Improvements in Boat Disengaging Gear.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 29th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 2nd Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boat Disengaging Gear.
We, WALTER HENRY WILSON and WILLIAM JAMES PIRRIE of Queens Island,
Belfast, Ireland, Shipbuilders, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows
:-
This invention has for its object improvements in boat disengaging gear.
In the lower part of the boat and parallel to the keel an axis is arranged, it
is mounted in suitable bearings and has a handle upon it about midships by
which it can be turned through an angle of 45 degrees, more or less. Upon this
axis there are two crank armis, one near either end and from each crank a con-
necting rod rises and is jointed to one arm of a right angle lever. The lever is
jointed at the angle to the upper end of a bolt which descends down through the
keel and is securely fastened so as to be able to sustain the weight of the loaded
boat.
A
The other or upper end of the right angle lever has a hook like head and a ring
upon the lower block of the boat lowering tackle is received under this head.
weighted locking pawl jointed to the thwart of the boat allows the ring to be
passed on to the hook but so long as the hook remains in place prevents its escape.
The form of the head of the hook is also such that the ring cannot escape from it so
long as the weight of the boat hangs by the hook.
When however the weight of the boat is waterborne or nearly so, it becomes
possible to move the lever handle; the heads of the hooks then recede from the
locking pawls and the rings of the tackle blocks are set free. To ensure this lugs
are provided upon the thwarts which prevent the rings being carried back by the
hooks as they retire.
The lever handle does not require to be lashed as it cannot be moved at a wrong
time. After releasing the boat the handle has only to be moved back again and
all is ready for hooking on.
Datod this 28th day of Nov 1801
WALTER H. WILSON.
W. J. PIRRIE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boat Disengaging Gear.
We, WALTER HENRY WILSON and WILLIAM JAMES PIRRIE, of Queens
Island, Belfast, Ireland, Shipbuilders, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In boat disengaging gear in which hooks at the two ends of the boat are used to.
connecting them to the falls and can when the boat is waterborne be released
simultaneously by turning a longitudinal axis within the boat-we make the
disengaging gear so that after releasing the boat the axis has only to be moved
back again and all is ready for hooking on.
The drawings annexed to the Specification show two ways in which this can be
done.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the boat.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the boat.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the disengaging gear.
Figure 4 is an end elevation of the disengaging gear.

page_text: Figures 5 and 6 are similar views of a modified construction of the disengaging
gear.
In the lower part of the boat and parallel to the keel an axis A is arranged, it is
mounted in suitable bearings B B and has a handle C upon it about midships by
which it can be turned through an angle of 45 degrees, more
or less. Upon
this axis A. there are two crank armis D D one near either end and from each
crank a connecting rod E rises and is jointed to one arm of a right angle lever F.
The lever F is jointed at the angle to the upper end of a bolt G which descends
down through the keel and is securely fastened so as to be able to sustain the
weight of the loaded boat.
The pin
which connects the lever to the top of the bolt G also connects it
to the projections R R on the underside of the plate S carrying the lugs M and N
hereafter mentioned.
The other or upper end of the right angle lever F has a hook like head H
and a ring upon the lower block K of the boat lowering tackle is received under
this head H. A weighted locking pawl L jointed to the thwart of the boat allows
the ring to be passed on to the hook II but so long as the hook H remains in
place prevents its escape. The form of the head of the hook His also such that
the ring cannot escape from it so long as the weight of the boat hangs by the hook.
When however the weight of the boat is waterborne or nearly so, it becomes
possible to move the lever handle C; the heads of the hooks H H. then recede
from the locking pawls L L and the rings JJ of the tackle blocks are set free.
To ensure this lugs N N are provided upon the thwarts which prevent the rings J J
being carried back by the hooks H H as they retire.
The lever handle C does not necessarily require to be lashed as it cannot be
moved at a wrong time without applying very great force, say of two men.
In Figures 3 and 4 the disengaging mechanism is shown closed with the ring.J
engaged by the hook H.
The,ring J is released by turning the handle C making the lever F and hook H.
assume the position shown in dotted lines.
After the ring J has been released the lever F and hook H are moved back to
their former positions and the ring J can again be engaged by depressing the pawl L
as shown in dotted lines.
We may dispense with the locking pawl L and make the right angle lever F do
two duties as in Figures 5 and 6. In this case instead of fastening the end of the
connecting rod E to the lever F, we make a countersunk hole at the end of the
lever F in which a ball O at the end of the rod E works; and we also fix a weight P
to the right angle lever F to bring the hook back to the engaging position when
freed so that when it is wished to engage the ring the weight P must be
raised as shown in dotted lines Figures 5 and 6 and the ring J placed between
the lugs M and N; the weight P being then released the ring J is engaged by
the hook H.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. In boat disengaging gear in which hooks at the two ends of the boat are used
'for connecting them to the falls and can when the boat is partially waterborne be
released positively and simultaneously by turning a longitudinal axis within the
boat, the construction of the disengaging gear in such a manner that when the
boat has been disengaged by moving the axis and when the axis has been moved
back again the ring on the lower fall can be engaged with either hook without again
moving the axis substantially as described.
2. The combination in boat disengaging gear of a pair of suspending hooks
controlled by a handle in the boat; a pair of rings or their equivalents connected
with the boat falls and which engage with the hooks; locking pawls which hold
the rings upon the hooks so long as the hooks remain in place; and lugs or stops

page_text: which keep back the rings whilst the hooks are withdrawn from them by the
movement of the handle.
3. In boat disengaging gear a pair of pivotted suspending hooks which can be
released from a pair of rings or their equivalents connected with the boat falls by
a handle on the longitudinal axis in the boat and which return to their former
positions by their own weight when the handle is moved back substantially as
described.
4. Boat lowering gear substantially as described and illustrated in the annexed
drawings.
Dated this 24th day of February 1892.
WALTER H. WILSON.
W. J. PIRRIE.