CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ANCHORS
Year: 1821

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
RICHARD FRANCIS HAWKINS, of Plumstead, in the County of Kent,
Master Mariner, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth
did, by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of that part of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, bearing
date at Westminster, the Eleventh day of September, in the second
year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the said Richard Francis
Hawkins, my exors, adiiors, and assigns, His especial licence, full
power, sole privilege, and authority that I, the said Richard Francis
Hawkins, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, during the term of years
therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF ANCHORS," in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso
that if I, the said Richard Francis Hawkins, shall not particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under
iny hand and seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's

page_text: Migh Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent, that then the said
Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby
granted, shall utterly cease, determine, and become void, as in and by
the same relation, being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso I, the
said Richard Francis Hawkins, do hereby declare that the nature of
my said Invention, and the manner in which the same.
to be per-
formed, are particularly described and ascertained in and by the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and the following description thereof
(that is to say): The following is a Specification of my improvements
in the construction of anchors. The said improvements relate to two
points, First, to an improved form and construction of anchors dif-
ferent from the anchors generally in use. Secondly, to improvements
in the construction of anchors similar to those now in use. My im-
proved form and construction of anchors are as follows:-The anchor
consists of a shank and arms, with what I call a crown piece attached
or fastened to it, and a toggle with the apparatus necessary to fasten
them, as herein-after described. The shank is so formed as to consist
of two parts towards the crown, forming what is called a throat, each
part having an eye or hole or loop so placed that the arm of the
anchor being passed through the two holes may freely work in the same;
and in so forming the shank the bar or bars of iron which make the
eyes or holes or loops respectively should continue in one piece at
least all round the eyes or holes or loops for greater safety, and should
then be welded together into that part of the shank which is single,
forming what I call the throat of the anchor. The crown piece, so
called, because it forms the crown of the anchor, its situation is between
the two eyes or holes or loops before mentioned, is a piece of iron,
which may be wrought or cast, and it has a hole through which
the arm of the anchor passes, but in such a manner as to be fixed,
so that when the arms turn. round in the eyes or holes or loops
the crown piece may turn round with them; the interior of the crown
piece, or that part which is towards the square of the shank and the

page_text: throat, must be so adjusted that the crown piece may freely revolve and
pass through the throat when the toggle herein-after mentioned is not in
the crown piece. The arms and the crown piece may be fixed in
various ways, , but the plan I find to succeed best is by what I call a clip
and a wedge; the hole in the crown piece being square or squareish,
and that part of the arms which is to be fastened being also squareish,
with a clip on one side and a wedge driven in on the opposite side, by
which it is made perfectly tight. The crown piece has another hole in
that part of it which plays or works between the arms and the throat;
this hole is at right angles to the former hole and to the plane of the
arms, and into this hole is inserted a long thick piece of iron, which I
call the toggle, and which, being fastened in its place so as to project
equally on both sides by striking against or meeting the throat, prevents
the crown piece and the arms from moving or playing round, and stops
them at an angle of about 50 degrees; but the throat and the inner
part of the crown piece and the toggle may be so adjusted in making
the anchor as to form an angle greater or less, but I consider 50
degrees to be the best holding position. The toggle may be fastened in
its place in various ways, but the mode I use is by the clip and wedge
above stated; its length must be such as to make it firmly bear against
the throat, and it serves the purpose of a stock, which is therefore not
necessary for this sort of anchor. In constructing anchors on this
principle both the palms cannot be formed on the arms before one of
the arms are passed through the eyes or loops of the crown piece, and
one of the palms must be finished afterwards, and the palms must be
both in the same plane with the arms. When the anchor is let go one
end or the other of the toggle comes in contact with the ground, and
puts both the flukes in a position to enter, and when the strain comes
on the cable the other end of the toggle comes in contact with the throat
and sets the anchor in the holding position, which is effected by both
the flooks or flukes. The obvious advantages of this mode of con-
structing anchors are, that they hold at once by both the flooks or
flukes, and therefore the weight may be less with equal effect, and there
is a better chance of holding; and, from the manner in which the shank
and the arms play or work, both flooks or flukes holding at once, and

page_text: there being iio stock in the usual way, there is much greater safety
against fouling, which can rarely (if ever) happen with this sort of
anchor, and obviously it may be catted, fished, and stowed with greater
facility and safety than a common anchor.
I further specify and set forth the following improvement in the con-
struction of anchors similar to those now in use. The arms of the anchor
is made in one piece or length with a sufficient substance of iron at the
crown to admit of a hole; the crown end of the shauk is formed with
a throat and two loops or eyes or holes, projecting between which the
arins are placed and secured by a strong bolt which is passed through
the loops or eyes and líole in the arms, and is strongly rivetted; the
effect of this is to make that part of the anchor stronger. The stock is
so constructed as to consist of two pieces of timber or iron, which, when
the anchor is not in use, fold down by a hinge or joint on each side of
the shank, and which, when required for use, are extended and secured
in a cap or case of iron so as to fasten them in their intended position.
Various modes of fastening the stock in its position for use will occur to
every person acquainted with mechanics, and different modes will be
more or less convenient according to the size of the anchor. In small
anchors a bolt passing through the iron case and the stock would be
sufficient, but in large anchors where the stock is of wood a hoop and
a wedge would answer better.
.
I have, for the further and better explanation of my said improve-
ments, and to 'render the same as clear. as may be, added the following
Drawings, with descriptions and references, viz:-Reference to
Drawing No. 1, Figure A, the shank; B, arms or flukes; C, palms;
D, toggle; E, crown piece; F; shackle (or may be a ring); G, per-
spective view of holding position; H, manner of forming the shank;
K, of forming the arms. The crown piece, as at Fig. E 1, should
be the 'first part made, as by it the mechanic is more readily guided
with respect to the distance between the eyes or loops of the shank
and the proportion of the depth of the throat, as at Fig. M.(1), and
tlie dotted lines at Fig. N. Now the. dimensions of, the crown, piece
may be determined by whatever is the largest size or part of the arm
which is the square, as at Fig. K. (3) to fit, that the hole must be

page_text: calculated, leaving a sufficient substance at the sides of the same. The,
hole at opposite angles intended for the toggle is ascertained by the
crown. piece itself, the size of which is fixed by whatever is that of the
square part of the arms, deducting for substance, that you may leave;
round the hole one way, and giving it the, other way the addition of
about three tenths more, as that, being opposed to the strain, more.
necessarily requires it. Let there be a hole or ring in the crown, and
for the better bending to of the buoy rope, see Fig. E. The arms may
be, next made, which may also be layed up with flat bars of iron and
faggotted, or otherwise forming a square as at Fig. K (3), also a clip
(4), to be secured by a wedge: One palm can be put on or formed, the,
other must be done after it is rove through. the eyes and crown piece,
or it may be done otherways; the arms are bent to their form the last.
thing, in doing which care must be taken to set them to the form at
first determined upon, as any alteration afterwards may endanger the
parts bent. The shank may also be made by faggotting with flat iron,
or any other way forming a substance sufficient for half the thickness
of a shank, at whatever size it may be in which one eye is formed as at
Fig. H, (No. 2,) putting in a core or otherwise sufficient to make good
workmanship. The two eyes or loops, forming four parts, which are
all welded together, thereby forming the shank, in which it will be
seen another core or filling will be required to make good the throat,
as at Fig. H, (No. 1); it is best to make the shank in whole lengths
where it can be done, as by which all risks of scarfs are avoided. The
size of the eyes are regulated by the diagonal size of the square on
the arms, which will be seen in Fig. E (3), and the opening between
them. full wide enough for the crown piece to revolve between. The
depth of the throat must be regulated by what the angle of.50 degrees
sets the toggle, as at Figs. M, and N. The toggle in size is ascertained
by the size given in the crown piece of the hole intended for it; its
length and form of ends may be better determined with reference to
Figs. D: 9, and 10, first taking care to adjust its position as to the angle
of the arms with the centre line of the shank. The palmis can be
formed and made on several plans, as Figs. L, (6, 7, 8,) as to. propor-
tions compared with the principle of the common anchor, or the

page_text: dimensions now in practice in the navy are ths or thereabouts with
respect to length of shank. The arins when bent to lay nearly at right
angles with the line of the shank are so calculated as to form nearly
the same length for holding as the common anchor, and when they are
straight, as at Fig. K, their proportion, as for length, is about ths
shorter than the extreme length of the shank, as above proportioned.
The improvement in the constructing of anchors similar to those now
in use, as shewn by the Drawing (N° 2), consists in the method of
forming the crown and throat part so as to gain more security and
strength of shank, and also to supersede the danger of breaking in
consequence of scarfs, as an anchor can be formed without any scarf
in it, which is to be done by making a shank similar in principle to the
other anchor, as herein-before described, by forming two eyes or loops
and a throat, as at Drawing N° 1, Fig. A, of the shank, and as at
Drawing No 2, Fig. A, 4, 5, 6%, & 7", the arms also to be made
in one piece or length, as (N° 2,) with a sufficient substance formed
about the crown and throat to allow for a hole to be made through
sufficient to receive a large bolt, as at (3), by which I secure the arms
and shank together, and form the throat part between the eyes or
loops, as at (4), the substance of the shank to decrease gradually or
otherwise in size to the small, as at (5). And to render such anchors
stronger, more trustworthy, and still more portable and convenient, I
have constructed a principle in the stock by which it can be made
in two pieces separately, see Figs. C, D, or G, and an iron cap or case,
which may be either cast or wrought, as Fig. B, into which the parts of
the stock are fitted and secured or held fast by iron bolts as at (7), iron
hoops as at (8), and wedges as, at (9), which wedges are so constructed
as to slide upon the stock, and having a groove cut in the stock and a
dovetail on the wedges, or it may be done by means of an iron plate
with a grove and a broad headed bolt to traverse in it, or many other
ways. A shoulder is also formed on the wedge to prevent the hoop
slipping over or coming off, by which means it is so contrived as to be
always ready for operation; it can be quickly shut down and lay along
the shank on each side out of the way, and as readily extended for use.
The cap or case may be made in one piece with a square hole to fit the

page_text: square of the shank and embrace the nut, or it may be made in two
half pieces and secured by either bolts, clamps, hoops, or many other
ways. The iron stock, Fig. F, is available of the same advantages as that
of the wood, and moreover the ends may be made as at H, or in any
way so as to prevent the ends sticking in the ground, which frequently
happens, whereby the anchor is prevented from canting, and conse-
quently the anchor rendered ineffective; the stock is also applicable to
other anchors.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Francis Hawkins, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-
two