Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
RICHARD EDWARD HODGES, of Bycroft, in the County of Hereford,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria,
by Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster,
the Twenty-ninth day of May, One thousand eight hundred and forty-
nine, in the twelfth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Richard Edward Hodges,
my exors, adiñors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that I, the said Richard Edward Hodges, my
exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard
Edward Hodges, my exors, adññors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
usc, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Ber-
wick-upon-Tweed, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney,
Sark, and Man, and in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations

page_text: abroad, ny Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANICAL PURCHASES,
WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE IN WHOLE OR IN PART TO PROJECTILES;" in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said
Richard Edward Hodges, should cause a particular description of the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be
inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in
part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said Richard Edward Hodges, hereby declare that the nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, are
fully described and ascertained in and by the present Specification
thereof, that is to say: __
My Invention consists, firstly, in substituting for the rigid tackle
ordinarily employed in pulling and hauling, or in employing in com-
bination therewith, tackle of a highly elastic quality, and applying the
said clastic tackle in such manner that a single man may, with the
help thereof bring any required amount of mechanical force to bear
against the resistance of any body desired to be moved. The principle
on which this improved tackle is constructed will be readily understood
from an inspection of Figure 1, of the Drawings annexed.. A, B,
represents what I call a single purchase; it consists of a
piece of
vulcanized caoutchouc tubing of about a foot in length, three quarters
of an inch outside diameter, half an inch bore, and about three ounces
in weight. A piece of these dimensions, if of good quality, will admit
of being stretched, without over-straining or risk of breaking, to the
length of six feet, by the application of a force of 65 lbs, which is not
more than a man of medium strength may easily exert at a lead pull.
Supposing, therefore, such a piece of tubing is loosely attached to any
body (a) desired to be moved, and then drawn out to the above extent
by a man's power, and made fast to another body (6) which is a fixture,
as a post or tree, the piece will obviously exert a resilient force, tending
to the removal of the least resisting of the two bodies a, and b, exactly

page_text: roportional to the force which was used to elongate it, and if a number
of such purchases be applied in the same manner there will be the
power of as many men exerted to draw the body a, as there are pieces
applied; and in this way a single man may, by a succession of
ndividual efforts, bring into operation upon any body desired to be
moved the power of a hundred or more men. Each purchase must
necessarily have a hook or loop or ring at each end, by which it may.
be stretched and made fast, and this I accomplish in several ways.
Either I stretch the end of the piece of tubing to about six or seven
times its ordinary length, and whip the point which has been so
extended round with tarred or waxed twine or wire, and then form the
whipped part into a loop, making the turned over end fast by coun-
tering in the usual way. Or I make use of a loop of twine attached to
the elastic purchase, in the manner represented in Figure 2. D, is a
hollow knob or carrier of wood, which is turned to nearly the size of
the internal bore of the elastic tube, and has a deep groove d, all
round the middle of it. E, is a cord or rope, which is knotted at one
end, and then passed through the carrier D, after which a loop to pull
by is formed on the other end. The clastic tube is then drawn tightly
over the carrier, with the rope inside of it, until it comes over the groove
d, when it is whipped with twine or wire, which presses the material of
the tube into the groove, and thereby makes the carrier immovably
fast, leaving the loop projecting from the end of the tube ready to be
attached as required. Or, thirdly, a piece of cord, looped at one end,
and knotted and tapered off at the other end, may be directly passed
through the tube (without the interposition of any carrier), as repre-
sented in Figure 3; the tube should be well stretched and whipped
round at the part between the eye and knob with wire or small cord,
as before. Whichever of these modes of fitting the purchase with a
loop is adopted, the loop may be strengthened by inserting a metal
thimble into it, as in ordinary tackle. The purchase represented in
Figure 1, is of one foot only in length, and this I find to be a very
suitable length for most practical purposes, but the length may be
encreased to any extent which convenience may dictate. And instead
of the whole being of vulcanized caoutchouc. it may be lengthened by

page_text: the addition of a tail piece of ordinary rope, or cord, or chain; and s
also the strength of the tube may be encreased to any required degree
but on this head it is important to observe that the strength of the
tube, and consequently the amount of resilient force it exerts, is always
in exact ratio with the weight of the tube, wholly irrespective of its
diameter. When the strength of the tube is encreased beyond the
power of a man to stretch it out to the desired extent, then a number
of men may be employed to draw ont, through the intervention of any
ordinary tackle, or even the power of horses or other animals may be
employed for the purpose. Instead, also, of the purchases being made
tubular they may be made of solid vulcanized caoutchouc, either round
or flat, or of any other shape, but I prefer the tubular form to any other.
Metal springs fitted to frames, as represented in Figure 1", might in
some cases be substituted for the vulcanized caoutchouc purchases
before described, and applied singly and successively in the same way
as the others; or the two sorts of springs may be used in combina-
tion; but I prefer employing, in all cases. the vulcanized caoutchouc.
purchases alone.
An exemplification of the application of a number of such pur-
chases to the raising or moving of heavy bodies, say from 200 to 400 lbs.
is given in Figure 4. A, is a hook, which is attached to the body to be
raised, and is fitted at the shoulder with a number of small auxiliary
hooks a, a; B, is another hook, which is made fast somewhere above
the point to which the body is to be raised; D, D, are a series of
elastic purchases, such as represented in Figure 1, and before described,
which are suspended from the upper hook B. The number of these
purchases may be proportioned in number, with considerable exactness,
to the load to be raised, by calculating roughly the weight of the latter
in pounds, dividing by sixty (the equivalent force in pounds of each
purchase) and using as many purchases as there are units in the
quotient. The lower ends of these purchases are successively laid hold
of by the person conducting the operation, and pulled down over thic
auxiliary hooks a, a, on the large hook A, till the body is raised. C,
is a guard or safety line which connects the two main hooks A, and B.
and is used to prevent overstraining.

page_text: Figure 5, shows how the same system of combined purchases may be
applied to the hauling of bodies along the ground. The body to be
moved is connected to a rope A, by an eye E, and to this rope are
attached a number of single purchases B, B, such as represented in
Figure 1, and before described. A number of pegs are to be fixed in
the ground, at a little distance from the point of junction of the
purchases with the rope, and well secured; the purchases are then
successively drawn ont by hand and made fast to the pegs, and when
the whole have been thus made fast the body will be moved forward
to a distance proportionate to the resilient force exerted, less the ground
friction. The purchases are to be then released and the pegs moved
farther forward. when the purchases are to be again made fast to them
as before, and the body moved a further distance forward. And so, by
repeating the same round of operations as often as need may be, the
body may be moved to any distance required, and this, whatever its
weight may be, though but one hand only is required to conduct the
operation.
Figure 6, shews how the same system of combined purchases may
be applied to the tightening of ropes, such as ships' rigging, &c. A, is
the rope to be tightened; B, B, the elastic portions of the purchase
which are successively extended and attached to the cleat C. When
the proper strain has been produced by the combined force of the
purchases B, B, then the rope itself is tightened and belayed upon its
fastening at D.
Figure 7, illustrates a similar application of my Invention to the
purpose of bringing together the ends of a rope which has given way
(as in the rigging of vessels), so that they may be again connected
together. A, A, is the rope; B, B, B, the purchases; but instead of
having the purchases in this case of the form represented in Figure 1,
they may be each formed of a ring of vulcanized caoutchouc. A
number of such rings extended and placed on the hooks C, C, will
ultimately bring the ends of the rope A, A, together; or the same effect
may berproduced by coiling one length of elastic tubing continuously
upon the two hooks.
Figure 8, shews how, by the help of this system of purchasės, the

page_text: raising of a ship's anchor may be effected by a single individual. A,
is a buoy cable; B, B, a number of elastic purchases which are
attached at one end to a sliding bit which is slipped over the cable A,
and the other end made fast to the boat, and so disposed around it
that they shall cause the strain to be equally distributed over it.
Figure 9, shews how my elastic purchases may be employed by
invalids for raising themselves in bed. C, C, are the purchases, which
are attached to a cross rail over head, and then successively attached
to a band round the waist of the invalid until they exert power sufficient
to raise him from the recumbent position.
Figure 10, shews the application of the same to an invalid chair.
A, is a cushioned bottom which is attached by a number of elastic tubes,
such as has been before described, to the arms B, B. The combined
force of the whole number of tubes must be such that the weight of the
user of the chair shall be sufficient to extend them so far as to allow
the seat to come down to its proper level in the chair. In either rising
from or sitting down upon the chair these elastic purchases will afford
great assistance to the user.
Figure 11, exemplifies the application of such purchases to the
stretching of tent ropes; Figure 12, their application to a suspendor
for horses, as on board of ship; and Figure 13, their application to the
man ropes of a ship, in which latter case they would afford great facility
for getting in and out of a boat in a rough sea.
Figures 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, are illustrations of other cases in
which these purchases may be employed with advantage to give assis-
tance in the performance of certain offices which, without their aid,
would be either tiresome, difficult, or impossible. Figure 14, represents
a bridle, suitable for assisting either a light or a weak person to manage
a horse of great power, or "hard-mouthed." A, is the bit; B, B, are
two strands of an elastic purchase (each strand consisting of three
tubes) which is attached at one end to the bit (one strand at each side
of the bit), while the other ends are drawn back with certain amount
of force and attached to the saddle, and so counteract to a certain extent
the pull upon the rider, leaving him in perfect cominand of the horse
by the other reins C. C. which are held in hand. Figure 15, shews

page_text: .
how a similar assistance may be derived from such purchases by drivers
of horses in harness. A; A, are the elastic purchases, which are attached
to the.back rail B of the seat and to the reins. Figure 16, is a saddle
girth attachment. .A, A, are the ends of the girth; B, the strap;
D, D, D, the buckles, which are fixed to the ends of the clastic picces
E, E. In using this attachment the buckles are drawn and attached
to the strap B, one after another. The drawing up of each buckle
separately is very easily accomplished, while the strain of the whole
combined is such as only a very strong person would be able to produce
by other means. Figure 17, shews how such purchases may be very.
beneficially employed, as in moving and holding large articles, such as
beams and shafts, while in the course of being fitted into their places
in buildings and machines. A, is a fixed beam; B, B, are a series of
elastic purchases, similar to Figure 1; C, and D, are the ends of two
beams, intended to be fitted together. The beam C, is suspended by
the purchases B, B, from the beam A, while the operation of fitting is
going on. The advantage of using these elastic purchases in cases of
this sort is, that by a very little assistance, either in pressing down or
raising up the parts to be fitted, they can be easily brought to the
same level, while when such operations are managed by means of rope
tackle the rigidity and inelasticity of the rope oppose great obstacles
when a small range of movement only is required. Figure 18, shews
a very useful application of these clastic purchases as helps to the
muscles of the arms or of the legs in cases of paralysis or weakness.
The case supposed in the Figure is that of a person with an arm
affected. A, is an elastic tube, which is attached at one end to the
shoulder by being passed round the back, or in any other convenient
way, and terminates at the other end in a loop to embrace the hand
or the thumb. The strength of the elastic tube should of course
be made such that it shall very nearly support the weight of the
fore arm when the tube is in an extended state, in which case, when
the wearer wishes to raise his hand, as in eating, &c., a very slight
If the purchase, however,
exertion will suffice to enable him to do so.
is intended to give great assistance to the arm, as in the performance
5 of some mechanical operation, then it must be of proportionally greater

page_text: strength; in this latter case considerable force may be required to pu
out the arm and extend the purchase, but in drawing in the arm
towards the body that force is again given out, and is supposed to b
exerted in producing the requisite mechanical effect.
Figure 19, represents how my improved elastic purchases may be
employed to form an intermediate connection in towing ropes to prevent
the danger or risk of the rope being broken by the dragging of a vessel.
A, A, is the towing rope; B, an elastic purchase which is attached to
and forms a portion of the rope A; C, is a guard, which prevents any
undue stretching of the purchase, and is affixed to the rope at D. At
E, where the other end of the rope passes through it, there is a stop,
which prevents the enlargement at F from passing through, so that
when the purchase becomes extended the whole length of the guard
the resistance of the guard comes into action along with the purchase
itself.
The different exemplifications which I have thus given of the applica-
tion of my improved system of purchases will suffice to illustrate and
make plain the general principle on which it is founded, and leave it a
matter of no difficulty to any person of competent skill to supply such
modifications as may be necessary to adapt them to all other cases where
a drawing, pulling, or resilient force is required to be exerted.
Secondly, my Invention consists in the application of purchases, of
the same clastic quality as before described, to projectiles, such as guns,
bows, harpoons, slings, &c., whereby bodies may be projected from them
with a force and to a distance scarcely exceeded where gunpowder is
employed as the propulsive ageut. Figure 20, is a side elevation, and
Figure 21, a plan of an elastic projectile, constructed after the manner
of an ordinary fowling piece, which would be well adapted for deer
shooting, as it will carry a long way, and be attended with neither noise
nor smell. Figures 22 and 23, are side elevations, and Figure 24, is
a plan, on an enlarged scale, of those parts which correspond with an
ordinary gun lock. A, is the stock; B, B, the barrel, which is composed
of two concave pieces or half cylinders, joined at the ends, but separated
by a longitudinal groove or slot a, a, a, on each side. A cross section,
of this barrel is given separately in Figure 22. C. C, are a number

page_text: of clastic pieces, similar to those before described, which are laid cross-
wise between the two halves of the barrel, and whipped together at the
middle by cord, so as to be united into one at that part, and to be of a
size somewhat less than the slot a, a, of the barrel. Each purchase.
has a loop c, attached to the end of it, by which it may be hooked on, as
afterwards explained, to one or other of two horns G, G, affixed to the
nuzzle of the piece. Two eyes e, c, are attached to the whipped or
middle part of the purchases; and through these eyes and holes e', e',
made to correspond with them in the sides of the stock, a detent m, of
catgut, gutta percha, stiff cord, or other like substance, is passed. A view
of the detent m, detached from the gun is given in Figure 23. F, is
a trigger knife, which, in being drawn in the same way as the trigger
of an ordinary gun, cuts the detent in two, and allows the purchases to
fly towards the end of the gun. In using this weapon the whipped
part n, where the tubes are joined together, is first drawn back and
made fast, as before described, by the letent m, after which the missive
is dropped down into the gun. The shooter then takes hold of one of
the purchases by the loop c, and stretching it out, hooks it on to one
of the horns G; he then takes hold of another of the purchases, but on
the opposite side of the barrel, and stretching it in like manner hooks
it on to the other horn G. In the same way he stretches out the
remainder of the purchases, and makes them fast to one or other of
the horns, taking care always to attach cach purchase to the horn on
the same side with it. The discharge of the missile is then effected by
drawing the trigger, which cuts the detent in two, and sets free the
whole body of purchases C, C, which drive the missile before them with
immense force. The whipped part of the purchases, or that part where
they are united in one, catches near to the muzzle of the gun against
an elastic stop H, which prevents the purchases from doing any injury.
to the rigid parts at the end of the gun, or causing any unpleasant
shock to the person handling it. Even shot may be discharged from
such a weapon by making it up in a cartridge and affixing a small ring
to the muzzle of the piece, having three or four projecting lance points
c, c. (Figure 28,) to cut the paper of the cartridge as it is issuing from
the muzzle, and thereby disengage the shot. Instead of the arrange-

page_text: ment before described for discharging the missiles, one more nearly
resembling the lock of a common gun may be employed; as, for instance
the purchases might be held back by a hook, under the controul of the
tumbler, while the tumbler might be set free by the trigger.
Figure 24", is an external elevation of another apparatus or instru-
ment for discharging projectiles by clastic force, constructed upon the
same principle as the preceding. A, A, is the barrel; B, B, are a
series of elastic purchases; C, a catch to which they are affixed in
charging or preparing the apparatus; D, D, are hooks to which the
free ends of the elastic pierces are hooked. The discharge is effected
in this case by grasping and pulling together the levers E, E', one
of which has its fulcrum at F, and terminates at the shorter end in
in the catch C, which holds the elastic purchases B, B, until ready
to be discharged. g. is a locking piece, which must be drawn back
before the lever E can be liberated. An apparatus of this sort would
be very applicable for throwing ropes, in cases of shipwreck, or for
projecting balls, arrows, or signals.
Figure 25, represents another apparatus for throwing arrows, which
may be held in the hand. A, is a wooden ferrule or cup, with a
hole B. passing right through it; C, is an elastic purchase, the two
ends of which are fixed to the ferrule A, either by being passed
through it, as represented, or by any other means; D, is part of an
arrow which is passed through the hole B. When the arrow is drawn,
the recoil, from the elasticity of the purchase, is sufficient to project
the arrow to a great distance.
Figure 26, represents a how constructed on the same elastic prin-
ciple. The are A, of the instrument is eighteen inches long between
the two ends, and consists of some rigid substance, such as metal
pipe, &c., of a strength equal to sustaining a strain of, say twenty
pounds. The chord or bow string is made of vulcanized caoutchouc
tubing, and in its unstretched state is about nine inches long. This
chord is first stretched at the centre to about five or six times its usual
length, and whilst in that state whipped round with twine or covered
wire. This forms the seat for the bottom of the arrow. The ends are
then stretched and whipped in like manner, after which they are

page_text: formed into loops, and attached to the ends of the rigid piece, in the
usual manner.
With such a bow as this an arrow of two feet in
length, and weighing about half an ounce, may be proje ctedabout one
hundred and thirty or one hundred and forty yards.
Figure 27, is a sectional elevation of a hand sling for projecting
stones, balls, &c. It consists of a metal or wooden ring A, to which
there is affixed a tapering tube B, made of vulcanized india rubber,
and closed at its lower end. The stone or other object to be projected
is put into the tube, which is then extended by the one hand while the
ring A is held in the other; on letting go the end of the tube, the
sudden spring or contraction of the tube causes the stone to be pro-
jected out of it with great violence.
Figure 28, represents a modification of the contrivance last <lescribed,
whereby it might be adapted to the projecting of a rope from a vessel
to a quay, or vice versa. A, is the rope; B, a piece of elastic tubing;
C, a small piece of wood affixed crosswise to the end of B; and D, a
ball, also made of wood or gutta percha, or some other comparatively
soft substance, to which the rope to be thrown is attached. The cross-
piece C, is put into a notch in a knee piece E, temporarily fixed in
some part of the vessel, and the elastic purchase then extended as far
as may be thought necessary. When this has been done, the moment
the elastic purchase B is set free, the ball D will fly off, carrying the
rope A along with it to the shore.
Figure 29, represents the application of my elastic purchases to the
breeching of guns on board of ships. A, is the gun; B, the carriage;
C, part of the hull of the vessel; D, D, two strong elastic purchases,
which are attached at one end to the carriage, and at the other end to
the rings E, E, and thereby connected with the framework of the
vessel. , is a chain, which is affixed at one end to the after part of
the carriage; the other or free end has an elastic purchase G, joined
to it. When the gun is to be brought into use the elastic purchase is
extended until it exerts a considerable pull upon the chain, and is fixed
to some convenient point, say at H. If the gun be fired off under
these conditions the recoil will cause the carriage to fly backward,
5 while the purchase G will at the same instant pull back the chain

page_text: F, and as each successive link passes through the spring stopper I, 1
which it is free to do in the one direction, it is caught so that i
cannot pass back again until liberated from the stopper. The gun i
by this arrangement held back at the utmost limits of its recoil, i
which position it is kept till loaded. On the stopper being set loose
the force exerted by the purchases D, D, will bring the gun forward
into the port, ready for action. The chain and stopper may be encase
in a covering of thin metal or wood.
Thirdly, my Invention consists of certain additions to a travelling
staff, whereby it may be converted, on occasion, into a sort of hand
carriage for the conveyance of bundles or packages. Figure 30
represents this branch of my Invention. A, is a round staff with:
cross handle B; C. is a small wheel fitted to the lower end; and D), a
hook attached to the middle of the staff, on to which the bundle or
package is to be hooked. An instrument of this sort, of five feet in
length, which is a good average length, weighs only about two lbs, and
will enable a pedestrian to carry along with him a weight of from
forty to fifty lbs, with little more effort than that of holding up the
stick at a fit angle of inclination for travelling. The staff may have
two wheels fitted to it, one in advance of the other, as represented in
Figure 31, the hind wheel being the larger of the two, whereby it may
be moved over uneven ground with greater ease. Loads of even
greater weight than forty or fifty lbs. may be carried by an instrument
of the same sort by encreasing the length and strength of the in-
strument, and they may be attached to the staff in various other
convenient ways.
Fourthly, my Invention consists in a hand-barrow of the improved
construction, represented in Figure 32. In this barrow, two bearing
frames A, A, with handles, are attached to the axle B of one pair
of wheels, and connected lengthwise by a strap or chain C. Two
men with a barrow of this construction may do three times the
work which one man can do with a single barrow of the ordinary
form. The arms A, A', may be attached to the axis independently
of each other.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and

page_text: in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim as the improvements constituting my said Invention are as
follows:-
First, I claim the employment for pulling and hauling purposes,
and all others where a resilient force can be usefully applied, of
purchases made of vulcanized caoutchouc, or other like elastic sub-
stance, either solid or tubular, and either round or flat, or of any
other shape, and fitted with loops or hooks for attaching the same
singly and successively to the bodies which are thereby to act or to be
acted upon, as before exemplified and described.
Second, I claim the application of elastic purchases of the descrip-
tion aforesaid to projectile purposes, as also before exemplified and
described.
Third, I claim the improvements in traveller's staff's as before
described.
And, fourth, I claim the double wheelbarrow, as before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Edward Hodges, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of
November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hun-
dred and forty-nine.
RICHARD EDWARD (L.S.) HODGES.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-ninth day of
November, in the year of our Lord 1849, the aforesaid Richard
Edward Hodges came before our said Lady the Queen in Her
Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid, and all and
every thing therein contained and specified, in form above written. And
also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of
the Statute made for that purpose.