Improvements in Ships' Davits.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left 29th Dec.. 1891-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ships' Davits.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of 23 Southampton Buildings, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
a communication to me from Thomas William Quelch Honeywill, of the Town
of Hokitika, in the County of Westland, in the Colony of New Zealand, to be as
follows:-
The improved davit forming the subject of the present application has the
following advantages, namely:
It will meet all the requirements of the much larger and heavier boats that the
ocean steamers of the future will be compelled to carry.
It is simple in construction and its working is easily understood.
It will carry much heavier, larger, and safer boats than the davit at present
in use.
Any kind of lowering apparatus can be attached to it.
All swinging and surging of the davit in launching from inboard to outboard is
avoided.
The same number of men required at present to launch one good sized passenger
boat can with case operate on a number of boats in less time with the proposed
davit.
Additional strength can be imparted to the improved davit by the use of
stays, which is impossible in the old form of davit, without impeding the passenger
deck.
On entering dock, or when required, the davit can be swung inboard after
lowering the boat on chocks.
The improved davit has the bend fore and aft instead of athwart the boat, near
the bend the davit divides into two or more arms, and these may be strengthened
by the body of the davit at the back extending perpendicularly still higher until
it takes an almost horizontal direction, the intervening space between the several
arms or parts being further strengthened by thin metal webs. To the end of these
arms a tube is securely fixed; this tube may be rectangular, oval, egg shaped, or
of other suitable sectional form. With the exception of the extreme ends, which
may be closed for an inch or two, the under side of such tube is provided with a
narrow slot or opening; on each side of this opening is a metal rail, and on these
rails run two flanged wheels which are connected together by an axle which passes
through a downward projection from a nut fixed in the centre of the axle the nut
has its threaded aperture at right angles with the axle and through it a coarsely
pitched screw passes. One end of this screw passes through a bearing in a fixed
end of the tube, and has a shoulder on the inner side; the other end passes through
a bearing on a moveable end, which may be secured by bolts to the body of
the tube, this end is also fitted with a shoulder. The axle of the carriage likewise
passes through the bifurcated ends of a suspending link; the lower part of this
link, which consists of only a single arm, passes through the slot in the bottom of
the tube and is terminated with an eye or hook to which the lowering apparatus is
attached and the boat hung. To the end of the screw passing on board, a wheel
is fixed and a pitch chain passes over both wheels, or over each wheel separately;
when the wheel is revolved in a certain direction by hauling on the chain, the
carriage is moved by the screw, and if the pitch chain passes over both wheels,
the boat will be carried from inboard to outboard in an even manner. Strong metal
clamps or ribs may be placed along the tube at intervals to strengthen the same
on the outer side of the slot where it is not supported by the davit arms. Inside,

page_text: at the ends of the tube, buffers of india rubber or other suitable material are fixed,
so that the screw may be tightened up and oscillation of the parts avoided when
the ship rolls.
In ships having long deck houses, the end of the tubes can come. Hush above the
house rail, the pitch chain can then be drawn tight over both wheels and the whole
worked by a handle ou each wheel.
The stays can be double; extending to the arm of each davit, and each stay can
be regulated by a screw, so as to keep the tubes perfectly parallel:.
Apertures may be left in the sides of the tubes near the ends to assist in shipping
the screw and for lubrication, &c. It is also to be understood that all necessary
parts are fitted, with proper lubricators.
Dated this 3rd day of April 1891.
B. J. B. MILLS,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ships' Davits.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of 23 Southampton Buildings, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this inven
tion, a communication to me from Thomas William Quelch Honeywill, of the Town
of Hokitika in the County of Westland in the Colony of New Zealand, and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom
panying drawings and to the figures and letters marked thereon:-
The improved davit forming the subject of the present application has the
following advantages namely.
It will meet all the requirements of the much larger and heavier boats that the
ocean steamers of the future will be compelled to carry.
It is simple in construction and its working is easily understood.
It will carry much heavier, larger and safer boats than the davit at present
in use.
Any kind of lowering apparatus can be attached to it.
All swinging and surging of the davit in launching from inboard to outboard
is avoided.
The same number of men required at present to launch one good sized passenger
boat can with case operate on a number of boats in less time with the proposed
davit.
Additional strength can be imparted to the improved davit by the use of stays,
which is impossible in the old form of davit, without impeding the passenger deck.
On entering dock or when required the davit can be swung inboard, after lowering
the boat on chocks.
Figure 1. is a side view and Figure 2 is an end view representing the improved
davits in use, Figure 3 is a longitudinal section and Figure 4 is a transverse
section drawn to a larger scale of the apparatus for running the boats inboard
and outboard.
The improved davit A. has the bend fore and aft instead of athwart the boat,
near the bend the davit divides into two or more arms A' A' Figures 1 and 2, and
these may be strengthened by the body of the davit at the back extending
perpendicularly still higher until it takes an ahnost horizontal direction as seen
at A the intervening space between the several arms or parts being further
strengthened by thin metal webs A³. To the end of these arms A¹ A² a tube Bis
securely fixed, this tube may be rectangular, oral,, egg shaped or of other suitable
sectional form. With the exception of the extreme ends which may be closed for
an inch or two, the under side of such tube B is provided with a narrow slot, or

page_text: opening B on each side of this opening is a metal rail C and on these rails run
two flanged wheels D' which are connected together by an axle D which passes
through a downward projection E' from a nut Ë fixed in the centre of the axle D;
the nut E has its threaded aperture at right angles with the axle D and through it
a coarsely pitched screw F passes. One end of this screw passes through a bearing
in a fixed end of the tube and has a shoulder on the inner side, the other end
passes through a bearing on a removeable eml which may be secured by bolts to
the body of the tube, this end is also fitted with a shoulder.
The axle D of the carriage likewise passes through the bifurcated ends of a
suspending link G, the lower part of this link, which consists of only a single arm,
passes through the slot in the bottom of the tube B and is terminated with an eye
or hook G to which the lowering apparatus is attached and the boat hung. To
the end of the screw F passing on board, a wheel F is fixed and a pitch chain H
passes over both wheels or over each wheel separately when the wheel is revolved
in a certain direction by hauling on the chain the carriage is moved by the screw F
and if the pitch chain H passes over both wheels, the boat will be carried from
inboard to outboard in an even manner, strong metal clamps or ribs B2 may be
placed along the tube B at intervals to strengthen the same on the outer side of
the slot where it is not supported by the davit arms.
Inside at the ends of the tube buffers of india-rubber or other suitable material
are fixed so that the screw may be tightened up and oscillation of the parts avoided
when the ship rolls.
The apertures in the ends of the tube B through which the screw F passes may
be slightly elongated in a vertical direction so that in case of the tube becoming
bent with a sudden jerk the screw will remain straight.
In ships having long deck houses the end of the tubes can come flush above the
house rail, the pitch chain can then be drawn tight over both wheels and the
whole worked by a handle on cach wheel.
The stays can be double and fixed to each end of the tube B to keep it at right
angles with the ship and they can be regulated by a screw so as to keep the tubes
perfectly parallel with each other.
Apertures may be left in the sides of the tubes B near the ends to assist in
shipping the screw F and for lubrication &c. It is also to be understood that all
necessary parts are fitted with proper lubricators.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what I
claim is
1. The improved construction and mode of operation of ships' davits substantially
as herein shown and described.
2. In ships davits, a bend fore and aft of the vessel and having a transverse
tube fixed to the end thereof, such tube having a longitudinal slot or opening in
the lower side, a screw mounted longitudinally in such tube and a rail or way on
each side of the longitudinal slot or opening, an operating pulley or wheel on the
inner end of the screw, and a carriage running on the rails or ways and consisting
of a pair of wheels mounted on a cross shaft, a nut traversed by the screw and a
boat suspending link, substantially as herein shown and described and for the
purpose stated,
Dated this 20th day of December 1801
B. J. B. MILLS,
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.