Improvements in Engaging and Disengaging Gear for Boats.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 30th Jan., 1893-Accepted. 4th Mar.. 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Engaging and Disengaging Gear for Boats.
I WILLIAM MILLS of Bonner's Field, Sunderland, in the County of Durham,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to certain improvements in gears for use in raising
and lowering boats and for instantaneously disengaging or engaging the parts of
the gearing, of the character of that described in the Specification of Patent
No. 2387 dated 30th January 1884 granted to James Conrad Cole on a com-
munication made to him from abroad by myself.
According to my present improvements in place of cords or lines of ordinary
description I employ jointed rods of metal as the disengaging connections supported
in position by pullies or guides-formed preferably of a knee or bracket form with
a rounded or loop recess at the junction of the angles and enclosing a pulley or
roller if desired; or at parts where flexibility is requisite in the connections chains
are used in combination with the rods.
The tripping or engaging hooks are connected to the chains and rods by means
of a forked connection formed of two parallel eyes within which the link is passe!
and a pin passed through both eyes holds the link, obviating the use of the shackles
previously used; or this may be effected by equivalent forms of connection.
The handles of the gears by which the tripping of the hooks is effected are
connected to the disengaging connections in like manner to that described for the
hooks.
In one modification I employ a pair of supports, or a boxed or shielded support,
at each end of the boat supporting the axis of a tilting hook, which may be located
either entirely above the line of the seat, or held in slings or it may be otherwise
aligned, each hook having a counter weight or equivalent according to circumstances
of the case.
The one hook may have a counter weight, projection or tail and this part may
by a line, or rods, or rods and chains, be connected to the head of the co-operating
hook at the other end of the boat and the head of the first hook is in equivalent
manner connected to the projection, tail or counter weight of the latter hook, the
connections running in guides over supports or around pullies suitably located and
supported from parts of the boat and so that both hooks must necessarily be
simultaneously operated.
The replacement of the operating connections in position to facilitate re-
engagement of the hooks may be aided by a weight or weights running over a
pulley or pullies and connected to those operating connections.
The engaging hooks are sometimes each provided with a locking arm, loop or
lever, pivotted at one side of the enclosing hook frame each locking lever being
connected so as to drop over, or engage a part on, the hook. The locking lever is
removed by the pressure of the fall or block-ring between the frame and the nose
of the hook and the hooks are so connected as described that both can only be
operated simultaneously, by the pressure of both rings and the release of both
locking means.
Dated the 30th day of March 1892.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Engaging and Disengaging Gear for Boats.
I WILLIAM MILLS of Bonners Field, Sunderland, in the County of Durham,
Engineer 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 has reference to certain improvements in gears for use in raising
and lowering boats and for instantaneously disengaging or engaging the parts, of
the gearing, of the character of that described in the Specification of Patent
No. 2387 dated 30th January 1884 granted to James Conrad Cole on a com-
munication made to him from abroad by myself.
'
According to my present improvements in place of cords or lines of ordinary
description I employ jointed rods of metal as the disengaging connections supported
in position by pullies or guides formed preferably of a knee or bracket form with a
rounded or loop recess at the junction of the angles and enclosing a pulley or roller
if desired; or at parts where flexibility is requisite in the connections, chains are
used in combination with the rods.
The tripping or engaging hooks are connected to the chains and rods by means
of a forked connection formed of two parallel eyes within which the link is passed
and a pin passed through both eyes holds the link obviating the use of the shackles
previously used; or this may be effected by equivalent forms of connection.
The handles of the gears by which the tripping of the hooks is effected, are
connected to the disengaging connections in like manner to that described for
the' hooks.
In one modification I employ a pair of supports, or a boxed or shielded support,
at each end of the boat supporting the axis of a tilting hook, which may be located
either entirely above the line of the seat, or held in slings or it may be otherwise
aligned, each hoók having a counterweight or equivalent according to circumstances
of the case.
11
14
The one hook may have a counterweight projection or tail, and this part may by
a line, or rods, or rods and chains, be connected to the head of the coöperating.
hook at the other end of the boat, and the head of the first hook is in equivalent
manner connected to the projection tail or counterweight of the latter hook, the
connections running in guides over supports or around pulleys, suitably located
and supported from parts of the boat so that both hooks must necessarily be
simultaneously operated.
The replacement of the operating connections in position to facilitate re-
engagement of the hooks' may be aided by a weight or weights running over a
pulley or pulleys and connected to those operating connections.
.
41.1
1 "
211
.« 11047 at
11.
04.11
The engaging hooks are sometimes each provided" with a locking arm loop or
lever, pivoted at one side of the enclosing hook frame, each locking lever being
connected so as to drop over, or engage a part on the hook. The locking lever is
removed by the pressure of the fall or block-ring between the frame and the
nose of the hook, and the hooks are so connected that both can only be operated
simultaneously by the pressure of both rings and the release of both locking
means.
17
7.171
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
1.-
Fig. 1 shews a longitudinal section of an ordinary life-boat fitted with my
engaging and, disengaging gear.
Fig. 2 shews a half plan of same.
Fig. 3 represents to a much enlarged scale the special forked end of hook H

page_text: Fig. 4 represents elevation of same with one side of forked connection H
removed in order to show more clearly the connection of chain C.
Figs. 5 and 6 represent. disengaging handle A shewing how the two parts of
chain are connected to it.
Figs. 7 and 8 shew edge views of Fig. 5.
Figs. 9 to 11 represent on a larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2 one plan of the gear
connected up by the disengaging rods R and chain C which pass over sheaves S
and similar to that in Figs. 1 and 2. BB are supports in which the rods R slide.
Fig. 9 shews gear in elevation with the hooks closed. The section being taken
through seat Q.
Fig. 10 shews same as above but with the hooks open or disengaged.
Close to forward end of boat at H' is drawn (in dotted lines) a sheave S and
weight W, which may sometimes be used especially in large boats, to assist in
counterbalancing the strain or to aid drawing the disengaging rods along and by
this means I am able to avoid so increasing the weight in the hook as to impede
the engagement of the rings therein.
Fig. 11 shews a plan of above gear with hooks engaged. In order to show the
working more clearly the whole of the wood is supposed to be removed in which
the gear is supported. An outline O, is shewn to indicate what would be the
position of such support.
Fig. 12 shews a front and side elevation of the kind of ring to connect into the
frames and hooks F and H at V.
Figs. 13 to 22 shew the same hooks supported in box or shielded frames at each
end of the boat, shewn above the line of seat with sheaves S below, but these
can be lifted higher with sheaves on top or can be placed under the seat.
Figs. 13 and 14 shew the hooks engaged or closed, in order to shew the operation
clearly the one side of Figs. 13 and 16 have been removed.
The gear may be left in the form as shewn in Fig. 21 or shielded, it may be left
with or without the engaging and disengaging connections so that each end would
be independent of the other and worked separately if preferred but to ensure
certain simultaneous working of each end, the head of one hook H Fig. 13 is
connected to the tail or handle end A¹ of the other or coöperating hook Fig. 14
and likewise the head of Fig. 14 hook is connected to the tail A' of Fig. 13 hook.
These connections may be made of rope, wire or rods and chain or of other
suitable material and pass over guides or pulleys placed in any convenient
part of
the boat, may be taken along the side of the boat as is shewn in the plan Figs. 19
and 20 or direct in a straight line from one gear to the other through the centre of
boat.
The pulleys at each end are placed out of line so that the lines will cross in
order that the drawings may more clearly indicate how the gear is worked.
It will be seen that the gear may be disengaged when connected up as
described by lifting or drawing on the handle A of one end and that simultaneously
it will work the gear at the other end of the boat.
As an extra assistance for disengaging the hooks, a special line may be placed
at any part between each end gear.
Fig. 14 handle A is close to pulley block D which block is secured on any part
of line between head of hook Fig. 13 and tail of hook Fig. 14 the line from
handle A is passed through this pulley D and secured at M to line between head
of hook on Fig. 14 to tail of hook Fig. 13.
By pulling on handle A the pull will come on both heads of hook and draw the
hooks open as shewn in Figs. 15 and 16.
A plate placed on top of the frame or box in order to facilitate the hooking
on of ring to act as a guide sideways, (see at P' dotted lines Fig. 16) in elevation,
Fig. 19 and Fig. 20, in plan, is designed to be used in some cases.
Figs. 23 to 31. This arrangement similar to Figs. 13 to 22 in the way the hook
is supported and worked by the disengaging lines but it is specially designed to be
placed in slings between plates.

page_text: Figs. 23 and 24 shew hooks closed or engaged.
Figs. 25 and 26 show hooks open or disengaged.
Figs. 27 and 28 shew plans of above.
Figs. 29, 30 and 31 shew the gear arranged in another form. The hook in this
case may be used with or without the tail of handle end projecting out in front as
shewn in dotted lines, this tail or bottom end may be bent slightly backwards so
that the engaging and disengaging line will come to one centre of pulley at back,
if a weight is not placed on the tail end of hook in order to keep it always hooked,
a weight may be placed as shewn at W the line connecting same passing over a
pulley along side of the other two pulleys for engaging and disengaging.
This plan of gear may be adapted to the other frames supported by the seats as
shewn in previous figures.
This gear is secured to boats by slings in the usual way as at C and kept in
place sideways by lines or chains taken from rings in a convenient position such as
at T in plans Figs. 27 and 28 also if a guide plate is placed as shewn on Figs. 29, 30
and 31 the steady lines are then taken from rings T on plate P₁ plan view
Fig. 31.
Figs. 32 to 36 represent an arrangement of a locking arm R' which may be
fitted to any of the hooks previously described whichever way they may be
supported so as to ensure the simultaneous engaging of the ring K of tackle blocks
in each end.
Figs. 32 and 33. The hooks H, H, are connected at the tail or lower ends at h¹, h¹
by a rod R¹ to ensure simultaneous working of the hooks, this simple plan is shown
in order to be seen more readily, but the simultaneous working may also be used as
in plans 17 to 20 and 27 to 31 by lines chains rods etcetera.
Fig. 32, J is a lock lever, which is supported and works on a pivot on one side
of the frame F (at f) one such lever may be placed at each side of hook, (as shewn
in front elevation in section at Fig. 36).
In hooking the ring of lower tackle block on to gear or hook, the following
movements take place, viz. :—
Fig. 32 shews ring K just touching lock-lever at ; opposite end to the weight,
lever is over stop P hook H cannot be opened.
Fig. 33 shews the ring K to have pressed on lock lever at ; thus lifting opposite
or weighted end off stop P and by still forcing this ring further down the hook
could be opened, but the lower end or tail being connected to hook H (in
Fig. 32) which is locked by lock lever, it cannot go further, and until ring K
has pressed on and displaced the lock lever (Fig. 32) neither end can be hooked.
Fig. 34 shews ring K being hooked and how lock lever will go down and allow
the ring to pass under the hook.
Fig. 35 shews ring K hooked on with lock lever kept off the stop on hook so as
to allow it to be disengaged or unhooked when required.
Fig. 36 shews a front elevation of Fig. 35 but with the upper part of the
apparatus (except the ring) from centre of pin on which the hook works, shewn in
section; the centre pin of the hook H and parts below being seen in full..
The disengaging lines can be used or not with either form of the gear as
preferred by those using the gear, for with each end separate that is not connected
by lines or rods, the gear has a very great advantage over the common form of
hook, in that it is easier hooked on, safer when hooked, and much easier to unhook
by taking hold of tail end of hook and lifting it. This part of the gear is especially
described with reference to Figs. 3 to 36, when however the lock described is
detaining the parts these would be inoperative.
The box form of the gear can be placed above or below the seat.
A guide plate such as shewn in all the first illustrated form of gear for directing
or keeping the ring in the centre can be placed on any of the other described forms
of the improved gears if desired.
Referring for example to Fig. 9, according to a modification, of the apparatus
here shewn, I make the hook H the stationary or fixed part or member of the

page_text: engaging device for the ring by combining the hook H with the rod of fork F and
combining the two prongs of the fork F with the weighted arm H' and mounting
same to swing on the centre pin h (see Fig. 9) as shewn by diagram Fig. 9* and
the operation would be substantially the same as that already described; the
finger 1 being displaced to allow ring to enter hook H and finger 2 receding also;
finger 1 then returns and passing the ring it co-operates with the beak of the hook
to retain it, whilst to disengage the movement of lever H' sufficiently upward
causes finger 2 to push ring free of hook H, and this arrangement may be embodied
in a modification of Figs. 23 to 31.
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 :-
:-
In engaging and disengaging gear for boats :
1. The construction combination arrangement and use of rods and chains as
described and shewn in respect of Figs. 1 to 11.
2. The hereinbefore described construction and arrangement of forked connection
at the tail or lower end of hook as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The arrangement or combination of parts forming the connection to the handle
as shewn and described with respect to Figs. 1 to 6.
4. The construction arrangement or combination of parts of gear substantially as
described and shewn with respect to Figs. 13 to 21.
5. The construction arrangement or combination of parts of gear substantially as
described and shewn with respect to Figs. 23 to 31.
6. The construction arrangement or combination of parts of gear substantially as
described and shewn with respect to Figs. 32 to 36.
7. The combination and use with gear arranged substantially as described of a
guide plate as and for the purpose set forth.
8. The general construction and arrangement of the parts of gears as set forth.
Dated the 30th day of January 1893.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.