Improvements in Ships' Compasses.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 9th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 9th May, 1889-Accepted. 29th June, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ships' Compasses.
I THOMAS BASSNETT of 10 Bath Street Liverpool in the county of Lancaster
Nautical Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The main objects are to provide a compass which shall be steady in stormy weather
and when exposed to excessive vibration sensitive in smooth water.
A compass under my invention consists essentially of a card floating in spirit with
sufficient buoyancy to maintain it against a suitable centre.
Dated this 7th day of July 1888
Per pro J. T. KING,
J. Johnson, Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ships' Compasses.
I. THOMAS BASSNETT of 10 Bath Street Liverpool in the County of Lancaster
Nautical instrument maker, 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 :-
The main object is to provide a compass which shall be steady in stormy weather
and when exposed to excessive vibrations and sensitive in smooth water.
A compass under my invention consists essentially of a card floating in spirit or
other suitable liquid with sufficient buoyancy to maintain the said card against a
suitable centre. By a suitable centre I mean a centre carried by olastic supports
connected to the bowl containing the spirits and not to the glass cover of the said
bowl. By this means the compass card is prevented from leaving the centre when
subjected to shocks the cover is not liable to be fractured and may be removed and
replaced without interfering with the main parts of the said compass.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a ships compass constructed in accordance with my
invention. a compass bowl, b glass cover. c securing ring for cover, these parts are
constructed in any convenient way. d centre attached to a bar e secured to the bowl a
by brackets f g compass card carried by a float h preferably of hollow metal.
i magnetic needles secured to the float or if desired the said needles may be
suspended from the card. jagate or like which rests against the centre d. The
bowl is filled with spirit or like suitable liquid in which the compass card floats with
the cap in contact with the centre d. The pressure of the cap against such centre
depending on the buoyancy of-the card. The dotted lines show a method of connecting
the bar e to the bottom of the bowl.
Fig. 2 is a plan and Fig. 3 a vertical section of a compass under my invention in
which the centre d is free to rise and fall through an aperture in the bar e. k spring
pressing against the glass cover 6 to retain the centre in position.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the centre d attached to the bar e by a spiral
spring k.
Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the cap j attached to the float / by means of a
spring k.
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page_text: Both .centre and cap may be provided with springs the object of such springs
being to allow the centre or cap or both to give when the compass is exposed to
downward and upward shocks. It will be obvious that many modifications of my
invention may be made.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what ↳
claim is.
The improvements in shing compasses substantially as berein got forth
Per pro J. T. KING,
J. Johnson, Agent.