IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO WINDLASSES AND RIDING OR MOORING BITS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Laurence Hill, of Port Glasgow, in the County of
Renfrew, North Britain, Shipbuilder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Laurence Hill at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th March 1864.
I, LAURENCE HILL, of Port Glasgow, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, Shipbuilder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO WINDLASSES AND RIDING OR MOORING BITS,"
to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention comprises improvements in and relating to windlasses and
riding or mooring bits, and has principally for object simplicity in construction
and efficiency in use.
In one modification of windlass embodying the improvement the rocking
shaft by which the windlass is worked has fixed or formed on it two lever
arms, and each arm has jointed to its end a thrusting pawl, which takes into
a ratchet wheel or ring fixed on the windlass barrel. The arms and thrusting
pawls are disposed at such an angle apart that a movement of the rocking
shaft in one direction causes one arm and pawl to turn the windlass, whilst
the reverse or return movement causes the other arm and pawl to do so, each
being drawn back as the other moves forward, and the movement of the

page_text: windlass being thus rendered nearly continuous. The same ratchet wheel or
ring may serve for the deck pawls, which prevent the windlass from running
back. Where a steam winch is used a connecting rod or its equivalent may
be applied from a crank pin or eccentric on the first motion or other suitable
shaft of the winch, and being jointed to one of the pawl arms or to a separate
arm on the rocking shaft of the windlass will permit of the latter being worked
by the steam winch. The connecting rod or its equivalent should be made to
connect or disconnect easily.
The improvement in riding or mooring bits consists in making them capable
of revolving, and in fitting them with brakes and stopping catches, so as either
to control the paying out of the cable, or to stop it altogether. The surface of
the bit barrel may be made with teeth or equivalent projections to prevent a
cable from slipping round without turning the barrel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Laurence Hill in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd September 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LAURENCE
HILL, of Port Glasgow, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, Ship-
builder, send groeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Laurence Hill, Her special licence that I, the said Lau-
rence Hill, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Laurence Hill, 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 AND RELATING TO WINDLASSES AND RIDING OR MOORING
BITS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Laurence Hill,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain the naturo 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

page_text: applied directly to it, or it may be connected by links 14 to a rocking shaft
with hand levers fitted on a spar deck above, one link being connected to the
lever arm 9, and the other to a third arm 15. The ratchet wheel 7 cannot
run back as long as the thrusters 11, 12, are in gear with it, notwithstanding
that the rocking shaft be left fred, but for an additional security the usual
deck pawls 16 may be applied to prevent it from running back.
Where a steam winch is used a connecting rod or its equivalent may be
applied from a crank pin or eccentric on the first motion or other suitable
shaft of the winch, and being jointed to one of the pawl arms 9 or 10, or to a
separate arm on the rocking shaft 8 of the windlass, will permit of the latter
being worked by the steam winch. The connecting rod or its equivalent
should be made to connect or disconnect easily.
My improvements in riding or mooring bits consist in making them
capable of revolving, and in fitting them with brakes and stopping catches
so as either to control the paying out of the cable or mooring chain, or to stop
it altogether.
Figure 3 on the Sheet of Drawings is an clevation, partly in section, and
Figure 4 is a plan, of a modification embodying the improvements. The
barrels or bits 17, fitted by preference in pairs, aro mounted on fixed mandrils
or spindles 18, so as to be free to turn on them, and they are formed with
brake rims 19 for the application to them of a frictional brake strap 20.
I prefer to use a single brake strap to act on both barrels, and it is acted on
by a lever 21, and the cable is to be passed continuously round both barrels,
and without the coil or coils crossing between the barrels. The barrels.may
be formed plain or with circular grooves, such as are shown, to give a better
hold to the cable and prevent it from surging, or with projections to catch the
chain links, so that the cable may not slip round without turning the barrels.
If the brake strap is properly adjusted it will hold the barrels fast; but for
completely the barrels their heads are formed with sockets or cross grooves 22,
and a bar laid across the barrels and in these grooves will prevent their
rotation. The sockets may also be used for inserting band spokes for
recovering the few links of chain that may slip on a sudden jerk or strain
occurring. The brake lever may be adjusted or weighted so as to hold the
barrels under ordinary circumstances, but so as to yield to sudden jerks, which
is one of the principal advantages of the arrangement. The brake lever may
be permanently connected, or it may be detached and put out of the way
when not in use.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be performed, I have to state that I do not restrict

page_text: within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Laurence Hill, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention comprises various improvements in and relating to
windlasses and riding or mooring bits, and has principally for object simplicity
in construction and efficiency in use.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended a Sheet of
explanatory Drawings, to be herein-after referred to, and representing
modifications of windlasses and riding or mooring bits embodying my
improvements.
Figure 1 on the Sheet of Drawings is a front elevation, partly in section,
and Figure 2 is a vertical section, as at right angles to Figure 1, of a simple
form of windlass, embodying my improvements. The main shaft 1 is mounted
in the usual way on standards 2, and carries two chain barrels 3 fitted loosely
on it, but arranged to gear or engage with it as required by means of
clutches 4, which are keyed on. The engaging and disengaging is effected in
this example by means of one or more simple latches 5, jointed between
flanges on the clutches, and held in position by pins, which are taken out
whilst shifting the latches, and then replaced. To put either barrel 3 in gear
the corresponding latches are turned outwards, and enter catch recesses in the
inside of the rim 6 of the barrel, as shown at the left-hand side of Figure 1.
The rims 6 also serve for the frictional brake straps, not shown, but applied as
usual for controlling the rotation of the barrel. The middle of the shaft 1 has
keyed on it the usual ratchet wheel or pawl ring 7, by means of which the
winding barrels are actuated. The rocking shaft 8 above, also mounted in
the standards 2, for working the windlass, has fixed or formed on it two lever
arms 9, 10, and each arm has jointed to its end a thruster or thrusting pawl
11, 12, which takes into the ratchet wheel 7. The arms 9, 10, and thrusters
11, 12, are disposed at such an angle apart that a movement of the rocking
shaft 8 in one direction causes one arm 9 and thruster 11 to turn the windlass,
whilst the reverse or return movement causes the other arm 10 and thruster 12
to do so, both acting in the same direction, and each being drawn back as the
other moves forward, and the movement of the windlass. being thus rendered
nearly continuous. The rocking shaft 8 may be worked by hand levers 13

page_text: myself to the precise details herein described or delineated, and that I do not
claim to have invented every separate detail herein described or delineated;
but that what I believe to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
1. The arranging of windlasses to turn by the movement in both directions
of the rocking shaft or levers, substantially in the manner herein described and
delineated.
And, 2, the constructing of riding or mooring bits so as to revolve, and the
applying to them of friction straps or similar controlling appliances, sub-
stantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Laurence Hill, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
28, St. Enoch Square,
Glasgow.
LAUR. HILL.
(L.B.)