Improvements in or Appertaining to Floating Sea Anchors.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Dec., 1898
7th Cont 4000
4000
Improvements in or Appertaining to Floating Sea Anchors.
I, ALPHONSO TROOP ROUSE, of 11, Beaconsfield Street, Princes Park, in the
City of Liverpool, Master Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object a floating sea anchor more especially adapted
for lifeboats and other small vessels.
It consists essentially first of a hollow boom, barrel, or tank filled with oil.
From each end of this boom or tank two bars preferably of metal stand out, and
are brought down and united together so as to enclose with the bottom of the
tank a space pretty much in the shape of an equilateral triangle. To these
bars a triangular sail is sewn, rivetted or attached the remaining side can if
desirable be fastened to the boom. At the ends of the boom and at the inter-
section of the two bars in other words, at the three corners of the sail, are arranged
eyelets or eye bolts and from these eye bolts ropes, chains or lines of any sort
are brought to a central ring. To this ring a rope or chain is attached, which
is held fast on board ship or boat. The tank or boom is filled with oil, but
has an orifice into which a screw is screwed which screw is partially cut away
being only half a circle at one end and a full circle near the head. By therefore
screwing this screw in or out a smaller or larger amount of oil or no oil is per-
mitted to escape. The screw is placed preferably near the lower portion of the
tank. The tank or boom is made of such material that even when full of oil or
water it can float. There can be two openings for the oil if desired or one opening
for the oil to escape, and the other for the admission of air or water. The two
bars of metal are preferably of lead and can be arranged if desirable to fold up
alongside the boom so that when not in use the two bars lie against the boom
and the sail is wrapped round them keeping all tight. In this case the stitching
which unites the sail to the bars is loose so that the bars can slide in it. The
eye bolt to which the rope or chain is attached at the bottom also acts to unite
the two bars together when it is required for use.
Dated the 6th day of December 1898
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or Appertaining to Floating Sea Anchors.
I, ALPHONSO TROOP ROUSE, of 11, Beaconsfield Street, Princes Park, in the
City of Liverpool, Master Mariner, 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 a floating sea anchor or drag anchor. It is
designed to be thrown overboard, to drag in the water and diminish the leeway

page_text: of a vessel when drifting, or to keep the head of a ship to the windward when
unmanageable by loss of sails or rudder.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a general view of the invention in use;
Figure 2 a front elevation partly in section on a larger scale;
Figure 3 a cross section;
Figure 4 a view of the oil tank;
Figure 5 a detail view of the valve.
The invention consists essentially first of a boom, barrel or tank A formed of
a receptacle a which can be filled with oil, and of a foundation of cork or such
other material that when the tank a is full of oil or water it will float. From
near each end of this boom or tank A two bars B preferably of metal stand out,
passing through holes in the cork, and then brought down and united together
at C so as to enclose with the bottom of the tank a space pretty much in the
shape of an equilateral triangle. To these bars which constitute a frame, a
triangular sail D is sewn, riveted or attached. The remaining side can if desired
be fastened to the boom or as shown in the drawing to an auxiliary bar E.
At C, F F are arranged eyelets òr eye bolts and from these eyelets ropes, bridles
or angle lines G of any sort are brought to a central ring H. To this ring a
rope or chain I is attached which is held fast on board ship. The receptacle a in
the boom A is filled with oil through the orifice a', but has an orifice J into which
a screw K is screwed, the end of which is partly cut away at L where it is only
half a circle. By providing perforations in the end of the orifice J and screwing
the screw K in or out a large or small amount of oil is permitted to escape to oil
the waves and moderate their turbulence, and so prevent the drag anchor being
smashed or injured in a storm, or the oil can be shut off altogether. The screw K
is placed preferably near the lower portion of the boom A. There are two open-
ings for oil if desired, or one specially for the oil to escape and one for the
admission of air or water. The two bars of metal B are preferably of lead so
as to be heavy as it is essential they be submerged. They are hinged at O so
as to fold up alongside the boom A. When not in use therefore the two bars
when uncoupled at C can be folded to lie against the boom, and the sail is
wrapped round them keeping all tight. By this means I secure compact stowage.
The eyelets which unite the sail to the bars are loose so that the bars can slide
in it. If desired the sail D may be held taut by means of spilling lines attached
at one end to the bar E, and passing over pulleys or evelets on the eye bolt
bar F and to the ship. When therefore the sea anchor is not required for use
the lines are slackened on shipboard, and there being therefore nothing to hold
up the bar E, the latter drops, collapsing the sail D) and enabling the anchor to
be readily drawn in and hauled on board after having served its purpose. When
however the sea anchor is required for use, all that is necessary is to throw the
anchor overboard, pulling this line taut again, so as to stretch the sail within
the frame. The weight of the-frame will keep it at right angles to the taut line
which connects it to the ship, while the buoyant. boom will prevent the frame
with its sail sinking too far, while at once indicating the drag anchor's position.
M are
hooks at the end of the bars B whereby the anchor can
hauled up on deck or lowered therefrom by the davits N. The sail frame can be
triangular, square, or other shape.'
be
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
F
1. The improvement in floating sea-anchors which consists in forming them
of a buoyant boom or barrel, a frame attached thereto carrying or clothed with
a sail or sails, and means for connecting it by cable to the ship, said sail frame 5
being so weighted and arranged that when in the water it will be submerged,

page_text: and assume a position at right angles to the taut cable which connects it to the
ship, substantially as described.
2. A floating sea- or drag-anchor, comprising a submerged frame clothed with
a sail and attached to a hawser that connects it to the ship, and a hollow buoyant
boom or barrel to which the said sail-clothed frame is attached, said boom or
barrel having an oil chamber from which oil can be discharged in rough weather
to moderate the turbulence of the waves substantially as described.
3. In a floating sea- or drag-anchor of the kind described, arranging the bars
of the frame that hold the sail so that they can be disconnected and folded
alongside the buoyant boom or barrel, whereby when not in use compact stowage
is secured and the sail can be wrapped round the bars keeping all tight, sub-
stantially as described.
4. In a floating sea- or drag-anchor, connecting the sail to the bars of the
frame at the edges so that it can slide thereon, whereby the sail can be collapsed
in the frame so as to diminish resistance when being hauled on board after having
served its purpose, or it can be drawn taut when required for use to diminish the
leeway of a ship or to keep its head to windward, substantially as described.
5. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming my
improved floating sea anchor and oil distributor substantially as set forth."
Dated this 6th day of September 1899.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London.