mprovements in Boat Stowing, Raising, and Lowering Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left. 23th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 18th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
mprovements in Boat Stowing, Raising, and Lowering Apparatus.
1, HUGH HUGHES of 156 Market Street, Birkenhead in the County of Chester,
hip-wright, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object an arrangement of boat lowering and boat
olding apparatus whereby a series of boats can be very quickly launched from the
ame davits.
One davit support can be used for two boats at the same time, and the boat can
be lowered without any person remaining on the ship and it is impossible for the
boat to be lowered in any other than a horizontal position. Each davit consists
of an upright pillar on which swing a curved or oblique wrought iron bracket with
wrought iron tie rod. Of course other tough strong metals cau be used instead
of wrought iron if desired.
The bracket at its end has a circular rail or bearing on which a circular frame is
free to rotate.
This frame on its upper surface carries the bearings of a short shaft having a
worm.
This worm gears into a worm wheel on a second shaft in bearings in or suspended
from the circular frame.
A gear or sprocket wheel for a chain is fixed on this
lower shaft or is cast in one with the worm wheel. This gear wheel is so con-
structed with teeth that it is impossible for the chain to revolve upon it except by
the wheel revolving at an equal speed.
It carries a chain of such length that when a boat is hooked to one end and
lowered into the water the other end will be almost exactly at the right height for
a second boat on deck to be hooked to it.
The two short shafts of the two davits are connected by a long tube and on
this tube at one or both ends is a wheel with teeth carrying an endless chain.
From the head of the davit pillar a long girder extends back to the davit on the
opposite side of the ship or other point. On this girder a spur wheel runs carried
in bearings in a saddle and from this saddle one end of a boat is suspended the
other end being suspended from a similar saddle on the girder fixed to the companion
davit pillar.
Ľub
The two spur wheel shafts are connected by a metal tube so as to
synchronously and on the line of this tube or the shafts of the spur wheels is a
worm wheel worked by a worm supported in bearings in one of the saddles and on
the shaft of this worm is a gear wheel for an endless chain.
I place stops on the girder at the right distance for a boat to stop to be attached
to the lowering gear.
The mode of action is as follows:-
A boat is attached to the chains passing over the wheel suspended from the
circular frames at each end. It is drawn up by working the endless chain or
chains until it can clear the bulwarks, it is then launched over the side in the
usual manner, people get in and they themselves lower the hoat by means of the
endless chains until it rests on the water when the disengaging gear is actuated and
the boat let loose.
Meanwhile in case of accident the second boat suspended from the two saddles
aforesaid is worked by its endless chain to a point in line with the davits wher
they are swung inwards, the second boat hooked to the opposite end of the chair
to which the first boat had been hooked, which through the paying out of the
other end is in a right position.

page_text: The boat is now in the same position as the first one was and can be at once
launched in a similar way. Another and another boat arranged on saddles in
the manner described can be launched from the same davits.
The following advantages I hope to occasion by my system
The boat is lowered by and under the control of one man in the boat itself or
on the ship's deck. No person need be left on board ship to lower the boats.
Both ends of the boat are lowered evenly and it is impossible for one end to
be lowered faster than the other or to go by the run, no matter how heavy the
boat is.
No ropes or blocks are required the gear being simple and impossible to get
out of order.
Very little time or labour is required to get the boats out the gear being always
ready for use.
The davits are much lower than those at present in use and where say two
boats are stowed close together fore and aft only three davits are required or only
four davits for three boats, thus saving a great amount of top weight. After one
boat is lowered the gear is ready for lowering another without any overhanling
of gear.
Any disconnecting apparatus can be used and no alteration is required in the
boats.
These davits are also applicable for getting anchors on board.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boat Stowing, Raising, and Lowering Apparatus.
I, HUGH HUGHES of 156 Market Street, Birkenhead in the County of Chester,
Ship-wright, 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:-
This invention has for its object an arrangement of boat lowering and boat
holding apparatus whereby a series of boats can be very quickly launched from the
same davits. One davit support can be used for two boats at the same time, and
the boat can be lowered without any person remaining on the ship, and it is
impossible for the boat to be lowered in any other than a horizontal position.
The invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in
which :-
Figure 1 shows a general side elevation;
Figure 2 a transverse elevation of a part of the ship with the apparatus
attached;
Figures 3 and 4 detail views at right angles to each other; and
Figure 5 a plan of a davit and contiguous parts.
In these-
A A are upright pillars forming the bases of the davits; B B are curved or
oblique wrought iron brackets swinging on the uprights A. CC are tie rods
strengthening these swinging brackets. "D is a circular rail carried by bracket B
on which a circular frame E rotates by sliding motion or friction pulleys.
This frame, on its upper surface, carries the bearings F of a short shaft. H
having a worm G. This worm gears into a worm wheel J, to which is attached
the sprocket wheel K, round which passes the chain K'. The worm shaft H
carries a chain wheel I and chain I', and is connected with similar mechanism on
the nearer bracket of the contiguous davit.
In both the case of wheel I and wheel K, they are arranged so that the chain

page_text: cannot revolve except by causing the wheel to revolve also. Wheel I can, how-
ever, hold the chain or rope strictly by friction, but wheel K should be a sprocket
wheel with teeth.
Chain Kis of such length that, when a boat is hooked to one end and lowered
into the water, the other end shall be almost exactly at the right height for a
second boat on deck to be hooked to it.
Instead of the shaft H being continued from the ouc davit to the other, I prefer
to make the centre part a tube, for 'lightness.
From the head of the davit pillar A, a long girder L extends back to the
corresponding davit on the opposite side of the ship, or other point.
This girder L is formed with a rack N on its upper surface, and into this
rack a spur wheel M gears. This spur wheel runs on a small shaft m and in
a saddle O. To this saddle, one end of a boat is suspended by means of a chain
or links, with tightening mechanism such as a right and left handed nut P.
The other end of the boat is supported by a similar saddle. There may be
two saddles of this description on each girder, if desired, but one saddle can
preferably be used successively for all the boats in the line.
QQ are boats supported on chocks until required to be launched. I place
stops on the girders at intervals, to prevent the boats from moving until
required. On the shaft of wheel M is a second worm wheel which can be cast
in one with wheel M if desirable. On this works a worm of a second shaft,
and, on this second shaft, is a sprocket wheel or chain friction wheel R.
The mode of action is as follows:-
A boat is attached to the chains K' of two contiguous davits, it is drawn up
by working the endless chains 1' until it can clear its chocks and the bulwarks, it
is then launched over the side in the usual manner, the people get in, and they
themselves lower the boat by means of the endless chain I, till it rests on the
water, when any well known disengaging gear is employed, it is actuated and the
boat is let loose. In the case of a shipwreck or other accident, a second boat
being required, it is suspended from the two saddles O and is raised from its
chocks by turning nut P or is worked forward on sliding chocks to the davits
by their endless chain R¹ to a point in line with the davits. Chains K¹ are now
hooked on to the boat instead of the saddle chain and the boat drawn upwards
to loose the saddle chain, it is now launched in precisely the same way as the
previous boat, and another boat can, if necessary, be carried by the saddle to the
davits and launched in this manner.
The following advantages I hope to attain by my system :-
The boat is lowered by and under the control of one man in the boat itself, or
on the ship's deck. No person need be left on board ship to lower the boats.
Both ends of the boat are lowered evenly, and it is impossible for one end to be
lowered faster than the other or to go by the run, no matter how heavy the
boat is. No ropes or blocks are required, the gear being simple and impossible
to get out of order. Very little time or labour is required to get the boats out, the
gear being always ready for use.
The davits are much lower than those at present in use, and where say two boats
are stowed close together fore and aft, only three davits are required or only four
davits for three boats, thus saving a great amount of top weight. After one boat
is lowered, the gear is ready for lowering another without any overhauling
of gear.
Any disconnecting apparatus can be used, and no alteration is required in the
boats.
These davits are also applicable for getting anchors on board.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I.
claim is :-
1. The combination, with one davit, of two swinging arms B, each carrying a

page_text: rotating frame E or its equivalent at its end, and this frame itself carrying the
hoisting gear, substantially as and for the purposes described.
2. The combination of the swinging davit D, apparatus E carrying sprocket
wheel K and mechanism whereby the two sprocket wheels can be simultaneously
turned and the both ends of the boat lowered substantially as described.
3. In combination with the two rail roads L L, the saddles O connected together
and worked by a chain R', whereby the boats can be carried easily and quickly
and with a parallel motion across the deck.
4. The combined apparatus for stowing, raising and lowering boats, substantially
as herein described.
Dated this 26th day of March 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, and London, Patent Agents.