IMPROVEMENTS IN LOWERING AND RAISING SHIPs' Boats, and IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR.”
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Pinker, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOWERING AND
RAISING SHIPs' Boats, and IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR.”
RAISING SHIPS' BOATS, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR.'
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Pinker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th February 1873.
I, JOHN PINKER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOWERING
AND RAISING SHIPS' BOATS, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR," to be
as follows:-
:-
My Invention relates to an improved method of lowering and raising
ships' boats so that the boat shall be lowered, placed in the water, and
cast off clear of the ship's side. The boat also may be taken up clear of
the ship's side.

page_text: An apparatus constructed according to my Invention consists of a
novel style of davits or cranes, which may be worked by toothed
quadrants gearing into suitable pinions, which pinions are worked,
regulated, and controlled by hydraulic or steam cylinders. The davits
or cranes are formed with a double bend or crank, so as to lay inboard
on the ship's side and of such dimensions as to take in the boat which
they are to work. At their lower ends the davits are hinged or jointed
to the ship's side so that they will work or travel in manner similar to
the jib of a crane. Some distance up the davits they are attached to
toothed quadrants or their mechanical equivalents respectively, which
quadrants are controlled and worked by suitable pinions. These pinions
are driven, controlled, and regulated by pulleys connected with a chain
or rope leading from the piston rod of one or more hydraulic or steam
cylinders. These hydraulic or steam cylinders may be situated in the
ship's hold, and bolted direct on to the ship's side, and in position imme-
diately below the davits respectively.
Where one cylinder is used it may be situated on the ship's side in
the hold immediately below the centre of the two davits.
The cylinders in all cases are fitted with suitable supply and stop
cocks. The davits are braced together, and stayed by suitable binding
rods and struts.
The quadrants may be fitted with plates, so that the plates will fill
up the slot in the ship's bulwarks or rail in which they work.
An additional pulley may be placed under the spar or upper deck
beams, or on the deck itself, to work a line, giving additional support
and quicker action in raising the davits when required. A boat when
slung in these davits rests on the deck or side of the ship with the davit
coming underneath her, and bending round her, inboard.
When it is required to lower the boat the operator, or man in charge,
after knocking away the usual boat chock outboard, opens the discharge
cock in connexion with the cylinder or cylinders. The boat by her own
weight on the davits launches herself. The man at the discharge cock
regulates or governs the speed by the discharge of water or steam. This
discharge cock can be worked by a line from the men in the boat or by
a man on the ship. The davits as they traverse the arc, namely, with

page_text: the radius from their joint at the ship's side to their upper end, swing
the boat clear of the ship's side, and thus prevent danger of stoving or
capsizing. The boat can be then cast loose from the davits by unhooking
or disengaging the tackles by any known means. The davits can then
be made to resume their position on the ship's side by applying power
to the cylinder or cylinders by a balance weight or by manual labour.
The apparatus has the advantage of being thoroughly under the control
of one man, also the boat being outside the davits is lowered and cast
off without requiring to be swung outboard first, as is now generally
the case.
In raising or lifting the boat from the sea to the ship's side the davits
are lowered over her, the tackle then attached, and the davits and boat
then swung up into position by means of the hydraulic or steam cylinders
or by hand power.
In some instances the piston rod of the cylinders may be geared on to
the pinions working the quadrants direct, but this arrangement will be
more complicated and costly, or the pinions may be worked by a
messenger or gearing from a capstan or winch.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,.
filed by the said John Pinker in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th August 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
PINKER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in
the thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said John Pinker, Her
special licence that I, the said John Pinker, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Pinker,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter

page_text: 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 LOWERING AND RAISING SHIPS' BOATS, AND IN THE
APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Pinker, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under 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 Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
'
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Pinker, 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 to an improved method of lowering and raising
ships' boats so that the boat shall be lowered, placed in the water, and
cast off clear of the ship's side. The boat also may be taken up clear of
the ship's side.
An apparatus constructed according to my Invention consists of a
novel style of davits or cranes, which may be worked by suitable tackle
or by toothed quadrants gearing into suitable pinions, which tackle or
pinions are worked, regulated, and controlled by an hydraulic or steam
cylinder or cylinders. The davits or cranes are formed with a double
bend or crank, so as to lay inboard on the ship's side, and of such
dimensions as to take in the boat which they are to work. At their
lower ends the davits are hinged or jointed to the ship's side so that
they will work or travel in manner similar to the jib of a crane. Some
distance up the davits are attached to suitable working tackle or to
toothed quadrants, or their mechanical equivalents respectively. The
tackle is connected by suitable pulleys to the piston rod of one or more
hydraulic or steam cylinders. When the quadrants are used on the
davits they are controlled and worked by suitable pinions. These pinions
are controlled and regulated by pulleys connected with a chain or rope
leading from the piston rod of one or more hydraulic or steam cylinders.

page_text: These hydraulic or steam cylinders may be situated on deck or between
decks, or in the ship's hold, and bolted direct on to the ship's deck or
side, and in position immediately behind or below the davits respectively.
Where one cylinder is used it may be situated immediately between
the centre of the two davits.
The cylinders in all cases are fitted with suitable supply and stop
cocks. The davits are braced together, and stayed by suitable binding
rods and struts.
When quadrants are used they may be fitted with plates, so that the
plates will fill up the slot in the ship's bulwarks or rail in which they
work.
An additional pulley may be placed under the spar or upper deck
beams, or on the deck itself, to work a line giving additional support
and quicker action in raising the davits when required. A boat when
slung in these davits rests on the deck or side of the ship with the davit
coming underneath her, and bending round her, inboard.
-
When it is required to lower the boat, the operator or man in charge,
after lowering away the usual boat chock outboard opens
the discharge
cock in connexion with the cylinder or cylinders. The boat by her own
weight on the davits launches herself. The man working the discharge
cock regulates or governs the speed by the discharge of water or steam.
This discharge cock can be worked by a line from the men in the boat,
or by a man on the ship. The davits as they traverse the arc, namely,
with the radius from their joint at the ship's side to their upper end,
swing the boat clear of the ship's side, and thus prevent danger of
stoving or capsizing. The boat can be then cast loose from the davits
by unhooking or disengaging the tackles by any known means. The
davits can then be made to resume their position on the ship's side by
applying power to the cylinder or cylinders by a balance weight, or by
manual labour. The apparatus has the advantage of being thoroughly
under the control of one man; also the boat being outside the davits is
lowered and cast off without requiring to be swung outboard first, as is
now generally the case.
..
11
1

page_text: then swung up into position by means of the hydraulic or steam
cylinders, or by hand power.
In some instances the piston rod of the cylinders may be geared on to
the pinions working the quadrants direct, but this arrangement will be
more complicated and costly, or the pinions may be worked by a
messenger or gearing from a capstan or winch.
The beforegoing being the nature, object, and purposes of my
Invention I will now proceed to describe more in detail how the same
may be carried into practical effect; and for that purpose I have here-
unto attached a Sheet of Drawings marked with letters and figures
of reference corresponding with those in the following explanation.
Like letters and figures denote similar parts throughout the various
views.
Figure 1 is a section of a portion of a vessel fitted with my improved
davit and boat lowering apparatus.
A is a davit, which it will be seen is bent inboard, and passes under
the boat B. The davit A is hinged or jointed to the ship's side at C.
The dotted lines show the position of the davit and boat when lowered.
The davits are worked, controlled, and regulated by the hydraulic or
steam cylinder D, the piston rod E of which is shown connected to the
davits by the tackle F, F. The tackle may be attached to the ship at
G, the bight passing round the pulley H, then passing round the
pulley I, and round the pulley K, and attached to the davit A by the
shackle L. The boat is held in position by the chock M. The chock
being lowered or taken away the boat by her own weight will swing out-
board. The cock in connexion with the hydraulic or steam cylinder
being opened the davits will gradually descend or lower, placing the
boat B in position, as shown by dotted lines. The hydraulic or steam
cylinder is shown in the Drawing in a horizontal position between decks,
that being a convenient place; but the cylinder may be placed on the
deck or on the ship's side, or in other suitable position. The piston rod
of the cylinder is shown connected to the davit by a tackle, pulleys, and
gear; but the same may be connected by a pinion and quadrant, or
other known mechanical means. The fore and aft davits for suspending
and working the boat are duplicates, and may be worked by one cylinder, a
as shown in plan at Figure 2; or they may be worked by separate

page_text: cylinders. One cylinder is however preferred, as greater regularity of
lowering is thus insured. The cylinder or cylinders may be used as the
medium for lowering the boat only, the raising process being done by
manual power, or the cylinders can be employed for the purpose of
raising and taking in the boats by the application of hydraulic or
steam power, which can be supplied by any suitable pump or steam
generator.

page_text: and connected to the davits by suitable tackle or gear, substantially in
the manner as set forth and described in the beforegoing Specification.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Pinker, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
FREDERICK JOHN CHEESBROUGH,
of 15, Water Street,
Liverpool.
JOHN (L.S.) PINKER.