IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS' WINDLASSES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Anthon Stoenberg, of Copenhagen, in the Kingdom of
Denmark, Patent Agent and Editor of the "Industri-Tidende," for an Invention
A commu-
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS' WINDLASSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Anthon Steenberg at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th July 1880.
ANTHON STEENBERG, of Copenhagen, in the Kingdom of Denmark, Patent Agent
and Editor of the " Industri-Tidende." "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTION OF
SHIPS WINDLASSES." [A communication by M. A. Thundsen, Kovigen, near
Arendal, in Norway.]
In the windlasses hitherto employed on board ship the pawls for actuating the
barrel are connected to opposite ends of a rock lever, with which handles are also
connected, and the working of the windlass is effected by depressing one handle
while raising the other.
By this arrangement only half of the power of the men working the windlass
can be exerted at one time, for while the men on one side of the windlass are
applying their force those on the other side are practically doing nothing.
Now the object of the present Invention is so to construct the actuating portion
of the windlass that the full power of the men can be exerted when required on
the windlass to raise the anchor or haul tight tho ropes.
To this end a pair of rock levers placed side by side and having a common centre
are used instead of one, and to each of theso levers and on opposite sides of the
windlass a handle is connected. The opposite ends of these levers are attached
directly to rods connected to the levers carrying the pawls for actuating the barrel
of the windlass. Or the rock lovers may be formed at their opposite ends with
sectors, to which chains, in connection with the pawl lever rods, are attached.
By thus arranging the rock levers the levers can be worked independently of
each other, and both handles may be depressed at the same time, by which means
the full power of the men will be conveyed to the barrel and thus be brought to
bear on the raising of the anchor or tightening the ropes when required.
Under ordinary circumstances however it is intended to bolt the two rock levers
together, in which case the action will be the same as in the ordinary form of
windlass.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Anthon Steenberg in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th
January 1881.
ANTHON STEENBERG, of Copenhagen, in the Kingdom of Denmark, Patent Agent
and Editor of the "Industri-Tidende." "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTION OF
SHIPS WINDLASSES." A communication by M. A. Thundsen, Kovigen, near
Arendal, in Norway.
In the windlass hitherto employed on board ships the pawls for actuating the
barrel are connected to opposito ends of a rock-lever, with which handles are also
connected. The working of the windlass is effected by depressing one handle
while raising the other. By this arrangement only half of the power of the men
working the windlass can be exerted at one time, for while the men on one side
of the windlass are applying their force those on the other side are practically
doing nothing.
Now the object of the present Invention is so to construct the actuating portion
of the windlass that the full power of all the men can, when required, be exerted
simultaneously on the windlass to raise the anchor.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 shews in front elevation, Fig. 2 in side
elevation, and Fig. 3 in plan view a windlass constructed according to this
_Invention.
A is the barrel of the windlass; B, B; the standards-secured to the deck of the
vessel in the usual manner and in which the barrel turns; C, C, are ratchet wheels
mounted on and firmly secured to the barrel, and into the teeth of which the
moveable pawls D, carried by a lever which is free to turn on the barrel, take to
work the windlass; C is a third ratchet wheel which receives the fixed pawls D'
which serve to prevent any back motion of the barrel; E is a pillar or standard on
the top of which the usual rock lever F for actuating the pawls D is pivotted.
This pillar also carries the fixed pawls D'; G, G, are the rods which connect the
rock lever to the moveable pawls D; H, H, are handles which fit into the sockets
at opposite ends of the rock lever F whereby this lever is rocked on its pivot in
alternate directions to work the windlass.
Such is the ordinary mode of constructing ships' windlasses.
According to the present Invention however instead of a single rock lever Fa
pair of levers F, F', is used. These levers are placed side by side and have a
common centre. Each lever F, F', is provided at opposite sides of the fulcrum
pine with a socket into which a handle H fits; to the other ends of these levers
the pawl-rods G, G, are attached, or the levers may be provided with sectors F to
which chains in connection with the lever rods G, G, are attached.
By thus arranging the rock levers the levers can be worked independently of
each other, and both handles may be depressed at the same time, by which means
the full power of the men will be conveyed simultaneously to the barrel and thus
be brought to bear on the raising of the anchor.
Under ordinary circumstances however it is intended to bolt the two rock levers
together by means of the bolts a, a, in which case the action will be the same as in
the ordinary form of windlass.
Having now set forth the nature of this Invention for "Improvements in the
Construction of Ships' Windlasses," as cominunicated to me by my foreign corre-
spondent, and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to
be understood that under the abovo in part recited Lotters Patent I claim,

page_text: constructing the actuating parts of ships' windlasses substantially in the manner
herein shewn and described, whereby the full power of all the men employed may,
when required, be exerted simultaneously to work the windlass.
In witness whereof, I, the said Anthon Steenberg, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Tenth day of January, in the year of Our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
ANTHON STEENBERG. (L.S.)