Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1887.
Complete Left, 20th Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 14th Oct., 1887.
A Communication from VICTOR I AGAN, OIL S-au-ne prone
I, ALFRED, JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, M.I.M.E.
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The improved apparatus furnishes means to anchor in the water by the action
of the water itself and it consists essentially in a cable or chain provided with
a convenient number of parachutes fixed at convenient distances. These parachutes
or concave surfaces may be of any desired form, round, square, oval, rectangular or
otherwise and they open under the action of the water when the cable is drawn
from the end opposite the weight attached to the extremity thereof.
The parachutes are made of canvas, leather or other suitable material and are
furnished with a convenient number of ribs made of wood or metal which are
fastened to the cable at one end while the other end is fastened to cords which are
fixed to the cable at their other end and serve to regulate the opening of the
parachute.
The cable is provided at its end with a weight so that it sinks quickly when
immersed in the water; this weight has a ring to which is attached a light but strong
line for the purpose of hauling the weight on board again. This cable may be lashed
or fastened to any part of the vessel according to the effect which it is desired
to produce. This anchor will rapidly stop torpedo boats.
It will further permit
a rapid tacking and will permit steering when the rudder is lost or broken. Lastly it
will permit vessels driven towards the coast to anchor in the water and thus prevent
the vessel from wrecking or stranding.

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, M.I.M.E.
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:
The present invention relates to improvements in drag anchors which furnish
means for anchoring or stopping vessels instantaneously by anchoring them in
the water by the action of the water itself, and consists essentially in a cable or chain
provided with a convenient number of parachutes or concave surfaces fixed at
convenient distances and constructed of canvas, leather, indiarubber or any other
convenient material of great flexibility and resistance. These parachutes or concave
surfaces may be of any desired form, round, square, oval, rectangular or otherwise,
according to circumstances and have no mechanical joints whatever, nor slides of any
sort, nor do they slide on rods or have hinges or joints of iron or sheet metal or rigid
plates of metal or wood, or rigid rods. In their construction only canvas, leather,
or indiarubber, or any equivalent material is used, and everything is flexible
nothing rigid.
EE are the ribs of wood, cane or any other suitable material but metal, which
sewn to the material fold up on the cable by a ligature at y held in position by
a ball U fitted into the cable A A the strands of which are placed into helicoidal
grooves formed in the said ball, or held in position by a specially formed link in case
the cable is replaced by a chain. The number of the ribs in the parachute or concave
surface may vary according to circumstances and they serve the same purpose as the
ribs of an umbrella.
00 are cords or light chains fixed to the cable by the ring V or otherwise and also
retained in position by a ball Z similar to U their other ends being fixed to the ends
of the ribs. These cords or chains the number of which may vary regulate by their
length the opening of the parachutes or concave surfaces.
The cable or chain is provided at its end with a weight B so that it sinks quickly
when immersed and causes the anchoring device to operate immediately. This
weight has a ring to which is attached a light but strong line H for the purpose
of hauling the weight on board again.
The drawings represent a cable provided with seven parachutes or concave surfaces D;
the smallest cables will have generally two or three while those for vessels of a great
tonnage will have twenty or more of these parachutes the diameter of which increases
in proportion and all fixed to the same cable or chain.

page_text: One part of the apparatus represented in the drawings is still in action, with open
parachutes while the other part with closed parachutes is being hauled up by the line H.
The cable is made fast to any suitable part of the vessel according to the desired
effect and is folded and enclosed in a sack suspended overboard either alongside or at
the stern. This sack hanging with its opening downwards is closed by a slide
operated by a cord within reach of the helmsman who only has to pull this cord to let
go the cable and to stop the vessel.
It is easy to understand that a cable or chain anchor of this description being
of great elasticity and flexibility in all its parts, will be very light and will be capable
of an easy simple, practical and instantaneous manipulation and will not be liable
to get out of shape or out of order and fail as might be the case if it was constructed
with metal or other rigid rods, sleeves joints rigid ribs, metal or wooden plates and
the like.
This anchor will in consequence of its instantaneous stopping power, prevent
collisions in rivers and on the high seas, it will rapidly stop torpedo boats, will
permit a rapid tacking and further assist in steering when the rudder is lost or
broken. Lastly it will permit vessels driven towards the coast to anchor in the water
by the action of the water thus preventing the vessel from wrecking or stranding.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the same
is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A drag anchor constructed substantially as specified entirely of flexible parts
to the exclusion of sleeves, joints, hinges, metal ribs, slides or plates, or other metal
or non flexible working parts liable to break, rust, or, set fast.
2. In a drag anchor the use of a weight attached to the end of the cable or chain
opposite to that made fast to the vessel and provided with a line or light chain
for hauling up.
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