A NEW OR IMPROVED SPRING AND DOUBLE ACTING WINDLASS
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Evelyn Liardet at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th October 1879.
JOHN EVELYN LIARDET, of No. 4, Breakspear's Road, Wickham Park, Brockley,
in the County of Kent. "A NEW OR IMPROVED SPRING AND DOUBLE ACTING
WINDLASS."
The objects effected by my Invention are that by its application in construction
and use a windlass has more power and more control without chance of fusion;
that it possesses a beautiful spring for easy riding, and the cable is thereby less
liable to snap with my windlass than with any other hitherto used, and that it
forms a windlass equally applicable for the smallest as well as the largest vessels
afloat.
My Invention consists as follows:-A frame or casing consisting of two iron side
supports is formed with, or bolted, or otherwise secured on the one hand to a deck
or sole plate, and on the other to a top or roof plate. Both the top and the deck
plate are constructed with suitable openings to admit of the passage to and fro of
the cables from the chain lockers as taken up by the rolling motion of the wind-
lass, either in taking in or giving out cable, that is to say, the cable passes through
the openings out, over, and to the hawse pipes at ships' bows, and inwards and
downwards through the same openings in the frame to the chain lockers.
A tenon and mortice axle is provided on which the windlass revolves, so that
each cable and windlass may act independently, or they may act together as may
be required. A spring provided with the necessary fittings to keep it in its place
is used to take the pressure of both or either cable as occasion may require, and
such spring is regulated to indicate such pressure on one or both cables as one or
both may be employed. From each arm of the tenon and mortice axle to each end
of the spring are slides by which the strain upon one or both cables may be
ascertained.
The windlass is so constructed as to act in two parts, one on the tenon and one
on the mortice half of the axle, so that each cable may be worked independently,
or both together if requisite. Each windlass is worked by giant cog wheels
revolving with the controller, and regulating by either paying out, holding fast, or
hauling in the cable, and regulating also by means of the buffers hereinafter men-
tioned. It will be seen that such giant cog wheels form a great fulcrum and lever,
and, as will be understood, they also work separately or together as may be required.
There are also small mortice and tenon axles with small cog wheels to operate
AU-

page_text: on the larger or giant cog wheels; and for the purpose of giving great additional
leverage very large or gigantic V wheels are secured on the axle, having smaller
V wheels to act upon them, and thus is formed another great fulcrum and lever to
work the large and small cog wheels herein before mentioned. Buffers are pro-
vided to regulate the larger and smaller V wheels, either to put pressure on or to 5
release the cables, so that one man or even a boy may apply the pressure on or
release one or two cables separately or together.
The windlass may be worked either by steam or by hand power, suitable pulleys,
wheels, or gearing being provided for that purpose.
I apply indicators attached to the axle so as to show the pressure on each 1
cable.