IMPROVEMENTS IN ROPE STOPPERS
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Munton Bullivant at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd January 1880.
WILLIAM MUNTON BULLIVANT, of 72, Mark Lane, in the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROPE STOPPERS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in rope stoppers.
I construct a rope stopper especially suited to be used with a wire rope in the
following manner :-It consists of a casting, which is firmly fixed on the deck of a
ship or to other suitable foundation, and this casting has two parallel sides or
cheeks, between which a rectangular block is placed. The block is able to move
between the cheeks both vertically and longitudinally. The rope to be held is
passed along the top of the block, which is channelled to receive it, and the block
is caused to rise to nip the rope. The rope is held between the upper surface of
the block and the under surface of a stout plate or cover which closes in the casting
at the top; or one side cheek may be made in one piece with the top or cover. In
this case the other side cheek is made shorter, so that the rope can be passed in
between it and the cover. The rectangular block rests upon eccentrics, of which
the axes have their bearings in the casting. The block is geared with the eccentrics
by means of a rack formed upon the under side of the block gearing with corre-
sponding teeth upon the eccentrics. Thus when the block is moved longitudinally
it transmits movement to the eccentrics, and these turning move the block either
up or down, and so cause it to nip or release the rope. The block has movement
imparted to it from a lever handle upon an axis passing through the block and
carried in bearings in the side cheeks of the casting. The hole in the block is
slotted, and rack teeth are formed along one side of it. The axis carries a pinion
which gears with these teeth, so that when the axis is turned partly round by
means of the lever the block receives the movement necessary to cause it to nip_or
release the rope, or the block may be moved in any other suitable way. By
applying more or less force to the lever the rope running through the stopper may
also be retarded to any desired extent.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Munton Bullivant in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st July 1880.
WILLIAM MUNTON BULLIVANT, of 72, Mark Lane, in the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROPE STOPPERS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in rope stoppers.
I construct a rope stopper especially suited to be used with a wire rope in the
following manner:-It consists of a casting, which is firmly fixed on the deck of a
ship or to other suitable foundation, and this casting has two parallel sides or
cheeks, between which a rectangular block is placed. The block is able to move
between the cheeks both vertically and longitudinally. The rope to be held is
passed along the top of the block, which is channelled to receive it, and the block
is caused to rise to nip the rope. The rope is held between the upper surface of
the block and the under surface of a stout plate or cover which closes in the
casting at the top; or one side cheek may be made in one piece with the top or
cover. In this case the other side cheek is made shorter, so that the rope can be
passed in between it and the cover. The rectangular block rests upon eccentrics
of which the axes have their bearings in the casting. The block is geared with
the eccentrics by means of a rack formed upon the under side of the block gearing
with corresponding teeth upon the eccentrics. Thus when the block is moved
longitudinally it transmits movement to the eccentrics, and these turning move the
block either up or down, and so cause it to nip or release the rope. The block
has movement imparted to it from a lever handle upon an axis passing through
the block and carried in bearings in the side cheeks of the casting. The hole in
the block is slotted, and rack teeth are formed along one side of it. The axis
carries a pinion which gears with these teeth, so that when the axis is turned
partly round by means of the lever, the block receives the movement necessary to
cause it to nip or release the rope. Or the block may be moved in any other
suitable way. By applying more or less force to the lever the rope running
through the stopper may also be retarded to any desired extent.
The arrangement admits of modification by the substitution in the place of the
eccentrics beneath the block of inclined supporting legs. When the block is moved
longitudinally to produce the nip upon the rope these legs will be drawn by the
block more nearly to a vertical position, just in the same way as the longer radii of
the eccentrics are made to become more nearly vertical by a like movement of the
block. The result also is the same, and the block as it moves longitudinally is
also raised up to and made to nip the rope.
}
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a rope stopper constructed in
accordance with my Invention, it is shown to a quarter scale, and is suitable to
work with a four inch wire rope; Figure 2 is a plan, and Figure 3 is a transverse
section of the same.
a, a, is the base casting firmly bolted to the deck or foundation. It has two

page_text: freely on axes passing through the side cheeks of the base casting. The eccentrics
have teeth around them in the centre of the width at c', c¹, c¹, and on each side of
the ring of teeth there is a cylindrical portion, upon which the block 6 lies. The
under side of the block is similarly made with a row of teeth along the middle,
engaging with the teeth c' of the eccentrics, and with plane surfaces on either side
bearing upon the cylindrical portions of the eccentrics. The parts are so arranged
that (looking at Figures 1 and 2) a movement of the block to the right hand will
throw the longest radius of the eccentric into a more inclined position, and conse-
quently the block will be lowered, and the space between it and the cover a¹ will
be increased, so that a rope held between the two will be able to run more freely.
On the other hand a movement of the block to the left, which will be the direction
in which the rope tends to run, will raise the block b and decrease the space
between it and the cover, and consequently the rope will become more tightly
nipped. The out end of the block b has a slotted hole through it, within which
there are teeth at 6¹, and a pinion d gears with these teeth. The axis of this
pinion passes through the side cheeks of the base casting, and has the wheels e, e,
keyed upon it. The wheels e have sockets formed in their peripheries to receive
the end of a hand lever which is used to turn the pinion d and to control the
movement of the block b.
Figure 4 is a side elevation; Figure 5 is an end elevation; and Figure 6 is a
plan of a rope stopper constructed in accordance with my Invention, and in which
the same movement and action of the block b is obtained by supporting it upon
inclined legs; Figure 7 is a longitudinal section on the line A, B, in Figure 6, and
Figures 8 and 9 are transverse sections taken respectively upon the lines C, D, and
E, F, in Figure 6. The inclined legs are marked c, c; their ends are received into
recesses or notches formed for them upon the bed casting and upon the under side of
the block b. The legs c are also loosely connected by pins with the block b, all of
which is clearly seen in Figures 7 and 9.
ff, are screw couplings, which may be applied to give additional support to the
top plate or cover a¹, and they also prevent the rope from leaving the nipper.
When the rope has been put into its place in the stopper the couplings are turned
up between projecting lugs on the top plate or cover, and then the nuts of the
couplings are tightened down upon the lugs.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I claim,—-
First. The construction of rope stoppers with a block b rolling upon eccentrics or
inclined legs in the direction in which the rope tends to run, and so causing the
rope to be nipped between the block and a cover or opposing surface, substantially
as described.
Second. My improved rope stoppers, substantially as described and represented
in the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Munton Bullivant, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
W. M. BULLIVANT. (LS.)