Improvements in the Lowering and Detaching and Picking-up Gear for Ships' Boats.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Nov., 1989-Accepted, 7th Dec, 1989
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Lowering and Detaching and Picking-up Gear
for Ships' Boats.
I, WILLIAM BRABYN Master Mariner 84 Heaton Park Road Heaton Newcastle
on Tyne do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My improvements consist in the use of a central cleat fixed in the bottom of
the boat that is to be lowered, this cleat differs from ordinary cleats in having a hole
cut transversely through its centre. Instead of the ordinary hooks on the lower side
of each lower block of the falls hanging to the davits, I fasten a rope or pendant of
convenient length to each lower block, these two pendants are then rove through
guides at the bow and stern of the boat and brought to meet one another at the
cleat, the two ropes are passed through the hole in the cleat and turned round the
arms of the cleat, being belayed in the usual manner and so securing the boat. By
casting off these two ropes from the cleat, the two ropes run out together by the
weight of the boat at the same time, consequently, when both ropes are let go, the
boat is free from the falls of the davits.
WILLIAM BRABYN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Lowering and Detaching and Picking-up Gear
for Ships' Boats.
1, WILLIAM BRABYN of 2 Cardigan Terrace, Heaton, Newcastle on Tyne in the
county of Northumberland, Master Mariner do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in the lowering and detaching and picking
up gear for ships' boats and has for its object simplicity of design and action and
consequent economy.
To accomplish my purpose I make use of a novel form of cleat by forming the..
through the centre of the cleat-shank or neck and 1
atter with x-transverse hole the centre of the cont the box that is to be
lowered or detached or picked up.
Further, to the lower end of each lower block of the falls suspended from the
davits I fasten a rope or pendant of convenient length which can be easily and
rapidly rove through guides at the bow and stern of the boat and brought to meet
one another at the cleat. The two ropes or pendants are then passed through the
hole in the cleat and turned round the arm or arms of the same, being belayed in
the usual manner and so securing the boat. By casting off or slackening those two
ropes or chains from the cleat as above described they simultaneously run out due
to the weight of the boat and consequently when both are let go the boat is free
from the falls of the davits. I will now fully describe my invention having reference
to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section of a
boat with my improved gear arranged therein, Fig. 2 being an half plan of the same
and throughout this description like letters in the specification and in the drawings
designate like parts. Referring to the drawings a is the cleat shown attached to the
boat bottom and a' is a hole passing through its shank or neck. Towards either
end of the boat I fix (where these or their equivalent are not already there) ring
bolts or leaders a² a² and eye bolts a³ a³ through which the pendants a' (which I
prefer to construct partly of chain and partly of rope as shown in the drawings) pass
from the blocks at a to the cleat a.

page_text: Supposing the boat B to be suspended from the davits as shown in the Figure and
that it is required to lower the boat, proceed as follows-First, lower the boat through
the intervention of the davits and blocks in the usual way until the boat is just clear
of or in the water; then grasp the two loose ends as a³ of the pendants a', which
may be of any suitable length but as short as possible, and gradually unreeve the
pendants from the cleat until for example the grip of the pendants on the cleat and
on the ring and eye bolts through which they pass is just sufficient to hold up the
weight of the bolt-and any practical seaman knows exactly what this means-
then, at the required moment, unreeve the last turn on the cleat when the pendants
will instantly run out and be left freely banging from the blocks, the boat being
synchronously detached. It will be observed that to effect this manoeuvre success-
fully it is necessary to have a cleat of the novel type hereinabove specified as other-
wise there would be great risk of simultaneity of release not being efficiently
effected.
The lowering and detaching being thus accomplished the picking up is effected by
reeving the pendant ends through the ring bolts usually placed in the stem and stern
of boats and making fast round a thwart or through the ring or eye bolts or their
equivalent and back to the cleat through which and round which they may then be
passed and belayed as above described.
Being thus made fast the boat can be hauled up to the davits in the usual way.
It will be understood that I need not necessarily use the ring and eye bolt arrange-
ment hereinabove set forth as there might be cases where small leading pulleys might
with equal efficiency be substituted, but as most boats have ring bolts already fixed
at stem and stern I prefer to use these as guides or leaders to the central cleat.
Further there may be used instead of the cleat above described any simple and
convenient device for holding or gripping the pendant ends for example by jamming
the latter between metal surfaces by screw or other power but I do not specially
recommend such a device as the cloat is the simplest and best for the purpose that I
am now aware of. The pendant or rope between the central cleat and the eye
bolts a³ ³ may be conveniently covered in by a light metal or other casing so as to
be out of the way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1) For lowering or detaching or picking up ships' boats the use of a cleat
traversed by a hole through which the pendant ends are rove and secured or released
substantially as and for the purposes herein before set forth.
(2) The combination with a cleat such as is hereinabove described and illustrated
of guide rings or leaders arranged towards the ends of the boat through which the
pendants pass substantially as and for the purposes hereinabove set forth.
Dated this 11...
1000
A. CRAWHALL CHAPMAN,
2, St. Nicholas' Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Patent Agent for Applicant.