IMPROVE- MENTS IN SHIPS' WINDLASSES AND CAPSTANS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Jardine Alderman, of No. 3, Capel Terrace,
Tredegar Square, Bow, Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SHIPS' WINDLASSES AND CAPSTANS."
Sealed the 22nd September 1877, and dated the 21st July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Jardiné Alderman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st July 1877.
ALEXANDER JARDINE ALDERMAN, of No. 3, Capel Terrace, Tredegar Square,
Bow, Middlesex, Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' WINDLASSES AND CAP-
STANS.
"
These improvements in ships' windlasses and capstans consist,-
Firstly. In applying to the windlass or capstan barrel or body, and upon the
same axle, a stud or chain wheel, such stud or chain wheel being adapted by friction
wheels or dises to rotate with the barrel of the windlass or capstan, or to be loose
and unaffected by the rotation of the barrel and its axis.
Secondly. In an inclined clearing guide or incline in place of the ordinary fork
placed so as to throw the chain or guide it from the chain wheel in the direction of
the windlass barrel or capstan barrel.
These improvements may be adapted to both hand or power windlasses or capstans,
and are applied outside of the garrick bits or framing of the windlass, or above the
bearings of the capstan, or may, if required, be applied between the bearings or
between the garrick bits.
In the windlass the axle end or ends projecting beyond the garrick bits or
framing carries at its extremity the ordinary well-known barrel or body which
is made only to rotate with the axle, but in one of my applications is made to
slide on the axle laterally; between the garrick bits and the barrel is placed the
chain wheel, which, preferably, is made after the model known as Clark's.
The chain wheel is loose on the axle, but by a friction disc or discs on both the
chain wheel and the barrel, and suitable gear, both are clamped together and made
to revolve in connection with the windlass axle. The same connection of these two
parts, the barrel and the chain wheel, may also be accomplished by any other well-
known mechanical means.

page_text: The clearing guide may be attached either to the garrick bits or to the deck;
it is made with a pointed end to enter without touching into the grooves of the
chain wheel, and thence, with a widened and extended incline surface, diverts the
chain, when required, over the edge of the periphery of the chain wheel on to the
windlass barrel.
+
The whole of the apparatus may be applied to a capstan in precisely the same
way to the end of the axle projecting above the deck, or in the case where the
capstan revolves on a fixed axle in any appropriate manner.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When hauling in chain cable, the
chain is laid on the chain wheel nearly one turn, thence by the clearing guide on
to the barrel, and a turn laid on this. When the connection of the chain wheel
and barrel is made and the axle set in motion, the chain wheel gathers in chain,
the guide diverts the surplus to the barrel, and the barrel gathers and pays it
away.
On releasing the connection between the chain wheel and barrel, the chain wheel
is free and the cable is free to be paid out.
'
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Jardiné Alderman in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th January 1878.
ALEXANDER JARDINE ALDERMAN, of No. 3, Capel Terrace, Tredegar Square,
Bow, Middlesex, Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHIPS' WINDLASSES AND CAP-
STANS."
These improvements in ships' windlasses and capstans consist,-
Firstly. In applying to the windlass or capstan barrel or body and upon the
same axle, a stud or chain wheel, such stud or chain wheel being adapted by friction
wheels or discs to rotate with the barrel of the windlass or capstan, or to be loose
and unaffected by the rotation of the barrel and its axis.
Secondly. In an inclined clearing guide or incline in place of the ordinary fork
placed so as to throw the chain or guide it from the chain wheel in the direction of
the windlass barrel or capstan barrel, in combination with the first improvements. .
These improvements may be adapted to both hand or power windlasses or capstans,
and are applied outside of the garrick bits or framing of the windlass, or above the
bearings of the capstan, or may, if required, be applied between the bearings or
between the garrick bits.
In the windlass, the axle end or ends projecting beyond the garrick bits or
framing carries at its extremity the ordinary well-known barrel or body, which is
made only to rotate with the axle, but is made to slide on the axle laterally;
between the garrick bit and the barrel is placed the chain wheel, which, preferably,
is made after the model known as Clark's.
The chain wheel is loose on the axle, but by a friction disc or discs on both the
chain wheel and the barrel and suitable gear, both are clamped together and made
to revolve in connection with the windlass axle. The same connection of these two
parts, the barrel and the chain wheel, may also be accomplished by any other well-
known mechanical means, but the method shewn is the one I prefer.

page_text: 1
in cable, the clearing guide throws it out as it gathers, assists to pass it on to the
barrel, which again gathers and passes it on to be taken away as desired; if it be
desired to pay out cable, the shaft is stopped, the pressure on the friction surfaces
released by the nut, and the cable then lying on or in the chain wheel, which is
free to revolve, turns the chain wheel in the contrary direction and passes over to
the barrel, and the chain coiled only round the barrel is payed out as required in
the ordinary way.
As the Drawings are lettered through the description of the windlass working
will apply equally to the capstan working, except the points of difference which
have been explained in the lettering.
I am aware that chain wheels and windlass barrels alone have been used for
heaving in chain, and that they have been used for paying out chain by means of a
friction break or otherwise on the chain wheel, and, in some cases, by applying
friction to the barrel; and in this my Invention, I do not claim the use of the chain
wheel alone or the windlass barrel alone, nor do I claim the combination in one
windlass or in one capstan of the chain wheel and the windlass barrel, nor do I
claim the clearing guide alone, as many various forms are in use, but what I claim
is,-
Firstly. The method of arranging in one windlass or capstan a chain wheel and
a barrel, so that both are free of the movement of each other, or can be clamped
together and act together, and be used for heaving in chain by the chain wheel,
and passing it over to the barrel to gather and pass it away, and also for paying
out cable, substantially as described.
Secondly. The method of clamping the barrel and the chain wheel together and
releasing them when required, substantially as described.
Thirdly. The clearing guide, as described in combination with the chain wheel
and barrel, as claimed under the first claim.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Jardine Alderman, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
A. J. ALDERMAN, (L.S.)