Improvements in Apparatus for Lowering Ships' Boats.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 26th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 10th June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Lowering Ships' Boats.
I, JAMES HAYES, of St. John Street, West End, New Brunswick, Canada, dó
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is for the purpose of providing an improved method for releasing
the chocks generally employed for supporting ship's boats on deck.. The chocks now
in use are hinged so that they may fall down sufficiently to clear the keel of the
boat. As the boat is then not entirely free from the supporting iron-work to which
the chocks are hinged, it must be raised by means of the blocks attached to the
davits and then swung out and lowered over the ship's side. These operations are
necessarily slow and to a certain extent dangerous.
According to the present invention the chocks for supporting the boat are
secured to an angle iron frame of shape and to the middle or top of the the
chocks are fastened, the free ends of the angle iron having a suitably formed hinge
attached thereto so that the chocks with the frame can fall down and away from
the boat, leaving it suspended in the tackle attached to the davits. prefer
making only one of the frames as above described. The other chocks may be of
the ordinary description and fixed or hinged to the ordinary iron work in the usual
way or my frame can be attached thereto so that both ends of the boat may be
freed in the manner described. When one end of the boat is supported in ordinary
chocks and the other by means of my improved frame, it will be seen that when
the frame and chocks have been released, the end of the boat disengaged can very
easily be swung out and away from the ship's side, the other end sliding out of the
fixed chock and hanging to its davit, both ends being then loosed and the boat
lowered easily into the sea. To the middle part of the frame or near thereto, a
strut or rod of convenient length is attached. This rod is for the purpose of acting
as a stay in keeping the frame with its chocks firm in position for supporting the
boat when it is housed in the chocks, the free end of the rod having a goose neck
and pin attachment for securing it to the ship's rail or its equivalent.
When both ends of the boat are resting upon my n frames and are secured to the
ship's rail by the struts before mentioned, I place an additional rod from one-frame
to the other, which can be disengaged when necessary.
Dated this 14th day of November 1892.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Lowering Ships' Boats.
I, JAMES HAYES of St. John Street, West End, New Brunswick, Canada, 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 improvements in apparatus for lowering a ship's boats,
and has more particular reference to clearing the chocks away from under the boat
when the latter is ready for being swung out.

page_text: The chocks at present in use are hinged so that they can be dropped clear of the
boat's keel. But their drop still leaves the keel resting upon the supports to which
the chocks are hinged, and the boat must be raised clear of them before it can be
swung out.
In carrying the present invention into effect, the supports for the chocks are
-inverted shaped frames. The chocks are made fast upon the top of the frames,
one upon each, and the latter are pivotted by their feet to the deck so that they
can be laid down sidewise thereon. Or one such pivotted frame with chock fast
thereto is used, the other chock being of the usual kind and supported in the usual
way.
In order that the invention and the means by which it is to be carried into
practical effect, may be thoroughly understood, I will now described it and them in
detail, referring in so doing to the accompanying drawing which is to be taken as
part of this Specification and read therewith. It is a perspective view illustrating
the application of the present invention to both chocks.
The
The boat a is hung from the falls b, b in the usual or any convenient way.
c, c are the two chocks. Each one stands upon the top of the supporting frame d
as heretofore, but instead of being hinged to that frame, is made fast to it.
frames are, in side elevation, of the shape of an inverted U and are made, preferably,
out of angle bars. The pivotting of the frames to the deck may be effected by any
convenient means. Those illustrated in the drawing consist of pedestals e made fast
to the deck and standing up therefrom in planes parallel with the front and back
faces of the legs of the frames. The actual pivots are furnished by the shanks of
nutted bolts e¹ which are passed through the respective feet of the frames and the
pedestals.
ff are releasable struts. They are provided for the purpose of holding the
frames up in their operative position. Each one is therefore pivotted or connected
somewhat loosely by one end to the top of its respective frame, preferably to the
side face of it. The foot or opposite end is adapted for being releasably connected
to the deck, by the combination of an eye in the foot, an eye standing
up from the deck over which the eye in the foot can be passed, and a retaining pin
which can be inserted in the eye after the foot f¹ has been passed over it.
g is a horizontal tie which can be releasably connected to both frames, preferably
at or near the centre of the chocks.
g
When the boat is to be lowered, both struts are set free from the deck, the tic
disconnected and the respective frames swung outwards on their pivots. The boat
then hangs clear.
When the invention is applied to only one chock, the opposite one being, as
already explained, of the usual construction and supported in the usual or any
convenient way, the boat is cleared from the usual support as heretofore.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of chock, frame having the said chock fast on and to the top
of it, and pivotal connections by which the frame is held to the deck, as and for the
purpose set forth.
2. The combination of chock, frame having the said chock fast on and to the top
of it, pivotal connections by which the frame is held to the deck, and a releasable
strut adapted to hold the frame in its operative position, as and for the purpose set
forth.
3. The combination of chocks, frames having the said chocks fast on and to the
top of each respectively, and pivotal connections by which the frames are held to
the deck, as and for the purpose set forth.
4. The combination of chocks, frames having the said chocks fast on and to the
top of each respectively, pivotal connections by which the frames are held to the

page_text: deck and releasable struts adapted to hold the frames in their operative position, as
and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 26th day of April 1893.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.