IMPROVEMENTS IN SLIPWAYS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING VESSELS FROM ONE LEVEL TO ANOTHER AND FOR TRANSPORTING AND STORING THEM "
Year: 1884

page_text: [{
I, JOHN STANDFIELD of 6 Westminster Chambers in the City of Westminster
Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN SLIPWAYS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING VESSELS FROM ONE LEVEL TO ANOTHER
AND FOR TRANSPORTING AND STORING THEM " to be as follows :—
This Invention has for its object improvements in slipways for raising and
lowering vessels and for transporting and storing them.
To raise vessels out of the water for repairs and for other purposes I employ
a slipway laid at a uniform incline and having a carriage upon it.
At the bottom of the slipway the carriage is below the water and the vessel
having been floated over it is blocked in position.
The vessel when thus secured upon the carriage lays across the line of the slipway
and it occupies this position whilst the carriage is hauled up.
The haulage can be effected by chains attached to the carriage. The chains pass
up the incline of the slipway to the furthest point to which vessels are to be raised
and then to render the detaching of links unnecessary, the chain is made to pass
into a tunnel or passage; it is drawn in by a descending weight.
The hauling apparatus consists of a pair of hydraulic presses, one immediately
above the entrance to the tunnel or passage and the other immediately below and
lodged in a cavity with the chain passing over it.
Hooks are connected with the ram of the press and they can be made to engage
with the links of the chain and to haul up the chain with the load upon it. First
one of the presses operates and raises the chain a distance nearly equal to the
stroke of the press; then the hooks connected with the ram of the other press are
caused to engage with the chain and by these the first press is relieved from the
strain and a further lift is accomplished; the ram of the first press is then caused
to return to be ready to again operate and so on.
The
Ships may be raised in this way on to platforms built across the slipway.
latform for this purpose is constructed in sections between the railway lines of the
lipway. The slipway carriage is comb like in form consisting of a series of
parallel beams each supported by wheels running ou one of the lines of rails of the
lipway. These parallel supporting beams are all connected together by agirder
[Price 6d1

page_text: running lengthwise of the carriage and across the lines of the slipway. This girder
is on the lower side of the carriage or that next the water.
When the carriage with the ship upon it is raised to the platform on which the
ship is to be deposited and stored the sections of the platform come between the
parallel supporting beams of the comb like carriage.
Then the ship can be blocked upon the platform and the blocks which support
the ship from the carriage may be removed thereby liberating the carriage to be
again used and leaving the ship upon the platform.
There may be a series of these receiving platforms one above another and the
ship on the carriage may be carried over and past the lower platforms until it
reaches the highest platform when the ship may be blocked and stored and so in
succession ships may be placed on the platforms.
Or the under carriage may carry other carriages upon it, on these the ship is
then supported and when raised it is run off end wise to the place where it is to be
stored.
Or the comb like carriage may be raised end wise in place of sideways and when
raised other separate carriages may be brought into the intervals between the
parallel girders of the slipway carriage. The ship may then be blocked on the
separate carriages and drawn off to one side broadside on along transverse ways.
Where the slipway is not of an uniform slope from end to end the comb like
carriage upon which the vessel is supported is constructed with a tipping platform
so that whilst the vessel is drawn sideways up the slipway the inclination of the
platform may be adjusted to compensate for the varying incline of the surface of
the slipway. In this way a vessel may be carried from one side of a mound to
another say from a low level canal to a high level canal over the intervening bank.
In some cases the weight of an ascending vessel may be counterbalanced by that
of a descending vessel or other counterpoise.
In these carriages the load is distributed over a large number of wheels thus:-
the load is carried at the centre of a beam each end of which is separately borne
upon the centre of another beam and each end of the lower beams is borne by
a four wheeled truck making four trucks in all with a total of sixteen supporting
wheels.

page_text: Improvements in Slipways for Raising and Lowering Vessels
from one Level to another and for Transporting and
Storing them
I, JOHN STANDFIELD of 6 Westminster Chambers in the City of Westminster
Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SLIPWAYS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING VESSELS FROM ONE LEVEL TO ANOTHER
and in what manner the same is to
AND FOR TRANSPORTING AND STORING THEM
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in slipways for raising and
lowering vessels and for transporting and storing them.
To raise vessels out of the water for repairs and for other purposes I employ a
slipway laid at a uniform incline and having a carriage upon it.
At the bottom of the slipway the carriage is below the water and the vessel
having been floated over it is blocked in position.
The vessel when thus secured upon the carriage lays across the line of the
slipway and it occupies this position whilst the carriage is hauled up.
The haulage can be effected by chains attached to the carriage. The chains pass
up the incline of the slipway to the furthest point to which vessels are to be raised
and then to render the detaching of links unnecessary, the chain is made to pass
into a tunnel or passage; it is drawn in by a descending weight.
The hauling apparatus. consists of a pair of hydraulic presses, one immediately
above the entrance to the tunnel or passage and the other immediately below and
lodged in a cavity with the chain passing over it.
Hooks are connected with the ram of the press and they can be made to engage
with the links of the chain and to haul up the chain with the load upon it. First
one of the presses operates and raises the chain a distance nearly equal to the
stroke of the press; then the hooks connected with the ram of the other press are
caused to engage with the chain and by these the first press is relieved from the
strain and a further lift is accomplished the ram of the first press is then caused to
return to be ready to again operate and so on.
Ships may be raised in this way on to platforms built across the slipway. The
platform for this purpose is constructed in sections between the railway lines of
the slipway. The slipway carriage is comb like in form consisting of a series of
parallel beams each supported by wheels running on one of the lines of rails
of the slipway. These parallel supporting beams are all connected together by a
girder running lengthwise of the carriage and across the lines of the slipway.
This girder is on the lower side of the carriage or that next the water.
When the carriage with the ship upon it is raised to the platform on which the
ship is to be deposited and stored the sections of the platform come between the
parallel supporting beams of the comb like carriage.

page_text: Then the ship can be blocked upon the platform and the blocks which support
the ship from the carriage may be removed thereby liberating the carriage to be
again used, and leaving the ship upon the platform.
There may be a series of these receiving platforms one above another and the
ship on the carriage may be carried over and past the lower platforms until it
reaches the highest platform when the ship may be blocked and stored and so in
succession ships may be placed on the platforms.
: Or the under carriage may carry other carriages upon it; on these the ship is
then supported and when raised it is run off endwise to the place where it is to be
stored.
Or the comb like carriage may be raised endwise in place of sideways and when
raised other separate carriages may be brought into the intervals between the
parallel girders of the slipway carriage. The ship may then be blocked on the
separate carriages and drawn off to one side broadside on along transverse ways.
Where the slipway is not of an uniform slope from end to end the comb like
carriage upon which the vessel is supported is constructed with a tipping platforin
so that whilst the vessel is drawn sideways up the slipway the inclination of the
platform may be adjusted to compensate for the varying incline of the surface of
the slipway. In this way a vessel may be carried from one side of a mound to
another say from a low level canal to a high level canal over the intervening bank.
In some cases the weight of an ascending vessel may be counterbalanced by that
of a descending vessel or other counterpoise.
In these carriages the load is distributed over a large number of wheels thus:-
the load is carried at the centre of a beam each end of which is separately borne
upon the centre of another beam and each end of the lower beams is borne by a
four wheeled truck making four trucks in all with a total of sixteen supporting
wheels.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation, and Figure 2 is a plan of a slip-way constructed
in accordance with my invention.
AA are a series of parallel rails laid upon an incline. B is a comb like carriage
capable of travelling upon the rails A up and down the incline; it is supported by
under carriages 61 61 each provided with four wheels. Each of the supporting
girders 6 of the comb-like carriage is carried upon two of these under carriages but
the way in which the wheels are provided in connection with these comb like
carriages may be varied. The carriage receives the ship or vessel C upon it when
it is at the lower part of an incline of the slipway at such a level as to permit of
the vessel being floated over it. The vessel is blocked and secured upon the
carriage by ordinary methods. When the vessel has been secured upon the comb
like carriage the carriage is drawn up the slipway preferably by means hereinafter
'described. The vessel is thus raised to the receiving platforms D D D. These
platforms are constructed in sections so that when the carriage is drawn up along
the rails of the slipway its supporting girders 6. 6. which project from the main
longitudinal girder of the carriage pass between the sections which compose the
receiving platform D. Hence if desired the vessel can be carried upon the carriage
over the lower receiving platform or platforms to the uppermost platform. In any
case the girders b₁ of the carriage pass between the sections of the platform on
which the vessel is to be deposited so as to place the vessel over the platform to
which it is to be transferred; blocks and shores are then applied to support the
ship securely and efficiently on the receiving platform and this having been done
the supports upon the carriage are knocked away. The carriage is then free to
retire and if need be to fetch another vessel to be laid in a similar manner.

page_text: For returning the vessels from the supporting platforms to the water the
operations are reversed; the carriage is brought up beneath the vessel with its
projecting girders b². 6. in the spaces between the sections of the receiving platform.
When the carriage is in this position blocks and sbores are introduced to support
the vessel upon it, and the blocks supporting the vessel on the receiving platform
are knocked away. The carriage is then allowed to descend the slipway and the
vessel is floated off.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation and Figure 4 is a plan of a similar arrangement,
but in this case the comb like carriage B supports an upper carriage E upon it, and
it is this upper carriage which receives the vessel. When the double carriage is at
the bottom of the slipway the vessel is floated over it and then blocked and
secured. The double carriage is then drawn up the rails of the slipway with the
load upon it until supporting rails on the under carriage coincide with the rails of
the receiving platforms F F. The upper carriage E with the ship upon it is then
run off from the comb like under carriage on to one of the receiving platforms F;
the vessel then moving in the direction of its length. The vessel may remain in
this position until it is again required.
Figure 5 is a vertical section showing the way in which I construct the comb-like
carriage B when the incline of the slipway is not uniform, where for example, there
is comparatively steep incline to above the high water mark and afterwards a
nearly level road leading to the receiving platforms. The girders 62 of the comb
like carriage are recessed in the middle and they receive upon them beams b³, b³,
which have on their under side projections semi-cylindrical in form and projecting
into the corresponding recesses in the girders b².
It is upon these upper beams 6s that the vessel is shored and supported; and
these beams at their ends are connected with the under carriage by the rack and
pinion gear 6. From end to end of the comb like carriage a long axis with worms
upon it passes. At each girder be there is a worm actuating gear 6 so that by
rotating the axis the inclination of the beams b³ to the girders 62 can be varied
simultaneously from end to end of the carriage. This adjustment is made at
the time of passing from the inclined to the flatter portion of the slipway or
vice versa.
Figure 6 is a sectional elevation illustrating the arrangement of lifting gear
which I prefer to employ. The comb like carriage has attached to it a series of
chains G G passing up the inclined way between the rails upon which the under
carriages b¹, b¹, run. When near the top of the incline the chain G is led into
a channel or passage H so that it may not be necessary to detach links from the
chain as the comb like carriage rises up the incline. Each chain is drawn forward
into the passage H by means of a weight I connected to its end by suitable tackle
as the drawing indicates. Near the top of the incline above the passage H an
hydraulic cylinder K operating a ram is provided. To this ram long hooks or side
links k¹k are connected and these are so formed as to engage with the joint pins
of the chain G.
The cylinder K is of such a length as to be able to draw up the chain a distance
equal to the length of a link or somewhat more and the chain is then taken by
other similar hooks k¹* connected with the ram of a similar bydraulic cylinder K*
lodged beneath the chain in advance of the channel or passage H.
When the cylinder K has completed its stroke the hooks * are made to engage
and the ram of the cylinder K* being set in motion at any turn operates to raise
the chain whilst the ram in the cylinder K. is allowed to re-turn ready for the next
operation.
Figure 7 shows an arrangement in which the comb like carriage B rises up the
incline of the slipway endwise so that the vessel moves in the direction of its
length. The vessel is thus brought to a position in which other carriages LL
travelling along rails laid in a transverse direction can enter between the girders b²
of the comb like carriage B. When these carriages are beneath the ship which

page_text: has been raised upon the carriage B it is securely blocked and shored upon them,
and the blocks which previously supported it on the carriage B are removed.
The ship when thus supported upon the carriages L is drawn to one side into any
position where it may conveniently remain until again wanted.
In place of supporting carriages L L L it may in some cases be convenient to
employ a second comb like carriage similar to B.
Figure 8 shows an arrangement in which I employ a carriage or carriages to
transfer a vessel from a canal or water course at a higher level to another at lower
level or vice versa. The vessel is blocked upon a carriage in the manner already
described, and the carriage is drawn up the incline to the top of the intervening
bank. The vessel is kept upright in passing over the bank by the adjustment of
the carriage already described in respect to Figure 5 and the vessel is lowered
again into the water on the other side of the bank.
A descending carriage may be connected by chains passing over pulleys with
an ascending carriage and so the power necessary to work the apparatus may be
economized.
Or the ascending carriage may be aided by, a counterpoise descending the incline
on the other side of the bank.
Figure 9 shows an arrangement of carriage which is suitable to carry a boat or
small vessel. This carriage consists of a beam M on which the boat or vessel rests
in a longitudinal position. The beam M can rock upon another beam N beneath,
and the ends of this under beam rest upon other beams OO each of which is
sustained in the manner shown by two four wheeled trucks P P.
Spur or other gear is provided in connection with the beam M by means of
which it may be set to incline to any desired angle in relation to the roadway
beneath; so that the vessel may be maintained as nearly as may be on an even
keel in passing over the bank.
Figure 10 shews a carriage adapted to a vessel of larger size. Here the beam O
which receives the vessel in the same way as the beam M in Figure 9 is provided
with two projections on its under side by which it rests upon two separate under
beams N N and each of these is carried by other beams and wheeled trucks in the
manner which the drawing indicates. The weight of the vessel therefore is
distributed over a large number of wheels.
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 slipway with parallel lines of rails carrying a comb like carriage on
which the vessel is supported at a sufficient number of points leaving free spaces
between the points of support substantially as described.
(2). A slipway with parallel lines of rails and a carriage on which the vessel is
supported at a sufficient number of points and a sectional receiving platform
through the intervals of which the carriage with the vessel upon it can pass
substantially as described.
(3). A slipway with passages near the top of the incline to receive the hauling
chains and with hydraulic cylinders operating alternately to advance the chains
substantially as described.
(4). A slipway with parallel lines of rails and a carriage in two parts upper and
under the whole so arranged that the vessel having been received upon the double
carriage this with its load may be drawn along the slipway and then the upper
carriage with the vessel upon it moved off from the lower carriage and along other
lines of rails substantially as described.
(5). A slipway with comb like carriage on which the vessel is raised endwise
and with transverse rails and another carriage or carriages entering the intervals
of the slipway carriage there receiving the vessel and carrying it away substantially
as-described.

page_text: (6). A slipway variously inclined in its different parts with parallel lines of
rails and a carriage with a tipping platform on which the vessel is received with
its length crosswise to the rails; the whole so arranged that the vessel may be
kept upright whilst travelling along the slipway by the adjustment of the platform
substantially as described.
(7). A slipway carriage in which the load is carried at the centre of a beam
which again is borne on either side upon the centre of another beam resting at its
ends on wheeled trucks substantially as described.