Improvements in Ships' Logs.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1398--Accepted, 14th Jan., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ships' Logs.
We, JOHN BLISS and JOHN LORD BLISS, both of No. 128, Front Street, in the
Borough of Manhattan, in the City of New York and State of New York, United
States of America, Nautical Instrument Makers, 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:-
Our invention relates to improvements in ships' logs, and relates more particu-
larly to that class in which a registering mechanism is under the control of a
rotary driving shaft or spindle, the said spindle being rotated by the propeller
or rotator in the water, which is connected thereto by a flexible connection.
The object of our invention is to provide certain improved features in construc-
tion, whereby the registering mechanism of the log may be more easily read, and
in which the anti-friction bearings of the driving spindle are so located that the
outer bearing becomes the thrust bearing, taking up the longitudinal stress, while
the inner bearing takes up the friction due to lateral stresses. A further object
is to so locate the anti-friction bearings, that they may be thoroughly protected
from the elements.
A practical embodiment of our invention is represented in the accompanying
drawings, in which.
Figure 1 represents a vertical central longitudinal section through the log.
Figure 2 is a front view of the same; and
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the registering mechanism.
A designates a suitable base, in which is swivelled a yoke B, between the
branches of which is hinged, so as to swing vertically, a bearing casing C. A
driving spindle D is mounted to rotate within the bearing casing C in inner and
outer antifriction bearings E and F.
The inner bearing E comprises a bushing e, in which is seated a ball race c,
facing toward the middle of the casing; a. bearing cone el mounted on the
spindle D, and an annular row of balls e² located between the said cone and ball
race. The cone e preferably has a screw-threaded engagement with the end d of
the spindle, and when screwed home, abuts against a circumferential shoulder
or flange d. The outer or thrust bearing comprises an adjusting cup f, having
a screw-threaded engagement with a bushing on the interior of the outer end
of the casing C, which adjusting cup is provided, on its inner face, with a ball
race f, between which and the cone f2 carried by the spindle, is inserted the
annular row of balls f³. This cone may be loosely fitted to the spindle D, and
when in position abuts against a circumferential shoulder or flange on the
spindle, so that the longitudinal stress upon the cone is iresisted by the said
shoulder. It will thus be seen that the backs of the cones e, f, are toward each
other.
The adjusting cup f is clamped in any desired adjustment by splitting the
casing C and the bushing c¹, as shown at ², and providing lugs c³, one only of
which is shown, which lugs may be drawn together by a suitable bolt c. Exterior

page_text: to the casing C, the spindle D may be provided with a suitable fly-wheel G clamped
thereon. The end of the spindle D, adjacent to the fly-wheel, may be provided
with a suitable eye d³, for the attachment thereto of the propeller cord, not shown.
The other end of the spindle D, adjacent to the inner bearing E, is provided with
a crank, which, in the present instance, comprises a sleeve or collar H, having a
suitable operating pin projecting therefrom, for connecting the spindle with
the registering mechanism.
The housing for the registering mechanism is denoted by I, and is here repre-
sented as of cylindrical form, having its rear end secured to the end of the
casing C, adjacent to the inner bearing E. The front end or face of the housing I
is provided with a suitable end plate i, and a transparent window ¹, for protecting
the interior of the said housing. This end plate i is provided with one or more
openings, through which the numbers of the registering mechanism may be seen.
Proceeding to describe the registering mechanism, a worm shaft j is mounted
in a suitable frame J, and it is provided at its inner end with an operating dog j,
having its arms in position to be engaged by the crank pin h of the driving
spindle D. This worm shaft is connected by a train of reducing gearing K with
a spur gear on an indicating disc-carrying shaft L. Upon this shaft L are
located a series of discs 11, 12, 13, 14, and 1, having numbers on their faces in position
to be consecutively exposed through the aperture or apertures through the
end plate i.
These discs are connected in the usual manner, and in the present
instance are shown as being of sufficient number to indicate distances up to ten
thousand (10,000) miles, and also representing fractions of a mile.
1
Some of the advantages of the construction as above described are as follows:-
By arranging the registering mechanism so that it may be read through the front
of the log, instead of on the top of the same, as has heretofore been common, the
numbers may be read with great facility by a person facing the log, and the
transparent plate is protected from damage by falling bodies, such as broken spars,
and it is also protected from rain or snow.
Furthermore, the mechanism arranged as above described is very compact, and
may be constructed to register distances to a larger extent than hias heretofore
been possible with the arrangement of a face dial and pointers, and, at the same
time, the actual number is presented, thereby doing away with the necessity of
converting the position of the hands of a dial into numbers, as is now common.
By causing the outer bearing to become the thrust bearing of the spindle, the
inner bearing. serves to steady the spindle, and take up its lateral stress at a
point where it is of importance that the driving connection with the registering
mechanism should be positive and steady. This arrangement also permits the
spindle to be made so that the thrust cone is held by a solid shoulder, cast or
forged solid with the spindle. It also permits the adjusting cup to be canried
by the casing rather than by the spindle, thereby permitting the said bearing
cup to be adjusted while the log is in use. The bearings are also thoroughly
protected from dust, dirt, and other foreign matter and it is not necessary to
secure the ball races in position by any special means.
As by far the greatest amount of wear comes upon the outer or thrust bearing,
the ball race of the said bearing may be quickly and readily removed by removing
the adjusting cup, and a new one replaced when found necessary.
While we have described the discs of the registering mechanism as being pro-
vided with the registering numbers on their peripheries, and the said discs being
mounted on a single shaft, it is evident that the discs may have the numbers
upon their faces, and be mounted upon separate shafts geared together, if found
more desirable.
It is evident that changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement
of the several parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention;
hence, we do not limit ourselves strictly to the structure herein shewn and
described. '

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention. and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In a ships' log, a bearing casing, a suitable support therefor, and a driving
spindle mounted to rotate in the said casing in inner and outer antifriction bear-
ings, the said inner antifriction bearing being located at the inner end of the
spindle, in position to take the lateral stresses thereof, and the outer antifriction
bearing being located intermediate of the ends of the spindle, and serving as a
thrust bearing for taking the longitudinal stress of the spindle, substantially as
set forth.
2. In a ship's log, a casing, inner and outer antifriction bearings therein, and
a spindle mounted to rotate in the said bearings, the outer bearing comprising
a cone carried by the spindle, an adjusting cup having a screw-threaded engage-
ment with the casing, and a ball race within the cup, between which and the
cone are located the antifriction balls, substantially as set forth.
3. In a ship's log, a casing, a rotary spindle mounted therein, a housing carried
by the casing, and a registering mechanism within the housing, under the control
of the spindle, the numbers of the said registering mechanism being exposed
through the front end of the housing, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1898.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.