IM- PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CARRYING AND LOWERING BOATS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR LOWERING TORPEDOES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Schuyler Ross, of No. 161, Fifth Avenue, Chicago,
in the State of Illinois, United States of America, but temporarily of Chandos
Chambers, Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CARRYING AND LOWERING BOATS, APPLICABLE
ALSO FOR LOWERING TORPEDOES,"
Sealed the 8th September 1877, and dated the 17th May 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Schuyler Ross at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th May 1877.
HENRY SCHUYLER Ross, of No. 161, Fifth Avenue, Chicago, in the State of
Illinois, United States of America, but temporarily of Chandos Chambers, Adelphi,
in the County of Middlesex. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CARRYING AND
LOWERING BOATS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR LOWERING TORPEDOES."
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for carrying and
lowering boats, applicable also for lowering torpedoes, and is mainly designed to
enable ships boats to be readily and safely lowered and set free.
For this purpose
the cradle for carrying the boat is carried by and at the top of an arrangement of
arms or davits hinged or jointed at their lower extremities to the side of the vessel,
above or near the water line. The said arms or davits are all of equal radius, but
do not swing or work on a common centre or axis. Two of them are arranged, one
at or near each end of the cradle to which they are jointed, the axes of the two
joints being in a common horizontal line; the lower extremities of these two arms
or davits are hinged or jointed to the vessel's side, and the axes of these two joints
are also in a common horizontal line; between the two arms or davits just described
is arranged a third (or there may be two or more with different centres) of similar
construction; it is hinged or jointed to a lower portion or attachment of the cradló
than the other arms or davits, and the axis on which it swings or works is situate
at a correspondingly lower point on the ship's side, means being provided to obviate
tilting of the cradle; thus a sort of parallel motion is obtained, which ensures
retention during lowering of the perpendicularity of the cradle and boat, eave in so
far as the same may be affected by the motion of the ship.

page_text: The swing arms or davits having by suitable tackle been lowered until the boat
has nearly reached the surface of the water, will, on being then suddenly released
rapidly descend in the water, leaving the boat afloat at a distance from the ship,
unobstructed by any part of the lowering apparatus, and entirely free from all
connection with the ship.
The raising of the boat into suitable position for being taken up by the cradle
may be effected by the
use of supplementary stationary davits with suitable
Suitable tackle is provided for holding the swing davits in their stowed position
tackle.
for sea.
To start the davits for lowering the boat in a sea way, I sometimes use screws
arranged to be operated on board by crank handles in conjunction with suitable
tackle, or suitably arranged tackle or gear may be employed without the screw
apparatus.
In some cases a weight or spring may be employed, either as an addition to or
instead of this tackle or gear.
It will be evident that by means of my Invention boats may be safely lowered,
either loaded or empty, from the side of a vessel even by persons inexperienced in
such matters, and under circumstances, which, with apparatus such as at present
usually employed, would render the operation extremely difficult if not impossible.
By my Invention the boat is, during the lowering operation, kept well away from
the side of the vessel, and the apparatus being rigid, a sea striking the boat
whilst being lowered will not have the effect of dashing it against the side of the
vessel.
I would remark that the number of swing arms or davits employed and their
construction. and arrangement may be varied to suit circumstances, without
departure from the distinctive features of my Invention; that the swing arms
or davits may be stayed or braced, and that apparatus constructed according to
my Invention may be used in other situations for the lowering of boats; also, that
such apparatus may be used for the lowering of torpedoes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Schuyler Ross, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th November 1877.
HENRY SCHUYLER Ross, of No. 161, Fifth Avenue, Chicago, in the State of
Illinois, United States of America, but temporarily of Chandos Chambers, Adelphi,
in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CARRYING AND
LOWERING BOATS, APPLICABLE ALSO FOR LOWERING TORPEDOES."
.
my
This Invention consists in improvements in apparatus for carrying and lowering
boats, applicable also for lowering torpedoes, and is mainly designed to enable ships
boats to be readily and safely lowered and set free. For the purpose of Inven-
tion the cradle for carrying the boat is carried by and at the top of an arrangement
of arms or davits, hinged or jointed at their lower extremities to the side of the
vessel, above or near the water line. The said arms or davits are all of equal
radius, but do not swing, or work on a common centre or axis. Two of them are

page_text: arranged, one at or near each end of the cradle to which they are jointed, the axes
of the two joints being in a common horizontal line; the lower extremities of these
two arins or davits are hinged or jointed to the vessel's side, and the axes of these
two joints are also in a common horizontal line; between the two arms or davits
just described is arranged a third (or there may be two or more with different
centres) of similar construction; it is hinged or jointed to a lower portion or attach-
ment of the cradle than the other arms or davits, and the axis on which it swings
or works is situate at a correspondingly lower point on the ship's side, means being
provided to obviate tilting of the cradle; thus a sort of parallel motion is obtained
which ensures retention during lowering of the perpendicularity of the cradle
and boat, save in so far as the same may be effected by the motion of the ship.
The swing arms or davits having by suitable tackle been lowered until the boat
has nearly reached the surface of the water, will, on being then suddenly released,
rapidly descend in the water, leaving the boat afloat at a distance from the ship,
unobstructed by any part of the lowering apparatus, and entirely free from all
connection with the ship.
The raising of the boat into suitable position for being taken up by the cradle
may be effected by the use of supplementary stationary davits with suitable
tackle.
Suitable tackle is provided for holding the swing davits in their stowed position
for sca
To start the davits for lowering the boat in a sea way, I sometimes use screws
arranged to be operated on board by crank handles, in conjunction with suitable
tackle, or suitably arranged tackle or gear may be employed without the screw
apparatus.
In some cases a weight or spring may be employed, either as an addition to or
instead of this tackle or gear.
It will be evident that by means of my Invention boats may be safely lowered,
either loaded or empty, from the side of a vessel even by persons inexperienced in
such matters, and under circumstances, which, with apparatus such as at present
usually employed, would render the operation extremely difficult, if not impossible.
By my Invention the boat is, during the lowering operation, kept well away
from the side of the vessel, and the apparatus being rigid, a sea striking the boat
whilst being lowered will not have the effect of dashing it against the side of the
vessel.
I would remark that the number of swing arms or davits employed and their
construction and arrangement may be varied to suit circumstances without
departure from the distinctive features of my Invention, that the swing arms or
davits may be stayed or braced, and that apparatus constructed according to my
Invention may be used in other situations for the lowering of boats; also, that such
apparatus may be used for the lowering of torpedoes.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved boat-
lowering apparatus as applied to the side of a vessel shown in cross section; Fig. 2
is a plan of the apparatus; and Fig. 3 shews a modification, in which an additional
davit is fixed to each of the two outer swing arms or davits, so as to raise the boat
without using the ordinary fixed davits.
At
A, A, are two metal arms or davits of equal radius, hinged or jointed at B, B, in
a common horizontal line to the side of a vessel above or near the water line.
the other ends of these davits is pivotted a shaft C, upon which is fixed a cradle D
for carrying the boat. Between the davits A, A, is arranged a third davit E of the
same length between its centres as the davits A, A, jointed at F to a lower portion
of or attachment to the cradle than the davits A, A, and having the axis G on
which it works attached at a correspondingly situated lower point on the vessel's
side, so that B, G, is equal to C, F, and is parallel to it. A tackle H, one block of
which is secured to an arm I jointed to the cradle D (or attached to a davit as may
prove convenient), and the opposite block attached to the bulwark or other suitable
part of the vessel, is provided to start the davits for lowering the boat, or the davits

page_text: may be started by means of a screw or screws P (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1)
passing through a nut fixed in the side of the vessel. These screws are provided
with crank handles arranged to be operated froin on board the vessel, and their
outer onds bear against the davit or davits, and force them out of or allow them
to gradually resume their stowed position as desired. Suitable tackle, as shewn, is
fixed to the davit E for raising and lowering the cradle.
K is a lever or pawl, for use when the vessel may be rolling, hinged at one end to
the davit E, and has attached near its other end the rope L, by which it is to be
raised in place when the davits are up.
When a boat is being lowered the upper end falls and engages in a rack or series
of notches M in the side of the vessel, and keeps the davits from swinging back
against the ship's side; N, N, are two common boat davits set in the bulwarks far
enough apart to permit the boat to be hoisted lengthwise between them, and
provided with the usual tackle, in order to hoist the boat high enough to swing the
cradle and attachments outward and beneath the boat, permitting the latter to be
lowered into the cradle and swung inboard ready for lowering.
Fig. 3 shews a modification in which two ordinary boat davits O are attached to
the davits A, A, and by means of the usual tackle the boat is swung and placed in
its proper position in the cradle, the davits A, A, being placed far enough apart to
allow of the boat being swung between the davits O, which are pivotted on their
vertical axes to allow of swinging one end of the boat inboard first, then the
other.
In Figs. 1 and 2 I have only shewn one guiding arm or davit, but to ensure
greater rigidity and positiveness of the vertical position of the cradle D, two or
more guiding davits, similar to the davit E, may be employed, each jointed or
pivotted at different points or angles beneath the cradle, as for instance at an angle
of thirty or forty degrees from each other, a corresponding change being made in
the points of attachment of the axes at the lower ends of such davits.
To lower or launch the boat into the water one or two men (either from the boat
or from the ship), by pulling on the fall of the tackle H, can haul the cradle, and
with it the boat, out, over, and beyond the bulwarks, until the centre of gravity of
the cradle and attachments has passed a vertical line from the axes at the lower
ends of the davits A, A, when it will by gravitation swing outward and downward
until it has brought up against the same tackle H as was used to haul the cradle
out, the fall can then be paid out at will until the boat arrives within six or eight
feet of the water, when the line can be let go or cut, letting the davit's cradle and
boat go with a run, the boat lighting or launching itself upon the water in a
vertical position, while the davits and cradle, being of metal, sink rapidly away,
leaving the boat entirely unencumbered, and far enough from the ship's side to
permit instant pulling with oars, and perfectly detached from the ship or the
davits, having been started by means of the screws por tackle H, may be lowered by
the tackle Q, as shewn in dotted lines.
Fig. 4 (Sheet 2), shews in side elevation, and Fig. 5 in plan, my Invention as
applied to lowering torpedoes from the sides of vessels.
A, A, are two rods or arms jointed at the one end by a common axis B to one
end of a vertical swivelling picce C attached to the vessel's side, their other ends
-being jointed at D, D, to the corresponding part of a frame E, a third rod or arm F
of the same length as the rods A, A, is jointed at one end to the remaining end of
the vertical swivelling piece C, and at the other to the corresponding end of the
frame E as shewn. The vertical distance between the upper and lower joints on the
frame E must be the same as the distance between the upper and lower joints on
the vertical swivelling piece C, so that the rods A, A, are always parallel with the
rod F, and consequently the frame E always maintains a position parallel to the
swivelling piece C. In the frame E is fixed a horizontal guide or holder G, through
which is passed the pole or spar of the torpedo H; I is the tackle, and K an arm
attached to the rod F for working the apparatus; L is a balance weight which may
be necessary.in some cases. In place of the arm K may be substituted a lifting

page_text: line secured to the upper rod F, and running over a pulley placed inboard, over-
head, the horizontal motion being accomplished by a lever socketted into swivelling
piece C, extending inboard, or it can be geared to the swivelling piece. The dotted
lines (Fig. 5) shew the stowed position of the arms and frame.
Fig. 6 shews in side clevation, and Fig. 7 in plan, a modification of my Invention
adapted for lowering fish torpedoes.
The letters of reference in Figs. 6 and 7 are the same as those already used in
describing the apparatus shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, from which apparatus it differs
only in that the davit E is placed close to one of the davits A, A, instead of being
midway between them, and that the cradle itself is made of suitable size and shape
to receive the torpedo, and is placed between the davits A, A, in a direction at right.
angles to the direction of the cradle shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, but the position of the
cradle may be varied to suit circumstances.
Figs. 8 to 16 (sheet 3) shew a form of lowerer particularly adapted for large
ships which are to carry the fish (Whitehead) torpedo. The cradle is to be made
just the size to hold one of them; the bars or arms are just long enough to reach
from two or three feet above water line to the top of the bulwark, or to bring the
cradle to a level with a torpedo port hole by lifting on the rope until the bars are"
upright, the cradle will be nearly half inboard ready to receive the torpedo, it can
be rapidly lowered until nearly level with the water, then sighted to point at the
object to be attacked; this can be easily accomplished by cutting a notch or sight.
in the bottom of the port (directly over the centre line of the upright shaft), and
sighting the notch, the lowering rope, and the object in line, then lowering the
whole thing into the water; by putting a short stick in the inside pipe of the.
cradle the propeller of the torpedo will be held from revolving until after the cradle
has dropped away from the torpedo, and it can thus start off instantly and in the
proper direction.
It will be noticed that the lower arm is the single one in this arrangement; this
is to permit the cradle to be placed at the top.
The gear to turn the arms horizontally is put through a hole in the side of the
ship and a socket made to ship and unship a lever; 1/, or less of a revolution of the
lever should turn the arms through a half revolution, the lifting rope should run
over a swivelling block placed directly over the centre of the vertical shaft. It can
be in the ship's side in vessels, the height being the distance from upper arm pivot
to upper end of the shackle, brace, or stiffening bar, and on launches placed over
the bulwark and high enough to clear everything. In launches the arms should be
swung aft instead of upward for the purpose of loading the torpedo upon the cradle,
or a common torpedo on a wooden stick can be inserted in the pipe socket beneath
the cradle. The cross piece to which the lifting shackle is attached serves to
stiffen the arms, and when long arms are used two of them can be used, and the
shackle attached to the outer one.
In case the apparatus is used by a launch for a common torpedo to ram at the
enemy, then a long wooden pole (say, 25 feet), with torpedo attached, should be
used, and a second lifting rope used, attached 6 or 8 fect back of the torpedo, and
running over a block placed over the other one.
My improved torpedo lowering apparatus can be attached to a small boat towed
by another, so that should the torpedo boat be destroyed by the explosion of the
torpedo the towing launch will not be destroyed or harmed; this is a very
important adjunct of the apparatus and makes it more complete and efficacious for
side attack.
Figs. 17, 18, and 19 shew a method of carrying the apparatus some 30 or 40 feet
astern of a launch, so that the launch may be clear of the great wave and dis-
turbance of water resulting from the explosion of the torpedo. It can be easily
worked from the launch by means of two lines O and X, the poles P, P, are to be
moveable forward and aft, that is, stowed aboard when not in use, and the upright
post A can be taken off, thus permitting the use of the davits on either side by
simply swinging the davits astern and around the ends of the poles when the

page_text: post A is replaced; N is simply a back stay. The dotted lines shew the position
that the apparatus is carried in until the moment of attack, when without stopping
it is simply dropped, the motion of the boat swinging it out against the object to
be struck; S is a pipe through which the lower pole slides.
Having thus described my Invention and the mode of carrying it into effect, I
desire it to be understood that I do not claim any of the mechanical parts of the
apparatus, herein-before described, as taken separately and apart from the com-
bination or application thereof, in the manner and for the purposes described; but
what I do claim is,-
1. The combination of parts constituting the apparatus herein-before described
and shewn in the Drawings, Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
2. The combination of parts constituting the apparatus herein-before described
and shewn in the Drawings, Figs. 4 and 5.
3. The combination of parts constituting the apparatus herein-before described
and shewn in the Drawings, Figs. 6 and 7.
4. The combination of parts constituting the apparatus herein-before described
and shewn in the Drawings, Figs. 8 to 16.
5. The combination of parts constituting the apparatus herein-before described
and shewn in the Drawings, Figs. 17, 18, and 19.
6. The method, herein-before described, of preserving a swinging cradle in a
vertical position by means of a supplementary or guiding davit.
7. The application and use, as and for the purposes herein-before described,
of davits swinging at the same time with horizontal and vertical motions, as
required.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Schuyler Ross, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
H. SCHUYLER ROSS. (L.S.)