Improvements in Sounding-apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Complete Specification Left, 19th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 19th May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sounding-apparatus.
We, JULIUS MOHS, of 4 Jacobstrasse, Brandenburg a/Havel, Germany, Superin-
tending Engineer, and THE BERLINER KUNSTDRUCK UND VERLAGSANSTALT vorm.
A. & KAUFMANN, of 4/5, Schiffbauerdamm, Berlin, Germany, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for measuring the depth of the sea of the kind
in which a conductive connexion between the apparatus situated on board the ship
and the lead let down into the sea is effected by the impact of the lead against the
bottom of the sea and an electric circuit is thereby closed by means of which certain
operations or movements are automatically produced in the portion of the apparatus
on board the ship.
In sounding-apparatus according to this invention the apparatus that serves for
winding up the conducting cable and the rope on which the lead hangs is automatically
coupled to the motor when the electric circuit is closed in the lead by the striking of
the latter upon the ground and the lead is so constructed that either lateral impact or
direct downward impact or both will close the electric circuit.
The winding-apparatus will be described first. The closing of the circuit effected
by the lead throws the winding-barrel into engagement automatically, so that the
winding up of the lead commences immediately thereafter, the depth of the lead
being indicated by the indicator connected with the winding-apparatus.
The throwing of the winding-apparatus into gear, is effected by means of an
electro-magnet or a solenoid included in the electric circuit. So long as the electric
circuit is not closed, the winding barrel is not coupled to a constantly revolving
driving shaft; but when the circuit is closed, the electro-magnet draws away a stop,
whereupon a spring-pressed coupling device comes into action and effects connexion
between the driving-shaft and the winding barrel. The winding barrel is divided so
that the rope from which the lead is suspended, and the cable through which the
electrical connexion is made with the lead can be wound uniformly upon the said
barrel. A guiding device common to the rope and to the cable is operated from the
axle of the barrel, and serves to effect an accurate and uniform winding up of both
the rope and the cable. The rope and the cable pass from the winding barrel, over
a guide-pulley, whose axle serves to drive the apparatus for indicating the depth.
The initial end of the cable on the barrel is led through the wall of the latter so as
to connect the conducting wires with two contact-discs which are situated in the
barrel and are connected with the source of the electric current. The winding
barrel is under the action of a brake-band the pressure of which is adjustable, for
the purpose of preventing the winding barrel from running away when the rope and
the cable are being paid out.
A construction of apparatus according to this invention is as follows:-On a
suitable framing there is mounted a horizontal axle carrying a barrel that is divided
by a vertical partition and on which axle can freely revolve a motor-driven
driving-pulley.
In a groove of the axle there is pivoted a catch, which is formed with a nose.
The axle can be coupled to the driving pulley by means of this catch, which, with its
nose, is capable of taking two positions viz. one in which it is in engagement with
the driving-pulley and the other in which it is disengaged therefrom these two
positions are produced by the following devices. An electromagnet (or solenoid) is
included in the electric circuit that is closed by the impact of the lead. When this
circuit is broken in consequence of the free suspension of the lead and, consequently,

page_text: the end of the cable conductors in the lead are not in contact, the catch is disengaged
from the driving-pulley, a draw-spring having so placed a lever that its short arm is
under the nose of the catch and has raised the latter so high that it does not touch
the nave of the driving pulley and the driving-pulley consequently revolves without
rotating the axle of the barrel.
When the circuit is closed, a rod attached to the armature of the electromagnet
draws the said lever against the pull of the said spring into such a position that its
short arm liberates the catch and the latter is caused by the pressure of a spring to
fall into the groove of the nave of the driving-pulley, whereby the latter is coupled
with the barrel and the winding-up takes place. When this position is reached, an
extension of the aforesaid lever closes an electric circuit and thereby actuates a
signal-bell.
When the closure in the lead ceases, the draw-spring brings the short arm of the
lever under the nose and lifts out the catch, thereby bringing the barrel to rest.
The weighted brake-band operates during this and prevents the barrel from
rotating too quickly in consequen: e of its centrifugal force during the running of the
rope and the cable. The latter is carried by the barrel-wall and its conducting wires
go to contact-dises that are inside the barrel and are connected by brushes with the
source of current, the eletromagnet being included in their circuit.
The axle of the barrel is in its longitudinal direction provided with a worm, by
which, by means of a worm-wheel, rotates a shaft that carries a disc provided with a
heart-shaped cam-groove. This groove, by means of a rod, moves to and fro a slide
that guides the rope and the cable. By this guide, which, consequently, is cou-
pulsorily moved from the barrel-axle, the rope and the cable are so guided that they
are run on and off the barrel in regular manner and the windings of the rope or the
cable cannot run over one another."
The axle of the guide-pulley operates, by means of a worm and a worm-wheel, an
apparatus, that indicates the length of the run-off rope.
The lead, which is connected with the winding-barrel by a rope and a conducting
cable, possesses the characteristic that the circuit-closure is effected in it both when
the lead impinges laterally and when it impinges with its lower end, this circuit-
closure putting into operation the hereinbefore described arrangements in the ship,
which effect the raising of the lead, the giving of a signal by means of a bell, the
registration of the depth at which the impact takes place, etc.
For the purpose of allowing of the circuit-closure-both when the lead impinges
laterally and when it impinges with its lower end-the lead may itself be made in
two parts, which are capable of being moved towards each other and which during
the sinking or free suspension of the lead in the water are so separated from each
other that the circuit-closing or contact pieces do not touch each other and their
contact is effected when, but not until, the lead impinges laterally or with its lower end.
The lead may, however, be made in one piece and be provided with a shoe,
sword arm, or lever (hereinafter referred as a sword), by which the contact pieces
are brought together both when the lead impinges laterally and when it impinges
with its lower end.
It is advisable to make such leads of a fish, cigar, or disc shape, so that they may
sink quickly and may not, during the progress of the ship from which sounding is
being effected, be driven towards the surface by the current of the water. In all
these cases the lead is so shaped as to form a rudder that will prevent it from turning
in a wrong direction and will enable it to cut through the water well.
The providing of the lead with a shoe or sword by which the circuit-closure is
effected both on lateral impact and on impact with its under part, is always
advantageous when muddy ground is sounded, as with this a small striking-surface
will not operate with the exactitude of the larger surface of the shoe or sword.
According to one construction, the lead consists of two parts which are movable
towards each other and of which the one contains the contact-piece that is connected
with the one conducting wire, and the other contains the contact-piece that is
connected with the other conducting wire.

page_text: When sounding takes place during the progress of the ship, the lowered lead
always stands, in consequence of a rulder formal by it, in such a direction that a
roller provided for lateral impingement always projects in the direction of progress
and consequently must strike against any object stan ling in the way.
This roller is mounted in a sleeve provided with a spin lle that is pressed outwards
by a spring so that a contact-spring on the rear end of the spindle is held away from
the aforesaid contact-pieces until the roller strikes laterally against some object,
whereupon the contact spring closes the circuit by co ning into contact with the
said contact-pieces and thereby causes the operations to take place above water that
are intended to be produced by closure of the circuit. In effecting this closure no
movement of the two parts of the lead towards each other has taken place.
But when the lead strikes against any object with its lower end, the lower part of
the lead and the corresponding contact-piece or pin is arrested, whilst the upper part
with the other contact-piece or pin moves down, until both pins meet, whereby the
circuit is closed with the desired result above water.
When lateral impact and vertical downward impact take place at one and the same
time, there is no difference in the mode of closing the circuit, which is effected by
the meeting of the contact-pieces and also by the connecting of the two parts by
means of the contact-spring.
With the object of better guidance there is provided in the part of the rudder
formed by one part of the lead a pin that is guided in a sleeve of the part of the
rudder formed by the other part of the lead.
The conducting wires pass through an insulating body in the upper or rigid part
of the lead into the cable, which connects with this insulating body.
According to a modified construction, the lead proper consists of a single body in
which the lower contact-piece is forced downwards by spring pressure against a shoe
or sword which is rotatably suspended in front. When the lead impinges downwardly,
this sword first comes into contact and raises the lower contact-piece into contact
with the upper contact-piece. When the lead begins to rise, however, the sword
immediately falls back and the circuit is consequently immediately broken again.
The sword may be rotatably fastened to any front part of the lead, which may be
fish-shaped. It may even be suspended from, and near the striking-part of, the
lateral spindle, which is forced outward by spring-pressure and carries also in this
case the contact-spring.
The fish-form of the lead is the best for sounding during the progress of the ship.
According to a further modification, the lead, which may have a general disc or
sheet like form is provided with only two circuit-closing pieces-vi, a stationary
contact-piece and a contact-piece carried by the lateral spindle. These contact-pieces
are brought into contact, both on the lateral and on the downward impact of the lead,
by the sword, which is rotatably suspended above the point at which it is struck on
lateral impact and at which the backward pushing of the lateral spindle takes place
in such a manner that the contact-pieces touch each other. The same contact takes
place when the sword impinges with its under-surface. The sword is provided with
a pin and slot or other suitable guidance at its rear end by means of the lead proper
or of a rudder-piece connected thereto. In this case, instead of connecting the
two conducting wires to the two contact-pieces directly as above described, one of
the conducting wires may be connected directly to the stationary contact-piece and
the other be connected to the body of the lead, through the spindle works.
We would have it understood that the relative positions of the circuit-closing
pieces and their number may be varied without departing from the essence of the
invention.

page_text: Improvements in Sounding-apparatus.
We, JULIUS MOHS, of 4, Jacobstrasse, Brandenburg a/Havel, Superintending
Engineer, and THE BERLINER KUNSTDRUCK UND VERLAGSANSTALT vorm. A. & C.
KAUFMANN, of 4/5, Schiffbauerdamm, Berlin, Germany, 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:--
This invention relates to apparatus for measuring the depth of the sea of the kind
in which a conductive connexion between the apparatus situated on board the ship
and the lead let down into the sea is effected by the impact of the lead against the
bottom of the sea and an electric circuit is thereby closed by means of whi h
certain operations or movements are automatically produced in the portion of the
apparatus on board the ship.
In sounding apparatus according to this invention the apparatus that serves for
winding up the conducting cable and the rope on which the lead hangs is automatically
coupled to the motor when the electric circuit is closed in the lead by the striking of
the latter upon the ground and the lead is so constructed that either lateral impact or
direct downward impact or both will close the electric circuit.
The winding-apparatus will be described first. The closing of the circuit effecte:1
by the lead throws the winding-barrel into engagement automatically so that the
winding up of the lead commences immediately thereafter, the depth of the lead being
indicated by the indicator connected with the winding-apparatus. The throwing of
the winding-apparatus into gear is effected by means of an electro magnet or a
solenoid included in the electric circuit. So long as the electric circuit is not closed,
the winding barrel is not coupled to a temporarily revolving driving shaft; but when
the circuit is closed, the electro-magnet draws away a stop, whereupon a spring-
pressed coupling device comes into action and effects connexion between the driving
shaft, the winding barrel, and the nave of the driving pulley. The winding barrel is
divided so that the rope from which the lead is suspended, and the cable through
which the electrical connexion is made with the lead, can be wound uniformly upon the
said barrel. A guiding device common to the rope and to the cable is operated from
the axle of the barrel, and serves to effect an accurate and uniform winding up of
both the rope and the cable. The rope and the cable pass from the winding barrel,
over a guide-pulley, whose axle serves to drive the apparatus for indicating the
depth.
The initial end of the cable on the barrel is led through the wall of the latter so as
to connect the conducting wires with two contact-dises which are situated in the barrel
and are connected with the source of the electric current. The winding barrel is
under the action of a brake-band the pressure of which is adjustable, for the purpose
of preventing the winding barrel from running too fast when the rope and the cable
are being paid out.
Fig. 1 of Sheet I of the accompanying drawings is a side elevation of the winding
apparatus with indicating device according to this invention;
Fig. 2 shows a vertical cross section through the axle of the winding barrel;
Fig. 3 shows a cross section through the axle of the barrel and the driving
shaft, so as to represent clearly the coupling device between the said axle and the
said shaft ;
Fig. 4 is a plan of the winding apparatus partly in section ;
Figs. 5 and 6 show details of the coupling device;
Fig. 7 is an axiometrical view of the guide for the rope and the cable; and
Fig. 8 is an elevation of the device for indicating the length of the rope.
A barrel a that is divided by a vertical partition b is loose on an axle d'on which can
freely revolve a motor-driven driving-pulley e.

page_text: In a groove of the axle d there is pivoted a catch g, which is formed with a nose h.
The axle d can be coupled to the nave of the barrel a and of the driving pulley e by
means of this catch, which, with its nose, is capable of taking two positions-riz. one
(shown in Fig. 2) in which it is in engagement with the driving pulley, and another,
(shown in Fig. 3) in which it is disengaged therefrom; these two positions are
produced by the following devices.
An electro-magnet i (or solenoid) is included in the electric circuit that is closed
by the impact of the lead. When this circuit is broken in consequence of the free
suspension of the lead and, consequently, the ends of the cable-conductors in the le.id
are not in contact, the catch is in the position shown in Fig. 3, in which it is
disengaged from the driving pulley, a draw spring & having so placed a lever / that
its short arm m is under the nose h of the catchy and has raise I the latter so high that
it does not touch the nave of the driving pulley e and of the barrel a and the driving
pulley consequently revolves without rotating the axle d.
When the circuit is closed, a rod n attached to the armature of the electro magnet
(or solenoid) draws the lever 7 against the pull of the spring into such a position
(see Fig. 2) that its short arm m liberates the catch g and the latter is caused by the
pressure of a spring o to fall into the grooves of the naves of the driving pulley e and
the barrel a, whereby the pulley and the barrel are coupled with the axle d and the
winding up takes place. When this position is reached, an extension of the lever closes
an electric circuit p q and thereby actuates a sigual bell r.
When the closure in the lead ceases, the draw spring k brings the short arm m of
the lever under the nose and lifts out the catch, thereby bringing the axle d
to rest.
A weighted brake-band u operates during this time against or upon the barrel a
and prevents the barrel from rotating too quickly in consequence of its centrifugal
force during the running off of the rope and the cable s. The latter is carried
by the barrel-wall and its conducting wires go to contact discs (", that are
inside the barrel and are connected by brushes with the source of current, the
electro-magnet i being included in their circuit.
The nave of the barrel a is in its longitudinal direction provided with a worm
(Figs. 1, 2, and 4,) which, by means of a worm-wheel w rotates a shaft. that carries
a dise y provided with a heart-shaped cam-groove z (Fig. 7). This groove, by means
of a rod a', moves to and fro a slide & that guides the rope * and the cable s. By
this guide, which, consequently, is compulsorily moved from the barrel-axle, the rope
and the cable aro so guided that they are run on and off the barrel in regular manner
and the windings of the rope or the cable cannot run over one another.
The axle of the guide-pulley d₁ operates, by means of a worm e¹ and a
worm-wheel f', an apparatus g' that indicates the length of rope run off.
The lead, which is connected with the winding barrel by a rope and a conducting
cable, possesses the characteristic that the circuit-closure is effecte.l in it both when the
lead impinges laterally and when it impinges downwardly, this circuit-closure putting
into operation the hereinbefore described arrangements in the ship, which effect the
raising of the lead, the giving of a signal by means of a bell, the registration of the
depth at which the impact takes place, etc.
For the purpose of allowing of the circuit-closure-both when the lead impinges
laterally and when it impinges downwardly-the lead my itself be made in two parts,
which are capable of being moved towards each other and which during the sinking
or free suspension of the lead in the water are so separated from each other that the
circuit-closing or contact pieces do not touch each other and their contact is effected
when, but not until, the lead impinges laterally or downwardly.
The lead may, however, be made in one piece and be provided with a shoe, sword,
arm, or lever (hereinafter referred to as a sword) by which the contact pieces
are brought together when the leai impinges laterally and when it impinges
downwardly.
It is advisable to make such leads of a fish, cigar, or disc shape, so that they may
sink quickly and may not, during the progress of the ship from which sounding is

page_text: being effected, be driven towards the surface by the current of the water. In all
these cases the lead is so shaped as to form a rudder that will prevent it from turning in
a wrong direction and will enable it to cut through the water well.
The providing of the lead with a shoe or sword by which the circuit-closure is
effected both on lateral impact and on impact with its under part, is always advantageous
when muddy ground is sounded, as in this case a small striking surface will not
operate with the exactitude of the larger surface of the shoe or sword.
The lead represented by way of example in Fig. 1 of Sheet II of the drawings
consists of two parts which are movable towards each other and of which the one
contains the contact piece a' that is connected with the one conducting wire a*, and
the other contains the contact piece a² that is connected with the other conducting
wire a20
When sounding takes place during the progress of the ship, the lowered lead always
stands, in consequence of a rudder formed by it, in such a direction that a
roller R' provided for lateral impingement always projects in the direction of progress
and consequently must strike against any object standing in the way.
This roller is mounted in a sleeve provided with a spindle n that is pressed outwards
by a spring m so that a contact-spring a on the rear end of the spindle a is held
away from the contact pieces a' and a" until the roller R' strikes laterally against some
object, whereupon the contact-spring a closes the cireut by coming into contact with
the contact-pieces al and a² and thereby causs the operations to take place above
water that are intended to be produced by closure of the circuit. In effecting this
closure no movement of the two parts of the lead towards each other has taken
place.
But when the lead strikes against any object with its lower end, the lower part of
the lead and the corresponding contact piece or pin a² is arrested, whilst the upper
part with the other contact piece or pin a moves down, until both pins meet, whereby
the circuit is closed with the desired result above water.
When lateral impact and vertical downward impact take place at one and the same
time, there is no difference in the mode of closing the circuit, which is effected by the
meeting of the contact pieces a' and a2 and also by the connecting of the two parts by
means of the contact-spring a³.
With the object of better guidance there is provided in the part s¹ of the ruddor
a pin that is guided in a sleeve / of the part s of the rudder.
The conducting wires a* and a pass through an insulating body in the upper
or rigid part of the lead into the cable i which connects with this insulating body.
Fig. 2 of Sheet II shows a modification of the lead in which the lead proper
consists of a single body in which the lower contact piece a² is forced downwards by
spring pressure against a shoe or sword S which is rotatably suspended in front.
When the lead impinges downwardly, this sword first comes into contact and raises
the lower contact piece a² into contact with the upper contact piece a¹. When the
lead begins to rise, however, the sword immediately falls back and the circuit is
consequently immediately broken again.
The sword S may be rotatably fastened to any front part of the lead, which may be
fish-shaped. It may, as shown, be suspended from, and near the striking-part of, the
lateral spindle n, which is forced outward by spring-pressure and carries also in this
case the contact spring a³.
The represented fish-form of the lead is the best for sounding during the progress
of the ship.
A further modification is represented in Figs. 3 and 4 of Sheet II, in which the
lead, which has a general disc or sheet like form, is provided with only two circuit-
closing pieces riz., a stationary contact-piece a' and a contact-piece a³ carried by the
lateral spindle n.
These contact pieces are brought into contact, both on the
lateral and on the downward impact of the lead, by the sword S, which is
rotatably suspended at above the point at which it is struck on lateral impact
and at which the backward pushing of the lateral spindle n takes place in such a
manner that the contact pieces a and a touch each other. The same contact

page_text: The sword is
In this
takes place when the sword S impinges with its under-surface.
provided with a pin or slot or other suitable guidance y at its rear end.
case, instead of connecting the two conducting wires to the two contact-pieces
directly as above described, one of the conducting wires may, as shown, he
connected directly to the stationary contact-piece a¹ and the other be connected
to the body of the lead, through which the spindle works.
We would have it understood that the relative positions of the circuit-closing
pieces and their number may be varied without departing from the essence of
the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A sounding-apparatus in which an electric circuit that is closed by the
lateral or by the downward vertical impact of the lead, effects the coupling of a
motor-driven driving pulley with the winding barrel, by energizing an electro-
magnet (or a solenoid), whereby the lead is automatically wound up, whilst on
the interruption of the circuit the driving pulley and the winding barrel are
disconnected by spring action.
2. A sounding apparatus of the kind referred to in the preceding claim in
which the winding barrel has a vertical division for the purpose of winding up
separately the rope that carries the lead and the cable that contains the conducting
wires, and in which a guiding device for the rope and the cable, is arranged in
front of the winding barrel and is caused by the mechanism of the winding
apparatus to move to and fro for the purpose of uniformly and regularly winding
up and paying out the rope and the cable substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference to Figs. 2, 4, and 7 of Sheet I of the accompanying drawings.
3. A sounding-apparatus of the kind referred to in Claim 1, in the winding
portion of which a catch g under spring action is arranged in the slot of a shaft d,
which carries the loose driving pulley e and the winding barrel a, the said catch
serving to couple the said pulley and barrel together when the closure of the
circuit effected by the lead energizes the electro-magnet i (or solenoid), which
draws the arm m away from the nose of the catch 9 and thereby releases the
latter so that it falls into the grooves of the naves of the loose pulley and the
winding barrel, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 2 and 3
of Sheet 1 of the accompanying drawings.
4. A sounding-apparatus of the kind referred to, in which the lead is connected
by electric wires with the winding apparatus and is provided with contacts so
arranged that the circuit will be closed thereby both on lateral impact of the lead
and on vertical downward impact thereof, substantially as hereinbefore described.
5. A modification of the lead referred to in the preceding claim in which an
arm, or lever, or sword S is pivoted to the lead in such a manner either on
downward impact of the lead, or on lateral impact thereof, or on the simultaneous
occurrence of impacts of both kinds, the arm, lever, or sword S will produce the
closure of the circuit in the lead, substantially as hereinbefore described.
6. A sounding-apparatus the winding-portion of which is constructed, arranged,
and operates substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in
Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive of Sheet I of the accompanying drawings.
7. In sounding-apparatus of the kind referred to, a lead constructed, arranged
and operating substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown
in Fig. 1, or as modified according to Fig. 2 or according to Fig. 3 or 4 of
Sheet II of the accompanying drawings.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.