Improvements in Winches for Sailing Vessels or Steam Ships.
Year: 1886

page_text: TROUVRIONAL DI ECIFICATION.
Improvements in Winches for Sailing Vessels or Steam Ships.
We, JAMES SHAW, of 9 Maxwell Terrace, Pollokshields, in the County of Renfrew,
North Britain, Marine Superintendent, and JOHN HASTIE, of Kilblain Engine Works,
Greenock, in the same County, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows, that is to say :-
Our said Invention has for its object to provide a special construction of winch
principally intended for sailing vessels but also applicable to steamships for raising
and lowering topsails and other sails. With existing arrangements of tackle for the
same purpose the time, labor, and number of men required is so great that when the
wind is changeable it often happens that advantage is not taken of temporary
diminutions in the force of the wind, especially when there may be reason to expect
that an increase in the force of the wind may be so sudden as to involve danger if
the sails cannot be taken in very rapidly; and from this cause valuable time is lost.
The improved winch forming the subject of the present Invention by diminishing the
manual labor and friction will allow of sails being rapidly and safely lowered by one
or two hands and again hoisted up by very few men so that advantage can be taken
of the varying force of the winds in bad weather and the ship be able to make more
progress than can be safely done with existing appliances.
The improved winch is by preference made double or with two winding barrels,
but it may be made single for small vessels or when so preferred. Each barrel is
made of a conical form with a groove for the rope or chain by means of which the
topsail or other sail is to be hoisted or lowered, the end of such rope or chain being
attached to the larger end of the barrel, so that at the commencement of hoisting
when the force required is less, the speed may be greater. The barrels are fixed on
shafts which are carried in bearings in two outer and a middle frame standard the
barrels being one on each side of the middle standard. Each barrel has fixed to it or
formed in one piece with it a spurwheel which has gearing with it a pinion on a
second-motion shaft, and the two second-motion shafts are carried in bearings in the
framing so as to be in line with each other. A single first-motion shaft with winch
handles on its ends is carried in bearings in the framing and has on it two pinions

page_text: gearing with spurwheels on the two second-motion shafts. The pinions on the first-
motion shaft are arranged to be put into gear with the shaft or the spurwheels by
engaging levers, so that the power applied to the first-motion shaft can be communicated
to either barrel as required.
An important feature of the improved construction is the mode in which brakes
are applied. What is known as a self-holding differential brake is applied to each
barrel and to each second-motion shaft. The brake applied to each second-motion
shaft is adjusted so as to automatically prevent a yard with its sail from descending
quite freely but so as to allow of a slow descent; and this brake may be locked or
otherwise arranged so that it cannot be manipulated by those working the winch.
The brake applied to each barrel which is also differential is provided with a hand
lever for use in working the winch, and when required the lever can be set so that the
brake acting in conjunction with that on the second-motion shaft will completely
prevent further descent of the yard in any position. Or the brake on each barrel may
be made capable of stopping descent independently of the brake on the second-
motion shaft. When hoisting, both brakes will prevent any reverse action and no
ratchet and pawl apparatus is required.
Dated this Eleventh day of September 1886.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicants' Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Winches for Sailing Vessels or Steam Ships.
We, JAMES SHAW, of 9 Maxwell Terrace, Pollokshields, in the County of Renfrew,
North Britain, Marine Superintendent, and JOHN HASTIE, of Kilblain Engine Works
Greenock, in the same County, 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 stateinent, that is to say :-
Our said Invention has for its object to provide a special construction of winch,
principally intended for sailing vessels but also applicable to steamships, for raising
and lowering topsails and other sails. With existing arrangements of tackle for the
same purpose the time, labor, and number of men required, is so great that when the
wind is changeable it often happens that advantage is not taken of temporary
diminution in the force of the wind, especially when there may be reason to expect
that an increase in the force of the wind may be so sudden as to involve danger if the
sails cannot be taken in very rapidly; and from this cause valuable time is lost. The
improved winch forming the subject of the present Invention by diminishing the
manual labor and friction will allow of sails being rapidly and safely lowered by one
or two hands, and again hoisted up by very few men, so that advantage can be taken
of the varying force of the winds in bad weather, and the ship be able to make more
progress than can be safely done with existing appliances.
The improved winch is, by preference, made double or with two winding barrels,
as shown in the explanatory drawings of which two sheets are hereunto appended,
but it may be made single for small vessels or when so preferred.
Figure, 1, of the drawings is a side elevation, figure, 2, is an end elevation, and
figure, 3, is a transverse vertical section. In these drawings the same reference letters
are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
Each barrel, A, is made of a conical form with a helical groove for the rope or chain
by means of which the topsail or other sail is to be hoisted or lowered, the end of such
rope or chain being attached to the larger end of the barrel, so that at the commence-
ment of hoisting, when the force required is less, the speed may be greater. The
barrels, A, are fixed on shafts, B, which are carried in bearings in two outer frame
standards, C, and a middle frame standard, D, the barrels, A, being one on each side
of the middle standard, D. Each barrel, A, has fixed to it or formed in one piece
with it a spurwheel, E, which has gearing with it a pinion, F, on a second-motion
shaft, G; and the two second-motion shafts, G, are carried in bearings in the framing
so as to be in line with each other. A single first-motion shaft, H, with winch
handles, J, on its ends is carried in bearings in the framing, and has on it two
pinions, K, gearing with spurwheels, L, on the two second-motion shafts, G. The
pinions, K, on the first-motion shaft, H, are fitted to slide on feathers on the shaft, H,
and each is fixed either out of gear or in gear with its spur wheel, L, by a pinching
screw, T, so that the power applied to the first-motion shaft, H, may be communicated
to either barrel, A, as required.

page_text: An important and essential feature of the improved construction is the mode in
which brakes are applied. What is known as a self-holding differential brake is
applied to each barrel, A, and to each second-motion shaft, G... The brake on each
second-motion shaft, G, comprises a pulley, M, fast on the shaft, and encircled by a
frictional brake strap, N, the ends of which are connected to a hand lever, P, centered
on a fixed stud, Q, the joints of the strap ends being on opposite sides of the stud and
at slightly different radial distances, so that when the pulley turns in one direction
its frictional action tends to tighten the strap, and vice versa, as is well understood.
The brakes on the second-motion shaft, G, are adjusted so as to automatically prevent
a yard with its sail from descending quite freely but so as to allow of a slow descent;
and these brakes may be locked or otherwise arranged so that they cannot be
manipulated by those working the winch. The brake, R, applied to each barrel, A,
and which is of the same kind as the other brakes, is provided with a hand or foot
lever, S, for use in working the winch; and when required the lever, S, can be set so
that the brake, acting in conjunction with that on the second-motion shaft, G, will
completely prevent further descent of the yard in any position.
Or the brake, R, on each barrel, A, may be made capable of stopping descent
independently of the brake on the second-motion shaft, G.
When hoisting both brakes will prevent any reverse action and no ratchet and
pawl apparatus is required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is :-
1-The improved winches having differential brakes, and with the parts arranged
or combined substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
2-In winches for raising and lowering sails, the combination of two differential
brakes with each barrel, one of the brakes being adjusted to prevent the speed of
lowering from becoming too great, and the other brake being used for stopping in the
ordinary way substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this Eighth day of June 1887.