IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SETTING UP SHIPS' RIGGING AND RAISING WEIGHTS
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
TIMOTHY CHAPMAN, of Wapping, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twentieth day of
April; One thousand eight hundred and fifty, in the thirteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Timothy Chapman, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said John Timothy
Chapman, my exors, adññors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said
John Timothy Chapman, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term
of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, anil
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and
in the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in
all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SETTING UP SHIPS' RIGGING AND RAISING
WEIGHTS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the
said John Timothy Chapman, should cause a particular description of the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her
said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and

page_text: immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Timothy Chapman, hereby declare that the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the present Specification thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
Firstly, the improvements which form the subject of my Invention have
relation to the construction of apparatus intended to supersede the dead eyes
and other blocks now in general use for the standing and other rigging of
vessels, and have for their object to facilitate the application of power for the
purpose of tightening the shrouds and other rigging.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus of this description, constructed
according to my Invention, and represented as applied to the rigging of a
vessel. It consists of two blocks, an upper one A, and a lower one B, which
may be either round, oblong, or pear-shaped, bulging outwards in front and
back, and grooved on their peripheries, like the wooden dead eyes now in use
for the reception of the shrouds.
Figures 2 and 3 are front and edge views of the upper block A, and
Figures 4 and 5, front and edge views of the lower block B, shewing how, in
the lower portion of it, there is formed a mortice C, into which there is fitted
a small capstan D, upon one end of which there is fitted a worm wheel E;
F is an endless screw, which is fitted in the body of the block, and gears into
the worm wheel E, so that when the endless screw is made to revolve by
means of the crank handle G, it causes the worm wheel and capstan to revolve
also, although at a much less degree of velocity, but with an increased multi-
plication of the power applied to the crank handle. H is the shroud, and I the
attachment of the lower block to the chain plate of the vessel; K, K, is a
lanyard. One end of this lanyard is first passed through the hole L of the top
block, and then secured by having a knot cast upon it, which prevents its
being again drawn. through the hole L; the other, or free end, is successively
passed over or rove upon the grooved pulleys M, M, M, and then passed twice
or thrice round the capstan D. When the rigging is to be set up, or the
shrouds to be made tight, one person takes hold of the free end of the lanyard
which has been passed over the capstan, and another person works the capstan
by means of the crank handle. With these arrangements the effective power
which two hands are enabled to exert in setting up the rigging is much greater
than that of many hands applied to the dead eyes now in use for ships' riggings;

page_text: besides, with the help of this improved apparatus, effects are produced which
could not be obtained at all by the ordinary methods. For example, a greater
degree of tension can be given to the shrouds, with less risk of the lanyards
giving way or of the shrouds being injured,-a lanyard of smaller diameter will
suffice, in consequence of the strain being equally spread over the sheaves, —
there are no encumbering appliances across the deck as under the old system,―
the rigging may be set up during a gale or on the weather side, which has
been hitherto impracticable,-each pair of shrouds, or all of them, may be set
up at one and the same time, which could not be accomplished before except
on board a very full manned ship, the rigging may be eased off or set up to
meet changes of temperature and climate; and, finally, a great saving of time
and labour is effected by this apparatus, two men sufficing with its aid to set
up the rigging of a large ship, which now occupies all hands.
Figures 6 and 7 exhibit two modifications of the arrangements just described,
the first differing from that represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, merely in
the position of the capstan in relation to the pulleys, and the second in having
a greater number of pulleys, and in the fixed end of the lanyard being placed
in the lower block.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of a modification of the apparatus, in which
the capstan is formed separate from the block, which makes it capable of being
easily attached and detached at pleasure. A is the upper block, a front view
of which is given separately in Figure 9; B is the lower block. Both blocks
are fitted with grooved pulleys similar to those already described, and are con-
nected by similar arrangements to the shroud and vessel.
C is the capstan,
which is mounted in a metal frame, as shewn in the front and edge views of it
given separately in Figures 10 and 11. D is a spindle, upon which the
capstan is free to revolve, and which terminates in square ends, one of which (E)
takes into or is "shipped" in the square hole F, formed in the upper block A,
while the other end carries or is attached by a cross bar G to a ring H, which
surrounds the worm wheel I, and carries the endless screw K. When the
shrouds are to be tightened the end E of the spindle is shipped into the square
hole of the block, and the lanyard is passed round the capstan, which is then put
in motion by the crank handle L, which is continued to be worked until the
proper degree of tension is obtained, when the end of the lanyark is made fast
in any of the usual methods, after which the capstan is removed from the block
to be applied to the other shrouds. This capstan, instead of being shipped in
the block itself, may be mounted in some position near to the shroud block, by
fitting the end of the spindle E into a metal socket fixed in the rail or side of
the vessel.

page_text: Figures 12, 13, and 14 are side views of other simpler forms of capstans,
which may be used in the same manner as that represented in Figures 10 and
41, and just described. Figure 12 has a wheel and pinion for the purpose of
pplying the power to the capstan. Figure 13 is simply a capstan, in which
the power is applied directly from the winch handle to the capstan without
:he aid of intermediate gearing. The spindle remains stationary while the
capstan and crank handle revolve. Figure 14 is a still simpler construction of
capstan, in which the spindle or axis revolves along with the capstan and
crank handle, for which purpose the end of the spindle E is made round, and
takes into a socket in the block or rail of the vessel. The blocks may be
formed either of wood or metal, but the capstan apparatus is best made of
inetal alone.
Secondly, my Invention consists of certain improvements in shrouds or
purchase blocks, which are represented in Figures 15 and 16, the former of
which exhibits a pair of blocks with a single lanyard, and the latter a pair
with two lanyards, and a corresponding increase in the number of sheaves and
turns of the lanyards. A is the capstan, which is employed for tightening the
lanyard; B, the spindle upon which the capstan is fixed, and which spindle has
its bearings in the body of the block through which it is passed, and projects a
short distance on each side, for the purpose of receiving the crank handles C, C,
by which the capstan is worked; D, D, are ratchet wheels, and E, E, pauls,
which prevent the capstan from running back during the operation of tightening
the lanyard.
Thirdly, my Invention consists in the application of the capstan apparatus
or portable screw winch, which is represented in Figures 10 and 11, and has
already been described, to the purpose of raising weights, both at sea or on
land, as, for example, raising guns, anchors, sails, casks, blocks of wood, and
stores, &c. In such cases the square end of the spindle E should be inserted
into a hole or socket formed in the mast or side rail, or some other convenient
bearing point. The blocks represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and
before described, may be also used as a portable tackle for setting up topmast
igging, or other like hoisting purposes, on board ship, where it is necessary to
exert great power without much labour.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I make no claim to the
fitting of shroud blocks or dead eyes internally with sheaves and capstans, nor
to the introduction of ratchet wheels and pauls into the interior of such blocks;
but that the improvements which I claim are as follows:-
First, I claim the construction of blocks for setting up ships' rigging with

page_text: an endless screw and worm wheel inserted into the blocks, and worked from
the exterior by a crank or winch, as represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5,
and before described, and also the two modifications thereof respectively repre-
sented in Figures 6 and 7, and before described.
Second, I claim in apparatus for setting up rigging, the combination of
blocks or dead eyes with a capstan apparatus (including worm wheel, endless
screw, and winch, or any equivalent means), made separately from the blocks,
and attachable thereto or detachable therefrom at pleasure, as exemplified in
Figures 9 and 10, and before described, and also the several modifications
of such combination respectively represented in Figures 12, 18, and 14, and
before described.
Third, I claim the peculiar construction of shroud block with interior
capstan, represented in Figures 15 and 16, and before described; that is to
say, in so far as regards the extension of the axis or spindle of the capstan
beyond the sides of the block, and the working of the same by a winch or
winches applied to the outer end or ends of the spindle.
And, fourth, I claim the application of the capstan apparatus aforesaid to
the raising of weights, as before described and exemplified.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Timothy Chapman, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of October, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty.