IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CONNECTING BOATS WITH THEIR TACKLE, AND CLEARING OR DETACHING THEM THEREFROM WHEN LOWERED FROM ON BOARD SHIP INTO THE WATER
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CONNECTING BOATS WITH THEIR
TACKLE, AND CLEARING OR DETACHING THEM THEREFROM WHEN LOWERED
FROM ON BOARD SHIP INTO THE WATER."-A communication.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th May 1856.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CONNECTING BOATS WITH
THEIR TACKLE, AND CLEARING OR DETACHING THEM THEREFROM WHEN LOWERED FROM
ON BOARD SHIP INTO THE WATER," to be as follows:-
The object of the present Invention for clearing or detaching boats from
their tackle when lowered from on board ship into the water, is to effect this
operation with certainty and facility under all circumstances. It is well known
that numerous accidents have occurred in consequence of the difficulty of
unhooking or clearing the tackle of a boat at the moment she takes the water,
so that she is either stove or swamped by the rolling of the ship on the swell

page_text: of the sea.
At present a man has to stand by at each end of the boat to clear
the tackle hook at the proper time, and if either of them fail the mischief is
done.
The present Invention consists in a novel construction of attachment, by
which the weight of the boat is made to keep the hook or its substitute in its
place, so that the moment the boat takes the water the tackle will swing clear
of its attachment. If for any reason it is desired that the boat should not be
instantly detached on touching the water all will be easily kept fast, by simply
holding in its place with the hands the moveable part of the attachment. In
like manner the boat is hooked or fastened on again to be hoisted up, by
retaining in its place the holder, until the weight of the boat comes fairly upon
the tackle. In lowering a boat with this contrivance it will of course be
prudent to have a painter or rope of some length attached to the bow of the
boat, and held on board of the ship until the proper moment for casting off, in
order that the boat may not be entirely separated from the ship until all is
prepared for her doing so. To prevent the boat from being detached from its
fastenings by a high sea striking it, when it is not wanted to be lowered, a
simple lashing around the moveable part of the attachment, or other fastening,
by a pin through the same, or otherwise, will keep all the parts fast.
There are several contrivances by which the object desired may be ac-
complished, but all of which will be analogous, so far as they depend for their
efficiency on the weight of the boat when she is out of the water. One
contrivance consists in forming the attachment of a strong piece of iron, brass,
or other suitable metal, with an eye at the lower part, the upper being forked;
the prongs or jaws of the fork are rectangular, and the upper part of one is
made of a wedge-like form; on the straight prong or jaw a moveable collar
consisting of a piece of iron or brass is made to slide freely, being prevented
from coming off by a pin or cross bolt. This forked piece is fastened to the
boat at the head, and at the stern in any suitable manner through the eye at
the lower part. To the block of. the tackle, whereby the boat is lowered, there
is attached, by a shackle bolt allowing it free motion, a piece of brass or iron
with a wedge-shaped. end, the angle of the wedge being the same as the angle.
of the wedge on the prong of the attachment before described; when the wedge
piece connected with the tackle is placed between the jaws of the fastening and
the moveable collar is raised, the inclined planes of the two wedges are brought
into contact and held there so long as there is any weight in the fastening, and
the boat is thus held suspended. When the weight is removed the moveable
collar falls, and the wedges separate, and the boat is freed.
Anotlier mode which would answer, the same purpose, -would be to attach to

page_text: the hoisting tackle instead of the ordinary hook, an iron bolt with a conical
head at one end, and an eye at the other. A plate of half-inch iron planed
smooth on one surface, is to be secured under the bow and stern sheets of the
boat, with a hole of at least one inch and a quarter in diameter, through which
the head of the bolt can freely pass. On the underneath smooth surfaces of
the iron plates are to be placed iron jaws moving on pivots, which are drawn
together by lanyards and made to grasp the shank of the bolt above the conical
head when this is pushed down between them for the boat to be hoisted up.
When the weight of the boat comes upon the head of the bolt the lanyards
may be let go, as the friction caused thereby will keep the jaws from moving,
there being placed between them springs of sufficient force to throw them
quickly apart; when in lowering the boat she takes the water and the head of
the bolt is relieved of her weight; the bolt then slips out, and the boat is freed
from the tackle. There may also be lanyards with which to draw the jaws
apart, in case the springs should from any cause not act as quickly in separating
them as may be desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 4th November 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Edward Newton, Her special license, that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CONNECTING BOATS WITH THEIR TACKLE, AND CLEARING
OR DETACHING THEM THEREPROM WHEN LOWERED FROM ON BOARD SHIP INTO THE
WATER," being a communication from abroad; upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, by an instrument in writing

page_text: under my hand and-seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be. filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six-calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton,do: hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner. the same is
to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained. in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
The object of the present Invention for clearing or detaching boats from
their tackle when lowered from on board ship into the-water, is to effect. this
operation with certainty and facility under all circumstances. It is well known
that numerous accidents have occurred owing to the difficulty of unhooking or
clearing the tackle of a boat at the moment she takes the water, in con-
sequence of which the boat is either stove in or swamped by the rolling of the
ship on the swell of the sea. At present a man-has to stand by at each end of
the boat to clear the tackle hook at the proper time, and if either of them fail
the mischief is done.
The present Invention consists in a novel construction of attachment, by
which the weight of the boat is made to keep the hook or its substitute in its
place, so that the moment the boat takes the water the tackle will become
detached and swing clear of its attachment. If for any reason it is desired
that the boat should not be instantly detached on touching the water all will
be easily kept fast, by simply holding in its place with the hands the movable
part of the attachment herein-after described. In like manner the boat is
hooked or fastened on again to be hoisted up, by retaining, in its place the
holder, presently to be described, until the weiglit of the boat comes fairly upon
the tackle. In lowering a boat with this contrivance it will of course be
prudent to have a painter or rope of some length attached to the bow, of the
boat, and held on board of the ship until the proper moment for casting off, in
order that the boat may not be entirely separated from the ship until all is
prepared for her doing so. To prevent the boat from being detached from, its
fastenings by a high sea striking it, when it is not wanted to be lowered, a
simple lashing around the moveable part of the attachment or fastening, by a
pin through the same, or otherwise, will keep all the parts fast;,....
"
There are several contrivances by which the object desired may be ac-
complished, but all of which will be analogous so far as they depend for
their efficiency on the weight of the boat when she, is out of the water,

page_text: a
One contrivance, which is exhibited in the accompanying, Drawing at Fig. 1,
will answer the purpose well, and is described as follows, viz:-A represents
of the full size a strong piece of iron, brass; or other suitable metal, with an
eye at the lower end, the upper part being forked as shewn; the prongs or jaws
of the fork are rectangular, and the upper part of one is made of a wedge-like
form as seen at: B, the, angle of the wedge on the inner side being about thirty-
five degrees. On the straight prong or jaw a movable collar consisting of
piece of iron or brass C, of the form;shewn, detached on the Drawing at Fig. 3,
is made, to slide freely, being prevented from coming off by the pin or, cross
bolt D, Figures 1 and 2. This forked piece. A is the part which is fastened
to the boat, at the head and at the stern, in any suitable manner through the
eye E at the lower part. To the block of the tackle, whereby, the boat is
lowered, there is attached, by a shackle-bolt allowing, it free motion, a piece of
brass or iron F with a wedge-shaped end, as shewn in- the Drawing, at
Figures. 1 and 4, and acting like the outer portion of a common "Lewis"-for
raising stone, the angle of the wedge, being the same as the angle of the wedge
B, on the piece. A. When the wedge piece E, connected with the tackle, is
placed between the jaws of the; fastening, A,, and, the movable collar C is
raised to the position shewn in the Drawing at Fig. 1, the inclined planes..of
the two wedges B and F are brought into contact and held there so long as
there is any weight on the fastening, and the boat is thus held suspended.
When the weight is removed the movable collar C will fall, and the wedges
F and B will separate, and the boat be freed.
Another mode which would answer the same purpose, would be to attach to
the hoisting tackle, instead of the ordinary book, an iron bolt with a conical
head at one end, and an eye at the other, such as is represented full size 'at X,
in Fig. 5. A plate of half-inch iron planed smooth on one surface is to be
secured under the bow and stern sheets of the boat, with a hole of at least one
inch and a quarter in diameter, through which the head of the bolt can freely
pass. On the underneath smooth surfaces of the iron plates are to be placed
iron jaws moving on .pivots, which are drawn together by lanyards and made
to grasp the shank of the bolt above the conical head when this is pushed
down between them for the boat to be hoisted up. When the weight of the
boat comes upon the head of the bolt the lanyards may be let go, as the friction
caused thereby will keep the jaws from moving, there being placed between
them springs of sufficient force to throw them quickly apart when in lowering
the boat she touches the water, and the weight is taken off the bolt, which is
then released; the bolt then slips out, and the boat is freed from the tackle.
There may also be lanyards with which to draw the jaws apart, in case the

page_text: springs should from any cause not act as quickly in separating them as may be
desired.
It will be evident to any intelligent mechanic that the object of the Inven-
tion. may be carried out in many different ways;. I do not, therefore, consider it
necessary to give further examples, as a sufficient explanation has been given
to enable the public, with what has already been described, to carry out and
use the present Invention, I will only therefore say that to prevent-the piece F
from slipping out laterally from the jaw or jaws a tongue may be made in one
that will fit in and slide through a groove in the other or a siniilar device, so
that the said piece F cannot be released in any other than a perpendicular
direction:
Having now described the Invention, that has been communicated.to me by
my foreign correspondent, as aforesaid, and explained the manner of carrying the
same into effect, what I claim as new in the above Invention, and desire to
secure by Letters Patent, is, employing the weight of the boat when out of the
water to keep in place the instrument, contrivance, or fastening for sustaining
it, and adapting such instrument, contrivance; or fastening in such a manner
that it shall no longer be sustained in its place or socket when the boat touches
the water, and the weight is taken off the fastening.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Third day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.B.)