Year: 1888

page_text: My invention relates to apparatus for lowering boats over the sides of vessels into
the water.
The lowering of boats from vessels has always been attended with serious danger as
the boat, after having beon lowered, often breaks against the side of the vessel or fills
with water, or capsizes, and difficulty is frequently experienced in freeing it from the
tackles of the davits.
Also much inconvenience has been experienced in letting children and women down
into the boats.
By my invention these objections are obviated, and the entire operation is facilitated,
as the boat can be manned and completely fitted out before it is lowered, the boat then
sliding gently into the water on the leeward side of the ship and at such a distance
therefrom that the risk of collision with the ship is entirely obviated.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood, I will describe how it can
be carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a cross section of a vessel provided with apparatus for lowering a boat
according to my invention.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the two platforms hereinafter described.
Similar letters in both the figures indicate similar parts.
a is the body of the ship, the level of the sea, and c is the boat to be lowered.
The boat rests on a cradle or trolley d, the wheels of which rest on rails fon a frame
or platform g secured at its corners by four tackles to the davits, of which two are on
each side of the ship.
Underneath the platform 9 is a second and similar platform k which is suspended
from the upper platform by means of books p fixed to the sides of the lower
platform and passing over guide rails on the platform g. This is clearly illustrated
in figure 2.

page_text: If the lifeboat be large and heavy, rollers could be attached to the hooks p.
The cradle or trolley d of the boat c when not in use, is secured to the platform g
by means of lashings. Four tackles at the corners of the lower bridge k serve to
connect the latter to the davits j.
When it is required to lower the boat into the water, the tackles hand on the
leeward side are loosened, the tackles on the windward side are disconnected from
the lower platform which is then moved outwards till both the platforms are in a
line, as shown in dotted lines ¹ and g¹ in figure 1. The ends of the two platforms
which are in contact, are then connected by suitable means such as hooks, dovetail
connections, loops, or bolts.
After the platforms have been lowered in the manner described, the lashings of the
boat are cut, when the trolley with the boat will run down into the water. If
the inclination of the platforms be found to be too great through the rolling of the
ship in a high sea, the speed of the boat into the water can be moderated by means
of a rope having one end secured to the ship and the other end controlled by a
person in the boat, thus giving the occupants of the boat the means of regulating
the speed.
When the apparatus is not used in cases of emergency or accident, the trolley can
be attached to a rope so that it can be drawn back on board after the boat has been
let into the water.
As the lower platform reaches into the water, it should be constructed as light
and open as possible so as to expose as little surface to the waves as possible.
As both ends of the apparatus are alike, the boats can always be lowered from the
leeward side.
In very large and high-built ships, the bulwarks can be opened to facilitate the
boats being lowered which together with the apparatus are placed on the between-
deck, and in this case the passengers can more easily get into the boats, which is an
advantage especially in emigrant vessels.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
(1.) In apparatus for lowering ships' boats the use of two platforms suspended
one above the other from the same davits in such a manner that the two platforms
can be made to form an inclined plane extending from the ship into the sea, down
which inclined plane the boat is adapted to run smoothly into the water, substantially
as hereinbefore described.
(2.) In apparatus for lowering ships' boats, the use of hooks (fitted or not with
rollers) serving to suspend a lower platform to an upper platform for the purpose
of
allowing the two platforms to be formed into an inclined plane by. loosening the
tackles provided for that purpose, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated the 5th day of November 1888.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.