Improvements in Capstans.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 27th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 3rd May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Capstans.
We JESSE COWLEY, of No. 3, Fenwick Terrace, Southtown, Great Yarmouth,
Engineer, and FRANCIS LELEN and JOHN LELEN, trading as F. and J. Lelen,
Limited, of No. 55 Eastcheap, in the City of London, Smack Owners and Fish
Salesmen, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
Our invention relates to improvements in capstans, and has for its object a special
construction of capstan, whereby wire ropes may be used for the same, instead of
hempen or manilla rope, as heretofore.
Hitherto great difficulty has been experienced in using wire ropes instead of
hempen or manilla ropes, which are very deficient, inasmuch as when they are paid
out, they become overheated, while their contact with sea water causes a chemical
action to be set up having for result, the gradual destruction of the rope.
Such ropes also kink, which renders them liable to be damaged, prevents them
from working properly, and may be the cause of injuries to the hands of the
operatives.
Now according to our invention, we are enabled to use wire ropes, which are not
only entirely free from any of the above mentioned defects, but lasts a much longer
period and are considerably cheaper. Moreover a capstan constructed according to
our invention, can be operated, with the aid of steam, by the skipper, or one man
alone, either when hauling or paying out, thus effecting an additional saving of
wages.
Our improved capstan may be operated by steam power or by hand, the whole of
the hauling and coiling of the rope, taking place above deck.
Our improved capstan is revolved by a shaft whose upper extremity is fixed to
a collar bolted to flanges. Its lower extremity rests upon a step bearing, and above
this bearing the said shaft carries a worm wheel with which it may be connected
or disconnected by means of a clutch gear keyed thereon, and having vertical ribs,
which gear between the nags of the said worm wheel.
This clutch gear is actuated by a clutch lever pivoted on the standard, and having
at its outer extremity, an eye, wherein is fixed the hook end of a chain serving to
hold the said lever when the shaft is thrown out of gear.
The worm wheel gears with the screw threaded end of the crank shaft of the
engine.
Immediately below deck, the shaft is provided with a collar fixed thereto by
screws, and to the beams above, by other screws, the object of this collar being to
prevent the shaft from rising when hauling in a heavy sea.
The base plate of the capstan is mounted upon the shaft by means of a collar
screwed upon the former and being provided with a phosphore bronze bearing.
A gland is fixed to the bottom of this collar and surrounds the shaft, while
the top of the recess formed within the said collar is filled with suitable packing.
The base plate is provided with a raised path upon which run wheels mounted.
upon spindles, between flanges of the bottom plate of the drum or barrel, keyed to
the shaft and rotating upon a collar of the same.
An oil pipe is arranged to supply oil to the bearing within the barrel, this oil is
poured through a perforation provided for the purpose.
A lever is provided, pivoted on the standard, one end of which is terminated by a
handle, while the other is forked, the object of this lever is to steady the rope passed
through the forked end thereof, in case it did not coil properly.
Another lever is provided, actuating a break, consisting of a forked part pivoted

page_text: upon a bracket, screwed upon deck, and of a belt passing around the bottom plate of
the drum or barrel.
This brake is brought into action when sufficient rope has been paid out. Should
anything happen to the said capstan brake in engine, the capstan is provided with
palls, that will act in place of a brake.
Steam being shut off, the clutch gear is disconnected, the chain fixed to the lever,
and the brake having been released, the capstan revolves and unwinds the rope,
which is then payed out.
When sufficient rope has been paid out, the brake is applied, the end of the rope
being fixed to a hook.
When it is desired to haul, the clutch gear is connected, steam is admitted and
the brake released.
Dated this 97th day of May 18en
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Capstans.
We JESSE COWLEY, of No. 3 Fenwick Terrace, Southtown, Great Yarmouth,
Engineer, and FRANCIS LELEN, and JOHN LELEN, trading as F. and J. Lelen
Limited, of No. 55 Eastcheap, in the City of London, Smack Owners and Fish
Salesmen, 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 :—
Our invention relates to improvements in capstans, and has for its object a special
construction of capstan, whereby wire ropes may be used for the same, instead of
hempen or manilla rope as heretofore.
Hitherto great difficulty has been experienced in using wire ropes instead of
hempen or manilla ropes, which are very deficient, inasmuch as when they are paid
out, they become overheated, while their contact with sea water causes a chemical
action to be set up having for result the gradual destruction of the rope.
Such ropes
also kink, which renders them liable to be damaged, prevents them from working
properly, and may be the cause of injuries to the hands of the operatives. Now
according to our invention, we are enabled to use wire ropes, which are not only
entirely free from any of the above mentioned defects, but lasts a much longer period,
and are considerably cheaper. Moreover a capstan constructed according to our
invention, can be operated, with the aid of steam, by the skipper or one man alone,
either when hauling or paying out, thus effecting an additional saving of wages.
Our improved capstan may be operated by steam power or by hand, the whole of
the hauling and coiling of the rope taking place above deck.
And in order that our invention may be more fully understood, we have shewn the
same in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1. is a sectional elevation of our
improved capstan and gear, Fig. 2 being a front elevation of the part thereof which
is above deck.
Our improved capstan is revolved by a shaft S whose upper extremity is.fixed to a
.collar c bolted to the flanges ff. Its lower extremity rests upon a step bearing b
and above this bearing the said shaft carries a worm wheel W with which it may be
connected or dis-connected by means of the clutch gear 9 keyed thereon and having
vertical ribs w, w¹ which gear between the nags of the said worm wheel.
This clutch gear g is actuated by a clutch lever / pivoted on the standards and
having at its outer extremity an eye wherein is fixed the hook end of the chain C
serving to hold the said lever / when the shaft is thrown out of gear.
The worm wheel W gears with the screw threaded end of the crank shaft of the
engine.
Immediately below deck, the shaft S is provided with a collar E fixed thereto by

page_text: screws nn¹ and to the beams d, d above by the screws i¹³, the object of this collar
being to prevent the shaft from rising when hauling in a heavy sea.
The base plate P of the capstan is mounted upon the shaft S by means of a
collar M screwed upon the former and having a phosphore bronze bearing k arranged
as shewn in Fig. 1. A gland G is fixed to the bottom of this collar and surrounds
the shaft while the top of the recess p, formed within the said collar M is filled with
suitable packing.
The base plate P is provided with a raised path q upon which run the wheels jj¹
mounted upon spindles e e¹ between flanges of the bottom plate O of the drum or
barrel D keyed to the shaft S and rotating upon a collar o of the same. . An oil
pipe is arranged to supply oil to the bearing k within the barrel D, this oil is
poured through the perforation t.
Referring to fig. 2, L is a lever pivoted on the standard one end of which is
terminated by a handle while the other is forked, the object of this lever is to steady
the rope passed through the forked end thereof, in case it did not coil properly.
N is a lever actuating the brake z consisting of a forked part pivoted at 9 upon a
bracket m screwed upon deck and of a belt a passing around the bottom plate O
of the drum or barrel D. This brake is brought into action when sufficient rope has
been paid out.
2
Steam being shut off, the clutch gear g is disconnected, the chain C fixed to the
lever 1, and the brake having been released, the capstan revolves and unwinds the
rope which is then payed out. When sufficient rope has been paid out, the brake z
is applied, the end of the rope being fixed to the hook h¹. When it is desired to
haul, the clutch gear g is connected, stean is admitted and the brake released.
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:-
1. Our improved capstan, arranged, constructed and operating substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
2. In steam and other capstans, the use of wire ropes for operating the same,.
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 97th day of February 1890.
HUGHES & SON,
5, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.