A NEW OR IMPROVED AUTOMATIC MUSHROOM ANCHOR."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Evelyn Liardet, of No. 4, Breakspears Road,
Wickham Park, Brockley, in the County of Kent, for an Invention of "A
NEW OR IMPROVED AUTOMATIC MUSHROOM ANCHOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said.John Evelyn Liardet at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd April 1880.
JOHN EVELYN LIARDET, of No. 4, Breakspears Road, Wickham Park, Brockley,
in the County of Kent. "A NEW OR IMPROVED AUTOMATIC MUSHROOM ANCHOR."
The objects offected by my improved construction of anchor are as follows:-A
nover failing grip is attained without a stock; a powerful grip is obtained whilst
its weight is considerably lessened relatively for tonnage than those hitherto used,
and one that affords great facilities of stowage, going in as small a compass as any
ordinary anchor. It will also be found less liable to twist foul cable by reason of
its being a revolving anchor, and thus with the ordinary swivels the chain would
not twist, an occurrence which at present so often happens, rendering it so difficult
to get the cable through the hawse pipes.
My Invention consists as follows: I use a mushroom fluke binged to a shank
of anchor so that it is not only capable of being fixed in the gripping position
that is to say, at right angles to the shank, but of being released from that position
so that it can when not in uso lie flat along or on the shank of the anchor. This
is effected by providing at or alongside the shank a slido shaft working in suitable
collars and guides whereby the mushroom fluke is held in its gripping position,
having a suitable hole and wedge pin for that purpose and a lanyard for buoy
thereto. By withdrawing the slide shaft the mushroom fluke is released and
assumes the position flat on the shank, as hereinbefore described. The mushroom
fluko is free to revolve on the end of shank, a washer with pin being thus provided
at head of fluke, and the mushroom fluke has a number of apertures for the mud
and water to pass through whilst weighing. There are likewise suitable bridles
for the grappling iron to hook on to when lost and being fished up. The anchor
is provided with shackles for holding main chain and mooring the ship by and
with buoy rope ring.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Evelyn Liardet in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd October 1880.
JOHN EVELYN LIARDET, of No. 4, Breakspears Road, Wickham Park,' Brockley,
in the County of Kent. "A NEW OR IMPROVED AUTOMATIC MUSHROOM ANCHOR."
The objects effected by my improved construction of anchor are as follows:-A
never failing grip is obtained without a stock; a powerful grip is obtained, whilst
the weight of anchor is considerably lessened for tonnage and it affords greater
facilities for stowage, going in as small a compass as an ordinary anchor. It will
also be found less liable to twist or foul cablo by reason of its being a revolving
anchor, and thus with the ordinary swivels the chain could not twist, an occurrence
which at present so often happens, rendering it so difficult to get the cable through
the hawse pipes. Its special service is as a deep sea anchor to bring a ship's head
to the wind in heavy weather and thus preserve her from falling into the trough
of the sea or broadside on, and also as a kedge anchor for warping or towing
vessels off banks and through canals, and for mooring as a stream or stern anchor.
It may also be used as a bower anchor for which its gripping and easy method of
releasing especially fit this anchor.
In order that the nature of my said Invention and the manner in which the
same is effected may be particularly described and ascertained, this Specification is
accompanied by a Sheet of Drawings havings Figures and lotters of reference
marked thereupon, the like letter being used to denote a similar or corresponding
part in cach Figure.
In the Drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of my improved
mushroom anchor; Figure 2 a sectional plan; and Figure 3 an external clevation
of the same.
My Invention consists as follows:-I use a mushroom fluke a hinged, as shown
in Drawing, to the shank b of anchor, in such manner that it is not only capable
of being fixed in the gripping position, that is to say, at right angles to the shank
(Figure 1) but of being released from that position, so that when not in use it can
lic flat along or on the shank of the anchor, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. This
is effected by providing at or alongside the shank a slide shaft c working in
suitable collars or guides d, whereby the mushroom fluke is held in its gripping
position and released when required, having a suitable hole and wedge pin c for
these purposes, and a lanyard of rope, wire, or chain to remove the pin and also
the slido shaft c, whereupon the grip of the mushroom fluke is released, and it
assumes the position flat on the shank, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The mushroom
fluke which may be either round in forin, as indicated by the dotted lines, or
scolloped, as shown by the full lines, is free to revolve on the hinged portion of
shank b, a washer pin f, and ring being provided therefor. The mushroom fluko
has a number of apertures 9 for the mud and water to pass through whilst
weighing. Around it also is provided a rope or wire rope or chain for the
grappling iron to hook on to when the anchor has separated from the main cable
and requires to be fished up.
Although heretoforo in this Specification described as without a stock it may, 4
if preferred, be constructed and used with a stock.
The anchor is provided with shackles for holding the main chain and mooring
the ship by and with buoy rope ring.
Having now particularly described the nature of my said Invention and the
manner in which the same is effected, what I claim as my Invention and desire 5
to secure by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is the construction of

page_text: mushroom anchors with a hinged fluke and the arrangements for actuating the
same, in and for the purposes and in the manner described in this Specification,
and in the accompanying Drawings illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Evelyn Liardet, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of October, One thousand eight hundred
and eighty.
J. EVELYN LIARDET. (L.S.)