IMPROVEMENTS ON A CAPSTAN
Year: 1786

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
NICKLESON ALLEN, of Pool, in the the County of Dorset, Ironmonger, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date the
Twenty-seventh day of February, in the twenty-sixth year of His reign, give
and grant unto me, the said George Nickleson Allen, His especial licence
that I, the said George Nickleson Allen, during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
ON A CAPSTAN," which I conceive will be of great publick utility; in which
said Letters Patent there is contained a provisoe, obliging me, the said
George Nickleson Allen, under my hand and seal, to cause a particular
description of my said Invention, and how the same is to be performed, to be
inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within one calendar
month after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same
(relation being thereunto had) may more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said provisoe, I, the said
George Nickleson Allen, do hereby declare that my said Invention of Im-

page_text: provements on a Capstan, which I conceive will be of great publick utility, is
described in the Plans thereof hereunto annex'd.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Nickleson Allen, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this 2.d day of March, 1786.
GEORGE NICKLESUN ALLEN.
(L.8.)
DESCRIPTION.
This Invention consists of 2 wheels, of iron or any other strong substance,
as described in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.
Figure 1 represents the lower wheel, to be fixed and let into the partners of
the deck, with sixteen holes for the pawls to drop into, as described below.
Figure 2 represents the upper wheel to be fastned and let into the under
side of the capstan ; pawls are here shewn; the other 6 to act in a contrary
direction must be placed on the opposite side.
Figure 3 describes (in the manner of a section) the exact circumference
of both wheels, divided into ninety-six equal parts. On the upper wreathe
are 12 pawls or stops, to stop or prevent the capstan from recoiling. 6 of
these pawls act when the capstan moves in one direction, the other 6 when
the capstan moves in the contrary direction. These pawls are not at equal
distances, but must be placed exactly as here described. On the wheel are
sixteen vacancys or holes at equal distances, into which the pawls alternately
fall. Example. Suppose the capstan moving to the right and the pawl
No. 1 fallen down and ready to act against the stop No.: in moving 1
division the pawl No. 2 falls before the stop No. 4, another division; and the
pawl 3 is at stop 7, a third; and pawl 4 is at stop 6, a fourth; and pawl 5 is
at stop 3, a fifth; and pawl 6 is at stop 9; and when the wheel moves over
a sixth division the pawls are to act in turn again, pawl No. 1 being at
stop 2; pawl 2 at stop 5, and to on, as long as the capstan is moved. Other
numbers of pawls and stops may be used.
Figure 4 describes a sliding bolt to act in a groove on the outside of the
wheel. It has 6 pins, which, corrisponding with a groove in each pawl,
the pawls are, by moving the bolt, either fastned up or relieved to act at
pleasure.
N. B. These Drawings, on a scale of one inch to the foot, are suitablo
to a ship of 100 guns. These apply to the upper wheel of the capstan ;
for the under wheel they must be less, which the capstan in all case will
describe.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-third day of March, in
the year above mentioned, the said George Nickleson Allen came before
our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above mentioned. And also the Specification aforesaid was stampt according
the tenor of the Statute made in the sixth year of the reign of Their
Majesties King William and Queen Mary of England, and so forth. .
Inrolled the Twenty-fifth day of March, in the year above written.