IMPROVEMENTS IN DRAG ANCHORS
Year: 1884

page_text: We JAMES LINKLETER of 60 Hotspur Street Tynemouth in the County of
Northumberland Detaching-gear Manufacturer and WILLIAM POPE MEARS of
47 Front Street, Tynemouth in the County of Northumberland Doctor in
Medicine do hereby declare the nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN DRAG ANCHORS to be as follows:-
Our Invention relates to an improved form of Drag Anchor which when applied
to a Life-buoy can be utilised, if desired, as a sail by the person using the Buoy,
and when applied to a Raft can render it capable of being used as a Sea-anchor.
For the construction of the Drag we use a piece of canvas of suitable size and
shape firmly attached by its upper margin to one end of the Buoy or Raft athwart-
ships. To the opposite margin we attach a metal rod. From each end of this rod
we carry on each side another rod to the corresponding side or gunwale of the
Buoy or Raft to which we hinge or loosely joint it.
sea.
When the Buoy or Raft is Boating in the water the weight of the rods stretches
the canvas downwards and causes it to form a bag or drag by which the Buoy or
Raft is prevented from driving to leeward and is kept end on to the wind and
In the case of a 'man overboard' at sea it generally happens that the vessel
drives to leeward and in a breeze of wind an ordinary buoy does the same thing
more quickly than a man can swim. On the other hand a buoy fitted with the
drag we have described remains practically stationary, but the person using it can
make it follow the ship or travel with him to leeward by converting the drag into
a sail, as he can do by taking hold of the side rods and by means of them raising
the canvas out of the water to catch the wind i.e. by inverting the drag.-A
succession of these drags placed in the length of a raft would form a ships Sea-
anchor and for this purpose could be attached to a Life-raft or to a temporary raft
formed of spars.
JAS. LINKLETER,
W. P. MEARS.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
We JAMES LINKLETER of 60 Hotspur Street Tynemouth in the County of
Northumberland Detaching-gear Manufacturer and WILLIAM POPE MEARS of
47 Front Street Tynemouth in the County of Northumberland Doctor in
Medicine do hereby declare the nature of our invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN DRAG-ANCHORS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our Invention relates to an improved form of Drag-anchor or Drogue which
when applied to a Life-buoy will on the one hand prevent the Buoy from driving
away before the wind and sea, and can on the other hand be utilised as a sail by
the person using the Buoy, and when applied to a Raft will render the Raft capable
of being used as a Sea-anchor.
For the purpose of construction of the Drag we use a piece of canvas of suitable
size and shape firmly attached by its upper margin to one end of the Buoy or Raft
ath wartships. Along the opposite margin we attach a metal rod. From each end
of this rod we carry on each side another rod to the corresponding side or gunwale
of the Raft or Buoy to which we loosely joint or hinge it. These latter rods may
be firmly fixed or loosely hinged to the first-named rod as circumstances may
require. When the Buoy or Raft is floating in the water the weight of the rods
stretches the canvas downwards and causes it to form a bag or drag by which the
Buoy or Raft is prevented from driving to leeward and kept end on to the wind
and sea.
In a fresh breeze a Buoy unprovided with a Drag is liable to drive away
faster than a man can swim. Such a danger is obviated by the automatically
acting Drag above-described. On the other hand it is often desirable that the
person supported by a Life-buoy should be able to travel to leeward as in the case
of a man overboard at sea.
In such a case the vessel itself generally falls
away to leeward somewhat and it is obvious that in daylight at all events it
would be of advantage for the person in the water to be able to follow it to some
extent. This advantage is obtainable when the Drag above-described is fitted to
a Buoy of suitable shape for the person using the Buoy can convert the Drag into
a sail by taking hold of the side-rods and by means of these lifting the canvas out
of the water. A succession of such Drags placed in the length of a Raft form an
efficient Sea-anchor capable of keeping a ship of any size head to wind and could
be fitted to a temporary Raft formed of spars.
4
"
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
(1) The use for the purpose of forming a Drag-Anchor of one or more canvas
flaps fixed to a Boat, Raft or Buoy and steadied by metal rods connected with the
sides or gunwales of the same substantially as described in the foregoing
Specification.
(2.) The use for the purpose of forming a sail of a Drag-anchor constructed
substantially as described in the foregoing Specification, and fitted to a Life-buoy
substantially as set forth in the same Specification.
Dated this thirtieth day of September eighteen hundred and eighty four and
signed by.us.