IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND IN THE METHOD OF WORKING WINDLASSES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Daniel Davis, of No. 40, Saint Leonard's
Road, East India Road, in the County of Middlesex, Ship Caulker,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND IN THE
METHOD OF WORKING WINDLASSES."
Sealed the 23rd February 1858, and dated the 24th August 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Daniel Davis
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th August 1857.
I, GEORGE DANIEL DAVIS, of No. 40, Saint Leonard's Road, East India
Road, in the County of Middlesex, Ship Caulker, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND
IN THE METHOD OF WORKING WINDLASSES," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is to enable the windlass to be used for two
different purposes at the same time, and to give two rates of speed in raising
anchors and other heavy bodies, one being a greater speed than is now
attained, and the other a slower speed, of about the same rate as that now in
To enable the windlass to be used for two different purposes at the
same time, I propose that the windlass should consist of two parts, worked
upon a shaft or spindle, and the shaft or spindle to be supported in the
centre by an iron bearer; the two parts being separate, may work round the
shaft or spindle independently of each other. On either side of the pawl
rims I fix a wheel, which will hold, jam, or prevent from slipping an endless

page_text: chain, rope, or band. I use a similarly constructed wheel to that last referred
to, but of smaller dimensions, fixed on a shaft, spindle, or barrel, at a short
distance from the windlass, and I place an endless chain, rope, or band round
the two wheels just mentioned. The smaller wheel just mentioned is fixed
on a shaft or spindle, upon which shaft or spindle is placed a cog wheel of
large dimensions, which works into another cog wheel of one-fourth the size.
By turning the shaft or spindle of the large wheel a greater speed can be
attained than that now attained, and by turning the shaft or spindle of the
sinal cog wheel a less speed is attained than by the other wheel. I have
hitherto described the method of working one side of the windlass, the other
side may be worked by precisely the same method by placing another wheel
on the other side of the large cog wheel, and putting an endless band round
the same, and the wheel round the other part of the windlass. Figure 1 in
the accompanying Drawing represents the windlass in two parts; Figure 2 is
a sectional Drawing of the windlass.
My Invention may also be used for a single windlass by using one wheel
only to hold the endless band on one side of the pawl rim.
The advantages of the Invention are that one part of the windlass may
be used to raise an anchor or for any other purpose to which it is usually
applied, while the other part is employed to hold the second anchor; and
two rates of speed are attained, one of such rates of speed being more
rapid than any yet attained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Daniel Davis in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd February 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
DANIEL DAVIS, of No. 40, Saint Leonard's Road, East India Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Ship Caulker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Daniel Davis, Her special licence that I, the said George
Daniel Davis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said George Daniel Davis, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time

page_text: 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 THE CONSTRUCTION AND IN THE METHOD OF WORKING
WINDLASSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Daniel Davis, 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 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 George Daniel Davis, 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, that is to say:-
The object of my Invention is to enable the windlass to be used for two
different purposes at the same time, and to give two rates of speed in raising
anchors and other heavy bodies, one being a greater rate of speed than is
ordinarily attained, and the other a slower rate of speed of about the same
rate as that now in use. To effect these objects I construct two barrels, either
barrel I work on an horizontal or perpendicular shaft or spindle; if an hori-
zontal shaft, each end is supported by sockets and the centre by an iron bearer.
The two barrels thus constructed will form two separate windlasses, and may
work round the same shaft or spindle independently of each other. I fix an
ordinary pawl rim on one end of each windlass or barrel, and a double-studded
chain wheel on the other end, so constructed that every alternate link of the
cable may lay flat on the outer edge or circumference, and also for every
alternate link to be one-half its breadth within its circumference, and the other
half between the studs, and by using the last-mentioned wheel the windlass is
only required to be about one-half of its ordinary length, which gives more
room in the fore part of the ship, and also effects a saving of material. On
the windlass I fix a wheel that will hold, jam, or prevent from slipping an
endless chain, rope; or band. I construct the windlass of wood only, or wood
and iron in combination, as in the manner described in the Drawings hereunto
annexed. I use a wheel similarly constructed to that last referred to, but of
smaller dimensions, fixed on a shaft, spindle, or barrel a short distance from the
windlass, and I place a chain, rope, or band round the two wheels. The smaller
wheel, just mentioned, is fixed on a shaft or spindle; if on an horizontal shaft,
1 fix a cog wheel on the same of large dimensions, which works into another

page_text: cog wheel of about one-fourth the size. By turning the shaft or spindle of the
large cog wheel a greater speed can be attained than that attainable by the
means which are now generally used in ordinary windlasses, and by turning
the shaft or spindle of the small cog wheel a less speed is attained than by the
other wheel, but of a more powerful action. If the small wheel which holds
the endless chain is placed on a perpendicular shaft or spindle, I dispense with
the use of cog wheels, and work it simply by ordinary capstan bars or levers;
or I place the small wheel which holds the endless chain on an horizontal
spindle with a bevelled cog wheel on the same, which works into a similar
wheel on a perpendicular spindle or barrel; or I connect the double-studded
chain wheel and the wheel which receives the endless chain, and when the
two wheels are thus combined they form a description of windlass which may
be worked on an horizontal or perpendicular shaft or spindle.
My Invention can also be used for a capstan by fixing a wheel which holds
the endless chain on the body of the capstan and a similarly constructed wheel
of smaller dimensions to the head, and by placing an endless chain round both
wheels, in the manner described in the Drawings. I have hitherto described
the method of working one windlass or barrel; the other windlass may be
worked in precisely the same manner.
My Invention may be used for a windlass that is constructed in the ordinary
manner by fixing a wheel or wheels on it to receive the endless chain. I also
apply to the working of ordinary windlasses an improved cross lever, which is
formed with grooves or notches on the top, so as the connecting rod can be
freely moved towards or from the centre bearer, as speed or power is required.
Having thus particularly described the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which it is to be worked, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details of construction herein-before laid down,
as they may be varied without departing from the principle of my Invention. I
do not claim as my Invention the use of cable holders on windlasses, but I claim
as my Invention the peculiar construction of the chain wheel or cable holder
herein-before described and shewn in the Drawings hereunto annexed. I also
claim as parts of my Invention the construction of the windlass of wood and
iron in combination, as described; the mode of placing on the windlass a wheel
to hold an endless chain or band for the working of the windlass, as described;
the use of an endless chain or band as a direct action on the windlass, as a
described, and giving motion to a barrel by means of an endless chain which
works within the circumference of the barrel by reversing the chain, as shewn
in Figure 7 in the Drawings hereunto annexed. I also claim as parts of my
Invention the working the windlass on an horizontal shaft or spindle longitu-

page_text: dinally with the ship's deck; also the combination of the chain wheel or cable
holder, and the wheel which receives the endless chain which may work round
a shaft by means of an endless chain; the construction of the cross bar or
lever formed with grooves or notches on the upper part, so as power and speed
can be freely and accordingly obtained and regulated; also the method of work-
ing windlasses by means of a wheel or wheels fixed on a shaft, spindle, or
barrel at a distance from the windlass; also the method of disconnecting or
connecting the upper barrel and the lower barrel or windlass, so as the upper
barrel may work freely when the windlass is not in use by means of an iron
plate fixed on the shaft or spindle, into which is dropped a connecting pin
or block of iron; and, lastly, I claim the combination of the improvements
herein-before mentioned, and as shewn in the Drawings hereunto annexed, as
my Patent right.
The following is a description and explanation of the several Drawings
annexed to this Specification, which represent different modifications of wind-
lasses, with the improved methods of working the same, according to the Patent
right claimed by me. Figure 1 represents a double windlass worked by two
chains. a, a, a, a, are the endless chain wheels on the body of the windlass
and on the spindle; b, b, represent the windlass; c, c, the endless chains;
and d, the spindle, on which is fixed two iron plates e, e, for the purpose of con-
necting or disconnecting the chain wheels a, a, so as to give motion to either
windlass; f is a cog wheel fixed on the spindle d; g, the bearers or standards;
and h, the handles. Figure 2 represents a windlass worked by one chain, with
two chain wheels or cable holders fixed on the body. k, k, represent the cable
holders. Figure 3 shews a section of the windlass. a, a, represent the chain
wheels; c, the endless chain; d, the spindle; f, the large cog wheel; g, the
bearers; h, the handles; i, the pinion or small cog wheel. Figure 4 represents
a windlass worked by a chain wheel fixed on a perpendicular spindle or barrel
of a capstan. d, represents the capstan. In this method of working wind-
lasses I introduce rollers to give the endless chain a fair lead from both
wheels. Figure 5 represents the two chain wheels connected and worked on
a perpendicular spindle, the wheel a to receive the endless chain, and the
wheel to heave in the cable, and is worked precisely in the same manner
demonstrated by Figure 4. Figure 6 shews chain wheels connected and placed
on an horizontal spindle, and can be worked in the same manner as shewn in
Figures 2, 4, and 5. Figure 7 represents the chain wheels a and k con-
nected by means of a block placed between them, and worked on a perpendicular
spindle, and by an endless chain c passed round the small wheel a; the last-
mentioned wheel is fixed on a capstau head, and works by ordinary levers or

page_text: håndspikes, or in the same manner as shewn in Figures 4 and 5. Figure 8
represents a plan view. a, a, the chain wheels; c, the chain; and m, the
rollers. Figure 9 shews the cable holder worked by bevelled wheels instead
of the endless chain. Figure 10 shews a plan and section of the cable holder
or chain wheel. Figure: 11 shews a plan and section of the endless chain
wheel. Figure 12 shews an improved cross lever for working an ordinary
windlass n, the cross lever with notches or grooves in the upper part, so as to
receive the connecting rods o, o; p, the pawl bit or centre bearer; q, the
handles or levers. And, lastly, Figure 13 shews a section of the windlass.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Daniel Davis, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of February, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Signed, sealed, and delivered in the
presence of
JAMES EDELL,
7, Crescent, Minories, Sol.
G. D. DAVIS. (L.S.)