Improvements in Apparatus for Measuring Distances.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, &th Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 8th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 24th Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Measuring Distances.
WILLIAM FORD STANLEY Cumberlow" South Norwood Surrey, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide an instrument by the use of which the
distance of any object which gives a visular indication, and a sound may be
indicated, such as seeing the flash from a gun, or rifle, and hearing the report,
and to carry my invention into practice I construct my instrument as follows,
I provide a suitable train of wheels, the primary one of which has an ordinary
spring, and ratchet arrangement for winding, and the last is a suitable escapement,
which may be an ordinary watch escapement, or revolving fans, or revolving screw
propeller, and on one of the intermediate wheels, I connect an elongated spindle to
carry either an index hand, or a revolving dial, and this escapement is arranged
so as to allow the wheel carrying the hand, or dial to revolve once in one, two,
three, or as many seconds as may be required, and this hand, or dial has a suitable
stop, which is connected with a push projecting through the case, which the
mechanism would be provided with, this stop may be simply a break, or a detent
which is dropped into, or taken out of a ratchet, or toothed wheel attached to
the dial, or hand spindle, or it may be in connection with any other suitable part
of the train of wheels preferably the escapement, or revolving fan, the dial is marked
off into yards, metres, or other units of measurement. The hand can pass over a fixed
dial thus divided or if the dial revolves a fixed pointer is attached to the case, or other
suitable fixed part of the mechanism, the stop is so arranged that it will by pressing
set the mechanism free to run, and stop it again by releasing the pressure, or vice
versa, and the winding is preferably done by means of a short lever, attached to the
arbor carrying the spring, which projects through a slot in the side of the case, but
this may be done in the ordinary manner with a key, or by any other suitable method, and
the hand, or dial is returned to zero by being thrown out of gear by another press
passing through the case, or it may be frictional, and returned by a small lever. It
will be seen that with this instrument if the operator on seeing, say the flash of a gun,
immediately presses the stop thus releasing the train of wheels, and immediately
releases the pressure on hearing the report thus stopping them, the dial, or index hand
will have moved so many seconds, or parts of seconds according to the duration of
time the sound has taken to travel the distance, and as the dial is marked off to the
exact speed of sound in yards, meters, or other units, the correct number of yards
distant is indicated. This instrument may be made in the form of a watch for use
with ordnance or rifles; or for rifle shooting only, it may be fitted into a suitable
recess in the stock of the rifle, and in this instance I preferably make the release, stop,
and winding arrangement in connection with a supplementary small trigger suitably
arranged behind the ordinary trigger so that by pressing this secondary trigger, the
instrument is set in motion, and stopped again by releasing the pressure, and rewound
by pressing the trigger forward, or the reverse direction to starting the mechanism.
Various modifications may be made, the dial may be marked out into fractions of
seconds, and the distance calculated instead of the actual distance being marked on
the dial. The index hand, or revolving dial can remain in any position instead of
returning to zero, and the dial, or fixed pointer may be moved round until zero is
under the pointer, or index hand. The duration of the revolution of the hand, or dial
may be varied according to the circumstances required, so long as the time in
fractions of seconds is correctly indicated for the length of time required for the sound
to travel the distance desired to be indicated, always preserving the essential features
of my invention which are, a suitable train of wheels preferably enclosed in a case

page_text: timed to indicate fractions of seconds, which can be started, and stopped at the will of
the operator, and wound by suitable means, the dial preferably being marked off in
distance in yards, meters, or other units the setting to zero of which is suitably
arranged.
Dotal thi. Couth I of 1000
H. T. TALLACK,
28, Hatton Garden, London, E.C., Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Measuring Distances.
WILLIAM FORD STANLEY Cumberlow South Norwood Surrey Engineer 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 object of this invention is to provide an instrument, by the use of which the
distance of any object which gives a visular indication and a sound, may be indicated,
such as seeing the flash from a gun, or rifle, and hearing the report, and to carry my
invention into practice I construct my instrument as follows.
I provide a suitable train of wheels the primary one of which has an ordinary
spring, and ratchet arrangement for winding and the list is a suitable escape-
ment, which may be an ordinary watch escapement, or revolving fans, or revolving
screw propeller, and on one of the intermediate wheels, I connect an elongated
spindle to carry either an index hand, or a revolving dial, and this escape-
ment is arranged so as to allow the wheel carrying the hand or dial to revolve
once in one, two, three, or as many seconds as may be required, and this hand or dial
has a suitable stop which is connected with a push projecting through the case, which
the mechanism would be provided with, this stop my he simply a break, or a detent
which is dropped into, or taken out of a ratchet, or toothed wheel attached to the dial,
or hand-spindle, or it may bo-in connection with any other suitable part of the train
of wheels preferably the escapement or revolving fan, the dial is marked off into
yards metres or other units of measurement. The hand can pass over a fixed dial thus
divided, or if the dial revolves a fixed pointer is attached to the case, or other suitable
fixed part of the mechanism, the stop is so arranged that it will by pressing set the
mechanism free to run, and stop it again by releasing the pressure, or rice versa, and
the winding is preferably done by means of a short lever, attached to the arbor
carrying the spring by pressing the same stop piece or any other, which projects
through a slot in the side of the case, but this may be done in the ordinary manner
with a key or by any other suitable method, and the hand or dial be returned to zero
by being thrown out of gear by another press passing through the case, or it may be
frictional, and returned by a small lever or spring. It will be seen that with this
instrument, if the operator on seeing, say the flash of a gun immediately presses the
stop thus releasing the train of wheels, and immediately releases the pressure on
hearing the report, thus stopping them, the dial, or index hand will have moved so
many seconds or parts of seconds according to the duration of time the sound has
taken to travel the distance, and as the dial is marked off to the exact speed of sound
in yards meters or other units, the correct distance is indicated. This instrument way
be made in the form of a watch for use with ordnance or rifles, or for rifle shooting
only, it may be fitted into a suitable recess in the stock of the rifle, and in this
instance I preferably make the release, stop, and winding arrangement in connection
with a supplementary small trigger suitably arranged behind the ordinary trigger so
that by pressing the secondary trigger the instrument is set in motion and stopped
again by releasing the pressure. and rewound by pressing the trigger forward, or the
reverse direction to starting the mechanism, or this may be performed by the reaction
of a spring when the trigger is released.
Various modifications may be made, the dial may be marked out into fractions of
seconds, and the distance calculated instead of the actual distance being marked on

page_text: the dial. The index hand, or revolving dial can remain in any position instead of
returning to zero, and the dial, or fixed pointer may be moved round until zero is
under the pointer, or index hand. The duration of the revolution of the hand or dial
may be varied according to the circumstances required, so long as the time in fractions
of seconds is correctly indicated for the length of time required for the sound to travel
the distance desired to be indicated.
The following drawings shew two ways of carrying my invention into effect.
Fig. 1 is a plan of the complete instrument A being the index hand, B, the push
for starting, stopping and winding. C the dial and D the outer case.
Fig. 2, is a plan with outer case and dial removed shewing the mechanism worked
by the push B., A is the index hand E is a piece of steel working on screw F when
pressed down by push B, G is a small pawl attached to steel pioce E which turns the
ratchet wheel H, connected to the mainspring arbor, whenever E is pushed down by
pusbing B, the ratchet wheel being held in position by pawl and spring I.
Connected also to the steel piece E is another pawl J which engages in castle
wheel K which partially revolves it when E is pressed down, this pawl J is extended
to come into contact with lever L when pressed down and turns it on its centre, which
movement shifts the lower end carrying a pin M projecting inwards and against the
rim of escapement wheel, away from the escapement wheel, thus setting the escape-
ment free to work, at the same time castle wheel K is partially revolved which raises
lever N free from heart shaped frictional return piece for the index hand, it will, thus
be seen that the act of pressing push B partially winds the main spring sets the
escapement free and raises lever N from holding index hand at zero, and the act of
releasing the pressure causes steel piece E to return to its normal position by spring 0,
thus removing extention of pawl J from lever L which again stops escapement wheel,
leaving the index hand at whatever distance it has travelled during the time the push
was held down. By pressing the push again the castle wheel K is arranged to
drop the lever N upon the heart which returns the hand to zero, and the
instrument is then ready to record again.
Fig. 3 is a plan with dial and top plate removed shewing train of wheels. Qis
the spring barrel and driving wheel. R an intermediate wheel. S is a wheel,
the spindle of which projects through upper plate and dial to carry index hand.
T and U are the last train and escape wheels and M the pin which is attached to
lever L, Fig. 2. which stops escape.
Fig 4 is an elevation of Fig. 3.
e
Fig. 5 is a plan of top plate with dial removed as in Figure 2. shewing a simpler
method, with trigger arrangement instead of push, a, is the index hand, b, is the
trigger which is carried round and turns free of circular part of ratchet spindle c. a
pawl is attached to b, which partially revolves ratchet wheel e, attached to
mainspring arbor, the ratchet wheel è is held in position as wound by pawl f. g. is
the heart index return which is actuated by point h. of trigger b, when pressed to the
left, spring i. returns the trigger after pressing to left to position shewn, is a spring
pin attached to lower plate and in position shewn presses lightly on escape wheel and
passes through a slot in top plate as shewn, k. is a stronger spring than i, the move-
ment of which is limited by pin in top plate and slot in spring as shewn at l. It will
thus be seen that if the trigger is pressed to the right it will move pin j. to the right
thus releasing escape wheel, and the movement will keep running while it is held to
the right, but when the trigger is let go it will return to position shewn, thus stopping
the escape again, the index hand remaining at whatever distance it may have travelled,
if then the trigger is pressed to the left it will return the index hand to zero by
point, pressing on heart g, and at the same time will partially wind mainspring
through pawls d and fand ratchet wheel e. The train of wheels would be similar to
those shewn at Figs. 3 and 4 but the positions would be altered to suit the necessary
requirements of the dial plate.
Fig. 6 shews the stock of a rifle fitted with an instrument similar to Fig. 5, the
trigger simply passing down through a suitable hole and has a suitable trigger
nard

page_text: Fig. 7. shews the stock of a rifle with an instrument similar to Fig. 2 fitted, in
supplimental
this instance, the push is put at the bottom of the instrument and
trigger as shewn at m, pivotted at n. It will be seen that by drawing this trigger
back, it has the same effect upon the push of the instrument as pressing it with
the finger, or a button push can be arranged instead of this trigger, or the push
itself allowed to project below. The recess in the stock of a rifle would preferably
be lined with felt or other cushion substance. to relieve the instrument from undue
shocks.
Various
The pinions of all the wheels are made much thicker than ordinary watch wheel
pinions to stand the rough handling the instrument might be subjected to.
modifications may be made in the details, any suitable materials may be used, and the
mainspring is preferably fitted with an arrangement to prevent over winding.
I am aware that ordinary chronograph watches have been made for starting and
stopping in various ways, but these instruments are entirely unsuited for the purpose
intended in this Patent, as a chronograph watch is necessarily a very delicate instru-
ment and would be rendered useless with the rough usage it would receive, for
instance, in actual warfare, and also the actuating of all former chronographs, viz.
pressing down a push to start, having to let it up again, and then again pushing it
down to stop, makes it impossible to get any accurate measurements of very short
intervals, and moreover all these instruments require separate winding in the manner
of a watch. I call this instrument a phonometer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In phonometers, telemeters, and the like, the arrangement of mechanism whereby
the pressure of a push or the like, or the pushing or pulling of a trigger, lever, or
the like will allow the instrument to start, work and indicate and the releasing of such
pressure causes it to stop again.
2. In phonometers, telemeiers, and the like, the arrangement of mechanism, whereby
the act of starting stopping or setting to zero will wind up the mainspring sufficiently
to take the next record, so that the instrument is always ready for work, or this may
be done by a similar pressure.
3. The use in connection with phonometers, telemeters, and the like, and rifles, of
a trigger or supplemental trigger as described and illustrated.
4. The phonometer, telemeter or modifications thereof as herein described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 8th day of Dhcomber 1890.
H. T. TALLACK,
28, Hatton Garden, London, E.C., Agent for Applicant.
H. T. TALLACK,
28, Hatton Garden, London, E.C., Agent for Applicant.