IMPROVEMENTS IN ANCHORS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Firmin, of Bath, in the County of Somerset,
Contractor, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ANCHORS."
Sealed the 21st July 1854, and dated the 26th January 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Firmin at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th January
1854.
1, GEORGE FIRMIN, of Bath, in the County of Somerset, Contractor, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ANCHORS"
to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in forming the shaft and palms or arms of anchors,
or the shaft only, or the palms only, of cellular metal, that is to say of metal
hollowed out either by combining several ribs and fastening them together,
leaving cells or spaces between every two ribs, or by first forging the metal
solid and cutting or ploughing out parts thereof so as to form cells, or whether
produced, by rolling or by any other means. My Invention will apply to all
forms of anchors, and to those with fixed palms, and with palms which move
on the end of the shaft, and when applied to anchors with moveable palms, I
provide a bearing laterally in the shaft, to prevent strain at the joint whereon
the palms move, when one of the palms is in the ground...
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Firmin in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th
July 1854.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
George Firmin, Her special licence that I, the said George Firmin, my execu-
tors, administrators,' and assigns, or such others' as I, the said George Firmin,
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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN ANCHORS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Firmin, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 George Firmin, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is
to say-
My Invention consists in forming the shaft and arms of anchors or the
shaft only, or the arms only, cellular, that is to say, of metal hollowed out,
either by combining several ribs or plates, and fastening them together, leaving
cells or open spaces between each rib, or by first forging the metal solid, and
cutting or ploughing out parts thereof, so as to form cells or open spaces,
whether produced by rolling, forging, or by any other means. My Invention
will apply to all forms of anchors, and to those with fixed arms and palms,
and with arms and palms which move on the end of the shaft, and when
applied to anchors with moveable arms and palms, I provide a bearing laterally
in the shaft or otherwise, to prevent strain at the point whereon the arms and
palms move, when one of the points is in the ground. Figure 1 of the
Drawings hereunto annexed, represents an anchor, with moveable palms con-
structed according to my Invention; Figure 2, an end elevation of the same;
and Figure 3, a view of the shaft detached from the palms and arms. A, A, is
the shaft or shank, which is forged of the cellular shape represented by the
section in Figure 4, with the bosses B and C solid, for the purpose of having
holes drilled through their centres, for the reception of the ring bolt D and

page_text: e
stock E. The lower end of the shank is also forged solid, and afterwards
slotted out in the manner shewn and drilled, in order that it may be fitted into
corresponding recesses or slots cut through the crown part F of the arms G, G,
where it is secured by a strong bolt H, upon which the shaft is free to turn as
upon a centre. Or I form the shaft of two, three, or more plates of iron,
rolled with or without a rib on cach side, excepting at the parts B and C and
the lower end, which are left of an increased thickness. These plates are then
welded or bolted together into the cellular form indicated in Figures 6, 7, 8,
and 9. Or I form the shaft and arms of iron or of angle iron, or of a
combination of these, either firmly rivetted or welded or bolted together into
the cellular shape; G, G, are the arms, formed also cellular, as indicated by
the section in Figure 5, taken through the arm at a, a, by either forging them
out of the solid, or by welding, rivetting, or bolting plates of angle or T iron,
or plates rolled with or without a rib on each side, as shewn in Figure 10;
K, K, are the flukes, which are formed separately, and then welded or otherwise
firmly secured to the arms; L, L, are the spurs, forged separately and welded
to the arms.
In Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9, I have represented a different means of fixing
the stock upon the shaft. The central part a of the stock is a collar, slotted
out so as to fit over the plates of which the shaft is composed. It is kept in
its place by a key or bolt b; c, is a block or plate to receive the point of the
L: au chor, so as to preserve the shaft from injury.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
The forming of anchors, either wholly or in part cellular, that is to say, of
metal hollowed out, either by combining several ribs or plates, and fastening
them together by bolts, rivets, or otherwise, leaving cells or open spaces
between each rib, or by first forging the metal solid and cutting or ploughing
out parts thereof, so as to form cells or open spaces, whether produced by
rolling or by any other means.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Firmin, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-four.
GEO. FIRMIN. (L.S.)