IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ENGAGING AND DISENGAGING SHIPS' BOATS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Cordy Baxter, of Abchurch Lane, in the
City of London, Architect, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR ENGAGING AND DISENGAGING SHIPS' BOATS."--A communi.
cation from abroad by Arthur Folkard, of Trincomalee, in the Island
of Ceylon.
Scaled the 26th September 1873, and dated the 9th May 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Cordy Baxter
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 9th May 1873.
I, ROBERT CORDY BAXTER, of Abchurch Lane, in the City of London,
Architect, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS POR ENGAGING AND DISENGAGING SHIPS' BOATS,"
communicated to me from abroad by Arthur Folkard, of Trincomalee,
in the Island of Ceylon, to be as follows:-
:―
This Invention has for its object the construction of apparatus for
engaging and disengaging ships' boats to and from the davit falls so as

page_text: to ensure coincidence of action, and prevent one fall being either
engaged or disengaged without the other.
The shackles attached to the falls are lowered to the bottom of the
boat through openings in the thwarts and funnel guides, whereupon
their weights sets free locking bolts which are driven through them, and
eye bolts are clenched through the keel of the boat.
The locking bolts are actuated by self-acting gear contained in a box
fixed to the keel below the thwart or the stern flooring. This gear is
connected with the bolts by rods passing along the keel below the kelson
board.
The eye bolts have balance stops which prevent the locking bolts
passing, unless both stops are removed by the fall shackles simul-
taneously.
The locking bolts are so formed that on the strain of the falls coming
upon them they lock against the innermost eye bolt, and prevent the
disengaging gear from acting when the connection between the latter
and the engaging gear is disconnected before lowering.
When lowering, on the boat being waterborne, the slackening of the
falls relieves the locking of the bolts which are instantly withdrawn
from the shackles by the weight gear, thereby setting the boat free.
But as the locking of either bolt singly prevents that gear from
acting both bolts are held in locking position until the boat is afloat
at both ends, however carelessly it may be lowered or affected by wave
action.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Cordy Baxter in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 7th November 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
CORDY BAXTER, of Abchurch Lane, in the City of London, Architect,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-thrcc, in the thirty-

page_text: sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Robert Cordy Baxter, Her special license
that I, the said Robert Cordy Baxter, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Cordy Baxter, 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 ENGAGING AND DISENGAGING SHIPS' BOATS," communicated to me from
abroad by Arthur Folkard, of Trincomalee, in the Island of Ceylon, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert Cordy Baxter,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Robert Cordy Baxter, 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 thereof, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:
This Invention has for its object the construction of apparatus for
automatically engaging and disengaging ships' boats to and from the
davit falls so as to ensure coincidence of action, and prevent one fall
being either engaged or disengaged without the other.
The shackles attached to the falls are lowered to the bottom of the
boat through openings in the thwarts and funnel guides, whereupon.
their weight sets free locking bolts which are driven through them, and
eye bolts which are clenched through the keel of the boat.
The locking bolts are actuated by self-acting gear contained in a box
fixed to the keel below any thwart or the stern flooring. This gear is
connected with the bolts by rods passing along the keel below the
keclson board.

page_text: The eye bolts have balance stops which prevent the locking bolts pass-
ing unless both stops are removed by the fall shackles simultaneously.
The locking bolts are so formed that on the strain of the falls coming
upon them they lock against the innermost cyc bolt and prevent the
disengaging gear from acting when the connection between the latter
and the engaging gear is disconnected before lowering.
When lowering on the boat being waterborne the slackening of the
falls relieves the locking of the bolts which are instantly withdrawn
from the shackles by the weight gear, thereby setting the boat free.
But as the locking of either bolt singly prevents that gear from
acting, both bolts are held in locking position until the boat is afloat at
both ends however carelessly it may be lowered or affected by wave

page_text: Figures 1, 2, and 3 are on a scale of half an inch to a foot.
Figures 6 and 6* can be read together, and Figures 7 and 7* can be
read together if the upper lines of the keel K* are placed in a line in such
Figures.
Kis the top of the keel.
Short lengths of iron chain, terminating in elongated shackles A, A,
are fixed to the ordinary fall blocks.
B, B, B¹, B', are iron cyc bolts passed through and clenched to bottom
of keel; C, C, are two iron bolts which work free in and out of the
eyes of the bolts B', B', and are hinged upwards by pins D, D, to the
ends of light iron rods E, E, which are supported on wood rollers with
copper bands F, F1, and pass between the top of the boat frames and
the floor of the boat, as shown in Figure 1. These rods enter at either
end of a small box F, Figure 1, which is screwed to the keel of the boat
below any thwart. They are there connected by flattened heads G, G,
with pins H, H, which form the two ends respectively of a brass lazy-
tongs or system of jointed levers I, I, Figures 5, 6, and 7, working on a
central pin J. The heads of the pins I work in metal lined grooves
K, K. The bolts being hinged upwards in their motion rods prevent
any attachment unless the bolts are fully shot or withdrawn. Two lead
weights of different calibres L and M extend athwart the box, as
indicated by the dotted lines L', I, and M', M', and are secured by
bolts N, N, passing right through them to the iron plates O, O, on either
side. These plates are suspended upon rods P, P, which serve as their
axes and pass through the walls of the box on either side. They are
secured externally. Chases in those rods in which the plates swing
prevent all lateral movement of the weights. The lesser weight L is
connected by arms Q, Q, with a cross head or bar R which is pierced
in its centre by the head pin H of the lazy-tongs. The greater weight M
has arms, bars, or rods S, S, working loose on the pins T, T. These arms
are shaped near their ends into a catch hook, shewn in Figures 6 and 7,
and slide over the pins V, V, of the lesser weight L, whilst the extre-
mities themselves are connected together by two loose arms and a cross
rod W, to the latter of which is attached a cord X terminating in a
wood stop Y external to the lid of the box which has holes for the

page_text: passage of the cord and for the stops when opening the box. A similar
cord and external stop Zis fastened to a hook below and in the transverse
centre of the weight M. The vertical rod a of the indicator is stepped
into the bottom of the box and works in a collar b. It carries a fork c
embracing a pin H of the lazy-tongs and is moreover furnished at the
top with two arms carrying a dial card & which can be read through a
glass e in the lid of the box.
The four eye bolts B, B, B', B', pass through the base plates of two
castings, one of which is shewn in section and one in elevation at S,
Figs. 1, 2, 4, 6, 7*. These castings carry the wooden base y of detach-
able fuunel guides h, which have their base opening sufficiently large to
permit the shackles A to have free play. The height of these guides
may be continued to the thwarts, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or it may
be only sufficient to give a tolerably wide mouth for the ready insertion
of the shackle. In the former casc, as shewn in Figure 4, they are
transversely inclined to the centre of the boat, so as to allow the shackle
to bear permanently against the thwart and so aid in steadying the
boat transversely. In the case of light boats, such as gigs, &c. this
suffices for the purpose. To the base of the castings are clenched
copper fulcrum blocks k, in which are pinned copper arms which are
extended into the bent steel levers m. One end of these levers projects
below a brass balance stop or trigger which works on a pin o screwed
to the face of each casting, and has a small weight p to aid its descent.
The balance stops or triggers fit into wide slots cut across each of
the bolts C. A second slot is cut in the rear of each slot » for purposes
to be hercin-after described, brass thumb picces or regulating links 8, s,
Figure 1, shewn in detail in Figure 7* form the connection of a break
in the rods E, and serve by working on the screwed end of the rod to
adjust the position of the bolts to the stop accurately. By simply
withdrawing a split pin t, Figure 7*, the gearing can be detached from
the bolts for repair or cleaning when the boat is hanging by the bolts;
10 are the guy rods for securing lateral steadiness in heavy boats. They
are shown in side clevation, Figure 2, and in plan Figure 3. Each guy
rod turns in a socket hinged to the gunwale at the other end being
removeable from its socket so as to admit of the rod being laid fore
and aft. The shackle A passes through the fork y of the guy rod,
which admits of fore and aft motion when the boat swings. On the
shackle being withdrawn it lifts the fork over and clears itself.

page_text: The action of the gearing is as follows:-Presuming the boat to be
coming alongside at any time before it comes actually to the side, the
cord Z is pulled by hand and thus raises the weight M from the position
it occupies in Figure 7 to that shown in Figure 6, and in doing this
the arms S, S, are slidden forward in the direction of the arrow (marked
thercon in Figure 7), till the catch hooks fall over the pins V, V, of
the weight L, see Figure 7. The weight M being the greater would
now raise the weight L, and in doing so would by the arms Q, Q, and
connected driving bar R force the lazy-tongs I into the extended or
expanded position shown by the dotted lines Z, Z, Z, and thereby push
the rods E, E, outward. This movement is however prevented by
balance stops or triggers lying in the slots in the bolts C, Figure 6*.
When the boat is alongside the shackles A are pushed down the
funnel guides h, h, when they press upon the flattened end of the
levers m, Figure 6*, and through them raise the stops from the slots ».
The movement above described then takes place, the weight M falls
lifting the weight L (by means of the rods S and pins V), and so driving
the bolts C through the shackles A and into the position in the cyc
bolts B, B', in which they are shown in Figure 7*.
On the weight of the boat coming upon the falls the bolts C are lifted
against the heads of the eye bolts and the groove a*, Figure 6*, bears
against the bolt B, as shown in Figure 7*, preventing the bolt C from
working out of place. As cither balance stop when in place singly
prevents the weight M from falling, it is evident that no motion can
take place at either end until both shackles are down so that no attention
is necessary as to their being lowered simultaneously.
If by a roll of the ship one shackle were withdrawn after it had lifted
its stop, this last could not owing to a slight movement regain. its proper
slot. It would then fall into the second slot and hold the gear until
the shackle be replaced. The boat can then be hoisted and any chance.
of her becoming detached by a sea lifting her, will be prevented by the
weight M which will still be clutching and overpowering by the arms
S, S, the lesser disengaging weight L. When the boat is being lowered
these clutches are disengaged by friction upon the cord a, the extent
of which is regulated by the wood stops b*, bx, such friction being
obtained by the cord a running through a rope loop suspended from the
chain connecting the davit heads. The weight L then falls to a slight
extent in the slots c, c, of the arms Q, thus preventing the clutches

page_text: returning to their former place. The then relative position of the
weights is shown in Figure 7. On the boat being waterborne the
shackles will slack, and the friction of the bolts C in the eye bolts being
relieved the fall of the weight L into the position shown in Figure 6
will draw back by the arms Q, the lazy-tongs I, and by means thereof it
will withdraw the bolts C into the position shown in Figure 6*, when the
shackles are free. But as a strain on either bolt will prevent the weight L
from falling, both bolts are held in locking position until the relief from
strain on the shackles is simultaneous at both ends.
The motion of the pin of the lazy-tongs within the fork c of the
indicator turns the dial card & so that the position of the bolts can be
read through the glass e.
The improvements offer the following advantages among others,
The means by which the boat is automatically engaged to the falls
and to both simultaneously, thus avoiding the risk of a boat being drawn.
up by one end of a fouled tackle when the ship is rolling or by the
crew on deck hauling on either fall before both are attached. The
facility and rapidity of such means of attachment over the present
arrangement, whereby probably in a heavy sea and dark night a man
has to raise the chain slings with one hand and handle the heavy fall
and hook with the other.
The action by which the boat is automatically disengaged on floating
must be coincident at either end owing to the connection of the bolt
rods by the lazy-tongs, and all sucli gearing is of metal and permanent
and out of the way of wilful injury or accidental displacement.
The present chain slings occupying so much space in a boat are done
away with.
The method of applying the weight which is the motive power
admits of its being increased to any extent which may be found
necessary. The danger of their opening under heavy strain is avoided
from the absence of hooks.
At any time when the boat is hoisted the gearing can at once be
detached from the bolts by which the weight of the boat is borne,
cleaned, and worked freely and rapidly by hand by so doing, as well.
as by the nature of the metal which can be used, preventing any
uncertainty of action from the rusting of any turning point.

page_text: No portion of this gearing is subject to any strain from the weight
of the boat. The strength of the small supporting bolts may therefore
be increased without limit and without affecting the gearing.
The action of the gearing is in itself instant and complete, requiring
no after action of the crews to guard against accidental displacement.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what
manner the same may be performed I declare that I claim,-
First. The employment and arrangement of the bolts and shackles
with connected gearing arranged in the manner above described, whereby
the bolts are engaged to and disengaged from their falls.
Second. The employment of the lazy-tongs or system of jointed levers
for procuring the motion as described, whereby one fall is prevented
from being engaged or disengaged without the other.
Third. The employment and arrangement of stops and levers in the
manner and for the purpose described.
Fourth. The arrangement of the motive gearing in such manner as
to relieve it from all strain from the weight of the boat, to admit of
increase of motive power, and to allow of its being enclosed and protected
from injury, all as herein-before described.
Fifth. The hinging of the bolts upward on their motion rods, as
described, whereby attachment is prevented unless the bolts are fully
shot or withdrawn.
Sixth. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting
the improved apparatus for engaging and disengaging ships' boats, as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Cordy Baxter have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Fourth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
0
Witness,
GEORGE RUSSELL COCKERELL,
5, Pavilion Buildings,
Brighton.
ROB. C. BAXTER. (L.S.)