IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE RIGGING, CHAINS, WINDLASSES, ANCHORS, AND OTHER PARTS OF SHIPS OR VESSELS, OR TO COLLIERIES, RAILWAYS, ROLLING STOCK, OR OTHER PURPOSES, TO PREVENT SUDDEN BLOWS, JERKS, OR STRAINS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Davison, of Bishopswearmouth, in the County
of Durham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO THE
RIGGING, CHAINS, WINDLASSES, ANCHORS, AND OTHER PARTS OF SHIPS OR
VESSELS, OR TO COLLIERIES, RAILWAYS, ROLLING STOCK, OR OTHER PURPOSES, TO
PREVENT SUDDEN BLOWS, JERKS, OR STRAINS."
Sealed the 19th June 1868, and dated the 21st December 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Davison at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st
December 1867.
I, JAMES DAVISON, of Bishopswearmouth, in the County of Durham, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE
TO THE RIGGING. CHAINS, WINDLASSES, ANCHORS, AND OTHER PARTS OF SHIPS OR
VESSELS, OR TO COLLIERIES, RAILWAYS, AND ROLLING STOCK, OR OTHER PURPOSES TO
PREVENT SUDDEN BLOWS, JERKS, OR STRAINS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus applicable to
the rigging, cables, chains, windlasses, anchors, and various other appliances
or parts of ships or vessels, and also to lifts or cages or other working gear
of collieries, or to railway work or rolling stock and other such like useful
purposes where it is required to avoid the injurious effects of sudden blows,
jerks, or strains.
In order to carry out the objects of the Invention I propose to apply a
spring or springs of novel construction whereby the stress, strain, or blow
P T

page_text: occasioned by any cause may be relieved, and the parts to which such spring
or springs are applied may be prevented from sustaining fracture or damage.
The spring consists of a compound hydraulic arrangement wherein metal and
water, oil, or other liquid form the component parts. I construct a cylinder
or box of the requisite strength, thickness, and diameter, in which a piston
and rod are secured in the ordinary way; the piston rod is surrounded by a
spiral, conical, volute,elliptic, helical, or other spring of steel, iron, cast metal,
copper, brass, or other metal or alloy; this spring bears upon one end of the
cylinder and upon the piston. The cylinder or box is filled with water, oil,
or other liquid, and a pipe, dome, or inverted cone is formed on the surface of
the cylinder at the end furthest from the piston in order that when the piston
is drawn forwards the water or liquid may rise or be displaced from the cylinder
into the dome or hollow cone, from which a pipe is brought returning to the
cylinder to reconvey the displaced liquid, or a pipe may be substituted for the
dome or cone, and in each case an outlet valve may be applied for the escape
of the liquid if necessary; or at the top of the pipe a tank or receptacle may
be fixed to receive the displaced liquid, in which case a return pipe should be
brought from the receptacle to the cylinder, such pipe being provided with a
clack or non-return valve, so that the displaced water can never reach the
receptacle by the return pipe. The piston is to be attached to the rigging,
cable, or other part of the vessel, or to colliery work as required to prevent
undue strain or jerk, or to other similar purposes; the attachments: may be by
chains, links, screws, wedges, clamps, or other fastenings.
In order to apply the same principle to railway buffers or other objects
where a compressive strain is required to be resisted the piston is brought to
the end of the cylinder, the rod protruding; the spring is then contained
between the two and made with a quick or more open thread to permit of its
being compressed into a small compass, the pipe, receptacle, and return pipe
being at the end of the cylinder furthest from the piston. This arrangement
may also beadvantageously applied to support the crossings, points, or sidings
of rails in order to obviate the tendency of the rails to fracture or becoming
loose in their chairs by the sudden weight and thrust of the wheels of the
engine and carriages. The tensile springs may be applied to anchors or to
the cable on deck, or more than one may be applied at different points of the
cable. The sides or stern or stem of a vessel may be provided with the
compressive springs to prevent injury from collison or from damage when
breaking from moorings. The springs serve to bring back the pistons to their
true positions in the cylinder,and the resistance is caused by the displacement
of the water,oil, or liquid contained in the cylinders, such displacement being

page_text: gradual and depending on the diameter of the exit pipes or varying diameter
of the inverted cone.
The Invention is applicable to all varieties of purposes whether on sea or
land where the objects of the Invention are requisite, and two or more
cylinders with their arrangements as described may be applied to one object
where extra strength is required. A spring may also be applied outside the
end of the cylinder and the rod connected thereto, in which case a spring may
be used of much less diameter than that of the piston, or an outside spring
alone may be used of much less diameter than that of the piston, or an
outside spring alone may be used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Davison in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
DAVISON, of Bishopswearmouth, in the County of Durham, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Davison, Her special licence that I, the said James
Davison, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Davison, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and uo 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
APPLICABLE TO THE RIGGING, CHAINS, WINDLASSES, ANCHORS, AND OTHER PARTS
OF SHIPS OR VESSELS, OR TO COLLIERIES, RAILWAYS, ROLLING STOCK, OR OTHER
PURPOSES TO PREVENT SUDDEN BLOWS, JERKS, OR STRAINS." upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said James Davison, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Davison, do hereby declare the

page_text: nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My Invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus applicable to
the rigging, cables, chains, windlasses, anchors, and various other appliances
or parts of ships or vessels, and also to lifts or cages or other working gear
of collieries, or to railway work or rolling stock and other such like useful
purposes where it is required to avoid the injurious effects of sudden blows,
jerks, or strains.
In order to carry out the objects of my Invention I apply or make use of a
spring or springs of a novel or compound construction whereby the stress,
strain, er blow occasioned by any cause may be relieved, and the parts to
which such spring or springs are applied may be prevented from sustaining
fracture or damage. The spring consists of a compound hydraulic arrange-
ment wherein metal and water, oil, or other liquid form the component parts.
I constructa cylinder or box of the requisite strength, thickness and diameter,
in which a piston and rod are secured; the piston rod is surrounded by a
helical, spiral, conical, volute, elliptic, or other suitable spring of steel, iron,
cast metal, copper, brass, or other metal or alloy; this spring bears upon one
end of the cylinder and upon the piston. The cylinder or box is filled with
water, oil, or other liquid, and a pipe, dome, or universal cone, also necessary
for the air vessel, is formed on the surface of the cylinder at the end furthest
from the piston in order that when the piston is drawn forwards the water or
liquid may rise or be displaced from the cylinder into the dome, pipe, or
hollow cone, from which a pipe is brought returning to the cylinder to reconvey
the displaced liquid, or a pipe may be substituted for the dome or cone, and
in each case an outlet valve may be applied for the escape of the liquid if
necessary; or at the top of the pipe a tank or receptacle may be fixed to
receive the displaced liquid, in which case a return pipe should be brought
from the receptacle to the cylinder, such pipe being provided with a clack or
non-return valve, so that the displaced water can never reach the receptacle
but by the return pipe. The piston is to be attached to the rigging, cable, or
other part of the vessel, or to colliery work, to prevent undue strain or jerk,
or to other similar purposes; the attachments may be by chains, links, screws,
wedges, clamps, or other fastenings.
In order to apply the same principle to railway buffers or other objects
where a compressive strain is required to be resisted the piston is brought to
the end of the cylinder, the rod protruding; the spring is then contained
between the two and made with a quick or more open thread to permit of its

page_text: being compressed into a small compass, the pipe, receptacle, and return pipe
being near the end of the cylinder furthest from the piston. This arrange-
ment may also be advantageously applied to support the crossings, points, or
sidings of rails in order to obviate the tendency of the rails to fracture or
become loose in their chairs by the sudden weight and thrust of the wheels of
the engine and carriages. The tensile springs may be applied to anchors or
to the cable on deck, or more than one may be applied at different points of
the cable. The sides or stern or stem of a vessel may be provided with the
compressive springs to prevent injury from collision or from damage when
breaking from moorings. The springs serve to bring back the pistons to their
position in the cylinder, and the resistance is caused by the displacement of
the water, oil, or liquid contained in the cylinders, such displacement being
gradual and depending on the diameter of the exit pipes or varying diameter
of the inverted cone or air vessel.
The Invention is applicable to all varieties of purposes whether on sea or
land where the objects of the Invention are required, and two or more
cylinders with their arrangements as described may be applied to one object
where extra strength is required. A spring may also be applied outside the
end of the cylinder and the rod connected thereto, in which case a spring may
be used of much less diameter than that of the piston, or an outside spring
alone may be used.
In order that my Invention may be completely understood in all its modi-
fications I annex the accompanying Drawings, which represent an example
which I prefer to adopt as being the most simple and effective, especially for
use to remedy the sudden strain caused by the chain cable from au anchor.
Fig. 1 is a plan view; Fig. 2a longitudinal horizontal section; Fig. 3 a
transverse section through the line G, H, of Fig. 2; Fig 4 is a section through
E, F; Fig. 5 a section through C, D; and Fig. 6 is a transverse section through
A, B, shewing the gearing and disengaging apparatus for securing the chain
cable to the piston rod of the apparatus and for casting it off when necessary;
similar letters of reference denoting corresponding parts in each Figure.
A is the cylinder of the apparatus, which is fixed to the deck of the ship by
means of bolts or screws passing through the apertures b, shewn in the plan
view, but other means of attachment may be adopted; c is the piston rod
inside the cylinder, the head of which d is made to slide on a rest fixed to the
deck, or it may be provided with a friction roller. These methods of causing
the rod to bear on a level or plane surface remedy the tendency of the chair
cable e, shewn in an oblique position, to bear down the head of the pistonand
loosen the joints, which must be waterproof. It will be observed that the

page_text: piston rod is surrounded by a spring fof a helical form, generally made strong
enough to resist a strain of about eight tons; this spring is contained between
two stops g,g, one at or near the ends of the cylinder. The seat of the piston
is shewn at h, h, and i represents a clack valve capable of moving to and fro
from the bearing of the piston to the end of the spring. The piston is
enlarged within the chamber in the cylinder which contains water or oil in
connection with that portion of the cylinder containing the spring; lis a brass
journal forming a water-tight bearing for the passage of the piston, and m is
a washer of leather or other suitable material within which the piston travels;
n is the return pipe extending from the chamber k to the end of the cylinder
into the portion o behind the plunger. In the section Fig. 3 the form of clack
valve which I prefer to adopt is shewn; its periphery is divided in to six arcs,
three of which are cut out in spaces, the other three being left to form a
portion of a disc. The head d of the piston rod serves to contain the cain p
actuated by the hand lever q; this cam serves to raise or depress the block r
which receives the chain cable and secures it after the manner of a whelped
-boss. The inverted cone or air vessel is not shewn.
The action of the apparatus, which may be termed a spring riding bitt and
chain stopper, is as follows, and will be readily understood in all its appli-
cations When the strain, whether from the chain cable of an anchor or
from any other source, is brought in connection with the piston rod by the
form of attachment described, or by any other equivalent thereto, the yielding
of the piston rod to the strain applied draws back or contracts the spring and
at the same time forces the water or oil contained in the cylinder through the
return pipe to the other end of the cylinder; but when the strain is relieved
or is insufficient to compress the spring the piston and plunger return towards
the end of the cylinder, and the water which had previously entered the
cylinder and followed up the piston actuates the clack valve and forces it
forwards from its seat against the extremity of the spring, thereby allowing
the water or oil to enter that portion of the cylinder containing the spring,
and so on continually during the motion of the plunger to and fro caused by
the varying strain on the apparatus; thus the oil or water constantlyflows in
one and the same direction through the apparatus and tends to steady its
action while increasing its power of resistance.
Having now described the nature of my Invention and illustrated the same
by one example of Drawings, from which all other modifications of the
principle will be clearly understood, I would remark that I do not limit myself
to the precise details orconfiguration of partswhich I have expressed andshewn,
as the same may obviously be somewhat varied to suit the various requirements

page_text: and applications to which the Invention is adaptable; but what I claim and
desire to be secured to me by the herein in part recited Letters Patent is, the
general combination and construction of parts consisting chiefly of a spring or
springs of any suitable form in conjunction with a piston, piston rod, cylinder,
and inverted cone or air vessel containing oil, water, or other liquid, and
constituting a means of lessening or preventing sudden blows,jerks, or strains
in ships or vessels, collieries, railways, or otherwise, substantially as herein
specified and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Davison, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixeenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
W. EARLE,
3, Tavistock Place,
Sunderland.
(L.S.)