Improvements in Ships' Gangways and Companion Ladders and in Adapting them for Saving Life.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Sept., 1886
Complete Left, 26th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 28th Oct., 1887
Improvements in Ships' Gangways and Companion Ladders and in
Adapting them for Saving Life.
I, JAMES M CONACHY, of 6 Ardgowan Street, Port Glasgow, in the County of
Renfrew, North Britain, Joiner, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention, to be
as follows, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction of ships' gangways
and at the same time to make them usable as companion ladders, or as gangways to
extend between a ship and a wharf or pier, and principally to render them available
for saving life in the event of a ship being wrecked.
In carrying out my Invention in the case, for example, of a large steam ship
requiring a gangway of considerable length I construct the gangway in sections or
lengths each of which may be thirty feet long or of some other convenient length and
1 connect each length by its ends to stanchions or other supports the connection
consisting in each case of a strong transverse bolt passed through eyes on the ends of
the gangway and through eyes on the supports.
Each gangway consists of a cellular bottom body which may be constructed
principally of wood or principally of steel or iron, or of a combination of such
materials. In longitudinal vertical section the body presents a form which is deepest
at the middle and tapers towards the ends, the top and bottom being by preference
equally curved with their outer surfaces convex. A series of transverse vertical
sections presents a series of rectangles of the same horizontal dimensions but of
varying depth. Strong frame pieces extend from end to end along the corners
between the tops and sides, the top and bottom frame pieces of each side meeting at
each end. Several standards are fixed along each side, and along the tops of the
standards, which are of graduated sizes, arched frame pieces are fixed which have
their ends fixed to the ends of the body and serve to give rigidity to the structure.
Bolts are passed from above the arched frame pieces through the standards to the
bottom of the body to bind the parts together, and these bolts are used to support
rails on each side of the gangway, the bolts of the shorter standards being made with
extensions on their upper ends to render the height of the rails uniform throughout.

page_text: The body of the gangway is made watertight and is by preference divided by
partitions into several compartments, of which some may be provided with doors and
may be used for storing water and provisions. In the event of a shipwreck it will
where possible be advantageous to fix two of the gangways together side by side;
and for this purpose long bolts or rods may be provided for being fixed across through
the eyes at the ends of the gangways. Canvas sheets may be attached along the sides
to the rails and standards, and when a gangway or pair of gangways is used as a raft
similar canvas sheets may be fixed across the ends.
To enable the gangway to be used as an inclined gangway or companion ladder,
tread bars are fixed across the top of it at suitable distances apart, and whilst the
structure is being used as a horizontal gangway these tread bars may be covered by
an upper boarding which can be easily removed when required.
The gangways may when required be launched by means of blocks and tackle; but
even if this cannot be managed the bolts holding the gangways in their places should
be withdrawn so that it may be possible for the gangways to float away in the event
of the ship sinking.
Dated this Twenty-seventh day of December 1886
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent,
Per pro. David Ferguson.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Ships' Gangways and Companion Ladders and in
Adapting them for Saving Life.
1 JAMES MCCONACHY, of 53 Ardgowan Street, Port Glasgow, in the County of
Renfrow, North Britain, Joiner, 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, that is to say:—
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction of ships' gangways
and at the same time to make the inusable as companion ladders, or as gangways to
extend between a ship and a wharf or pier, and principally to render them available
in a more satisfactory manner than heretofore for saving life in the event of a ship
being wrecked.
I hereunto append two sheets of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter referred to
in particularly describing the manner in which I practically carry out my Invention.
In the case of a large steam ship requiring a gangway of considerable length I
construct the gangway in sections or lengths, each of which may be thirty feet long,
or of some other convenient length. Figure, 1, on sheet, 1, of the drawings is a side
elevation showing one of such lengths with portions of two others connected to it.
Figures, 2, to 5, are drawn to a larger scale than figuro, 1, figure, 2, being an end
elevation, figure, 3, a longitudinal vertical section of a part of the gangway, figure, 4,
a transverse vertical section; and figure, 5, an end elevation showing two gangways
combined. Figure, 6, is a side elevation showing one of my improved gangways
arranged as a companion ladder. Figure, 7, on sheet 2, is a plan and figures, 8, and 9,
are side and end elevations showing a pair of my improved gangways of a slightly
modified construction and arranged as a raft. In these drawings the same referenco
numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are repeated.
Each gangway (as shown on sheet 1,) consists of a cellular bottom body, 10, which
may be constructed principally of wood, or principally of steel or iron, or of a
combination of such materials. In longitudinal vertical section the body, 10, presents
a form which is deepest in the middle and tapers towards the ends, the top and bottom
being by preference equally curved with their outer surfaces convex. A series of
transverse vertical sections would present rectangles of the same horizontal dimensions
but of different depths. Strong frame pieces, 11, extend from end to end along the
corners between the tops and sides, the top and bottom frame pieces of each side
meeting at each end. Several standards, 12, are fixed along each side, and along the
tops of the standards, 12, which are of graduated sizes, arched frame pieces, 13, are
fixed which have their ends fixed to the ends of the body, 10, and serve to give
strength and rigidity to the structure. Bolts, 14, are passed from above the arched
frame pieces, 13, through the standards, 12, to the bottom of the body, 10, to bind
the parts together, and these bolts, 14, are used to support rails or ropes, 15, on each
side of the gangway, the bolts of the shorter standards being made with extensions
on their upper ends to render the height of the rails or ropes, 15, uniform
throughout.

page_text: The body, 10, of the gangway is made watertight, and is by preference divided by
partitions, 16, into several compartments, of which some may be provided with doors,
and may be used for storing water and provisions. Any compartment used for
storage purposes in this way may have enclosed in it a watertight iron casing, 17,
(figure, 3) fitted with a door, 18, which can be closed watertight.
When my improved structure is in use as a ship's gangway I arrange the requisite
number of lengths with their ends connected to each other and to stanchions, 19,
(figure, 1) or other convenient supports, the connection consisting in each case of a
strong transverse bolt, 20, of sufficient length, passed through cyes, 21, fixed on the
ends of the gangway lengths and through eyes on the supports, 19.
In the event of a shipwreck, it will, where possible, be advantageous to fix two of
the gangways together side by side as shown in figure, 5; and for this purpose long
bolts or rods, 22, may be provided for being fixed across through the eyes, 21, at the
ends of the gangways. Canvas sheets, 23, may be attached along the sides to the
rails or ropes, 15, and standards, 12, 14, and when a gangway or pair of gangways
is used as a raft similar canvas sheets may be fixed across the ends.
To enable my improved gangway to be used in an inclined position, as a companion
ladder as shown in figure, 6, or as a gangway between the ship and a wharf or pier,
tread bars, 24, are fixed across the top of it at suitable distances apart; and whilst
the structure is being used as a horizontal gangway these tread bars may be covered
by an upper boarding, 25, which can be easily removed when required.
When the gangway is made of a comparatively short length as twenty. foet or less;
or when the body, 10, is made of sufficient strength in itself, the upper arched frame
pieces (13) may be dispensed with as shown in figure, 8; and in this case iron
stanchions, 26, to carry the rail or rope, 15, and canvas, 23, may be secured in metal
sockets, 27, fixed to the sides of the body, 10.
Instead of two gangways being connected close together as shown in figure, 5, to
form a raft, they may be fixed at a little distance apart as in the raft shown in
figures, 7, 8, and 9. Strong staples, 28, are fixed on each gangway body, 10, near
the ends, and pairs of slightly tapered bars, 29, are passed through the staples and
across the gangway bodies, 10, and are firmly jammed in the staples, long bolts, 22,
being also by preference used in addition to increase the strength of the connection.
The boards, 25, used for covering the tread bars, 24, may be availed of to cover the
space between the gangway bodies, 10; and masts, 30, may be fixed in holes formed
in the boards and be securel to the transverse bars, 29. One of the masts, 30, may
carry a sail, 31, whilst the other may be used for hoisting signals; and the canvas
sheets, 23, may be passed round the masts, 30, as shown, so as to form angular ends
to the raft. Kowlocks, 32, or sockets for them may also be fitted in suitable positions
as indicated in figures, 3, and 8.
The gangways may when required be launched by means of blocks and tackle; but
even if this cannot be managed the bolts, 20, holding the gangways in their places
should be withdrawn so that it may be possible for the gangways to float away in the
event of the ship sinking.
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 :-
The constructing of ships' gangways and companion ladders and adapting them for
saving life in the improved manner substantially as hereinbefore described and as
shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Twenty-fourth day of September 1887.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.