IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING INDICATORS AND TELL-TALES
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Jullien Viehoff and James
Adolphe Matthiessen at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 7th November 1865.
We, CHARLES JULLIEN VIEHORF and JAMES ADOLPHE MATTHIESSEN, both
of Paris, in the French Empire, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEERING INDICATORS AND TELL-TALES,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an apparatus applicable either as a tell-tale for
indicating by day and night the position of a rudder or helm with regard to
the keel, or as a steering indicator or telegraph for indicating by day and
night the changes to be effected in the position of the rudder or helm. When.
our apparatus is used at night a single light of one colour, for example white
or blue, is used instead of two coloured lights (green or red) as in tell-tales
and indicators of known construction. The tell-tale is placed near the steer-
ing apparatus or rudder wheel shaft, and may receive motion from it.. The
steering indicator or telegraph may be placed close at hand of the officer in
command.
Our apparatus is constructed as follows:-A dial having figures and
divisions on its face corresponding with angles described by the rudder is fitted,
but not fixed, on a shaft free to revolve, and carrying a pointer or hand so
disposed as to work before or travel over the dial. For day use the dial is held
to its support or framing by a pin or other like fastening contrivance. When
the apparatus is used as a steering indicator the shaft, and thereby the pointer,

page_text: are worked by a handle. Before the handle is placed a second but smaller
dial, which repeats the position of the pointer on the larger dial. When the
apparatus is used as a tell-tale the shaft is extended and receives motion from
the steering apparatus or from the steering wheel axis by differential chain
wheels or other gearing. A small pointer is fixed on the shaft instead of
the handle to travel over the repeating dial, to enable the helmsman to see
the exact position of the rudder or helm. For night use the pin or fastener
is removed, and the dial is connected with the pointer by means of an axis,
and maintained in place preferably by a pin or forelock sliding on the fore
part of the pointer through a hole or slot in the axis. A lamp is connected
with the axis and revolves; it is restored to its vertical position by a weight.
The door, provided with glass or with a lens, is at the fore side. An opening,
preferably similar in shape to a pointer, is made in the dial to show or exhibit
the light of the lamp. The dial being connected as above described with the
pointer follows it in its movements, and the position or direction of the open-
ing, which forms as it were an illuminated pointer, will show the position of
the rudder when the apparatus is used as a tell-tale, or will give the steering
signals or directions when it is used as an indicator or telegraph. The lamp
is counterbalanced by a weight fixed to the large dial at a directly opposite
point of its circumference. The dial is perforated to make it lighter and
allow the wind to blow through.