IMPROVEMENTS IN CAPSTANS AND OTHER HAULING MACHINERY TO BE WORKED BY HAND OR POWER
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Downs at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 29th November 1882.
JAMES DOWNS of the Old Foundry, Kingston upon Hull in the County of York
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CAPSTANS AND OTHER HAULING MACHINERY TO BE WORKED
BY HAND OR POWER
".
These improvements relate to the construction of the capstans in general use for
taking in the trawls in fishing smacks and are also applicable to capstans for
general hauling purposes worked either by hand or power. Hitherto capstans have
been constructed with a series of spur and bevil wheels (or both combined) to give
the necessary power but this gearing being exposed is frequently found to be in
the way of the men when they are coiling or uncoiling the ropes and is also a
source of danger to the men on board fishing smacks especially in dark and
stormy weather.
According to my invention the outward appearance of the capstan is simply that
of a cylindrical casting upon which there are no projections to come in the way of
anything and there is no gearing outside. A cast iron plate is securely fixed to the
deck of the vessel through which an upright shaft passes and in which it is free to
revolve. This shaft when to be worked by power as well as by hand is driven
from a shaft running along the hold of the vessel and coupled thereto either by a
worm and wheel or by bevil gearing. Near the outside edge of the above
mentioned casting there is formed a circle of notches or dog teeth angled to the
right and inside this circle another circle of the same teeth but having the angle
in the contrary direction. The barrel of the capstan on which the rope is wound
is bored out to fit the upright shaft and is free to revolve on it, when the capstan
is being worked by hand. The lower part of this casting has a series of holes cast
through it corresponding with the circles of dog teeth in the deck casting. A series
of bolts are passed through these holes and drop into the notches beneath for
instance into the right hand notches when the capstan is revolving to the right
and into the left hand ones when it revolves to the left. On the top of the barrel
worm wheel is mounted and prevented from revolving independently by being
held in its place by two keys on which it is free to rise and fall vertically. A cap
or casting is fixed on the top of the upright shaft so as to leave a clear space

page_text: between it and the top of the barrel The diameter of this casting which is hollow
inside is the same as the diameter of the barrel. The worm wheel already described
rises within and is enclosed by this hollow casting and is so attached to it that it
A worm is
may rise and fall with it as the step of the upright shaft wears away.
One or two holes are bored
fixed on this casting and gears into the worm wheel.
through the top casting into the barrel into which when the capstan is being
worked by the engines one or two brass pins are placed thus causing both the top
casting and the barrel to revolve at the same time. When however the capstan is
being worked by hand these pins are removed and the worm in the top casting is
driven round by the winch handle or handles in the usual way the top casting and
the upright shaft remaining stationary whilst the barrel revolves.