Improvements in Supporting Cleats or Brackets.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 6th June, 1899-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Supporting Cleats or Brackets.
I, JOSHUA WOOLSTON ATLEE, of Riverton, Burlington County, State of New
Jersey, United States of America, Naval Architect, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
My invention has relation to certain improvements in supporting cleats or
brackets, and is particularly designed for supporting the cargo battens in ships
but may be adapted to various other uses.
The principal object of my said invention is to provide a cleat or bracket
which can be placed and secured upon its support without the use of bolts, nuts,
etc. and may also be easily and quickly placed in position or removed from the sup-
port, and without necessitating the use of a wrench.
Another object of my invention is to provide a supporting cleat so constructed
that it is capable of being adjusted at an angle to its support
without having to remove it therefrom or to resort to the use
of
a wrench or other tool, which is especially desirable in shipbuild-
ing when it is used for supporting the cargo battens upon the frame, which
battens are necessarily curved as they approach the bow or stern of a vessel to
conform to the shape of the hull, while the vertical flanges of the frame of the
vessel to which the battens are secured are always set at right angles to the
longitudinal center of the vessel.
A still further object of my invention is to provide a supporting cleat or bracket
which can be constructed of a single casting manufactured at small cost, and at
the same time contain great strength and stability and be adapted to various
uses in building and structural work.
With these objects in view my invention consists in the construction sub-
stantially as herein described and particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in
which similar letters are used to designate similar parts:-
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a cleat or bracket embodying my invention, the same
being shown as applied to a bulb angle such as is sometimes used in shipbuild-
ing, and supporting a batten.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 is a plan view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a slight modification in
the shape of my cleat.
Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a left hand cleat instead of right,
the position being such as to secure the object to be supported at an angle.
Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the cleat of the form illustrated in
Fig. 1, and
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of cleat, a vertical plate being
shown in connection with the hook arm instead of a bracket.
In order to clearly describe my invention, and to set forth its uses and advan-
tages, I have shown it as applied to a bulb angle, as A of the frame of a vessel,
to the flange, a, of which the shell plating of the vessel is adapted to be secured

page_text: the bulb portion, b, projecting inwardly on a line transverse to the longitudinal
center of the vessel and to which are secured the battens, as B.
My improved cleat or bracket, C, consists of a metallic casing having a base
portion, c, adapted to support a batten, joist, or other objects, and a depending
foot piece, , these parts being suitably strengthened by means of the web or
flange, 3, illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The bracket arm, c, is prefer-
ably provided on the base, c', to retain the batten or beam in position.
In the forward part of the bracket base, c', is formed a rounded or semi-
circular bearing, d, extending vertically the full length of the foot portion, c³,
and adapted to embrace the rounded or bulb portion, b, of the angle plate, A,
the upper end of the foot portion, c², forming a short arm, d', which extends a
short distance around the bulb, b, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the
drawings. On the other side of the rounded face, d, opposite the arm, d', is an
inclined upwardly and outwardly extending arm, e, the said arm extending
upwardly some distance above the base, c¹, and terminating in a eurved arm, f,
described from a radius taken from the center of the bulb, b, or curved
portion, d.
In the angle plate, A, is provided a transverse aperture, g, of a size sufficient
to admit the arm, f, of the cleat, and of a distance from the center of the bulb
portion, b, corresponding to the radius of the arm, f.
The cleat is placed upon the support, A, by turning it at approximately right
angles to the plate, A, and by tilting it up slightly, the bulb, b, entering
between the arm, d, and the end of the arni, f, and as the arm, f, enters the
aperture, g, the cleat is turned around and the curved face, d, will bear against
the curved face of the bulb, b. By having the arm, e, extending upwardly and
inclined I divide the strain by throwing the greater portion of it upon the foot
portion, thus relieving the arm, c, and f, to a considerable extent. After
placing the cleat it is adjusted to the desired position by turning it upon the
bulb, 6, as an axis, and the batten is then placed in the bracket portion, c', one
side resting against the bracket arm, c, and the other against the outer edge of
the bulb angle, thus firmly holding the batten in position and preventing the
cleat from being removed.
The cleat could of course be applied to any support having an edge substan-
tially corresponding to the bulb, 6, and having an aperture the correct distance
from the edge of the support.
In Fig. 3 of the drawings I have shown the arm, c, as inclined upwardly,
but not outwardly, and on the same plane with the base, c', of the bracket portion
of the cleat, so that when the said cleat is placed in position for supporting the
beam at right angles to its support as A, the arm, e, will bear against the side
of the support. This construction admits of an adjustment of the angle of the
beam in one direction only but as this construction is made in both rights and
lefts, they can thus be adapted to any angle as in the other construction. (See
Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings).
The weight of the batten or other beam causes the foot portion, ², to closely
impinge against the edge of the support, A, and the width of the said beam
should be such as to snugly fit between the edge of the support and the arm, c,
of the bracket, thus making a durable and secure supporting cleat.
While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of my invention
as being provided with a bracket arm as c, cl, for supporting battens &c., it
is clearly evident that this part might be in the form of a flat plate as h, illus-
trated in Fig. 6 of the drawings, provided with suitable bolt holes, and to which
the batten or other object to be supported may be securely bolted.
In this con-
struction the curved bearing face, d, is formed on the plate, h, between the points
where the arms, e, and d merge into the said plate, h, and the curved hook
arm, f, is described from the center of the curved bearing face, d, as in the other
constructions. The arm, e, in this form is shown as extending outwardly at
right angles to the plate, h, instead of upwardly as in the other constructions

page_text: and when in position on its support the lower face of the plate, h, will bear
against the rounded edge of the support, A, and relieve the hook arm of a portion
of the strain.
Other slight changes and modifications in form might be used without depart-
ing from the spirit and scope of my invention, hence I do not limit myself to
the exact construction shown and described.
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. A supporting cleat comprising a body portion having a rounded bearing face,
an arm extending forward from one side of the bearing face, terminating in a
hook portion disposed at substantially right angles to the forwardly extending
arm, the said rounded bearing face being adapted to the edge of the cleat sup-
port and the said angular hook portion adapted to an aperture formed in the
support, for the purpose stated.
2. A supporting cleat comprising a main body portion having a curved or
rounded bearing face, an arm extending forwardly and upwardly from one edge
of the curved bearing face, and terminating in a hook portion disposed to the
forwardly extending arm, adapted to operate substantially as described and for
the purpose stated.
3. A supporting cleat comprising a main body portion having a curved or
rounded face, an arm extending forwardly from one edge of the bearing face
terminating in a hook portion disposed at an angle to the forward arni, and a
bracket arm formed on the rear of the main body portion, substantially es
described and for the purpose stated.
4. A supporting cleat comprising a main body portion having a curved or
rounded bearing face, an arm extending forwardly and inclined upwardly from
one edge of the bearing face, terminating in a hook portion disposed at an angle
to the forward arm, and a bracket arm formed on the rear of the main body
portion, substantially as described and for the purpose stated.
5. A supporting cleat comprising a main body portion having a curved or
rounded bearing face, an arm extending forwardly from one edge of the bearing
face, and terminating in a curved hook arm described from a radius taken from
the center of the curved bearing face of the body portion, adapted to operate
substantially as described and for the purpose stated.
6. A supporting cleat comprising a main body portion provided on its front
edge with a curved bearing face, an arm extending forwardly and inclined
upwardly from one edge of the bearing face, and terminating in a curved hook
arm described from a radius taken from the center of the curved bearing face,
adapted to operate substantially as and for the purpose stated.
7. A supporting cleat comprising a main body portion provided on its forward
edge with a curved bearing face, an arm extending forwardly and upwardly from
one edge of the bearing face, a curved hook arm extending from the upper end
of the upwardly extending arm described from the center of the curved bearing
face, and a bracket arm formed on the rear of the main body portion, substan-
ially as described and for the purpose stated.
8. The combination of the main body portion, c¹, provided with a curved bear-
ng face, d, a short arm, d', formed on one edge of the bearing face, an upwardly
extending inclined arm, e, formed on the other edge of the bearing face, a curved
ook arm, f, formed at the upper end of the arm, e, and a bracket arm, c, formed
n the rear of the body portion, substantially as described and for the purpose
tated.
9. The combination of the main body portion, c¹, provided with a curved bear-
ng face, d, on its front edge, a short arm, d', formed on one edge of the bearing
ace, an outwardly and upwardly inclined arm, e, extending from the other edge
f the bearing face, a curved hook arm, f, extending from the upper end of the

page_text: arm, e, and a bracket arm, c, formed on the rear edge of the body, c', substan-
tially as described and for the purpose stated.
10. The combination of the main body portion, cl, provided on its front edge
with a curved bearing facc, d, a depending foot piece, c², formed on the lower
portion of the body, a short arm, d¹, formed on one edge of the bearing face, d,
an outwardly and upwardly inclined arm, e, extending from the other edge of
the bearing face, a curved hook portion, f, from the end of arm, e, and a bracket
arm, c, formed on the rear of the body portion of the cleat, substantially as
described and for the purpose stated.
Dated this 6th day of June 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE, & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.