IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LOWERING BOATS EVENLY AND PREVENTING THEM FILLING WITH WATED
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Clifford, of 5, Inner Temple Lane,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LOWERING
BOATS EVENLY AND PREVENTING THEM FILLING WITH WATED"
Sealed the 6th October 1853, and dated the 13th April 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Clifford at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 13th April 1853.
I, CHARLES CLIFFORD, of 5, Inner Temple Lane, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
LOWERING BOATS EVENLY, AND PREVENTING THEM FILLING WITH WATER," to
bé as follows:-
The Invention consists of a mode of combining apparatus and ropes
in order to facilitate the lowering of a boat. A barrel is placed under
one of the seats, having two holes therein. Three ropes are employed:
one rope, which, passed through the barrel and firmly secured therein, is
wound round it. The other two ropes are fixed to the ordinary davits
or apparatus at the ship's side; they pass respectively through two blocks
(each having three sheaves, which may or may not rotate on axes), and

page_text: then enter one hole in the barrel in opposite directions; they are other-
wise left unfastened. The two blocks are fixed to diagonal ropes,
which are made fast on either side of the boat. By this arrangement,
when the first rope is pulled; the barrel rotates, and winds up the other
two ropes to any required elevation; the first rope is then made fast to
hitch pins, or otherwise, in the boat. The lowering is effected by paying
off the first-mentioned rope, thus allowing the barrel to rotate; and so
soon as the boat has descended, and moved to a distance equal to the
length of the two ropes, they will be drawn out of the hole and through
the blocks, and the boat will be free; or the barrel may be otherwise
placed. The Invention also consists in combining a rotatory hollow
plug with flap valves, to prevent the ingress of water when the boat is
afloat, or to retain it in the boat when necessary, or to be used without
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Clifford, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 13th October 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CHARLES CLIFFORD, of 5; Inner Temple Lane, send greeting...
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent; bearing date the Thirteenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, fort Herself, Her. heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Clifford, Her special
licence that I, the said Charles Clifford, my executors, "adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the 'said Charles Clifford,
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 FOR LOWERING! BOATS
7

page_text: EVENLY, AND PREVENTING THEM FILLING WITH WATER," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Charles Clifford, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and as-
certain 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 Charles Clifford, do hereby de-
clare the nature of the 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 (that is, to say) ::
This Invention consists of a mode of combining apparatus and ropes,
in order to facilitate the lowering a boat. A barrel is placed under one
of the seats, having two holes therein. Three ropes are employed: one
.rope, which,, being passed through the barrel and firmly secured therein,
is wound round it. The other two ropes are fixed to the ordinary davits
or apparatus at the ship's side; they pass respectively through two blocks
(each having three sheaves, which may or may not rotate on axes), and
then enter one hole in the barrel in opposite directions; they are
otherwise left unfastened. The two blocks are fixed to diagonal ropes,
which are made fast on either side of the boat. By this arrangement,
when the first rope is pulled, the barrel rotates, and winds up the other
two ropes to any required elevation; the first rope is then made fast to
hitch pins, or otherwise, in the boat.. The lowering is,effected by paying
off the first-mentioned rope, thus allowing the barrel to rotate; and So
soon as the boat has descended, and moved to a distance equal to the
length of the two ropes; they will be drawn out of the holes and
through the blocks, and the boat will be free.
Or the barrel may be
otherwise placed..
This Invention also consists in combining a rotatory hollow plug,
with flap valves; to prevent the ingress of water when the boat is afloat,
or to retain it in a boat when necessary, or to be used without flap
valves.
Having thus, stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed
to describe the means of performing the same.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, shows a transverse section of a boat, and part of the side of
a ship. Figure 2, shows a longitudinal section of part of a boat. Figure 3,
shows another transverse section of a boat. Figure 4, shows a section
of one of the blocks; and Figure 5, a side view thereof, having three
sheaves moving on axes; but it is not absolutely necessary that the
sheaves should all move on axes; and Figure 6, shows a section of a
block with the centre sheave only moving on an axis. Figure 7, shows
another block, in which the middle sheave is capable of being moved
and used in either of three places, as shewn; and, when placed out of the
line, they offer more friction to the passing rope than when in the same
line. In each of these Figures the same letters indicate similar parts.
a, is a barrel, the axis of which moves freely in bearings on either side
of the boat, under one of the seats or other convenient part of the boat.
b, is a rope, one end of which is fixed to the barrel; and this rope takes
several turns on the barrel, and is then made fast to hitch pins or
otherwise. c, d, are two other ropes, one end of each of which is
made fast to the tackle e, e, of the davits at the side of the ship; the
other end of each of such ropes pass to the barrel through the blocks
ff, which are attached, by the ropes g, g, to the sides of the boat, as
shown; and the two ends enter the same hole through the barrel a, but
in opposite directions, as shown at Figure 8; and when the barrel a, is
turned by hauling on the rope b, the ropes c, d, will be wound on to
the barrel. The boat may then be raised from the water by the
ordinary tackle; and when it is desired to lower the boat, it is done by
unhitching the end of the rope b, and allowing it to give off the ropes
c, d, by the turning of the barrel; and, when the whole of the length of
the ropes c, d, has been allowed to run out, the boat will be free.
I will now describe the second part of my Invention. Figure 9,
shows a section of apparatus used for running off water from a boat.
Figure 10, is a transverse section thereof. This apparatus is to be
fixed to the bottom of a boat. h, is a hollow plug, which, being turned
in one direction, will admit water which is in the boat to flow out, but,
when turned in the opposite direction, the passage will be closed. ii,

page_text: are two valves, opening outwards, so that water may flow out of the
boat to the hollow plug, and yet prevent water coming into the boat
should the plug be open when the boat is lowered. Figures 11 and 12,
show two sections of a hollow plug, the barrel of one admitting water to
flow to it on both sides, whilst the plug and barrel of the other is
arranged for the water to flow to the plug. These arrangements admit
of the water flowing out of the boat when opened; and, should the boat
be lowered when the plug is opened, it will be in its place, and will
readily be turned, and close further passage of water.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim
is,-
First, the combination of parts herein described, for lowering
boats; and,
Secondly, I claim the apparatus herein described, for running off
water from boats.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Clifford, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
CHARLES CLIFFORD. (L.S.)
Witness, ROBERT TAULEN.