Improvements in or relating to the Transhipment of Coal or other Merchandise.
Year: 1899

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by THOMAS SPENCER MILLER, of South Orange, Essex
'County, New Jersey, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer.]
Improvements in or relating to the Transhipment of Coal or other
Merchandise.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:
-
My invention relates to the transhipment of coal or other commodities; and the
primary object thereof is to provide for the conveyance of such coal or other
commodities between boats at sea.
In the accompanying drawings, I have shown the best mode in which I have
thus far contemplated applying the principle of my invention which, however,
may be applied in various other forms. Figure 1 is a side view of two ships equipped
with an apparatus according to my invention. Figure 2 is a detail of the same
enlarged. Figure 3 is a side view of the load-carriage. Figure 4 is a longitudinal
section of the same. Figure 5 is a side view of the forward and backward actua-
tors and mechanism for operating the same. Figure 6 is a plan view of the
same with one of the actuators in section. Figure 7 is an alternate plan of the
carriage.
A is a ship to which coal, provisions, mail or other commodity is to be delivered
from the ship B. C is a rope connecting the two ships. The ship A is provided
with propelling mechanism so that while the apparatus is in operation the pro-
pelling mechanism on the ship A causes it to pull the ship B through the pull-
line C. If, as is preferable, the ship B is not anchored, this pulling action will
tow the boat B along; but not otherwise, if the ship B is at anchor. In either
case, however, the propelling of the ship A in a direction away from the ship B
to which it is attached by the pull-line C, will serve to maintain as uniform a
distance between the ships as the elements will permit.
D) is a load-support from which the load is suspended while in transit. In the
particular form of load support shown in the drawings, it is a carriage provided
with wheels that run upon a rope across the span.
g
on
E is a transit-rope extending from an elevated support F on one boat to an
elevated support G on the other. If the transit-motor hereinafter described is
wholly located off of the ship A, as I prefer, and as hereinafter particularly
described, the transit-rope E will consist of two branches, one of which, e¹, extends
from the elevated support on ship B to and around a sheave
the elevated support of ship A, and the other of which e², extends thence
back to the elevated support on ship B. The two branches el and are prefer-
ably substantially parallel. The transit-rope E is fastened to the load-support D
in some manner suitable for moving the load-support. The method of fastening
I prefer is by such a gripping engagement, as is indicated in Figure 4, where

page_text: the upper branch of the transit-rope is gripped between the block fixed
between the side plates of the load support and the block d. A yoke ³
causes the blocks d' and to clamp between them the transit-rope with any
desired degree of firmness necessary for traction and yet with sufficient lack of
firmness to permit the transit-rope to slip through the load-carriage and thus
prevent breakage if the load-carriage happens to strike an obstruction. and
are wheels journalled in the side frames d² and and which enable the load-
support to run as a carriage upon a rope crossing the span; as, for example, upon
the lower branch e¹ of the transit-rope itself.
H is a transit-motor by which motion is imparted to the transit-rope. Prefer-
ably, though not necessarily, it consists of two transit-actuators, an outward
transit-actuator and an inward transit-actuator engaging, respectively, with
different parts of the transit-rope and each independently controllable as to
power. Preferably, also though not necessarily, they are driven by a common
prime mover actuator by controlling the speed of which the transit actuators
may be further controlled as to the speed of motion. Preferably, also, though not
necessarily, the actuating power is produced by the pressure of a fluid, such as
steam, water or gas. The preferable form of constructing such actuators and
prime mover may be described as follows:
.¹ is the forward actuator which consists of a friction-rope-drum that may be
constructed, operated and frictionally controlled substantially as shown in U.S.
Patent No. 541308 dated June 18, 1895. h2 is the backward actuator which may
consist of a rope-drum similarly constructed, operated and frictionally controlled.
Gear wheels of both rope-drums are driven by a shaft 3 which is driven by a suit-
able motor, such as the power of steam or other fluid in the engine cylinder h*.
The attendant may start, stop and control the speed of the motor and thereby
of the two actuators h¹ and h2 jointly. He may also control the power of each
actuator independently by means of its friction connection with its motor.
Opposite ends of the transit-rope E are connected with the drums 1 and 2,
respectively, in such manner that in operation, said drums tend to pull on the
transit-rope antagonistically. When pulling against each other with equal power,
both drums may remain at rest by the slipping of both their frictions. When
the operator adjusts the frictions so that the power of one exceeds that of the
other, the transit-rope will be hauled in by the most powerful actuator or whilst
the least powerful actuator will act as a tension device as it is compelled to pay
out the transit-rope. Either both actuators are ready to quickly take in any
slack of the transit-rope that may be caused by the lurching of the boats toward
each other or to give out any additional length of transit-rope required by the
lurching of the boats away from each other during the transit operation. During
the forward transit, with the load I suspended from the load-support, greater
friction will be applied to the forward actuator than to the backward actu-
ator 2 but sufficient friction will be applied to the backward actuator h
to cause it to supply sufficient tension for holding the load at a proper
normal elevation in crossing the span. During the backward transit of the un-
loaded load-support less friction will be applied to the forward transit-actuator /
than to the backward transit-actuator 2 and the friction on the forward transit-
actuator may be lightened so as to reduce the tension which it exerts upon
the transit-rope to a minimum and even to the extent of permitting the transit-
rope to sag and rest in the water, if desired. Therefore, if desired, the tension
strain upon the parts of the apparatus and between the two boats necessary for
maintaining the load at a normal elevation, may be exerted only while the load
is actually in transit. A desirable form of mechanism for actuating and control-
ling the forward and backward actuators is shown in Figures 5 and 6 which may
be described as follows: The fluid pressure in the cylinders drives the shaft h
which drives the gear wheel 5 fixed to the drum-shaft 16 and the gear wheel h
fixed to the drum shaft 8. Both of the drum-shafts 6 and h are therefore con-
tinuously driven in the same direction at the same speed so that they tend to

page_text: drive the drums h¹ and h² in such direction as to tend to cause both drums to
either haul in or pay out at the same time. The drum h¹ is loose on the shaft h
but by any well known mechanism may be shoved toward the spur wheel h³ so
as to press the friction surfaces h and h¹0 together with a power within the con-
trol of the operator at the lever . The drum he runs loose on the shaft h8 and
the sleeve which is splined to the shaft. At one end, the drum is provided
with a disc-friction-surface h¹³ which co-operates with the disc-friction-surface /"
fixed to the spur wheel h. At the opposite end, the drum h² is provided with a
disc-friction-surface h15 which co-operates with a disc-friction-surface fixed to
the arms projecting from the sleeve h12. h18 is a gib operated in a well known
manner from the hand lever 19. Between the gib 18 and the end of the sleeve h¹2
is the coil spring 20. The spring 20 is interposed in the train of mechanism
between the lever hand the friction surfaces by which the drum h² is driven.
The power of said spring will determine and maintain with reasonable constancy
the tension of the drum h² upon the rope branch e. When, therefore, the lever h¹
is set so as to compress the spring 20, the friction surfaces of the drum h² will
slip and the drum will pay out as long as the pull of the rope branch e² against
it exceeds its tension, as may be the case when the vessels lurch away from each
other, or when the operator has forced the friction surfaces of drum h¹ together
so that their tension exceeds the tension of the friction surfaces at the drum h².
On the other hand, whenever the pull on the rope branch is less than the ten-
sion of the drum h2, that drum will haul in, as may be the case when the vessels
lurch suddenly toward each other or the operator eases upon the friction surfaces
at the drum h¹. The operator, therefore, may set the lever he so as to produce an
amount of compression of the spring 20 equivalent to the tension that he desires
the drum h² to operate under and may leave the lever 19 so set and may then
give his entire attention to the lever by the operation of which he may in-
crease the power of the forward actuating drum h¹ above or may reduce it below
the tension of the backward actuating drum h2. I have shown the drum h¹ as of
larger diameter than the drum h² which produces a differential action that I
prefer because it tends to act with greater quickness upon the rope
The support may be provided with sheaves f¹ and fover which, respectively,
the branches of the transit rope E may extend down to the transit-motor H if
the same be mounted upon the deck of the ship B. The block of sheave g may
be provided with an abutment g¹ against which apparatus mounted upon the car-
riage may strike so as to automatically detach the load from its support and
allow it to drop onto an inclined apron J down which it may slide to the deck of
the ship B to the level of the load-support D in an elevator-box K running on
guides and hoisted by a rope and drum k², or by any other suitable means.
When a load is presented at the level of the load support, it is desirable that
the load-support should be capable of picking it up automatically and for that
purpose the following mechanism is provided: Each load is provided with a bale i
which, as the load-support approaches the end of its backward transit, is held in
line to receive a hook 7 pivoted to the carriage-frame at . This hook is shown
in Figure 4 in its supporting position and in Figure 3 in its discharging. posi-
tion. In its supporting position, it is held by a latch 2 pressed by the spring 13.
When the hook 7 has once passed into the bale i, as shown in Figure 4, it is
prevented from accidentally escaping while the hook is in supporting position,
by the guard 14 which is held by the spring against the pins 6 and 7. The
hook is so balanced on the pivot that it returns itself to the supporting position
against the pin 8 whenever unloaded; but the weight of the load is sufficient
to swing it downward whenever released by the latch 2. This release is accom-
plished by the striking of the latch against the abutment g', as shown in
Figure 3. Pendant from the lower part of the carriage, is a weight 7 which
serves to prevent the upsetting of the carriage and the winding of the transit-
rope members e¹ and around themselves when the load is dropped.
In lieu of the weight a pulley 1, Figure 7, may be attached to the carriage

page_text: supporting a slack cable e³, whose ends are attached to boats A and B The
weight of this cable to serve the same purpose as the weight If desired, one
end of this slack cable may be provided with a counterpoise so as to permit its
extension caused by the pitching of the boats
The bags being dumped on boat A may be returned empty by hooking them
on to the carriage D, and removed when near the elevator K.
In order that the apparatus may meet the varying conditions, due to the lurch-
ing of the ships, with the greatest certainty and quickness, I construct and
operate the outward transit-actuator so as to run at a speed adapted to actuate
the transit-rope at a speed greater than the relative motion between said boats
due to the waves. The maximum speed at which the distance between supports
upon the two ships may be expected to decrease from waves or other causes, may
be taken as 5 feet per second. The forward transit-drum will be speeded so as
to haul in the transit-rope at a rate in excess of 10 feet per second-say, for
example at the rate of 15 feet per second. Now, suppose during the transit of a
load that the ships lurch toward each other at the maximum rate of 5 feet per
second. Since there are two lengths of the rope stretched between the ships,
this will produce a slack in the rope at the rate of 10 feet per second. But the
rate at which this slack is produced is less than the 15 feet per second speed of
the forward transit-drum and consequently the forward transit-drum takes up this
slack as fast as produced with 5 feet per second speed to spare and the normal
elevation of the load is maintained. Suppose, now, that the ships lurch away
from each other. This will demand a greater length of rope on the span which
will be supplied by the backward transit-drum (which for the time being is act-
ing as the tension drum) by causing it to pay out at a speed accelerated to any
extent demanded. Therefore, it will be seen that under all possible conditions
the apparatus will maintain the load at substantially a normal elevation and
relieve itself automatically from undue strain.
The construction above described is the present culmination and embodiment
of a series of inventions represented in forms of apparatus differing more or less
from that above described, but each of itself embodying more or less of the prin-
ciples of that above described, and each of itself being, therefore, more or less
adapted for success. Therefore, I do not wish to be understood as limiting my
self to any single principle involved in the foregoing apparatus or to forms of
construction.
Among other things I do not limit myself to the division of the
transit-actuator into two parts (a forward and backward actuator). If divided
into two parts, I do not limit myself to locating both of them on the same ship
nor to driving both of them by the same motor, nor to the employment of any
part of the transit-actuator as the tension device, nor to the location of the ten-
sion device on either of the ships. Nor do I limit myself to having the transit-
rope either continuous or non-continuous, nor to its extending a plurality of times
across the span nor to the engagement of the load-carrier with both branches
thereof, nor to the actuation of the load carrier both forward and backward by the
same branch of the transit rope nor to the absence of a supporting cable in addi-
tion to the transit-rope. Nor do I limit myself to the production of the pulling
action by the receiving boat or by any particular source of power.
Dated this 8th day of September 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Transhipment of Coal or other
Merchandise.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement;
The primary object of my invention is to provide for the conveyance of coal or
other commodities between boats at sea.
In the drawings accompanying my Provisional Specification, I have shown
the best mode in which I have thus far contemplated applying the principle of my
invention, which, however, may be applied in various other forms.
Figure 1 is a side view of two ships equipped with an apparatus according to
my invention;
Figure 2 is a detail of the same enlarged;
Figure 3 is a side view of the load-carriage;
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the same;
Figure 5 is a side view of the forward and backward actuators and mechanism
for operating the same;
Figure 6 is a plan view of the same with one of the actuators in section; and
Figure 7 is an alternate plan of carriage,
A is a ship to which coal, provisions, mail or other commodity is to be delivered
from the ship B. C is a rope connecting the two ships. The ship A is provided
with propelling mechanism so that while the apparatus is in operation the pro-
pelling mechanism on the ship A causes it to pull the ship B through the pull-
line C. If, as is preferable, the ship B is not anchored, this pulling action will
tow the boat Balong; but not if the ship B is at anchor. In either
case, however, the propelling of the ship A in a direction away from the ship B
to which it is attached by the pull-line C, will serve to maintain as uniform a
distance between the ships as the elements will permit.
D) is a load-support from which the load is suspended while in transit. In the
particular form of load support shown in the drawings, it is a carriage provided
with wheels that run upon a rope across the span.
E is a transit-rope extending from an elevated support F on one boat to an
elevated support G on the other. If the transit-motor hereinafter described is
wholly located off of the ship A, as I prefer, and as hereinafter particularly
described, the transit-rope E will consist of two branches, one of which, e', extends
from the elevated support on ship B, to and around a sheave g on
the elevated support of ship A, and the other of which 2, extends thence
back to the elevated support on ship B. The two branches el and e² are prefer-
ably substantially parallel The transit-rope E is fastened to the load-support. D
in some manner suitable for moving the load-support. The method of fastening
I prefer
by such a gripping engagement, as is indicated in Figure 4, where
the upper branch of the transit-rope is gripped between the block fixed
between the side plates of the load support and the block *. A yoke
causes the blocks d and d to clamp between them the transit-rope with any
lesired degree of firmness necessary for traction and yet with sufficient lack of
irmness to permit the transit-rope to slip through the load-carriage and thus
prevent breakage if the load-carriage happens to strike an obstruction. and
are wheels journalled in the side frames d and and which enable the load-
support to run as a carriage upon a rope crossing the span as, for example, upon
he lower branch e¹ of the transit-rope itself.

page_text: H is a transit-motor by which motion is imparted to the transit-rope. Prefer-
ably, though not necessarily, it consists of two transit-actuators, an outward
transit-actuator and an inward transit-actuator engaging, respectively, with
different parts of the transit-rope and each independently controllable as to
power. Preferably, also though not necessarily, they are driven by a common
prime mover actuator by controlling the speed of which the transit actuators
may be further controlled as to the speed of motion. Preferably, also, though not
necessarily, the actuating power is produced by the pressure of a fluid, such as
steam, water or gas. The preferable form of constructing such actuators and
prime mover may be described as follows:
When
is the forward actuator which consists of a friction-rope-drum that may be
constructed, operated and frictionally controlled substantially as shown in U.S.
Patent No. 541308 dated June 18, 1895. h is the backward actuator which may
consist of a rope-drum similarly constructed, operated and frictionally controlled.
Gear wheels of both rope-drums are driven by a shaft which is driven by a suit-
able motor, such as the power of steam or other fluid in the engine cylinder h¹.
The attendant may start, stop and control the speed of the motor and thereby
of the two actuators and jointly. He may also control the power of each
actuator independently by means of its friction connection with its motor.
Opposite ends of the transit-rope 1 are connected with the drums h¹ and h²,
respectively, in such manner that in operation, said drums tend to pull on the
transit-rope antagonistically. When pulling against each other with equal power,
both drums may remain at rest by the slipping of both their frictions.
the operator adjusts the frictions so that the power of one exceeds that of the
other, the transit-rope will be hauled in by the most powerful actuator whilst
the least powerful actuator will act as a tension device as it is compelled to pay
out the transit-rope. Either or both actuators are ready to quickly take in any
slack of the transit-rope that may be caused by the lurching of the boats toward
each other or to give out any additional length of transit-rope required by the
lurching of the boats away from each other during the transit operation. During
the forward transit, with the load I suspended from the load-support, greater
friction will be applied to the forward actuator h¹ than to the backward actu-
ator but sufficient friction will be applied to the backward actuator 2
to cause it to supply sufficient tension for holding the load at a proper
normal elevation in crossing the span. During the backward transit of the un-
loaded load-support less friction will be applied to the forward transit-actuator h¹
than to the backward transit-actuator h2 and the friction on the forward transit-
actuator may be lightened so as to reduce the tension which it exerts upon
the transit-rope to a minimum and even to the extent of permitting the transit-
rope to sag and rest in the water, if desired. Therefore, if desired, the tension
strain upon the parts of the apparatus and between the two boats necessary for
maintaining the load at a normal elevation, may be exerted only while the load
is actually in transit. A desirable form of mechanism for actuating and control-
ling the forward and backward actuators is shown in Figures 5 and 6 which may
be described as follows: The fluid pressure in the cylinders drives the shaft h
which drives the gear wheel h fixed to the drum-shaft 6 and the gear wheel W
fixed to the drum shaft 8. Both of the drum-shafts he and h8 are therefore con-
tinuously driven in the same direction at the same speed so that they tend to
drive the drums h¹ and h² in such direction as to tend to cause both drums to
either haulin or pay out at the same time. The drum his loose on the shaft 6
but by any well known mechanism may be shoved toward the spur wheel h³ so
as to press the friction surfaces h and 10 together with a power within the con-
trol of the operator at the lever h¹¹. The drum 2 runs loose on the shaft 8 and
the sleeve which is splined to the shaft. At one end; the drum is provided
disk-friction surface 14 fixed to the spur-wheel h At the
a disk-friction-surface 15
opposite end, the drum is provided with
which co-operates with a disk-friction-surface 16 fixed to the arms
with
a

page_text: projecting from the sleeve 712 718 is a gib operated in a well known
manner from the hand lever 41. Between the gib 18 and the end of the sleeve /¹ª
is the coil spring 20. The spring his interposed in the train of mechanism
between the lever hand the friction surfaces by which the drum is driven.
The power of said spring will determine and maintain with reasonable constancy
the tension of the drum h² upon the rope branch e. When, therefore, the lever i
is set so as to compress the spring 20, the friction surfaces of the drum h² will
slip and the drum will pay out as long as the pull of the rope branch e against
it exceeds its tension, as may be the case when the vessels lurch away from each
other, or when the operator has forced the friction surfaces of drum together
so that their tension exceeds the tension of the friction surfaces at the drum ².
On the other hand, whenever the pull on the rope branch e2 is less than the ten-
sion of the drum 2, that drum will haul in, as may be the case when the vessels.
lurch suddenly toward each other or the operator eases upon the friction surfaces.
at the drum . The operator, therefore, may set the lever he so as to produce an
amount of compression of the spring 120 equivalent to the tension that he desires
the drum to operate under and may leave the lever 19 so set and may then
give his entire attention to the lever by the operation of which he may in-
crease the power of the forward actuating drum above or may reduce it below
the tension of the backward actuating drum h². I have shown the drum h¹ as of
larger diameter than the drum h² which produces a differential action that I
prefer because it tends to act with greater quickness upon the rope
The support may be provided with sheaves f and f over which, respectively,
the branches of the transit rope E may extend down to the transit-motor H if
the same be mounted upon the deck of the ship B. The block of sheave may
be provided with an abutment g against which apparatus mounted upon the car-
riage may strike so as to automatically detach the load from its support and
allow it to drop onto an inclined apron down which it may slide to the deck of
the ship A. The loads may be elevated from the deck of the ship B to the level
of the load-support D in an elevator-box K running on guides and hoisted by
a rope and drum 2, or by any other suitable means.
When a load is presented at the level of the load support, it is desirable that
the load-support should be capable of picking up automatically and for that
purpose the following mechanism is provided: Each load is provided with a bale
which, as the load-support approaches the end of its backward transit, is held in
line to receive a hook 7 pivoted to the carriage-frame at 11. This book is shown
in Figure 4 in its supporting position and in Figure 3 in its discharging posi-
tion. In its supporting position, it is held by a latch 12 pressed by the spring ..
When the hook 7 has once passed into the bale i, as shown in Figure 4, it is
prevented from accidentally escaping while the hook is in supporting position,
by the guard 14 which is held by the spring 15 against the pins 76 and 7. The
hook is so balanced on the pivot that it returns itself to the supporting position,
against the pin 78 whenever unloaded; but the weight of the load is sufficient
to swing it downward whenever released by the latch 2. This release is accom-
plished by the striking of the latch against the abutment g, as shown in
Figure 3. Pendant from the lower part of the carriage, is a weight which
serves to prevent the upsetting of the carriage and the winding of the transit-
rope members e¹ and e² around themselves when the load is dropped. In lieu of
the weight a pulley, may be attached to the carriage supporting a slack
cable e¹, whose ends are attached to boats A and B. The weight of this cable is
to serve the same purpose as the weight 1.
In order that the apparatus may meet the varying conditions, due to the lurch-
ing of the ships, with the greatest certainty and quickness, I construct and
operate the outward transit-actuator so as to run at a speed adapted to actuate
the transit-rope at a speed greater than the relative motion between raid boats
due to the waves. The maximum speed at which the distance between supports.
upon the two ships may be expected to decrease from waves or other causes, may

page_text: be taken as 5 feet per second. The forward transit-drum will be speeded so as
to haul in the transit-rope at a rate in excess of 10 feet per second-say, for
example at the rate of 15 feet per second. Now, suppose during the transit of a
load that the ships lurch toward each other at the maximum rate of 5 feet per
second. Since there are two lengths of the rope E stretched between the ships,
this will produce a slack in the rope at the rate of 10 feet per second. But the
rate at which this slack is produced is less than the 15 feet per second speed of
the forward transit-drum and consequently the forward transit-drum takes up this
slack as fast as produced with 5 feet per second speed to spare and the normal
elevation of the load is maintained. Suppose, now, that the ships lurch away
from each other. This will demand a greater length of rope on the span which
will be supplied by the backward transit-drum (which for the time being is act-
ing as the tension drum) by causing it to pay out at a speed accelerated to any
extent demanded. Therefore, it will be seen that under all possible conditions
the apparatus will maintain the load at substantially a normal elevation and
relieve itself automatically from undue strain.
The construction above described is the present culmination and embodiment
of a series of inventions represented in forms of apparatus differing more or less
from that above described, but each of itself embodying more or less of the prin-
ciples of that above described, and each of itself being, therefore, more or less
adapted for success. Therefore, I do not wish to be understood as limiting my-
self to any single principle involved in the foregoing apparatus or to forms of
construction.
Among other things, I do not limit myself in certain claims to the division of
the transit-actuator into two parts (a forward and backward actuator). If divided
into two parts, I do not limit myself to locating both of them on the same ship
nor to driving both of them by the same motor, nor to the employment of any
part of the transit-actuator as the tension device, nor to the location of the ten-
sion device on either of the ships. Nor do I limit myself to having the transit-
rope either continuous or non-continuous, nor to its extending a plurality of times
across the span nor to the engagement of the load-carrier with both branches
thereof, nor to the actuation of the load carrier both forward and backward by the
same branch of the transit rope nor to the absence of a supporting cable in addi-
tion to the transit-rope. Nor do I limit myself to the production of the pulling
action by the receiving boat or by any particular source of power.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:—
1. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a pull-rope, a transit-rope, a
load support moved thereby, an actuator of said transit-rope and a tension device
acting upon said transit-rope, substantially as described.
2. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a pull-rope, a transit-rope, a
load supported and moved thereby, an actuator of said transit-rope and a tension
device acting upon said transit-rope, substantially as described.
3. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a pull-rope, a transit-rope, a
load support moved thereby, an actuator of said transit-rope and a tension device
by which connection with said actuator the transit-rope is held taut, substantially
as described.
4. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a pull rope, a transit rope, a
load support moved thereby, an actuator of said transit rope, a tension device by
which and said actuator the transit rope is held taut and means whereby the power
exerted upon said transit rope by said actuator may be made to exceed the power
exerted by said tension device, substantially as described.
5. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a pull rope, a transit rope, a
load support moved thereby, an actuator of said transit rope, a tension device by
which and said actuator the transit rope is held taut and means whereby said

page_text: actuator is driven at a speed of actuation exceeding the speed of relative motion
between said boats due to the waves, substantially as described.
6. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a pull-rope, a transit-rope
extending from one boat to the other and back again, a load support moved by said
transit-rope, an actuator of said transit-rope and a tension device acting upon
said transit-rope, substantially as described.
7. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a pull-rope, a transit-rope
extending from one boat to the other and back again, a load carriage running
upon one branch of said transit-rope and moved by the other branch thereof, an
actuator of said transit-rope and a tension device acting upon said transit-rope,
substantially as described.
8. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a pull-rope, a transit-rope, a
load support moved thereby, a tension device acting upon said transit-rope, a
rope-drum whereby said transit-rope is actuated and a friction-clutch whereby
the movement of said rope-drum is controlled, substantially as described.
9. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a pull-rope, a transit-rope, a
load support moved thereby, a rope-drum connected with each end of said transit-
rope and friction clutches whereby the power of said rope-drums, respectively,
is controlled, substantially as described.
10. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a pull-rope, a transit-rope, a
load support moved thereby, a rope-drum connected with each end of said transit-
rope and friction clutches whereby the power of said rope-drums, respectively, is
controlled and a common prime mover whereby said friction drums are actuated,
substantially as described.
11. In combination, a pulled boat, a pulling boat, a pull-rope, a transit-rope, a
load support moved by said transit-rope, a forward transit-actuator and a back-
ward transit actuator, substantially, as described.
12. In combination, a pulled boat; a pulling boat, a pull-rope, a transit-rope, a
load-support moved by said transit-rope, a forward transit-actuator, a backward-
transit actuator, means whereby the power of the forward transit-actuator may be
reduced below the power of the backward transit-actuator, substantially as
described.
13. In combination, two relatively moving supports, a transit-rope extending
between the same, a forward transit actuator and a backward transit-actuator
acting upon said rope antagonistically, the power applied to said backward tran-
sit-actuator being adapted to yield to the power of the forward transit-actuator
and thereby pay out the transit-rope under tension, substantially as described.
14. In combination, two relatively moving supports, a transit-rope extending
between the same, a forward transit actuator and a backward transit-actuator
operating upon said rope antagonistically, the power applied to both of said tran-
sit actuators being adapted to vield, substantially as described.
15. In combination. two relatively moving supports, a transit-rope extending
from one support to the other and back again, a load-carrier having a yielding
traction engagement with said rope and a transit-actuator, substantially as
described.
16. In combination, two relatively moving supports, a transit-rope extending
from one support to the other and back again, a load-carriage having a yielding
traction engagement with one branch of said rope and a running engagement
with the other branch thereof and a transit-rope actuator, substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day of December 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.
Agents for the Applicant.