IMPROVEMENTS IN CAPSTANS, AND MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN RAISING, LOWERING, AND MOVING PONDEROUS BODIES AND MATTERS
Year: 1837

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM SHALL PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
PRINGLE GREEN, of Falmouth, in the County of Cornwall, Lieutenant in the
Royal Navy, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Tenth day of July, in the first year of Her reign, did, for Herself,
Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said William Pringle
Green, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said William Pringle Green, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Pringle Green, my exors, adññors, or assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CAPSTANS, AND MACHINERY EMPLOYED
IN RAISING, LOWERING, AND MOVING PONDEROUS BODIES AND MATTERS;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said William Pringle
Green, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and
by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Pringle Green, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being. had to

page_text: the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say:-
The capstan is made of wood and iron, and is less cumbrous than any other
capstan, and these improvements are applicable to whims, spindles, or beams
worked by levers, all such being capstans in principle, and mechanically
defective. The Drawing exhibits the method of effecting the desired ends.
A, cast-iron plate or head of the circumference of the head of the capstan,
which is one-third less than the comnion capstan heads; it has a square hole
in the centre to receive the spindle, which is also square, through the whole of
an upper capstan. There is a square B on the spindle, eight inches long, for
the lower capstan head; the spindle is round from the square to the point..
The recesses I receive the bars and extend from a square of eighteen inches;
the one at A, six or eight deep, or more, to hold the spindle, and prevent the
capstan being wrenched. The inner ends of the bars W have a notch in them,
and a spring bolt for each bar fitted in the capstan head H, which is pulled
up to relieve the bars, these prevent the necessity of pins. The recesses I let
into the lower part of the capstan head, the wood filling up the spaces, leaving
three inches solid for the ends of the whelps. On these parts a top of wood, two
inches thick, is placed, having a plate for the spindle to rest on; these form the
head complete, and the whole is secured by nut bolts. To enable the lower
square to pass down, the collar C is in halves, pinned together, and it may have
friction rollers affixed within it. When the lower capstan is raised on the
square B, it is in gear, and is suspended by the hooks fixed to a screw band
placed above the square, there being eye bolts for the hooks; it is raised into
gear by handspikes, crows, or any other lever. When this capstan is out of
gear,
it traverses on bolts or rollers, which may be fitted as most convenient;
common round-headed bolts placed in the deck will be sufficient, or the
plate D, as represented in the Drawing, may be fixed when a new capstan is
fitted. E, barrel of cast-iron, half or less than half the circumference of the
wooden barrel; the chain goes round it, having in the centre forked catches
for the links, or a solid block of iron may be put on a spindle having inden-
tations for the links. In the centre of the head of this barrel is a socket F,
half an inch deep and one foot square, to receive the main piece of the
capstan, a square portion of the spindle passes through its centre. The
head of this barrel has spaces G, one or two inches deep, to receive the
ends of the whelps. The rim is round, having notches H, to receive the palls,
fixed in plates on the deck, and the palls pass through the compresser K, L,
When a rope is fixed on the iron barrel, wooden temporary whelps are put in
between the iron ones. Any capstan may be converted to receive the patent

page_text: gear by reducing its height. The capstans of every class frigate should be
thus proportioned:-Rim at the bottom of a lower capstan seven inches deep,
so as to admit of the compresser of equal depth having a firm hold when the
capstan is raised, four inches into gear, shewn by dotted line; O, pall plate.
Where one capstan only is used, four-inch rims are sufficient, and a compresser
of the same depth. The full depth of this barrel need not exceed from ten to
sixteen inches, may be reduced and proportioned according to the smallest size
chain to be used in each class vessel, taking care that it has sufficient strength.
It may be cast with cogs on the upper rim, to which gear for working chain
pumps or other purposes may be attached. The compresser K consists of
double bar links, having spaces to admit of the palls passing through, or it
may be an iron band L, but must be formed after the peculiar mode herein
described. When the rope is on the upper barrel, a cheek block, affixed to
the after bits, keeps it near the deck; 4 represents an iron stopper for a rope
cable, the jaws being lined with matting or leather. The stoppers M are
placed before the cross piece of both bits N; they are of great strength, and
supported by iron braces; the bars O of the stopper are secured together in
the centre by two square hoops.
The bolt (1) connects the stopper, and has a fall down pall P, which admits
the upper jaw to rise high enough for the cable to pass through at its greatest
velocity; when the cable is to be thrown off the stopper, the pall is lifted, and
the bolt clears the socket. The nippers Q are put on abaft the stopper on the
foremost bits, that it may be always used to prevent surging, to assist the
compresser at the capstan, and lever R placed at the after bits.
This lever stopper draws back the slack of the messenger or cable, as well
as being a powerful auxiliary with the other stoppers to prevent surging.
That as much of the chain as possible may encompass the capstan, a snatch
block S is hooked to a bolt in the bits to receive the slack end of the cable.
Figure 2, lever attached to the bits is a ring bolt, having a chain or rope, one
-end of which is fast to the bolt, the loose end passing through the ring and
round the cable; this end is applied to the lever, when, by pressing it, the
cable is stopped. Figure 3, a claw stopper, having a back hook; this stopper
is placed to the ring bolts in the decks, and is applicable to any chain, it may
be with or without the pall P. The second messenger T may be applied
when there is great strain on the one in use; it may be put round the large
barrel of the capstan, or where there are two capstans applied to the upper
one in power. The hooks and pall keep it fixed. The nippers Q are made
after the usual form, but fixed to the hook, having the pall P to keep it on
the cable or messenger. Two turns are taken under the hook, and the end

page_text: wormed back. V., stopper, combining power, and placed near the hawse hole;
it raises the shoulder of the links when they catch; it will be useful to assist
shortening in cablé. By applying the perpetual lever and wheel to which it
is attached to the end of the spindle of a windlass, without any change of its
form, considerable increase of power is obtained. E is the ground plan of E';
E is the ground plan of E; A2, section of A; A³, a view of the bottom
of A, having four flanches, which may be used; A, elevation or side view of
A, shewing the flanches and recesses; B¹ shews the upper part of the spindles,
which goes through the upper capstan, mining capstans, whims, beams, or
spindles worked by levers. A is a mode of obtaining power by the application
of sails; this mode of obtaining power is applicable to the patent capstans in
a ship, and can be applied for propelling boats or vessels. The iron spindle of
these instruments is sufficiently long to admit of a second capstan B, half the
circumference of the large one, and the rope half the size of the large one;
affixed to the spindle is the gear T, and D, and A. The lower part of the
barrel of the larger capstan is reduced, as at E, for the purpose of obtaining
power, and round this is a band at the bottom for the compresser F, and the
pall G passes through it as when applied to a ship's capstan. This compresser
is applicable to beams or spindles; there is a tackle or. rope from the lever of
the compresser, which is held by the man who drives the horses. To the bars
swivel shafts H are placed for yoking cattle, so as to keep the animals from
turning until the lever (1) is raised. The rope of the main capstan K is applied
as at (2/3/4), and is marked in fathoms and feet, forming an index from the
shaft to the capstan. That the turns of the cable may not ride, and to prevent
friction, wooden rings or bands may be placed round the barrel between each
turn. Platforms, such as at L, are temporarily fixed for raising men when
injured in a mine; it may be constantly used for lowering or raising men by
horses or other animals at the capstan; it is of iron, and proportioned to the
space in a shaft.
A platform will take one or two men; any number may be
used, and the small rope and capstan will be sufficient. These last-mentioned
contrivances I merely suggest for consideration. M, endless chain and wheel,
worked by the gear C, which gear works pumps; turns the barrel N, to take
off the slack cable, and may be used for any other purpose. Taking off the
rope may also be accomplished by the upper capstan, as at (3/3). A similar
wheel to the one for the endless chain, placed at the mouth of a shaft
below, directs a kibble or carriage V through the shaft; this last contri-
vance is also suggested for consideration. O is a swivel platform, 'secured
to the frame P by the bolts R. Shaft S is fixed in rests in the platform,
which has an iron circle, and it turns on round-headed bolts; the platform

page_text: turns on raising the lever bolts. The shaft or spindle of the rotatory gear
should be timber from P or A, having a metal collar and band in the collar.
One corner of the sail has a sheet, and the other runs upon a rail or horse T,
and the sails are hoisted and lowered by haulyards. Thus, by applying both
contrivances, double power is obtained at a trivial expence. Booms, after the
plan of steering sails, may be affixed to the levers, or they may be longer and
have a double sail, so that additional power in moderate breezes may be
obtained. To put the machine in and out of gear, the levers (5) and (6),
being on a nut upon a screw, raises the wheel. To stop the movement of the
gear S, turn the screw (7), and use the compresser (8), or this gear may be
contrived after the modes already arranged at wind machines. ✗ is an iron
stopper, lined with matting or leather, and may be placed on the top of the
sheers, having a check line, or at any other convenient place, and is applicable
to ships' cables. I would here remark, that the plate or head of the capstan
may be cast with sockets or arms for the bars, without being connected with
the rim, as shewn in the Drawing. To accomplish all the purposes of the
capstans effectually, it is necessary, in addition to the gear already alluded to,
substitute the shears at mines (8), which are fixtures by a crane. The com-
mon iron cranes, worked by manual labour, are not sufficiently long to mast
or unmast shipping, and are not contrived to be worked by a capstan; they
also are substituted by the moveable crane of wood Y, which is worked by
the capstan either with men or cattle; it is of any length, and when great
weights are to be raised it may be supported by two additional props. A
crank may be attached to it for ordinary purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Pringle Green, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Third day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight.
W PRINGLE GREEN. (L.S.)
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Third day of January, in the
year of our Lord 1838, the aforesaid William Pringle Green came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification