CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATUS USED FOR MEASURING THE PROGRESS OF VESSELS THROUGH THE WATER, AND FOR TAKING SOUNDINGS AT SEA
Year: 1836

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
MASSEY, of King Street, Clerkenwell, in the County of Middlesex, Watch-
maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth.
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Thirteenth day of June, in the sixth year of His
reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edward Massey, His especial license, that I, the said Edward Massey,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward
Massey, my executors, administrators, 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
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATUS USED FOR MEASURING THE
PROGRESS OF VESSELS THROUGH THE WATER, AND FOR TAKING SOUNDINGS AT SEA;"
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said
Edward Massey, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, par-
ticularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled
in His said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that, in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Edward Massey, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention to consist,
firstly, as regards the apparatus used for measuring the progress of vessels
through water, in side plates or wings, which may be attached to the ordinary
patent log in such manner as to cause it to dive or dip, and thus prevent its
occasional liability to rise to the surface of or to be drawn out of the water;
and also in an arrangement of the log line or towing line, which also contri-
butes to that effect; and further, in an air-tight cone fastened to a towing line
which acts over a pulley and is fixed at the end opposite to the cone to a
spiral spring, acting upon an index with a vertical scale.
And, secondly, as regards the apparatus used in taking soundings at sea, I
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention to consist in fixing the rotator
in the centre or at any other rate within the extreme edges of the main brass
plate, and protecting it by means of bars forming a shield or guard placed either
above or around it; and also in attaching the line and lead to extreme points
in a line with the centre of the machine; and further, in a toothed or notched
dial plate, which enables the person heaving the lead in the dark to ascertain
the figures marked by the index by merely feeling the said teeth; and, lastly,
in an improved mode of stopping the revolution of the rotator when necesary.
And in further compliance with the said proviso, I, the said Edward Massey,
do hereby describe the manner in which my said Invention is to be performed
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thercon, that is to say :-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
In the Drawing marked A, the Figures refer to that part of my Invention
which relates to improvements in the apparatus used for measuring the progress
of vessels through the water. Figure 1 is a view or plan of the register part of
what is usually called a patent log, with my wings or side plates attached to it.
A is the part alluded to of the ordinary patent log; B, B, are the two wings which
I apply to the said part of the said log. Figure 2 is a side view of the said
part of the said log, shewing how my wings, which are made of angle brass
or other suitable metal, are screwed one on to each side of the said part of the
said log. Figure 3 is an end view of the said part of the said log from behind;
the extra breadth of these wings at their hinder part, and the angle of their plane
with reference to the bottom line of the said part of the said log, causes the
diving or dipping, herein-before mentioned. Figure 4 is a side view of the hinder
part of a vessel, and shews the mode of applying the log line or towing line; C
is the outer or seaboard part of the line fixed to the log, which is here shewn

page_text: complete with its rotator; D is an iron cross, with eyes E, F, G, to three of
its arms.
To the eye E the nether end of the seaboard part of the line is
fastened, while the two ends of the inboard or shipboard part of the line are
fästened to F and G, leaving the bight of that last-mentioned part of the line
inboard, to be hauled upon as occasion may require. H is a strong eye bolt
fixed in the run of the vessel, through which one arm G of the iron cross may
be pulled, while the cross arms F, I, prevent its drawing through, and thus
determine the distance of the log from the ship. The cross also prevents the
rope from being worn by friction at that part. This Figure represents the log
in use, and the line from G is supposed to be hauled taught. If it be required
to examine or read off the log, that part of the bight which is fastened to G is
slacked or payd out a little to clear the eye bolt, and the other part which is
fastened to F afterwards hauled in, by which means the log is brought on
board. When thrown overboard again the reverse action with the bight of
the rope will bring it back to the position shewn in the Figure. The eye bolt
Hit will be seen is fixed in this Figure at a point about two or three feet
below the water line, but this depth may of course be varied at pleasure.
Figure 5 is a section across a vessel at about one of its midship frames, and
shews my air-tight cone and spiral spring acting upon an index which points"
to a vertical scale; J is a spiral spring; K is a log line passing down a hollow
projecting tube L, which is fixed to the side of the ship; M is a hollow
buoyant air-tight metal cone, merely to cause resistance as the vessel proceeds
through the water. Figure 6 is a side view of the same apparatus; N is a
friction pulley, under and partly round which the towing line works; P is a
point or index on a metal rod, which connects the spiral spring and the line.
This index points to the scale Q, and in proportion as the vessel proceeds
swiftly or slowly, so will the resistance caused by the cone increase or diminish,
while this increase or diminution will be marked on the scale, and if the scalo
be adjusted once by means of an ordinary log it will always afterwards servo
as a guide to the speed of a ship's way.
In the Drawing marked B, the Figures refer to that part of my said
Invention which relates to improvements in the apparatus used for taking
soundings at sea. Figure 7 is a front view of such an apparatus. A, A, is
a single plate of brass, with a piece cut out of it at B, to admit of the
revolutions of the rotator C, which turns on bearings in the upper and
lower part of the opening B. The upper part of the shaft of the rotator C
is furnished with an endless screw D, which turns the register E, and thus.
marks the depth to which it descends. As the instrument is descending the
water acting against the under side of the projecting top F of the sliding stop

page_text: or bolt G raises it up, as shewn in this Figure; and the rotator turns freely
on its axis, but the moment the instrument ceases to descend, and the water
in consequence ceases to act in upholding the bolt, the lower end of it drops
or slides downwards between the vanes of the rotator, and impeding its action
it ceases to revolve till allowed again to descend, so that the register in calm
weather would never mark more than the number of fathoms which the
instrument had actually gone down. But it may sometimes happen when the
instrument is used in windy weather that a sudden gust of wind acting upon
the projecting top F might raise the bolt and turn the vanes of the rotator
before it reaches the water, in which case it would of course begin to register
too soon, and thus the right depth would not be ascertained when tho
instrument was hauled up. To prevent this difficulty, and provide against
accidents of this nature, I have added the small catch H, acted upon by a
spring T at the back of the plate A, as here shewn in dotted lines. The effect
of this catch is as follows:-When the instrument is thrown into the water
the bolt G should be pushed down till the catch falls into the upper notch,
which is cut at a sufficient angle to prevent the wind raising it, but when
it is actually descending in the water a strong pressure upwards is caused
by the water acting upon the under side of the top piece of the sliding bolt,
which forces the catch II out of the upper notch of the sliding bolt G, after
which it will remain up till the person heaving the lead ceases to pay out line,
and thus no inaccuracy from such accidents as those before alluded to could
occur. J, K, K, and L, are protecting bars forming a shield or guard, to
prevent injury to the rotator when the instrument is in use, or when it is laid
expressly on its side when not in use; M, N, are two eyes, one to fasten the
line to, and the other to fasten the lead or weight to, and by this arrangement
it will be perceived that the line and lead are attached in the line of the centro
of the instrument, which is a great advantage and tends to its accuracy.
Figure 8 is a back view of the instrument, showing the spring T, which acts
upon the catch H, and the remaining part V of the register, not to be seen in
the front view. It may be as well perhaps here to observe, that similar letters
being used to denote similar parts in all the Figures, their particular description
will not be repeated, except it should prove unavoidable for the sake of more
clear definition, Figuro 9 is a side view of the instrument, and Figure 10,
a sectional plan of the same. Figure 11 is another back view of a similar
instrument, fitted with my night register P, which it will be seen consists in
having small teeth projecting from the edge of the plate, one over each
figure on the register dial, so that by feeling first where the index is, and
then feeling and connecting the teeth from the upper one to the in lex, the

page_text: registered number of fathoms may be immediately ascertained in the dark.
Figure 12 represents my improved apparatus attached to the ordinary side bar,
of iron and lead, used with the ordinary patent sounding instrument, in which
case the line is attached to one side of the instrument in the usual manner.
In this modification I make my shield or guard bars to lift up, as shewn
at Q; the bars here are made so as to form a circular ring or wheel, turning
on the knuckle joint R, and having a beak or tongue piece S, which when
the guard or shield descends, comes between the vanes of the rotator and stops
their action. The instrument is here shewn as in the act of descending, the
water having forced up the guard and shield, and beak or tongue piece S, thus
leaving the rotator free to act; if the descent of the instrument were stopped,
the guard would fall so far as to allow the shallow notch r to take on the
small spring pin at e on the opposite side of the plate, from. which it would
rise again if the descent of the instrument were continued; but as soon as the
instrument is began to be hauled up, the water pressing with increased force
on the guard or shield drives it down till the deep notch t takes over the
spring pin, and after that it will not rise again, unless again allowed to descend
rapidly in the water. When this instrument is first thrown in the water, the
beak s should be forced down till the pin catch comes into the deep notch, so
as to prevent any inaccuracy from the force of the wind throwing up the
shield, as before mentioned. Figure 13 is a view of the opposite side of the
instrument in the position last described, that is, when in the act of being
thrown into the water; the shield or guard being down, and the spring
pin in the deep notch of the beak or tongue piece. Figure 14 is an edge
view of Figure 12, taken from behind; and Figure 15 is a plan of the
same, showing how the wheel guard or shield protects the rotator.
Now whereas I claim as my Invention the following improvements, that is
to say-As regards the apparatus used in measuring the progress of vessels
through the water, I claim first the wings or side plates marked B; secondly,
the mode of arranging the towing line, with the cross D and eye bolt H; and
thirdly, the apparatus shewn at Figures 5 and 6, all of which are shown in
the Drawing marked A. And as regards the apparatus used in taking sound-
ings at sea, I claim, first, the new position of the rotator in a single brass plate;
secondly the protecting of it by bars forming shields or guards; thirdly, the
sliding catch bolt G, and falling beak or tongue piece S, with their appropriate
spring catchers, by which spring catches I prevent the revolutions of the
rotator before it reaches the water; fourthly, in attaching the cord and lead
weight to eyes or places in a line with the vertical central line of the instru-
ment; and lastly, in a night register with projections or cavities, which latter

page_text: might equally well be made to answer the purpose over or corresponding with
the figures on the register dial plate or face, in such manner that by feeling
the projections or cavities, the corresponding numbers on the dial plate may
be at once known. And such my improvements being to the best of my
knowledge and belief entirely new, and never before used within that part of
His said Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called
England, His said Dominion of Wales, or Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, I
do hereby declare this to be my Specification of the same, and that I do
verily believe this my said Specification doth comply in all respects fully and
without reserve or disguise with the proviso in the said herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent contained; wherefore I do hereby claim to maintain
exclusive right and privilege to my said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Massey, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of December, One thousand
eight hundred and thirty-six.