AN IMPROVED BOAT DAVIT FOR SECURING AND PROMPT LOWERING OF BOATS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Graham, Master Mariner, and Robert
Arbuthnot Allardyce, Hygienic Engineer, both of 14, Queen
Victoria Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED BOAT DAVIT FOR SECURING AND PROMPT LOWERING OF
BOATS."
Sealed the 9th December 1875, and dated the 15th October 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Graham and
Robert Arbuthnot Allardyce at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 15th October 1875.
We, GEORGE GRAHAM, Master Mariner, and ROBERT ARBUTHNOT
ALLARDYCE, Hygienic Engineer, both of 14, Queen Victoria Street,
in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "AN IMPROVED BOAT DAVIT FOR SECURING AND PROMPT LOWERING
OF BOATS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to effectually secure the boats so as they
shall not be washed away or injured during heavy seas or otherwise,

page_text: while at the same time they shall be readily accessible for use on any
occasion or emergency.
This improved davit is curved inboard so as to allow the entire
breadth of the boat to hang inside the perpendicular line of the ship's
rail; it has the ordinary davit head which projects outwards sufficiently
to lower the boat clear of the ship's side.
The hoisting will be done in the ordinary manner, and with hanging
stoppers and levers the boat will be brought into the required position,
the slipping of which stoppers and levers allows the boat to swing clear
and ready for instant lowering.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Graham and Robert Arbuthnot Allardyce
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
GRAHAM, Master Mariner, and ROBERT ARBUTHNOT ALLARDYCE, both
of 14, Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said George Graham and Robert Arbuthnot
Allardyce, Her special licence, that we, the said George Graham and
Robert Arbuthnot Allardyce, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said George Graham and Robert Arbuthnot
Allardyce, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time.
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 In-
vention for "AN IMPROVED BOAT DAVIT FOR SECURING AND PROMPT LOWERING
OF BOATS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said George
Graham and Robert Arbuthnot Allardyce, our executors or admini-
strators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the

page_text: Fig. III. represents the hinge on the davit, and also position of head
raised when in dock.
The same letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the Figures.
Our Invention consists of the peculiar shape of the davit a which is
of iron or steel or other metal, and made either solid, tubular, or
otherwise, and is stepped inside, in or out side the ship's rail, and is
curved in board in such a manner as to take the entire breadth of the

page_text: boat over the deck, and inside the perpendicular line of the ship's
rail, and at the same time the head of this davit extends sufficiently
outwards to admit of the boat being lowered without moving the
davit. There are two of these davits to each boat at the proper distance
apart, and each davit is fitted with the usual tackles to hoist the boat to
the davit head b, and in addition to these on cach davit is a chain
stopper c for bringing the boat into the bends of the davits, the upper
end of this stopper c is fitted with a shackle d and roller e which runs
on the top of the davit, it has a regulating screw f, and at the lower end
a slip link, also on the davits we provide a check 9 for the rollers e, and
which will be regulated by the breadth of the boat. These davits are
circular at the lower and upper ends, and will revolve in the step h, h,
but are made oval in the bends to give additional strength; they are
kept in position by a slot in the step and fitted with a key; guys fore and
aft and athwart ship may be used if necessary.
To hoist the boat and stow her she is hooked on and hoisted by the
tackles to the davit head b, and when there in the position shown No. 1
the stoppers c are hooked on, slack out the tackles, and the weight
of the boat coming on the stoppers brings her into the bends of the
davit, as shewn in the position No. 2.
To lower the boat which is in position No. 2, the stoppers care
slipped and the weight coming on the tackles she is slacked out by
means of the guys i to the dotted position No. 3, and hangs over the
ship's side ready for lowering, as shewn in Fig. 1.
Another form of the said Invention consists of a hinge in the davit,
shewn in Fig. 3, by which the upper end may be topped up, the boat
then resting in a chock and lashed to the lower part of the davit,
which chock is made by one upright and one lever which is kept in its
place by a slip ring; this is for securing the boat when in dock.
Having thus fully described the said Invention and the manner in a
which the same may be performed, we declare that what we claim as
the Invention to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Lotters
Patent is,―
1stly. The peculiar form of davit for hoisting, securing, and lowering
ship's boats without moving the position of the davit, substantially in
the manner and for the purposes herein-before described and shewn on
Drawings, or any mere modifications thereof.

page_text: 2ndly. The novel appliance for bringing the boat into the bend of the
davit as herein-before described and shewn on Drawings.
And, 3rdly. The means of utilizing the weight of the boat in swinging
her in and out, as before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Graham and Robert
Arbuthnot Allardyce, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
Thirteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord, One thousand
eigth hundred and seventy-six.