IMPROVE- MENTS IN CHAIN CABLES.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Peacock, of Regent House, Starcross, in
the County of Devon, Shipowner, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CHAIN CABLES.'
"
Scaled the 25th July 1873, and dated the 30th January 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Peacock at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on tho
30th January 1873.
I, GEORGE PEACOCK, of Regent House, Starcross, in the County of
Devon, Shipowner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CHAIN CABLES," to be as follows:-
In making chain cables according to my Invention I use the best
tough nail rod iron fagotted and rolled or hammered in round bars of
any required size, and from these bars I form the chain links. The said
links are welded in the usual manner, but instead of being made in the
ordinary oval shape, and provided with studs extending across their
middle or central portion, they are closed in the middle and formed into
cyes at each end, the said eyes being of such a size that the links can
work freely within each other. An oval band or hoop of iron is welded

page_text: around the said closed or central portion' of the link, the same being
smoothed and finished with a suitable implement. The bands or hoops
must be of such a width as not to obstruct the free movement of the
links within their cycs, so that there will be no tendency for the cable to
jam or kink. The interstices at this closed portion of the link within
and adjacent to the ring are filled with some metal or alloy, which
will protect the link from oxidation, and give it a smooth and finished
appearance.
As a modification of the above I may form the links by bending
pieces of iron into an S shape, the ends being left long enough to wrap |
around the central or closed portion, and form the band or hoop. Or I
may form the links by bending the iron into the shape of the figure 8
and apply the band or hoop to the central portion.
The band or hoop may be made from the same iron as the links or
from other suitable iron. The size of the links and of the iron used in
their construction will be according to Lloyd's rules and the custom of
the trade. Swivels and shackles of ordinary construction may be used
with my improved chain cables, and the said cables may be made in
lengths of from ten to fifteen fathoms, or more if desired. The aforesaid
bands or hoops will prevent the parting of the cable in the hawso pipo
by falling across the lip of the same.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by tho said George Peacock in the Great Scal Patent Office
on the 29th July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE 2
PEACOCK, of Regent House, Starcross, in the County of Devon, Ship-
owner, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of January, in the
year of our Lord Ono thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in 3
tho thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto mo, tho said George Peacock, Her
special licence that I, the said George Peacock, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Georgo Peacock, my

page_text: 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, excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
5 and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CHAIN CABLES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said George Peacock, my exccutors 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 In-
Ovention, 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 George Peacock, 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing
forming a part of this Specification :—
My said Invention relates to the manufacture of chain cables, and
consists in various improvements as herein-after specified, and as
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 shows two
cable links constructed according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a
transverse section on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views illustrating a modification of the
said Invention.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
In making chain cables according to my Invention I use the best nail
rod, chain rod, or cable bolt iron; that is to say, I use either Lowmoor,
Farnley, or Bowling iron rods, or other iron rods, bars, or bolts
acknowledged to be equally good, fagotted, and rolled or hammered into
round or flat cable bars of any required size; and from these bars I form
the chain links for my improved cables.
The links a are to be welded in the usual manner on one side, but
instead of being made in the ordinary oval shape, and provided with cast-
iron studs or 66
stay pins" extending between their middle or central
portions, they are made as shewn in Figures 1 and 2; that is to say,

page_text: they are closed at their middle, and formed at each end into eyes a' of
such a size that the said links can work freely within each other, and a
continuous band or hoop b of iron, oval or bulbous, in transverse section,
is welded around the said closed or central position of the link, and is
smoothied and fashioned or finished with suitable swage tools. Or instead
of making the link as above described the link is made as in Figures 3
and 4; that is to say, it is not closed in the middle, but is of an ovalated
clongated oblong shape (the strongest form of link), and has a wrought
iron bulbous cross bar band c welded on between and upon the sides of
the link a, the same being chamfered off at the outer edges or sides of
the said link to make it lighter than a continuous band, although
equally strong and answering equally well the purpose of preventing the
breaking of the cable in the nip of the hawse. I prefer that this
bulbous cross bar band for a one-inch cable should be one and three-
*quarter inches thick in the middle of bulb, and three and a half by two,
or two and a half inches broad, extending right across the link, ovalated
or rounded off edgewise in transverse section; and these relative pro-
portions are to be observed more or less in making the links of larger or
smaller cables. The dimensions I prefer for the links of onc-inch
cables are as follows, namely, seven inches length of link by three and
a half breadth; and for a two and half bar cable I prefer that the
dimensions should be sixteen inches by eight inches by three and a half
inches or three and three-quarters in thickness of bulb, keeping the
breadth of links for all sizes uniformly half their length. But I do
not confine myself to any particular relative dimensions, these being
regulated by authority.
In the links provided with the aforesaid continuous band, as shewn in
Figures 1 and 2, the interstices at the upper and lower portions of the
links within and adjacent to the said band may be filled in with a
metallic alloy composed of tin and zinc in certain proportions, which
will protect the cable from oxidation or rust, and give it a smooth and
finished appearance; or if a welded bulbous cross bar band is used for
uniting in a homogeneous mass the two sides of the ovalated clongated
link to prevent the oxidation or rust, a hole is to be punched or drilled
in the centre of the bulbous cross bar tapering outward or counter sunk,
and filled with the said molten alloy, as shewn at d.
In making a chain cable with the form of links, shown in Figures 1
and 2, I may make the same of wrought iron by bending the links into

page_text: an shape, the ends being left long enough to wrap and weld around the
central or closed portion forming the continuous band; or I may form
the links by bending the same into the shape of the figure 8 after
welding, and then bringing on the band separately. Or for cither
method I may use flat ovalated rolled bars of the entire breadth and
thickness of the links, including either the continuous band or the cross
bar bulb band, drawing out the ends long enough for forming the
eyes by welding at either or both ends of every link or at every alternate
link by either a joggled joint weld or ordinary weld; and I may use this
joggled joint weld either for the sides or ends of links in either or every
case, whether the links are formed of single bars by hand or of
rolled flat bars, as the case may be. And for either form of link I may
use rolled bars of the entire or approximate breadth and thickness of the
links and bulbs, including citler the continuous band or the cross bar
bulb band c forming the eyes, by welding at either end or both ends of
link by a joggled joint weld or other weld; and I may use this
joggled joint weld either for the sides or ends of the links in either or
every case, whether the links are formed of single bars by hand or of
rolled bars of any required shape, as the case may be, for obtaining the
desired form of the said links.
every
The sizes of the iron bars to be used in the construction of these
cables will be according to the Admiralty regulations, Lloyd's rules, or
the Liverpool rules, and the custom of the trade.
Swivels and shackles of ordinary construction may be used with my
links, but I prefer a shackle with either a continuous band around it or a
bulbous cross bar band welded on its sides, or worked out of the solid bar,
chamfered off in transverse section to a feather edge in the same manner
as the links. The said improved cables may be made in lengths of from
twelve and a half to fifteen fathoms or upwards, or shorter if desired.
The aforesaid continuous band or welded cross bar bulb band around,
between, and upon the centre of the links, as the case may be, will
prevent the parting or breaking of the cable in the hawse by the ship
running ahead of her anchor with too much way on her, or ranging in a
strong fideway when a heavy gale of wind is blowing in a roadstead,
causing the links to fall across the lip of the hawse pipe at an acute
angle, or across the stem. All the links, shackles, and swivels are to be
of equal length throughout to ensure regularity of grip at the capstan or
windlass whelps.

page_text: Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I claim,—
First. Constructing the links of chain cables with the middle portion
closed, and with eyes at each end, and with a continuous band or bulbous
hoop, and with or without an anti-corrosive filling of tin and zinc in the
interstices, as herein set forth, and as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the
accompanying Drawing, for the purposes specified.
Second. Constructing the links of chain cables with the welded or
solid bulbous cross bar band (with or without the anti-corrosive filling),
as hercin set forth, and as shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying 1
Drawing, for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Peacock, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness to signature,
HENRY GEORGE PEACOCK.
GEORGE PEACOCK. (L.S.)