IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF SCREW POWER, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE TO STEERING APPARATUS, CAPSTANS, WINDLASSES, CRANES, WINCHES, AND MECHANICAL PURPOSES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Christopher Nugent Nixon, of Ramsgate, in the
County of Kent, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
APPLICATION OF SCREW POWER, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE TO
STEERING APPARATUS, CAPSTANS, WINDLASSES, CRANES, WINCHES, AND
MECHANICAL PURPOSES."
Sealed the 13th July 1858, and dated the 20th January 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Christopher Nugent
Nixon at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 20th January 1858.
I, CHRISTOPHER NUGENT NIXON, of Ramsgate, in the County of Kent,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the uature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF SCREW POWER, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE
TO STEERING APPARATUS, CAPSTANS, WINDLASSES, CRANES, WINCHES, AND OTHER
MECHANICAL PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain arrangements and combinations of
mechanism wherein the power is mainly derived from the use of endless
screws, the novelty and importance thereof consisting in the peculiar
modes of applying such power.
For steering apparatus various plans may be adopted. In ordinarý
cases, and especially in ships with round rudder heads, the steering gear
may be as follows:-Around the upper part of the rudder head is placed

page_text: a strong metallic wormed collar or wheel, which is securely held to the
deck, so that the rudder may move up and down without at all inter-
fering with the action of the screws herein-after mentioned, or injury
thereto in any manner, such collar or wheel being provided as to two
opposite portions or segments of its external periphery with teeth, the
teeth on the respective sides or segments being differently inclined or at
a different angle to those on the opposite side, so as to correspond respec-
tively with the threads of right and left-handed screws which take into
the same. The screws are properly mounted upon pillars securely fixed
to the deck, such pillars being provided with bearings in which the respec-
tive ends of the screw spindles can freely work. These screws are moved
simultaneously by, any suitable combinations of mechanism actuated by
the revolution of the steering wheel, thus giving motion to the wormed
collar or wheel before mentioned, which firmly grasping the rudder head
causes it to move towards either side of the ship to the angle required for
steering purposes, the extent of such motion being determined by the
proportion which the toothed or wormed segments respectively bear to
the circumference of the wormed collar or wheel.
For ships with square-headed- rudders, or in any case if preferred, a
wormed drum capable of turning on its axis may be placed distinct and
apart from the rudder head, the same being properly secured to the deck
between the screw spindles, and bearing on opposite sides thereof pro-
jecting arms or bosses, to which may be attached jointed levers of suit-
able strength connected with the rudder head, the latter being provided
with a proper metallic collar and projecting arms or bosses, upon which
the jointed levers may be centred. Instead of levers, chains may be used
for effecting the same purpose.
For ships of large size, or when it may be desirable to steer the ship
from some part of the vessel other than the stern, or even to alter the
place of steering at pleasure, an arrangement similar in its essential
features to that last described may be employed, substituting for the
jointed levers chains or rods passing under the deck, and communicating
the requisite motion from the wormed drum to the rudder.
For smaller vessels the rudder head may be provided with a wormed
collar or wheel constructed with a toothed segment. A spindle, provided
with a screw thread gearing into the teeth of the wormed collar or wheel,
is mounted upon pillars fixed to the deck, a steering or simple lever wheel
being placed at each end of the screw spindle, which forms the axis
thereof. By another modification of the last-mentioned arrangement
the axis of the steering or lever wheels may be placed above the screw
spindle, such spindle and axis being respectively provided with cranks,
the upper and lower cranks being connected in the ordinary way by

page_text: connecting rods. The wormed collar or wheel may, if preferred, be con-
structed with two toothed segments, upon which two screws may simul-
taneously operate in the manner before described. It may be here
mentioned that a modification of this last arrangement may be made
applicable to all purposes for which windlasses or similar contrivances
are used. For such purposes the worm wheel, properly secured, should
be provided with teeth round its entire circumference, and it may be
connected with any suitable drum or cylinder. The usual steering wheels
may be dispensed with, and the upper spindle or axis terminated only by
ordinary winch handles. By this arrangement a continuous motion in
either direction may be obtained, while immediately the power is re-
moved from the winch handles the worm wheel and the drum or cylinder
with which it may be in connection will be immoveable, even without the
use of pauls or other contrivances such as are commonly employed in
machinery as brakes.
The following is another mode of constructing steering apparatus, and
is particularly applicable to vessels of small size. The steering wheel is
placed in the ordinary position, a short spindle being connected and
coinciding with the axis thereof, such spindle being furnished with a
screw thread. In immediate proximity is placed a horizontal spindle;
properly mounted, bearing on its centre a worm wheel revolving vertically
and into the teeth of which the screw thread of the before-mentioned
spindle gears. The respective ends of the wheel spindle are furnished
with chains attached thereto on opposite sides with respect to each other;
in such manner that upon the steering wheel being moved the screw in
connection therewith actuates the worm wheel, thus causing the chain at
one end of the spindle to be tightened while it is relaxed at the other,
this effect being reversed by a contrary motion of the steering wheel. The
opposite ends of the said chains are attached in a convenient and suitable
manner to the yoke or rudder head, to which motion is communicated
by the means before mentioned. Instead of chains, crank levers or any
other suitable mechanical appliances may be employed.
In all the arrangements of steering apparatus in which the wormed
collar or wheel is placed around or on the rudder head, the same should
be secured to the deck so as to allow the rudder head to rise and fall.
without affecting in any way the action of the wormed collar or wheel
or steering gear; and in those cases where the motion is communicated to
the rudder head by means of chains, rods, or levers, the rudder head
should be surrounded by a collar properly secured, which will allow it to
rise or fall with the same result as last described.
I may here mention that I do not confine myself to the use of two screws.
only in the arrangements herein-before mentioned, inasmuch as for the

page_text: purpose of obtaining great additional power four screws may be em-
ployed, suitable alterations being made in the construction of the wormed
collar, wheel, or drum, it being also necessary in such cases to use two
steering wheels properly connected with each other.
In the application of this Invention to the construction of capstans, the
same elements of power are employed as for the before-mentioned
arrangements, namely, the use of endless screws gearing into a wormed
drum, spindle, or wheel.
The following is a concise description of a capstan constructed upon the
principles of my Invention. The capstan is composed externally of two
principal and separate parts, the barrel and the head, the latter having
the usual sockets for the admission of the levers or capstan bars, and is
so connected to the capstan barrel as to be capable of revolving thereon
without becoming disconnected or detached. The centre of the capstan
barrel is hollow, for the passage of a central spindle, the upper part of
which is of a square form and fits into a corresponding opening in the
centre of the capstan head, being suitably secured at the top. The lower
portion of the capstan barrel is hollowed out for the admission of the
mechanism herein-after mentioned. To the lower portion of the central
spindle is fixed a horizontal wheel, the lower face thereof being provided
with oblique cogs or teeth. The bottom of the capstan barrel fits into a
metal hoop or ring provided with an external flange at the lower edge
thereof, such flange being held and confined by means of a corresponding
shouldered collar firmly attached to the deck or other flooring, thus
allowing the hoop or ring to revolve without being detached. Within the
said hoop or ring is another and smaller concentric hoop or ring, con-
nected therewith by suitable means, the capstan barrel being fixed and
secured between and to the concentric hoops or rings, which, upon motion
being communicated to the capstan head, carry the barrel round. Within
and to the inner concentric hoop or ring are fixed two strong bars of
metal, each being provided' with suitable bearings for the admmission of
two spindles placed parallel to each other and at right angles to the
supporting bars and bearings, the central portions of such spindles being
constructed with the screw threads which gear into the wormed drum
herein-before mentioned, and on the crown of which the lower extremity
of the central spindle works. Each screw spindle is furnished at one end
thereof (but so as to be at opposite diagonal corners of the parallelogram
formed by the screws and the bars which support the bearings thereof)
with a pinion formed with oblique or worm leaves or teeth constructed to
gear into the before-mentioned horizontal toothed wheel, when the
capstan and its several parts are in proper position. It should be ob-
served that. the screw threads should both be right or left-handed.
The operation of the capstan is as follows:-Upon the capstan head

page_text: being put in motion in the ordinary way, the central spindle necessarily
moves therewith, carrying with it the horizontal wheel at the lower part
thereof; the latter gearing into the oblique or worm-leaved pinions at the
extremities. of the screw spindles cause the same to revolve, the screw
threads in turn taking into the worm or teeth of the central fixed wormed
drum; the latter being. immoveable, the screw spindles work round the
same, thus carrying with them the concentric metallic hoops or rings,
together with the capstan barrel. Upon the leverage being removed from
the capstan head the barrel becomes fixed, thus producing the result which
is ordinarily sought to be secured by the use of pauls and other similar
contrivances, although for greater security the ordinary pauls or other
contrivances may be used in addition. In some cases it may be desirable.
to reverse the arrangement of the screws and wormed drum, so as to
cause the latter to revolve by the revolution of the screws, the spindles of
which should work in a fixed position.
It may be mentioned that a modification of the apparatus last described
may be employed for the purposes of steering.
1
The above descriptions must be considered as illustrations only of the
manner in which my Invention may be carried out, inasmuch as many
variations may be made in matters of detail without departing from the
principles thereof.
The same methods of obtaining power may be applied in the construc÷
tion of windlasses, cranes, winches, lifting and pressing machinery, for
shooting the bolts of locks, and to various other mechanical purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Christopher Nugent Nixon in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th July 1858.
1
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHRISTOPHER
NUGENT NIXON, of Ramsgate, in the County of Kent, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty. Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Christopher Nugent Nixon, Her special licence
that I, the said Christopher Nugent Nixon, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Christopher Nugent
Nixon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter

page_text: 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 "IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF SCREW POWER, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLIC-
ABLE TO STEERING APPARATUS, CAPSTANS, WINDLASSES, CRANES, WINCHES, AND
OTHER MECHANICAL PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Christopher Nugent Nixon, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Christopher Nugent Nixon, d hereby
declare the nature of the 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 descriptions
herein-after contained, and the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to certain improved arrangements and com-
binations of mechanism wherein the power and advantages are mainly
derived from the use of endless screws, the novelty and importance of such
arrangements and combinations consisting in the peculiar modes of apply-
ing such power.
In the construction of steering apparatus in accordance with the
principles of my Invention various plans may be adopted, and which I will
now proceed to describe.
In ordinary cases, and especially in ships with round rudder heads, the
steering gear may be as follows:-The upper part of the rudder head, or
that part thereof to which the tiller or yoke is ordinarily fixed, is sur-
rounded by a strong metallic wormed collar or wheel, the same being
securely held to the deck by means of clamps or any other of the well-
known contrivances for such purposes, but so as to allow of the partial
revolution of the collar or wheel from right to left, or vice versa, and so
constructed and arranged that the rudder head may move up and down
within the same collar or wheel without at all interfering with the action
of the screws herein-after mentioned, or injury to the same or any other
part of the steering gear. The said collar or wheel is provided as to two
portions or segments of its external periphery with teeth, the teeth on
the respective sides or segments of the collar or wheel being inclined in
the reverse direction to those on the opposite side, so as to correspond
respectively with the threads of the right and left-handed screws herein-
after mentioned, and which take into the same. The screws should be

page_text: constructed of metal, and of a size and degree of strength proportionate
to the duty which they have to perform, and should be mounted at the
respective ends thereof on pillars securely fixed to the deck, such pillars
being provided with bearings, in which the respective ends of the screw
spindles can freely work. The screws are moved simultaneously by
means of cog wheels, pinions provided with suitable leaves, or by any
suitable combinations of mechanism actuated by the revolution of the
steering wheel, thus giving motion to the wormed collar or wheel before
mentioned, which, firmly grasping the rudder head, causes the same to
move towards either side of the ship to the angle required for steering
purposes; the extent of such motion being determined by the proportion
which the toothed or wormed segments respectively bear to the circum-
ference of the wormed collar or. wheel.
For ships with square-headed rudders, or in any case if preferred, the
following plan may be adopted: A wormed drum or wheel capable of
turning upon its axis may be placed separate and apart from the rudder
head between the screw spindles, the same being properly secured to the
deck, and bearing on opposite sides thereof projecting arms or bosses, to
which may be attached jointed levers of suitable strength connected with
the rudder head, the latter being provided with a metallic collar and pro-
jecting arms or bosses, upon which the jointed levers may be centred.
Instead of levers, chains may be used for effecting the same purpose, or.
teeth may be formed on the front of the collar on the rudder head, the
back of the wormed drum or wheel being furnished with corresponding
teeth, so that such teeth may gear into each other.
For ships of large size, or when it may be desirable to steer the ship
from some part of the vessel other than the stern, or even to alter the
place of steering at pleasure, an arrangement similar in its essential
features to that last described may be employed, substituting for the
jointed levers chains or rods passing under the deck, and communicating
the requisite motion from the wormed drum or wheel to the rudder.
For smaller vessels the rudder head may be provided with a wormed
collar or wheel constructed with a toothed segment. A spindle formed'
with a screw thread gearing into the teeth of the wormed collar or wheel
is mounted upon pillars fixed to the deck, a steering or simple lever wheel'
being placed at each end of the screw spindle, which forms the axis
thereof.
By another modification of the last-mentioned arrangement the axis of
the steering wheels may be placed above the screw spindle, such spindle
and axis being respectively provided with cranks, the upper and lower,
cranks being connected in the ordinary way by means of connecting rods.
The wormed collar or wheel may, if preferred', be constructed with two

page_text: toothed segments, upon which two screws may simultaneously operate in
the manner before described.
.
It may be here mentioned that a modification of this last arrangement
may be made applicable to all purposes for which windlasses, winches, or
similar contrivances are used. For such purposes the worm wheel,
properly secured, should be provided with teeth round its entire cir-
cumference, and it may be connected with any suitable drum or cylinder:
The usual steering wheels may be dispensed with, and the upper spindle
or axis terminated by ordinary winch handles. By means of this arrange-
ment a continuous motion in either direction may be obtained, while
immediately the power is removed from the winch handles the worm
wheel and the drum or cylinder with which it may be in connection will
be immoveable, even without the use of pauls or other contrivances such
as are commonly employed in machinery as brakes, although such con-
trivances may be used with advantage, as ensuring additional strength
and safety.
The following is another mode of constructing steering apparatus, and
is particularly applicable to vessels of small size. The steering wheel is
placed in the ordinary position, a short spindle being connected and
coinciding with the axis thereof, such spindle being furnished with a
screw thread. In immediate proximity is placed a horizontal spindle
properly mounted, bearing on its centre a worm wheel revolving vertically,
and into the teeth of which the screw thread of the before-mentioned
spindle gears. The respective ends of the wheel spindle are furnished
with chains attached thereto on opposite sides with respect to each other,
in such manner that upon the steering wheel being moved the screw in
connection therewith actuates the worm wheel, thus causing the chain at
one end of the spindle to be tightened while it is relaxed at the other,
this effect being reversed by a contrary motion of the steering wheel.
The opposite ends of the chains are attached in a convenient and suitable
manner to the yoke or rudder head, to which motion is communicated
by the means before mentioned. Instead of chains, crank levers or any
other suitable mechanical appliances may be employed.
may
The following is another method of construction, which may in some
cases be found useful.. The collar surrounding the rudder head is con-
structed with teeth on the front thereof, the same being worked by a
pinion, or wheels and pinions. On the lower part of the said collar
be formed teeth, in which a screw actuated by a spring may gear, the
screw being under the control of the steersman, who may govern it by
his, foot or by any other suitable means, so as to cause the screw to gear.
into the teeth on the collar, and so chock the rudder, or release the latter
by throwing the screw out of gear.

page_text: It may be here stated that in any of the before-mentioned methods of
constructing steering apparatus, instead of fixed teeth on the external
periphery of the collar or wheel, what I call friction teeth may be em-
ployed, the same being short bars of metal arranged on the periphery of
the collar or wheel, the respective ends of such bars being secured in
holes constructed in rims projecting from the upper and lower portions
of the collar or wheel, and free to revolve therein. The effect of this
arrangement is to diminish the amount of friction.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 in the annexed Drawings represent one of the
methods of constructing steering apparatus upon the principles of my
Invention, and from these illustrations the descriptions herein-before
contained will be readily understood.
Figure 1 is a plan of the apparatus. A is the steering wheel actuating
the cog wheel B, which gears into the pinions C, C, fixed upon the screw
spindles D, D, the screw threads gearing into the wormed collar E, E,
surrounding the rudder head F. Figure 2 is an end view shewing the
steering wheel A, with the cog wheel B mounted on its axis, and gearing
into the pinions C, C. Figure 3 is a side view of the steering apparatus,
and shewing the wormed collar or wheel surrounding the rudder head,
the screws being removed in order to shew the construction of the same
moře distinctly.
I may again remark, that in all the arrangements of steering apparatus
in which the wormed collar or wheel is placed around or on the rudder
head, the same should be secured to the deck, so as to allow the rudder
head to rise and fall without affecting in any way the action of the wormed
collar or wheel or steering gear, and in those cases in which the motion
is communicated to the rudder head by means of chains, rods, or levers,
the rudder head should be surrounded by a collar properly secured, which
will allow it to rise or fall with the same result as last described.
The steering apparatus being protected from injury from the possible
rising of the rudder in the manner herein-before mentioned, I will now
describe a method by which the steering gear, and at the same time the
rudder, may be protected from the effects of a sudden blow given by a
wave striking it sideways. To the upper end of the rudder head is
attached a metallic collar of the form represented at Figure 4, Figure 5
being a transverse view of the same. The inclined planes formed on the
last-mentioned collar coincide with and work upon corresponding planes
placed and fitted in the interior of the wormed wheel or collar which
surrounds the rudder head. The lower portions of the inclined planes
upon the rudder head should be constructed of a semi-circular form, as
shewn in the Drawing, the same fitting into corresponding cavities in the
planes in the interior of the wormed wheel or collar, and thus holding the

page_text: rudder firm, and preventing it from being acted upon except under the
circumstances before referred to. When the rudder receives a violent.
blow from the sea, the rudder will by means of the said inclined planes
readily rise within the wormed collar or wheel, and return to its proper
position when the momentum of the blow has subsided, and thus prevent-
ing any undue strain upon the screws and other steering gear, and at the
same time counteracting the ordinary effects of a violent concussion of
the waves.
In some cases, and especially in vessels where the rudder does not rise
until the chock is removed, a spring may be placed between the top of the
rudder head and a cap, which in such cases should surmount the wormed
collar or wheel, the effect of such spring being, in combination with the
inclined planes before described, to cause the rudder to return to its
proper position after having been temporarily raised by the influence of
the waves, as herein-before mentioned.
I may here mention that I do not confine myself to the use of two
screws only in the arrangements, herein-before mentioned, inasmuch as,
for the purpose of obtaining great additional power, four screws may be
employed, suitable alterations being made in the construction of the
wormed collar, wheel, or drum, it being also necessary in such cases to use
two steering wheels properly connected with each other, and duplicate
arrangements of wheels and pinions.
Having thus described the particulars of my Invention so far as the
same relates to apparatus for the purposes of steering, I will now proceed
to explain its application to the construction of capstans, and in which the
same elements of power are employed as for the before-mentioned
arrangements, namely, the use of endless screws gearing into wormed
drums, spindles, or wheels. The following is a concise description of a
capstan constructed upon the principles of my Invention --The capstan
is composed externally of two principal and separate parts, the barrel and
the head, the latter having the usual sockets for the admission of the
levers or capstan bars, and is so connected to the capstan barrel as to
be capable of revolving thereon without becoming disconnected or de-
tached. This may be effected by the employment of any of the well-
known methods used for such purposes.
The centre of the capstan barrel is hollow for the passage of a central
spindle, the upper part of which is of a square or angular form, and fits
into a corresponding opening in the centre of the capstan head, being
secured at the top by means of a metal collar or nut, or it may be of a
circular form, the end thereof being secured in its place by means of a
bolt or bolts or other analagous contrivance or contrivances. The lower
portion of the capstan barrel is hollowed out for the admission of the

page_text: mechanism herein-after mentioned. To the lower portion of the central
spindle is fixed a horizontal wheel, the lower face thereof being provided
with oblique cogs or teeth. The lower end of the spindle works in the
centre of a wormed drum, having teeth around its external periphery, and
placed exactly in the centre of the interior of the capstan, and firmnly
secured to the deck by any of the well-known means for such purposes.
The bottom of the capstan barrel or drum fits into a metal hoop or ring
provided with an external flange at the lower edge thereof, such flange
being held and confined by means of a corresponding shouldered collar
firmly attached to the deck or other flooring, thus allowing the hoop or
ring to revolve without being detached. Within the said hoop or ring
is another and smaller concentric hoop or ring connected therewith by
suitable means, the capstan barrel being fixed and secured between and
to the concentric hoops or rings, which, upon motion being communicated
to the capstan head, carry the barrel round and in the same direction as
the capstan head. Within and to the inner concentric hoop or ring are
fixed two strong bars of metal, each being provided with suitable bearings
for the admission of two spindles placed parallel to each other and at
right angles to the supporting bars and bearings, the central portions
of such spindles being constructed with screw threads which gear into
the wormed drum herein-before mentioned, and on the crown of which
the lower extremity of the central spindle works. Each screw spindle
is furnished at one end thereof (but so as to be at opposite diagonal corners
of the parallelogram formed by the screws and the bars which support
the bearings thereof) with a pinion constructed with oblique or worm
leaves or teeth constructed to gear into the before-mentioned horizontal
toothed wheel when the capstan and its several parts are in proper
position, or three bevelled wheels may be used for the same purpose. It
should be observed that the screw threads should both be right or left-
handed, as also should the teeth of the drum or worm wheel.
The operation of the capstan is as follows:-Upon the capstan head
being put in motion in the ordinary way, the central spindle necessarily
moves therewith, carrying with it the horizontal wheel at the lower part
thereof; the latter gearing into the oblique or worm-leaved pinions at the
extremities of the screw spindles, causes the same to revolve, the screw
threads in turn taking into the worm or teeth of the central fixed wormed
drum; the latter being immoveable, the screw spindles work round the
same, thus carrying with them the concentric metallic hoops or rings
together with the capstan barrel. Upon the leverage being removed
from the capstan head the barrel becomes fixed, thus producing the result
which is ordinarily sought to be secured by the use of pauls and other
similar contrivances, although for greater security the ordinary pauls

page_text: .
or other means and contrivances may be used in addition. In some cases
it may be desirable to reverse the arrangement of the screws and wormed
drum, so as to cause the latter to revolve by the revolution of the screws,
the spindles of which should work in a fixed position.
It may be mentioned that a modification of the apparatus last
described may be employed for the purposes of steering, merely substitut-
ing a horizontal wheel for the ordinary vertical steering wheel.
A
The above description has reference solely to a power capstan, but I
will now describe a method of connecting and disconnecting the power,
so as to make the capstan a power or simple capstan at will.. In such
cases the mechanism as before described is employed. The capstan head
would, as before mentioned, work independently of the barrel, the latter
being carried down to the deck or other flooring, the lower part thereof
being surrounded by a ratchet or toothed wheel secured thereto, the same
being provided with oblique or straight teeth, as required, and into.
which gear four or more teeth constructed on a circular paul, ring, or
wheel, also surrounding the bottom of the capstan. The last-mentioned
paul, ring, or wheel acts of itself as the capstan revolves in one direction
only, and may be lifted out of gear by any suitable means, so as to allow
the capstan to be moved in the reverse direction, if required, without
becoming pauled. This mode of construction is chiefly applicable to cap-
stans used for mines and other purposes for which such machinery may
be required on shore.
For ships' capstans, and in an cases in which it is desirable or necessary
to use the capstan as a power in both directions, the toothed wheel before.
described should be constructed with straight teeth, and should be
firmly secured to the deck or other flooring, instead of being attached
to the capstan barrel, as in the before-mentioned case. To the lower part
of the capstan barrel four or more pauls should be attached, which will
work in the teeth of the before-mentioned ring or wheel as the capstan'
revolves in one direction, pauling it in the opposite direction. When
it is necessary to use the capstan in the reverse direction, the pauls must
be turned over so as to act the other way.
For the purpose of connecting and disconnecting the power, I use four
or any desirable number of bolts, the same working up and down the
external part of the capstan barrel. By shooting the bolts down, the
barrel of the capstan is connected with the circular frame containing
the internal mechanism, and leaving the capstan head free to turn the
spindle which actuates the power, and which is connected with the capstan
head by means of a bolt or bolts or other analogous means, as before men-
tioned. To disconnect the power and convert the apparatus into a simple
capstan, I remove the last-mentioned bolt or bolts or other contrivance

page_text: or contrivances, and shoot: the bolts previously described into holes con-
structed in the capstan head for their reception. The head is thus con-
nected with the barrel, and the power spindle being disconnected, tie
capstan is free to revolve.
Instead of the four or more vertical bolts before described, I some-
times use four or more bolts horizontally, which are passed through the
bottom of the capstan barrel and through the frame containing the
mechanism, and thus hold them together. By removing these bolts and
inserting them through the upper part of the capstan barrel and through
a metal ring or collar fixed to the bottom of the capstan head, the capstan
will be converted into a simple capstan. Capstans constructed in accord-
ance with my Invention may be worked on two or more decks of a ship,
if necessary, by carrying a continuous spindle through the drum head or
heads and capstan heads, so as to actuate the mechanism of the respec-
tive capstans.
Figure 6 in the annexed Drawings is a view of a capstan, A being the
head, and B the barrel. a, a, a, are the bolts before mentioned; C is the
ratchet or toothed wheel within the flanged collar D:
Figure 7 is a section of the capstan, shewing the paul, ring, or wheel
at a.
.
Figure 8 is a plan of the internal mechanism of the power capstan, a
being the wormed wheel in the centre, b, b, the endless screws, and c, c,
the pinion wheels.
Figure 9 is a section of the last-mentioned arrangement, A being the
central spindle.
It is well known that in the use of all the capstans previously employed
great difficulty is sometimes experienced from the over-riding of the
chains or ropes, causing at times very serious inconvenience. In order
to obviate this evil, I adopt the following screw arrangement, which may
be used, not only with capstans constructed upon my improved principles,
but also may be applied to any of the varieties already in use. At the
bottom of the capstan barrel, and surrounding the same, I place a strong
metallic collar, provided with a flange, by means of which it is firmly
secured to the deck or other flooring, so as to be immoveable; to this collar
is attached a screw. or worm thread of a sufficient number of turns, the
same being strongly made of iron or of any other suitable metal. The
number of turns of the screw or worm must of course depend upon the size
of the capstan. The chain or rope, in the act of coiling round the capstan
barrel, instead of taking straight turns and close together as at present,
which is the chief cause of the chain or rope over-riding, passes between
these turns of the screw or worm in the manner of a screw, and yet grasp-
ing the capstan barrel tightly, the latter carrying the chain or rope round

page_text: as usual, the effect of the screw or worm being to keep the turns of the
chain or rope, separate as they pass round the capstan barrel, and thus
preventing the before-mentioned inconvenience of over-riding.
The screw or worm which has just been described is shewn in Figure 6
of the annexed Drawings surrounding the capstan barrel, and at Figure 7
detached and separate therefrom.
Similar methods of obtaining power as are herein-before mentioned
may be applied in the construction of windlasses, cranes, derricks,
winches, lifting and pressing machinery, for shooting the bolts of locks,
turning mangles, and working clocks and watches. For cranes, derricks,
windlasses, and winches, I merely make the necessary transpositions and
adaptations of the powers before described, and which will be well under-
stood by persons acquainted with machinery, using winch handles or any
other known method to turn the spindle of the wheel which actuates the
power, and also any other portions of the before described mechanism
as are applicable for such purposes.
Modifications of the before described arrangements may be applied to
lifting and pressing machines, in which cases, however, the teeth on the
centre drum must be carried up in a helical manner, so as to allow the
head or lifting plate, as the case may be, to be freely moved up or down
as required.
In applying my Invention to locks, two or more bolts may be shot by
studs fixed to the screw framework or to the spindle of the drum or wheel;
which shall act upon the bolts in the course of revolution, thus shooting
them; unshooting them in the same manner as the action is reversed. A
screw key may be used, the same being so constructed that as it works
in the manner of a worm upwards and downwards, the centre wheel
turns the pinions of the screws, causing the same to revolve. This key
might, if thought advisable, be made of a different size and inclination
of thread for every lock, thus rendering it a very difficult, if not an impos-
sible matter to pick the lock. Any other suitable key might, however,
be substituted, and employed for turning the machinery.
For turning mangles I employ the same arrangements as for cranes
and windlasses, but the screws in this case should be firmly secured, and
arranged so as to turn the wormed drum, on the inner end of the spindle
of which a pinion is fixed, a straight toothed rack arrangement being
made of the requisite length along the framework of the mangle, and
worked backwards and forwards by the pinion, the same being set in
motion by a winch handle, thus dispensing with the fly wheel and chain
at present.used.
The same power may be used in clocks and watches with the following
slight alterations:-Instead of pinions on the ends of the screw spindles,

page_text: and a larger wheel to turn them, I would have three equal wheels,
bevelled, if preferred. The centre wheel should be attached to the
barrel or box round which the weight, chain, or cord passes, or in which
the mainspring works, if it be a watch or spring clock, it being also
attached to the minute hand. The spindle of the worm wheel (which, in
this case, revolves) has twelve teeth, and is atached to the hour hand.
The action is as follows:-One revolution of the centre wheel, when set
in motion by pendulum, mainspring, or any other contrivance, carries
the minute hand once round the dial plate, and at the same time effects
a complete revolution of the screws, carrying the drum and spindle one-
twelfth part round, thus moving the hour hand, to which it is attached,
one hour, and so on, until the spindle is turned once or twice completely
round by twelve or twenty-four revolutions of the barrel or wheel, one
turn noting twelve hours, and two turns twenty-four hours. Supposing
the screws and worm wheel to be so accurately adjusted that one turn
of the former shall just take round one tooth of the latter, a more con-
tinuous exactness of working may be attained than by the complicated
appliances of cog wheels or levers of the clocks and watches as at present.
constructed, and by using the friction teeth before described the wear of
the screws would be almost imperceptible,
Another method with one screw is as follows:-From and attached to
the barrel or wheel round which. the weight, chain, or cord turns, or the
box containing the mainspring, proceeds a single spindle, bearing a screw
thread, and to the end of which is fixed the minute hand. The screw part
of this spindle passes through a hollow wormed wheel, having twelve teeth
in the internal circumference, and which is attached to the hour hand.
By the revolution of the above-mentioned barrel, or wheel, or box, the
same result is produced as before described. The screw or screws may
be arranged otherwise, so long as the same end is attained, and there be
no unjustifiable departure from the principal feature of the Invention as
previously set forth.
Having thus described and explained the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I'would observe, in con-
clusion, that I do not claim all the several and distinct parts of the
arrangements herein-before mentioned as being novel and original,
neither do I confine or restrict myself to the precise details or arrange-
ments which I have described or referred to, as many variations may be
made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features
of the said Invention; but what I consider novel and original, and there-
fore claim as my Invention, are,-
The various arrangements and combinations of mechanism herein-
before mentioned, in which the principle of the screw is rendered avail-

page_text: able and applicable, as herein-before mentioned and described, or any
mere modifications or equivalents of such arrangements and combina-
tions, and the use and application of such arrangements and combinations
of mechanism or their equivalents for the purposes aforesaid.
In witness whereof, I, the said Christopher Nugent Nixon, have
here unto sét my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
CHRISTOPHER NUGENT NIXON. (L.S.)
Witness,
E. P. H. VAUGHAN,
15, Southampton Buildgs.,
Agent for the Patentee.