IMPROVEMENTS IN DISENGAGING HOOKS "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Leslie Evelyn Liardet of 14 Fenchurch Street in the
City of London, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DISENGAGING
HOOKS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Leslie Evelyn Liardet at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th September 1883.
LESLIE EVELYN LIARDET of 14 Fenchurch Street in the City of London.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN DISENGAGING HOOKS
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in disengaging hooks.
The hook consists of two parts an upper and a lower pivotted together at one
end. The pivot is carried by one part say the lower and passes through an
inclined slot in the other say the upper part. The other end of the upper part.
forms a catch which goes under a projection on the lower part the faces of the
projection and catch being made parallel to the slot. When therefore any strain
tending to separate the two parts is put on, the pivot comes to the extreme lower
and outer end of the slot and so forces the catch well home up under the projection
but directly the strain is taken off, the upper part of the hook falls by its oWD
weight and the pivot comes to the inner end of the slot, so that the catch will be
free to swing clear of the projection and allow the hook to open directly the two
parts are again pulled apart. Thus when the lower part of the hook is attached
to a boat and the upper part passes through an eye on the fall, the hook will open
directly the boat is water borne and the falls will be freed directly even though
any towing strain should at once come on.
The lower part of the hook may be made in two halves hinged together-In
this case directly the upper part of the hook has fallen away from the projection
the lower part will open out about its hinge by its own weight and will thus
ensure the upper part clearing the projection when strain comes on again.
When it is desired to make the hook non automatic a safety pin is provided to
prevent the catch from dropping away from the projection so that the hook cannot
open until the pin is withdrawn.

page_text: The pivotted ends of the book may also be provided with pegs or pulleys with a
line around them so arranged that when the line is kept tight the pivot is held at
the lower and outer end of the slot and the catch. therefore keeps home under the
projection thus preventing the hook from opening until the line is slackened.
When two such hooks are used for suspending a boat then one line would be led
over the pegs or pulleys of both hooks so that both hooks may simultaneously be
set free to come into action by the slackening of this line.
Hooks constructed as above described are not only applicable for disengaging
ships boats after they have been lowered but also other weights from lowering
F

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Leslie Evelyn Liardet in the Patent Office on the 27th March 1884.
LESLIE EVELYN LIARDET of 14 Fenchurch Street in the City of London
"IMPROVEMENTS IN DISENGAGING HOOKS
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in disengaging hooks.
The hook consists of two parts an upper and a lower pivotted together at one
end. The pivot is carried by one part say the lower and passes through an
inclined slot in the other say the upper part. The other end of the upper part
forms a catch which goes under a projection on the lower part the faces of the
projection and catch being made parallel to the slot. When therefore any strain
tending to separate the two parts is put on, the pivot comes to the extreme lower
and outer end of the slot and so forces the catch well home up under the projection
but directly the strain is taken off, the upper part of the hook falls by its own
weight and the pivot comes to the inner end of the slot, so that the catch will be
free to swing clear of the projection and allow the hook to open directly the two
parts are again pulled apart. Thus when the lower part of the hook is attached
to a boat and the upper part passes through an eye on the fall, the hook will open
directly the boat is water borne and the falls will be freed directly even though
any towing strain should at once come on.
The lower part of the hook may be made in two halves hinged together. In
this case directly the upper part of the hook has fallen away from the projection
the lower part will open out about its hinge by its own weight and will thus
ensure the upper part clearing the projection when strain comes on again.
When it is desired to make the book non automatic a safety pin is provided to
prevent the catch from dropping away from the projection so that the hook cannot
open until the pin is withdrawn.
The pivotted ends of the hook may also be provided with pegs or pulleys with a
line around them so arranged that when the line is kept tight the pivot is held at
the lower and outer end of the slot and the catch therefore kept home under the
projection thus preventing the hook from opening until the line is slackened.
When two such hooks are used for suspending a boat then one line would be led
over the pegs or pulleys of both hooks so that both hooks may simultaneously be
set free to come into action by the slackening of this line.
Hooks constructed as above described are not only applicable for disengaging
ships boats after they have been lowered but also other weights from lowering
tackle.
Figure 1 shows a side elevation.
Figure 2 a vertical section.
Figures 3 and 4 are end views of a disengaging hook constructed as above
described.
Figure 5 shews another end view in which a different form of safety pin is
used to that shewn in Figure 3.
The disengaging books shown in these Figures are adapted for being used for
lowering and disengaging ships boats but with slight alterations of form they
might be adapted for use when lowering other weights.
A is the upper part of the hook, B. B* are two halves of the lower part of the
book jointed together at C. The part B is fixed by bolts as shewn or in other
convenient manner to the boat. The part B at its upper end carries a pin D
which passes through an inclined slot A* in one end of the upper part A. The
other end of the part A is formed into a hook or catch which hooks under a
corresponding hook or catch at the unner end of the’nart B*

page_text: E is a safety pin passed through holes in the side flanges of the part B*. It
comes just under the hooked end of the part A, and prevents it from dropping and
becoming disengaged from the part B*. The same result would be obtained if
the safety pin were passed through holes in the two sides of the part B, so as to
come below the opposite end of the part A and keep that end of the part A from 5
dropping.
Fis a cord attached, as shewn to the part B*.
In Figure 1, it is shewn as being led under a pulley G mounted between the
two side cheeks of the standard B, whilst in Figure 2 it is shewn as being led off
under the rounded end of the part B*, it would be led off in this latter way from
the hook at the forward end of the boat and in the way shewn at Figure 1 from
the hook at the after end of the boat. One line may have a pulley secured to it,
and the other line be led around this pulley and then led back to the coxswain so
that the coxswain by hauling on the line can prevent both hooks from becoming
disengaged. The part B* can be thickened or weighted to any desired extent to
overbalance the weight of the cords and secure prompt action when the cord is
let go
I do not restrict myself to this way of arranging the cord or releasing line to
insure the simultaneous opening of both hooks as other arrangements might be
employed for the purpose, for example-each cord might be led over the pin D
and be attached to the part A at a point below the pin so that if a strain put
upon the cord it would hold up the part A. and prevent it from falling.
H. H. are rings or eyes carried by the falls or lowering tackle.
It will be seen that the parts B. B* are both formed with side cheeks or flanges;
when the boat is hanging by the hooks there is a vertical downward strain on the
rings H and the ring does not bear against these cheeks or side flanges but so
soon as the hooks are drawn sidewise at an angle in either direction, the ring H
will bear against the side cheeks either of the part B or of the part B* and will
then in either case cause the hook to open.
When the boat is being lowered the safety pins are drawn out from the
disengaging hooks, and the releasing line is held taut by the coxswain so that the
boat cannot become disengaged until he thinks it desirable to let go. If when
the coxswain lets go the boat is resting fairly in the water both hooks will
simultaneously be disengaged and the boat will be set free, and this will take place
even though there be a towing strain upon the hooks as would be the case if the
vessel were under way or were anchored in a tide way-the sideway strain which
would then come upon the rings H would tend to open the hooks rather then to
keep them from opening.
Also if from any cause either one or the other of the disengaging books should
fail to open when the coxswain lets go the releasing line, and should the boat
from this cause get lifted up at one end whilst the other remains in the water, the
hook from which the end of the boat was suspended would at once open and
release the boat as soon as it became tilted beyond a moderate angle as the sideway
strain of the ring H upon the side cheeks either of the part B or B* would at
once cause the hook to open. Or a safety line might be led from the part A or
the part B of the hook at one end of the boat to the corresponding part of the
hook at the other end of the boat so as to ensure that one hook should not open
without the other.
In this way it would be impossible for the boat to get hung vertically from one
of the falls, an accident which sometimes happens with other constructions of
disengaging gear.
Figures 6. 7. 8 and 9 shew a modification of the above hook in which the parts B
and B are hinged together by a joint C but in which in place of the part B being
secured to the thwart or other part of the boat, it is simply passed through a ring
or eye K secured to the thwart and the upper part hangs on the lower block if the
tackle falls.

page_text: When the boat is water borne the hook will drop on to the thwart and the
parts B and B will be thereby upheld, whilst the part A continues to drop and
the hook will in this way be caused to open.
Figure 6 is a side elevation, Figure 7 is a vertical section and Figures 8 and 9
are edge views of the hook.
Figure 10 shews a side elevation of another modified form of the hook in which
both of the parts B and B are capable of turning on the joint C. the pin of which
is carried by a bracket secured to the boat.
The joint is formed as a knuckle joint so that the parts B and B* cannot
approach closer to one another than is shewn in the Drawing, but so that they can
freely turn away from one another in the opposite direction.
The Drawing also shews the inclined slot A* as being formed in the part B
instead of in the part A. It will be seen that it is immaterial whether the slot be
formed in the one part or the other.
The hooked end of the part A is also made to catch under a roller carried by the
side cheeks of the part B*.
Figure 11 shows a side elevation of another modified form of the hook in which
the inclined slot A* is dispensed with and the disengaging of the parts A and B*
when the weight is off the hook, is effected by the turning downwards of the
several parts on the joints C and D. In other respects the hook is the same as
shewn at Figure 10.
The dotted lines F F in Figures 10 and 11 shew how a releasing line may be
used with the forms of the hook shewn in these Figures.
In place of the hooks shewn at Figures 1 to 5 and Figures 10 and 11 being so
made as to be secured to one of the thwarts of a boat the bracket which forms
their lower part might be properly shaped to allow of its being secured to the end
or other suitable part of the boat.
The hooks also as before stated can not only be used for lowering boats, but
can also be used as disengaging hooks when lowering other weights by lowering
tackle.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim :-
First. The construction of disengaging hooks in such manner that the upper
part A is separate from the two side arms of the lower part of the hook and is
coupled at one end by a pin joint to the upper end of one of these arms and made
to catch under a pin or projection at the upper end of the other arm; and also in
such manner, that when the lower part, is upheld, the upper part can not only
drop, but also in addition move sidewise so that if it is again turned upwards its
end shall pass clear of the pin, or projection at the top of the side arm of the
lower part of the hook, substantially as described.
Second. The construction of disengaging hooks substantially as herein-before
described and illustrated in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof I the said Leslie Evelyn Liardet have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty fifth day of March in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.
TROY T
זזז
TUDORA