IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING, RETAINING, AND LOWERING BOATS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING, RETAINING,
AND LOWERING BOATS." -A communication from abroad by George
W. Mallory, of Mystic Bridge, Connecticut, United States of
America.
Sealed the 3rd September 1872, and dated the 19th March 1872..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 19th March 1872.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
RAISING, RETAINING, AND LOWERING BOATS," a communication, to be as
follows:-
According to the first part of my Invention, I provide davits of iron
hinged at their bases and adapted to be inclined at will from a perpen-

page_text: dicular to a quite oblique position. There are two of these davits for
each boat at the proper distance apart, and the upper end of each is
curved and adapted to receive a block and fall, by means of which the
boat may be suspended to the davits and lowered therefrom at will.
This form of the Invention is intended to be used where there is a
cabin or house on deck, with a space between the house and the rail or
bulwarks. The hinged feet of the davits are bolted upon the deck
close to the wall of the house, and by bringing the davits to the
upright position with the boat hoisted thereto, the boat is swung over
and allowed to rest upon a pair of slotted bearers, which extend
horizontally outward from the house, and are curved downward with
their outer ends supported upon the rail or bulwarks. There are chocks
on these slotted bearers adapted to receive and support the boat properly
when it is lowered thereon.
To lower the boat its weight is by means of the blocks and falls 1
lifted from the chocks and held suspended to the upper ends of the
davits. Then a pin which has previously held the davits in the upright
position being removed they are allowed to move outward with the
weight of the boat, being checked by blocks and falls until they have
assumed an inclined position. It is well to make the slots in the 2
bearers only of a proper length to allow the davits to move to the
proper inclination, and then rest in the lower end of the slot. In this
inclined position the boat will be held suspended over the side of the
vessel ready to be lowered into the water.
The hoisting and stowing of the boat is the reverse of this operation. 2
The boat being properly engaged with the tackles or blocks and falls
is hoisted to or near the ends of the davits, while they are in the
inclined position. The davits are then by another set of blocks and
falls hauled up into the perpendicular position, and the boat is lowered
upon the chocks.
The well-known sinking chock or sectional chock 3
having the outer half of each hinged to be dropped out of the way,
is used, by preference, as a means for facilitating the securing and
releasing of the boat.
Another form of this Invention is adapted for use where there is no
house on the deck. In this the same practice is employed of inclining
the davits to lower the boat, and again to receive it in taking it out of
the water. But the davits are not hinged to a fixed point at the bottom.
They are greatly bent at the bottom, and are adapted to change their

page_text: bearing on the deck or upon suitable castings provided therein, in' a
manner analogous to rolling. This construction is such, that when the
davits are the most inclined, and are thereby holding the boat over the
side, the bearing on the deck is at the outermost point, or at the outermost
of the several bearings provided. When in raising the boat, it is hoisted
up to or near the upper ends of the davits, and the latter commence to
incline inward, the point of support of the davits upon the deck
changes inward, and when the boat is quite on board and is ready to
be lowered upon the chocks, the davits are resting on their innermost
bearings. One of the bearings for each davit is so constructed and
arranged that the davit is firmly locked thereby. It is allowed to move
to the necessary extent, but no more.
I also employ, in addition, braces which are hinged to the deck
at a point inboard from the several bearings, and which reach up and
take hold of a ring that is free to slip to a considerable extent on the
davits. There is one of these rings with the connected braces on each
davit, and the extent of the motion is limited by two stout collars
welded or otherwise fixed on each davit. The brace is hinged to the
ring, and the said ring slides freely while the davits are projected over-
board or again drawn inward. When they are drawn inward to their
fullest extent a key is inserted under the ring in each davit to confine
it. The key and the adjacent surfaces may be composition to avoid its
rusting fast.
With this latter form of the said Invention the slotted bearers before
described need not be used, and the chocks which support the boat may
be close down to the deck. The length of the davits in both cases,
and the proportions of the several parts may vary according to cir-
cumstances.
OTH
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR RAISING, RETAINING, AND LOWERING BOATS," a communication
to me from abroad by George W. Mallory, of Mystic Bridge, Con-
necticut, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters

page_text: upon a pair of slotted bearers which extend horizontally outward from
the house, and are curved downward with their outer ends supported
upon the rail or bulwarks.
There are chocks on these slotted bearers
adapted to receive and support the boat properly when it is lowered
thereon.
To lower the boat its weight is by means of the blocks and falls lifted
from the chocks and held suspended on the upper ends of the davits.
Then a pin being removed which has previously held the davits in their
upright position, they are allowed to move outward with the weight of
the boat being checked by blocks and falls, until they have assumed a
quite inclined position. It is well to make the slots in the bearers only
of such a length as will allow the davits to move to the proper inclina-
tion, and then rest in the lower end of the slot. In this inclined position
the bolt will be held suspended over the side of the vessel ready to be
lowered into the water.
The hoisting and stowing of the boat are effected in a manner reverse
to this operation. The boat being properly engaged with the tackles or
blocks and falls is hoisted to or near the ends of the davits while they
are in an inclined position. The davits are then by another set of
blocks and falls hauled up into the perpendicular position, and the boat
is lowered upon the chocks. The well-known sinking chock or sectional
chock, having the outer half of each hinged to be dropped out of the
way, is used by preference as a means for facilitating the securing and
releasing of the boat.
Another form of the said Invention is adapted for use where there is
no house on the deck, or entirely independent of any relation thereto.
In this modification of the said Invention the same practice is employed
of inclining the davits to lower the boat, and again to receive it in taking
it out of the water; but the davits are not hinged to fixed points at
their base. They are greatly bent at the bottom, and are adapted to
change their bearing on the deck or upon suitable castings or foot pieces
provided therein in a manner analogous to rolling. This construction
is such that when the davits are the most inclined, and are thereby
holding the bolt over the side, the bearing on the deck is at the outer-
most point, or at the outermost of the several bearings provided. When
in raising the boat it is hoisted up to or near the upper ends of the
davits, and the davits commence to be drawn inward, the point of

page_text: support of the davits upon the deck changes inward, and when the boat
is quite on board and is ready to be lowered upon the chocks, the davits
rest on their innermost bearings. One of the bearings for each davit is
so constructed and arranged that the davit is firmly locked thereby. It
is allowed to move to the necessary extent, but no more.
In addition to the above I provide braces which are hinged to the
deck at a point inboard from the several bearings, and which reaching
up take hold of a ring or sliding piece that embraces and is free to
slip to a considerable extent on the davit. One of these slides with the
connecting braces is placed on each davit, and the extent of the motion
is limited by two stout keys or stops welded or otherwise attached to
each davit. The slide moves freely while the davits are projected over-
board or are again drawn inward. When they are drawn inward to
their fullest extent a key is inserted under the slide in each davit so as
to confine it. The key and the adjacent surfaces may be composition to
avoid rusting fast.
Figure 1 represents a vertical cross section of a portion of a vessel,
showing the application of the first part of the said Invention to the
same.
Figure 2 is a plan of the slotted bearer and the same portion of
the deck.
Figures 3 and 4 represent a modification of the said Invention;
Figure 3 being a transverse section of a part of a vessel with the boat
stowed, and Figure 4 a plan of one of the davits and its guiding 2
means.
Figures 5 and 6 represent another modification of the said Invention ;
Figure 5 being a cross section of a portion of the vessel, and an elevation
of one of the davits and a boat in two positions. The strong lines show
the davit and boat in the extreme outboard position, with the boat just 3
hoisted ready to be taken inboard by acting on the davits, or supposing
the reverse operation in progress with the boat just moved outboard
ready to be lowered. The dotted lines in this Figure show the davit and
boat in their extreme inboard position. Figure 6 is a plan of the davit
and its guiding and holding contrivances in the position corresponding a
to the strong lines in Figure 5.

page_text: Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout
the Drawing.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, A is the deck of a steamboat or other
vessel; B is the cabin wall, and C the hurricane deck; D is a davit
provided with an elongated vertical stem which is hinged to a foot e
secured to the deck A near the cabin wall; F, F', are the chocks secured
The inner chock is fixed
to the horizontal portion of the bearer G.
thereon rigidly, while the outer chock is pivoted, and is designed to be
readily dropped when the boat is to be lowered away. H is a slot in the
bearer G, in which the davit moves and which limits its fall. A small
bolt is inserted horizontally and transversely through the walls of the
slot H near its inner end, and serves to keep the davit in a vertical
position when the boat is stowed. The hinge at the lower end of the
davit is placed at a sufficient distance from the side of the vessel to
admit of the boat being stowed on her chocks between the davit and
the rail.
Lis the rail at the side of the vessel. The slotted bearers G extend
upward from the rail at the bow and stern of the boat for a certain
distance, and then turn and run horizontally to the hurricane deck or
house. The boat is thus always outside of the davits ready for imme-
diate use.
When the boat is taken from the water the davit is in an inclined
position, resting against the outer end of the slot H. After the boat has
been hoisted by the tackle E a sufficient distance the davit is brought
to a perpendicular position by means of the small tackle m, in which
position it is retained by means of the bolt k.
To lower away the boat it is only necessary to drop the outside half Fi
of the chocks, draw out the small bolt k, and slack up the tackle m,
when the davits will pass through the slots in the bearers to an inclined
position, carrying the boat outside of the rail in position to be readily
lowered to the water. The other davit with its attachments is similar in
construction and arrangement to the forward davit above described.
The modification shown in Figures 3 and 4 will be referred to in
describing the succeeding modification. In these Figures 3 and 4
substantially the same guiding means are employed as in Figures 1 and 2,
while the bases of the davits are formed and operated as in Figures 5
and 6.

page_text: In the form of the Invention shown in Figures 5 and 6 the foot of the
davit is bent as represented, and adapted to roll or change its bearing in
a manner analogous to the motion of a rocking chair. M is a trough-
like foot piece having a smooth inner surface in which the foot of the
davit may roll backward and forward as the davit is drawn inboard, or
allowed to incline outboard. There are transverse pins d', d², d³, fixed
in the davit as represented, and recesses are provided in the raised sides
of the casting M which receive these pins. The recesses which receive
the pins d, d³, are open notches; the recesses which receive the pin d
are covered recesses or properly formed holes, one in each raised side of
the foot piece M. As the davit is rocked to and fro on the foot piece
the pins d', d², d³, rise and sink in their respective recesses, but the pin a²
is never allowed to entirely escape. It is always locked or confined in
the holes represented in the foot piece.
The davit is guided fore and aft by divergent braces N¹, Nº, attached
to a substantial slide N, which is adapted to allow the davit to slide up
and down through it. The feet of the braces N1, N2, are hinged to eye
bolts or knuckle joints near the deck, as indicated by O¹, 0%. The
braces N1, N2, with the slide N, may turn forward and backward on the
knuckle joints O¹, 0%, to accomodate the motion as the davit is moved
outboard and inboard, sliding up and down through the ring or slide N.
There are two chocks F, F, to each davit; the inboard chock F is fixed,
the outboard chock F¹ is hinged to allow it to be folded down out of the
way when the boat is to be moved into or out of its position on the
chocks.
P is a stout pin or stop fixed in the davit, and which bears against the
under face of the slide N when the davit is in its extreme outboard
position. It arrests the davit and holds it firmly with the weight of the
boat depending thereon. When the boat is lowered and disconnected a
removable pin or key p is inserted to prevent the moving of the davit
accidentally inboard, as it might sometimes do when the weight of the
boat is off and the ship is rolling heavily. When the davit is in its
extreme inboard position the upper face of the slide N rests against a
fixed pin or stop Q, which prevents the moving of the davit inboard any
farther. A removable key q may be inserted under the slide when in
this position to hold the davit firmly inboard.
I may employ substantially the same construction of apparatus a
little differently proportioned to serve in cases where there is a rail

page_text: over which the boat must be lifted. In such case the chocks F, F',
may be made higher so as to hold the boat always at a sufficient height
to be ready to move outward over and from the rail; and to facilitate
this operation the chocks may be mounted on transverse rails or
supports, which may be slotted to perform the double functions of
supports and of guides for the davits. There may be pins or analogous
locking means to hold the davit in its inboard and outboard position.
The slide N may be made in the form of a simple ring and attached
to the braces N¹, N2, by welding, or it may be made in other forms and
attached either rigidly or by some suitable turning joints or trunnions.
It is important to have great strength in these parts. The pins d³, d³,
may be permanently fixed in the davit D, but the pin d³ should be
removable to allow the said davit to be unshipped when required. The
slide N with its braces and stops may be used with the form of davit
shown in Figures 1 and 2, if preferred. The tackle I may be used to
haul the davit with the attached boat forcibly inboard, and to lower
it again into an inclined position outboard. It may be detached after
the boat is properly stowed upon the chocks. In this condition the
apparatus occupies very little space beyond the boat itself.
It will be understood that any ordinary or suitable construction of
boat and of detaching means may be employed, and also that other
power than the tackle I may be used to move the davit with the boat
attached. The boat fall may belay to a cleat on the side of the davit,
as shown, or may be otherwise secured as preferred.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner in which the same
may be performed, I wish it understood that I do not claim any of the
parts taken separately, except as herein-after specified, nor do I confine
myself to the precise details herein shewn and described; but I claim,-
First. The movable davit D supported at a low level and guided by
the slot H in the bearer G, as herein specified.
Second. The combination with the slotted bearer G and hinged
chocks F, F, of the boat davit herein described, hinged at its lower end,
substantially as specified.
Third. The davit D formed and mounted as shown, so as to change
its base or bearing at the foot by a motion analogous to rocking, for the
purposes herein specified.

page_text: Fourth. The slide N and braces N1, N2, hinged at the points O¹, 0%,
in combination with a davit D adapted to be inclined outboard and in-
board, as herein specified.
Fifth. The stops P, Q, or either separately on the davit D in combi-
nation with the slide N and the stout supporting and guiding con-
trivances N1, N2, to arrest the motion of the davit within the proper
limits.
Sixth. The removable keys p, q, adapted to serve in combination with
the davit D, stops P, Q, and slide piece N, as specified.
Seventh. The rocking davit D mounted in a trough-like foot piece M,
and confined by a transverse pin or number of such pins matching in
holes in the sides of the foot piece, as herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
Witness,
W. J. LowE.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)