IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CASTING THE LEAD ON BOARD SHIP
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,. in
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of " IMPROVED
MACHINERY FOR CASTING THE LEAD ON BOARD SHIP." A communication from
abroad by Charles Erastus Kirtland, of Milwaukee, in the County of
Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd February 1876.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CASTING THE LEAD ON BOARD
SHIP."
The object of the Invention is to construct a machine by the use of which the
lead can be cast more efficiently, and deeper soundings obtained than when done by
hand.
The main part of the machine is secured to a plank or frame, which when in use
is to be fastened to the rail of the vessel. Upon the plank a shaft is supported in
suitable bearings so as to project beyond the side of the vessel, and at its outer
end is mounted a rope drum or wheel. Upon the inner end of the shaft is also
mounted a wheel, in the side of which are a number of recesses. A crank is fitted
loosely upon the inner end of the shaft, which when engaged in one of the recesses
of the wheel can be turned, carrying with it the shaft and the rope drum on its
outer end. A brake also passes over the notched wheel, one end of which is secured
to a bar fastened to the plank, while the other end is loose and provided with a
handle. An arm is placed loosely on the shaft, the outer end of which ann is bent,
and in it is a hole for the passage of the line or cable to which the lead is secured,
the object being to keep the said line or cable on its proper place relatively to the
drum on which it is wound. The cable may be made of wire, and the periphery
of the drum is recessed to receive the cable which is retained in position by an arm
(provided it may be with a friction roller) the inner end of which is secured to the
plank. The drum also has a groove to receivo an endless cord passing over both it
and a wheel or pulley upon an arm secured to the rail at any convenient distance,
say one hundred feet, more or less, forward of the drum which is to be located near
the stern of the vessel. Upon the arm last mentioned is a tripping device mounted
I Price Gd1

page_text: loosely thereon. It is divided into two parts, the endless cord passing through it
and a finger-like extension located above the cord for the purpose of tripping the
lead, as herein-after described. The lead is flexibly secured to a stirrup-shaped
piece, between the upper ends of the arms of which is pivoted a part provided
with a notch, by which it can be hung on the endless cord before mentioned. Upon
the plank is also a belt passing over two rollers, one of which will be driven when
the shaft revolves by means of toothed wheels. This belt is to be graduated so as
to indicate the depth of the water at the time of casting the lead.
In use the cable to which the lead is attached is to be wound upon the drum
and the lead suspended from the endless cord by means of the attachment before
mentioned. Then by rotating, the drum as described the lead will be carried
forward along with the endless cord, which must be tight enough to move with the
druin. When the part to which the lead is attached reaches the tripping device its
upper end will be thrown back, and will become disengaged from the endless cord,
and the lead will drop into the water. At the same time the operator must
release the crank from the notched wheel, which will permit all of the cable to
which the lead is attached to come into use if necessary.
The operator can so adjust the belt for indicating the depth that a given point
shall be at an index when the lead just touches the water. Then the belt being
properly graduated, and moving with the descent of the lead, the depth to which
it, the lead, enters the water will be indicated on the belt. If the operator will
keep his hand upon the handle of the brake, pressing it gently upon the notched
wheel, he will be able to tell when the lead reaches the bottom, and can at once
stop the rotation of the wheels, and if some line should be given out after the lead
has reached the bottom he can, when he draws up the lead, tell exactly when it
leaves the bottom.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
August 1876.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR CASTING THE LEAD ON BOARD
SHIP." A communication from abroad by Charles Erastus Kirtland, of Mil-
waukee, in the County of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, United States of
America.
The object of this Invention is to construct a machine by the use of which the
lead can be cast more efficiently, and deeper soundings obtained than when done by
hand.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure 2 an elevation of
the parts shown. Figures 3, 4, and 5, details.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A represents the rail of a vessel; B, a piece of plank to which the main part of
the device is secured, and which when in use is to be fastened to the rail A; C is
a shaft supported in suitable bearings upon B; D is a wheel on the outer end of
the shaft C which projects beyond the side of the vessel; E is a wheel secured
upon the other end of the shaft C. In the side of this wheel are a number of
recesses a, Figure 3; E is a crank placed loosely upon the end of C, by means of
which, when engaged in one of the recesses a, the wheel E, can be turned, carrying
with it the shaft C and wheel D; b is a brake passing over the wheel E.
One end
is secured to the bar k, which is fastened to B. The other end is loose, and has a
handle c.
G is an arm placed loosely on the shaft C. Its outer end is bent, and
in it is a hole, through which the line or cable to which the lead is secured passes,
the object being to keep the said line or cable s in its proper place relatively to the
wheel D. This cable may be made of wire, and is to be wound upon the wheel D,
8

page_text: the periphery of which is recessed to receive it. This wheel also has a groove to
receive the cable d, which passes over both D and H. I is an arm, the inner end
of which is secured to B, and the other end is located over the wheel D, and may
be provided with a roller, its object being to keep the cable s in place on D. H is
a wheel or pulley upon the arm J, which is secured to the rail A at any convenient
distance, say one hundred feet, more or less, forward of the part B, which is to be
located near the stern of the boat. h is a tripping device; one end is loosely placed
upon the arm J, and it is divided into two parts i, j, Figure 4. The cord or cable
d passes through i, and j is a finger-like extension located above d, as shown in the
Drawings, and for the purpose of tripping the lead, as hereafter described. L,
Figure 5, is the lead. It is flexibly secured to the part e in the form of a stirrup,
between the upper ends of the arms of which the part f is pivoted. f is provided
with a notch g, by which it can be hung on d. m is a belt passing over two
rollers, one of which will be driven when the shaft C revolves by means of the
wheels n, n', This belt is to be graduated so as to indicate the depth of the water
at the time of casting the lead. The wheel d may be about two feet in diameter,
and the other parts in proportion. Other sizes can however be adopted.
In use the cable to which the lead is attached is to be wound upon the wheel D,
and the lead is to be suspended from the cord or cable d by means of the part f
and notch g. Then by rotating the wheel D as described the lead will be carried
forward along with the cable d which passes around both wheels D and H, and
must be light enough to move with the wheel D. When the part f reaches the
finger jits upper end will be thrown back, f will become disengaged from d, and
the lead will drop into the water. At the same time the operator must release the
crank F from the wheel E, which will permit all of the cable to which the lead is
attached to come into use if necessary.
The operator can so adjust the belt m that a given point shall be at an index r
when the lead just touches the water. Then the belt being properly graduated and
moving with the descent of the lead the depth to which the lead enters the water
will be indicated on the belt. A lead weighing about fourteen pounds is used. If
the operator will keep his hand upon the handle c of the brake, pressing it gently
upon the wheel E, he will be able to tell when the lead reaches the bottom, and can
at once stop the rotation of the wheels, and if some line should be given out after
the lead has reached the bottom he can, when he draws up the lead, tell exactly
when it leaves the bottom.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. A machine for casting lead on vessels, having shaft C, crank F, wheels
D and H, and line 8 combined, substantially as and for the purpose herein
specified.
2nd. The device e, f, in combination with the lead L, substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
3rd. The wheels D and H, and cord or cable d, in combination with the tripping
device h, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
4th. The wheel D, lead line s, and the wheel H, cable d, in combination with the
loose arm G and shaft C, as and for the purpose set forth.
5th. The wheel D and shaft C, in combination with the wheels n and n¹, and
belt m, substantially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
17 AT DI
A. M. CLARK
(L.S.)