AN IMPROVED SAFETY BLOCK TO BE USED FOR LOWERING SHIPS' BOATS, THE SAME BEING ADDLICADED TO OTHER D
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of Langhaugh, Galashiels, Scotland,
a Lieutenant in Her Majesty's Navy, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
SAFETY BLOCK TO BE USED FOR LOWERING SHIPS' BOATS, THE SAME BEING
ADDLICADED TO OTHER
D"
Sealed the 5th July 1859, and dated the 12th April 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
April 1859.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of Langhaugh, Galashiels, Scotland, a Lieutenant in
Her Majesty's Navy, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED SAFETY BLOCK TO BE USED FOR LOWERING SHIPS' BOATS, THE SAME
BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER LIKE OR ANALOGOUS PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
The block with its sheave or sheaves is constructed in the ordinary manner,
but attached and secured to the bottom thereof is a hook of that description
known as "tumbling hooks," the back thereof working through the stem
upon which the hook is centered, and which is slotted for that purpose.
A small metal plate is attached to to the stem so as to move freely for the
purpose of operating as a stop or pawl to prevent the back of the hook
from passing through the slotted portion of the stem. The last-mentioned
stop or pawl is kept firmly in position by means of a suitable pin, which is

page_text: passed through a hole in the stem, and which is sufficiently long to meet the
point or bill of the hook, which latter is provided with a hollow in which the
end of the pin rests. By this latter arrangement, which is called and known
to nautical persons as "a mousing," the cords or chains which may be passed
over the hook are prevented from being accidentally thrown or jerked over
the bill of the hook. The whole of these arrangements constitute the improved
safety block which is the subject of the present Invention.
When it is desired to use the block, the hook is placed in position, the stop
or pawl being held down by means of the pin as before mentioned. The boat
or other body having been lowered to the required distance, the pin is with-
drawn, and the stop or pawl drawn upwards (which may be done from above
by means of a cord or chain), when the back of the hook being liberated,
passes through the slotted stem, the bill falls, and the boat or other body is
entirely and instantaneously freed from the tackle by which it has been
lowered.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
July 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of Langhaugh, Galashiels, Scotland, a Lieutenant in Her Majesty's
Navy, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Clark,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Clark, 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
"AN IMPROVED SAFETY BLOCK TO BE USED FOR LOWERING SHIPS' BOATS, THE SAME
BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER LIKE OR ANALOGOUS PURPOSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, my executors or adminis-

page_text: trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature 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 within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters.
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, 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, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
This Invention consists of a certain improved method of constructing blocks,
whereby much greater certainty of action is obtained in lowering ships' boats
and other like or analogous operations, than by any of the contrivances now. in.
use for such purposes.
".
The block with its sheave or sheaves is constructed in the ordinary manner,.
but having attached and secured to the bottom or lower part thereof a hook
which I call a "tumbling hook," the hook being formed distinct and separate
from the stem or shank, with which it is eccentrically connected by means of
a pin or pivot, the stem or shank being slotted in order that the back of the
hook may pass through the same, as herein-after mentioned. A small metal.
plate is attached to the stem or shank, so as to move freely for the purposes
of operating as a stop or pawl, or what is known amongst nautical persons as,
a "ketch," to prevent the back of the hook from passing through the slotted.
portion of the stem or shank. The last-mentioned stop or pawl, or "ketch,"
rests against a metal block or shoulder formed on one side of the stem or
shank of the hook, and is kept firmly in position by means of a suitable pin,
which is passed through a hole in the stem or shank, and which pin is suffi-
ciently long to meet the point or bill of the hook, the latter being provided
with a hollow in which the end of the pin rests. By this latter arrangement,
which is called and known by nautical persons as "a mousing," the cords or
chains which may be passed over the hook are prevented from being acci-
dentally thrown or jerked over the bill of the hook. The whole of these
arrangements or their mechanical equivalents constitute the improved safety
block which is the subject of this Invention.
The above description will be better understood by means of the annexed
Drawings, the same letters of reference being therein used in the different.
Figures.

page_text: Figure 1 is an elevation of the block with the chain. slings of a boat. hooked!
on Figure 2 is a side or edge view of the block. A is the block, B is: the
hook secured to the block by means of metal straps, the stem on shank. being
constructed with a longitudinal slot; a is the back, and 6 the bill: of the
hook. C is the stop or pawl, or "ketch;"" is the block or shoulder on the:
stem or shank against which the stop or pawl, or "ketch," rests; D is. the
safety pin; E is the chain sling; F is the lanyard fitted from the thimble at
the top of the block to the stop or pawl, or "ketch," with the toggle d, to
which the lanyard connected with the safety pin is attached. Figure 1 shews
the hook in position with the chain slings attached, and the safety pin. forming
a "mousing" with the bill of the hook; Figure 3 is the block with the hook
reversed after the weight has been removed; and the chain slings detached;
Figure 4 is the stop or pawl, or "ketch," and safety pin with the lanyards.
attached; Figure 5 shews the hook separate from the stem or shank.
I will now proceed to explain the operation of the block when in use for
lowering boats. The blocks are fitted as lower blocks to a boat's tackles, the
boat being lowered in the usual manner from on board the ship. When
the boat is near the water, the men attending each block should simultaneously
take out the safety pins, and seize hold of the toggles. When the boat is close
to the water, the tackles are disengaged, the boat plunges into the water, and
relieves the hooks of the weight, the strain of the men upon the toggles at
the same time liberating each stop or pawl, or "ketch," from the severe bite.
of the backs of the hooks, which being thus. set at liberty pass through the
slotted stems or shanks, the bills of the hooks fall, and the boat is entirely
and simultaneously freed from the tackle by which. it has been lowered.
It will be manifest that the use of my Invention is not confined to lowering
ships' boats, but may be applied to many other purposes of an analogous
nature. In cases where several of the blocks are employed, care must of.
course be taken to secure a synchronous or simultaneous removal of the stops
or pawls, or "ketches."
Having thus described and explained the nature of the said Invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion.
that I do not claim all the several and distinct parts of the arrangements
herein-before mentioned as being novel and original, neither do I confine or
restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have described
or referred to, as variations may probably be made therefrom without deviating
from the principles or main features of my Invention; but what I consider
novel and original, and therefore claim as my Invention, are, the arrange-

page_text: ments and combinations of mechanism herein-before mentioned and described,
or their equivalents, constituting my improved safety block, and the use and
application of such arrangements and combinations, or their equivalents,
for the purposes aforesaid.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
E. P. H. VAUGHAN,
Agent for the Patentee.
W". CLARK. (L.S.)