AN IMPROVED METHOD OF ATTACHING ROPE STOPPERS TO A SHIP'S DECK
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM HORATIO HARFIELD, Marine Engineer, of Mansion House Buildings,
London, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF ATTACHING ROPE STOPPERS TO A SHIP'S DECK " to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved method of attaching to a ship's deck
the stoppers used to hold wire rope cables or bawsers used for towing or other
purposes.
It has been the custom hitherto to attach stoppers to the deck rigidly by bolts
passing through lugs or flanges formed upon the body of the stopper, such bolts
passing through or into the deck and being secured by nuts or cotters.
With a stopper so fitted it is obvious that the pull of a rope can only be direct
when the line of direction coincides with the axis of the longitudinal hole in the
stopper through which the rope passes. When the pull is inclined sidewise it is
customary to fit bollards, pulleys, or fairleads, so that the portion of rope held in
the stopper is kept in its groove.
According to my invention I mount the stopper upon a turntable, or swivel one
end upon a pin in such a manner that the stopper can be either partially rotated
upon its axis or turned entirely round and can thus take the direct pull of a rope
in any desired direction thus making the stopper more handy to use and preventing
injury to the rope.
I also arrange the attachment to the deck so that the stopper can be readily
removed therefrom, either to clear the deck or to place it in another part of the
vessel, :

page_text: "
I WILLIAM HORATIO HARFIELD Marine Engineer of Mansion House Buildings
London do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF ATTACHING ROPE STOPPERS TO A SHIPS DECK and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an improved method of attaching to a ship's deck and
of working stoppers such as are employed to stop or hold cables or hawsers used
for towing or other purposes. It has been the custom hitherto to attach such
stoppers to the Ship's deck rigidly by means of bolts passing through lugs or
flanges formed upon the body of the stopper, such bolts passing through or into the
deck and being secured by nuts or cotters. With a stopper so fitted it is obvious
that the pull of a rope can only be direct when the line of direction coincides with
the axis of the longitudinal hole in the stopper through which the rope passes.
When the pull is inclined side wise it is customary to fit bollards, pulleys, or
fairleads so that the portion of rope held in the stopper is kept in its groove.
According to my invention I mount the stopper upon a turntable, or swivel one
end upon a pin in such a manner that the stopper can be either partially rotated
upon its axis or turned entirely round and can thus take the direct pull of a rope
in any desired direction thus making the stopper more handy to use and preventing
injury to the rope.
I also arrange the attachment or means employed for attaching the stopper so
that the stopper can be readily removed therefrom either to clear the deck or to
place the stopper in another part of the vessel.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describe
the same by reference to the accompanying drawing in which figure 1. is a
longitudinal section and figure 2. a plan showing one arrangement of carrying out
my improved attachment or method of mounting or attaching stoppers for holding
or stopping cables, ropes, or chains; figures 3. 4. and 5 shew modifications of the
arrangement or attachment.
In the arrangement shewn in figures 1 and 2. a is a plate attached to the deck.b
by means of bolts or other fastenings, this plate a carries a strong pin c; the upper
end of this pin c has a groove d formed around it. The stopper body e is provided
with a hole in its lower part adapted to receive the pin c, a cotter or key f passes
right through the casing of the stopper and fits into the groove d, and keeps the
stopper from lifting; g is a race for the ends of the stopper to turn on so as not to
injure the deck.
From this arrangement it will be obvious that the stopper can be partially
rotated on its axis or pin c or be turned entirely round thereon so as to allow it to
take the direct pull of a rope in any direction.
Figure 3. is a longitudinal section shewing a modification of the swivelling
arrangement herein before described and shewn in figures 1 and 2; in this arrange-
ment the stopper body or frame e is provided with a mushroom ended projection h

page_text: which fits into a corresponding recess in the deck plate a, the stopper is kept down
by a screwed bush i, made in halves which embraces the mushroom ended
projection hand is screwed into the deck bush i. This arrangement also allows
the stopper to be moved round the mushroom ended projection as a centre in any
direction.
Figure 4. represents a side elevation and figure 5 a plan shewing the stopper
swivelled upon, or pivotted at, one end instead of on its centre as hereinbefore
described. In this case the pin c serves as in the first described arrangement as
the centre upon which the stopper e turns; ; represents an eye on the end of the
stopper through which I can place a pin at different positions of the stopper on the
race g so as to allow of the stopper being locked in any desired position such as
at 1,, figure 5 the pin passing into holes provided for the purpose in the deck.
One end of the stopper I provide with friction rollers k which run upon the race g
and facilitate the rotation of the stopper when necessary.
The deck pins c. upon which the stoppers rotate are sometimes arranged so that
they can be removed and fixed to corresponding plates a in any convenient position
upon the deck.
In some cases I affix to the frame or body of the stopper ordinary flanges or
lugs so that if required the stopper can be removed from the swivelling or pivotted
attachment, and be fixed upon any convenient part of a ship's deck in the ordinary
way and be afterwards if required reconnected with the swivelling or pivotted
attachment or arrangement and be worked in my improved manner.
I have illustrated my invention as applied to an automatic wire rope stopper
constructed according to my patent No 1424 of 1879 but it will be obvious that
my improvements are equally applicable to other forms of stoppers.
Having thus 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
(1) Mounting or attaching to ships' decks stoppers used for holding or stopping
cables or ropes or chaius so that the stopper can be partially or entirely rotated
around a centre or axis or pivot to allow the stopper to take the direct pull of a
rope in any direction as hereinbefore described.
(2) The use in combination with stoppers for holding or stopping cables or ropes
or chains of apparatus for enabling the stopper frame or body to be turned upon
an axis or pivot to suit the direction in which the strain is put upon the stopper
constructed substantially as herein described.
(3) The combination and arrangement of a stopper with a pin or axis such as o,
or h, and a race g, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and
illustrated in figures 1. 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawing.
(4) The arrangement and combination with a rope stopper of a swivel race and
rollers substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in figures 4 and 5 of
the accompanying drawing.
(5) The use as herein described of pins or stops for locking or fixing a rope
stopper in any required position as herein before described and illustrated in
figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawing.
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.