IMPROVEMENTS IN ANCHORS AND APPLIANCES TO THE SAME, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER TACKLING LIABLE TO SUDDEN STRAINS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Saunders, of Croydon, in the County
of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ANCHORS AND
APPLIANCES TO THE SAME, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER TACKLING LIABLE TO
SUDDEN STRAINS."
Sealed the 2nd February 1869, and dated the 13th August 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Saunders at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 13th August 1868.
I, ROBERT SAUNDERS, of Croydon, in the County of Surrey, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ANCHORS
AND APPLIANCES TO THE SAME, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER TACKLING LIABLE TO
SUDDEN STRAINS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in improvements in anchors and means for
rendering them and cables as well as other tackling more efficient
whether used for vessels or in connection with ropes or chains on shore,
the object being to absorb and to mitigate the effects of jerks and sudden
strains to which any such tackling may be subjected when in use, and
which is more particularly described in the following, viz. :—

page_text: I weld or join sundry bars of iron or other metal to form a part or the
whole length of the shank, providing in the operation an orifice at the
crown suitable to allow one fluke to pass through and for the center
of the arms to work in freely at an angle of from 40 to 60 degrees as
may be deemed necessary.
The arms and flukes I prefer to make in one piece, and they can
be detached from the shank at pleasure by removing them from the
orifice in the crown. The shank may be in one piece of the required
length, but I prefer sometimes making it in two lengths with a joint
connecting them so that the end next to the cable shall be mechanically
constructed in this way:-I take a suitable bar of iron or other metal and
bend it to form a frame, then by arranging flexible rings and iron washers
alternately I pass a center bar through them, said bar has an eye or open-
ing at one end and the other is secured in the top of a strong travelling
plate by a nut or other means. The draw bar fits and forms a part of
the joint in the shank and in connection with the frame bars, end plate,
travelling plate, and flexible rings form the cable end of the shank.
By this arrangement all sudden jerks upon the anchor and cable are
avoided.
This part of my Invention is applicable also to all tackling whether
used for vessels or in connection with ropes and on chains on shore, and
can be applied to advantage for moorings for floating breakwaters,
piers, jettys, or wharfs.
No stock is necessary for this anchor as in all other improved anchors.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 2
filed by the said Robert Saunders in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th February 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
SAUNDERS, of Croydon, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent, Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 3
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Robert Saunders, Her special licence

page_text: that I, the said Robert Saunders, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Saunders, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ANCHORS AND APPLIANCES TO THE SAME, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER TACKLING
LIABLE TO SUDDEN STRAINS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Robert Saunders, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Saunders, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
My Invention relates mainly to certain improvements in the
construction and form of anchors, whereby greater holding power and
security are afforded. I prefer generally though not always to make
such anchors in three separate parts, particularly for vessels and craft
which may be exposed to gales and high seas, whilst for those on'
rivers and sheltered waters not requiring the elastic combination two
parts only may be preferred. In either case the flukes and arms are
made distinct from the shank in one piece and swing together in an
orifice in the crown at a given angle to afford the best grip when in
use, and whichever way the anchor falls both flukes penetrate the
bottom. The shank I prefer to make in two parts, that next the crown
I designate the crown end, and that next the cable the cable end, the
former is a bar of iron with a slot in one end and a large orifice at the
other. This orifice in the crown is circular at the top and gradually
tapers towards the bottom where the arms enter and work freely upon
the inner rim of the collar, thereby obviating objectionable friction in
the orifice. The cable end of the shank is composed of rubber or other.

page_text: elastic discs and washers of iron alternately arranged in a metal frame
with a draw bar passing through their centre, and these are securely
held in uniform position by a strong nut or other reliable fastening on
the end of the draw bar bearing on the top of a strong travelling plate.
By means of this elastic part of the shank all sudden jerks are mitigated
when bringing up in riding at or weighing anchor. This portion of
the shank also acts as a swivel. Sometimes I prefer making the gripping
or holding portion of the anchor web-shaped and circular instead of
flukes with a recess or boss in the centre to hold the shank. For
channel buoy moorings instead of the present flat smooth surface cast-
iron anchors I prefer to adopt a casting square in shape with a
continuous deep rim on the edges so as to afford greater stability and
more holding power than those now in use.
The elastic part of my Invention is also applicable to sliding or
travelling deck controllers to act in connection with the anchor, so as
to ease the force of sudden strains. Also in connection with floating
structures requiring an elastic medium to assist the moorings to which
they may be attached. It may be used to advantage also on shore in
connection with moorings, cranes, and lifts of every kind for the same
In lieu of the elastic
object as well as for towing on rivers or at sea.
discs above referred to I may sometimes prefer to use spiral or other
steel springs for the same object.
Having set forth the nature of my Invention, I proceed to describe
the several parts and in what manner the same is to be performed, see
accompanying Drawings, like parts having the same letters of reference.
Figs. 1 and 2 are views of an anchor fitted with my elastic apparatus ;
Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are details of the same; Fig. 7 the web-shaped or
circular anchor; Fig. 8 the channel buoy anchor, with section of same
showing deep rim. In Figs. 1 and 2 (and details) A is the crown end
of the shank; B is the cable end of the same; C is the slot in the
crown end where the joint connects both; D is an orifice in the crown;
E the flukes which work together in the crown; F is a strong tongue
or stop (Fig. 6) welded in the centre of the arms which holds the flukes
at the required angle for penetrating the bottom; G, collars secured on
either side of the orifice in the crown which are held together in place
by a bolt H passing through them, upon these the centre of the arms
rest; I is the metal frame; J, the travelling plate; K, the elastic discs

page_text: 4th. That this anchor is not encumbered with the ordinary stock and
cannot foul the cable.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Saunders, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
ROBERT SAUNDERS. (L.s.)