AN IMPROVED METHOD OF WORKING WINDLASSES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Deslandes and Albert Deslandes, both of
the Island of Jersey, Ship Builders, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF WORKING WINDLASSES."
Sealed the 6th April 1866, and dated the 12th October 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Deslandes and
Albert Deslandes at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the '12th October 1865.
We, GEORGE DESLANDES and ALBERT DESLANDES, both of the Island of
Jersey, Ship Builders, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF WORKING WINDLASSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in a method of working one or more windlasses,
either on board ship or in other positions, by means of a capstan carrying
and giving motion to a central shaft upon which is fixed a cam or curvi-
linear disc, which by the revolution of the capstan gives vibratory motion
to one or more levers (formed by preference with rollers acted upon by
the disc. or cam), and by their means giving motion through other levers
to the barrel of the windlass, which for that purpose is formed at its end or

page_text: ends with rims or grooves, upon or into which fit corresponding blocks or
pieces carrying the fulcra of the levers last mentioned. These blocks or
pieces rise with the levers (as each is raised), the levers by their upward
movement taking into ratchets formed upon and carrying with them (or
causing to partially rotate) the barrel or barrels of the windlass or wind-
lasses. The successive descent of the levers releases their ends from the
ratchets of the windlass barrel or barrels, while any retrograde movement
of the barrel or barrels is prevented by the action of the ends of those
levers which are not in course of descent.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Deslandes and Albert Deslandes in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 9th April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
DESLANDES and ALBERT DESLANDES, both of the Island of Jersey, Ship
Builders, send greeting,
...
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in, the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said George Deslandes and Albert Deslandes, Her special licence
that we, the said George Deslandes and Albert Deslandes, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said George Deslandes
and Albert Deslandes, our 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. "Ar
IMPROVED METHOD OF WORKING WINDLASSES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said George Deslandes and Albert Deslandes, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George Deslandes and Albert
Deslandes, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our improved method of working windlasses consists in working one or
more such windlasses by means of a capstan consisting of two parts,:
namely, an upper part or "head" provided with holes or recesses for the
reception of the capstan bars in the usual manner, and attached to or
keyed upon a central shaft, from which motion is imparted to the windlass:
in the manner hereafter described. Beneath the capstan head above
referred to is a second one of similar description attached to the upper
part of the barrel or body. of the capstan, which by its means may be
caused to revolve upon without giving motion to the shaft. Upon the
shaft is keyed or fixed a cam or curvilinear disc, which by the revolution
of the shaft (when the same is actuated by the upper capstan head) gives
an upward and downward motion to one or more levers (provided by
preference with rollers for the purpose of being acted upon by the disc or
cam); and by their means giving motion through other levers to the barrel:
of the windlass, which for that purpose.is formed or provided with discs or
collars having rims or grooves or rims and grooves, upon or into which fit
corresponding blocks or pieces carrying the fulcra of the levers last
mentioned. These blocks or pieces rise with their respective levers (as
each lever is successively raised by the action of the cam or curvilinear
disc during the revolution of the upper capstan head), the levers by their
upward movement causing the blocks and ends of the levers to act.
or jam upon, against, or in the rims or grooves (which may either be,
serrated in the manner of ratchets or plain), and thereby to carry with
them and move the barrel of the windlass through a corresponding portion
of a revolution. The successive descent of the levers releases them from
their pinch or ratchet action upon the discs or collars of the windlass.
barrel, any retrogade movement of which is prevented by the, action of
the ends of those levers which are not in course of descent, and by suitable.
pauls taking into ratchet teeth formed with or attached to the windlass
barrel.

page_text: and Fig. 3, a section through one of the discs or collars of the windlass
barrel and block appertaining thereto.
a represents the capstan fitted above the deck 6 of the vessel, and/
provided with two heads or collars (or otherwise with one capstan with
any ordinary means for throwing the cam or mitres or equivalent parts out
of gear at will) a¹ and a², each having holes or recesses for receiving the:
ends of the capstan bars c; whereby they are to be turned as required:
The upper head or collar a', is keyed or fixed upon the shaft d, working at:
its upper end in a bearing formed in or secured to the deck b, and at its
lower end in a footstep d', secured to the inner end of the bowsprit of the
vessel. Upon and revolving with the shaft d is keyed the cam or curvilinear:
disc e, which in its revolution gives upward and downward movement to:
the rollers, carried by the levers or arms f, having their fulcra at f³, and
guided in their movement by radial rods or bars fs, working on suitable:
joints. The levers or arms f¹ are connected by links f with the levers
g, having their fulcra at g¹ in the blocks or pieces h, fitting loosely upon:
and capable of moving partially around the discs or collars i (attached to or
formed with the barrel j of the windlass) during the downward movement
of the levers g, but during their upward movement being jammed or held>
securely against or to the inner sides of those rims by the pressure of the
shorter arms of the levers g upon the outer faces of the discs or collars i
thereby causing the discs or collars and windlass barrel to be partially:
revolved (in an upward direction) with the upward motion of the levers.
The paulsk, working on pins k¹, and taking into ratchet teeth I, formed in
or attached to the barrel j of the windlass in the ordinary manner, are
employed to prevent any possibility of retrogade movement of the barrel..
It will be understood that when desired the lower capstan head a³ may.
be revolved upon without giving motion to the shaft, thus enabling its
barrel to be employed for hauling and other purposes without acting upon
the windlass.
It is obvious that the method described of working windlasses may be
variously modified without departing from the nature of our said Inven-
tion; as, for example, mitre or other bevil wheels may be employed to:
communicate motion from the upright shaft of the capstan to a horizontal
shaft provided with eccentrics or cams giving motion to the levers for
We do not
working the windlass, as shewn in Figs. 4 and 5, Sheet 2.
therefore confine or limit ourselves to the precise details represented, but
we claim as our Invention the working of windlasses by means of capstans,

page_text: from which motion is imparted to the windlasses by or through cams,
eccentrics, or equivalent arrangements applied to any windlass substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Deslandes and Albert
Deslandes, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Third day
of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
GEORGE DESLANDES. (L.s.)
ALBERT DESLANDES. (L.S.)