from the Water and for the same
Year: 1885

page_text: from the Water and for Lowering the same.
IMPROVE-
I PERCY GRAHAM BUCHANAN WESTMACOTT of the Elswick Works, Newcastle
on Tyne Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
MENTS IN HYDRAULIC APPARATUS FOR LIFTING HEAVY BOATS FROM THE WATER
AND FOR LOWERING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in hydraulic apparatus for lifting
heavy boats from the water and for lowering the same.
The improved gear is so arranged that the lifting Chain or Rope when attached
to the Boat floating on the Water can be kept taut whilst the boat rises and falls
with the waves-The operator can then see that all is right before applying the
lifting power.
The boat may remain afloat with the tackle taut until a favorable or convenient
opportunity for lifting it is found and then may be at once raised.
Or the boat being afloat, the lifting tackle may at any moment be slackened,
the slings unhooked and the boat set free.
A main hydraulic cylinder and ram and an auxiliary cylinder and ram are
employed.
The auxiliary apparatus is arranged to lift the main ram.
When water under pressure is admitted to the auxiliary cylinder it draws up
the main ram sufficiently to tighten the lifting tackle but when the weight of the
boat commences to be borne by the chain the auxiliary gear yields allows the
main ram to descend and water is forced out of the auxiliary cylinder back into
the accumulator or away by a loaded relief valve.
The main lifting chain or rope is secured at one end to the hoisting cylinder, it
is passed over pulleys on the head of the ram and beneath pulleys at the lower
end of the cylinder, so as to multiply the motion of the lifting ram to the extent
required The chain or rope then passes to a pulley at the head of a derrick or
crane jib which may be secured to the mast of the ship from which the boat is to
be lowered or may be otherwise placed as convenient From the pulley at the
head of the derrick, or jib the lifting chain or rope descends; it terminates in
ונ6...D

page_text: .
slings having suitable hooks or fastenings for convenient attachment to the boat-
the operation of lifting the boat from the water is performed in the following
manner.
By allowing the main ram to descend the lifting tackle is slacked out sufficiently
to admit of the slings being conveniently secured to the boat, this having been
done the auxiliary apparatus is brought into operation, its cylinder being placed
in communication with the accumulator or other supply.
The auxiliary apparatus then operates to raise the main lifting ram as far as
may be necessary to tighten the lifting tackle, but it has no power to do more
than this, and as the boat rises and falls by the action of the waves the main ram
works in and out of its cylinder-The main cylinder during this time is in free
communication with the cistern, and water flows into and from the cylinder.
When the boat is to be lifted the main valve is opened and communication with
the cistern is closed-The main ram then at once rises and the boat is lifted from
the water, when sufficiently raised it is swung over the deck of the vessel into
position to be lowered-The lowering is effected in the usual way by allowing
water to escape from the main cylinder.
The levers operating the valves are interlocked so that the pressure cannot bo
put on to the main cylinder except it be already on the auxiliary cylinder. The
raising of the boat cannot therefore be commenced until the tackle has previously
been drawn taut.
In place of rams pistons may obviously be employed.
In some cases where the lift is small multiplying gear will not be required.

page_text: from the Water and for Lowering the same.
I, PERCY GRAHAM BUCHANAN WESTMACOTT of the Elswick Works Newcastle-on-
Tyne Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in hydraulic apparatus for lifting
heavy boats from the water and for lowering the same.
The improved gear is so arranged that the lifting chain or rope when attached
to the boat floating on the water can be kept taut whilst the boat rises and falls
with the waves. The operator can then see that all is right before applying the
lifting power.
The boat may remain afloat with the tackle taut until a favorable or convenient
opportunity for lifting it is found and then may be at once raised.
Or the boat being afloat, the lifting tackle may at any moment be slackened,
the slings unhooked and the boat set free.
A main bydraulic cylinder and ram and an auxiliary cylinder and ram are
employed. The auxiliary apparatus is arranged to lift the main ram.
When water under pressure is admitted to the auxiliary cylinder it draws up
the main ram sufficiently to tighten the lifting tackle but when the weight of the
boat commences to be borne by the chain the auxiliary gear yields, allows the main
ram to descend and water is forced out of the auxiliary cylinder back into the
accumulator or away by a loaded relief valve.
The main lifting chain or rope is secured at one end to the hoisting cylinder, it
is passed over pulleys on the head of the rain and beneath pulleys at the lower end
of the cylinder, so as to multiply the motion of the lifting ram to the extent
required. The chain or rope then passes to a pulley at the head of a derrick or
crane jib which may be secured to the mast of the ship from which the boat is to
be lowered or may be otherwise placed as convenient. From the pulley at the
head of the derrick or jib the lifting chain or rope descends it terminates in slings
having suitable hooks or fastenings for convenient attachment to the boat-the
operation of lifting the boat from the water is performed in the following manner.
By allowing the main ram to descend the lifting tackle is slacked out sufficiently
to admit of the slings being conveniently secured to the boat, this having been done
the auxiliary apparatus is brought into operation, its cylinder being placed in
communication with the accumulator or other supply.
The auxiliary apparatus then operates to raise the main lifting ram as far as
may be necessary to tighten the lifting tackle, but it has no power to do more than
this, and as the boat rises and falls by the action of the waves the main rain works
in and out of its cylinder. The main cylinder during this time is in free communi-
cation with the cistern, and water flows into and from the cylinder.

page_text: When the boat is to he lifted the main valve is opened and communication with
the cistern is closed. The main ram then at once rises and the boat is lifted from
the water when sufficiently raised it is swung over the deck of the vessel into
position to be lowered. The lowering is effected in the usual way by allowing
water to escape from the main cylinder.
The levers operating the valves are interlocked so that the pressure cannot be
put onto the main cylinder except it be already on the auxiliary cylinder. The
raising of the boat cannot therefore be commenced until the tackle has previously
been drawn taut.
In place of rams pistons may obviously be employed.
In some cases where the lift is small multiplying gear will not be required.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the drawing hereunto annexed.
The Drawing shows a sectional clevation of a portion of a ship carrying
hydraulic boat lifting and lowering gear arranged in accordance with my
invention.
a is a torpedo boat supported on blocks on the deck of a ship. b. b. are the
slings by which the boat can be held suspended. c. is the lifting and lowering
rope or chain attached to the slings. d is the lifting derrick or jib supported from
the mast of the vessel so that it can swing in and out board. dd guide pulleys
on the jib or derrick over which the rope or chain c, passes. e. e¹ are the lifting
cylinder and the ram, they carry sheaves e² e around which the lifting rope or
chain c,
is passed as often as may be necessary and the end then made fast.
A valve operated by a lever at f admits water from a pumping engine or from
an accumulator or vessel in which it is contained under pressure to the cylinder e,
when lifting is required and the water can be retained in the cylinder when the
load is to be held suspended or the water can be allowed gradually to escape from
At other times when the
the cylinder when the load is required to be lowered.
lifting cylinder e is out of use it is put into free communication with the cistern g
in which water is contained. When the main hydraulic cylinder and ram are in
use either lifting lowering or sustaining the boat the communication between the
h and h are the auxiliary
cylinder e. and the cistern g is of course closed.
cylinder and ram which are provided to keep the main tackle taut and the
apparatus ready for use when the boat to which the tackle is attached is afloat.
A rope or chain i attached in any convenient manner to the ram e¹ passes over
guide pulleys k. k. and down under a pulley at the lower end of the ram h¹ it is
then taken to a convenient point and made fast. When the auxiliary apparatus is
in use water from the accumulator or source of water under pressure is freely
admitted to the cylinder but the auxiliary apparatus is quite unable to lift the
boat when the boat rises with the waves it causes the main ram e¹ to follow and it
takes up the slack of the rope or chain i and the slings b; again when the boat
falls with the waves or with the roll of the vessel the main ram also returns and
the auxiliary ram h¹ is forced in; the water from the auxiliary cylinder h¹ then
passes back to the accumulator.
A second lever at f opens and closes the communication between the auxiliary
cylinder and the accumulator as required.
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
1. My improved hydraulic gear for lifting heavy boats from the water and
for lowering the same in which a main cylinder and rain or piston and tackle is

page_text: provided to lift and lower the boat and an auxiliary cylinder and ram or piston to
keep the main tackle taut and ready for action whilst attached to the floating
boat notwithstanding the rise and fall of the boat by the action of the waves.
2. The combination upon a ship or vessel of the main hydraulic apparatus, the
auxiliary hydraulic apparatus, the derrick or jib, and the boat slings and tackle,
the whole in such manner that when the boat is afloat and attached to the slings
these are kept constantly taut by the alternate entrance of water under pressure
into the auxiliary cylinder when the boat rises with the waves and its expulsion
therefrom by the weight of the boat when the waves recede.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.