IMPROVEMENTS IN Sur Tow- AGE BY WIRE OR OTHER ROPES, AND IN NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS OR MECHANISM CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Howard Scoti, Frederick
Whittaker Scott, and John Gilmour at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents on the 29th June 1878.
"
JOHN HOWARD SCOTT and FREDERICK WHITTAKER SCOTT, of the Firm of Scott
Brothers. of Glasgow and Manchester, Engineers and Wire Rope Manufacturers,
and Jons GILMOUR, Engineer to the said Firm. IMPROVEMENTS IN Sur Tow-
AGE BY WIRE OR OTHER ROPES, AND IN NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS OR
MECHANISM CONNECTED THEREWITH."
This Invention has reference to improvements in the construction and arrange-
ment of mechanism connected with the towage of ships or vessels, for facilitating
the instantaneous and efficient coupling or uncoupling of the towing hawsers,
wire ropes or chains, and also for preventing sudden jerks upon or breakage of
these, particularly applicable for and giving greater safety when towing in a
seaway or squally weather.
And the nature and novelty of the said Invention consist, first, of a new or
improved construction of gripper for instantaneously gripping or throwing loose
the wire or other towing rope or chain from its fixing pulley, chain, or shackle
on board the ship or vessel. This improved gripper consists of two broad jaws
or clamps, with segmental grooves in each for gripping the rope or chain between
them, and hinged to each other at one side, and coupled by a short screw spindle
at the other side working in a swivelling screw bush in the lower clamp, and
which
with a swivel cross collar or screw bush on the upper end of the screw,
passes freely out and in a slot in the side of the upper clamp so as to press it
down and screw both clamps together, and grip the towing rope between them,
as stated, by a hand crank or wheel on the upper end of the screw, or throw
the gripper and rope free by slacking and folding down the screw (which may
either be a single or a right and left handed screw) at the one side, and lifting or
turning the upper clip over and off the rope on its hinge at the other side.
This improved gripper is preferably mounted to slide with the towing rope
gripped in it by eyes in its lower jaw upon two parallel guide bars, mounted in

page_text: strong iron or other standards, secured to and projecting up from the deck at
the bow or other part of the towing ship or vessel.
The actual hauling and coupling chain, shackles, or links are coupled or jointed
by pins and shackles to eyes formed on the upper and lower jaws or clamps of
the gripper, while the other or inner ends of the hauling and coupling links are
attached by a shackle and joint pin or other equivalent to the outer free end of
the piston rod of a new or improved arrangement of connecting and hauling
steam or air intermediate acting cylinders, the construction, arrangement, and
use of which form the second and main or essential improvement of this
Invention.
This pressure fluid-acting tow cylinder is preferably made strong, with close
screwed-on ends and buffer springs fitted within and close up to the ends, and of
such a length between the inner end of the buffers as to contain the air, steam, or
other elastic fluid in front of the piston, and allow of its working freely to the
extent required for the varying strain on the working parts of the cylinder and
piston, and the consequent lengthening, or shortening, or motion of the tow rope.
The cylinder and piston are bored and turned to work as pressure fluid-tight
as possible to a diameter required to withstand the greatest hauling strain to
which the rope is usually subjected, with safe pressure of air or steam.
The steam from the boiler, or the compressed air or other elastic fluid from
force pumps or other pressure vessels is admitted by a branch pipe with inlet back
pressure self-closing check valve and chest fitted in the front end of the cylinder,
while an outlet valve and chest are fitted to a branch on the end of the cylinder
behind the piston, to allow of the escape of any condensed steam or fluid which
may escape past the working face of the piston, either into the air or into the
condenser of the engine of steamships when fitted in connection therewith, and
which would give the extra suction pressure of the vacuum on every square inch
of the back of the piston, in addition to the direct pressure of the compressed
steam or air in the cylinder in front of the piston, which acts as a strong elastic
connection to the towing rope on the tow ship, instead of the rigid connection
heretofore made, and which would prevent sudden jerks or strains on the towing
ropes, which cause the frequent breakage of these, and the loss of much time
and inconvenience thereby.
On board the tow ship, or the ship to be towed, when they have the steam
winding engines on board, the end of the towing rope or the coupling chain
thereof may be attached to the winding barrel of such steam winding or haul-
ing engines, the winding strain of the steam engine and its gearing being made
to net or sustain the hauling strain, and yet give the yielding effect analogous
to the action of the steam or air cylinder when this arrangement is found more
convenient than by having the special steam or air cylinder fitted and applied
for the said purpose.