US632105A - Sea-going range-finder. - Google Patents

Description

No. 632,!05. Patented Aug. 29, I899.

J. DONEGAN.

SEA GOING RANGE FINDER.

(Application filed Jan. 12, 1899.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shea} l.

No. 632,|05. Patented Aug. 29, I899. J. DUNEGAN. SEA some RANGE FINDER.

(Application filed. Jan. 12, 1899.)

3 Shandy-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

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WITNESSES Patented Aug. 29, I899.

3 Sheets$h'eet 3,

J. DDNEGAN. SEA GOING RANGE FINDER.

(Applica ion filed Jan. 12, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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.IoI-IN DoNEeAN, OF oINcINNATI, oI-IIo.

SEA-GOING RANGE-FINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,105, dated August 29, 1899.

Application filed January 12, 1899. Serial No. 701,942. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN DONEGAN, of Gincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Sea-Goin g Range-Finder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved range-finder, more especially designed for use on men-of-war, marine stations, and the like, and arranged to enable an observer to quickly and accurately find the range of a distant object.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a side elevation of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a rear end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of the same on the line5 5 in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the indicator. Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse section of the improvement on the line 7 7 in Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is alike view of the same on the line 8 8 in Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the improvement, and Fig. 10 is an enlarged face view of part of the graduation on the cylinder.

The improved range-finder is provided with two suitably-constructed telescopes A and B, of which the telescope B is mounted to move into an angular position relatively to the telescope A for forming of said telescopes part of the sides of a triangle, having its base in the form of a transverse bracket D at the rear of the telescopes and the intersection of the sides or apex at the object to be sighted, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 9. Each telescope is provided in its front end with a sight 0t 19. (See Figs. 3 and 7.)

The telescope A is attached by suitable clamping-bands O to a longitudinally-extending rod 0, held in bearings 0 formed on the upper ends of rods 0 vertically adjustable in transverse brackets D D, secured on posts D D", respectively, bolted or otherwise fastened at the ends of a longitudinally-extending beam E, pivoted at its middle E on a post 1F, carried on the top of a disk F, mounted to turn on balls F arranged in a racewayin a bearing F provided with legs F attached to a rubber or other elastic base G, attached to a stand on board of the vessel or other place on which the device is-used. By interposing the rubber base G between the vessel proper and the instrument the vibrations of the. instrument are reduced to a minimum, said vibrations being incident to the firing of guns, working of machinery, 6150.

The postF is provided with a bolt F extending through a central opening in the bearing F and on said bolt screws a nut F, adapted to abut against the under side of the bearing to lock the post F and diskF against rotation on the balls F carried by the bearing F By slightly loosening the nut F the beam E and the telescopes supported thereby and all the other Working parts of the instrument can be readily turned, and at the same-time the beam can be swung in a vertical direction on the pivot E to bring the telescopes into proper position for sighting a distant object in the manner hereinafter more fully described.

The rod 0, above mentioned, is secured by nuts 0 in position on the bearings 0 and nuts 0 screw on the rods 0 to securely fasten said rods 0 in the adjusted vertical position.

The telescope B is connected by clampingbands H H with a longitudinally-extending rod H, having its rear end mounted to slide in a bearing H its forward end being provided with a vertically-disposed bearing H mounted to turn on a pivot I, as is plainly indicated in Fig. 7. The bearing H (see Fig.

8) is carried by a vertical rod H loosely held versely-extcnding nut J and said bearing is engaged on top by a nut H", screwing on the upper threaded end of the pivot I to hold said bearing in proper position on the pivot I. In the nut J screws the threaded portion K of a screw-shaft K extending transversely and mounted to turn in bearings O and C of which the bearing is formed on the forward rod O and the bearing 0 is formed on the upper end of a rod C extending vertically and fitted into the bracket D. Nuts O screw on said rod and abut on the top and bottom of the bracket to hold the rod in position on said bracket and permit its vertical adjustment to bring the telescope Bin proper horizontal alinement with the telescope A.

The shaft K is prevented from lateral movement by nuts K K screwing on the outer ends of the shaft and abutting against the bearings O O and said shaft is provided with a worm-Wheel L in mesh with a worm L, arranged on a vertically-disposed shaft L journaled in suitable bearings D secured to the post D and bracket D, as indicated in the drawings, the said bearings D being preferably adjustable to compensate for any wear.

On the shaft L is secured a worm-wheel L in mesh witha worm N, (see Fig. 4,) .formed or secured on a longitudinally-extending shaft N, mounted to turn in suitable bearings in the posts D D the shaft being prevented from longitudinal movement in the bearings by nuts N N as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. On the rear end of the shaft N is secured a knurled head N adapted to be taken hold of by the operator to turn said shaft N and cause the worm N to rotate the worm-wheel L and the shaft L the rotary motion of the latter being transmitted by the worm L to the worm-wheel L and the shaft K to cause the threads K thereof to shift the nut J laterally and, move the pivot I in the same direction, so as to swing the forward end of the telescope B toward or from the forward end of the other telescope A, according to the direction in which the head N is turned. It is understood that the rod H forms the fulcrum for the telescope B at the rear end of the device, the rod H being free to slide in the bearing H to compensate for the movement of the forward end of the telescope toward or from the telescope A.

On the shaft N is secured a cylinder 0, formed on its peripheral surface with circumferential rows of numerals indicating the distance in yards, (see Fig. 10,) the numerals being read off along the longitudinally-extending bar P, supported by the brackets D and D. The bar P is provided with numerals from 1 to l0 and subdivisions, as shown in Fig. 4, to indicate the several rows of numerals on the peripheral surface of the cylinder 0.

On the shaft N, near the post D is formed or secured a worm N in mesh with a wormwheel Q, secured on a vertically disposed shaft Q, journaled in suitable bearings ID,

secured to the post D and the bracket D. On the upper end of the shaft Q is secured a pointer Q indicating on a fixed disk Q provided on its top with a graduation numbered from 1 to 10, corresponding to the numerals on the graduated bar P. The several bearings herein described are preferably arranged to permit of taking up Wear.

The operation is as follows: When the pointer Q stands at 1 on the disk Q then the highest number in the first row on the graduatedcylinder reads on the numeral 1 of the graduated bar P, and the telescope B then stands nearly in a parallel position relatively to the telescope A. When it is desired to measure the distance between the instrument and a distant object, such as an approaching vessel or other object, the operator by turning the device on the base F and swinging it on the pivot E readily brings the telescope A in position to sight the object through said telescope. The operator now sights through the other telescope B and turns the head N toimpart a swinging motion to the telescope B until the operator or observer also sights the object. In turning the head N the telescope Bis swung at its forward end toward the forward end of the telescope A, and at the same time the rotary motion of the shaft N is transmitted to the cylinder 0, and by the worm N and worm-wheel Q to the shaft Q to move the pointer Q on the disk Q WVhen the object has been sighted through both telescopes exactly at the same point, then the operator reads the position of the pointer Q on the disk Q say at the numeral 7, and then reads the number of yards at the bar P, adjacent to the numeral 7, say fourteen hundred and twenty-eight yardsthat is, the distance from the instrument to the distant object. It is understood that the several gears, the threads K, and nut J are so proportioned relatively to the movement of the cylinder 0 to the bar Pand the movement of the pointer Q to the disk Q that the distance given is accurate, the whole being governed by the deviations of said device,together with its gearings, magnifying powers, 850.

By reference to Fig. 4 it will be noted that the graduation on the bar P indicates subdivisions for the numerals from 1 to 7, inclusive, and the division-lines for the numerals of the graduation on the cylinder 0 are arranged step-like, aswill be readily seen by reference to Fig. 10, which indicates the rows of numerals for the graduations 1, 12;, 19,-, and 1% on the bar P. Now in case the object has been sighted through both telescopes, as above explained, and the pointer Q points on the disk Q 011 the numeral 1, then the separating-line in that row of the circnmferen tial rows for the numerals from 1 to 12F, standing at the edge of the bar P, indicates the distance-numeral to be read. As indicated in Fig. 10, the starting-point at the first row is for a distance of one million IIO yards, and the range then gradually decreases to a hundred yards at the last point indicated on the bar P in Fig. 4.

By arranging the numerals on the graduation of the cylinder in circumferential rows around the peripheral surface of the cylinder I am enabled to accommodate a large number of numerals on the cylinder, to give a great range to the instrument, and to permit of readily reading oif the distance in conjunction with the bar P, as above explained.

I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown and above described, as I may vary the same without deviating from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent row of numerals on the cylinder on which the distance is to be read, said indicator comprising a fixed disk having graduations corresponding to the graduations of the fixed bar, and a pointer moving on the disk in unison with the said cylinder and pivoted telescope, substantially as described.

2. A range-finder, comprising two telescopes arranged in the same horizontal plane, one of the telescopes being pivoted at one end, means connected with the other end of the pivoted telescope for swinging it on its pivot, a revoluble cylinder below the telescopes and provided with rows of numerals indicating distances, a fixed graduated bar arranged alongside of the cylinder, a fixed indicating disk having graduations corresponding to the graduations of the fixed bar and arranged at one end of the cylinder, and a pointer moving on said disk, and gearing between the cylinder and pointer and cylinder and the means for swinging the pivoted telescope, substantially as described.

3. A range-finder, comprising two telescopes, one of which is pivoted to swing toward and from the other telescope, a main shaft under the control of the operator and mounted to be turned by the same, a threaded shaft geared with said main shaft to be rotated by the latter, a nut screwing on said threaded shaft and connected with the free end of the pivoted telescope, a cylinder carried by said main shaft and provided at its peripheral surface with circumferential rows for containing numerals indicatingdistances,

and a fixed bar arranged lengthwise of the cylinder, for reading off the distances, substantially as shown and described.

4. A range finder, comprising two telescopes, one of which is pivoted to swing toward and from the other telescope, a main shaft under the control of the operator and mounted to be turned by the same, a threaded shaft geared with said main shaft to berotated by the latter, a nut screwing on said threaded shaft and connected with the free end of the pivoted telescope, a cylinder carried by said main shaft and provided at its peripheral surface with circumferential rows for containing numerals indicating distances, a fixed bar arranged lengthwise of the cylinder, for reading off the distances, said bar containing characters for indicating said rows, a fixed disk having characters corresponding to the characters on the said bar, a pointer for indicating on said disk, and a gearing for connecting the pointer and the said main shaft, to actuate the pointer in unison with the cylinder on the shaft, substantially as shown and described.

5. A range-finder, comprisinga base, a post, a ball-bearing for the post on said base, a beam fulcrumed on said post and provided at its ends with posts, transverse brackets carried by said posts, a telescope rigidly carried by the brackets, a second telescope pivoted at one end on one of the brackets, and movably supported at its other end on the other bracket, a main shaft mounted to turn on said beamposts, a cylinder carried by said shaft, a bar carried by the brackets, for reading numerals on the periphery of the cylinder, a graduated disk and a pointer actuated from said main shaft, a transverse screw-shaft driven from said main shaft, a nut movable on said screwshaft, and a pivoted connection between the nut and the forward end of the pivoted telescope, as set forth.

6. In a range-finder, the combination with two telescopes, one of which is pivoted at the rear end, of a tranverse shaft under the front ends of the telescopes, a support for the front end of the pivoted telescope, said support being mounted to travel on said shaft when said shaft is rotated, a longitudinally-extending main shaft under the control of the operator, and means for rotating the transverse shaft from the main shaft substantially as described.

7. In a range-finder, the combination with two telescopes, one of which is pivoted at its rear end, of a transverse shaft under the forward ends of the telescopes, a support for the front end of the pivoted telescope, said support being mounted to travel on the transverse shaft when said shaft is rotated, amain shaft, geared with the transverse shaft, a cylinder on the main shaft and having circunr ferential rows of numerals and an indicator for said cylinder, substantially as described.

8. In a range-finder, the combination with two telescopes, one of which is pivoted at its rear end, of a transverse shaft under the front ends of the telescopes, a support for the front end of the pivoted telescope said support being mounted to travel on the transverse shaft when said shaft is rotated, a main shaft geared with the transverse shaft, and under the control of the operator, a cylinder on the shaft and provided with circumferential rows of numerals, a graduated fixed bar alongside of the cylinder, a fixed disk, a pointer moving over the disk, and gearing between the pointer and main shaft, substantially as described.

9. In a range-finder, the combination with two telescopes, of vertically-adjustable supports for the front and rear ends of the telescopes,one of the rear supports being mounted to turn to form a pivot for the rear end of one of the telescopes, a connection between the front supports and upon which the front end of the pivoted telescope is mounted to travel, and means for moving the front end of the pivoted telescope back and forth on the said connection, substantially as described.

10. In a range-finder, the combination with two telescopes, one of which is pivoted at its rear end, of a transverse shaft under the forward ends of the telescopes and having a screw-threaded portion, a nut on the screwthreaded portion of the shaft, a connection between the nut and the forward end of the front end, of a transverse shaft under the forward ends of the telescopes and having a screw-threaded portion, a nut on the screwthreaded portion of the shaft and provided with a vertical pivot entering the bearing carried by the forward end of the pivoted telescope, and a longitudinal shaft extending to the rear ends of the telescopes and geared with the transverse shaft, substantially as described.

12. In a range-finder, the combination with a support, and a telescope provided on its under side with a longitudinally-extending rod having a hearing at its forward end, of a pivoted bearing in which the rear end of the said rod slides, a transverse shaft having a screwthreaded portion, a nut on the shaft and provided with a vertical pivot entering the bearing of the said rod, and means for operating the said shaft, substantially as described.

13. In a range-finder, the combination with a support, and a telescope provided on its under side with a longitudinally-extending rod having a bearing at its front end, of a pivoted and adjustable bearing in which the rear end of the rod slides, vertical adjustable bearings at the front of the frame, a transverse shaft mounted in the bearings and having a screwthreaded portion, a nut on the screw-threaded portion of the shaft and provided with a vertical pivot entering the .bearing of the said rod, and means for operating the shaft, substantially as described.

14. In a range-finder, the combination with two telescopes one of which is mounted on a vertical pivot at its rear end, of a transverse shaft under the forward ends of the telescopes and having a screw-threaded portion, a nut on the screw-threaded portion of the shaft and upon which the forward end of the niv oted telescope is mounted,a longitudinal shaft below the telescopes, a cylinder mounted on the shaft and provided with rows of numerals indicating distances, a graduated fixed bar at one side of the cylinder, a fixed graduated disk, a pointer moving on the disk, and gearing between the longitudinal shaft and the transverse shaft and the shaft of the pointer, substantially as described.

JOHN D ONE GAN.

Witnesses:

WM. E. J ONES, JAMES BURNS.

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