Improvements in Boat Disengaging Gear.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 23th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 28th Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boat Disengaging Gear.
I, RICHARD ROPER, of Palace Chambers, 9 Bridge Street, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex, Marine Contractor and Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to Improvements in Boat Disengaging Gear by means of
which one man can instantly release a boat, letting go both ends at once.
.
According to this invention I pivot at each end of the boat a pin or tumbler
upon a horizontal axis so that it is free to turn in a vertical plane passing
through the longitudinal axis of the boat. These tumblers normally lie in a
horizontal position their free ends being turned towards the centre of the boat
and resting within a longitudinal groove or channel formed in each end of a
shaft or spindle of such length as to extend from one to the other of these
tumblers along the centre of the boat. These grooves in the ends of the shaft
extend from its periphery to its centre and the shaft is supported in such a
manner that it may be rotated upon its axis. When the spindle is in such a
position that the grooves or channels in its ends are uppermost the free ends of
the tumblers may be dropped into the said grooves to the bottom of which they
will fall, when they will lie in a line with the centre of the shaft. The shaft
being then rotated through half a revolution it will be seen that the grooves
will be on the under side of the shaft so that it will be impossible to turn the
tumbler up again until the shaft is rotated to bring the groove upon its upper
side. Thus the shaft serves to lock both tumblers in a horizontal position or
release them simultaneously, the two grooves being both ou the same side of the
shaft. Round the tumblers are passed the hooks or eyes by which the boat is
suspended so that the weight of the boat is borne partly by the pivots upon
which the tumblers turn and partly by the rotating shaft. Suitable means are
provided for rotating the shaft at any desired point in the boat when it is desired
to disengage it. All that is necessary to do is to turn the shaft through half a
revolution when the grooves in its ends are brought to the upper side so as to
allow of the tumblers being released by the weight of the boat upon them.
Dated thin 26th day of Amil 1802
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention " Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boat Disengaging Gear.
I, RICHARD ROPER, of Palace Chambers, 9 Bridge Street, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex, Marine Contractor and 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 relates to Improvements in Boat Disengaging Gear by means of
which one man can instantly release a boat, letting go both ends at once.
го.
Improvements in Boat Disengaging Gear.
I, RICHARD ROPER, of Palace Chambers, 9 Bridge Street, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex, Marine Contractor and 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 relates to Improvements in Boat Disengaging Gear by means of
which one man can instantly release a boat, letting go both ends at once.
го

page_text: According to this invention I pivot at each end of the boat a pin or tumble
upon a horizontal axis so that it is free to turn in a vertical plane passing through
the longitudinal axis of the boat. These tumblers normally lie in a horizontal
position their free ends being turned towards the centre of the boat and resting
within a longitudinal groove or channel formed in each end of a shaft or spindle of
such length as to extend from one to the other of these tumblers along the centre
of the boat. These grooves in the ends of the shaft extend from its periphery to
its centre and the shaft is supported in such a manner that it may be rotated upon
its axis. When the spindle is in such a position that the grooves or channels in
its ends are uppermost or the flat portion thereof in a vertical plane the free ends
of the tumblers may be dropped into the said grooves to the bottom of which they
will fall, when they will lie in a line with the centre of the shaft. The shaft being
then rotated through half a revolution it will be seen that the groove or flat portion
will be on the under side of the shaft, so that it will be impossible to turn the
tumblers up again until the shaft is rotated to bring the groove upon its upper side.
Thus the shaft serves to lock both tumblers in a horizontal position or release them
simultaneously, the two grooves being both on the same side of the shaft. Round
the tumblers are passed the hooks or eyes by which the boat is suspended so that
the weight of the boat is borne partly by the pivots upon which the tumblers turn
and partly by the rotating shaft. Suitable means are provided for rotating the
shaft at any desired point in the boat when it is desired to disengage it. All that
is necessary to do is to turn the shaft through half a revolution when the grooves
in its ends are brought to the upper side so as to allow of the tumblers being
released by the weight of the boat upon them.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood and carried into
practice I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings, of which
Figs. 1 and 2 are longitudinal and transverse sections respectively of a portion of
a boat showing my improved disengaging gear in position,
Fig. 3 a side elevation; Fig. 4 a section on line c-d (Fig. 3), and Fig. 5 a
plan of the disengaging gear detached.
At each end of the boat a pin or tumbler a is pivoted upon a horizontal axis & in
a frame c so that it is free to turn in a vertical plane passing through the
longitudinal axis of the boat.
These tumblers normally lie in a horizontal position, their free ends being turned
towards the middle of the boat and so secured in a longitudinal groove or channel
formed in each end of the shaft d which shaft extends from end to end of the boat,
and is mounted to revolve in bearing e in the frames c. The grooves or channels
in the ends of the shaft d are formed preferably by dividing each of the ends of the
shaft for a suitable distance along its longitudinal axis into two equal parts and
then removing one of said parts or otherwise cutting away or shaping them so that
they are of semi-circular section.
It will thus be seen that by slightly revolving the shaft d by means of the
handle for the like so that the flat portions of the ends thereof lie in a vertical
plane, the free end of the tumblers, upon which the hooks or eyes by which the
boat is suspended have been previously placed, will be allowed to drop so that they
will be in a line with the centre of the shaft d. Said shaft is then again revolved
sufficiently to bring the semi-circular end of said shaft d above the free ends of the
tumblers so retaining the latter in position with the hook or eyes by which the
boat is suspended upon them. It will therefore be only necessary to slightly
revolve the shaft d so as to again bring the flat portion of the ends thereof in a
vertical plane and so release the tumblers and consequently the boat when the
latter has been lowered into the water.
Suitable horns or projections may be formed on the upper portion of the frame c
against which the ends of the shaft rest when this is turned so as to retain the
tumblers in position so as to relieve the ends of said shaft of the strain upon
them.

page_text: 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:
Boat disengaging gear, substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of February 1894.