IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LOWERING BOATS PROX VESSELS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick John Sweeting, of the Clyde Dock,
Rotherhithe, in the County of Surrey, Shipbuilder, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LOWERING BOATS PROX
VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick John Sweeting
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th May 1872.
I, FREDERICK JOHN SWEETING, of the Clyde Dock, Rotherhithe, in
the County of Surrey, Shipbuilder, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LOWERING BOATS PROK
VESSELS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to apparatus to facilitate lowering of boats
and their instant disengagement from vessels, the apparatus being so
arranged that the boat can be lowered from the vessel or from the boat

page_text: by one man only, or by two men, ona to lower and the other to
disengage.
The Invention consists in fitting in the vessel one or more barrels on
which ropes or chains are wound, the barrel shaft having a strap or
other break, the handle of which is under the control of a man upon
deck enables the boat to be lowered from the davits at the necessary
speed, or by attaching a cord or a chain to the handle and permitting its
free end to lay in the boat, the lowering can be effected by a man in the.
boat itself.
-
The tackle falls are attached to curved bars which are connected to 1
the boat preferably at the bow and at the stern, the bars having chains
or bolts leading to sockets in the bottom of the boat, the sockets being
slotted or holed for rods to pass through to lock the chains or bolts in
position until they are acted upon by a lever arranged at about the
centre of the boat. This lever is so arranged with the rods that a simple 1
movement in one direction causes a disengagement of the boat upon an
even keel.
The same apparatus serves for raising boats to the davit heads, the
raising being effected by a ratchet wheel. or spur gear which can be
detached when the lowering is to take place.
.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,.
filed by the said Frederick John Swecting in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th November 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
JOHN SWEETING, of the Clyde Dock, Rotherhithe, in the County of 2
Surrey, Shipbuilder, send greeting.
• WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-fifth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and 3
grant unto me, the said Frederick John Sweeting, Her special licence
that I, the said Frederick John Sweeting, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Frederick John Sweeting,

page_text: my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 FOR LOWERING BOATS FROM VESSELS,” upon;
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick John Sweeting,
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 Frederick John Sweeting, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to apparatus, to facilitate lowering of boats
and their instant disengagement from vessels, the apparatus being so
arranged that the boat can be lowered from the vessel or from the boat
by one man only, or by two men, one to lower and the other to
disengage.
The Invention consists in fitting in the vessel one or more barrels on:
which ropes or chains are wound, the barrel shaft having a strap or
other break, the handle of which under the control of a man upon deck
enables the boat to be lowered from the davits at the necessary speed, or
by attaching a cord or a chain to the handle and permitting its free
end to lay in the boat, the lowering can be effected by a man in the
boat itself.
:
The tackle falls are attached to curved bars which are connected-
to the boat preferably at the bow and at the stern, the bars having
chains or bolts leading to sockets in the bottom of the boat, the sockets:
being slotted or holed for rods to pass through to lock the chains or
bolts in position until they are acted upon by a lever arranged at about:
the centre of the boat. This lever is so arranged with the rods that a.
simple movement in one direction causes a disengagement of the boat
upo̟n an even keel,
-

page_text: The same apparatus serves for raising boats to the davit heads,, the
raising being effected by a ratchet wheel or spur gearing which can be
detached when the lowering is to tako place.
:
The Invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying
Drawings, in which a, Figures 1 and 2, is a winch barrel whose axle is
mounted upon brackets & in 'the top side c of a vessel. The barrel has
a rope wound upon it with both ends d, d, rove through single
blocks e, e, and ff, on the top sides and up through other blocks at the
davit heads g, tho later blocks are double as also a second set from
which the boat h is suspended by hook bolts i, i, taking into loops or
rings at the bottoms of the blocks g,g. The bolts are hinged to the boat
and have-chains j, j, attached, the bottom links of which are engaged by
the ends of longitudinal bolts or levers k, k, under the action of a central:
lever and a sliding plate. m, which works under clips n, n, to guide it
to and fro. The outer ends of the bolts i, i, are bent to form hooks, and. :
these only become disengaged after the chains j, j, have been released
by the withdrawal of the lever bolts k, k, to free the boat after it has
been lowered, and this is effected always with a level keel through. both
ends moving at the same degree of speed and being liberated by the
same apparatus. p is a break upon the rope barrel with a lever q and
liner, the free end of which is in the boat to enable the lowering to be
effected by one man as also the disengaging, he having the line in one:
hand and with his other hand upon the lever handles to move it over
the moment the boat touches the water, the boat being a distance
from the vessel's side by the davits moving on their hinge joints t, t.
The ends of the lever bolts pass through lugs, and the bottom links of
the chains can be replaced directly after the disengagement and the
lever thrown back, there being the bolts i, i, to be lifted upon their.
hinge joints and the claw ends to be inserted into the rings of the
block g', g', to prepare for hauling the boat up again, which is effected by
the rotation of the barrel by a winch handle in the usual way or by
hand.
The above plan is applicable specially for ships' light boats, but for
ships' heavy boats I arrange cach of the claw bolts with two chains as
shown at Figure 3, the claws being pivotted or hinged to brackets
attached to cross bars. The claws have chains connected to them, one,
say, leading from the bottom rods, and one to the head on end of the
bolt where it is attached by a hook. I steady or prevent the boat
swinging by side lines leading from an eye in the centre which takes

page_text: "
over the nose of the hook claw. The chains, particularly the bottom
chains, work in boxes and return to position to be re-hooked by their
own weight. The barrel axle carries a ratchet wheel to enable the boat
to be held at any height when lifted whether put "in board" or not.
The davits are hinged to the vessel's side so that they on the boat being
lowered fall outwards to allow the boat to clear the vessel's side and
away from the direct action of the current or of the vessel. The chains
and claws when not in use can be stowed under a seat. The simple act of
lifting the claw puts everything in order to book on again.
The main feature in this Invention, and what I desire to claim is,—
Firstly. The combination of appliances as herein-before described and
shown for lowering boats from vessels.
Secondly. The employment of bent or claw-ended bars or bolts at the
bow and stern to take into the rings of the tacklo falls, these bolts being
in combination with the chains to be released from the lever sockets as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick John Sweeting, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of November
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street,
London.
F. J. SWEETING. (L.S.)