IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUNTING SHIPS' DAVITS, AND IN APPA- RATUS TO FACILITATE STOWING AND LOWERING BOATS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Josiah Latimer Clark and Edward Jacob Hill,
both of Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster, for the In-
vention of IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUNTING SHIPS' DAVITS, AND IN APPA-
RATUS TO FACILITATE STOWING AND LOWERING BOATS."
Sealed the 21st August 1875, and dated the 11th March 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Josiah Latimer Clark
and Edward Jacob Hill at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th March 1875.
We, JOSIAH LATIMER CLARK and EDWARD JACOB HILL, both of
Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUNTING SHIPS' DAVITS,
AND IN APPARATUS TO FACILITATE STOWING AND LOWERING BOATS," to be as
follows:
Our first improvement consists in placing the davits on rails fixed
overhead from the side of the ship to a support on deck, both davits
being carried on a frame or trolly running on the rails, so that they move
out and in together. The rails consist of strong bars of iron of any con-

page_text: venient section, supported at one end by uprights fixed on the side of
the ship, and at the other end to the deck houses or other supports
placed near the centre of the ship, at about the usual height of ordinary
skid rails, or they may, if required, be fixed on or near the deck. The
davits are usually short, so as just to suffice to allow the boat to lie
within their bend. Both davits are fixed on a frame, which is fitted on
rollers so that the frame and its davits can traverse out and in upon the
rails, carrying the boat with them. The rollers are fixed on the frame
at the base of the davits, some above and some below the rail, so that
the davits cannot capsize; or they may work within the rail in grooves
provided for that purpose. In some cases the two work independently of
each other, the base of each being widened so as to clasp the rail on both
sides, the rollers working above and below as before.
Our second improvement consists in causing the chocks which support
the boat when inboard to traverse on the rails in conjunction with the
davits until the boat is swung over the side, when the chocks hang down
out of the way, and are afterwards drawn back into their place when the
boat is raised and hauled back.
Our third improvement consists of a means of lowering the two falls
together. This is effected by means of an axle fixed on the davit frame
and passing from side to side. At each end of this axle is fixed a
bollard or roller, these bollards being both of the same size and form.
While the boat is lying on the davits each fall is passed two or three
times around its bollard, so that when the boat has to be lowered the
two falls working together round the bollards both pass out at the same
speed, and the boat descends on an even keel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Josiah Latimer Clark and Edward Jacob Hill in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th September 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSLAH 3
LATIMER CLArk and EdwarD JACOB HILL, both of Victoria Street, in
the City of Westminster, send greeting.

page_text: our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto we, the said Josiah Latimer Clark and Edward
Jacob Hill, Her special licence that wo, the said Josiah Latimer Clark
and Edward Jacob Hill, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Josiah Latimer Olark and Edward Jacob
Hill, our 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUNTING SHIPS' DAVITS, AND IN APPARATUS TO FACILITATE
STOWING AND LOWERING BOATS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said Josiah Latimer Clark and Edward Jacob Hill, our executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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 we, the said Josiah Latimer Clark and Edward
Jacob Hill, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had
to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, that is to say :-
:-
Our first improvement consists in placing the davits on rails fixed
overhead from the side of the ship to a support on deck, both davits
being carried on a frame or trolly running on the rails, so that they move
out and in together. The rails consist of strong bars of iron of any
convenient section, supported one end by uprights fixed in the side of
the ship, and and at the other end to the deck houses or other supports
placed near the centre of the ship at about the usual height of ordinary
skid rails, or they may, if required, be fixed on or near the deck. The
davits are usually short, so as just to suffice to allow the boat to lic
within their bend. Both davits are fitted with rollers, so that the davits
can traverse out and in upon the rails, carrying the boat with them.
The rollers are fitted at the base of the davits, some above and some

page_text: below the rail, so that the davits cannot capsize; or they may work
within the rail in grooves provided for that purpose. In some cases the
two work independently of each other, the base of each being widened
so as to clasp the rail on both sides, the rollers working above and below
as before.
Our second improvement consists in causing the chocks which support
the boat when inboard to traverse on the rails in conjunction with the
davits until the boat is swung over the side, when the chocks hang down
out of the way, and are afterwards drawn back into their place when the
boat is raised and hauled back.
Figure 1 is an end elevation, and Figure 2 is a longitudinal elevation
of the pair of davits, the rails on which they are supported being repre-
sented in section on line 1-1, Figure 1.
A, A, are the rails fixed at a convenient height from the deck, and
supported at the outer ends on uprights B, and at the inner ends on
similar uprights, or on the deck houses, or otherwise. The rails are fixed
in a sloping position, the inner ends being higher than the outer ends, in
order that the davits and boat may be readily run out to the side of the
ship when it is required to lower the boat. C, C, are the davits, each
provided with rollers D, of which there may be any convenient number,
say, one above and two below the rail A, disposed as shown, the rollers
being preferably carried in a kind of frame C' forming the base of the
davit, and forked to clasp the rail on either side, as shown.
Instead of the rollers being placed above and below, the rail may be
of I or form in cross section, and the rollers may work in the groove
between the top and bottom flanges. The two davits are preferably
connected rigidly together by longitudinal bolts E. The chocks F on
which the boat is supported when inboard are also fitted with rollers G
to run on the rails A, and the chocks are connected to the davits C by a
chain or other connection H. The chocks F are provided with down-
wardly projecting flanges to keep them on the rails when the boat is
resting upon them.
To ensure the tackle falls running out equally we prefer to pass the
falls I two or three times round bollards or rollers K fixed at onposite

page_text: 1.
ends of an axle L mounted in the frames O' of the davits, as shown.
The two bollards K, K, are of the same size and form, so that when the
boat is lowered the two falls working together round the bollards will
both pass out at the same speed, and the boat will descend on an even
keel.
Having described the nature of the Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, we declare that what we claim as the Invention to be
protected by thic herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. Mounting the davits to traverse in and out along rails disposed as
described, substantially as set forth.
2nd. The use, in combination with davits mounted to traverse along
rails as described, of chocks also fitted to run on the rails and move out
with the davits and boat, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Josiah Latimer Clark, for myself,
and on behalf of the said Edward Jacob Hill, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.