Improvements in Grapnels for Submarine Cables:
Year: 1886

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Grapnels for Submarine Cables:
I, ANDREW JAMIESON, of the College of Science and Arts, Glasgow, in the County,
of Lanark, North Britain, Civil Engineer, 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, that is to say:-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction and action of
grapnels to be used for hooking and raising submarine telegraph cables, and whịch;
are of the kind described in the Specification of my Patent No. 41,67 of 1876.
My improved grapnel is made with only two comparatively strong "niovable
flakes or prongs instead of five comparatively weak ones like the grapnel described in
my said earlier Specification, a special device being adopted for insuring that one of
the flukes shall always be in a position for catching a cable, whilst the same device is
also made to serve as a guide when the grapnel is being drawn along the bottom of
the sea, and to prevent it from being held or jammed between rocky projections.
I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to he hereinafter referred to and
representing a grapnel as made with my improvements. Figure, 1, is a partly
sectioned side elevation, figure, 2, is an elevation as at right angles to figure, 1, and
figure, 3, is an inverted plan or end view, In these drawings the same reference
letters are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
The shank, S, of the grapnel is made with an enlargement or head, H, to which is
jointed the shackle, Sh, for the attachment of the chain or rope by which the grapnel
is held and drawn along. The other end of the shank, S, is made with an enlarge-
ment or boss, B, constructed with a cylindrical cavity in which is placed a conic-
volute or other suitable spring, Sp, arranged to press outwards a Hanged disk or
piston, P. At the outer end of the boss, B, there are formed on it a pair of massive
checks, C, between which are held a diametrically opposite pair of movable flukes or
prongs, F, which are centered on fulcrum pins. p, passed through the cheeks, C, and
fixed in them by pinching screws. The flukes, F, are made with heels or parts
projecting inwards from their centres so as to bear on the piston, P, and through
it on the spring, Sp, and the spring tends to keep the flukes, F, in the positions
in which they are shown in full lines. When either of the flukes, F, encounters
a rock or other fixed obstacle as the grapnel is being drawn along it can yield by
turning outwards into the position indicated by dotted lines at the right-hand side of

page_text: figure, 1, its heel then forcing in the piston, P, and spring, Sp, which last, reacting,
makes the fluke, F, recover its proper position when the grapnel gets past the
obstruction. If the grapnel has hold of a cable at the time when the fluke, F, is
turned outwards as described, the cable will not slip free; but will be retained by
turned-back toes, T, formed at the backs of the laterally projecting parts of the
cheeks, C. A cover, Cr, is bolted upon the outer ends of the cheeks, C, and has a tapped
hole through its centre through which a bolt can be screwed to hold back the
piston, P, and take the pressure of the spring, Sp, off the flukes, F, when it is wished
to insert or take out either of them. This cover, Cr, also assists in preventing the
sides of the boss from being crushed inwards.
For the purpose of ensuring the downward direction of one or other of the
flukes, F, when the grapnel is being drawn along the sea bottom, the grapnel is
provided with a pair of stock arms, SA, which are fixed on a stock spindle, SS,
fitted to turn in a hole formed in the head, H, at right angles to the plane of the
flukes, F. The angular movement of the stock arms, SA, is limited by projecting
stops, ps, formed on the head, H. The stock arms, SA, are made of spring metal and
have stock weights, sw, fixed on their end to present bearing and wearing surfaces
when the grapnel is being drawn along the sea bottom and to assist in turning the
grapnel into a proper position. Whatever may be the position in which the grapnel
is on commencing to be drawn along the sea ibottom, the stock arms, SA, will make it
at once turn over so that one or other of the flukes, F, will become directed down-
wards if not already so directed; and if the grapnel should happen to be drawn
through a narrow space between two rocks or rock projections, the stock arms, SA,
will bend inwards as indicated by dotted lines at one side of figure, 2, and whilst
enabling the grapnel to pass will guide it in such a way that the flukes will not be
likely to catch upon the obstruction. The weights se, on the stock arms, SA, are
made concave on their inner siles to enable them to be bended inwards the more
closely.
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
.:
The combination of parts constituting my improved grapnel for submarine
cables substantially, as, hereinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying
drawings.
اله
2-The combination of a pair of yielding flukes controlled by a spring or springs
with a pair of stock armis the parts being constructed, arranged, and operating
substantially as hereinbefore.described.
But si ter
BATTALI TLITAIM
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.