IMPROVEMENTS IN ANCHORS AND IN THE GEAR FOR FACILITATING THE DROPPING, WEIGHING, AND BOARDING OF ANCHORS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Robert Augustus Glover, of Brading,
in the Isle of Wight, Master of Arts, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ANCHORS AND IN THE GEAR FOR FACILITATING THE
DROPPING, WEIGHING, AND BOARDING OF ANCHORS."
Sealed the 24th September 1870, and dated the 4th April 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Robert
Augustus Glover at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with his Petition, on the 4th April 1870.
I, FREDERICK ROBERT AUGUSTUS GLOVER, of Brading, in the Isle
of Wight, Master of Arts, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ANCHORS AND IN THE GEAR FOR FACILI
TATING THE DROPPING, WEIGHING, AND BOARDING OF ANCHORS," to be as
follows:-
The object of my Invention is to manipulate or handle anchors with
greater facility than heretofore, and to this end I provide the shank of
the anchor, at some point near the centre of gravity, with a means of
attachment for one or more chains or pennants, whereby the anchor is

page_text: 'cant"
made capable of being lifted, capsized, and turned on its centre, and by
which it may be suspended in equilibrium at any desired angle or
with respect to the stock, and also readily moved round ("gimletted")
from one angle or cant to another (for the purpose of unfouling coils of
cable). This mode of suspension also offers the advantage of being
able to hoist the auchor higher and adjust it on the cathead.
In carrying out my Invention and adapting it to existing anchors I
propose to have forged or secured to the shank, at a point near to the
centre of gravity, a suitable fitting consisting of a circular flanged disc,
collar, or band perforated with eight or more holes to receive in some
one of them a shackle at the end of a chain or pennant for handling tho
anchor; for convenience of attachment this collar may be made in two
halves bolted together when in position. This circular flange may also
be employed as a carrying wheel in transporting the anchor on land by
providing a rail for it to run upon, and it also offers the advantage of a
pivot or fulcrum in whatever position the anchor may be lying on the
deck, the ground, or in the stores, by which it may be readily moved
into any desired position. In conjunction with this circular flanged
collar or band I sometimes use two bosses which may be formed on or
attached to the anchor or to the band or disc collar. These bosses act as
pivots to the moveable dropping gear, which consists of a tumbling lever
somewhat similar to that described in my patent of 7th January 1869,
No. 50, but which I now propose to furnish with a pawl near its pivotted
end, one or more of the holes in the flanged ring collar serving as the
retaining catch, so that the tumbler lever may be secured in its place
when lying close to the shank, though the anchor be thrown on to its
opposite palm, whereby both arms of the anchor will be frco to enter the
ground. Or the falling lever may be provided with a lopping pawl that
may on falling take into a catch provided for it on the face of the palm
of the anchor or inner part of the arm. As these eyes in the flanged band
or collar are evenly placed and at quasi equal distances apart all round
the shank, it will be seen that the handling chain or pennant to produce
any cant may be hooked on to either side or any part that may be found
most convenient, and sometimes to two or more points at the same
time.
In constructing new anchors this circular flanged collar for receiving
the hook or shackle at the end of the handling chain or pennant may be
formed on the shank with little additional expense, it will only be

page_text: | place, to form thereon a disc or feather or projecting collar through which
may be made any desired number of holes whereby the anchor may be
suspended from a hook or hooks on the pennant or pennants as has
been already explained, or in the manner herein-after described, as also
to form the bosses requisite for the pivotting of dropping gear thereto as
already alluded to.
In applying my Invention to the class of anchors known as Porter's,
Trotman's, Martin's, and other like forms, I provide a temporary attach-
ment of the cable to the anchor near its centre of gravity, which will
secure the arm lying uppermost from opening during the dropping and
descent of the anchor, and ensure the proper vertical descent presentation
and entry of the peak into the ground on its first impact therewith
without interfering with the subsequent action of the cable upon the
anchor. In adapting this system to Porter's and other like anchors, a
hole is made into or through the horn and into this hole a lopping bolt or
pin is thrust. This bolt or pin is attached or pivotted to the shackle or
swivel forming part of or attached to the cable. Or the pin or bolt may
be passed through the uppermost hole in the flanged collar (before
described as applied to the shank) and then into a socket hole in the
horn or arm of the anchor or the insertion of the pin or bolt through
one of the holes in the flanged collar may in some cases be found
sufficient. A second socket, ring, or band may be attached to the shank
between this apparatus and the ring of the anchor. By this means as
long as the cable hangs in a vertical line, and forms with the locking
pin a sufficient angle, the friction due to the weight of the anchor will
enable the anchor to be suspended by the lopping or locking bolt during
its descent. Previous to the dropping of the anchor its position may be
so controlled by means of this gear that it may arrive at the ground
crown foremost or stern foremost, or any other position that may be
desired, and on the peak touching the ground the weight of the lower
portion of the cable (as it slackens) will withdraw the locking bolt or pin
and leave the anchor free to be acted upon by the cable in the usual
In place of the two uppermost eyes or perforations in the
shank flange (removed to leave all clear for the peak of the arm which is
to be slightly lashed to the shank) I sometimes use shackles pivotted on
to the remaining eyes or perforations in the shank band, and into these
shackles insert the lopping bolt, providing an indent in or on the palm
manner.

page_text: or arm of the auchor in which the end of the lopping bolt may lie. It
will be obvious that the above described shackle swivel and lopping bolt
are applicable to ordinary anchors, any of the herein described means of
attaching the bolt to the anchor being adopted, and also to anchors fitted
with my improved apparatus as described in my Patent of the 7th
January 1869, No. 50.
In applying the above described means of suspension to anchors
similar to Martin's, I provide a false peak into or through which the
lopping or locking bolt may be placed. Or the above described shank
band may be supplemented by a lesser band provided with two eyes,
between which a sliding bolt is passed, havlug in its end a socket or eye
for the introduction of the lopping bolt above described, the upper
lying end of the sliding bolt projects over the flat part of the crown of
the anchor and prevents the arm from lopping. In addition, the arm
and sliding bolt may be slightly lashed to the shank, so that on the
anchor touching the ground the lopping bolt will be uncoupled, and as
the anchor feels the strain of the cable, the lanyard will be broken and
the arm of the anchor freed from the sliding bolt and restored to its
original condition. Should it be thought desirable to bring up the
anchor from below with an oblique inclination of the shank in order
that it may so lay until it reaches to near the cathead, an oblique band
acting on two centres and placed to suitable fixtures or lodgements above
and below the shank, will produce the effect of capsizing the anchor and
gimletting it at the same time, and of laying it on board on any desired
cant.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederick Robert Augustus Glover in the Great
Scal Patent Office on the 4th October 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
ROBERT AUGUSTUS GLOVER, of Brading, in the Isle of Wight, Master 3
of Arts, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give 3

page_text: and grant unto me, the said Frederick Robert Augustus Glover, Her
special licence that I, the said Frederick Robert Augustus Glover, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as my, the said
Frederick Robert Augustus Glover, 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 ANCHORS AND IN THE GEAR FOR
FACILITATING THE WEIGHING AND BOARDING OF ANCHOES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Frederick Robert Augustus Glover, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frederick Robert Augustus Glover,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say):
The object of my Invention is to manipulate or handle anchors with
greater facility than heretofore, and to facilitate the weighing and
boarding of anchors.
The means whereby I am enabled to effect these objects are shewn in
the accompanying Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an end view of an anchor
with one of my improvements adapted thereto; Fig. 2 is a side view of
the same.
The shank a of the anchor is provided (at some point near the centre
of gravity) with a means of attachment for one or more chains or
pennants whereby the anchor is made capable of being lifted, capsized,
or turned on its centre, and by which it may be suspended in equilibrium
and at any desired angle or cant with respect to the stock and arms, and
also readily moved round (or "gimletted") from one angle or cant to
another (for the purpose of unfouling coils of cable) when the anchor

page_text: has been fouled. This mode of suspension also offers the advantage of
being able to hoist the anchor higher to and adjust it on or over the
cathead.
In carrying out my Invention and adapting it to existing anchors I
propose to secure to the shank a, Figures 1 and 2, at a point near to the
centre of gravity a suitable fitting consisting of a circular flanged collar
or band b, perforated with eight or more holes to receive in some one of
them a shackle c at the end of a chain or pennant for handling the
anchor. For convenience of attachment to existing anchors this collar
may be made in two halves bolted together when in position, as shewn
in the Drawings. This circular flange will also serve as a carrying
be
wheel in transporting the anchor on land if a rail for it to run upon
provided, and it also offers the advantage of a pivot or fulcrum to turn
the anchor on in whatever position the anchor may be lying on the
deck, the ground, or in the stores, so that it may be readily moved into
any desired position. In conjunction with this circular flanged collar or
band I sometimes use two bosses or studs d, which may be forged on or
attached to the anchor or to the band or disc collar. These bosses act as
pivots to the moveable dropping gear, which consists of a tumbling
lever e (somewhat similar to that described in my Patent of Seventh
January One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, No. 50), but which
I now propose to furnish with a pawl e¹ or other equivalent device near
its pivotted end, one or more of the holes in the flanged ring, collar, or
the ring itself serving as a retaining catch, so that the tumbling lever e
may be secured in its place when lying close to the shank though the
anchor be thrown on to its opposite palm, whereby that arm of the
anchor will be free to enter the ground. Or the falling lever e may be
provided with a lapping pawl e', Fig. 5, that may on falling take into a
catch provided for it on the face of the palm of the anchor or inner part
of the arm. As these eyes in the flanged band or collar bare evenly
placed and at quasi equal distances apart all round the shank, it will be
seen that the handling chain or pennant (to produce any cant) may be
hooked on to either side or any part that may be found most convenient,
and sometimes to two or more points at the same time. In constructing
new anchors this circular flange collar 6 for receiving the hook or
shackle at the end of the handling chain or pennant may be formed on
the shank with little additional expense. It will only be necessary
during the forging of the shank to form at the proper place thercon a
disc or feather or projecting collar U, as shewn at Figures 4 and 5,

page_text: through which may be made any desired number of holes, whereby the
anchor may be suspended from a hook or hooks on the pennant or
pennants, as has been already explained, or in the manner herein-after
described.
The bosses d requisite for the pivotting of dropping gear e thereto
may also be formed thereon, as already alluded to and shewn also at
Figures 4 and 5.
In applying my Invention to the class of anchors known as Porter's,
Trotman's, Martin's, and other like forms, I provide a temporary
attachment of the cable to the anchor near its centre of gravity, which
will secure the arm lying uppermost from opening during the dropping
and descent of the anchor, and will ensure the proper vertical descent,
presentation, and entry of the peak into the ground on its first impact
therewith, without interfering with the subsequent action of the cable
upon the anchor. In adapting this system to Porter's, Trotman's, and
other like anchors, as shewn at Fig. 6, a hole is made into or through
the horn f, and into this hole a lopping bolt g or pin is thrust. This
bolt or pin is attached or pivotted to the shackle link next to the
swivel, forming part of or attached to the cable. This link must be
long enough for the lopping bolt to fall into it when the cable is
suspended from above. Or the pin or bolt may be passed through a
shackle jointed to the shank, as shewn at Fig. 7, and then into a
socket hole in the horn or arm of the anchor. For ordinary anchors the
insertion of the pin or bolt g through one of the holes in the flanged
collar will be found sufficient for dropping or lowering the anchor.
second socket ring or band may be attached to the shank between this
apparatus and the ring of the anchor. By this means as long as the
cable hangs in a vertical line and forms with the locking pin g a
sufficient angle the friction due to the weight of the anchor in contact
with the pin will enable the anchor to be suspended by the lopping or
locking bolt during its descent.
A
Fig. S represents a modification of the mode of connecting the cable.
to the palm of the anchor. In this case the shackle i is provided with a
projecting fork which catches hold of one of the links of the cable, but
immediately the cable is loosened (as will be the case when the anchor
touches the ground) the shackle i will fall back away from the cable
and will release the latter. Previous to the dropping of the anchor its
position may be so adjusted by means of the swivel link in the cable, as

page_text: shewn at Figures 6, 7, and 8, that the anchor may arrive at the ground
with crown pointing foremost or sternforemost of the vessel, or in any
other direction that may be desired, and on the peak touching the
ground the weight of the lower portion of the cable (as it slackens) will
withdraw the locking bolt pin g or hook j, and leave the anchor free to
be acted upon by the cable in the usual manner. In place of the two
tippermost eyes or perforations of the shank flange 6 I sometimes use a
shackle pivotted on to the shank band, and into this shackle I insert the
lopping bolt g, providing an indent in or on the palm or arm of the
anchor in which the end of the lopping bolt may lie, or the pin may be
inserted in a hole in the horn, as in Figures 6 and 7. It will be obvious
that the above described shackle swivel and lopping bolt are applicable
to ordinary Trotman's or Porter's anchors.
I
is
In applying the above-described means of suspension to anchors
similar to Martin's, such as shewn at Fig. 9, I provide a false peak into
or through which the lopping or locking bolt may be placed, or the
above described shank band b may be supplemented by a lesser band k,
see Fig. 9, provided with two eyes, between which a sliding bolt
passed, having in its end a socket or eye for the introduction of the
locking bolt above described. This upper end of the sliding bolt is
bent up and projects over the flat part m of the crown of the anchor, and
prevents the arm from lopping. When the locking pin and the
sliding bolt are in their places they must be slightly lashed to the
after ring or shackle (at the crown, as shewn at Fig. 9,) to hold them
temporarily in position, so that on the anchor touching the ground the
arms may strike the ground properly. When the cable is loosened by
the anchor pali entering the ground the locking bolt g will drop out,
and the cable being released will haul on the ring and shackle n at the
end of the shank, as indicated by blue lines in Fig. 9; and as the
anchor feels the strain of the cable the rope lashing will be broken, and
the arm of the anchor freed from the sliding bolt will be restored to its
original condition of mobility. Should it be thought desirable to bring
up the anchor from below with an oblique inclination of the shank until
it reaches to near the cathead, an oblique band o, Fig. 10, acting on
two centres, and connected to suitable fixtures or lodgments above
and below the shank will produce the effect of capsizing the anchor
and gimletting it at the same time, and of laying it on board on any
desired cant.

page_text: Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Anchors
and in the Gear for Facilitating the Weighing and Boarding of Anchors,"
and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I
claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, tho
adaptation to the shanks of anchors of the band in combination with
the other devices herein set forth for lifting, gimletting, weighing,
and boarding the anchor in any desired position, I also claim the
devices herein shewn and described as adapted to the palm or arms of
the anchor for the purpose of lowering the same in the proper position
to enter the ground in a suitable manner,
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Robert Augustus Glover,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-eighth day of
September, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy.