A New or Improved Device for Facilitating the Launching of Ships and analogous objects.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 18th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 11th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Device for Facilitating the Launching of Ships
and analogous objects.
I, PETER PHORSON, Junior, of the firm of Joseph L. Thompson and Sons,
North Sands Shipbuilding Yard, Sunderland in the County of Durham, Naval
Architect, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a new or improved device for facilitating the launching
of ships and analogous objects.
Hitherto it has been the practice to build ships on central keel blocks and when
the ship is ready to launch to provide lateral or transverse supports or launching
ways in lieu of the medial blocks which are then removed.
The launching ways consist in each case of pairs of longitudinal timbers, the
upper surface of each of the lower members or "sliding planks” being flat or
concave and the lower surface of each of the upper members or "slide baulks
being flat or convex.
"
The slide baulks travel with the vessel being launched into the water but the
sliding planks are a fixture.
Hitherto diagonal timber struts chocks or iron bolts or toggles have been used
between the slide baulks and the sliding planks so that when these are knocked out
the vessel and slide baulks are free to descend into the water.
It is in relation to these timber struts or media for effecting the release of the
vessel prior to actual launching that I have effected the improvements the subject
of the present invention which consists essentially in the provision in lieu of the
struts or chocks aforesaid of a trigger or oscillating bar and motor cylinder, the
trigger being arranged to hold the slide baulks in position until the required
moment for launching and then to release them instantaneously as hereinafter
described.
To effect this purpose I provide on near or in connexion with the slide plank a
powerful trigger adapted to oscillate on its axle. The latter may be mounted on
or in the slide plank which may be iron shod to strengthen same and to provide
bearings for the axle. Immediately under the slide plank or each of them or the
equivalent thereof and in line with the tail of the trigger an hydraulic or other
motor cylinder may be provided the ram of which is adapted to abut at one end
against the lower trigger extremity and to hold it in a more or less vertical position
and at the other against the liquid or equivalent medium within the rain case.
The upper extremity of the trigger in this position extends up to the slide baulks
and is arranged to fit into an iron shod recess formed in the end of each of these
members.
The weight or pressure. due to the inclination of the vessel on the slide baulks is
thus transferred to the upper end or ends of the trigger or triggers when more
than one is used whence it is transmitted through the lower end or ends of these
members to the ram or rams of hydraulic or equivalent power or pressure
cylinders.
The latter are or may be arranged with pipes ports and cocks in the ordinary
way so that the turning of a cock allows the water to be instantaneously expelled
from the ram cylinders and thus the triggers are overturned by the slide baulks
which together with the ship or other vessel are now free to descend uninterruptedly
down the ways.
It will thus be seen that a trigger and pressure cylinder or equivalent stop or
catch device in connection with the launching ways forms the essential feature of
this invention which may be modified in detail or in respect of the size or number

page_text: of any of the several parts required for use in any particular case as circumstances
require.
The trigger or lever need not be connected to the ram or rams or stop catch.
The pressure of the vessel is transmitted to the water or other liquid or equivalent
medium within the ram casing and it is the adaptation of this pent up force for
maintaining any weight and for releasing it at any moment by any simple system.
of levers or triggers and bars that constitutes the essential and material portion
of the present invention.
Dated this 20th day of July 1892.
A. CRAWHALL CHAPMAN,
3, St. Nicholas Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Device for Facilitating the Launching of Ships
and analogous objects.
I, PETER PHORSON, Junior, of the firm of Joseph L. Thompson and Sons,
North Sands Shipbuilding Yard, Sunderland in the County of Durham, Naval
Architect 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 :-
This invention relates to a new or improved device for facilitating the launching
of ships and analogous objects.
Hitherto it has been the practice to build ships on central keel blocks and when
the ship is ready to launch to provide lateral or transverse supports or launching
ways in lieu of the medial blocks which are then removed.
The launching ways consist in each case of pairs of longitudinal timbers, the
upper surface of each of the lower members or 'sliding planks" being flat or
concave and the lower surface of each of the upper members or slide baulks'
being flat or convex.
66
"
The slide baulks travel with the vessel being launched into the water but the
sliding planks are a fixture.
Hitherto diagonal timber struts chocks or iron bolts or toggles have been used
between the slide baulks and the sliding planks so that when these are knocked out
the vessel and slide baulks are free to descend into the water.
It is in relation to these timber struts or media for effecting the release of the
vessel prior to actual launching that I have effected the improvements the subject
of the present invention'which consists essentially in the provision in lieu of the
struts or chocks aforesaid of a trigger or oscillating bar and motor cylinder, the
trigger being arranged to hold the slide baulks in position until the required
moment for launching and then to release them instantaneously as hereinafter
described.
To effect this purpose I provide on near or in connexion with the slide plank a
powerful trigger adapted to oscillate on its axle. The latter may be mounted on or
in the slide plank which may be iron shod to strengthen same and to provide
bearings for the axle. Immediately under the slide plank or each of them or the
equivalent thereof and in line with the tail of the trigger an hydraulic or equivalent
motor cylinder may be provided the ram of which is adapted to abut at one end
against the lower trigger extremity and to hold it in a more or less vertical position
and at the other against the liquid or equivalent medium within the ram case.
The upper extremity of the trigger in this position extends up to the slide baulks
and is arranged to fit into an iron shod recess formed in the ends thereof.
The weight or pressure due to the inclination of the vessel on the slide baulks is
thus transferred to the upper end or ends of the trigger or triggers when more, than
one is used whence it is transmitted through the lower end or ends of these

page_text: members to the ram or rams of hydraulic or equivalent power or pressure
cylinders.
The latter are or may be arranged with pipes ports and cocks in the ordinary:
way so that the turning of a cock allows the water to be instantaneously expelled
from the ram cylinders and thus the triggers are overturned by the slide baulks
which together with the ship or other vessel are now free to descend uninterruptedly
down the ways.
I will fully explain my apparatus with reference to the accompanying drawings
in which
Figure 1 shows a general plan view of part of the launching ways with my
apparatus in position.
Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the position and arrangement of one cylinder
and trigger with regard to the launching ways;
Figure 3 is a plan of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is cross section on line ay in Figures 2 and 3.
Like marks of reference indicate like parts in the following description.
Referring to the drawings, a are the slide baulks and a the slide planks, the
line cc
(Fig. 1) representing the centre line of the vessel or keel. At a suitable
point, for example towards the stem of a boat about to be launched stern first into
the water, I place, by preference immediately under the slide planks, the hydraulic
cylinders d. For this purpose and to support the triggers t I strengthen the slide
planks with for example an iron plate lining consisting of an external plate d'
which may be secured to the planks by bolts as shown. To the inside of this
plating I may further secure a pair of angle irons d². The slide planks and
plating are slotted or cut away in the centre where the triggers pass through
them, the angles d² forming strengthening walls to the sides of the slotted parts as
well as supports to the axles 3 on which the triggers are mounted.
The rams of the hydraulic cylinders are designed to abut against the tails or
lower extremities of the triggers when the latter are in a vertical position. At the
rear of the hydraulic cylinders an inlet and outlet port is provided and connected
to piping 4 which may then be carried along to the stem or shore-end of the
vessel and at suitable points in the piping one or more stop valves are placed so
as to admit of the ingress and egress of water or other fluid at will to and from
the cylinders. The several lengths of slide baulks a may be fished together as
shown and an iron-shod recess 5 may be provided where the upper ends of the
triggers take their bearings against the baulks.
The operation of the invention is as follows:-
As soon as the vessel is ready to launch, the keel blocks along the centre line
are removed as usual by the workmen so as to transfer the weight of the vessel
onto the slide baulks. As the launching ways are laid at an inclination, the
tendency at once is for the vessel and sliding baulks to slide downwards on the
slide planks towards the water but this is prevented by the tops of the triggers
projecting against the slide baulks as described. The weight thus imposed against
the tops of the triggers, tending to overturn them on their axles, is transmitted
through the trigger tails to the hydraulic rams which in turn are pressed against
the water or other fluid in the cylinders and in the piping and thus it is evident
that when the cocks (see Fig. 1) are opened to the atmosphere, the fluid in
the cylinders will be forced out through the piping by the rams, which, receding
into their respective cylinders, will then allow the slide baulks to overturn the
triggers (into the position shown in dot and pick lines in Fig. 2) and all obstruction
to the descent of the slide baulks being now removed, they and the vessel resting
on them will at once slide gradually down into the water.
It will thus be seen that the simple act of turning a cock effects the release of
the vessel and this cock need not be opened until all the workmen have retired
from underneath the ship.
Thus the necessity of and risk attending the knocking out of the usual "dog
shoes" between the slide baulks and the slide planks is entirely removed.

page_text: As a precautionary measure, it may be advisable to have the stop cocks arranged
in duplicate as shown on the drawing to prevent any chance of the cock at the
platform at the vessel's shore end being opened or interfered with before the vessel
is quite ready to be launched.
Water may be supplied to the hydraulic cylinders to push out the rams by a
pump or a funnel may be used to fill the cylinders after the rams have been put out
by hand.
A pressure gauge p may if desirable be fixed on the piping.
The above description of apparatus is obviously capable of considerable modi-
fication in detail but it represents the simplest and best form of which I am aware
and therefore
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 :-
For facilitating the launching of ships and analogous objects the novel arrange-
ment or combination of parts consisting in the provision of triggers adapted to
oscillate on axles secured in or on the slide planks the upper ends of the triggers
being designed to transmit the pressure from the slide baulks through their lower
ends to rams working in cylinders, the release of the pressure imposed on the fluid
in the cylinders having the effect of overturning the triggers to effect the launching
of the vessel, substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this 12th day of January 1893.
A. CRAWHALL CHAPMAN,
3, St. Nicholas Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Patent Agent.