Improvements in connection with Submarine Cable Laying Appliances.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Jan., 1898-Accepted, 19th Mar.,
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in connection with Submarine Cable Laying
Appliances.
I, CHARLES SCOTT SNELL, of Culver Park, Saltash, in the County of Cornwall,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in paying out electric cable from a drum
to which no rotatory motion is imparted; a matter of convenience where it may be
desirable to stow the cable on board a ship on separate drums instead of in flakes
in a large tank.
In carrying out this invention I attach to the drum end a rounded nosing over
which the cable may be drawn without risk of mechanical injury, immediately
within which a guide wheel revolves on a radial arm, this also carries a second or
central guide wheel revolving in a different plane. The radial arm revolves on
a central shaft which coincides with the centre line of the drum and it has a move
able counterweight upon a prolongation of the same arm. The central guide wheel
is attached to an arm which admits of a certain amount of motion in such a manner
that upon the cable being subjected to a certain tension it loosens a brake which
is retarding the free rotation of the radial arm and its accessories. Thus the outer
guide wheel near the nosing is kept against the cable with a certain tension, pre-
venting slackness and the possibility of kinks.
The moveable counterweight may be at first placed near the centre of rotation,
so as to allow the revolving system to be rapidly put in motion from a state of rest,
the centrifugal force however will soon cause it to take up an extreme position
near the end of the arm, a spring or rubber cushion being used to prevent jar.
To allow the cable to run readily from a depleted drum to a second drum
similarly equipped with which connection is made, the cable may be passed over
further guide pulleys having rollers mounted as horns and being themselves
carried on pivots admitting of rotation. A further pair of guide pulleys may be
also used to direct the cable to any other position. Where head room is limited
the cable may be carried on drums arranged in columns with a pair of paying out
equipments as above described arranged in a large deck opening and the drums
passed in succession underneath them.

page_text: Improvements in connection with Submarine Cable Laying
Appliances.
I, CHARLES SCOTT SNELL, of Culver Park, Saltash, in the County of Cornwall,
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:-
This invention relates to improvements in paying out electric cable from a drum
to which no rotatory motion is imparted, a matter of convenience where it may be
desirable to stow the cable on board a ship on separate drums, instead of in flakes
in a large tank.
In carrying out this invention-see Figs. 1 and 2 Sheet 1 on accompanying
drawings I attach to the drum end A, a rounded nosing B, over which the cable
may be drawn without risk of mechanical injury, immediately within which a
guide wheel C, revolves on a radial arm D, which also carries a second or central
guide wheel E, revolving in a different plane.
The radial arm revolves on a central shaft which coincides with the centre line
of the drum, and it has a moveable counterweight F, upon a prolongation of the
same arm. The central guide wheel E, is attached to an arm G, which admits of
a certain amount of motion-vertical travel in this case in such a manner that
the cable, upon being subjected to a certain tension, loosens a brake H, which is
retarding the free motion of the arm and its accessories.
The brake in the case illustrated, simply consists of a disc H, which is carried
around with the rotating system, and is being pressed upon by the springs II
through the arm or spindle G, the yoke J and the levers KK, which are mounted
on the arm D, as shewn. The pull of the cable works against the braking action
of the springs the brake effect therefore being controlled by the amount of tension
on the cable. Thus the outer guide wheel near the nosing is kept against the cable
with a certain tension, preventing slackness and the possibility of kinks.
The moveable counterweight may be at first placed near the centre of rotation-
as shewn in the drawing--so as to allow the revolving system to be rapidly put in
motion from a state of rest, the centrifugal force however will soon cause it to
take up an extreme position near the end of the arm, a spring or rubber cushion
being used to prevent jar.
The brake arrangement herein described may obviously be varied to suit
circumstances, as for instance if the cable being paid out was of a heavy rigid
nature the block H might be tapered as shown in Fig. 3, so as to increase the
gripping power without the use of springs of undue strength. Other types of
brakes well known to engineers may be substituted without departing from the
spirit of my invention.
To allow the cable to run readily from a depleted drum to a second drum.
similarly equipped, with which connection is made that is the terminal wire of
one drum is spliced on to the head wire of the following one-the cable may be
rigged or passed over further guide pulleys.
These are marked L in Figs. 4 and 5 and the cable in passing over the one to
the right, in Fig. 5 continues its course to the pulley marked N whence it is drawn
away as shown by the arrow. Meantime the gear mounted upon the top of the
right hand drum, as described in reference to Figs. 1 and 2 is rotated until the last
turn of cable is taken from the drum. The cable as will be seen in Fig. 4 lays in
a curve upon the deck, and the continued pull upon it drags it away from any
stops or lashings, with which it may be held, there will therefore be a moment
when it will have assumed the position shown dotted in Fig. 4 and marked ✗

page_text: As wheel L is however pivotted at Q, that is it is free to swivel on a vertical axis,
and further a roller M projects as a horn, it is evident that the side pull, which
occurs when the cable assumes the dotted position aforesaid, will cause the wheel L
to be bodily rotated on its vertical axis and thus the cable readily leaves it.
The remaining slack cable is drawn up until the pull comes upon that portion
which is laying on the wheel L' and delivery proceeds from the left hand drum,
the cable of course riding taut against the upper guide pulley N.
The cable as it the upper wheel may be led to any position beyond such as to
the upper deck.
Where head room is limited, the cable may be carried on drums arranged in
columns, with a pair of paying-out equipments as above described, arranged in a
large deck opening-marked Ŏ in Fig. 4-and passed in succession underneath
them.
For this purpose the tray with the rounded nosing, which is locked on the drum
head by catches P', (Figs. 1 and 2) is released and temporarily raised so that a
depleted drum is passed on and its successor drawn up in its place, the tray is then
lowered and relocked and the connecting wire rigged on the pulleys.
Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 shew the application of this arrangement of cable in small
drums, to ships of various widths.
In Fig. 6 the paying out hatch is shewn dotted and the drums are arranged in
single columns on two decks, so that the wings of the ship may be formed into
store rooms, cabins, coal bunkers or the like. The general movement of the drums
is shewn by arrows, and the drums in position for paying out are hatched. At
one bulkhead each drum in succession is lowered, as shewn by the arrow R in
Fig. 7, and at the other extremity drums as wanted are raised, as shewn by
arrow S. For very narrow vessels this is convenient and where the wings are not
wanted for other purposes two column abreast may be used, as shewn in Fig. 8.
Fig. 7 is a vertical section of this arrangement also.
.
In Fig. 9 is shewn the use of only one deck, in a vessel of greater beam. The
paying out hatch is dotted as before and the circulation of the drums is shewn
by arrows, the drums being brought into use in alphabetical succession as marked,
it being assumed that A and B have already been depleted and therefore have
taken the course marked by dotted arrows.
Where still greater beam of ship is admissable, four columns may be used, and
a method of circulation is shewn by the arrows in Fig. 10.
Thus each drum in succession is passed under the deck opening containing the
pair of paying out equipments, one of which is always in use whilst the second is
being adjusted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The arrangement or combination whereby submarine cable may be stowed and
manipulated in a series of non-rotating drums, in such manner that each drum in
succession is brought under a paying out position, where it is temporarily crowned
with paying out gear, substantially as herein described and illustrated.
2. The combination or arrangement of parts in the paying out gear, whereby
the tension on the cable is caused to affect the retarding force of a brake substan-
tially as herein described and illustrated.
Dad L
1
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1000