Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Nov., 1886.
Complete Left, 17th Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 27th Sept., 1887.
I EDWARD JACOB HILL of 6 Westminster Chambers Victoria Street in the City
of Westminster Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
:-
My Invention relates to improved apparatus whereby ships' boats may be detached
or released at the moment of being completely waterborne and not before, either
automatically or otherwise as desired, the arrangement in either case being such
that the boat cannot be released either intentionally or accidentally so long as the
weight of the boat is either wholly or partially borne by the lowering tackle, but
which will permit of the simultaneous release of the tackle at both ends of the boat
immediately the latter is completely waterborne, the release being effected either
by hand from the deck of the ship or from the boat or automatically as may be
preferred.
The apparatus consists of fore and aft hooks fixed near the bow and stern of the
boat respectively, and in the combination therewith of locking devices acting both as
cradles or carriers for disconnecting the tackles from the hooks when the boat is
waterborne and also as mousings for the hooks. These locking devices are each
movable to a limited extent in the direction of the plane of the hook, and are of such
form as to embrace the lower part of the ring or other attachment to the running
block of the tackle when engaged with the hook, so as to carry the said ring with it
when moved from beneath the hook which cannot, however, take place so long as the
weight of the boat is supported by the hook. The operation is such also that the ring
cannot be engaged with the hook except by at same time moving the carrier into
such position that it will act as a mousing or locking device. The two locking devices
are connected by a flexible connection running along the bottom of the boat whereby
the release of the tackle at the stern end is caused to take place simultaneously with
that at the bow end.
The locking and releasing devices above referred to are operated by a releasing line
or other light connection attached to one of them, the releasing line being either
under the control of the officer on board ship, or of a man in the boat, or it may have
a weight or spring attached if intended to be actuated automatically.

page_text: The hooks are adapted for the attachment of a common ring, thimble, or hook
attached to the running block of the tackle, and are of such form that, so long as
under ordinary circumstances the strain due to the weight of the boat is borne by
either of the tackles, neither ring, thimble, or hook will tend to or can be caused to
slip off the point of its hook.
The operation of the above described apparatus is such that it is obligatory to hook
on the bow end of the boat before the stern is hooked on previous to raising the boat
out of the water, this being an essential condition of safety.
Instead of employing hooks of the form above referred to and locking devices
acting as carriers for disengaging the tackles from the hooks fixed lugs or shackles
may be substituted for the hooks and locking or mousing pins for the shackles, the
pins being however connected and operated in a similar way to that above described.
And, instead of sliding pins, pivoted locking devices similarly operated may be
used.
ດດ
1 1
CAT
1000
E. J. HILL.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.
I, EDWARD JACOB HILL of 6, Westminster Chambers Victoria Street in the City
of Westminster, 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:-
:-
My Invention relates to improved apparatus whereby ships' boats may be detached
from the fore and aft tackles with certainty, and therefore with safety, at the moment of
being completely water-borne and not before, the detaching being effected either auto-
matically or otherwise as desired. The arrangement of the apparatus whether the detaching
be effected automatically or not, is such that neither end of the boat can be intentionally
or accidentally released so long as the weight of the boat or of either end thereof, is
borne by the lowering tackle. The detaching can only be effected when the boat is
completely waterborne, and both ends of the boat must necessarily be released at the
same instant.
The apparatus consists in the combination with hooks fixed near the bow and stern
of the boat respectively, of devices acting both as carriers for the lower block rings

page_text: of the tackle and also as mousings for the hooks. Each of these devices is movable to
a limited extent in the direction of the plane of the hook, and is of such form as to
engage with the ring or link of the running block and move it at the proper moment
from beneath the hook. This disengagement of the ring from the hook cannot
however, be effected so long as the weight of the boat is supported thereby, and the
carriers of the two hooks are so connected that neither ring can be disengaged so long
as the hook at the other end of the boat bears any of the weight, but both will be
disengaged simultaneously when both are relieved of weight. Moreover, the ring.
cannot be engaged with the hook except the carrier be moved into such position that
it will act as a mousing for the hook. Instead of sliding, pivoted carriers or locking
devices similarly operated may be used. Instead of hooks and carriers, fixed lugs or
shackles may be substituted for the hooks, and locking or mousing pins for the
carriers, the pins being however, connected and operated in a similar way to that
above described.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specifi-
cation; wherein figure 1 is an elevation shewing the invention applied at the bow
and stern of a boat, the tackles being engaged and the parts locked in position as
when the boat is slung from the davits. Figure 2 is a partial section (on a large
scale) of the bow-hook, with the addition of one form of automatic releasing gear, the
tackle being connected to the hook and the carrier locked. Figure 3 is an elevation of
figure 2, at the moment of being detached. Figure 4 is a cross section on line 1-1
figure 3. Figure 5 is a side elevation, and figure 6 an end view, of a hook provided
with a pivoted, instead of a sliding, carrier. Figures 7 and 8 are side and end views
of another modification.
Referring to figures to 4, A are the hooks, each, for convenience of manufacture,
rigidly jointed at 6 to the forked end of a bolt B passing through the end thwart or
other fixed support and secured to the keel. The two hooks are fixed in a fore and
aft direction with their points both directed towards the bow. Each hook is adapted
for the attachment of a common ring thimble or hook Cattached to the running
block D of the tackle and it is of such form at its point a that, so long as under
ordinary circumstances, the strain due to the weight of the boat is borne by it the
ring thimble or hook C. will tend to remain engaged in the hook. E is the carrier
and mousing, consisting of a metal plate fitted to slide through a slot formed through
the back of the hook A which is slightly extended to afford sufficient strength to the
hook and length of bearing for the plate, the plate being also guided by a groove a¹
made in the nose or point a of the hook and by a groove a made in an extension of
the lower part of the hook, the direction of motion of the sliding plate being fore and
aft or in the direction of the plane of the hook; the extent of this motion being
limited by a suitable stop such as a cross-pin f passing through a slot f¹ in the plate.
The plate E has a U-shaped notch e in its upper edge in which is received the lower
part of the ring etc. C, and which notch in the one extreme position comes directly
under the head of the hook, as in figure 2, and in its other position comes beyond the
nose of the hook, as in figure 3. G is a locking pin to be inserted in a hole g at the
rear end of the plate E after hooking on the boat before raising it out of the water,
this pin being withdrawn when the boat is about to be lowered. The rear end of the
carrier E at the bow end, is attached by a line H to the front end of the carrier at
the stern end, and the rear end of the latter is connected to the fore end of former by
a second line I passing around sheaves i at the bow and stern, the two lines passing
along the centre of the boat. By this connection, the motion of the two carriers
is rendered simultaneous.
In figure 1, the detaching of the boat is effected at the proper moment, by pulling
a releasing line or handle K attached to one of the two lines H, I, as in figure 1, if
the release is to be under the control of the officer in charge of the boat. The
releasing line K may be carried through a sheave and held by an officer on deck. If
the detaching is to be performed automatically a weighted lever L is applied, as in
figures 2 and 3, to act on one of the connecting lines H or I; or a spring M is
connected to the carrier at the bow end (as shewn in figure 5 applied to another form

page_text: of carrier) and to a fixed point in which case the second line I completing the circuit
would not be used.
In figures 5 and 6, the carrier Ę instead of sliding through the hook is pivoted, so
as to oscillate on the centre band works alongside the hook (which is rigid on the
said centre b) at each side thereof, the carrier consisting in this case, of a pair of
U-shaped pieces formed of one piece of metal or so connected as to work together as
one, the operation being similar to that of the arrangement before described, the
two extreme positions of the carrier being represented in full and dotted lines in
figure 5.
In figures 7 and 8, a pair of lugs or ears N and a sliding bolt P are substituted for
the hook A and carrier E, the shackle C attached to the running block being received
between the ears and engaged by the bolt which slides through the ears, as shewn.
With the bolt P is combined a second sliding rod R which limits the rearward
motion of the bolt P and serves as a means of attaching the connecting line which
cannot in this case, be attached directly to the point of the bolt P. Otherwise, the
arrangement and operation of the connecting lines is the same as before described.
This rod R slides through the ears and passes beneath the shackle C.
Instead of a rod sliding through the ears, a U-shaped yoke sliding at either side
thereof, may be used. This form of gear like the other two, may be disengaged
automatically or not, as before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is ;-
1. In a boat-detaching gear, the combination with a hook affixed to the boat, of a
sliding or pivoted piece moving through or alongside of the hook and adapted to
engage with the ring or other attachment of the tackle block and act as a carrier
whereby the same may be disengaged from the hook when no strain is on it, and as a
mousing or locking device for the hook for retaining the said ring in the hook,
substantially as specified.
2. The herein described combination of boat detaching gear consisting of fore and
aft devices adapted to engage with, and act as a means of disconnecting the tackle
ring from the hook and also as mousings for the hooks, the said devices being
connected together so that they must be simultaneously operated, substantially as
specified.
3. The herein described combination of boat detaching gear consisting of pairs of
lugs one at each end of the boat, each provided with a sliding bolt or pin for engage-
ment with the tackle ring, the two bolts or pins being connected together, so as to be
simultaneously operated, as specified.
4. The combination with a boat-detaching gear constructed and operating in either
of the ways herein specified, of a weight or spring so applied as to effect the release
of the boat automatically, as specified.
Dated this 17th day of Ananet 1887