IMPROVED SELF-DETACHING AP- PARATUS FOR DISENGAGING SHIPS' BOATS AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Alexander Brice, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVED SELF-DETACHING AP-
PARATUS FOR DISENGAGING SHIPS' BOATS AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Scaled the 21st October 1876, and dated the 31st August 1876
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION left by the said William Alexander Brice at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st August 1876
WILLIAM ALEXANDER BRICE, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVED SELF-DETACHING APPARATUS FOR DISENGAGING SHIPS' BOATS AND
OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to a cheap and simple device for detaching boats in
perfectly reliable and automatic manner when the same each the water, so that
thereby the great number of accidents occurring from insufficiently constructed and
badly working detaching mechanisms may be avoided and the danger and loss of
lives be in a considerable measure reduced.
The Invention consists of a boat detaching apparatus that remains intact and
locked as long as there is strain on the suspending 1ngs, but that is instantly
released when the strain is taken off by the raising of the boat by the wave.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 represents a side view, and Figure 2 an
end view of my improved device for detaching boats
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, A represents a main
piece or link of my boat detaching apparatus that is applied at its lower end to n
strong pivot, bolt, or cross pin a turning in lugs or bearings b attached to the boat.
The upper part of link A. is recessed or slotted for admitting the entering of the
lock piece C, that is pivoted at the lower end to the swinging arm B The free
end of lock piece C is curved upward to bear on the rounded off top part of link A,.
and bind securely to the same, when the ring D at the ends of the boat suspending
rope presses on the under side of the lock piece, and is carried by the strain of the
weight of the boat into the corner formed by the link A and lock piece C, so as to
positively lock them together and prevent their release as long as their is any strain
on the ring. The swinging arm B is pivoted by its forked ends to the pivot pin a
at both sides of link A, and by its upper end to the connecting pin of the lock piece,
[Price 4d.]
.

page_text: forming with the link and lock piece a hook device of triangular shape as long as
the suspension ring bears on the lock piece. The boat is suspended at each end by
such a hook mechanism, the ropes being carried up over pulleys to a drum whoso
motion may be readily controlled and checked by suitable mechanisni, so as to
produce the uniform and continual descent of the boat. The lowering of the boat
should be so timed that it meets the wave, and if necessary follows the same in
downward direction. The moment the boat is fully hugged by the wave and borne
up by the same the strain is instantly taken off the hooks, so that they open auto-
matically as the dropping of the rings allows the lowering of the lock piece and
permits by the downward motion of the heavy arm the escape of the lock piece
from the link. The opening of the hook devices frees the suspending rings and
surrenders the boat to the waves in a perfectly reliable manner. In Figure 3 the
device is, shown inverted and attached to the tackle at c, the rings D being in this
case attached to chains from the ends of the boat.
The positive working of the look device in connection with the simplicity of its 1
construction, which requires no oiling, greasing, or looking after of any kind, and
which furnishes no chance of getting out of order and preventing it from working
at the very moment when most required, provides a boat detaching device that may
by its cheapness bo uniformly adopted, and be instrumental in reducing the large
loss of life incidental to the present imperfect methods of lowering boats, This 2
self-detaching device is also applicable for automatically disconnecting under other
circumstances, as will be readily understood, as for example in taking soundings
by attaching it to the end of the-line and hanging to-it the weight, which on touching
the bottom would be automatically released
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing 2
the same, I declare that what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters
Patent, is-
First. A boat detaching device or apparatus constructed of three pivoted con-
necting pieces so disposed as to form a triangular hook device that remains closed
as long as the suspending ring presses thereon, but is instantly opened to release
the boat when the strain is taken off, substantially in the manner and for the pur-
Pose set forth.
Second. The combination of the pivoted and slotted main piece or link A,
swinging connecting piece B, and lock piece C, that bears with its curved free end
on the rounded off top part of the main link to readily lock or release the same, 3
substantially as described.
In witness whercof, I, the said William Alexander Brice, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Thirtieth day of August, in the year of our Lord One