CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDLASSES OR CAPSTANS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edouard de Mars, of Paris, France, and of 4, South
Street, Finsbury, London, Gentleman, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDLASSES OR CAPSTANS."-A communication from
Ferdinand Femé, of the French Imperial Navy.
Sealed the 4th August 1854, and dated the 20th March 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edouard de Mars at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th
March 1854.
I, EDOUARD DE MARS, of Paris, France, and of 4, South Street, Finsbury,
London, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDLASSES OR CAPSTANS" to be as follows:-
The Invention communicated to me by Ferdinand Femé, of the French
Imperial Navy, consists in an apparatus worked by men from the extremities
of arms or levers, adapted to the capstan head. The moving power is com-
municated by means of a catching H, in Drawings accompanying, to the pinion
A, transmitting it to the wheel G; this last, acting with the pinion B, gives a
circular motion to the wheel D, provided on its upper part with a barrel for
receiving the chain of the anchor. A foundation plate F connects together
together the two axes, keeping them steady, and is shewn on its two faces in
section and in elevation. The chain being held 14 inches above the deck, the
diameters of the axes have been constructed more strongly than in ordinary
capstans. The large wheel D, having internal cogs & surmounted with the

page_text: barrel, is set on four small rollers G, by which it is attended only with a
rotary friction proportionate to its weight. Its friction upon the external
parts of the catching H is lessened one half by the three cast iron rollers
R, placed in recesses in the wheel D, and set on the iron axes a. To avoid
all recoil motion I have placed a series of 3 pawls, as follows:-The large
wheel D is provided underneath, between the cogs and the flat part which
rests on the rollers G, before described, with a circular rack, the three pawls
being fixed so as to divide the spaces between the cogs of the rack into three,
so that on turning one of the pawls will always catch. The same mode of
setting is adopted on the opposite side to avoid the swinging of the large
wheel D; consequently, when one of the pawls is acted upon, that one oppo-
site to it must be put in motion. The pawls are by means of their barrels set
on the cast iron bearings that form part of the circular plates I; these
also carry the forks of the rollers of the wheel D, to resist which the bearings
are disposed. The swinging motion of the pawls arises from the increase of
weight in their lower extremities. The pawls as well as their barrels are of
iron, and constructed of the same piece. They can serve for the anchors
of the two sides, which is effected by withdrawing and replacing them in the
opposite direction to that in which they were placed previously. To liberate
the pawls it is only necessary to elevate their lower parts, & insert an iron pin
into a hole cut in the side of the bearings to maintain them in a horizontal
position; by this the large wheel D will be enabled to turn freely in either
direction.
When the service of the vessel only requires the simple capstan it may be
raised by means of a lever or bar, and set on three small cast iron rollers G'
placed into the forks prepared on the wheel D; by this contrivance the
capstan becomes independent of the catchings. A bolt serving to fix it in
its two positions is inserted into two holes, prepared in the head of the main
axis.
The lubrication of the small axis is facilitated by means of an oval apperture t
cut in the main wheel D, and when this apperture is made to pass above the
small axis the grease may be inserted between it & the wheels set on it.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edouard de Mars in the Great Seal Patent Office the
18th September 1854.
on
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDOUARD
DE MARS, of Paris, France, and of 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Gentle-
man, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edouard de Mars, Her special license that I, the said Edouard de Mars, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edouard
de Mars, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN WIND-
LASSES OR CAPSTANS," communicated to me from Monsieur Ferdinand Fermé
(of the French Imperial Navy), upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Edouard de Mars, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edouard de Mars, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereto annexed, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
The Invention communicated to me consists in an improved mode of
constructing capstans, as herein-after described.
In each of the Drawings hereto annexed the same letters of reference
indicate similar parts in the several Figures.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Drawing 1, Figure 1, plan of the foundation plate; Figure 2, longitudinal
section through the capstan and deck at the line A, B, Figure 1; Figure 3,
hood and harrel of the canstan· Figure 4 plan of the

page_text: top part of the upper clutches and plan of one of the pauls; Figures 5 to
10 shew various parts of the capstan with such modifications introduced
into its construction as may be found necessary.. Figure 5, plan of the
foundation plate; Figure 6, longitudinal section of the capstan and deck;
Figure 7, plan of the top part of the upper clutch; Figure 8, plan of the
working pinion; Figure 9, plan of the lower clutch; Figure 10, plan of the
small rollers; Figure 11, elevation of the small rollers; Figure 12, elevation
of the paul and whelps; Figure 13, elevation of a small roller with bracket;
Figures 14, 15, 16, 17, details of the stop gear; Figure 18, plan shewing
the general arrangement of the pauls and small rollers; Figure 19, plan
shewing the general arrangement of the cog wheels; Figures 20 and 22, plans
of barrels with modifications; Figure 21, section of the barrel through A", B",
Figure 20; Figure 23, section of the barrel through A, B, Figure 22.
Drawing II., Figure 1, section of a capstan head, showing the winch
arrange-
ment through E, F, Figure 2; Figure 2, plan through the line A, B, Figure 1;
Figure 3, section through C, D, Figure 2; Figure 4, shews the bearing of
the pinion P. A, Drawing I., cast iron pinion in one piece with the lower
clutch; B, pinion of the wheel D; C, wheel of the pinion A; D, cast iron
wheel with internal cogs carrying the barrel which receives the anchor chain;
E, E', E", iron spindle; F, a piece of cast iron with lugs, and serving as
foundation plate, carrying the small friction rollers; G, G¹, small rollers,
intended to support by their rotary movement the main wheel D and the
capstan N'; H, cast iron clutch; I, cast iron plate; K, K', K", wrought iron
nuts, enclosing the end of the spindles; L, iron paul; M, M¹, capstan bars;
N, cast iron body of the capstan; O, iron disengaging gear; P, deck of the
véssel; R, cast iron roller; S, beam of the deck; T, oaken strengthening pieces;
V, iron standard for disengaging gear; X, cast iron roller with iron pin. a,
steel pin of the roller R; b, catches for pauls; c¹, c¹, the hollow part between
the cogs of the rack; t, an aperture for the lubrication of the small spindles.
E, E. a, Drawing 2, axis of the pinions P; 9, small friction rollers placed in
the capstan head R; H, main spindles; K, pin inserted through the upper
part of the spindles; M, handle; N, main wheel formed in part of the body
of the capstan; P, pinion; R, piece of cast iron forming the drum head of the
capstan.
The apparatus is set in motion by men, acting on the extremities of levers
adapted to the drum head of the capstan. The moving power is communicated
by means of a clutch H to the working pinion A, by which it is transmitted to
the wheels C, which, cogging with the pinions B, gives a circular motion to
the main wheel D; provided with a barrel for receiving the chain of the

page_text: anchor. The wheel D is provided with internal cogs, and is supported upon four
small rollers G¹,"serving to lessen the friction: Its friction -upon the external
part of the clutch is further lessened by means of three cast iron rollers R,
placed in recesses formed in the wheel D, and mounted upon iron pinsa.
The wheel D carries underneath, between the cogs and the flat part which
rests upon the rollers G, above described, a circular rack, and three pauls are.
fixed in their supports in such manner as to add a third to the space between
each cog of the rack thus, two consecutive pauls comprise between the"
centres of their axes a space equal to four cogs, plus one third more of the
rack, so that upon turning one of the pauls will always catch. The same
mode of setting up has been adopted on the opposite side to avoid the swinging
movement of the wheel D; consequently," when one paul is acted upon, that"
which is diametrically opposite must also be put in motion. The spindles of
the pauls rest in the cast iron bearings forming part of the circular plates F,
which are provided with lugs for the friction rollers of the wheel D. The
bearings of the pawls are arranged for resisting the shocks that the friction
rollers receive from the wheel D. The foundation plate F unites together the
two axes, and is of the same piece of cast iron as the pauls of the bearings, to
which it is fastened by four cast iron arms. The pauls and spindles are of the
same piece of iron; they can serve for the anchors of the two sides. To obtain
this effect it is merely necessary to withdraw and place them upside down,
and in an opposite position to that they previously occupied. To liberate the-
pauls it. is necessary to raise their lower parts, and insert an iron pin into a
hole cut for that purpose: in the bearings; they will then be set in a horizontal.
position, and the large wheel will be enabled to turn: freely in either direction."
When the simple capstan is employed it may be raised by means of a bar.
The cast iron' rollers Gare placed in the lugs in the wheel D, and serve to
support the capstan, which is rendered independent of the clutches. The
wheel D is provided with stops 6 for the pauls 7 of the drum head of the
capstan. The main wheel is held in a fixed position by means of two pauls L,
formed in the same diameter, and which clutch. in an opposite direction, by
which the wheel is prevented from turning. :
.:
The lubrication of the small axes is effected by means of an oval aperture t
in the main wheel; when this aperture is. presented to the upper part of the
small axis it allows the introduction of the lubricating matter between them
and the wheels they are set-upon.
Sailing vessels carrying this capstan should be provided with holders,
stoppers, and, cast iron bits, having the spiral form for stopping the chain;
steam vessels require only the holders and bits.

page_text: When the arrangement of the deck will not permit of using the bars,
they can be replaced by winches, as represented in section and plan in
Drawing II.
The arrangement of capstan, shewn in Figure 22, is applicable to ships
of seven hundred tons, and to ships of larger dimensions the barrel has
nine turns.
The arrangement of capstan, as shewn in Figures 1, 2, 5, and 6, Drawing 1,
is applicable to ships of four hundred to seven hundred tons inclusive; its
barrel has eleven turns.
The arrangement represented in Figure 20 is suitable for ships of two
hundred and fifty to four hundred tons exclusive; its barrel has twelve turns.
The maximum power obtained in each of the forms of apparatus corresponds
to about ten times the weight of the anchors to be raised. The capstan may
be fixed either before or aft the main mast, its position depending upon the
rest of the arrangements of the deck.
Figures 5 and 6 show the modifications to be made to the capstan when it
is found advantageous to have it on the forecastle. The main spindle is
moveable in a cast iron socket, forming part of the foundation plate; the
lower extremity of this spindle has a hexagonal form, and fits into the working
pinion A, the internal part of which also has a hexagonal form; the spindle in
turning gives to this pinion a circular motion, which is transmitted to the rest
of the mechanism. The clutches and rollers G³, for rendering the capstan
independent of the gearing, are set in the forecastle. By this arrangement the
main wheel producing a direct and simple friction upon the main spindle, the
three rollers R are suppressed, but the rest of the apparatus is similar to that
first before described.
The principal advantages to be obtained from the before-described mode of
constructing capstans are, first, an easy mounting or taking down of the pieces;
and, secondly, its being put in motion by shorter levers than usual, producing a
greater force and giving a greater speed.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention communicated to
me, and the manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that
I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction herein laid down,
as they may be varied without departing from the principle of the Invention;
but what claim is,-
First, the general arrangements for the construction of capstans, as herein-
before described and referred to in the several Figures of the Drawings.
Secondly, the application of clutches for working capstans, as herein-before
described and referred to in the Figures of Drawing I.

page_text: Thirdly, the supporting the main wheel on small rollers to lessen friction,
as herein-before described and referred to in the Figures of Drawing I.
Fourthly, the mode of fixing the pauls, as herein-before described and
referred to in Figures 12 and 18 of Drawing I.
Fifthly, the construction of the capstan head, as herein-before described and
referred to in Figures 2, 5, and 6 of Drawing II.
Sixthly, the mechanical arrangements for applying winches to capstans, as
herein-before described and referred to in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, Drawing II.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edouard de Mars, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witnesses,
JUT. LEROUX,
J. BROUSSET,
Nantes,
France.
E. DE MARS. (L.S.)