IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORM AND CONSTRUCTION OF ANCHORS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Emil Rettig, of New Cross, in the County of
Kent, Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORM AND
CONSTRUCTION OF ANCHORS."-Partly a communication from abroad by
Ferdinand Martin, of Marseilles, in the French Empire, Merchant.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Emil Rettig at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th
August 1859.
I, EMIL RETTIG, of New Cross, in the County of Kent, Merchant, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORM AND
CONSTRUCTION OF ANCHORS," "partly a communication," to be as follows, that is.
to say:―
My anchor is composed of a shank, the upper end of which is shouldered
off, forming two cheeks, within the space between the cheeks is inserted a
rotating sector having a palm at each extremity; the arms are in one piece,
and of a U form, each terminating with a palm or fluke; the arm-piece passes
through an eye in the cheeks of the shank, intersecting at the same time the
web of the inserted rotating sector to which it is fixed, forming an axis to the
latter and rotating with it; each arm vibrates in a symetrical are, whose plane
is parallel to the vertical plane passing through the axis of the shank, the
length of the arc being proportioned to the length of the sector; the outer
part of the sector has a shackle or swivel fixed to it, for the purpose of

page_text: attaching the buoy and for fishing the anchor. The lower extremity of the
shank has also a swivel or shackle, for the purpose of attaching the anchor
cable. I propose also, in order to increase the holding power of the anchor,
and also to give greater steadiness, to fix to the lower end of the shank a curved
sector, which, intersecting the shank at right angles, has its convex portion
turned towards the flukes of the main arms, thus forming, to a certain extent,
another pair of arms, which act somewhat similar to the first mentioned.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Emil Rettig in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th
February 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EMIL
RETTIG, of New Cross, in the County of Kent, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Emil Rettig, Her special licence that I, the said Emil
Rettig, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Emil Rettig, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE FORM AND CONSTRUCTION OF ANCHORS," partly a communication
from abroad by Ferdinand Martin, of Marseilles, in the French Empire,
Merchant, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Emil Rettig,
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 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 Emil Rettig, 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, that is to say :-.

page_text: My anchor is composed of three main pieces, and three or more subordinate
parts, by the form, combinations, and arrangement of which, I ain enabled to
obtain vastly greater holding power than can be obtained from any anchor I
at present know; moreover, while from its construction, it acts with unerring
certainty, it is not only more easily handled, but avoids nearly all the in-
conveniences and defects of the present system of anchors.
The three main portions of my anchor consist of the shank, the head, and
the arms, and the form, arrangement, combination, and action of these three
parts constitute the peculiarity of my Invention.
The accompanying Drawings are intended to illustrate my description of the
.form of these parts, and of the subordinate details, as well as to shew the
arrangement and the mode of combining them one with another, and their
action when so combined and forming the anchor. I wish it understood,
however, that I do not bind myself to the exact outline, shape, figure,
dimensions, or details, as each of these may be modified and varied to suit
particular uses and applications of the anchor; but I claim the main or
governing principles of form and construction of the different parts, and the
combination of these by which the action of the anchor, as berein-after

page_text: eye
cheeks a, a, the head 6 (Fig. 2) is inserted, and in such a manner that the
6¹ coincides with the eyes a¹, a', of the cheeks, each face of the neb portion
of the head being adjacent to one of the inner faces of the cheeks. The shank
and head being so arranged, one of the fluked ends c¹ of the arm is passed
through the eyes of the cheeks and the head, and is carried onwards until the
arms take a central and symetrical position about the shank, the fluked
extremities being turned from the head, as shewn in all the different Figures.
In this position they are firmly keyed to the hend, so as to form an axis, upon
which and with which it turns or oscillates within the eyes of the cheeks. In
order to allow this axial portion of the arm to oscillate freely, and to diminish
the friction, I introduce a bearing on the under side of each eye in the cheeks.
Figures 4 and 4 shew the form of this bearing d, and the mode of placing
and fixing it upon the cheeks. Upon the crown of the head I fix the "buoy
shackle" e 1 (see Figures 5 and 5ª), and at the lower etremity of the shank a²
I attach the main chain shackle (see Figures 6 and 6). The mode of
attaching these two shackles will be easily seen on comparing the Figures
with the points of attachment. In order to give a greater latteral steadiness,
as well as to increase the holding power of the anchor, I fix to the shank, and
in a plane parallel with its own, a curved or straight arın 9, 9', (Figures
7 and 7*.)
Figure A shews the anchor complete, with all the before-named parts in
their positions, and combined and attached as described.
The action of the anchor when constructed of the before-mentioned parts is
as follows:-It will be evident from the previous description, and by reference
to the Drawings, that as the head turns upon a centre within the cheeks of the
shank, it will vibrate in an arc, whose length will be proportional to the
distance between the lower ends of each of its flanges, for the contact of
either of these flanges with the shank stops the angle of vibration or oscillation;
hence, by causing these to receed or approach each other, the angle of
oscillation will be increased or diminished; in like manner, since the arms are
attached to and vibrate with the head, they will describe with it an equal and
similar angle; if then the shank be held in a fixed position, the head and
arms will turn round it in an arc, as described; on the other hand, if the head
and arms be held in a fixed position, the shank will move through a similar
and equal angle.
The red lines in Figure 1 shew the angles and arcs described by the
head and arms with the shank, when the head has the form and dimensions
shewn in the Drawings. It will be seen at once then, that if force be applied
to the free end of the shank, say, at the main chain shackle, the first effect of

page_text: this force will be to elevate slightly the free end of the shank, the direction of
the force being such as to drag or pull the anchor forward; the position of the
anchor when on the ground and about to be acted upon by such a force is
shewn by Figures B and C, the arrows indicating the direction of the force';
this tendancy of the anchor to dragg or move in the direction of the pulling
force is, however, arrested by the points of the flukes entering the ground, as
shewn in Figure C, the moment this takes place, the arms, and with them the
head, describe an arc round the points of the flukes as centres, and stand at
the maximum angle with the shank, the free end of which butts against the
ground, the lower portion of the elevated flange of the head bearing against
the shank at the shoulder. The action and position of the various parts will
be easily understood from inspection of the Figures B and C. The arms and
flukes are now in such a position, that if the force be continued they must
enter the ground, and will sink further and deeper until they take the position
shewn in Figure D. It will be seen that there are three points of resistance
in this anchor to the pulling force, namely, the resistance of the flukes, that of
the arms, and that of the free end of the shank; moreover, when the anchor
gets imbedded, as shewn in Figure D, a considerable amount of resistance is
given, both by the flange of the head and by the curved rod g.
Figures G, 9 and 9, 10 and 10%, shew a modification in the mode of
forming some of the parts, and also in their arrangement and combination,
differing somewhat from that last described. In this case the shank is made
shouldered off as before, but without having the cheeks formed on it, an eye
is, however, made in the shoulder. The head, on the contrary, is composed of
two parts (see Figures 9 and 9*), and bolted together, so as to have a hollow
space between them; the upper part of the shank is inserted within this space,
and the arms passed through as before; hence, the only difference between the
anchor so made and that previously described is, that in the first the head was
inserted between the cheeks, while in the latter the shank is inserted between
the sides forming the head. The action of all the various parts of this anchor
is the same as that last described.
Having now fully described the nature of my Invention, and how the same
is formed, arranged, combined, and acts, I wish it understood that what I
claim as new and desire secured by the before in part recited Letters
Patent, is,-
First, the mode of forming and constructing anchors composed of the
different herewithin described parts, having forms and dimensions similar to
those shewn in the Drawings, from Figures 1 to 7* inclusive, and combined
and arranged so as to act substantially as described herewithin, and generally

page_text: illustrated by the said Figures in the accompanying Drawings appended
herewith.
Second, the mode of forming and constructing anchors composed of the
various within described parts, and having forms similar to those shewn in the
Drawings, from Figures 9 to 10 inclusive, and so arranged as to act sub-
stantially as herewithin described and generally illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Emil Rettig, have hereunto appended
my hand and seal, this 27th day of February, in the year 1860.
Witness,
JAMES WRIGHT,
42, Bridge Street, Blackfriars,
London.
EMIL RETTIG. (L.S.)