CERTAIN THE APPLICATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF CAPSTANS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bertic Charles Scott, of Chester Terrace, Regents Park,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for an Invention of "CERTAIN
THE APPLICATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF CAPSTANS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bertie Charles Scott at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th May 1881.
BERTIE CHARLES. SCOTT, of Chester Terrace, Regents Park, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman. "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION AND
CONSTRUCTION OF CAPSTANS."
The object of this Invention is the construction of a capstan suitable for
employment on vessels of small tonnage, such as yachts, sloops, and the like, which
are limited as to deck space or area, and upon which capstans as now constructed
are not applicable.
It is well known by those engaged on vessels of the class herein mentioned, that
a capstan or other mechanical power which could be readily adapted to the decks
of vessels having limited deck room, for reducing manual labour in the performance
of work requiring great power, would be a desideratum, and in order to provide
vessels of this description with such an auxillary I have constructed a capstan, the
subject of this Invention, which can be readily "shipped" into or unshipped out of
position when required.
The Invention may be described as follows:-
I construct a circular base plate or bed which can be permanently or temporarly
secured by "lugs," bolts, or other equivalent to the deck above the beam or other
convenient place; this base plate forms the foundation, path, or support for the
capstan block, and is provided with a central hole which may be smooth and of a
round or square formation, or bored and tapped with a thread; into this hole the
vertical spindle or axis of the capstan is fixed, after which the truncated capstan
block is mounted thereon.
The underside of this loose capstan block is provided with a circular formed
recess into which balls are placed and retained in a manner which will allow a
portion of their spherical surfaces to project a distance which will allow the

page_text: .
capstan block through the medium of such balls to rest and run upon the annular
path of the base plate before mentioned.
The fixed axis of the capstan protruding above the upper surface of the same is
provided with a collar or shoulder and a round head. A horizontal projecting arm
or arms is then mounted upon this round head, and secured in position by screwnut
or split-pin.
The said horizontal arm or arms are each provided with a pawl or pawls, in
positions immediately above a circular faced ratchet secured to the upper surface of
the capstan block, one on each side of the fixed vertical axis of the capstan, so that
when it is required to use the capstan, a reciprocating action given to one or both
arms by men sitting on deck will give the capstan winding the rope or chain a
powerful intermittant revolution, which will offer great assistance when weighing
the anchor, or for other work on board requiring power.
When deck room is required the capstan can be unshipped with ease, and put on
one side until again required for use.
Secondly. When it is necessary to unwind the rope from the capstan, or in other
words allow it to reverse and run back free, it is necessary to raise or free the
catches (which, when at work, prevent back slip) from their faced ratchet below
the capstan; this raising or freeing of the catches is accomplished at present by
hand, in lieu of which, and as according to my improvements, I raise or free such
catches from their fixed ratchet in the manner following:-
I provide the lower rim or periphery of the capstan with a loose ring provided
with slots through which the centre pins or studs supporting the catches protrude.
This ring is also provided with pins or projections, one under each catch, and so
arranged that when the loose ring is moved the length of its aforesaid slots in one
direction, the said pins or projections are free of and allow the catches to take hold
of the teeth of the lower faced rachet, and so prevent back slip when hauling, but
when the said loose ring is moved or reversed so as to slip round to the opposite
extremity of its slots, each of its fixed pins or projections press against the under-
side of the said catches, and so simultaneously raise them from the teeth of the
lower fixed ratchet, thereby allowing of a reverse action or run back of the
capstan block.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Bertie Charles Scott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th November 1881.
BERTIE CHARLES SCOTT, of Chester Terrace, Regents Park, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND
"
APPLICATION OF CAPSTANS."
Firstly. The Invention relates to the construction of a capstan capable of being
shipped or placed into position for work, or unshipped or removed out of position
and stowed away when not required, the object of which will be the construction

page_text: Fig. 2.
um vagi
وند ريال
Fig. 5 represents the bottom portion of the capstan in elevation, shewing the
manner in which the catches are allowed to fall into or be raised out of position
for preventing back slip or otherwise; this Figure shews the catches in position for
preventing back slip when hauling, and
Fig. 6 is a detached portion of the same Figure shewing the catches raised at the
time of running back.
In these Figures a is a base plate or bed which can be permanently or tem-
porarily secured to the deck A above the beam or other convenient place; this
base plate a forms the foundation path or support for the capstan block b, and is
provided with a central hole which may be smooth, and of a round or square
formation, or bored and tapped with a screw thread into and through this hole
from underneath (according to the arrangement shewn in the Drawing). I pass
the vertical spindle or axis c of the capstan and fix the same in position above
deck by the screw nut c¹ and head c². When in this position I ship or place
thereon the capstan block b, the underside of which is provided with an annular
recess into which balls or spheres e are placed and so retained that a portion of
their spherical surfaces are allowed to project a distance which will allow the
capstan block through the medium of such balls to rest, and be supported by them
upon the base plate a, thus enabling the circular traverse of the capstan to run
easy, and with a minimum amount of friction upon its path; or as a modification
I employ in lieu of the balls rollers, as seen at Fig. 6a.
The portion of the fixed axis c³ protruding above the capstan block forms the
centre upon which the propelling arms f. f, are mounted and secured by the loose
collar and split pin g or other equivalent. These arms f, f, are each provided with
a pawl h, h, in positions immediately above a circular faced ratchet i, vide Figure 1,
secured to the upper surface of the capstan block b; these pawls when the arms are
caused to reciprocate take hold of the teeth of the ratchet i which gives to the
capstan winding a rope or chain a powerful intermittent revolution which will
enable work on board requiring great power to be executed with facility.
When deck room is required the capstan can be readily unshipped or removed by
withdrawing the split pin g, which allows the arins f, f, and capstan block b to be
removed, after which, when the nut c' is unscrewed, the axis or spindle c is allowed
to sink below deck, the whole being stowed away until again wanted.
The top of the capstan block may in some cases be provided with recesses (as is
usual) for the reception of capstan bars for working the capstan in the ordinary
manner as seen, a, B, Figs. 2 and 3.
The second part of my improvements relate to the raising and lowering of the
catches employed for preventing the back slip of the capstan block when hauling;
these catches according to their present arrangement are raised and thrown back
one by one out of gear from the teeth of their fixed ratchet at those times when it

page_text: is required that the capstan block shall reverse its motion, and run back free for
unwinding. In lieu of lifting these catches one by one, I accomplish their being
thrown into and out of gear with their fixed ratchet simultaneously in the
following manner :-
I provide the lower rim or periphery of the capstan (vide Figs. 4, 5, and 6), with
a loose ring, in which slots m are made for the passage of the fixed pins n sup-
porting the catches o. The ring carries fixed pins p, one under each catch o, s0
arranged that when the loose ring is moved by the handle r the length of its
aforesaid slots in one direction, as seen at Fig. 4, the pins 2 are free of and allow
the catches o to gear with their fixed ratchets in the base plate a, and so prevent
back slip; but when the ring is slipped or reversed back to the opposite extremity
of the slots m, the pins p during this reverse action press against the underside of
the said catches, and so cause them to be raised simultaneously out of gear with the
fixed ratchet a, thereby allowing the capstan to run back free. The catches of the
propelling arms f, f, are also provided with fingers secured to the levers 8', the
action of which lift the catches so as to throw them out of gear or lower them into
gear.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, together with the means
I employ for carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly
understood in conclusion that I do not wish to confine myself to the exact detail
as shown and described, as the same may be modified without departing from the
essential features of my Invention, but what I do claim as new and as of my
Invention is,
First. The novel construction, combination, and adaptation to vessels of limited
deck area of a capstan which can be readily "shipped" into or out of position in
the manner as herein substantially described, set forth, and illustrated in the
Drawings annexed.
Secondly. The novel employment of and adaptation to capstans of any size of
the balls, spheres, or rollers marked e on the Drawings to be used as a medium for
easing the traverse of the capstan block in the manner as herein substantially
described and set forth in the Drawings annexed.
Thirdly. The novel adaptation to capstan blocks and employment therewith of
the slip ring, slots m, handles 2, and pins p, to be used in the manner and for the
purpose as herein substantially described, set forth, and fully illustrated in the
Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bertie Charles Scott, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty first day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty-one.
Witness,
THO
WRIGLEY,
75, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
London.
BERTIE C. SCOTT. (L.s)