IMPROVEMENTS IN MARINE CHAIN STOPPERS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Winder, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MARINE
CHAIN STOPPERS."
Sealed the 22nd December 1868, and dated the 26th June 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Winder at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th June 1868.
I, THOMAS WINDER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Mer
chant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MARINE CHAIN STOPPERS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of that
class of marine chain stoppers known to some extent as elastic stoppers,
that is to say, parts thereof yield or give when the chain or cable is
drawn "taut," as is the case when a ship is riding at anchor, and at
other times, and consists,-
First. In the employment of one or more springs of a novel con.
struction placed between the fixed and moveable frames. These springs.

page_text: are made of india-rubber or other elastic gum, and each one in form
resembles the frustrum of a hollow cone. The fixed and moveable frames
are of any known or convenient description.
Second. In employing on the moveable frame an excentric and lever
to raise and lower the "catch bit."
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Winder in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th December 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
WINDER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Merchant, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second 1 year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Thomas Winder, Her special license that I,
the said Thomas Winder, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Thomas Winder, 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 MARINE CHAIN STOPPERS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Winder,
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 Thomas Winder, 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 Sheet of

page_text: illustrative Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say :-
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of that
class of marine chain stoppers known as elastic stoppers, in consequence
of certain parts thereof yielding or giving when the chain or cable is
drawn "taut," and consists,―
First. In the employment of one or more springs of a novel con-
struction placed between the fixed and movable frames. These springs
are made of india-rubber or other elastic gum, and each one in form
resembles the frustrum of a hollow cone.
Second. In employing on the movable frame an excentric and lever
to raise and lower the "catch bit."
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation;
Fig. 2, a longitudinal section; Fig. 3, a plan or bird's-eye view; and
Fig. 4 an end elevation, all of an elastic stopper, suitable for large ships,
constructed according to my Invention, both parts of my improvements
being illustrated. Like letters denote the same parts in all these
views.
a is the fixed frame; this consists principally of a hollow cylinder
and bed plate, the latter so formed that the whole apparatus can be
securely affixed to the deck of a ship, preferably in a position when for
bower anchors between the windlass and hawse pipe; b, movable frame
with shoulder or annular piston at c to fit closely the internal surface
of a; an opening or passage is formed through 6 for the cable or
chain d. e, conical spring rings made of india-rubber or other elastic
gum; these are less in diameter than the inside of u, so as to allow
for their expansion during compression; f, washers of hard wood or
other material employed to separate e. Although I prefer to use these
washers I would have it distinctly understood that the conical spring
rings act very efficiently without them both in this and the modifications
hereafter described.
At the aft end of a catch bit g, formed of wrought iron or other
tough metal, is fitted to slide in a groove or in catches. An excentric h
secured on the pin i, the latter being movable on its axis by the lever j,
is employed to raise and lower the said catch bit g. In Fig. 4 the chain
When a cable or
is shewn stopped by the bit g.
chain stopped by the

page_text: bit g is suddenly or irregularly subjected to strain the movement of the
part 6 compresses the conical spring rings e, and releives the said cable
or chain and the ship from those shocks which, it is well known to ship-
masters and others, are the cause whereby life and property are often
endangered and not infrequently lost.
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 6 an end elevation, of an
elastic stopper suitable for ships of smaller size, with both parts of my
improvements.
k is the fixed frame formed with a central guide rod marked k¹; lis
the movable frame or piece; m, conical spring rings; n, separating
washers; o is a tumbling frame hinged on the pin p supported in check
pieces, formed as part of or connected to k. The forked ends of o
are fitted with rollers q on the pin "; 8, catch bit; t, excentric to
move 8, a hand lever u being employed; o, chain or cable. In this
arrangement the catch bit 8 is made to slide upwards; the arrow shews
the direction of the strain. The strain or pressure to compress the
conical spring rings is conveyed from the chain and tumbling piece o
by the rollers to the piece l.
Figs. 7 and 8 are views respectively in longitudinal section and end
elevation of another modification of apparatus, both parts of my
improvements being combined therein.
a¹ is the fixed frame; b', movable frame with shoulder at c¹; d³, conical
spring rings; e¹, separating washers; f¹, tumbling piece hinged on
the pin g'; h', friction roller bearing on the end of 6'; , chain aperture
or way, catch bit; k¹, excentric; ", operating lever.
Fig. 9 is a side elevation, and Fig. 10 a plan, of the frame of a
modification of chain stopper provided with the second part of my
improvements only.
a³, fixed frame; 6³, a compressible ball of india-rubber or other elastic
material to receive any sudden or other strains given to the tumbling
piece by the chain or cable which passes through it at about the
line z, z.
The said tumbling piece c is hinged to a fixed frame by
a pin da; e, antifriction roller; fs, excentric; and g³, lever for operating
the chain catch bit.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and par-
ticularized the same, I claim constructing elastic marine chain stoppers,

page_text: substantially as herein described and illustrated by various modifications
on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Winder, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
eight.
Witness,
JOHN T. KING,
Patent Agent,
Liverpool.
THOMAS WINDER. (L.s.)