CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATUS USED FOR MEASURING THE PROGRESS OF VESSELS THROUGH THE WATER, AND FOR TAKING SOUNDINGS AT SEA;
Year: 1834

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
MASSEY, Senior, of King Street, Clerkenwell, in the County of Middlesex,
Watch Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Ninth day of December, in the fifth year of His reign, did, for
Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Edward
Massey, senior, His especial licence that I, the said Edward Massey, senior, my
exors, adiñors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Massey, senior,
my exors, adiiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATUS USED FOR MEASURING THE PROGRESS OF VESSELS
THROUGH THE WATER, AND FOR TAKING SOUNDINGS AT SEA;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Edward Massey, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and
ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Edward Massey, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention to
consist in the following improvements, that is to say :-
First, as regards the log or apparatus for measuring the progress of vessels
through the water in an improved box, containing improved cog wheel and
pinion gear, which acts upon the register by means of improved vertical con-
necting rods, while the rotator acts completely under water in an horizontal line,
or nearly so, from the bottom of the stern post. And further, in a new mode
of attaching the line to the towing point of the register now in use, and also
of fixing the rotator and supporting its vanes, and as well as in an improved
form of rotator.
And, secondly, as regards the instrument for taken soundings at sea in a
new arrangement of the index, as also of the swivel joint, to which the line or
rod links of the rotator is fastened, and in a new stop for preventing any
continued action of the endless screw when drawing in board, and protecting
the said swivel joint and screw during that operation.
And in further compliance with the said proviso, I, the said Edward
Massey, do hereby describe the manner in which my said Invention is to be per-
formed by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents the stern post and part of the stern of a vessel. A is a
groove plate screwed or bolted firmly to the side of the stern post. Figure 2
is a cross section of the same. Figure 3 is a box, which I call the keel box
from its position being by the keel, containing the endless screw which com-
municates motion from the rotator to the upright shaft connected with the
index or registering apparatus, and it is this keel box which slides up and
down in the groove plate B, c being the part that enters the slot or groove,
and D the external side, or side next the water. E is a swivel link or
universal joint connected to the link rods of the rotator. These rods I prefer to
be air-tight tubes, and are connected by pieces of rope lashed to the ends of the
rods, which are swelled, to prevent them drawing out of the rope; the shorter
the space between the ends of the rods, the better, in fact, only to allow them
to fold close together when necessary. Figure 4 is a side view of the keel box.
F is an upright rod and pinion of seven oblique leaves communicating with a
series of swivels or joints and rods sufficiently long according to the size of
the vessel to reach up to the index, which it is intended should be on deck..
This pinion is turned by means of the wheel G, of twenty-one teeth in the

page_text: keel box, and a small endless screw on the same shaft as the wheel G, which
takes into the pinion on the upright shaft. E is the swivel link connected
with the rotator and the endless screw, which acts upon the cogged wheel G,
as shown by the dotted lines. His merely a slide, with a square hole in the
disc, which closes it at the lower end working on the end of the upright
shaft F, which is squared, and has the slot and screw at I to allow the neces-
sary play without its coming quite off. Supposing this keel box to be dropped
down the groove in the plate A to the bottom of the stern post, it would
assume the appearance shewn at Figure 1, the rotator acting about twelve
feet beyond the vessel, there being twelve link rods between it and the swivel
link E of about one foot each in length, and the rotator being calculated to
make eight hundred and eighty-two revolutions in the distance of a mile.
Having now described the lower part of this apparatus, and its connec-
tion with the rotator, I will now proceed to describe its upper part, and
its connection with the index and register, which is effected by means of the
brass rods marked J. These rods are about twelve inches long; the ends turn
round to form eyes, or flattened with holes drilled through to admit a rivet.
They are connected by means of short brass connecting pieces with notches
cut to admit the ends of the rods and rivetted through. These connecting
pieces have a bead turned on the middle of them, which prevents any fouling
in travelling in the channel when it is necessary to lower the machine for use,
or to take it up out of harm's way when not in use, or the rods may be connected
by means of pieces of rope, the same as the rods that connect the rotator with
the universal joint. These rods are let down through a hole in the bottom of
the register box or case, and supported on the bottom of the said box by the
friction rollers shown at Figure 5. These friction rollers rest and travel on
the bottom of the horizontal box that contains the indices, and communicate
through the bottom of the box with the rods directly under it. They are
placed at equal distances, the axes being screws inserted in a brass collar,
under the disk at the top of the upright rods. Figure 6 is the index or
register box or case. It is an horizontal circular box, containing a dial plate
or register, on which are four indices, with wheels and pinions underneath
connecting them. These occupy half the depth of the box; the other half of
the depth contains the friction rollers, connected with the upright rods, and
the propelling power to the index k, which is a pin projecting from the
disc attached to the top rod, and resting on the friction rollers h, which carries
round a lever attached to the lower end of the axis of index k, and shows on
the dial the rate of the ship's sailing. This register may be fixed on deck,
in the cabin, or in any part of the ship as may be judged most convenient

page_text: by means of connecting rods. / the first index, which is connected with
the rotator by means of the brass rods, the universal joint, and the propell-
ing pin fixed in the disc resting on the friction rollers. This index
when the ship is sailing makes one revolution during the time she is passing
one sixth of a nautical mile, and the circle is divided into ten equal parts, so
that if the index moves three divisions in a minute on this circle the ship is
sailing at the rate of three miles in an hour; if it moves four divisions in a
minute she is sailing at the rate of four miles an hour, and as many more
divisions as the index moves in a minute she is sailing so many miles iu an
hour. the second index which is connected with the first by means of a
pinion of seven leaves on the axis of k, running in a wheel of forty-two teeth
on its own axis makes one revolution during the time the ship is passing one
nautical mile. The circle is divided into six equal parts, and when the index
has noved one of these divisions it is equal to a complete revolution of the
index k, and it revolves the contrary way. m the third index which is con-
nected with the second by means of a pinion of six leaves on the axis of 1,
running in a wheel of sixty teeth on its own axis, makes one revolution
during the time the ship is passing ten nautical miles; the circle is divided
into ten equal parts, and when the index has moved one of these
divisions it is equal to a complete revolution of index 1, it revolves the same
as k. n the fourth index, which is connected with the third by means of
a pinion of six leaves on the axis of m, running in a wheel of sixty teeth
on its own axis, makes one revolution during the time the ship is passing
one hundred miles; the circle is divided into ten equal parts, and when the
index has moved one of these divisions it is equal to a complete revolution of
index m, it revolves the same as 1. Figure 7 represents a key piece or stop,
larger than the hole in the bottom of the register box, which I fix at any
part in the length of the upright rods that may be desirable, so that when it is
necessary to take up the instrument from the keel of the ship for its safety, the
register in the box i is taken out, and the upright rods drawn up till the
piece made to receive the key is above the bottom of the box, when the key
is applied, as here shown, the instrument will then be suspended by the key
from the bottom of the box, when the friction rollers, the disc, and the upper
rods may be taken off and deposited in some convenient place till the instru-
ment is again required to act. As an additional precaution against an accident
of the key getting displaced when the frietion rollers are removed, and of the
instrument slipping down the channel, a pin, as at S, may be screwed through
the key piece above the groove, which is longer than the diameter of the hole
in the bottom of the box, and thus renders it more secure, as it would be

page_text: attended with trouble and inconvenience to restore the connection of the rods
if the instrument should slip down. In order to fix the machine to the ship a
hole must be bored through the deck near to and ranging with the stern post;
the register box must be let into a proper depth and secured upon the deck, but
without the register; the groove plate must be screwed to the side of the stern
post, and extend to the keel; the rods must then be inserted through the
deck and secured by the pin and the key; the keel box placed in the groove
plate, and the upright rods connected with the upright pinion; the upper rods
must then be joined on, the rest pin and key removed, and the whole then
allowed to slide down the groove to the keel with the rotator and brass link
rods; the register is fastened in the box, the indices are placed at the respective
numbers 10 on k, 6 on 1, 10 on m, and 100 on n, and the instrument is in a
state to commence showing the rate of the ship's sailing. Figure 8 represents
my improved mode of connecting the towing line or rods to the towing point
of the register now in use, t being a spring lying over the hook of the towing
point, in such manner that it requires to be raised before the eye or swivel at the
end of the towing line or rods can be made to catch over it or be disengaged
from it. Figure 9 represents my improved mode of fixing or rather strengthening
the wings or vanes of the rotator, and consists of a ring or collar cut with four
projecting forks or mortices; this ring is to be soldered on to the cylinder of
the rotator, near to the broad end of the vanes, and one vane is to be placed in
each, and then soldered down as usual. Figure 10 is a plan of my said improved
form of rotator, the core or centre being of wood, and of the form of an inverted
pyramid, better shown in Figure 11, which is a side view of the same.
I will now proceed to describe my improvements in the apparatus for
taking soundings at sea. Figure 12 is the sounding apparatus. A is the
lead weight; B, a strong sheet of brass; C, the pin for hanging on the
rotator; D, the rotator, with its link rod attached to an endless screw in the
box E, which is fastened to the plate B, to receive it. This endless screw
works into the tooth wheel F, which acts upon the register and index. f is
a narrow cover or lid, turning on a hinge pivot at r, with a small click at g;
when the sounding lead is descending through the water, this cover or lid is
kept up as here shown, and the rotator is in a perpendicular position, in which
position the endless screw at E turns freely, but the moment the lead is drawn
up to the vessel again, the action of the water throws down the lid f to the
position shown by the dotted lines, while the rotator takes the position also
shown by dotted lines, and the click g preventing the rise of the cover
again, it prevents the possibility of the endless screw continuing to act, and at
the same time protects it from injury when drawing up. Figure 13 is a front

page_text: view of this lid or cover and endless screw. It will be seen that the endless
screw may be removed by unscrewing the bottom adjusting screw upon which
it rests, which lets down a part of the shaft sufficiently small to pass out at the
slot at W, made for that purpose. Figure 14 represents an improvement in
the index and register, the figures of which, instead of being as heretofore on
the cogged wheel V, are here placed on the brass plate B, while the index X,
being fitted on the axis of V, but capable of being turned without the wheel if
necessary, while it turns with it as a matter of course if not prevented, gives a
greater facility of adjusting the register than has been attained heretofore. It
is only necessary to observe that at starting the index should be turned back
to the pin whenever the sounding apparatus is used.
Now whereas I claim as my Invention the following improvements, that is
to say:
First, as regards the log, the improved keel box, or receptacle for the cog
wheel gear, and improved vertical rods and apparatus connecting it with the
register, as also the improved index and improved mode of fixing the rotator,
together with the air tube rods, all as herein-before described; the mode
of securing the towing point of the register now in use; the mode of
strengthening and fixing the vanes of the rotator, and the improved form of
rotator, all as herein-before described.
And, secondly, as regards the sounding lead, I claim the new mode of
fitting the index, as also the new stop or cover g, together with the mode of
fixing and removing the endless screw in the frame or box E, and the appli-
cation of the swivel joint, not being a universal joint, to the end of the said
screw, so formed that when it takes the angle shown in the Drawing by the
dotted lines, no further action of the swivel can take place.
And such my Invention being to the best of my knowledge and belief en-
tirely new, and never before used within that part of His said Majesty's United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, His said Dominion of
Wales, or Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, I do hereby declare this to be my
Specification of the same, and that I do verily believe this my said Specification
doth comply in all respects fully and without reserve or disguise with the proviso
in the said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent contained, wherefore I
hereby claim to maintain exclusive right and privilege to my said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Massey, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-five.
EDWD (L.S.) MASSEY, SEN".

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Ninth day of June, in the year
of our Lord 1835, the aforesaid Edward Massey, came before our said
Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above written.
And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the
Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and thirty-five.