Improvements in Grapnels for Submarine Cables.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 1st July, 1893-Accepted, 5th Aug.. 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Grapnels for Submarine Cables.
I, EDWARD STALLIBRASS, of No. 23 Victoria Square, in the County of
London, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to grapnels intended for use in connection with submarine
cables and has for its object the construction of a grapnel which shall more
effectively search the bed of the sea and fit into its irregularities than those
grapnels at present in use, and the provision of means whereby the toes of the
grapnel, upon encountering any obstacle when in use, shall capsize upon a
predetermined strain and thus save themselves from breakage.
According to my invention the grapnel is provided with four or other convenient
number of toes, preferably in pairs opposite each other, pivoted between cheeks
formed in the shank of the grapnel. Each toe is maintained in its normal upward
position by a pin of soft iron, or its equivalent, which is passed through the cheeks.
Should a toe foul a rock, upon the strain on the grapnel rope reaching to, say,
three tons the soft pin will be broken away allowing the toe to capsize and free
itself of the obstacle. A broken pin can be readily replaced and it will be under-
stood that its size or temper may be varied so that it shall break approximately
at any predetermined strain.
A capsized toe projects further than it does when in its normal position and, its
direction being reversed, has the effect of turning the grapnel over whereby the
disadvantage of its being towed with its disabled side downwards is avoided, which
is the case when a toe of a grapnel such as at present used becomes-broken.
A grapnel such as above described can be provided with long or short toes.
With long toes it can be used singly as an ordinary grapnel, and with short toes
two or more can be coupled together with shackles, or by a short length of chain
or other convenient device, and used in the place of the centipede grapnel.
Dated this 1st day of October 1892.
A. F. SPOONER,
124, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Grapnels for Submarine Cables.
I, EDWARD STALLIBRASS, of No. 42 Powis Square (formerly of No. 23 Victoria
Square) in the County of London, Civil 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 statement:-
My invention relates to grapnels intended more especially for use in connection
with submarine cables and has for its object the construction of a grapnel which
shall more effectively search the bed of the sea and fit into its irregularities than
those grapnels at present in use, and the provision of means whereby the toes of
the grapnel, upon encountering any obstacle when in use, shall capsize upon a
predetermined strain and thus save themselves from breakage.
The annexed sheet of drawings to which reference is hereinafter made illustrates
my invention.
According to my invention, the grapnel is provided with four or other convenient
number of toes, A, preferably in pairs opposite each other as shown, each pivoted
at, B, between cheeks, C, formed in the shank, D, of the grapnel. Or the cheeks
Paise s

page_text: may be formed at the base of the toes and fit over shoulders in the shank of the
grapnel. Each toe is maintained in its normal upward position by a pin of soft
iron or its equivalent, E, which is passed through the cheeks.
Should a toe foul a rock or other obstruction, upon the strain on the grapnel rope
reaching to, say, three tons, the pin, E, will be broken away allowing the toe to
capsize as shown in dotted lines at, F, and free itself of the obstacle. A broken
pin can be readily replaced and it will be understood that its size or temper may
be varied so that it shall break approximately at any predetermined strain.
A toe when capsized projects further than it does when in its normal position
and, its direction being reversed, has the effect of turning the grapnel over whereby
the disadvantage of its being towed with its disabled side downwards is avoided.
A grapnel such as above described can be provided with long or short toes.
With long toes it can be used singly as an ordinary grapnel, and with short toes
two or more can be coupled together with shackles, or by a short length of chain
or other convenient device and used in the place of the centipede grapnel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the improved grapnel
for submarine cables substantially as set forth.
2. In a grapnel, the combination, with a pivoted toe, of a pin such as, E, serving
to maintain the former in a normally upward position but permitting it to capsize
under an approximately predetermined strain substantially as set forth.
Dated this 1st day of July 1893.
A. F. SPOONER,
124, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
A. F. SPOONER,
124, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.