CONNECTING AND AUTOMATICALLY DISCONNECTING BOATS FROM DAVITS
Year: 1884

page_text: I the said EDGAR JAMES EVANS of N° 44 Sepulchre Street, Sudbury, Suffolk,
Master Mariner do hereby declare the nature of my invention for CONNECTING
AND AUTOMATICALLY DISCONNECTING BOATS FROM DAVITS and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:—
"
"
" from
My Invention has for its object the providing a certain and safe means by
which a Boat when waterborne shall without manipulation, "disconnect
the Lowering Tackles, Also to provide a certain and easy action for again
connecting" and consists of the apparatus shown in the drawings attached and
hereinafter explained. Each Boat requires one such apparatus or Block to be
fitted at or near each end and secured to keel either by Bar A. Fig. 2. passing
through end Thwarts or by slings-These Blocks when fitted and connected to
rings (attached to Lowering tackles) will hold the Boat securely connected until
the Boat slackens the Lowering tackles by becoming waterborne, when each Block
will by its own weight fall over towards the end of the Boat, this action of a
slight fall overthrows it out of connection and the ring is then free, the first
motion.of the Boat taking the ring out clear, by the tripping of claw C. Figs. 2,
3, & 4. Thus provision is made for either one or both ends "disconnecting" but
to provide for the "simultaneous disconnecting" of both ends, when boat becomes
bodily waterborne; I supply the means shown in Fig. 1. by which the standing
part of each "Lowering tackle fall" is rove through a small block secured to head
of davit, outside the upper block of " Lowering Tackle and carried and secured
to the book of "lower block" of the other "Lowering Tackle" and producing the
following effect "that as long as the Boat is partially hung by one tackle (other
tackle slack) a portion of the strain of that weight is maintained on the slackened
end and keeps the block of that end upright, thus maintaining each end connected
until (as by the sea running along) the boat becomes bodily waterborne, when both
ends being slackened, both Blocks "fall over and simultaneously disconnect.
Description of Block-Fig. 21 which consists of bar A, passing through thwart,
with lower end secured to keel of piece B, the upper part of which locks claw C
and prevents C from tripping as long as the weight is suspended by it, as then
Pavice 1

page_text: the upper part of A acting on lower part of B, maintains the upper part of B
Lowering
in its locking position under C-; C holds the ring attached to "
Tackles and is either held or allowed to trip by the upper part of B, acted on by A
both in maintaining and releasing-D is a tongue permanently attached to C,
working on pin and placed with its end resting on shoulders of Cheeks of Block, it
will be seen that the action of "Connecting" is simply to dip ring E under D
which will lift, admitting ingress but preventing egress of ring (Fig. 4 & 2). until
the weight be taken off when by C tripping, D will slide off shoulders of cheeks,
the preventive action of D then ceasing-F is a safety pin used to prevent the
releasing when Boat may happen to be lifted by a heavy sea in bad weather when
"
connect during absense
not required, Also to be placed in when preparing to
from ship as hereinafter explained-The parts A B & C form the middle section
and two cheeks form sides; Three studs S. S & S are let half through each cheek
and pins ab & c screwed up makes them solid, ample room for working middle
section being provided by the studs; The action of slackening allows the whole
Block to fall over, when (Fig. 3) the upper part of A acting on B. throws B from
under C, leaving C free to trip and tumble with first motion after, D then falls off*
its rest and ring escapes.
After a boat has been disconnected; then before returning to the ship, the claw C
should be turned down (with D resting on shoulders of cheeks) then by raising
the Block bodily into an upright position, the Claw C, becomes locked by B and
the pin F being inserted, all is ready for coming alongside ship to connect (Fig. 4.)
After making the connection no other preparation is required and boat is ready
for use again by simply withdrawing pins F & F before lowering.
The safety pins have no strain on them whilst Boat is hanging hence are easily
withdrawn when required,-by taking a backhitch over ends of safety pins (with
their own lanyards) they could not be accidently withdrawn, although no danger
would accrue unless Boat became lifted by a sea, when hoisted up.
When Apparatus is fitted to Davits which carry Boats in and out without
swinging, then the small Blocks (Fig. 1) shall be secured to davit heads inside
Upper blocks of Lowering Tackles."
"
The Apparatus to be made of any suitable metal, Galvanized Iron, Steel Bronze
or Gun metal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
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1st The combination of parts forming the Apparatus or Block with its actions of
'Connecting' Holding" and "Releasing" as described and shown.
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2nd The method of providing for the simultaneous releasing of both ends of Boat
by the form of Tackle described and shown.
3rd The whole complete as forming an Automatic Boat Apparatus as described
herein and shown by drawings; to be used by me for all purposes adapted.
Dated this first day of January 1884.
EDGAR JAMES EVANS.