AN IMPROVED DETACHING HOOK
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED DETACHING HOOK."-A communication from abroad by Samuel
Brown and Leon Level, both of New York City, in the United States of
America.
Sealed the 30th April 1867, and dated the 7th December 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th December 1866.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED DETACHING Hoox," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates principally to the launching of boats from the sides
of vessels, but it may be applied to other purposes, and it consists in con-
structing and operating a peculiar shaped detaching hook, whereby the ends
of a boat may be instantly and simultaneously detached by the simple move-
ment of a lever by one man, and the boat safely launched whether the vessel
is at rest or under weigh, as will herein-after be described.
Figure 1 of the Drawing represents a side elevation of this detaching hook
as it appears when in use; Figure 2 is a view of the same after the boat has
been disengaged, with a portion of the standard broken away to show the
joint; Figure 3 is a detail view of the standard showing the edge; Figure 4

page_text: represents a diminished view of a central longitudinal vertical section of the
book and apparatus as applied to a boat. Similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts in the several Figures.
A, Figure 1, represents the ship's tackle to which the boat is suspended;
B represents the detaching hook formed of three pieces a, b, c; C is the
standard; a is a bent lever passing through the standard as seen at d. In the
mortise or slot in C through which the lever a passes there is a bolt e which
forms the fulcrum for the lever, and which attaches the two together; this
slot is sufficiently long to allow the lever the necessary play. The shackle
hook is attached to the top of the standard by a forked connection, as seen
in Figure 3, where it is allowed to turn freely, the two being substantially
secured together by a bolt f; this shackle hook is round in form, somewhat
tapering, and circular longitudinally. When in position, as seen in Figure 1,
the hook of the tackle draws upon its strongest portion and near the
standard; near the end of the bent lever a there is a hole which slips over
the end of the shackle hook and holds it in the position seen in Figure 1. The
lower end of the standard C is forked, having a bolt through it, as seen at g,
Figure 3; this forms a connection for a rod or bolt by which the standard is
attached to the bottom of the boat. The upper portion of the standard is
supported by the seat, as seen in Figure 4; the detaching arrangement is
seen in Figure 4. The lower end of the lever a is attached to a rod h forming
a joint at J, the arrangement being the same at each end of the boat. Near
the centre of the boat or through one of the seats there is a lever m attached
to the bottom of the boat by a joint connection, as seen at n, Figure 4. The
rods h are attached to this lever, as seen in the Drawing at o, which gives this
lever a great purchase upon the detaching hook; this lever m is supported
by one of the seats and kept in place by a pin or in
other suitable manner.
From the description already given in connection with the Drawings the
operation will at once be understood. A movement of the lever m to the
right (as seen in the Drawing) simultaneously liberates both ends of the boat;
this requires but a slight exertion of force by one man, as the result is
obtained by a compound lever purchase.
any
I do not confine myself to any particular manner of adjustment to the
boat of any portion of the apparatus, nor do I confine myself to any par-
ticular material or materials to be used in constructing this detaching hook.

page_text: ;
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th June 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, of such others as I.
the said William Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigus, 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 "AN IMPROVED DETACHING HOOK," a communication to me from abroad
by Samuel Brown and Leon Level, both of New York City, in the United
States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Clark, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, 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 I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates principally to the launching of boats from the sides
of vessels, but it may be applied to other purposes. It consists in con-
structing and operating a peculiar shaped detaching hook, whereby the ends
of a boat may be instantly and simultaneously detached by the simple move-
ment of a lever by one man, and the boat safely launched whether the vessel
is at rest or under weigh, as will herein-after be described.

page_text: Figure 1 represents a side elevation of this detaching book as it appears
when in use; Figure 2 is a side view of the same after the boat has been
disengaged, with a portion of the standard broken away to show the joint;
Figure 3 is a detail view of the standard showing the edge; Figure 4 repre-
sents a diminished view of a central longitudinal section of the hook and
apparatus as applied to a boat. Similar letters of reference indicate cor-
responding parts in the several Figures.
.A, Figure 1, represents the ship's tackle to which the boat is suspended;
B represents the detaching hook formed of three pieces a, b, c; C is the
standard; a is a bent lever passing through the standard, as seen at d. In
the mortise or slot in C, through which the lever a passes, there is a bolt é
which forms the fulcrum for the lever, and which attaches the two together;
this slot is sufficiently long to allow the lever the necessary play. The shackle
hook 6 is attached to the top of the standard by a forked connection, as seen
in Figure 3, where it is allowed to turn freely, the two being substantially
secured together by a bolt f; this shackle hook is round in form, somewhat
tapering, and circular longitudinally. When in position, as seen in Figure 1,
the hook of the tackle draws upon its strongest portion and near the standard;
near the end of the bent lever a there is a hole which slips over the end of
the shackle hook and holds it in the position shown in Figure 1. The lower
end of the standard C is forked, having a bolt through it, as seen at 9,
Figure 3; this forms a connection for a rod or bolt by which the standard is
attached to the bottom of the boat. The upper portion of the standard is
supported by the seat, as seen in Figure 4; the detaching arrangement is
seen in Figure 4. The lower end of the lever a is attached to a rod h
forming a joint at J, the arrangement being the same at each end of the boat.
Near the centre of the boat or through one of the seats there is a lever m
attached to the bottom of the boat by a joint connection, as seen at n,
Figure 4; the rods are attached to this lever; as seen in the Drawing at o,
which gives this lever a great purchase upon the detaching hook; this lever m
is supported by one of the seats and kept in place by a pin, or in any other
suitable manner. From the description already given in connection with the
Drawings the operation will at once be understood. A movement of the
lever m to the right (as seen in the Drawing) simultaneously liberates both
ends of the boat; this requires but a slight exertion of force by one man, as
the result is obtained by a compound lever purchase.
I do not confine myself to any particular manner of adjustment to the boat

page_text: of any portion of the apparatus, nor do I confine myself to any particular
material or materials to be used in constructing this detaching hook.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the standard C, the bent
lever a, and the shackle hook b, constructed, combined, and operating as a
detaching hook, substantially as herein shown and described, for launching boats
and for other purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
W. CLARK. (L:S.)