IMPROVEMENTS IN CABLE STOPPERS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Daniel Davis, of 669, Commercial Road East,
London, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CABLE STOPPERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Daniel Davis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th July 1878.
GEORGE DANIEL DAVIS, of 669, Commercial Road East, London, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CABLE STOPPERS."
This Invention of improvement in cable stoppers consists in providing a
substantial base plate with vertical sides firmly bolted to the deck, over which base
plate and between the sides the cable to be held or payed out is laid; the base
plate has across it at the centre, or nearly so, a raised portion, about the thickness
of the cable link, over which the cable has to slide; the vertical sides are grooved
to hold a smooth solid plate or compressor, and to allow the plate, by projections
on it entering the grooves, to slide up and down vertically over the cable, this
plate corresponding in size to the space of the base plate bounded by the vertical
sides.
On the upper portions of the sides I attach a square box, holding a screw
actuated by a lever or wheel with handle; this screw descends into a recess in the
vertical moving plate, the recess also holding a suitable spring, so that when the
screw is forced down, the spring acts as a cushion between the screw and the plate,
and the pressure caused by the action of the screw upon the plate and thence to
the cable lying on the bed plate is elastic.
In this way I have complete control over the cable; by the pressure of the screw
and the compressor, the cable can be held fast and unmovable; or by releasing the
pressure gradually, the cable will, owing to the elasticity of the spring, be gently
allowed to slide through the stopper, under the perfect control of the man attending
to the lever or wheel of the screw.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Daniel Davis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
January 1879.
GEORGE DANIEL DAVIS, of 669, Commercial Road East, London, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CABLE STOPPERS."
This Invention of improvements in cable stoppers consists in providing a
substantial base plate with vertical sides firmly bolted to the deck, over which baso
plate and between the sides the cable to be held or payed out is laid; the base
plate has across it at the centre, or nearly so, a raised portion, about the thickness
of the cable link, over which the cable has to slide; the vertical sides are grooved
to hold a smooth solid plate or compressor, and to allow the plate, by projections
on it entering the grooves, to slide up and down vertically over the table, this
plate corresponding in size to the space of the base plate bounded by the vertical
sides.
On the upper portions of the sides I attach a square box, holding a screw actuated
by a lever or wheel with handle; this screw descends into a recess in the vertically-
moving plate or block, the recess also holding a suitable spring, so that when the
screw is forced down the spring acts as a cushion between the screw and the plate,
and the pressure caused by the action of the screw upon the plate and thence to
the cable lying on the bed plate is elastic.
In this way I have complete control over the cable; by the pressure of the screw
and the compressor the cable can be held fast and immovable; or by releasing the
pressure gradually the cable will, owing to the elasticity of the spring, be gently
allowed to slide through the stopper, under the perfect control of the man attending
to the lever or wheel of the screw.
An alternative way of making use of the spring would be to make the lower
plate movable, with springs under it, the screw and block then coming down upon
the cable; but in such case the mechanism would he more clumsy and unsightly.
In the Drawings attached, forming part of this Specification, Figures 1 to 5
illustrate the Invention, the like letters showing like parts in each Figure.
a, the frame bolted to the deck, between the uprights of which the cable passes;
b, the upper plate or block to rest on the cable; c, the handle of screw d pressing
on plate or collar f and spring e, to carry the block b on to the cable with elastic
pressure.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of the said Invention,
and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is, the application of the spring to the block holding the cable,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Daniel Davis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of January, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-nine.