IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LOWERING SHIPS' BOATS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR RAISING AND LOWERING OTHER HEAVY BODIES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Montague Alex, of Southampton, in the County
of Hants, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR LOWERING SHIPS' BOATS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR RAISING AND
LOWERING OTHER HEAVY BODIES,”
Sealed the 4th July 1873, and dated the 21st March 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Montague Alex at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st March 1878.
I, MONTAGUE ALEX, of Southampton, in the County of Hants,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LOWERING SHIPS' BOATS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR
RAISING AND Lowering other Heavy Bodies,” to be as follows:-
This apparatus has mainly for its object the lowering of ships' boats
with their crews over a ship's side in such manner that the boat descends
or is swung clear of the ship's side, and the apparatus is readily
manageable.

page_text: The apparatus is also applicable for raising and lowering other heavy
bodies.
In this apparatus there are arms or davits formed with joints so that
they may be lowered and raised or moved into the required position in
such manner that their upper or outer ends and the boat which they
carry may be lowered quite clear of and at some distance from the ship's
sides, and thus the boat will not be stove in while being lowered. The
arms or davits are also provided with joints to allow them to be slewed
or turned vertically as well as being raised or lowered. They are secured
in the required position by means of stops which hold them firmly. By
connecting the chains or cables which work the davits with the required
part the davits may be lowered from the deck or from the mast, and even
from the boat by one man therein. The davits or arms are jointed, and
they slew in slots or openings in the ship's sides or bulwarks, so that
when not at work their lower parts are in the slots or openings flush with
or at least not projecting from the ship's sides. They work in guide arms
which steady them in their descent, and also act as stops preventing
them from lowering too. far.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Montague Alex in the Great Seal Patent Office 2
on the 19th September 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MONTAGUE
ALEX, of Southampton, in the County of Hants, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 8
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the

page_text: thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Montague Alex, Her special
license that I, the said Montague Alex, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Montague Alex, 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
APPARATUS FOR LOWERING SHIPS' BOATS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR RAISING AND
LOWERING OTHER HEAVY BODIES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Montague Alex, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, on 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 same 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 I, the said Montague Alex, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say-
My improved apparatus has mainly for its object the lowering of
ships' boats with their crews over ships' sides in such manner that the
boat shall descend or be swung clear of the ship's side. The apparatus
is easily manageable.
The apparatus besides being applicable for lowering ships' boats is
also applicable for raising and lowering other heavy bodies.
In this my improved apparatus there are arms or davits formed with
joints, and so arranged that they may be lowered and raised or moved
into the required position in such manner that their upper or outer ends
and the boat which they carry shall be lowered quite clear of and at
some distance from the ship's sides, so that the boat will not run a risk
of being "stove in" while being lowered. The arms or davits are also

page_text: provided with joints or appliances to allow of their being slewed or
turned on their vertical axes as well as of their being raised and lowered.
They are secured in the required position by means of suitable stops
which hold them firmly in such position. By connecting the chains or
cables (which work the davits) with a required part of the deck, mast, or t
boat, the davits may be lowered from the deck or from the mast, and
oven from the boat by one man therein. The davits or arms are jointed
and slew in slots, recesses, or openings in the ship's sides or bulwarks, so
that when the davits or arms are not at work their lower parts are in
these slots, recesses, or openings, and they (with their guide arms herein- 1
after mentioned) stand flush with or at least do not project from the
ship's sides. The davits work in guide arms which steady them in their
descent, and also act as stops preventing them from being lowered
too far.
•
Part of the bulwark may be cut away and a flap is thus formed of the
cut portion. This flap is fitted on to the bulwarks by hinges so as to
form a gangway when lowered for persons to step on to the boat from
the deck.
Like arrangements to those above described are used for raising and
lowering bodies other than boats.
The accompanying Drawings exemplify the manner in which the
Invention may be carried into effect.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved apparatus for lowering
boats. The arms or davits are here shewn in their raised position, that
is to say, they are not at work except that in this Figure they are shewn 2
as slewed round. Figure 2 is a side elevation shewing the apparatus
with the arms or davits lowered to float a boat, and shewing also the
boat attached thercto.
Figures 3 and 4 are fragmentary views showing details, Figure 3 being
a perspective view, and Figure 4 a front elevation thereof.
A is the side or bulwark of the vessel. In this bulwark vertical slots
or recesses a, a, are cut in order to receive the lower portions of the arms
or davits B, B. B, B, are the davits or arms, or as they may be called
the lowering and suspending arms, for the boat is suspended to and
lowered by them. When these arms or davits-are not lowered and are a

page_text: in their upright position (whether slowed round or otherwise), the lower
parts thereof stand in these recesses, and do not project from the
bulwark. These arms or davits B, B, are supported in steps b, b, being
jointed therein at d, d, so that they can be inclined and thus lowered
with a boat and again raised to their normal or vertical position. The
davits B also turn in their steps on pins or swivel joints, so that they
may be slewed laterally, as shewn in Figure 1. The davits or arms B are
connected together at their upper ends by a stay bar C having eyes at
each extremity for receiving stud pins c on the upper extremities of the
davits or arms, which are also connected together by chains D carrying
the pulley and tackle g by which the davits are lowered and raised, such
tackle being attached for the purpose to the deck, the mast, the boat, or
other convenient place, so as to be worked in any well known manner
by a capstan or other ordinary means. e, e, are the tackles connected
with the boat X by ordinary engaging and disengaging links or
couplings ff. G are guide arms stepped at bottom in the recesses a,
in which they stand in front of the arms or davits B when in a vertical
position, that is to say, when the davits are not employed in lowering a
boat, so that the guide arms G are flush with the sides or bulwarks of
the vessel, or at least do not project therefrom when they and the davits
are hoisted up. These guide arms G have at their upper ends eyes or
rings P through which the arms or davits B pass. The guide arms are
jointed at 9* in their steps at the bottom of the recesses a, a, so as to bo
capable of being lowered and raised with the davits B. The arms or
davits B slew round freely in the guide eyes P, the guide arms G not
pivoting or slewing. h, h, are projections or noses one on each of the
davits; these projections as the davits descend abut against the guide
eyes P, and act as stops preventing the further descent or undue lowering
of the davits. i, i, are toothed collars fixed on the arms or davits B.
Catches or clawkers ; fixed to the bulwarks are caused to drop into the
intervals between the teeth of the toothed collars i as to prevent the
arms or davits B from slewing round when they are to be kept steady.
There are two, three, or more such catches, clawkers, or stop pieces j, so
that when the arms are slewed round to a certain extent they may be
kept as long as required in such slewed position. n are staying chains
for helping to prevent the davits and guide arms from unduly swerving
or becoming displaced. By having the guide arms G on the outside of
the davits B greater strength is obtained. A portion of the bulwark is

page_text: cut away between the davits, and the part cut away forms a flap L
which is strongly hinged to the bulwarks at 1, 1. This flap when open
drops into a horizontal position and forms a gangway level with the
deck to enable persons to step therefrom into the boat, as shewn in
Figure 5. 9 are chains for supporting the gangway when lowered.
Although I have described the apparatus as applied to the lowering of
boats it may be arranged and combined in the same manner with
obvious modifications for raising and lowering other heavy bodies.
The dotted lines in Figure 2 shew the position of the davit apparatus
when it is in the upright position or quiescent.
By the mode in which the davits with their guides are disposed the
boat is so lowered that in its descent it is kept clear from the sides of the
ship or vessel, and prevented from coming into contact with them, and
from running the risk of being stove in even in heavy seas.
1
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what 1
manner the same may be performed, I declare that I claim,―
First. Fitting and disposing the davits or lowering and suspending
arms in such manner that the lower portions thereof shall stand in
recesses or openings formed in the bulwarks or sides of the ship or vessel
so as not to project therefrom when such davits or arms are upright as 2
described.
Second. The employment of guide arms for guiding, strengthening,
and stopping the davits or lowering and suspending arms, such guide
arms being fitted outside the said davits or arms, and so disposed that
they stand in recesses in the bulwarks or sides of the ship or vessel when 2
the davits are not descending or being lowered.
Third. The employment of toothed stops or catches for stopping the
rotating or slewing motion of the arms or davits, substantially as
described.
Fourth. The general arrangement and combination of parts con- 3
stituting the apparatus for lowering boats, as herein-before described.
. Fifth. The application and adaptation of the boat-lowering apparatus
arranged, combined, and operated substantially as described for the
raising and lowering of heavy bodies other than boats.

page_text: Sixth. The construction and employment of a gangway consisting of a
flap formed by cutting away a portion of the bulwark, and hinging the
same thereto in the manner and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Montague Alex, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of September, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
SYDNEY MYER,
Silversmith, &c.,
Southampton.
MONTAGUE ALEX. (L.S.)