IMPROVEMENTS IN BOAT LOWERING APPARATUS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Percy Stokes, of Barrow-in-Furness, in
the County of Lancashire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BOAT LOWERING APPARATUS."
Sealed the 13th May 1875, and dated the 14th January 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Percy Stokes
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 14th January 1875.
I, EDWARD PERCY STOKES, of Barrow-in-Furness, in the County of-
Lancashire, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM.
PROVEMENTS IN BOAT LOWERING APPARATUS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the employment of a roller or barrel free to
revolve in bearings on the deck or bulwarks of ship, round which two
ropes are coiled, one rope leading to one davit, and the other rope to the
other davit, passing and guided up same by púlleys, as required; on one
side of the roller there is a sheave pulley carrying a rope, the end of
which is secured when boat is up round cleat, or otherwise. The boat

page_text: itself at bow and stern is provided with seat or frame having a socket in
same, with aperture for admission and exit of a ball or other shaped stop,
which is attached to the lowering ropes. This ball and socket or locking
pin are such that when the boat is hanging from the davits the weight
of boat keeps the ball or pin in the socket, but on lowering the boat to
the water, and the weight thereof being removed from the ropes by the
water, the ball or pin releases itself or is with the utmost facility knocked
out of the socket, and the boat is free. The locking pin is jointed at its
lower end to a weighted lever, which when there is strain on the davit
ropes the lever comes at right angles or nearly so to the pin and abuts
against the under side of the thwart or frame; but as soon as the strain
is taken off same by the boat touching the water the lever falls into a
line with the pin and flies up through the aperture in thwart.
Break apparatus may be applied to the lowering gear if desired, and
to lower the boat it is only necessary to loosen rope from sheave and she
goes down by her own weight. The apparatus can be applied to bulwark
or deck of any vessel. It can in case of necessity be worked out of the
boat by passing lowering line into boat. The boat can free herself (or
remain attached to be free at any moment) on touching the water. It
can be worked with a purchase to raise boat out of her bed or chocks.
The roller can be covered and protected by casing forming seat on
quarter or poop. The boat is free of all gear, passengers cannot con-
sequently be injured by or entangled in any running gear or blocks, and
the risk of capsizing the boat thereby is avoided. Chain or rope may
be used to lower boat. Ends of rope on roller may be released if found
necessary.
Immediately on the locking pin falling straight when relieved of the
boat's weight on touching the water. it is secured in the form of a straight
bolt by a hanging key working in a slot; this moves freely inwards, but
will not move outward; it can be lifted when required to secure the
boat.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Percy Stokes, in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 13th July 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
PERCY STOKES, of Barrow-in-Furness, in the County of Lancashire, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edward Percy Stokes, Her 'special
licence that I, the said Edward Percy Stokes, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Percy Stokes,
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 BOAT LOWERING APPARATUS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Edward Percy Stokes, my executors or admini-
strators, 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 immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Percy Stokes, 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 accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, that is to
say:
This Invention will be best understood by reference to the accom-
panying Drawings.
Figure 1 shews in side elevation so much of a ship's side, with my
boat lowering and disconnecting apparatus attached, as will be sufficient

page_text: Figures 2, 3, and 4, shew parts in detail drawn on a larger scale than
the apparatus, which is shewn complete at Figure 1.
My Invention consists in the employment of a roller or barrel a free
to revolve in bearings on the deck or bulwarks of ship, round which
barrel a two ropes are coiled, one rope b leading to one davit c, and the
other roped to the other davit e, passing and guided up same by
pulleys, as required.
On one side of the roller a there is a sheave pulley g carrying a rope h,
the end of which is secured. when boat is up round cleat i, or otherwise.
The boat itself at bow and stern is provided with seat or frame k free to
revolve in gimbals, with a hole of the required size for admission and
exit of hanging pins which are attached to the lowering ropes or
tackles and d. These locking pins are such that when the boat is
hanging from the davits the weight. of boat keeps the pin in the hole,
but on lowering the boat to the water, and the weight thereof being
removed from the ropes by the water, the pin instantaneously releases
itself, and the boat is free. This hanging or locking pin is shewn at
Figures 2, 3, and 4. It is jointed at its lower end to a weighted lever m,
which when there is a strain on the davit ropes or tackles the lever m
comes at right angles or nearly so to the pin l, and abuts against the
under side of the thwart of frame ; but as soon as the strain is taken
off same by the, boat touching the water the lever m falls into a line with
the pin and flies up through the hole in thwart K. A longitudinal
rod n runs from one end to the other of the boat, having a "gab” or
lever o, as clearly shewn in the detached view, Figure 4. A lever o is
'connected at each end to the rod n, when the boat is hooked on the
locking pins (consisting of the lever m and pin 1) are put into this lever o,
and so long as there is any weight on one pin the other cannot release
itself, so that it is impossible for one end of the boat to become dis-
*connected without the other, and under no circumstances will the boat
become free till she is safely "water borne." The longitudinal rod n
may run along either side of the boat or under a central seat, or may be
boxed in alongside the keelson. The longitudinal rod hangs freely with
the "gabs" or levers hanging in a vertical position when free, and the
"gabs or levers on one side in a horizontal position when the boat is
"

page_text: suspended; a small pin p, Figure 4, through one of the locking pins
keeps both ends of the boat secured, even when afloat, if desired. The
locking pin is kept in a position parallel to the keel by the "gab" on
one side, and a strengthening rod from the seat to the keel on the
other.
Brake apparatus may be applied to the lowering gear if desired, and
to lower the boat it is only necessary to loosen rope / from sheave 9 and
she goes down by her own weight. The apparatus can be applied to
bulwark or deck of any vessel. It can in case of necessity be worked
out of the boat by passing. lowering line into boat. The boat can free
herself (or remain attached to be free at any moment) on touching the
water; it can be worked with a purchase to raise boat out of the bed or
"chocks." The roller can be covered and protected by casing forming
a seat on quarter or poop. The boat is free of all gear, passengers cannot
consequently be injured by or entangled in any running gear or blocks,
and the risk of capsizing the boat thereby is avoided. Chain or rope may
be used to lower boat; the ends of rope on roller may be released if found
necessary; the ordinary tackles may be attached to the locking pins.
Immediately on the locking pin m falling straight when relieved of
the boat's weight on touching the water it is secured in the form of a
straight bolt by a hanging key q, shewn at Figures 5 and 6, working in
a slot ; this hanging key g works on an axle moving up and down in
the slot cut in the pin 7. This key is free to move inwards, but will
not move outwards, it can be lifted when required to secure the boat;
but as it is impossible for the pin to again catch anything when it has
once assumed a vertical position the hanging key can be dispensed with
if required.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as my "Im-
provements in Boat Lowering Apparatus,”.
First. The employment for such purpose of a roller or barrel on deck
of vessel, round which ropes pass to the davits, and to bow and stern of
boat, with sheave pulley at side of barrel and cord round same for
releasing barrel or roller in combination with self-acting locking and
detaching apparatus, the whole being constructed and operating sub-
stantially in the manner herein-before described and illustrated at
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Second. The construction and employment of locking and unlocking
apparatus consisting of the hanging pins 1, stops m, and their attach-
ments, in combination with boat lowering, disconnecting, and hoisting
apparatus, whereby the weight of the boat keeps the apparatus secure;
but as soon as the weight is relieved by, for example, the boat touching
the water the apparatus is immediately disengaged, all substantially in
the manner described and particularly illustrated at Figures 2, 3, 4, 5,
and 6, of the accompanying Drawings, together with any mere modi-
fication thereof.
'
!
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Percy Stokes, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five
EDWARD PERCY STOKES. (L.S.)