IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM FOR LOWERING AND RAISING SHIPS' BOATS, AND FOR DETACHING THE SAME FROM THEIR SUPPORTS WHEN LOWERED
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Martin Bourke of Youngstown in the County of Mahoning
and State of Ohio in the United States of America, for an Invention
of IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM FOR LOWERING AND RAISING SHIPS' BOATS,
AND FOR DETACHING THE SAME FROM THEIR SUPPORTS WHEN LOWERED
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Martin Bourke at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st November 1882.
MARTIN BOURKE of Youngstown, in the County of Mahoning and State of
Ohio, United States of America IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM FOR LOWERING
AND RAISING SHIPS BOATS AND FOR DETACHING THE SAME FROM THEIR SUPPORTS
WHEN LOWERED
The (present) invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in
apparatus or mechanism for lowering or detaching boats from ships or other
vessels, and the object thereof is to provide simple practical and effective means
by which the boat can be quickly lowered and automatically detached from its
fastening immediately upon coming in contact with the water when so required or
found necessary.
These objects I attain by the peculiar construction and arrangement of
mechanism as hereinafter fully described and shown in the accompanying Drawings
in which
Figure 1 is a top plan view of my invention.
Figure 2, an end view thereof
Figure 3, n longitudinal section of a life-boat with my improvement attached
Figure 4, a similar view of one end of the boat, on an enlarged scale showing
the clutch mechanism
Figure 5, a detail view in perspective of the clutch mechanism and
Figure 6, a perspective view of the windlass mechanism
Figure 7 is a detached view of a different construction of supports for raising
and lowering the boat in sectional elevation and Figure 8 is a front elevation
thereof. In the above described figures of drawings.
Prina G

page_text: A represents the side of a vessel, to which are suitably connected hollow
standards B at the required distance, apart. These standards support curved
arms C the vertical portion or shank thereof extending into the hollow standards,
the flange a of the arms resting upon the ends of said standards, a set screw b
holding the arms in place but allowing them to swing around horizontally over
the side of the vessel when in use.
To the arms C are suitably connected pulleys c d of any desirable construction
over which pass ropes or falls e the same extending down and around pulleys f, at
the base of the hollow standards
The ropes or falls e pass around drums D E and if desired they may be protected
by caps g from getting injured.
The drums D E have each a ratchet wheel with which engages a pawl i
pivoted to a frame F said fraine supporting the several shafts or journals of the
drums and gearing.
The drum E has rigidly connected to it a gear wheel k, the teeth thereof meshing
with those of a similar gear wheel Z said wheel being adjustably connected to the
shaft m of the drum D. The gear wheel may be caused to slide to or from the
end, of the drum D, by any suitable means so as to bring it in or, out of gear
with the wheel when both drums are required for use or only one as the case
may be.
This adjustment of the wheel is made by a notched push bar G, operating
against a clutch n, said bar being held. in place by a spring plunger o, or other
suitable means. This is only one of many means that may be employed for
operating the sliding gear wheel 7, and I therefore do not desire to be understood
as confining my invention to the precise means shown.
To one end of the shaft m is rigidly connected a gear wheel H which engages
with a pinion of a gear wheel I said gear wheel being connected to a shaft p and
engaging with a pinion 9 upon a large gear wheel K. The wheel K is rigidly
connected to a shaft r, and gears with a small toothed wheel L' secured to a shaft 8.
These shafts p, r, s, have their bearings in the frame F and are each adapted to
slide in the frame to bring the wheels and pinions in or out of gear when required
to increase or diminish the power as it may be required. The shafts p, r, 8 are
held in position by suitable locking bars t pivoted to the frame F after the
shafts have been adjusted to bring the wheels and pinions in or out of gear as the
case may be.
Suitable brakes L pass over the drums D E and are operated by levers u
pivoted to the frame F, the free ends thereof passing through guide slots v, and held
or locked in any position by a pin w or other suitable means to increase or diminish
the pressure of the brakes upon the drums. The life-boat represented at M has
upon its bottom horizontal operative rods N covered by caps P to prevent injury
thereto, said rods at their ends being connected to an upright or vertical rod R.
The rods N at their outer ends are pivoted to the lower end of a lever O, one at
each end of the boat and supported by a cross brace y. To the upper end of the
levers are pivoted bolts Q, the outer or free ends of which pass through
standards S and when the clutches T upon the ends of the ropes or falls e are
made to engage with the standards, the ends of the bolts Q will project beyond the
same and under the clutches. This will effectually prevent the clutches from being
accidentally disengaged from the standards, when lowering the boat, and when it is
desired to have the clutches automatically disengaged from the standards when
the boat comes in contact with the water, the bolts are withdrawn.
The standards S are cast with braces a¹ which not only strengthen them but
form guides for the bolts Q, a stop b' upon the ends of the bolts between the
standard and brace preventing the bolts from being drawn through the standards
and bent or otherwise injured. The standards S are provided with suitable holding
devices e¹ with which engage the shoulders d' upon the clutches T, said clutches
if desired having hooks e at their lower ends to engage with the rings f¹, at the
ends of the boat, when found expedient.

page_text: The standards S are each provided with pins g', connected thereto by suitable
chain which operates in connection with the bolts Q, so that when one person
only is in the boat and desires to attach it to the clutches, the pin at one end of
the boat is passed through the standard brace, and clutch which holds them engaged
until the pin at the opposite end of the boat in like manner holds the clutch to the
standard. After the clutches at both ends of the boat aro secured by the pins as.
above described the bolts Q are then operated to lock or retain the clutches in
engagement with the standards after which the person in the boat can go to each
end thereof at his leisure and withdraw the pins.
This enables a single person to attach the boat for raising by the ropes or falls
which would otherwise be exceedingly difficult, while the boat was resting on the
water. Each of the clutches T, are provided with a spring tripping device U, which
when the clutches are made to engage with the standards, the elbows i will force
the tripping device down, but so soon as the boat touches the water, and the weight
is all taken off the clutches, the spring tripping device will cause the clutch to be
automatically forced downward, thereby rendering the operation of disengaging
the clutches with the standards more certain and sure. It is immaterial whether
the spring tripping device be connected to the clutches or to the standards, and I
therefore reserve the right to make such change if found desirable. When the
boat is not in use it rests on suitable supports V secured to the deck or other part
of the vessel. A suitable crank handle W is employed and detachably connected
to either one of the shafts for operating it as required. Instead of the
standard B C shown in Figures 1 and 2 it will in some cases perhaps be
preferable to employ the construction shown in Figures 7 and 8 in which the
davits C are pivoted upon the side of the ship and operated from the standards B
through the mechanism herein before described. In this arrangement the support V
for the boat is attached to the outer face of the standards B, and leave therefore
the decks clear
In my Letters Patent of the United States No. 194123 of August 14, 1877 I
have shown a davit constructed somewhat like the davit shown in said Figures 7
and 8. I have found however that the construction shown in said Letters Patent
is not quite as practicable as could be desired. The construction shown in
Figures 7 and 8 differs from that shown in said Letters Patent in that the teeth c³
on the inner face of the davits project from said face instead of being formed in a
groove and also in that each davit is supported by two braces c³ pivoted to
opposite sides of the sliding block C. When the davit with the boat is lowered
the spring pawl or bolt cor other suitable device to engage the teeth on the
davit rides over said teeth and when lowered holds the davits rigidly in their
position thereby preventing the davits from being dashed against the side of the
vessel in rough weather.
The pawl or bolt c may be disengaged from the teeth of the davits by means
of a lanyard operated from the boat or from the vessel. Of course any other
suitable device may be used to lock the bolt C¹ to the teeth co of the davit.
Having now fully described my Invention, what I claim as new and desire to
secure by Letters Patent is:-
1st In a boat lowering apparatus the combination with suitable cranes or
davits or arms to which the ropes or falls are connected of the drums D E
sliding gear wheel and stationary gear wheel k and the adjustable shafts carrying
their respective gear wheels and pinions substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
2nd The combination with the windlass mechanism for elevating or lowering
the boat of the hollow standards B and swinging arms C substantially as shown
inf Figures 1, 27 and 8, and for the purpose specified.
3rd In a boat lowering apparatus the combination with the clutch T of the
standards S having braces a¹ and the bolts Q with stops b¹ substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
4th The combination with the standards S having elbow of the clutches T

page_text: provided with spring tripping devices U substantially as and for the purpose
described.
5th. The combination with the clutches T of the standards S bolts Q and pins g',
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof I the said Martin Bourke have hereunto set my hand
and seal this first day of November in the year of our Lord, One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
MARTIN BOURKE, (L.S.)