IMPROVEMENTS IN CABLES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of the firm of
Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the
City of London, Patent Agents, for the Invention of " IMPROVE-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archibald
Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 28th January 1853.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of the firm of Robertson,
Brooman, and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London,
Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CABLES" to be as follows:-
The nature of this Invention consists in giving elasticity to a
chain cable by inserting at suitable intervals in the cable a series of
swivel or other suitable form of links, and forming an elastic con-
nection between the two parts B, E, of each of said links, by means
of an india-rubber or other equivalent elastic bolster d, combined
with said swivel or other links.
It is known that an elastic holder for a chain cable has been con-

page_text: structed on shipboard; but besides that it occupies valuable room
on the deck of the ship, it does not secure the advantages which an
elastic cable affords, as herein-after set forth.
In the application of the principle of this Invention the swivel
form of link is usually employed; the socket piece B of which is
provided with a circular aperture for receiving the adjacent link at
one end, and a socket e, and oblong aperture for admitting the
other parts of the link at the other end. The shank piece E is also
provided at one end with an aperture b, for receiving its adjacent
link; and its shank enters the socket e of the piece B, and may
extend to the bottom of the oblong aperture thereof. Within this
aperture is fitted over said shank of the piece E, a cylindrical
bolster d, of india-rubber or other suitable elastic substance, and is
held thereon by a nut c, which is screwed upon the end of said
shank against the bolster, whose length and elasticity, when not
compressed, holds it nearly or quite at the bottom of the oblong
aperture. When tension is applied to the link thus constructed,
the bolster d becomes compressed, and the link is stretched in pro-
portion to the force of the tension, but returns to its former
condition as soon as the tension is removed. The cable may be
entirely composed of such links connected together, or they may be
inserted at intervals therein, and connected with one another, and
with the anchor A, by one or more of the common links C, C,
whereby a cable is formed of greater or less elasticity, as may be
desirable.
Other modes of forming the links and applying the elastic bolster
than the one above described may be employed, the principle
remaining the same.
The advantages to be derived from my elastic chain cable are,
first, almost a perfect security against being broken by a sudden
strain coming on any part, inasmuch as the elastic portions occur-
ring at short intervals, the strain is soon distributed among them,
and mitigated when an inelastic cable would be broken; and even
with an elastic holder, as mentioned above, the inertia of the entire
length of the cable would require to be overcome before the strain

page_text: could be relieved, and therefore little or no protection would
thereby be afforded; secondly, less wear and strain would be
caused, either to the cable, the anchor, or the ship, while at anchor;
and, besides, from the stretching of the cable when let out, a greater
length is obtained, while it occupies less space on shipboard by
being drawn into itself.
The claim is for such a construction of a chain cable as will
render it elastic in itself throughout its entire length (or nearly so),
by inserting therein at suitable intervals swivel or other suitable
form of links, which are made elastic by the combination therewith
of springs of india-rubber, or other equivalent waterproof elastic
material, substantially as herein set forth.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th July 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of the firm of Robertson, Brooman,
and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agents, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three,
in the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Richard Archibald
Brooman, Her special licence that I, the said Richard Archibald
Brooman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CABLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the

page_text: said Richard Archibald Brooman, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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 Richard Archibald Brooman,
do hereby declare 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, reference being
had to the Drawings annexed, that is to say:
The nature of this Invention consists in giving elasticity to chain
cables, by inserting at suitable intervals therein a series of swivel
or other suitable links, and forming an elastic connection between
the two parts of each of the said links, by means of an india-rubber.
or other equivalent elastic bolster, combined with said swivel or
other links. I am aware that an elastic holder for chain cables has
been constructed; but this, besides occupying valuable room on the
deck of the ship, does not secure the advantages which an elastic
cable affords, as herein-after_set forth. In the application of the
principle of this Invention, the swivel form of link (as represented
in Figures 1, and 2, of the Drawings annexed) is that usually
employed; the socket piece B, of the link is provided with a circular
aperture for receiving the adjacent link at one end, and a socket e,
and oblong aperture for admitting the other parts of the link at the
other end. The shank piece E is also provided at one end with an
aperture b, for receiving its adjacent link; and its shank enters the
socket of the piece B, and may extend to the bottom of the
oblong aperture thereof. Within this aperture is fitted over said.
shank of the piece E, a cylindrical bolster d, of india-rubber or
other suitable elastic substance, which is held thereon by a nut c
which is screwed upon the end of said shank against the bolster,
whose length and elasticity when not compressed holds it nearly or
quite to the bottom of the oblong aperture. When tension is applied
to the link thus constructed, the bolster d becomes compressed, and
the link is stretched in proportion to the force of the tension, but-

page_text: returns to its former condition as soon as the tension is removed.
Cables may be entirely composed of such links connected together
or the links may be inserted at intervals therein, and connected
with one another, and with the anchor A, by one or more of the
common links C, C, whereby cables are formed of greater or less
elasticity, as may be desirable. Other modes of forming the links
and applying the elastic bolster than the one above described, may
be employed, the principle remaining the same.
The advantages to be derived from these elastic chain cables are,
first, almost perfect security against being broken by a sudden
strain coming on, any part, inasmuch as the elastic portions occur-
ring at short intervals, the strain is soon distributed among them,
and mitigated when an inelastic cable would be broken; and even
with an elastic holder, as mentioned above, the inertia of the entire
length of the cable would require to be overcome before the strain
could be relieved, and therefore little or no protection would
thereby be afforded. Secondly, less wear and strain would be
caused either to the cable, the anchor, or the ship, while at anchor;
and further, from the stretching of the cable when let out, a greater
length is obtained, while it occupies less space on shipboard by
being drawn into itself.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim
the improvement in chain cables, produced by inaking them
elastic in themselves, by the insertion therein at suitable intervals
of swivels or links, combined with india-rubber or other suitable
elastic waterproof material, substantially as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day
of July, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
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