IMPROVEMENTS IN STOWING & LOWERING SHIPS' BOATS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Illius Augustus Timmis, of No. 17, Great George St.,
Westminster, S.W., in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOWING & LOWERING SHIPS' BOATS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Illius Augustus Timmis at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd October 1881.
ILLIUS AUGUSTUS TIMMIS, of No. 17, Great George St., Westminster, S.W., in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. " IMPROVEMENTS IN STOWING &
LOWERING SHIPS' BOATS."
This Invention has for its objects improved arrangements for the stowing of ships'
boats, and also for lowering them, whereby ships' boats aro stowed more safely,
and are not so liable to be staved in by heavy seas as they have been heretofore,
and they are lowered with greater ease than formerly, and when necessary all the
boats can be lowered on one side, of course in heavy weather, on the leeward
side of the ship. With these objects in view I by preference place the boats of a
ship, or any number of them, as nearly as possible along the centre of the ship. I
also by preference put the davits along the centre of the ship, with suitable means
to secure them, and also for running the davits and boats out to either side of the
ship and lowering the boats, and also for rehauling the davits and the boats to the
centre of the ship.
I put girders, square, oval, H, T, or other convenient shape, in cross section,
made of any suitable metal or other material, from side to side of the ship, by
preference arched to the curve of the deck. They may be on the top deck, or
above it at any convenient height, or on the hurricane deck, or at any suitable
height above it.
These girders I make, by preference, of a hollow box shape in cross section, of
and
iron or steel plates, or bars of channel, angle, T, or other shaped bars, and having
a longitudinal opening in the top web or plate.
Into these girders I put trucks to carry the ship's davits, and on the trucks
(which may be part of the davits) I put two or more guide wheels, flanged or
otherwise, to guide the trucks and davits and keep them firm while working in the
girders. Of course there inay be a series of wheels or rollers fixed to the girders
to guide the trucks and davits instead of putting them on the trucks and davits.
The ends of the girders are closed, or have suitable stops to prevent the trucks
running out.

page_text: The trucks and davits may be made in one piece, of forged or wrought or cast
metal, or of plates of metal in conjunction with T, angle, and other shaped bars.
One or two davits may be fastened to one truck, and one or more trucks may run
in one girder. The girders may be varied in cross section in almost any number
of ways; for instance, one channel iron, or one H bar or angle and T bars, any or
all of thein, separate or in conjuction, and the trucks and davits may be arranged
to run on them in almost any number of ways.
I place the ship's boats as nearly as posible at the centre of the ship and on the
top of the girders, and each boat may rest on one or more girders or on trucks or
cradles or platforms supported by the girders. But by preference I have a frame-
work fastened to each pair of davits, or a separate platform to each davit, and on
the frameworks or platforms I put one or more boats with suitable gearing to
secure them.
In working the boats each davit, or each pair of davits holding one or two boats,
is drawn to the side of the ship by a rope or chain which runs fore and aft of the
davit and truck, by preference in the girder, and serves both to haul the davits and
boats to either side of the ship, and also to regulate their motion and rehaul them
to the centre of the ship, as before mentioned.
One davit or more may be fitted to work one or more boats, with revolving or
fixed framework to hold the boats; or the boats may be fixed on the deck or
girders or in any other convenient way amidships, so long as the davits are made
portable, and stowed amidships without interfering with the nature of my
Invention.
-Instead-of-having-girders-across-the-ship, I sometimes prefer to have only a
short length at either side of the ship for the truck or bottom of the davit to run
into; or, instead of the girders, I have a system of three or more rollers-(made-of-
gun metal by preference, but any suitable metal can be used), so arranged at the
sides of the ship that the bottom of the trucks or davits shall run between them,
and be held fast with suitable tackling while the boats are being used. I prefer to
have the davits in this case resting on or made part of the trucks, which, with
their frameworks or platforms holding the boats, are run from amidships to the
ship's side, and the bottoms of the davits run into the box girders or other shaped
girders, or between the rollers, as above described. The wheels of the trucks, by
preference, I make with flanges to run on small rails or guide bars, and I by
preference use a rope or chain fore and aft of the truck or davit, as before
described.
The guide chains or ropes I work either by hand, steam, or hydraulic power,
and where convenient I prefer to work all the davits, boats, &c., from one shaft,
which may be fitted with one or more universal joints to prevent straining, and I
work the shaft by steam power or other suitable and convenient means.
The davits may bo put at both sides of the ship, and the boats in the centre,
with suitable tackle and gearing to run them to either side of the ship, and it is
practicable to have an arrangement so that the boats can be lowered either direct
from the centre of the ship, or after being run to the ship's side from two or
more mastyards, or from cranes or jibs fixed in the centre or near the centre of the
ship, without in any way interfering with the nature and object of my Invention,
which is to secure the boats along the centre or near the centre of the ship, and
make them all available on either side of the ship. Of course I do not bind
myself to use any specific boat lowering apparatus.
This Invention is applicable on most kinds of steamships, and will become
increasingly useful, as they are built with less deck rigging, such as masts, shrouds,
&c., and on twin screw steamships, where all masts, yards, sails, shrouds, &c., will
before long in my opinion be done away with (for reasons which I need not explain
here, but which are well known amongst nautical men) this Invention will be
specially applicable.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Illius Augustus Timmis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st March 1882.
ILLIUS AUGUSTUS TIMMIS, of No. 17, Great George Street, Westminster, S.W.,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOWING AND
LOWERING SHIPS, BOATS,"
This Invention has for its objects improved arrangements for the stowing of
ships' boats, and also for lowering them, whereby ships' boats are stowed more
safely and are not so liable to be staved in by heavy seas as they are now and
have been heretofore, and they are lowered with greater ease than formerly, and
when necessary all the boats can be lowered on one side, of course in heavy
weather, on the leeward side of the ship.
With these objects in view I, by preference, place the boats of a ship, or any
number of them, as nearly as possible along the centre of the ship. I also, by
preference, put the davits along the centre of the ship, with suitable means to
secure thein, and also for running the davits and boats out to either side of the
ship and lowering the boats, and also for rehauling the boats and (or) davits to the
centre of the ship.
I put girders, square, oval, H, T, or other convenient shape, in cross section,
made of any suitable metal or other material, from side to side of the ship, by
preference arched to the curve of the deck. They may be on the deck (i.e., the
top deck) or at any convenient height above it.
These girders I prefer to make of a hollow box shape, either from one plate of
iron, steel, or other suitable metal, or built up with bars of angle, T, or other
suitable shapes, and I leave a longitudinal opening in the top.
Into these girders I put trucks to carry the davits, and on the trucks (which
may be part of the davits) I put two or inoro guide wheels, flanged or otherwise,
to guide and secure the trucks and davits and keep them firm while in position.
Of course there may be a series of wheels or rollers fixed in the girders to guide the
trucks instead of having them fixed to the trucks, and it is possible to dispense
with wheels and rollers altogether. The ends of the girders are closed, or have
suitable stops to prevent the trucks running out.
The trucks and davits may be made in one piece of forged, or wrought, or cast
metal, or of plates of metal in conjunction with T, angle, and other shaped bars.
One or two davits may be fastened to one truck, and one or more trucks may run
in one girder; but I prefer to put two boats on the platforms of two trucks and
davits (one davit being on each truck), and I prefer to put two girders for each
truck, as explained hereinafter.
The girders may be varied in cross section in almost any number of ways, and
the arrangement of girders, trucks, davits, and boats may be varied in an almost
endless number of ways.
I place the ship's boats on the top of the girders; each boat may rest on one or
more girders, or on trucks, or cradles, or platforms supported by the girders. By
preference, as before stated, I put two boats on the platforms, or on one platform
supported by two trucks, with suitable gearing to secure the boats, davits, and
trucks. A greater or less number of boats than two may be arranged on the same
appliances where convenient. In working the boats each davit or each pair of
davits holding one or two boats is drawn with the supporting truck or trucks to
the side of the ship by a rope or chain, which runs fore and aft of the davits and
trucks, and from side to side of the ship, and by preference is an endless rope or
chaiu returning underneath the girders (whether the girders are on the deck or

page_text: above it). This rope or chain may be worked by any suitable means, but I prefer
to have it always in position, perfectly taut, and connected with a strong
windlass, and thus make it a controlling power to regulate the motion of the
trucks, davits, and boats, and haul them to any position that they may be
wanted in.
It will thus be seen that so long as the davits, trucks, and boats are portable
and can be stowed amidships (i.c., along the centre line of the ship) and brought
into use at either side of the ship, the mechanical arrangements to effect these
objects can be varied in almost any number of ways without interfering with the
nature of my Invention. Instead of having girders across the ship (and where
they have to be placed on the deck it is often inconvenient to run the girders all
across the deck) I sometimes prefer to have only a short length of girder, or other
suitable contrivance for the trucks to run into at the sides of the ship for the
purpose of giving stability to the trucks during the lowering or raising of the
boats. In this case I have small flanged wheels on the trucks which run in small
grooves (metal by preference) across the deck and guide the trucks, davits, and
boats to the sides of the ship. The trucks, davits, and boats are, as before
described, stowed along the centre line of the ship by preference with suitable
gearing and frameworks to keep the boats away from deck lights and low deck
houses, and with proper fastenings in the shape of ropes, chains, pulley blocks, &c.,
to keep them in position, and I haul them into whatever position they are required
by a rope or chain as herein before described, but as it is inconvenient to have a
rope or chain lying on the deck I put it in a small groove (metal by preference)
running from side to side of the ship. It is possible to arrange the trucks, davits,
and ropes or chains so that they shall all be worked by one-shaft, with-one-or-more-
universal joints to prevent straining.
The davits may be put at both sides of the ship, and the boats as herein before
described, with suitable trucks and platforms to carry them, may be arranged
along the centre line of the ship and run to either side of the ship as required; or
the yards of masts, or cranes, or jibs, placed in suitable positions, may be used to
lower the boats without in any way interfering with the object of my Invention,
which is to secure ships' boats away from the sides of a ship, where they often get
stove in in heavy weather, and make them all available for the saving of life on
either side of the ship. Of course I do not bind myself to use any specific boat
lowering apparatus.
This Invention is applicable on most kinds of steamships, and will become
increasingly useful as they are built with less deck rigging. And I believe that
twin screw steam ships will gradually come into use, and all masts, yards, sails,
and ropes will be dispensed with, and this Invention will then be of the utmost
importance.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention, I will now proceed to
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, and in order that the same may be clearly understood
I have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked
the same with figures corresponding with those in the following explanation.
Figure 1 represents the deck plan of a four masted screw steamer shewing the
girders g, g, going from side to side of the ship, and the boats b, b, supported by
the platforms P, P, which rest on the trucks t, t, that run in the girders g, g. It
will be seen that two boats rest on two platforms, and one davit d is put in the
centre of each truck and platform. The trucks have four legs each, two in a girder,
and each leg runs on a pair of wheels. This arrangement gives great stability to
the trucks, davits, and boats. The endless chains or ropes r, r, serve to haul the
trucks, davits, and boats to any position along the girders.
These chains or ropes are worked by the shafts 8, 8. I prefer to use one shaft
with the necessary working gear, such as a winch, windlass, capstan, or other
motive power to work each pair of davits & boats. Of course one shaft may
work any number of trucks, davits, and boats.

page_text: When the ropes or chains e, e, are fixed to trucks running on the deck I prefer
to have a groove in the deck for them to run in. The shafts 8, 8, can be at the
side or any convenient part of the ship, and on either deck. The four girders aft,
on the poop of the ship, are on the deck, and are let into the deck planking by
preference so as to be flush with it, and by being bolted to the iron deck its strength
is increased. When the trucks carrying the davits, &c., run on the deck the
platforms are made high enough to clear deck lights and other impediments.
The remaining girders on Figure 1 rest at either end on the bulwarks, or on
stanchions if the bulwarks are too low, and on stanchions or deck houses in the
middle.
Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section of one half a truck t (with one leg / carried
by wheels running in the girder g) supporting the platform p, on which rests the
end of a boat kept in position by the chocks C, C, and wedges W, W.
I prefer
to lash the boats to the platforms, and the platforms to deck eyelets or rings.
Figure 3 is a top plan of Figure 2 with the boat left out.
Figure 4 is a cross section of Figures 2 and 3. The truck with two of its
legs 7, 1, running on the coned wheels w, w, which keep the legs in the centre of
the girders g, g, and supply a bearing against the top or bottom of the girders as
required. The bottom of the davit d is shown.
Figure 5 is a cross section of a box girder built up of plates and bars, holding a
truck t which supports a davit d. The truck is built up of wrought and cast iron
or steel, and is guided by four wheels at either end. The top, bottom, and side
thrusts are taken by the wheels as shown. Of course the number of wheels and
mode of construction of girders and trucks can be varied in almost any number of
ways without interfering with the object of this Invention. Either of the above
named girders, or any other shaped girders, may be used, either extending from
side to side across the ship, as described above, or extending partially across the
ship.
Figure 6 is a cross section of two legs 1, 1, of a truck with flanged wheels w, w,
running in grooves e, e, in the wooden deck D, which is shown in longitudinal
section. The endless rope or chain is shown also running in a groove in the deck,
and fastened to the truck by the two ropes 7, 72. g', g³, represent the bars of
Z iron which are bolted to the deck. These bars extend only partially across the
deck and give support and stability to the trucks and davits while the boats are
being lowered or raised. I prefer to use this mode of running the trucks across
the deck to using continuous girders, as it interferes less with the deck planking.
The ropes or chains rare worked by winches, windlasses, or capstans, as before
described. These partial girders may be of any suitable shape, and made of any
suitable material, and instead of girders a set of rollers or wheels, or other means,
may be used to hold the trucks and davits in position while the boats are raised or
lowered.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of a truck t with its legs 1, l, davit d, and
wheels w, w, inside the small end girder g; r, r, is the endless rope worked by the
windlass S.
Figure 8 is a double headed davit d, d, that is, two davits fixed on one truck t.
I prefer to have two davits, as one is fixed up to each boat (i.e., one davit to one
boat); thus double lowering and raising gear is fitted, and the boats can be
lowered in the smallest space of time, a necessary feature when the saving of life
is concerned. Of course there may be more than two davits on a truck, and one,
two, or more trucks in one girder or in one pair of girders. Single davits or double
davits may be carried at the sides of a ship, while the boats can be carried by
trucks and platforms, and run from side to side of the ship as required. But I
prefer to carry trucks, davits, platforms, and boats along the centre line of the ship
when they are not in use, as by that means I get their weight directly over the
line of the keel, and minimise their heeling leverage when the ship rolls.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, together
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into

page_text: practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim the stowing of ships' boats
along the centre line, or nearly along the centre line, together with suitable means
to run them or get them to either side of the ships carrying them, substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Illius Augustus Timmis, have hereunto set my 5
hand and seal, this Twenty ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
LLIUS (LS.) A. TIMMIS.