Improvements in Rotators or Fans for Ships' Logs.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Rotators or Fans for Ships' Logs.
3
I HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Civil 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 :-
This invention relates to rotators having spiral or helicoidal or flat oblique -
blades, which impart a rotary motion to the rotator as it is drawn through the
water; and although the invention is more particularly intended for taffrail logs
in which the registering mechanism on the vessel is connected by a line or wire
with the distant rotator in the water, it may be embodied in submerged logs in '
which the rotator and registering mechanism are permanently connected and are >
thrown overboard together.
It is of course necessary to the usefulness of the log, that it should register:
accurately, and any undue increase in the speed of the rotation of the rotator will
cause the log to over-register, while if the speed of the rotator is less than the
normal speed for the distance travelled, the log will under-register.
By careful experiment it is found that the same or a standard rotator will give
different speeds when used under different circumstances and on different vessels, :
and hence the importance of providing on the rotator, simple and easily adjustable
devices or means whereby the ship master may regulate the rotator so that it will :
register accurately and preserve its accuracy so long as it is used upon the same
vessel, and otherwise under the same existing conditions.
}
The inventors are aware that the blades of a propeller have been made adjustable
to vary the pitch, but such an adjustment would not be well adapted for a log:
rotator, because it has usually a considerable length relatively to its diameter, and
because it is desirable that its main blades should be fixed and non adjustable to
secure simplicity, cheapness and strength of construction.
:
The object of this invention is to provide, in connection with a log rotator, very,
simple means for regulating the speed of rotation of the rotator, which may be
readily adjusted by the navigator, and which, when adjusted, will accurately,
maintain a uniform speed of the rotator.
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This result may be secured by providing one or more regulators in connection
with the blades of the rotator.-These regulators may be made in various ways.—
ر

page_text: For example, one or more of the blades, which are ordinarily made of thin plate
metal, may be slit so as to form, on each blade, a supplemental wing or fin, which
may be deflected or bent more or less than the fixed blade, to increase or diminish
the effect of the spirality of that blade; or a like result may be obtained by rivetting
or otherwise attaching to the fixed blade a small supplemental wing or fin, which
may be deflected or bent in like manner and for a like purpose. The same result
may also be secured by attaching pieces of different sizes to one or more fixed
blades, or by attaching such pieces to the blade or blades at different distances
from the centre of the rotator.
The desired result may also be secured by providing at the rear end of the
rotator, a supplemental or rotatory or fan, having wings or fins, which may be bent
relatively to the fixed blades, or by providing a number of interchangeable supple-
mental rotators having wings or fins of different degrees of spirality, or by
providing a supplemental and adjustable wing or fin on the body of the rotator..
In all cases, the improved regulating devices are capable of adjustment without
shifting the blades.
In the accompanying drawing,
Fig. 1 is a side view of a rotator having blades slit or cut to form supplemental
wings or fins.
Fig. 2 is an end view thereof.
Figs. 3 and 4 represent side views of blades having supplemental wings. or fins
differently formed.
Fig. 5 is an edge view of the blade shown in Fig. 4.
Figs. 6 and 7 represent blades having supplemental wings or fins formed by
separate pieces attached to them.
Fig. 8 is a side view; and
Fig. 9 an edge view of a blade having a wedge shaped or inclined block
detachably secured thereto.
Figs. 10 and 11 are respectively a side view and an end view of blade having a
projection formed thereon by a screw inserted thereinto, the effect of varying the
speed of the rotator being secured by changing the screw for one having a larger or
smaller head.
;
Fig. 12 represents a blade in which the same effect is secured by placing the
screw in any one of a series of holes which are at different distances from the
centre of the rotator.
Fig. 13 represents a rotator having fixed blades, and provided with an attach-
ment having supplemental wings or fins; and
Fig. 14 shows a blade, and
Figs. 15 and 16 show rotators, embodying modifications of our invention.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the Figures.
A designates the centre or body of the rotator, which is or may be cylindric
throughout the principal portion of its length, and has a forwardly tapering end
portion A-To the centre or body A A', are securely fixed spiral or helicoidal or
flat oblique blades B, here shown as four in number, and which are, or may be,
made of sheet brass or other sheet or plate metal, the body also being usually made
of brass to prevent corrosion thereof.
The blades B are carefully formed or shaped by means of suitable dies and
formers, and are intended to all have the same pitch, which is to be fixed and
invariable. The means for regulating the speed of rotation of the rotator are
supplemental to the fixed blades themselves, and are adjustable relatively to the
fixed blades without altering the pitch of the fixed or main blades, or otherwise
shifting them.
The regulation or adjustment may be secured, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by
slitting the blade B from its end inwards, as at a, so as to form a supplemental
wing or fin C, which may be bent or deflected in either direction, so as to increase
or diminish the effect of the spiral arrangement of the blades.

page_text: In the Figure, two opposite blades are shown as provided with supplemental
wings or fins C, but one or more of the blades may be provided with such wings
or fins.
In Figure 3, the blade B has the supplemental wing or fin C formed by slitting
the blade diagonally inwards at a from the outer rear corner or curve thereof, and
in Figs. 4 and 5 a blade having a supplemental wing or fin C, formed by slitting
the blade once, as at a, is shown.
Fig. 6 shows a blade B, having a supplemental wing or fin C, formed by
rivetting or otherwise securing to the blade a piece of metal, which projects
rearwards therefrom, and may be bent or deflected relatively to the blade.
In Figure 7 the same result is secured by rivetting or otherwise attaching to the
blade B a supplemental wing or fin C, which projects beyond the outer edge
thereof, and may be bent or deflected relatively thereto.
Figs. 8 and 9. represent a blade B having attached to the face thereof, by
screws a¹ or otherwise, a wedge shaped or inclined block or projection C, which
increases the effect of the spiral arrangement of the blades. This block may be
removed, and replaced by one of larger or smaller size, or by one having a different
degree of inclination.
In Figs. 10 and 11, a blade B, having a single hole b to receive a screw having a
large head C, is represented. By removing this screw, and substituting a screw
having a larger or smaller head, as indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 10 and 11, the
effect of the spiral arrangement of the blades may be increased or diminished.
The same result may be secured by providing, in the blade B, a number of holes b
at different distances from its inner edge, or from the centre of the rotator, as is
shown in Fig. 12, and the effect of the spiral arrangement of the blades may then
be varied by placing the screw C in one or other of these holes, or by inserting a
screw or screws in one or more of the holes b.
In Fig. 13, the body A of the rotator has, at the rear end, a neck or projection c,
of smaller diameter, on which is placed a hub or collar d, from which project spiral
wings or regulating fins C.-These wings or fins may have a greater pitch than
the fixed blades, as shown, or a less pitch than said blades.
Several such attachments having wings or fins of different pitch may be provided
and made interchangeable on the rotator, or a single one may be provided having
wings or fins which may be bent more or less relatively to the fixed blades, to
secure the desired object.
In the example shown in Fig. 14, the blade B has a supplemental wing or fin C
cut from it within its edge, and bent or deflected relatively to it, as before
described.
In Fig. 15 is represented a rotator having the body A slit to receive a cross
piece C¹, the ends of which project beyond the body, and form supplemental wings
or fins C, which may be bent or deflected relatively to the fixed blade B.
In Fig. 16, the body A is represented as having upon its exterior a supplemental
wing or fin C, which is fixed to the body at any point in its length, and may be
bent or turned as represented by dotted lines relatively to the fixed blades.
In all the examples, the effect of the spiral arrangement of the main blades is
increased or diminished by the adjustable regulators, which are on the blades, or
employed in connection with the blades, and in all cases the regulators may be
adjusted without shifting the main blades.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my Foreign Correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
1. The combination with a log rotator, of a regulator in connection with one or
more of the main blades, and capable of adjustment without shifting the main
blades, whereby the speed of rotation may be increased or diminished, substantially
as herein described.

page_text: 2. The combination with a log rotator, of a regulator or regulators applied to one
or more of the main blades, and capable of adjustment without shifting the main
blades, for the purpose of increasing or diminishing the speed of rotation, substan
tially as herein described.
3. The combination with a log rotator, of supplemental wings or fins on one or
more of the blades to be deflected or bent relatively to the blade or blades, in order
to increase or diminish the speed of rotation of the rotator, substantially as herein
described.
4. The log rotator herein described, having one or more of its blades slit to form
a supplemental wing or fin C, which may be bent or deflected relatively to the
blade, substantially as berein described.