IMPROVEMENTS IN GRAPNELS FOR SUBMARINE OR SUBMERGED CABLES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Jamieson, of Aberdeen, North Britain, Telegraphic
Engineer and Electrician, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN GRAPNELS
FOR SUBMARINE OR SUBMERGED CABLES." Partly a communication from abroad
by William Falconer King, of Brazil, Engineer-in-chief of the Western Brazilian
Telegraph Company.
Scaled the 6th April 1877, and dated the 27th October 1876..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Jamieson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th October 1876.
ANDREW JAMIESON, of Aberdeen, North Britain, Telegraphic Engineer and Elec-
trician. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GRAPNELS FOR SUBMARINE OR SUBMERGED CABLES."
Partly a communication from abroad by William Falconer King, of Brazil, Engineer-
in-chief of the Western Brazilian Telegraph Company.
This Invention relates to grapnels employed for hauling up cables lying at the
bottom of the sea or other waters, and it has for its object the production of a
grapnel which shall be self-relieving when meeting rocks and other similar irregu-
larities or obstacles at the bottom of such waters, and thereby prevent any undue
strain upon or breakage of any part of the grappling system, and at the same time
shall be capable of retaining the cable when caught, and facilitate the operation of
raising it for the purpose of repairs or otherwise.
In order to effect this object the grapnel is constructed and arranged in the
following manner-At the lower end of the grapnel shank there is arranged a boss
for containing or supporting a spring or springs which exercise a tension or pressure
upon one end of the grapnel tocs; these toes move upon fulcra fixed to or in the
boss in such a manner that on meeting a rock or other irregularity or obstacle they
yield and turn upon their fulcra, thereby exercising a compression upon the spring
or springs until the toes escape or become clear of such rock or other irregularity or
obstacle, when by the reaction of the spring or springs the toes are restored to their
normal position. When however the grapnel meets the cable, the latter is received
and retained in the neck or necks of the boss, another retaining spring or springs
being also employed, if necessary, as a precaution against the occurrence of any con-
tingency calculated to displace the cable.

page_text: An adjusting screw or nut is applied to the boss for the purpose of regulating the
tension of the spring or springs first mentioned and the travel of the grapnel toe or
toes, through the intervention of a washer or washers, if found necessary.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Andrew Jamieson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th April 1877.
"
ANDREW JAMIESON, of Aberdeen, North Britain, Telegraphic Engineer and Elec-
trician. IMPROVEMENTS IN GRAPNELS FOR SUBMARINE OR SUBMERGED CABLES."
Partly a communication from abroad by William Falconer King, of Brazil, Engineer-
in-chief of the Western Brazilian Telegraph Company.
The said Invention relates to grapnels employed for hauling up cables lying at
the bottom of the sea or other waters, and it has for its object the production of a
grapnel which shall be self-relieving when meeting rocks and other similar irregu-
larities or obstacles at the bottom of such waters, and thereby prevent any undue
strain upon or breakage of any part of the grappling system, and at the same time
shall be capable of retaining the cable when caught, and facilitate the operation of
raising it for the purpose of repairs or otherwise.
In order to effect this object the grapnel is constructed and arranged in the
following manner:-At the lower end of the grapnel shank there is arranged a boss
for containing or supporting a spring or springs which exercise a tension or pressure
upon one end of the grapnel toes; these toes move upon centres or fulcra fixed to or
in the boss in such a manner that on meeting a rock or other irregularity or obstacle
they yield and turn upon their fulcra, thereby exercising a compression upon the
spring or springs until the toes escape or become clear of such rock or other irregu-
larity or obstacle, when by the reaction of the spring or springs the toes.are restored
to their normal position. When however the grapnel meets the cable the latter is
received and retained in the neck or necks of the boss, another retaining spring or
springs being also employed, if necessary, as a precaution against the occurrence of
any contingency calculated to displace the cable.
An adjusting screw or nut is applied to the boss for the purpose of regulating the
tension of the spring or springs first mentioned and the travel of the grapnel toe or
toes, through the intervention of a washer or washers, if found necessary.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a sectional elevation of the
improved grapnel; and Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of the same.
Figure 3 illustrates the combination with the improved grapnel of cutting knives
or shears when it is desired to sever a cable or torpedoe line without bringing it to
the surface.
1 is a shank of the grapnel; 2 is a cylindrical boss, which may be made of cast
steel, malleable iron, bronze, cast iron, or other suitable material, and which contains
and protects the spring 6; this spring may be constructed on the volute, spiral, or
any other approved principle, and may be made of steel or india-rubber, or both
combined, a volute spring being preferred. Round the lower end of the boss 2
project toes or prongs 8, which are cast or otherwise formed solid with the boss, each
pair of toes embracing a much longer toe 4, by preference composed of wrought iron
or steel, which is held in position by the fulcrum pin 7, round which it is capable of
revolving.
The shank 1, which has attached to its upper end a shackle 10 provided with a
swivel joint, is firmly screwed to the boss 2 by a long coarse pitched thread, secured
by a jam nut 14 in any desired position; the diameter of the shank is then reduced,

page_text: as shewn at 15, and the reduced portion passes down through the boss 2, and ter-
minates in a screwed end 12, to which is attached the shackle 11 for the trailing
weight chain. 13 is a moveable piston capable of sliding up the reduced portion 15
of the shank 1.
5 are steel springs placed opposite each of the toes 4, their object being toprevent
the cable 18 from slipping out when once caught, as well as to guard the smaller
toes 8 from rocks and other obstacles.
The apparatus operates in the following manner:-The toes 4 when engaged by
rocks or other obstacles are pressed outwards, and rotate round their respective
fulcra 7, their inner ends 10 bearing and pressing against the moveable piston 13,
which travels up the reduced portion 15 of the shank 1 within the boss 2, com-
pressing the spring 6; this movement may continue until the toes 4 move round to
the angle shewn by dotted lines on the left-hand side of Figure 1, which position is
amply sufficient to relieve the toes from any rock or other obstruction. As soon as
the toes 4 are released, the piston is forced down under the action of the spring 6,
and in it's turn acts upon the toes at 16, thereby restoring them to their working
angle; this angle is fixed by shoulders 17 on the boss 2, which form stops between
the boss and the toes.
By fixing the shank to the boss the toes 4 always maintain the working angle
unless engaged with rocks or other obstructions, and the initial tension may be
increased or diminished by screwing down or up the shank or other adjusting nut
or gland in the boss 2.
The same principle of fittings with adjustments, as herein-before described, may
be applied to what are known as "centipede" grapnels, so as to render the toes of
the same self-relieving when brought into contact with rocks or other obstacles.
I also in some cases where it is found desirable employ in combination with my
improved grapnel an arrangement of cutting knives or shears for severing a cable or
torpedo line, as shewn in Figure 3. A, B, in this Figure, are two steel knives or
shears mounted on fulcra C and D respectively, and capable of rotating round the
same; these knives are ground off to a sharp edge on their upper side, on which the
cable 18 rests. When a strain is induced on the cable the latter falls between these
knives, causing them to approach each other, and thereby shear the cable.
Serrated clamps arranged similarly to the knives may also be employed on the
alternate toes for retaining one end of the cable for the purpose of drawing up the
same when desired.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my 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. A grapnel having its toes mounted on centres or fulcra so as to be capable
of movement round the same, substantially as and for the purposes herein-before
described.
Second. A grapnel provided with a boss containing or supporting a spring or
springs which act upon the moveable toes in order to restore, them to their normal
position when not engaged with rocks or other obstructions, substantially as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Jamieson, have to this my Specification,
set my hand and seal this Thirteenth day of December April One thousand
ANDREW JAMIESON. (L.S.)