Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1887
Complete Left, 30th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1888
I, WILLIAM HORATIO HARFIELD, of Mansion House Buildings, in the city of
London, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in ships' riding-bitts.
Hitherto it has been necessary when four cables are used to have a separate riding-
bitt for each cable in consequence of the battledores which divide the turns of the
cable being fixed on one side of the riding-bitt only.
Now my improvements consist in making the battledores reversible so that the cable
can be bitted on either side as required by simply changing the position of the
battledores.
By this arrangement is only necessary to place one of my improved riding-bitts
between each pair of cables (for either of which it will serve) instead of having a
separate riding-bitt for each cable.
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: I, WILLIAM HORATIO HARFIELD, of Mansion House Buildings, in the city of
London, Mechanical Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in ships' riding-bitts.
Hitherto it has been necessary when four cables are used to have a separate riding-
bitt for each cable in consequence of the battledores which divide the turns of the
cable being fixed on one side of the riding-hirt only.
Now my improvements consist in making the battledores reversible so that the
cable can be bitted on either side as required by simply changing the position of the
battledores.
By this arrangement it is only necessary to place one of my improved riding-bitts
between each pair of cables (for either of which it will serve) instead of having a
separate riding-bitt for each cable.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can
be carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1 is a sectional elovation and
Figure 2 a plan of a ships' riding bitt provided with a reversible battledore
according to my invention.
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views to Figures 1 and 2 shewing a ships' riding-bitt
provided with two reversible battledores.
Similar letters in all the figures indicate similar parts.
Referring to the Figures 1 and 2, A is the reversible battledore which is passed
into and fits two slots or holes formed opposite each other in the cylinder or body B
of the bitt. The battledore is held to the bitt by means of flanges C formed thereon
and a taper cotter D passed through a slot therein. The two holes or slots in the
body B of the bitt I make alike and also the parts of the battledores that have to lie
in them so that if required the battledore can be removed from the left hand side of
the bitt and be placed on the right hand side thereof as shown by the dotted lines
at A' thus allowing a cable to be bitted on either side and enabling one riding-bitt to
serve for two cables whereas formerly a separate riding-hitt was required for each
cable. The form and number of the slots in the body of the bitt can be modified
provided they are alike and are placed opposite one another and the battledores are
shaped to correspond.
Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a ships' riding-bitt fitted with two reversible battledores
which allow the cables to be double bitted or two turns of the same to be taken round
the bitt.
It will be obvious that instead of the battledores being constructed so that they
have to be taken out of their slots or holes in order to reverse them, they can b
arranged to slide through the said slots or holes so that by pushing the projecting end

page_text: of the battledore inwards the other end thereof will be projected from the opposite side
of the bitt and vice-versa.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A ships' riding-bitt having its battledore or battledores made reversible or capable
of being moved to either side of the bitt as herein before described.
2. The improved riding-bitts hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawing.