IMPROVEMENTS IN CAPSTANS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for
Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engincer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CAPSTANS." - A
communication
Sealed the 17th May 1853, and dated the 1st March 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward
Newton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 1st March 1858.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CAPSTANS" to be as follows:-
The object of the present Invention, and which I desire to have
secured to mo by Letters Patent, is the construction of capstans in
such a manner that they may be made susceptible of producing a quick
and direct action to overcome a slight resistance, such as may be
required for pumping, or for heaving light weights, and a slow and
more powerful action to overcome a great resistance, such as weighing
anchor, or heaving or raising heavy weights.

page_text: By the present improvements these results may be obtained by
merely turning the drum head round in the opposite directions, while
the barrel of the capstan always moves in the same direction; and the
same being accomplished without any shipping or unshipping of gears.
The desired object is effected by the employment of a system of ratchet
wheels, palls, and toothed wheels, and pinions, all arranged under the
head of the capstan in such a manner as to turn with the capstan for
the direct and quick action, but for the slow and more powerful action
to turn the capstan barrel.in the same direction, by merely reversing
the motion of the drum head.
The capstan is mounted on a central vertical shaft, which is secured
to a horizontal plate that rests on the fixed deck plate.
The capstan is fixed on the upper end of the central vertical shaft,
so as to turn with it, and the barrel of the capstan turns loosely on the
vertical shaft. The upper part of the barrel is furnished with a cir-
cular ratchet rack, into the teeth of which fall a series of palls or
clicks attached to the under side of the capstan head. It will now be
understood that upon turning the capstan head in the ordinary way,
by means of levers or handspikes, the clicks will engage the teeth of
the ratchet rack, and carry round the barrel; but if the capstan head
be turned in the opposite direction, the clicks will run over the teeth,
and not act upon or move the barrel, which must therefore be actuated
in a different manner, as follows:-
To the under side of the capstan head, and fixed on the central
vertical shaft, is a pinion which gears into a pair of wheels, mounted
on spindles, fixed in a horizontal disc or plate, which is secured on the
central shaft, so as to rotate therewith. On the under side of each of
this pair of wheels is a pinion, which gears into a circular rack or
mangle wheel, fixed on the upper end of the capstan barrel. A ratchet
rack, or racks, with suitable palls or clicks, are adapted beneath the
capstan barrel, to prevent it from running back in the opposite
direction.
When, therefore, the capstan head is turned round in the opposite
direction to that already mentioned, the central pinion on the under
side thereof will drive the pair of toothed wheels with which it is in

page_text: gear, and the pinions on the under side of these wheels will actuate the
mangle wheel, or rack, on the upper end of the capstan barrel, and
thereby cause the same to rotate in the same direction as formerly,
but much slower, and consequently with greater power to overcome
heavy strains.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Edward Newton, in the Great Seal
Patent Office, on the 1st September 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I,
the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Edward Newton, 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, exer-
cise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "In-
PROVEMENTS IN CAPSTANS," being a communication from abroad, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward Newton,
by an Instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particu-
larly 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):
The object of the present Invention, which has been communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, and for which I have obtained
Letters Patent as aforesaid, is the construction of capstans in such a
manner that they may be made susceptible of producing a quick and
direct action to overcome a slight resistance, such as may be required
for pumping, or for heaving light weights, as well as a slow and more
powerful action to overcome a great resistance, such as weighing
anchors, or heaving or drawing heavy weights. By means of the
improved capstan, which forms the subject of the present Invention,
these results may be obtained by merely turning the drum head round
in the opposite direction, while the barrel of the capstan always moves
in the same direction. It should be observed that this result can be
accomplished without any shipping or unshipping of gears; the desired
object is effected by the employment of a system of ratchets, wheels,
palls, and toothed wheels, and pinions, all arranged under the head of
the capstan in such a manner as to turn with the capstan for the direct
and quick action, but for the slow and moro powerful action to turn
the capstan barrel in the same direction, by merely reversing the
motion of the drum head. The capstan is fixed on the upper end of
the central vertical shaft, so as to turn with it, and the barrel of the
capstan turns loosely on the vertical shaft. The upper part of the
barrel is furnished with a circular ratchet rack, into the teeth of which
fall a series of palls, or clicks, attached to the under side of the capstan
head.
It will now be understood, that upon turning the capstan head in
the ordinary way, by means of levers or hand spikes, the clicks will
engage the teeth of the ratchet rack, and carry round the barrel; but
if the capstan head be turned in the opposite direction, the clicks will

page_text: run over the teeth, and not act upon or move the barrel, which must
therefore be actuated in a different manner, as follows:-
To the under side of the capstan head, and fixed on the central
vertical shaft, is a pinion, which gears into a pair of wheels mounted
on spindles, fixed in a horizontal disc or plate, which is secured on the
central shaft, so as to rotate therewith. On the under side of each of
these pair of wheels is a pinion, which gears into a circular rack or
mangle wheel, fixed on the upper end of the capstan barrel; a ratchet
rack, or racks, with suitable palls or clicks, are adapted beneath the
capstan barrel, to prevent it from running back in the opposite
direction.
When, therefore, the capstan head is turned round in the opposite
direction to that already mentioned, the central pinion on the under
side thereof will drive the pair of toothed wheels with which it is in
gear, and the pinions on the under side of these wheels will actuate
the mangle wheel or rack on the upper end of the capstan barrel, and
thereby cause the same to rotate in the same direction as formerly, but
much slower, and consequently with great power to overcome heavy
strains.
Having thus briefly set forth the nature and object of the Invention,
I will now proceed to describe the best method with which I am at
present acquainted for carrying the same into effect. The several
Figures in the accompanying sheet of drawings exhibits one of the
improved capstans in connection with a pumping apparatus, in order
to shew their application to some one of the various uses to which
capstans are applied on ship-board; but in my clain I shall confine
myself exclusively to the machinery directly connected with and indis-
pensable to the successful operation of the capstan.
Fig. 1, is a front elevation; Fig. 2, is a horizontal section taken in
the line A, B, of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, is a vertical section taken in the line
C, D, of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, is a horizontal section taken in the line E, F,
of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5, is a top view of the capstan, the drum-head
being removed.
b, b, Figures 2, 3, and 5, is the spindle or axis on which the several

page_text: parts turn, there being a confining nut c, under the upper deck d, d,
through which the spindle extends; and another confining nut e, is fitted
in the top of the drum-head a, a, as shewn in Fig. 3. The spindle b, b,
is also firmly connected to the sustaining or bearing plate j, j, which
turns with the spindle and rests on the deck plate G, G. The drum-
head a, a, is constructed of the usual shape, having proper mortices f,f,
for the insertion of the capstan bars; and on its under side there is a
circular metallic plate g, g, near the edge of which a groove is formed,
as shewn at h, h, Fig. 3, for the insertion of a proper number of palls i, i,
shewn more clearly by red lines in Fig. 1. This drum-head rests on
the top of the hollow metallic cap k, k, k, k, (Figures 1, 3, and 5,) which
is firmly fixed on the upper end of the capstan barrel 1, 1, 1, 1. To the
lower or under side of this barrel a bearing plate a, a, is attached, and
rests on a proper shoulder or ledge fornied around the interior of the
cylindrical casing y, y, as shewn in Fig. 3, the said casing having a
journal plate 2, 2, which connects it with the spindle b, b, near the
bearing plate j,j, on which it rests. On the top and near the outer
edge at k*, of this cap k, directly and under the groove h, h, in which
the palls i, i, are fitted, a circular series of ratchet teeth is formed, as
shewn at m, m, Fig. 5, and by red lines in Fig. 1. The palls i, i, con-
nected to the drum-head a, a, as before described, fall upon the ratchet
teeth at m, m; and when the said drum-head a, is turned in one
direction, the palls i, i, engage with the teeth m, and carry round
the cap h, k, k, k, and consequently the barrel 1, 1, 1, 1, in the usual way
for overcoming a slight resistance. But when the drum-head a, a,
moves in the other direction, the palls i, i, pass over the ratchet teeth
at m, m, loosely, and the gearing for overcoming a greater resistance
by a more powerful action on the barrel 1, 1, 1, 1, is brought into play.
This gearing is arranged as follows: A small pinion n, Figures 3,
and 5, is firmly secured to the underside of the circular metallic plate
9, 9, of the drum-head a, a, and this pinion engages with two or more gear
wheels o, o, arranged around it, and which turn on the vertical pins p, p,
set in the circular plate q, q. This plate q, q, is fitted on the spindle b, b,
so as to turn with it, being placed in the lower part of the hollow

page_text: cap k, k, k, k, in order to leave sufficient space between the bottom of
this cap k, and the underside or the drum-head plate g, g, for the
working of the gearing. On the underside of each of the gear
wheels o, o, and firmly attached to them, is a pinion r, r, the teeth of
which engage with a series of interior cogs or wires fitted to operate
as such around the inside of the cap k, k, k, k, as shewn at s, s, Figures 8,
and 5. The sustaining plate j, j, of the spindle b, b, has proper palls
fitted in grooves around its edges, which palls engage with a circle of
ratchet teeth formed in the top of the deck plate G, G, as shewn
at t, t, in Fig. 8, and by blue lines in Fig. 1. The barrel I, I, I, I, of the
capstan, as before stated, always turns in one direction, which is in-
dicated by the arrows in the Figures 1, and 5, and is prevented from
turning in the opposite direction by palls arranged around the bearing
plate x, x, (as shewn by red lines at u, u, Fig. 1.) These palls engage
with ratchet teeth formed on the ledge of the casing y, y, (on which
ledge the plate, rests, as shewn in Fig. 3.) The palls at t, t, on the
bearing plate j, j, of the spindle, it will be seen, will prevent it from
moving in the opposite direction from that in which the barrel moves,
so that for the direct and quick action of the capstan the drum-
head a, a, spindle b, b, captsan barrel 1,1,1, and the gearing in the
cap k, k, k, k, and the circular plate q, q, on which the gearing is sus-
tained, will all turn together with the spindle, the palls i, i, on the
drum-head engaging with the teeth m, m. But when the drum-head
is turned in the opposite direction, the spindle b, b, and consequently the
plate 9, 9, which is connected to it, as above described, and on which
the gearing is sustained, are prevented by the palls at t, t, from turning;
then pinion, on the underside of the drum-head turns the gear
wheel, o, and the pinions r, r, on their centres (in the direction shewn
by thrrows in Fig. 5); and as the pinions r, r, engage with the teeth
at s,
in the hollow cap k, k, k, of the barrel, they will cause it to
revol in the same direction as before, at a diminished rate, but with
an ir eased power proportionate to the diameters and numbers of the
the wheels and pinions.
teet
ate
3
pumping apparatus, above referred to, is represented as situ
meath the deck d. d. the several pump barrels being shewn

page_text: at a', a', a', &c. The piston rods b,'b', b', are worked up and down by
an undulatory cam ledge c', c', acting upon studs projecting from the
top of each of the rods b', 6', 6'; this cam ledge c', c', being curved
excentrically for the purpose on the exterior of the casing y, y, of the
capstan, as shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the connexion between the
windlass and pumping apparatus being effected through the medium of
the vertical pins d', d', which fit into holes formed in the bearing plate
x, x, of the barrel 1, 1, 1, 1, and the journal plate =,=, of the said casing;
the palls at e,' e', being arranged with teeth on the deck plate G, G,
to prevent back motion.
The whole arrangement will be sufficiently understood by inspection
of the drawings, and as my claims embrace no portion thereof, I do not
consider it necessary to describe it more in detail.
Having thus described this Invention of improvements in capstans,
which has been communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I
would observe that I am aware that the quick and slow motions of the
capstan barrel have been before produced; but the change from one to
the other has been heretofore accomplished by the insertion or with-
drawal of connecting pins through the various parts, or the shipping or
unshipping of gears, which cannot be readily done by inexperienced
seamen, or even by experienced ones, when the strain is on the barrel;
whereas to effect the change by means of the present improvements it
will only be necessary to reverse the movement of the drum-head in
the manner above explained.
What I claim as new in the present Invention, and desire to have
secured to me by Letters Patent, is constructing capstans as herein
shewn and described, or any mere modification whereby the capstan
may be made to produce a quick and direct action to overcome a slight
resistance, or a slow and more powerful action to overcome a great
resistance, by merely turning the drum-head round in opposite directions,
while the barrel of the capstan always moves in the same direction;
and the same being accomplished without any shipping or unshipping
of gears by means of a system of ratchets, palls, and gears, wheels and
pinions, arranged so as to turn with the capstan for the direct and
quick action, but for the slow and more powerful action to turn the

page_text: capstan barrel in the same direction by reversing the motion of the
drum-head.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the First day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-three.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)
Witness, J. W. MOFFATT, 66, Chancery Lane.