IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LOWERING AND DISENGAGING SHIPS BOATS APPLICABLE FOR LOWERING AND DISENGAGING OTHER WEIGHTS to be as follows:-
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I JOHN EVELYN LIARDET of Breakspear Road Brockley in the County of Kent
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR LOWERING AND DISENGAGING SHIPS BOATS APPLICABLE FOR
LOWERING AND DISENGAGING OTHER WEIGHTS to be as follows:-
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for lowering and
disengaging ships boats applicable for lowering and disengaging other weights.
For lowering a ships boat I suspend the boat near each of its ends to the lower
block of lowering tackle as is usual. To facilitate the disengaging of the boat froin
the lowering tackles after it has been lowered I form the frame of the lower block
of each lowering tackle with a downward extension to which at a point below the
sheaves I joint a curved hook. The hook is to be passed through a ring which is
secured to the boat-the boat carries two such rings one near each of its ends.
The hook is curved upwards and is hold in an upright position by its upper end
being embraced by one arm of a lever which is pivotted to the frame of the block
at a point above the pivot of the hook. The lever is formed with another arm
which extends upwards in a vertical position or nearly so when the lower arm is
in position to embrace and hold the upper end of the hook but by turning the
lever through a small are the lower arin can be turned upwards into a position
above the hook and the hook is then free to open and release the boat. The upper
end of the vertical lever arm I make to work between guides at the upper part of
the frame of the block and the upper end of the vertical lever arm of one block
I connect by a small chain to the upper end of the vertical lever arm of the other
block. I also secure to the vertical lever arm of one of the blocks a hold fast line
by pulling upon which the upright arms of both blocks can be retained in their
vertical positions so that the hooks cannot become disengaged unless this hold fast
line is slackened.
Another line is also attached to the vertical arm of the lever of the other block
and after being passed over a pin a pulley is led back to the other end of the
boat so that the coxswain or other person in charge of the boat may have command
of both lines.
By hauling upon one line he can prevent both hooks from becoming disengaged,

page_text: By hauling upon the other he can if the boat is resting in the water
simultaneously disengage both hooks. A safety pin may if desired be passed
through the upper end of each hook so that the lever cannot be disengaged from
the hook until this pin has been withdrawn.
For lowering and disengaging other weights one block only with the disengaging
gear carried by it will usually be employed.
In place of employing safety pins in connection with the hooks by which the
boat is suspended each releasing lever may be provided with a pawl locking into a
recess provided for it upon the side of the block. Also on the side of the block
a lever or finger is provided for the purpose of lifting the pawl at the proper time.
The fingers on the two blocks are both connected with the disengaging line and
when the line is pulled the action is first to lift the pawls and then to operate the
disengaging levers.
I sometimes employ double jointed hooks in order to release with more certainty
when the boat is being towed through the water.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I JOHN EVELYN. LIARDET of Breakspear Road Brockley in the County of Kent
Engineer do hereby declare the nature. of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR LOWERING AND DISENGAGING SHIPS BOATS APPLICABLE FOR
LOWERING AND DISENGAGING OTHER WEIGHTS " and in what manner the same is
to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for lowering and
disengaging ships boats applicable for lowering and disengaging other weights.
For lowering a ships boat I suspend the boat near each of its ends to the lower
block of lowering tackle as is usual. To facilitate the disengaging of the boat
from the lowering tackles after it has been lowered I form the frame of the lower
block of each lowering tackle with a downward extension to which at a point
below the sheaves I joint a curved hook. The hook is to be passed through a
ring which is secured to the boat-the boat carries two such rings one near each of
its ends. The hook is curved upwards and is held in an upright position by its
upper end being embraced by one arm of a lever which is pivotted to the frame of
the block at a point above the pivot of the book. The lever is formed with
another arm which extends upwards in a vertical position or nearly so when the
lower arm is in position to embrace and hold the upper end of the hook but by
turning the lever through a small are the lower arm can be turned upwards into
a position above the hook and the hook is then free to open and release the boat.
Figure 1 of the annexed drawings shows the apparatus which I provide upon
the lowering block. a is a portion of the frame of the block, a sheaf or sheaves
are arranged therein as usual. b is a book carried at the lower end of the frame a.
c is a two armed lever also having its fulcrum at the lower part of the frame a.
When the longer arm of the lever c is vertical the shorter arm embraces and
retains the outer end of the hook b as the drawing indicates. d is a ring by which
the boat or other load is suspended. e and fare two lines attached to the upper
end of the lever c they pass over guides a' a' on the frame of the block. So long
as the line e is kept taut the ring & cannot escape from the hook but when this
line is released and the line fis pulled upon the ring is immediately freed and the
boat or other load falls off the tackle.
For lowering a boat two of these blocks are employed as already'stated and the
lines e and of the two blocks are connected so that they may be operated
simultaneously.
Thus the coxswain or other person in charge of the boat may have command of
both lines.
By hauling upon one line (and if desired by making it fast), he can prevent both
hooks from becoming disengaged.
By hauling upon the other he can simultaneously disengage both hooks.
I sometimes employ double jointed hooks in order to release with more certainty
when the boat is being towed through the water.

page_text: For lowering and disengaging other weights one block only with the disengaging
gear carried by it will usually be employed.
Sometimes I provide locking pawls in connection with the levers to prevent the
disengagement until the locking pawl is first lifted.
Also on the side of the block a lever or finger is provided for the purpose of
lifting the pawl at the proper time and this finger is connected with the disengaging
line. Or in the case where two blocks are connected to form a bont lowering
tackle as above described the fingers on the two blocks are both connected with
the disengaging line and when the lino is pulled the action is first to lift the pawls
and then to operate the disengaging levers simultaneously.
In Figure 2 c is the head of the lever as in Figure 1 g is a pawl connected with
this lever it engages with a notch in a piece h fixed to the frame of the block-k is
a finger it may be provided with a light spring or a weight tending to retain it in
the position shown. The releasing line fas will be seen rests upon the finger and
when the line is pullod the action is first to lift the retaining finger and then to
draw over the lever c and release the load.
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. A lowering and disengaging block provided with a lover which in one
position where it is held by a line e retains the hook b so that the load cannot
escape from it and in the other position to which it is brought by the line f
liberates the load substantially as described.
2. The combination of two such lowering and disengaging blocks forming an
apparatus for lowering and disengaging ships boats, the said blocks being
connected by a pair of lines one of which when kept taut prevents the
disengagement and the other of which when pulled upon causes the disengagement
of the hooks of both blocks substantially as described.
3. The combination with the lowering and disengaging block of a retaining
pawl locking the lever c and a liberating finger operated by the releasing
linef lifting the said pawl and releasing. the lever substantially as described.
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