IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED WHEN. WHEN LOWERING AND RELEASING SHIPS' BOATS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Carl Henrik Ramsten, of Woburn Place, Russell
Square, in the County of Middlesex, Lieutenant in the Royal Swedish
Navy, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED WHEN
Sealed the 30th October 1866, and dated the 2nd May 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Carl Henrik Ramsten
. at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 2nd May 1866.
I, CARL HENRIK RAMSTEN, of Woburn Place, Russell Square, in the.
County of Middlesex, Lieutenant in the Royal Swedish Navy, do hereby.
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED.
WHEN LOWERING AND RELEASING SHIPS' BOATS," to be as follows:
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus used when
lowering and releasing ships' boats. For these purposes two releasing hooks
are used, of the peculiar form hereafter described. One of these releasing
hooks is used at each end of a boat, and the arrangement of the parts used
with the hooks is such that immediately one of the hooks releases its hold on.

page_text: the hook of the lowering tackle the releasing of the hook at the other end of
the boat takes place. The holding of the hooks depends on the weight of
the boat suspended from them, and consequently immediately one or both
ends of the boat is supported by the water the hooks release themselves from
the lowering tackle. The hooks at the two ends of a boat are alike in con-
struction and action, and each is formed in the following manner:-A short
piece of metal having an eye or hole at each end is used by the upper eye or
hole; it is attached to a short chain, the lower end of which is fixed to the
bottom of the boat, whilst its upper end is attached to a ring by which the
boat is usually lifted by the tackle, though under some circumstances the boat
may be lifted by the hooks of the tackle engaging with the releasing hooks. The
other end of the piece of metal is by its lower end attached to the upper end of a
short chain which descends to the bottom of the boat, where the lower end
of the chain passes through a fixed eye bolt, and is then connected to a rod
by which the chains attached to the lower ends of both the releasing hooks
are connected together, and it is by reason of the two releasing hooks being
thus connected that when one becomes. released the other of necessity
becomes released in consequence of its chain becoming slack.
In addition to the self-acting releasing-power. of the hooks. a hand releasing.
hook is employed by preference in the short chain which descends from the
releasing hook to connect it to the rod towards. the after. end. of. the boat, by
which hand releasing hook a man at that end of the boat can at any moment
cause the two parts of which the short descending chain is composed to separate.
The self-releasing hooks are each in addition to the piece of metal above
mentioned composed of two other parts, which are pin-jointed to each other,
and the end of one of them is pin-jointed to the piece of metal; the free end
of the other of the two parts folds down against the piece of metal, and its
point or end is received into a recess in the edge of the piece of metal, or
shields or projections may be fixed or formed on the piece of metal to receive
the point or end of the folding part of the hook between them. There is a
small bolt or catch to lock.or hold the hook.secure when the boat.is.ordinarily
suspended, but which bolt or catch being attached to the davit by a cord is
removed as soon as the boat begins to be lowered, and, then the releasing
hooks will retain their holding on the lowering. tackle so long.as the weight
of the boat is pressing on the releasing hooks, but the moment. the weight.of
the boat or of either end of the boat is supported by the water the short
descending chains above mentioned becoming slack the hooks open and release
themselves from the hooks of the lowering tackle. When the boat is hanging
from the davits.it is held in the ordinary. gripes..or lashings, the inner end.of

page_text: each of which is attached to a folding lever which turns on an axis fixed to
the upright of the davit on to which the end or eye of the gripe is put. This
hook is retained in its place by a folding stop, and is lashed by the fall of the
lowering tackle. The folding lever has an ascending rod attached to it, and
a short chain, the upper end of which is retained by a pin or bolt near the
upper outer end of the davit, and such bolt or pin is withdrawn by a hook
attached to a chain or cord attached to the boat, so that as the boat commences
to descend the pin or bolt is withdrawn and the folding lever released, and
consequently the end of the gripe also.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Carl Henrik Ramsten in the Great Seal. Patent Office on the
2nd November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CARL
HENRIK RAMSTEN, of Woburn Place, Russell Square, in the County of
Middlesex, Lieutenant in the Royal Swedish Navy, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria; by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Carl Henrik Ramsten, Her special licence that I, the said
Carl Henrik Ramsten, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Carl Henrik Ramsten, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS USED WHEN
LOWERING AND RELEASING SHIPS" BOATS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Carl Henrik Ramsten, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in' writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Carl Henrik Ramsten,, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is

page_text: to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying Sheet of Drawings:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus used when
lowering and releasing ships' boats. For these purposes two releasing hooks
are used of the peculiar form hereafter described. One of these releasing
hooks is used at each end of a boat, and the arrangement of the parts used
with the hooks is such that immediately one of the hooks releases its hold on
.the hook of the lowering tackle the releasing of the hook at the other end of
the boat takes place. The holding of the hooks depends on the weight of the
boat suspended from them, and consequently immediately one or both ends of
the boat is supported by the water the hooks release themselves from the
lowering tackle. The hooks at the two ends of a boat are alike in con-
struction and action, and each is formed in the following manner:-A short
piece of metal having an eye or hole at each end is used; by the upper
eye or hole it is attached to a short chain, the lower end of which is fixed to
the bottom of the boat, whilst its upper end is attached to a ring by which
the boat is usually lifted by the tackle, though under some circumstances the
boat may be lifted by the hooks of the tackle engaging with the releasing
hooks. The other end of the piece of metal is by its lower end attached
to the upper end of a short chain which descends to the bottom of the boat,
where the lower end of the chain passes through a fixed eye bolt, and
is then connected to a rod by which the chains attached to the lower
ends of both the releasing hooks are connected together, and it is by reason of
the two releasing hooks being thus connected that when one becomes released
the other of necessity becomes released, in consequence of its chain becoming
slack.
In addition to the self-acting releasing power of the hooks a hand releasing
hook is employed by preference in the short chain which descends from
the releasing hook to connect it to the rod towards the after end of the boat,
by which hand releasing hook a man at that end of the boat can at any moment
cause the two parts of which the short descending chain is composed to seperate.
The self-releasing hooks are each in addition to the piece of metal above
mentioned composed of two other parts which are pin-jointed to each other,
and the end of one of them is pin-jointed to the piece of metal; the free end
of the other of the two parts folds down against the piece of metal; and its
point or end is received into a recess on the edge of the piece of metal, or
shields or projections may be fixed or formed on the piece of metal to receive
the point or end of the folding part of the hook between them. There is a
small bolt or catch to lock or hold the hook secure when the boat is ordinarily

page_text: suspended, but which bolt or catch being attached to the davit by a cord is
removed as soon as the boat begins to be lowered, and then the releasing.
hooks will retain their holding on the lowering tackle so long as the weight
of the boat is pressing on the releasing hooks, but the moment the weight of
the boat or of either end of the boat is supported by the water the short
descending chains above mentioned becoming slack the hooks open and
release themselves from the hooks of the lowering tackle. When the
boat is hanging from the davits it is held in the ordinary gripes or lashings,
the inner end of each of which is attached to a folding lever which turns on
an axis fixed to the upright of the davit on to which the end or eye of the
gripe is put. This hook is retained in its place by a folding stop; and is
lashed by the fall of the lowering tackle. The folding lever has an ascending
rod attached to it, and a short chain, the upper end of which is retained by a
pin or bolt near the upper outer end of the davit, and such bolt or pin is
withdrawn by a hook attached to a chain or cord attached to the boat,
so that as the boat commences to descend the pin or bolt is. withdrawn,
and the folding lever released, and consequently the end of the grip also.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention I will proceed more fully
to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure exhibits a longitudinal section of a boat with the self-acting
releasing hooks and connections in position, as herein described. a, a¹, are
the hooks connected at their lower ends to chains 6, 6, running through eye
bolts e, e, connected to the iron bar or rod f at both ends. 9, 9, is a short
chain fixed in each case at one end to the bottom of the boat, and attached
it is also connected
In the rod a slot
to the upper portion of the eye or hole of the hooks a, a¹;
to a ring, as shown, from which the boat can be raised.
or groove his formed, into which a stopper is made to catch and lock or
secure the rod fin raising the boat, or when otherwise required, but in lowering
the boat the stopper is released, so as to allow the rod f to be free to act.
In lowering a boat the hooks and connections will be in position similar to
that shewn, but immediately the weight of the boat or of either end of the.
boat is supported by the water the chains become slack, likewise the rod f;
the hooks a, a', then release themselves at once from the lowering tackle. A
lever i is shown connected and in addition to the hook a', by which means a
man can at any moment release or disengage the boat if required.
Fig. 2 is an end view of a boat shown as hanging from the davits, and
baving the ordinary lashings, which are connected at their inner ends to a

page_text: folding lever or hook k, which is retained in position by a folding stop 7, and
secured by the fall round the cleat m. When required the folding lever and
stop can be instantly released by loosening the fall round the cleat, when all
lashings will likewise be released. Some of the lashings or stoppers shown
might be dispensed with as being unnecessary, unless the fall or other tackle.
should break at any time.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of one of the self-acting releasing hooks shown
in detail at Fig. 1. The small pin or bolt n at the upper portion is employed
when the boat is ordinarily suspended, and effectually secures or locks the
hooks, and prevents it from being suddenly released should the boat be
struck by a sea when in the slings. This pin or bolt is connected to the
davit. by means of a cord, and is removed as soon as the boat begins to be
lowered.
Figs. 4 and 5 exhibit a plan and side view of the stopper employed,
and Figs. 6 & 7 similar views of the groove or slot h formed in the horizontal
rod or bar f, into which the stopper takes, as previously described and shown
in Fig. 1.
In witness whereof, I, the said Carl Henrik Ramsten, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
CARL H. RAMSTEN. (L.B.)