ROCKET APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN OBJECTS BY MEANS OF THROWING LINES
Year: 1884

page_text: We RICHARD GEORGE LACEY of Goulden Street Battersea in the county of
Surrey Mariner and HENRY GEORGE COPELAND of Gracechurch Street in the city
of London Shipbroker do hereby declare the nature of the said Richard George
Lacey's invention for ROCKET APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING COMMUNICATION
BETWEEN OBJECTS BY MEANS OF THROWING LINES to be as follows:-
"
"
This invention relates to new or improved apparatus for effecting communication
between objects by means of throwing lines, similarly to so-called "rocket-
apparatus" the object being to provide ready means for throwing a line or lines
from or to and between two objects by means of a projectile or propeller of this
or that kind for instance a rocket or spring of a strength to carry a line from about
twenty, to five hundred yards.
In this class of apparatus there is provided a stand for the throwing apparatus
to give the inclination, and in connection therewith a box or receptacle wherein
the line that is to be thrown is to be coiled or "faked" in order that it may pay
out freely without kinks or entanglement.
The box or receptacle wherein the line is to be coiled or "faked" is made with
holes on either side and with two stands fitted thereto having pegs thereon slanting
inwards towards the centre of the box and on these pegs three on each side the
line is laid commencing from the left hand corner and then carried to the right,
over the pegs then to the left over the next peg and so on so as to form alternate
layers over each other so as not to foul in running off. The box is made with two
pins or struts one at either side to form struts so that the box or receptacle may be
set at any required angle of inclination in relation to the inclination of the stand
guide for the projectile of the rope.
The projectile stand is made with the firing or projectile tube as a half-pipe or
trough attached to a forked upright with a quadrant arm attached to the rear end
and passing through a guide piece in the stand fitted with a clamping screw for
setting the same to its elevation and this stand may be fitted to a portable or
other frame made with the box or receptacle before mentioned or may be removed
and be fitted to the gunwale of a ships' boat or elsewhere according to the station
where it has to be employed.
The projectile or rocket will be fitted with a short stick to which an eye and
a swivel will be fitted for attachment of the line, and the swivel may be fitted
with india rubber buffers to reduce the strain in the discharging of the projectile.
Doted this twants first day of January 1884

page_text: We RICHARD GEORGE LACEY of Goulden Street Battersea, in the county of
Surrey Mariner, and HENRY GEORGE COPELAND of Gracechurch Street in the city
of London Shipbroker, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention for
ROCKET APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN OBJECTS BY MEANS
OF THROWING LINES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
st
"
This invention relates to a Rocket apparatus for effecting communication between
objects by means of throwing lines, the object being to provide ready means for
throwing a line or lines from or to and between two objects by means of a
projectile or propeller of this or that kind, for instance a rocket or spring.
In the apparatus employed, there is provided a stand for the throwing
apparatus to give the inclination, and in connection therewith, a box or other
receptacle wherein the line that is to be thrown is to be coiled or "faked" in order
that it may pay out freely without kinks or entanglement.
The manner in which our invention is carried out will be more fully understood
from the following description reference being had to the accompanying sheet of
drawings, wherein Fig 1 shows the improved apparatus in position when employed
for throwing a line, say from a vessel's deck and Figs 2, 3, 4, 5, 5° 6 6ª, 7 7" and
89 and 9 are details.
"
The construction of the box or receptacle A wherein the line is to be coiled or
faked" is shown in longitudinal section in Fig 2 and in plan in Fig 3. Through
the bottom of the box, on either side there are a number of holes a; two stands B
one of which is shown in Fig 3 having each a number of pegs b thereon corresponding
to the number of holes made on either side of the bottom of the box, are secured
transversely beneath the box in such a manner that the said pegs b pass upward
through and fit loosely within the holes a, so that they can slightly cant or slant
inwards towards the centre of the box (as shown by dotted lines in Fig 2) to allow
of the line paying out freely when in use.
"
Around these pegs b; the line C is coiled or faked" in the manner as shown
in Figs 1 and 3 so forming alternate layers over each other so as not to foul in
running out.
A stretcher bar D, having holes therein to fit over the ends of the central pegs
on either side, is employed as shown in Figs 2 and 3 for the purpose of keeping
taut the line whilst being "faked " on, and on the removal of this bar D,
when the apparatus is required to be used, the two rows of pegs cant inwards
as shown in Figs 1 and by dotted lines in Fig. 2 so allowing the line to run
freely off.
.
Hinged beneath the bottom of the box or receptacle A, is a pin or strut a¹ for
the purpose of setting the box at any required angle of inclination in relation to
the inclination of the stand guide for the projectile of the rope, or similar pins
or struts for a like purpose may be provided on one or on either side of the box
Fig 1 as convenient.
The lid of the box inay also be stuffed or covered with cork to render the
whole buoyant, and life line loops can be arranged around the outside and so
serve for support to some two or more persons in the event of sudden foundering.
In place of the box, a sheet iron cannister or other receptacle in which the line
may be coiled or stowed, may be employed, such cannister or receptacle being
carried by or attached to, the projectile stand, or be wholly independent therefrom
so that it may be conveniently transported to, or placed in any position as
desired.

page_text: The projectile stand consists of a firing or projectile tube E; formed as a half
pipe or trough and is pivotted to a forked upright standard F. Attached to the
rear end of the tube or trough E, is a quadrant arm e, passing through, and
working within a guide slot f in the standard F, said slot being provided with a
clamping screw fi for setting the quadrant arm and trough to the required
elevation. With the object of reducing friction, the firing tube or trough E has a
number of rollers e¹ fitted transversely in the bottom thereof, as shown in Figs 5
and 5* and similar rollers may also be provided in the sides; a light frame of
suitable form and construction, and fitted with a number of such rollers e¹ may be
employed in place of the tube or trough E.
The projectile rest, or stand may be fitted to a portable or other frame made
with the box or receptacle before mentioned or may be removed and fitted to the
gunwale of a vessel or of a ship's boat or elsewhere according to the station where
it has to be employed.
In Fig 1. The rest or stand E is represented as fitted into a hole in the gunwale
of the vessels bulwark, but in order that the apparatus may be readily secured to
any part of the bulwark, or to a spar, or other object as convenient, the standard F
may be carried by a portable socket piece having two or more claws for embracing
objects of varying dimensions. Fig 6 and 6° show such a socket piece constructed
with this object; G is the socket into which the lower end of the standard F
takes, and is free to turn therein so that the firing tube E may be pointed in any
direction and so fixed by a set screw provided for that purpose. H is a claw
formed on the lower part of the socket piece G and h an adjustable claw working
through a suitable opening in the same, which by means of the screw g or other
suitable contrivance may be opened as required and closed so as to be securely
clamped to the object to which it is desired to attach it. Or the socket piece may
be constructed with claws hinged or pivotted on either side at g¹, g² as in Figs 7
and 7 and secured in position by a wedge piece or key g³ fitting into a suitably
formed groove or keyway provided in the socket piece G; said wedge piece being
attached to the socket piece by a chain or cord gr.
A further modification of this socket piece is shown in Fig 8 wherein the hinged
claws g, g² are by a prolongation of their upper extremities formed with short
arms or levers 95, 96. The socket piece being screw threaded externally for a part
of its length to carry a nut g7, said nut being formed with a conical extremity at
its lower part g so that as it is screwed down on the socket piece G the coned
part g engages with the arms go, go formed on the claws g¹, g' and thereby clamps
them tightly to the object to which it is required to affix the apparatus.
The rocket or projectile I is provided with a stick K of suitable length, which
for convenience of stowage and transport is made in two parts as shown in Figs 9
and 9, a short length k of not less than six inches being firmly wired to the case
of the projectile I and the longer length k¹ is provided with a screw dowelled
into the larger end at 3, so that it may be joined to the shorter length of stick k
by being screwed thereto at or be otherwise jointed thereto when the projectile
is brought into use. A notch is provided in the head of the stick as shown for
receiving an eye or loop formed in the end of the line, and to further secure the
same, one or more wires e as may be desired are passed through the longer length
of stick so that they may be readily twisted over the line to confine it thereto,
and a channel or groove k7 is cut on the upper surface of the stick from end to end
for the line to lie in.
A wire rope of suitable strength and size is employed for a sufficient length to
prevent injury from the fire of the projectile and is connected by a swivel joint to
the hempen cord or line.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :
Firstly. In a rocket apparatus for effecting communication between objects by
means of throwing lines, the projectile rest or stand E pivoted to the forked

page_text: upright standard F with its quadrant arme working in the guide slot f of said
standard, the whole constructed and operating as herein set forth and shown in
Fig. 1 of the drawings..
7
Secondly. In a socket apparatus the socket piece G shown in Figs 6 and 6* and
the modifications thereof shown in Figs 7, 7 and 8 serving to carry the projectilė
rest or stand F so that the same may be attached to any object and at any
pointias may be desired constructed and operating as and for the purpose herein
set forth.
Thirdly. In a rocket apparatus, the box or receptacle A provided with the pegs b
fitted to the stands B for the purpose of coiling or "faking" the line around said
pegs with the stretcher piece D, constructed and operating as and for the purpose
herein set forth and shown by the drawings.
с
Fourthly. In a rocket apparatus, the manner of coiling or
faking" the line
around the pegs b shown in Figs 1 and by the dotted line and arrows in Fig 3 of
the drawings.
Fifthly. In a rocket apparatus a jointed stick K formed in two parts, one part
being secured to the projectile and the other portion being jointed thereto as herein
described and shown by the drawings.
Sixthly. In a rocket apparatus the employment of a wire strand or rope end c
jointed to the rocket end of the line C as herein described and shown by the
drawings.
Datad this 1st day of Ontahan 1001