CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS ON CAPSTANS
Year: 1823

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HAWKES, of Lucas Place, Commercial Road, in the Parish of Stepney Old
Town, in the County of Middlesex, Ship Builder, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth did,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of His United Kingdom, bearing
date at Westminster, the First day of November, 1828, in the fourth year of
His reign, give and grant unto me, the said George Hawkes, my exors,
admors, and assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the George Hawkes, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, during
the term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercisc, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, and also in all His Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS ON CAPSTANS;" in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso, that if I, the George Hawkes, shall not
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent, that then the said Letters Patent,
and all liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, shall utterly cease,
determine, and become void, as in and by the same, relation being thereunto
had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
George Hawkes, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in and by the Drawing hereunto annexed, and the
following description thereof (that is to say) :-
==
CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS ON. CAPSTANS; BY GEORGE HAWKES, SHIP BUILDER.
The capstans in present use are made in one united mass, and have only
one power, and are moved by the means of capstan bars. My improvements
consist in forming the capstans of separate pieces capable of being easily
disunited, and therefore more conveniently removed, and of so constructing
them, that the upper part being of a less circumference than the lower, with a
projection between, two different powers may be exerted by the two different
parts, according as there is a greater or less force to contend against; and in
so constructing them that power or force may be applied to them by means of
wheels put in motion by a winch or crank turned by hand or a steam engine.
And the manner of applying the wheels admits also of a variation in the power
as the occasion may require, and I effect the improvements in the following
manner: The capstan is made up of sectors or pieces secured or clamped
together. A small capstan may be composed of three or five pieces; a
larger one with six or more, according to circumstances; these united,
(which may be effected by various ways,) so to form a perfect capstan,
superior in strength to that in common use. The body of the upper
capstan, between the drum head and the paul head is divided into two parts
by a projecting rim of which the upper is smaller in circumference, so as to
give the effect of two capstans of different sizes, and the one or the other may
be used according as the obstacle is greater, or the force to be applied is less.
The drum head of the capstan has two circular rackets of different radii, so as
to vary the effect of the force to be applied by means of a shaft or axle having
two wheels to work upon those rackets, and which are so adjusted that when it
is in gear with one, it is not with the other. The paul head has also a racket
in its circumference to be worked by a wheel, and thus three different modes
of applying the force are obtained, giving more or less effect to it according as
power or velocity may be required. The force or power may be applied in
various ways; a winch or crank may be turned by the crew, the. length of
which will vary according to circumstances, and the power thus obtained may
be applied to the drum head or paul head by means of wheels and axles in
various ways familiar to mechanics. The drum head has the usual. holes for

page_text: the capstan bars should any circumstance render it expedient to resort to
them. For the more perfect understanding of my improvements, I refer to
the annexed plate and the following explanations:-
;
Fig. A shews a capstan with my improvements for one deck; (No. 1),
the drum head (made of timber, or cast iron, or other metals) formed of several
pieces or sectors. A small sized capstan may be formed with three or five
pieces, a larger of six or more, to be conveniently capable of removal, each
piece containing a portion of the whelps, paul, and drum head, substituting
the barrel which is used in old capstans; (3), the whelps. The pieces, or
sectors, being put together and secured by screws, bolts, or otherwise, the
capstan becomes complete, and may be used in the common way with bars.
(9), coupling cap; (10), rims of cogs; (4), paul head; (6), paul rim
(5), rollers; (7), fastenings; (8), security collar for the additional security of
the spindle (2). The spindle made of wrought iron or other metal being
square, excepting the turned bearings let through the deck and secured
upon the partners underneath, or otherwise, has a large collar as at (8)
attached, which adds much support to the spindle. But in the double
capstan this security collar admits of the spindle turning in it without any
loss in the support of the upper spindle, as gruers to admit shot or rollers
fixed in them to prevent friction. On the decks are fixed rollers, as is shewn
at Fig. D, No. 3, which assists the capstan by preventing friction, and affords
additional support to the capstan. The pauls, Fig. E, No. 1, are made so as
the pin through the paul rests one upon the other for the purpose of adding
weight in pressing them down into the paul rim, as in Figs. E and D, and the
pauls act or catch either way with a slip bolt in the outer or inner paul to hold
them up or down.
one.
Fig. B shews the double capstan; (7), the upper spindle; (8), the lower
The spindles are also square, excepting at the bearing, as at (2),
on which the body of the capstan revolves; but when both the upper and
lower capstans are required to act together for one or more purchases, the
wedges marked (6) are to be driven into or jammed in the scores (6), by which
the square parts of the capstans and spindles are nipped or united together, and
the capstans no longer revolves round the spindle; but with it the swivel
chocks, as at (13), under the partners are turned out, and the shaft is taken out
from the head of the upper spindle or coupling cap, by which the spindles are
allowed to turn with the capstans, so that both can be applied to one object or
more, allowing the power to be applied to the paulheads of both capstans at
the same time; (14) is the step let into the lower deck; (15) the security
collar; (10) is the machinery to turn the capstan, consisting of cogged wheels

page_text: and pinions (11) so arranged upon a shaft as to act upon the drum head, which
has cogged rackets one within the other, so as to vary the power; (12)
represents the crank handles to be used instead of capstan bars, either fore
and aft or thwart ships, which is done by a beveled pinion.
Fig. C shews the two spindles, the upper one steps into the other, as at (2),
and is held in by a bolt (3); (4) shews the parts of bearings which are
turned upon the square; (5) sliews one of the sectors or pieces of the capstan,
which when put together in various ways form the round of the capstan;
(6) coupling cap, which keeps the capstan from rising, and admits the shaft to
work in; it is to be made with the spindle or otherwise.
Fig. D; (1), shews the paul rim fixed on the deck; (2) the catches, which
are from two to three inches apart; (3) the rollers on which the capstan
revolves; (4) the base of security collar as fixed on the deck, shewing the
mortice holes for the spindles round and
square.
Fig. E, (1), shews the pauls on the paul head, which are falling into the
catches every one inch and a half; (2) purchase rim of cogs, which is fastened
on the paul head or made with it in various ways for a pinión to work in,
being one part of the purchase attached to the capstan; (3) shews the position
of the pinion and the bearing.
Fig. F, a frame or standard (seen in profile, as at Fig. B, (10), but
shewn here in a front view, and which may be made in different ways.
It communicates the power by which the capstan is worked; it may be
applied to either one or the other of the drum head cogged wheels, or the cogs
at the paul head below, by the gear being made to shift in various ways; (2) a
standard; (3) a security collar.
Fig. G, sector pieces to shew its form with two pauls on it, as seen at (2.),
by which it is seen that ono paul holds with two catélies. Those capstans are
formed in various ways without the barrel.
Fig. Han appendage to be applied should the cable be brought to the
capstan for the protection of the machinery of the capstan, and can be made
in various ways.
Fig. I shewing how a pinion may be applied to the bearing of the crank
that turns the capstan, and which may be connected with the hand or chain
pumps to work them, and to the machinery of the capstan at the same time;
and fly wheels may be fixed also on those bearings.
Fig. K, shewing a shaft may be brought from the side of the ship to a
pinion to work on the wheels of the capstan to propel the ship in a calm by
the power of the racket wheels on the capstan.

page_text: In witness whereof, 1, the said George Hawkes, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and twenty-four.
GEORGE (L.S.) HAWKES.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirtieth day of April, in the
year of our Lord 1824, the aforesaid George Hawkes came before our said
Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above written.
And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the
Statute made for that purpose.