IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CARRYING, RAISING, AND LOWERING SHIPS' BOATS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Young, of Southampton, in the County
of Hants, Clerk to the Union Steam Ship Company (Limited), for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CARRYING, RAISING,
AND LOWERING SHIPS' BOATS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Young at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th December 1873.
I, FREDERICK YOUNG, of Southampton, in the County of Hants, Clerk
to the Union Steam Ship Company (Limited), do hereby declare the
nature of my said. Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
CARRYING, RAISING, AND LOWERING SHIPS' BOATS," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the carrying of ships' boats in such
manner that they may be lowered with great dispatch should an
emergency arise; also generally to facilitate the raising and lowering of
ships's boats by means of simple and efficient arrangements, which I

page_text: now proceed to describe, reference being made to the Drawing accom-
panying this Provisional Specification.
My Invention consists, firstly, in an improved construction of davit
for carrying the boat, and in the accompanying gear (Figures 1 and 2).
It will be seen that this davit is of a curved form, and is carried on a
hinge a, which permits of the davit being swung round so as to place
the boat out and over the ship's side. It will be seen also that the
hinge a, which can move forward only in one direction for a quarter of a
circle is fitted just above the rail, on the upper side of which rail is
fitted a portion of a cog wheel 6, working into which under the rail is a
shaft c (Figure 2) fitted at each end with a plain cog wheel d to work
into cogs on upper side of davits. e is a bevel wheel, working at right
angles, with which is another fitted with winch handle, by turning which
handle the davits are moved outboard. or inboard. At that part of the
davit marked f is a roller over which the rope h suspending the boat
passes. The davits are also provided-with-guides g, having rollers over
which the suspending, raising, and lowering rope / passes. The rollers
or reels round which the rope for winding the boat up and down
passes are marked i. The shaft on which the reels i are fitted has
square ends, each fitted with winch handles.
My Invention consists, secondly, in the mode of suspending or
carrying the boat, and in order to prevent its upsetting in the event
of all the weight being suddenly placed on one-side. For this purpose
the boat is provided fore and aft with an iron rib (Figure 3), with a
strengthening bar 7 to prevent the boat from collapsing, and the ribs
with eyes m welded on to them. The boat is thus suspended in the
manner shown in Figure 4.
**My Invention consists, thirdly, in the construction of special hooks or
disengaging gear. One form of hook is represented in Figure 5, and it
will be seen that by pulling the loop n the bottom part will swing round a
on the hinge o, and the boat will be free. Another is represented in
Figure 6. It will be seen that by simply turning the handle p the
T piece will be released and the boat will be free.

page_text: SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor by the said
Frederick Young in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
June 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
YOUNG, of Southampton, in the County of Hants, Clerk to the Union
Steam Ship Company (Limited), send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Frederick Young, Her special licence,
that I, the said Frederick Young, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Frederick Young, 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 APPARATUS FOR CARRYING, RAISING, AND LOWERING SHIPS' BOATS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick Young, 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 on or before the Thirtieth day of June, One thousand eight.
hundred and seventy-four.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frederick Young, 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, that is to say:-
My Invention has for its objects the carrying of ships' boats in such
manner that they may be lowered with great dispatch should an
emergency arise; also to facilitate generally the raising and lowering of
ships" boats by means of simple and efficient arrangements, which I now
procced to describe, reference being made to the Drawings accompanying
this Specification. These Drawings have figures and letters of reference

page_text: marked thereupon, and the like letter is used to denote a similar or
corresponding part in each Figure.
I. My Invention consists, firstly, in an improved construction of davit
for carrying the boat, and in the accompanying gear. I take two davits
or bars a of wrought iron, steel, or any other suitable metal or material,
and I bend or curve them into something like the shape of the letter U
lying upon its side, only that that portion that would then be at the top
is not quite so long as the bottom (see Drawing, Fig. 2); or I may in
other ways produce davits of the required C shape. I connect these
davits a at their outer ends by means of a bar b, in order to give them
stability, to attach life lines thereto, and to support a rope or Jacob's
ladder, by the use of which there is no difficulty or delay in manning
the boat, although she may be some distance above the deck of the
vessel. The lower ends of the davits I key or rivet each into the boss,
shoulder, or the upper flanges of a hinge c, upon which I fit or form a
segment d of a toothed wheel, into which segment work two pinions e,
attached to the ends of a horizontal bar or shaft frunning under the
ships' rail. Upon this shaft f is formed or fixed a worm g, into which
works a screw / driven by a winch handle or wheel i, or in any other
suitable manner.
I may sometimes use bevel wheels instead of the worm and screw
arrangement above described.
Immediately below each of the said davits, which terminate at the
ships' rail, I place an upright or box j, upon which is formed the under
flange of the hinge above referred to, and into which the ends of the
horizontal bar or shaft f carrying the pinions are fitted.
By the
arrangement thus described the davits carrying the boat can be brought
into the position required, either outside or inside the ships' rail with
great expedition, by simply turning the winch handle or wheel herein-
above referred to.
II. My Invention consists further in the means of raising and lowering
the boat, in order to do which I fit into a boss formed at the outer ends
of the said davits a sheave, roller, or pulley k. Along the backs or
outside of the davits I fix or form guides m fitted with sheaves, rollers,
or pulleys for the lowering ropes, chains, or wire to work into. Imme-
diately under the ships' rail, that is to say, under the horizontal bar or
shaft carrying the tooth pinions and worm before mentioned, I fit or

page_text: place either upon the outside or inside of the uprights or boxes j before
described two reels or drums n, by means of which the lowering rope,
chain, or wire is wound up or let down. I connect the reels or drums n
by means of another horizontal bar or shaft o running between the said
boxes and carrying the reels or drums upon its outer ends.
I sometimes raise the boat by means of ratchet braces formed upon
the extreme outer ends of the said bar or shaft o, but I prefer to
compound the power upon the said reels or drums n by means of a
toothed wheel fitted upon them on the side nearest the said boxes j, and
working into which toothed wheel is a pinion, attached to which is a
winch handle or wheel. I prevent the boat descending by its own
weight from the davit heads by means of a ratchet,
fitted upon
P
the
inside of the said boxes, and attached to the shaft o connecting the said
reels or drums n.
In order to control the speed of the boat when in the act of being
lowered, I fit upon the reels or drums n an ordinary break (q, Fig. 2).
Attached to the handles of the said ratchet and break just described
are small ropes which I lead into the boat, so that when the davits are
put over the ships' rail the men manning the apparatus can get into the
boat, and the lowering from the davit heads can in cases of emergency
be accomplished from the boat itself, she remaining the whole time quite
under the control of one of the crew. I prefer however that the lowering
be done from the ship's deck, except in cases where the ship is about to
be abandoned.
The whole of the apparatus above described can be, should it be
deemed expedient, worked by means of steam power.
III. My Invention consists further in the means of suspending the
boat, and also in insuring her being disconnected immediately she is
waterborne. I take two hooks r of a novel construction (see Drawings
Figs. 5, 6, 7), and place them forward of the thwarts of the boat, that is
to say, one forward of the thwart of the first seat, and the other forward
of the after seat of the boat, or in other suitable position. Upon the
after side of the said thwarts I place a pin or handles, and connect it
with the said hook by means of a small bar t. Working in bearings
under the seat in the centre of the said bar I place a counterweight for
lever to which I attach by a binge a small rod u leading to a crank v,
attached to a shaft w running under the bottom boards of the boat,

page_text: which rod or shaft is attached to the other hook by similar means. The
boat immediately she is waterborne, or in other words, immediately the
weight of the boat is off both falls the counterweight or lever acting
upon the hook causes it to turn over, and the boat is free from the falls.
Upon the seats of the boat to which the hooks are attached I fix a
bolt x, which catches the pin or handle before-mentioned, and prevents
the disconnecting gear working until it is withdrawn. I also fit upon the
same seats and raised therefrom about six inches by means of two small
uprights immediately over the top portions of the hooks before mentioned,
a slotted piece through which the lower portion of the loops or rings that
attach the boat to the lowering ropes passes. By the use of this slotted
piece the boat is prevented from capsizing should the weight in her be
suddenly brought upon one side, and it also forms a guide to facilitate
the attaching of the boat to the falls.
The loops or rings by which the boat is suspended are shown in the
Drawings (Figs. 8, 9), with an eye in the upper end to be used in such
cases where it is preferred to use a single pennant, as also with a single
sheave or pulley, but these can be multiplied any number of times, as
may be found most convenient.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the means by which the same is effected, I wish it
to be clearly understood that what I claim as secured to me by the said
Letters Patent is,―
Firstly. The peculiar construction of davits, as described in that part
or section of this Specification marked I., and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings.
Secondly. The combination of these davits with the connecting bar,
the segment of tooth wheels, the shafts, worm, and screw, or equivalent
bevel wheel arrangement, substantially as described in the said section
and illustrated in the Drawings.
Thirdly. The arrangements for raising and lowering the boats, as
described in that section of this Specification marked II., and illustrated
in the accompanying Drawings.
Fourthly. The arrangements for suspending the boat, and also for
immediately disconnecting her upon her being waterborne, as described a
in that Section of this Specification marked III., and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.

page_text: And, lastly. The whole apparatus combined as described and illustrated,
as and for the purposes set forth
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Young, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Young, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Witness,
JOHN HART, M.A., Phd.,
Prospect House,
Southampton.
FREDERICK YOUNG. (L.S.)