages with a
ratchet wheel on the first motion shaft or spindle of the counting or recording
mechanism. The regulation is effected by varying the angular notion of the said
lever or arm. To effect this the working stroke of the lever or arm carrying the
pawl is terminated by a stop adjustable as regards the lever. Thus while the cam
always makes its full stroke it does not always begin to actuate the lever or arm
until a part of its (the cam's) stroke is accomplished.
According to a modification the arm or lever is not kept always in connexion
with the cam the stroke of the latter is varied by moving it with regard to the
cam, or by altering the eccentricity or a ting stroke of the cam itself.
A small indicator shews on the dial the position for the time being of the
adjustable stop.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Charles Lilley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th November 1882.
GEORGE CHARLES LILLEY, of Osborne Road, Finsbury Park in the County of
Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN INSTRUMENTS OR APPARATUS FOR RECORDING
DISTANCES TRAVELLED BY SHIPS OR NAVIGABLE VESSELS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR
ENABLING THE SPEED OF THE TIDE TO BE ASCERTAINED
"
This invention has reference to apparatus of the kind in which a fan or screw in
the water is connected by a flexible connexion, such as a cord or line, to counting
or recording mechanism placed on board a ship or navigable vessel where the speed
of such is to be recorded or connected to some stationary object where it is the
speed of the tide that is to be ascertained. With such apparatus as heretofore
usually constructed for recording distances travelled by ships or navigable vessels
it has been found that the number of revolutions made by the fan or screw of the
recorder and consequently also the distance through which the indicator finger or
hand is moved over the dial whilst the ship or vessel to which the apparatus is
applied travels a given distance is not invariably the same, consequently the
indications on the dial are subject to considerable correction according to circum-
stances. Now, this Invention has for object to enable the apparatus to be adjusted
so that the indications on the dial will agree as nearly as may be with the distance
actually travelled. Thus by my invention the apparatus that works the counting
or recording mechanism can be adjusted so that the number of revolutions of the
fan or screw may be converted under varying conditions into terms or denomi-
nations of known value such as nautical miles indicated by the finger or hand on
the dial. In an apparatus according to my invention for this purpose the fan or
screw in the water is caused through its line or cord and any suitable intermediate
arrangement (it may be a couple of spindles whereof one has the cord attached to
it and the other carries a worm or thread) to actuate a cam that through an
adjustable lever and pawl and ratchet gear works the counting mechanism. In
one arrangement the cam is in the form of a face plate with its face set at an
inclination to the shaft or axis upon which it is mounted or about which it
rotates but the cam may be made in other forms, one of which for example is an
eccentric.
The lever or arm it actuates carries a pawl which gears into and engages with a
ratchet wheel on the first motion shaft or spindle of the counting or recording
mechanism. The regulation is effected by varying the angular motion of the said
lever or arm. To effect this the working stroke of the lever or arm carrying the
pawl is terminated by a stop adjustable as regards the lever.
Thus while the can always makes its full stroke it does not always begin to
actuate the lever or arm until a part of its (the cam's) stroke is accomplished.
According to a modification the arm or lever is not kept always in connexion with
the cam; the stroke of the latter is varied by moving it with regard to the cam or
by altering the eccentricity or acting stroke of the cam itself A small indicator
shews on the dial the position for the time being of the adjustable stop. Referring
to the accompanying sheet of drawings:-
Figure is a front elevation of the outer case and dial plate of an apparatus
for recording the distances travelled by ships or navigable vessels according
to my invention.
Figure 2 is a side view of the same with the fan or screw and cord connection.
Figure 3 is a front elevation shewing to a larger scale the recording mechanism
and apparatus for actuating it as seen when the dial plate and cover are removed..

page_text: Figure 4 is a plan of the same with the case and cord connection joint in section
and Figure 5 is a vertical section in the line A B of Figure 3 with the addition of
the cover and dial plate.
a is the case or box for carrying the recording mechanism and apparatus for
actuating it.
This case may be fixed on the stern rail or other convenient part of the vessel.
b is the dial plate marked off for recording by means of the finger or hand b
the number of miles travelled.
c is a small pointer for recording fractions of a mile travelled.
These two pointers are operated by ordinary counter mechanism shewn in
Fig. 3 from the first motion shaft d.
The small spindle or shaft e is connected by means of the gimbal joint e¹ and
spindle e to the cord es and fan or screw e which revolves in the water whereby
the said shafte is operated. The shaft or spindle e carries a worm or thread e
which actuates a cam or inclined face plate f through the worm wheel f¹.
g is an arm or lever working loosely on the first motion shaft d.
It carries a pawl g¹ which actuates the ratchet wheel h and through it the
counting mechanism.
The lever g is operated by means of the cam or inclined face plate f which as it
revolves comes against the end g³ of the lever.
The angular motion of the lever is adjusted by varying the period during which
its end g² remains in contact with the said cam f during a revolution so as to give
an increased or diminished movement to the counting mechanism according to the
revolutions of the fan or screw e which obtains under varying conditions.
For this purpose a stop or frame i is provided that is adjustable vertically by
means of the screw j worked from outside the casing.
The part g³ of the lever g rests upon the portion of the stop i when in its
lowest position and whilst the end g² of the lever is out of contact with the cam
or face plate fas shown in dotted lines Figure 3. Thus the stop i limits the
movement of the lever and as this stop is lowered or raised it allows the end g of
the lever g to come sooner or later in contact with the said cam or face plate f
and thereby operate the counting mechanism for a longer or shorter period during
each revolution.
The lever g is weighted at g' for keeping its end 92 in contact with the cam or
face plate f.
kis the spindle to which the large finger or hand is connected and is the
spindle to which the small finger or pointer c is connected.
A slot m is formed in the dial plate b through which passes a projecting piece n
on the stop or frame i so as by means of the indicatior or scale represented in
Figure 1 to indicate the position of the adjustable stop.
Instead of using the adjustable stop ia fixed stop may be employed and the
angular movement of the lever g be varied by making the brackets or framing
that supports the cam adjustable in relation to the end of the lever so that at each
rotation of the cam it will remain in contact with the lever for a longer or shorter
period according to the position for the time being of the cam in relation to the
lever thus causing the indicator finger to be moved through a greater or less
distance over the dial for each rotation of the can according to requirement. In
lieu of the cam as shewn for operating the lever g, I may use an eccentric arranged
below the case and worked through suitable gearing from the line operated by the
fan or screw.
In this modification a rod is connected at one end to the lever g and at the
other end to another rod able to move endwise in a suitable guide.
The free end of this last mentioned rod is provided with a suitable enlargement
against which the eccentric as it rotates can slide so as to push up the rod and
thereby raise the lever g
To enable the angular movement of the lever to be adjusted in this arrangement
the casing with its contained mechanism is made adjustable as regards its distance

page_text: from the axis about which the eccentric rotates and the distance through which
the eccentric moves the rods and lever g will be greater or less according as the
casing with its contained mechanism is nearer to or farther from the said axis of
the eccentric.
Instead of making the casing and its contained mechanism adjustable the throw
of the eccentric may be adjustable.
Having thus described the nature of the said invention and explained the
manner of carrying the same into practical effect I would have it understood that
what I consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as secured to me
under the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is :-
1 In an instrument for recording distances travelled by ships or navigable
vessels (applicable for enabling the speed of the tide to be ascertained) making the
apparatus through which the line or flexible connexion attached to the fan or
screw works the counting or recording mechanism adjustable so that the working
of the recording mechanism may be regulated substantially as and for the purpose
hereinabove set forth.
2 In an instrument for recording distances travelled by ships or navigable
vessels (applicable for enabling the speed of the tide to be ascertained) the use in
combination with a lever or arm to drive the counting or recording mechanism
and a cam (operated, by a fan or screw through a line or flexible connexion and
suitable gear) to actuate the said lever or arm of a stop adjustable in relation to
the said lever for the purpose of controlling its angular motion 80 as to regulate
the working of the recording mechanism substantially as described above and for
the purpose set forth.
3. The improved instrument for recording distances travelled by ships or
navigable vessels, applicable also for enabling the speed of the tide to be ascertained,
constructed, arranged and operating substantially as hereinabove described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
In Witness whereof, I the said George Charles Lilley have hereunto set my
hand and Seal this Sixth day of November in the year of our Lord, one
thousand Eight hundred and eighty two.
GEORGE CHARLES LILLEY. (L.S.)