IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING LOWERING AND STOWING SHIPS' BOATS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
I DAVID PATTISON of. Rugg Street Limehouse in the County of Middlesex
Sailmaker, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING LOWERING AND STOWING SHIPS' BOATS" to be as
follows:-
The object of the Invention is to permit of ships' boats being carried well
inboard out of danger and yet ready to be lowered at any moment and for the
greater safety of those embarking or launching the said boats during stormy
weather.
For this purpose I joint the lower end or heel of each davit to the main deck
by a universal joint at a proper distance inboard from ship's rail to allow space for
the boat to rest in chocks outside of davits."
The universal joint at the heel of each davit allows the davit to be lowered into
an oblique position so as to hang the boat clear of the ship's side ready for lowering
or allow the davits to be brought into a vertical position and then revolved―this
admits of the davits being used to lift a boat out of chocks whether the boat is
inboard or outside of the davits. For the purpose of raising the head of each
davit or lowering the davit into an oblique position I preferably employ a tackle
attached to an upright but other suitable mechanism might be used for the
purpose.
To support and steady the davit I cause it to work or travel in a slot. or guide
formed in or carried by the boat skids. The length of slot may be regulated so
as to support the davit when in position for lowering or taking in boats.

page_text: «
I DAVID PATTISON of Rugg Street Limehouse in the County of Middlesex
Sailmaker do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR RAISING LOWERING AND STOWING SHIPS' BOATS" and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of the Invention is to permit of ships' boats being carried well
inboard out of danger and yet ready to be lowered at any moment and for the
greater safety of those embarking or launching the said boats during stormy
weather.
For this purpose I joint the lower end or heel of each davit to the main deck
by a universal joint at a proper distance inboard from ships' rail to allow space for
the boat to rest in chocks outside of davits.
The universal joint at the heel of each davit allows the davit to turn on its own
axis and in addition also allows it to be lowered from a vertical position into an
oblique position so as to hang the boat clear of the ships' side ready for lowering-
this admits also of the davits being used to lift a boat out of chocks whether the
boat is inboard or outside of the davits.
To support and steady the davit I cause it to work or travel in a slot or guide
formed in or carried by the boat skids. The length of slot may be regulated so as
to support the davit when in position for lowering or taking in boats.
Figure 1 of the Drawings hereunto annexed shows a transverse section of one
side of the upper part of a ship fitted with apparatus for raising lowering and
stowing a ships boat in the manner above described. Figure 2 shows separately
on a larger scale the lower end of the stem of one of the davits and the universal
joint upon which it can be turned.
'
A is one of the davits-one such davit is used near each end of the boat as is
usual the davit is as shewn set at a distance inboard from the ships side so that
the boat may rest on chocks outside the davits-B is the universal joint upon
which the davit can be turned-C is the main deck of the vessel-D is one of the
boat skids or supports upon which are carried the chocks in which the boat is
carried. E are chocks placed inboard inside the davits and F are other chocks
placed outside the davits. G is a tackle for raising the davit into a vertical
position or lowering it into an inclined position and H tackle of the ordinary kind
for lowering the boat from the heads of the davits: I is a guide carried by the
boat skids or supports to support and steady the davit.
In Figure 1 a boat K is shown in full lines as being carried in the outer
chocks F-the dotted lines shew the boat swung outboard and partly lowered from
the heads of the davits.
To lower the boat, the boat is first disengaged from the chocks-the davits are
then allowed to turn outwards into the position shown by dotted lines--this
movement being controlled by the tackles G-the boat is then lowered from the
davits in the ordinary manner. Preferably the chocks are hinged as shown so that
two men by simply keeping the boat tackles tight and knocking away the outer
half of the chocks may be able to launch a boat out of the chocks without having
to lift it so that whatever may be the size or weight of the boat two men could
launch it into the water. If a boat is to be raised it is first drawn up to the heads
of the davits by the tackles H and the davits are then raised by the tackles G into
the position shewn by full lines-the boat can then be lowered into the chocks F
or if it be desired to place the boat on to the chocks E this can be effected by
turning the davits so as to bring the boat over these chocks before lowering it.

page_text: When the davits have been raised into an upright position they can be retained
in this position by bolt pins L without the aid of the tackles. These bolt pins can
also be inserted in any of the holes L' to support the davits when lowered at any
required angle.
The angle required would not always be the same. For example if the ship has
a list at the time when a boat has to be lowered the davits would not require to be
lowered to the end of their guide slots.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
First. The employment in apparatus for raising lowering and stowing ships'
boats of davits the heel of which can turn upon a universal joint at a distance
inboard from the ships side substantially as described.
Second. The construction of apparatus for raising lowering and stowing ships
boats substantially as herein before described.