IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS ANCHORS AND IN THE HOUSING OF THE SAME
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Scott of Helensburgh in the County of Dumbarton
North Britain for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF SHIPS ANCHORS AND IN THE HOUSING OF THE SAME
"
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Scott at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd September 1882.
JAMES SCOTT of Helensburgh in the County of Dumbarton North Britain,
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS ANCHORS AND IN THE HOUSING
OF THE SAME,"
This Invention which relates to improvements in the construction and housing
of ships anchors consists in dispensing with a chamber or case formed in the bow
of the ship as described in my former Patent No 5286 A.D. 1878.-My present
improvements enabling the anchor to be lifted up entirely over the ships bow or
under the main upper rail. and laid directly upon the fore upper main deck or
forecastle deck.
"
In carrying out this improvement I employ by preference an open anchor
conducting hawse to bring the anchor upon the deck whereby the anchor is always
ready to be "let go and the employment of casings, catheads davits shank-
painters, stoppers and lashings is dispensed with the only tackle that is necessary
being a small tripping line with a fluke hook to pull and trip the angling fluke in
order to enter the hawse port and the whole of the working can be done by
one man.
A feature of my improvements consists also in working the anchor over the
stern of the vessel which is more especially serviceable in large ships and ships of
war to avoid damage by tide currents and change of wind in harbours, rivers or
bays and when among other ships; the anchor is also the more readily moored
when a ship of war is in position in time of action.
In order to lift the anchor upon the deck over the bow or stern I employ a
tilting davit or crutch the foot of which is hinged to a deck bracket and placed

page_text: about half the length of the anchor shaft from the fore end of the conducting
hawse the said tilting davit or lever lifting the anchor in a quadrantal course and
laying it in position upon the deck ready to be "let go."
I I may also when the form of the ships bow permits of it, lift the anchor by the
shank up through the conducting hawse without the use of the herein before
described lever.
In order to "let go" the anchor from the deck I employ a compound lever fixed
on to a cross shaft which carries a roller under the anchor shank the said Roller
being placed between two forked ends from the cross shaft and the lever fixed to
the end of the shaft when lifted,also lifts the shank and deposits the anchor upon
an incline by means of which the anchor is launched forward and descends at once
to hold the ship.
In a similar manner both anchors can be "let go" at once without any
impediment.
With the herein before described construction of anchor housing I prefer to
employ a steel wire cable for operating the anchor in lieu of the ordinary chain
cable.
My improvements consist further in constructing the anchors arranged to work
as hereinbefore described of mild or toughened steel or malleable cast iron and I
cast the flukes in one piece and the shank in two halves and secured together
to hold the flukes by shrunk hoops either screwed or rivetted to the shank or in
lieu of this construction the shank and stock is first cast and the flukes then
moulded and cast into the shank the whole anchor being thus complete in two
portions
The noses of the flukes are also made with a semicircular ridge which prevents
them from catching into the overlap joints of the ships hull when the anchor is
being raised.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Scott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st March
1883.
JAMES SCOTT, of Helensburgh, in the County of Dumbarton, North Britain
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS' ANCHORS AND IN THE HOUSING
OF THE SAME,"
My said Invention which relates to Improvements in the construction and
housing of ships' anchors, has reference to anchors of the self canting and stockless
class and consists as regards the housing of anchors on board ship, in dispensing
with a chamber or case formed in the bow of the ship as described in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to me N° 5286, and dated A.D. 1878, my
present improvements enabling the anchor to be lifted up entirely over the ship's
bow or under the main upper rail and laid directly upon the fore upper main deck
or forecastle deck.
In carrying out this Improvement I employ by preference an open anchor
conducting hawse to bring the anchor upon the deck whereby the anchor is always
ready to be "let go" and the employment of casings, catheads, davits, shank
painters, stoppers and lashings is dispensed with, the only tackle that is necessary
being a small tripping line with a fluked hook to pick and trip the angling fluke
in order to enter the hawse port; the whole of the working of the anchor being
done with one man.
A feature of my improvements consists also in working the anchor over the stern
of the vessel which is more especially serviceable in large ships and ships of war
to avoid damage by tide currents and change of wind in harbours, rivers or bays,
and when among other ships; the anchor is also the more readily moored when a
ship of war is in position in time of action.
My improvements consist lastly in the construction of anchors of the self canting
and stockless class of mild or toughened cast steel or malleable cast iron, and in
casting the same complete in two portions and rendering the anchors thus made of
a maximum of strength with a minimum of weight.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I now proceed
more particularly to set forth the system, mode or manner in or under which the
same is or may be used or practically carried into effect reference being had to
the accompanying Drawings and to the Letters and Figures marked thereon, that
is to say:-
Figure 1, of the accompanying Sheets of Drawings, represents part side elevation
and part longitudinal section of a ship or vessel with my improvements applied
thereto.
Figure 2, is a part plan of the same.
Figure 3, is a part end elevation of the bow of the vessel.
Figures 4, and 5, are side elevation and plan respectively of the mechanism. for
tilting the anchors.
Figure 6, is a part side elevation and part longitudinal section of a straight
stemmned ship with a modification of my improvements applied thereto.
Figure 7, is a part plan and Figure 8, a part end elevation of the same.
Figure 9, is a part side elevation and part longitudinal section of a ship having
arrangements for the housing of anchors over the ship's stern on to the poop or
upper main quarter deck.
Figure 10, is a part plan, and Figure 11, a part end elevation of the same.
Figures 12, and 13, are side elevation and end elevation respectively of a self
acting housing tilt,

page_text: Figures 14 to 25, refer to the construction of my improved self canting stockless
anchor which is hereinafter particularly described.
Referring back to Figures 1, and 2, the anchor A, is shewn housed upon the
main deck B, at the bow thereof, the anchor having been drawn up through the
conducting hawse C, by the direct action of the cable D, by power from the
windlass E.
When the anchor is to be "let go" from its position as shewn in Figures 1,
and 2, the chain cable D, is slackened as shewn in Figure 1, and the anchor is
tilted up in order to place it in such an inclined position that it will by its own
weight slide down through the conducting hawse C.
The mechanism for tilting the anchor consists of a hand lever F, shewn more
particularly in Figures 4, and 5, these said Figures being however views of the
tilting apparatus as applied to a modification in the position of the anchor upon the
deck as hereinafter particularly referred to, the tilting apparatus "per se" being
however of the same construction for all variations in the structure of the ship.
Referring more particularly to Figure 1, the fluke end of the anchor is resting
upon a roller g, carried upon the fixed brackets G.-The hand lever F, is pivoted
at the fixed fulcrum f*, and to the cross shaft f', of the said lever, are keyed the
two arms f³, f2, which are jointed by the elbow joints f³, to the two parallel
arms ff, carrying the roller f³, which supports the shackle end of the anchor,
the said arms f4, being pivoted to the cross shaft fe, which is fixed between the
two side brackets G.
As shewn, the, shank a, of the anchor is over the roller f³, it follows therefore
that if the hand lever F, is raised up the roller f³, is simultaneously raised whereby
the shank of the anchor is brought into an inclined position, from which inclined
position the anchor readily slides off its supporting roller g, out through the hawse
hole C.
The arrangement of mooring and anchoring ships by the stern is shewn also in
Figures 1, and 2, and consists in the employment of an open conducting hawse C¹,
the anchor being held by a wire cable D', worked by the winch or windlass E'.-
The anchor is shewn housed upon the quarter deck from which position the anchor
may be moved by applying the system of levers operated by a hand lever as
hereinbefore described, the anchor being let out by the wire cable working over the
open conducting hawse C¹; or as shewn in Figure 1a, a wheel x, may be employed
over which the rope D', runs, the said wheel being encased within a water tight
trough y.
In Figures 6, 7, and 8, illustrating my Improvements applied to straight stemmed
ships, the anchor is shewn housed upon the main or upper deck. The conducting
hawse C2, upon which the anchor rests when housed as shewn, is bolted down to
the deck. To "let go" the anchor from its position upon the conducting hawse,
the lever F, is raised as hereinbefore described with reference to the previous modi-
fications and the cable D, having been slackened as shewn in Figure 6, the shackle
end of the shank a, of. the anchor is raised, and the anchor launched outside of the
hawse. The housing port C2, is shewn in Figure 8, provided with self closing doors
which are opened by the anchor as it travels through the housing port.
In Figures 9, 10, and 11, shewing my improvements applied to the stern of a
vessel, I employ a wheel x', over which the wire cable D¹, runs, the said cable being
operated by a winch or windlass as hereinbefore described with reference to
Figures 1, and 2.-The anchor is kept clear of the wheel by the anchor guiding
hawse C3, upon the upper edges of which the fluke arms rest as shewn more
particularly in the plan Figure 10.-The wheel x², is by preference and as shewn in
the drawing encased within a water tight trough secured under the upper deck B¹,
a scupper h, being provided through which any water collecting within the trough
is discharged.
The arrangement of levers for raising the anchor when "letting go" the same
may as shewn be similar to the arrangement shewn in Figures 1, and 2.
In Figures 12, and 13, illustrating my arrangement of a self acting tilt, arms K

page_text: which are centred at the sides of the conducting hawse C³, carry, between the said
levers, a roller L, against which in the act of "heaving in " the anchor, the shackle a*,
of the anchor comes, whereby with the "heaving in" of the cable continuing, the
tilting arms K, are caused to move in a quadrantal course lifting the anchor in a
similar course until the tilting arms have been "brought over," the anchor being
thus brought into its housing position, the flukes or cross head of the anchor
coming into contact with the stop snug c, of the conducting hawse and preventing
the anchor shifting its proper position.
When "letting go" the anchor, the tilt roller L, returns in a quadrantal course
to its original position that is into the position shewn in the drawing, in which
position the said roller becomes a friction roller for the cable.-The tilting roller
may also be made and adapted for the inside of the ordinary hawse pipe or the said
roller may be made stationary inside of the said pipe for use as a friction chain
roller.
In the construction of the anchors themselves of the self canting or
stockless class which forms an essential feature of my Improvements, Figures
14, and 15, are a plan partly in section and an end elevation partly in
section respectively of an anchor constructed according to my said Invention.
The anchors which are preferably either of mild cast steel or malleable
cast iron consist of the shank a, which is cast in one piece, the flukes a', being cast
around the hollow spindle a²-Webs a³, are cast with the flukes, the said webs when
resting on the ground causing the flukes' points to be forced downwards to enter
the ground, the amount of movement of the flukes being regulated by stops a²,
formed upon the part of the shank which is in proximity to the shoulders of the
flukes.
Figure 16, is a plan of a modification in the construction of stockless anchors,
Figure 17, being a part transverse section and part end elevation, and Figure 17a,
being a part longitudinal section of the same.-Figures 18, 19, and 20, being views
of details in the construction of the anchors.-The shank a, is cast in one piece as
described with reference to Figures 14, and 15, the flukes a¹, being moulded and
cast into the head of the shank.-The journal a³, of the shank head is for the
purpose previously coated with moulders wash or other suitable material which
after the casting of the flukes within the shank head has been effected and the
metal has cooled down, runs out leaving a sufficient amount of play to enable the
flukes to turn freely.-It is to be understood that in contradistinction to the mode
of casting hereinbefore described, the flukes or cross-head may be cast first in which
case the head of the shank is cast around the same.
In Figure 17, is shewn more particularly the canting webs a³, and flukes cast in
one and cast through the journal as, of the shank head a®.
The webs a', of the shank as shewn more particularly in Figure 16, may also be
continued round the crown of the shank-head.--By thus casting anchors with an
uniformity of metal the cooling and shrinking of the metal is rendered uniformn
throughout the casting, the casting getting a greater advantage of being annealed
properly than if the anchor was cast with unequal thickness of metal.
Figures 18, 19, and 20, represent respectively an elevation and various sections
of metal for giving lightness with a sufficient amount of strength to the shanks of
anchors as constructed according to my Improvements.
Figure 21, illustrates in side elevation a further modification in the construction
of stockless anchors in accordance with my Improvements.-Figure 22, is a part
sectional plan of the same.
Figure 23, being an end elevation, partly in section and Figure 24, a section of
the abank of the anchor.-The shank of the anchor is cast with a web or rib a³,
running round the crown of the shank and terminating at the shackle end of the
anchor as shewn in Figure 21.
The flukes a¹, are cast in one, the casting being made through the crown of the
shank as shewn more particularly in Figure 22.-The cross head of the flukes is
cast with a core a³.-The core a**, of the clutch a', is shewn in Figure 21*, with

page_text: its end section shewn in Figure 21b, the said clutch as, being formed to regulate
the quadrantal motion of the flukes."
Figure 25 is a side elevation of an anchor shewn in position ready for use.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the system mode or manner in or under which the same is or may
be used or practically carried into effect I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is:-
First. In the housing of ships' anchors the arrangement of the conducting hawse
and its attachments to bring the anchor direct upon the main or upper deck by its
own cable substantially as herein before described and shewn on the accompanying
drawings.
Second. The arrangement for working the anchor over the stern of the vessel
consisting in the employment of a wheel in combination with an open conducting
hawse substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn on the accompanying
drawings.
وز
Third. The arrangement of levers to enable the anchor to be raised and "let go
over the bow or stern of the vessel substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference more particularly to Figures 4, and 5, of the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. The arrangement of self acting tilting davit for housing and releasing
the anchor substantially as herein before described and shewn in Figures 12, and 13
the accompanying drawings.
Fifth. Constructing stockless anchors without the usual mechanical fitting of
the parts together that is to say by the casting the same of toughened cast steel or
malleable cast iron and preferably in two portions namely by casting either the
flukes within the shank-head or the shank upon the flukes and so that a finished
anchor is produced in the mould substantially as herein before described and shewn
more particularly on Sheet 3, of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof I the said James Scott have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Twentieth day of March in the year of Our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.