Improvements in Passenger Gangways for Steamboats and other Vessels and Piers.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 15th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 21st Jan., 1899
Improvements in Passenger Gangways for Steamboats and other
Vessels and Piers.
I, JOHN HERBERT KIRK, of Finnart, Kilmun, Argyllshire, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to gangways for use by passengers entering or landing
from a steamer or other vessel at a pier or landing stage and it has for its object
to provide such a gangway permanently secured either on the pier or on board
the vessel, and which may be conveniently raised, lowered, and swivelled or
turned on pivots at its inboard end so that it may be brought to rest at any re-
quired inclination with its outboard end on the pier or stage at which the vessel
calls.
The gangway may be composed of the usual footboard or floor with hand rails
on each side; but instead of being loose and freely movable about the deck its
inboard end is carried by horizontal pivots on a frame which is in turn pivoted
or free to turn on a central vertical pivot on the vessels deck or on a truck or
carriage movable on the deck. By this arrangement the gangway can be swung
or swivelled on its vertical axis and at the same time raised or lowered at its out-
board end. To facilitate raising and lowering of the end of the gangway counter-
balancing weights are attached to the inboard end at a point within the pivots ;
or the weight of the gangway may be counter-balanced by weights suspended cen-
trally or otherwise from chains or cords carried around guide pulleys and attached
to any convenient part of the gangway outwith the pivots.
In one modification the vertical pivot is fitted in a socket secured to the deck and
is either formed on or passes through a table or base plate fitted to revolve thereon
and on anti-friction rollers or wheels, the table being formed with side cheeks or
standards to which the inboard end of the gangway is pivoted. The pivot pins
may be formed either in the cheeks or in the sides of the gangway which is prefer-
ably sheathed with metal plates extending inwards of the pivot pins and furnished
with adjustable counter-balancing weights. Rearwards of the pivot a small flight
of steps is formed on the revolving table leading from the vessel's deck and form-
ing an easy ascent therefrom to the rear end of the gangway floor or footboard
which terminates at the pivotal line. A lever handle furnished with a spring
catch or like device engaging with teeth or notches on a fixed quadrant is provided
for raising or lowering the gangway and securing it at any desired inclination.
The table with its pivot pin may be mounted on a slide or truck capable of
being moved back and forward and secured at any point in order to ease the
gradient when the gangway is placed against a high pier, and to bring the out-
board end close to the edge of the pier; or the gangway may be formed with a
hinged or jointed outer end.
In another modification the gangway is pivoted at the extremity of its inboard
end, and it is counter-balanced by a weight or weights fitted around the central
vertical pivot and connected by wire ropes carried up through the rotating table
and over guide pulleys carried at the upper ends of the side cheeks and thence to

page_text: the sides of the gangway to which they are attached. The outer end of the gang-
way has attached to it a jointed portion which is normally maintained in line with
the main portion by means of ropes or chains attached to a quadrant lever and
handle, but which may be let down on to the edge of the pier.
In lieu of using counter-balancing weights, steam, hydraulic, winches, or other
gear may be employed for raising and lowering the gangway.
In each case the gangway may be made readily removable from its pivots and
used as an ordinary gangway.
The gangway as described instead of being placed on the steamer, may be
placed on the pier, and operated in like manner.
Dated this 14th day of February 1898.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents,
Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Passenger Gangways for Steamboats and other
Vessels and Piers.
I, JOHN HERBERT KIRK, of Finnart, Kilmun, Argyllshire, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to gangways for use by passengers entering or landing
from a steamer or other vessel at a pier or landing stage and it has for its object
to provide such a gangway permanently secured either on the pier or on board
the vessel, and which may be conveniently raised, lowered, and swivelled or
turned on pivots at its inboard end so that it may be brought to rest at any re-
quired inclination with its outboard end on the pier or stage at which the vessel
calls.
The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 being
a side elevation and Figure 2 a plan of one form of the improved gangway perma-
nently secured to the deck of a vessel, and Figures 3 and 4 are similar views
shewing the gangway secured on a carriage or truck movable about the ship's deck.
The gangway A may be composed of the usual footboard or floor A¹ with hand
rails A on each side; but instead of being loose and freely movable about the
deck its inboard end is carried by horizontal pivots B on a frame, consisting of
side cheeks B₁ and which is in turn pivoted or free to turn on a central vertical
pivot B secured on the vessel's deck, as shewn at Figures 1 and 2, or on a truck
or carriage C, as shewn at Figures 3 and 4, movable on the deck. By this arrange-
ment the gangway A can be swung or swivelled on its vertical axis 132 and at the
same time turned upon its horizontal axis B to raise or lower it at its outboard
end. To facilitate raising and lowering of the end of the gangway A counter-
balancing weights D are attached to the inboard end at a point within the pivots B,
one of which is provided with a handle for the purpose of raising and lowering,
as shewn at Figures 3 and 4; or the weight of the gangway may be counter-
balanced by weights suspended centrally, as shewn at Figures 1 and 2, from chains
or cords D carried round guide pulleys D2 and attached to any convenient part of
the gangway A outwith the pivots B. When the gangway A has been raised to
the desired position it is there secured by a pin K attached to a spring lever or
arm L which normally holds the pin K in one of a series of slots B in a quadrant

page_text: on the cheeks B', and which lever L is gripped to withdraw the pin A when the
gangway is about to be raised or lowered.
In the modification shewn at Figures 1 and 2, the vertical pivot Be which in this
case is tubular is fitted in a socket E formed on a plate E2 secured to the deck and
the pivot B2 is either formed on or passes through a table or base plate B³ formed
integral with or secured to the frame B, said plate B3 being provided with anti-
The pivot
friction rollers E¹ which run upon the base E carrying the socket.
pins B may be formed either in the checks B or in the sides of the gangway which
is preferably sheathed with metal plates A³ extending inwards of the pivot pins B
and furnished in Figs. 3 and 4, with the adjustable counter-balancing weights.
Rearwards of the pivot B a small flight of steps is formed on the revolving
table B3 leading from the vessel's deck and forming an easy ascent therefrom to
the rear end of the gangway floor A¹ or footboard which terminates at the pivotal
line. The weight of the gangway A is counter-balanced by a weight or weights
fitted around the central vertical pivot 132 and connected by wire ropes D' carried
up through the rotating base plate or table 133 and over guide pulleys D² carried
at the upper ends of the side cheeks B' and thence to the sides of the gangway A
to which they are attached. The outer end of the gangway has attached to it a
jointed portion A which is normally maintained in line with the main portion A
by means of ropes or chains I attached to a quadrant lever and handle J, but
which may be let down on to the edge of the pier, as shewn by these figures.
When the table 133 carrying the pivot pin B2 is mounted on a slide or truck as
at Figures 3 and it is capable of being moved back and forward and secured at
any point in order to ease the gradient when the gangway A is placed against a
high pier, and to bring the outboard end close to the edge of the pier; or the
gangway may be formed with a hinged or jointed outer end operated as herein-
before described.
In lieu of using counter-balancing weights, steam, hydraulic, or other gear may
be employed for raising and lowering the gangway.
In each case the gangway may be made readily removable from its pivots and
used as an ordinary gangway.
The gangway as described instead of being placed on the steamer, may be placed
on the pier, and operated in like manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. A passenger gangway constructed as described and adapted to be swivelled or
turned on pivots at its inboard end and to be raised and lowered at its outboard
end and locked there in any desired position.
2. A passenger gangway secured on a horizontal pivot on a frame centred on a
vertical pivot secured on the deck or pier so that the gangway may be raised or
lowered at its outboard end and swung or turned on its inboard centre, said gang-
way being counter-balanced by adjustable weights so as to be freely movable about
its centres.
3. A passenger gangway secured on a horizontal pivot on a frame centred on a
vertical pivot secured on a movable carriage so that the gangway may be raised
or lowered at its outboard end and swung or turned on its inboard centre, said
gangway being counter-balanced by adjustable weights so as to be freely movable
about its centres.
Dated this in ay
WALLACE
FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank
Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agent for the Applicant.