Method and apparatus for determining and recording boat compass deviation

Claim 1

A compass deviation recording device comprising a base adapted to receive a compass rose card having degree indicia thereon equidistantly arranged from a central perpendicular axis therethrough, a recorder gun housing mounted for rotary movement about said axis above said card and in parallel relationship to said card, said recorder gun housing including a plunger reciprocally movable therein, a stylus carried by said plunger and depending from said recorder gun housing such that the tip of said stylus rests upon the card approximately in the vicinity of said indicia, means for resiliently urging said stylus toward and into contact with said card, means connected to said plunger at the end thereof opposite to said stylus to permit rapid reciprocal movement of said plunger and said stylus, a spring within said recorder gun housing for urging said plunger in one direction to return said plunger to its initial position after having been moved reciprocally in the opposite direction and means carried by the recorder gun housing for orienting said housing with respect to a predetermined heading.