IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDLASSES, CAPSTANS, AND OTHER MACHINERY FOR HOISTING AND LOWERING WEIGHTS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Shaw, of Portlaw, in the County of Water-
ford, in Ireland, Cotton Spinner and Manufacturer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDLASSES, CAPSTANS, AND OTHER MACHINERY FOR
HOISTING AND LOWERING WEIGHTS,"
Sealed the 25th February 1862, and dated the 30th August 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Shaw at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th
August 1861.
I, ROBERT SHAW, of Portlaw, in the County of Waterford, in Ireland,
Cotton Spinner and Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDLASSES, CAPSTANS, AND OTHER MACHINERY FOR
HOISTING AND LOWERING WEIGHTS," to be as follows:-
The nature of my improvements in windlasses, capstans, and other machi-
nery for hoisting and lowering weights, consists in so constructing and
arranging the various parts forming the break, that it is in operation while
the weight is being hoisted and when it is raised; consequently, if the man at
the handle should let it go, the weight remains suspended until the break is
released. By this means the injury and accidents resulting from the man at
the handle being overpowered by the weight, or the handle breaking or coming
off, are avoided.

page_text: One mode of performing my Invention is by applying one or more palls to
the wheel on the drum or other shaft; these palls take into an internal ratchet
wheel formed in the brenk pulley, which is surrounded by a friction clip. The
details of construction may, however, be considerably varied and modified.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Shaw in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th
February 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
SHAW, of Portlaw, in the County of Waterford, in Ireland, Cotton Spinner
and Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patont, bearing date the Thirtieth day of August, in the year of our
Jord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Iler heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Robert Shaw, Her special licence that I, the said Robert
Shaw, my excecutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Robert Shaw, 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 WINDLASSES, CAPSTANS, AND OTHER MACHINERY FOR HOIST-
ING AND LOWERING WEIGHTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Robert Shaw, 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 sanio 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 1, the said Robert Shaw, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say):—
The nature of my improvements in windlasses, capstans, and other machi-
nery for hoisting and lowering weights, consists in so constructing and
arranging the various parts forming the break, that it is in operation while the

page_text: weight is being hoisted and when it is raised; consequently, if the man at the
handle should let it go, the weight remains suspended until the break is
released. By this means the injury and accidents resulting from the man at
the handle being overpowered by the weight, or the handle breaking or coming
off, are avoided.
One mode of performing my Invention is by applying one or more palls to
the wheel on the drum or other shaft; these palls take into an internal ratchet
wheel formed in the break pulley, which is surrounded by a friction clip. The
details of construction may, however, be considerably varied and modified.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me, reference
being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the figures and
letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a front elevation; and Fig. 2 an end view, of a windlass or
winch to which my improvements are applied. A is the break wheel loose
on the barrel shaft B, the break wheel is provided with a set of interior
ratchet teeth; C, C, C, are palls, which fall into the said ratchets; D, D, are
studs fixed on the arms of the spur wheel E, which is keyed fast on the
barrel F; G is a pinion working into the wheel E.
Figure 3 is a modification of Figure 2, shewing pieces H, H, H, as sub-
stitutes for the palls C; the pieces H, H, H, rub against the smooth interior
surface of the break wheel A; J, J, J, are rollers or arms by which the said
pieces H are pressed up to the said interior surface; K, K, see Fig. 2, is a
strap, which is wound round the periphery of the break wheel A; L, L, is a
lever and weight to tighten the said strap K. The mode of operation is as
follows:-N, N, is a pair of handles fixed on the shaft P, to which is keyed
the pinion G gearing into the wheel E, and when hoisting a weight, the rope
or chain coils round the barrel F, as in ordinary winches; while doing so, the
palls C pass or ride over the ratchets in the break wheel A, which is held fast
by the break strap K, tightened by the lever and weight L, L.
When the weight so hoisted requires to be lowered, the pall O is raised,
and the pinion G and shaft P are moved lengthwise as usual until the pinion G
is out of gear with the wheel E; then by easing the break strap K, by means
of the handle M acting on the lever L, the barrel F will reverse its motion,
and the raised weight is allowed to descend.
In Figure 3, the pieces H, H, H, are designed as silent substitutes for the
palls and ratchets shewn in Figure 2, and in hoisting or lowering the opera-
tions are the same.
In these arrangements there is no possibility of the handles N flying off, as

page_text: they are at all times secured from running backwards by the ratchets and palls,
so that if the men were to leave the handles, they would not reverse their
motion as in ordinary winches, the barrel being held by the ratchets as above
named.
Having now described the several parts of my improvements, I wish to
observe that I do not confine myself to the details given, as the palls and
ratchets shewn in Figure 2, and also the pieces marked H in Figure 3, may
be applied on the exterior as well as on the interior side of the break wheel A,
and the wheel E, or on either of them; but what I claim as my Invention is,
the application of a break strap which is always in operation while the weight
is being hoisted, and when it is raised, and also the combination of the several
parts for carrying the same into effect.
In witness whereof, I, tho said Robert Shaw, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
ROBT. SHAW. (L.S.)