patent log

patent log

n. Nautical A torpedo-shaped instrument with rotary fins that is dragged from the stern of a vessel to measure the speed or distance traveled. Also called screw log, taffrail log.

patent log

n (Nautical Terms) nautical any of several mechanical devices for measuring the speed of a vessel and the distance travelled, consisting typically of a trailing rotor that registers its rotations on a meter. Compare chip log

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

patent log - a cigar-shaped log with rotary fins that measure the ship's speedscrew log, taffrail loglog - measuring instrument that consists of a float that trails from a ship by a knotted line in order to measure the ship's speed through the water