A NEW OR IMPROVED BOAT DETACHING APPARATUS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Powley Alexander, of 14, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, for the
Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED BOAT DETACHING APPARATUS." A com-
munication from abroad by Reginald Fairfax Hyde, of Springfield, Massa-
chusetts, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 28th April 1876, and dated the 10th January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Powley Alexander at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, on the 10th January 1876.
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent. "A NEW OR IMPROVED BOAT
DETACHING APPARATUS." A communication to me from abroad by Reginald Fairfax
Hyde, of Springfield, Massachusetts, in the United States of America.
This Invention consists of a peculiar combination and arrangement of apparatus
for instantaneously releasing whale boats, life boats, and other small boats when
lowered from the catheads or davits of a ship, whilst at the same time securely
holding the boat so as to enable it to be hoisted horizontally or by one end.
At the bottom of the boat, and extending in the direction of its length, is a rod
which rocks in suitable bearings when actuated by a lever handle attached to the
said rod at any convenient place. Upon both ends of this rod are cranks, which
are connected with the mechanism for holding and releasing the tackle hooks.
As the mechanism at either bow or stern of the boat is a duplicate of that
at the other it will be sufficient to describe the construction and operation of one
grapnel.
The eye in which catches the tackle hook is formed by two short bent levers hung
beneath a small deck or thwart, or in a suitable cross piece, so that the hooked upper
ends of these levers by coming together form an eye above the said deck or thwart.
The lower ends of the levers are connected by links or toggles to a connecting rod
from the crank on the end of the first-mentioned rod, hence the swing of the crank
will by the rise of the connecting rod cause the lower ends of the bent levers to
approach each other, and consequently their upper ends to be separated so as to
open the eye and release the tackle.
In order to prevent any possibility of the levers being forced apart by the weight

page_text: of the boat upon the tackle hook the toggles are hinged to the connecting rod at a
point below their attachment to the levers, and an intermediate piece is hinged to
the top of the connecting rod and prolonged between the said levers, and pro-
vided with a head which is too large to pass between the levers. The shoulders
of this head by coming against the levers tend to lock the lower ends of the same
with their toggles. This intermediate piece forms with its head a plunger to
insure the instantaneous release of the tackle with the opening at the eye.
In order to guide the connecting rod and plunger and strengthen the toggles the
connecting rod is provided with a pin which plays in a slot in a guide plate secured
to the cross brace or deck of the boat.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the said Letters Patent filed
by the said Edwin Powley Alexander in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd June 1876.
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent. "A NEW OR IMPROVED BOAT
DETACHING APPARATUS." A communication to me from abroad by Reginald Fairfax.
Hyde, of Springfield, Massachusetts, in the United States of America.
The said Invention consists of a peculiar combination and arrangement of appa-
ratus for instantaneously releasing whale boats, life boats, and other small boats
when lowered from the "cat-heads" or "davits" of a ship, whilst at the same time
securely holding the boat so as to enable it to be hoisted either horizontally or by
one end.
Figure 1 of the Drawings annexed represents a longitudinal section of a boat
having the said improvements attached thereto; Figures 2 and 3 are transverse
views of the mechanism in different positions.
At the bottom of the boat, and extending in the direction of its length, is a
shaft B, which rocks in suitable bearings b, b, when actuated by the lever handle C
attached to the said shaft B at any convenient place. Upon both ends of this
shaft B are formed the cranks d, d, which are connected with the mechanism for
holding and releasing the tackle hooks, and which operates simultaneously and in
the same manner at each end of the boat when the shaft B is partially turned by
its handle C so as to close or open the eyes holding the tackle hooks, and as the
mechanism at either bow or stern of the boat is a duplicate of that at the other
end it will be sufficient to describe the construction and operation of one grapnel.
The eye in which catches the tackle hook is formed by two short bent levers g, g,.
hung beneath the small deck or thwart m, or in a suitable cross piece, so that the
hooked upper ends of of these levers by coming together form an eye y above the
said deck or thwart m. The lower ends of the levers g, g, are connected by links
or toggles h, h, to a connecting rod 8, which is jointed to the crank d, and it will be
seen that the swing of the crank will by the rise of the connecting rod & cause the
lower ends of the bent levers g, g, to approach each other, and consequently their
upper ends to be separated so as to open the eye y and release the tackle.
When the levers are closed, as shown in Figure 2, to prevent any possibility of
their being forced apart by the weight of the boat upon the tackle hook, the
toggles h, h, are hinged to the connecting rod s at a point below their attachment.
to the levers g, g, and an intermediate piece v forming a prolongation of the con-
necting rod is hinged to the top of the connecting rod 8 between the said levers g, g,.
and is provided with a head a which is too large to pass between the levers. The
shoulders of this head by coming against the levers g, g, tend to lock the lower ends
of the said levers g, g, with their toggles h, h. This intermediate piece v forms with
its head a plunger to insure the instantaneous release of the tackle on opening the
eye y.
4

page_text: In order to guide the connecting rods and plunger v, and strengthen the
toggles h, h, the connecting rod & is provided with a pin x, which plays in a slot in
a guide plate f secured to the cross brace or deck of the boat.
8
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. The combination of levers g, g, with connection 8, plunger v, and crank d
with suitable operating handle, in the manner and for the purpose set forth.
Second. In combination with the jaws g, g, the plunger v operating to clear the
tackle from the open levers.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Twenty-second day of June, in the year of our Lord.
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
EDWIN P. ALEXANDER. (L.S.)