IMPROVEMENTS IN ARRANGEMENTS FOR PAYING-OUT SUBMARINE CABLES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Caspar Loewenstein, of No. 37, Crutched Friars,
in the City of London, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ARRANGEMENTS FOR PAYING-OUT SUBMARINE CABLES."
Sealed the 4th December 1860, and dated the 12th June 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Caspar Loewenstein at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th June 1860.
I, CASPAR LOEWENSTEIN, of No. 37, Crutched Friars, in the City of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ARRANGEMENTS FOR PAYING-OUT SUBMARINE CABLES," to be as
follows:-
A turn is given to the cable round an ordinary grooved wheel at the stern
of the vessel, from which the cable is to be paid out. On the axle of this
wheel, and either on each or on one side of it, is placed a pressure or break
wheel carrying a break. To this break, as on a pivot, is attached a shaft or bar,
supported by springs resting on the deck or other suitable part of the vessel,
or by weights passing over a pulley. To this bar is fixed a heavy pendulum
mounted on bearings, so that the bar partakes of the motion of the pendulum.
To the other end of the break is attached a band or strap in connection with a
hand wheel, by means of which the break can be set to any required pressure.

page_text: When the stern of the vessel falls the pendulum falling with it draws its bar
or shaft upwards or downwards, according to the side of the break wheel to
which it is attached, and tightening the break upon the wheel, slackens the
rate at which the cable pays out. When the stern rises the pendulum falls in
the opposite direction, thus loosening the break, and enabling the cable to pay
out more rapidly. By means of the springs or weights the pendulum, and
therefore, the break is always slightly in advance of the motion of the vessel.
The springs or weights also serve to bring the pendulum more readily to a
state of rest.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Caspar Loewenstein in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th December 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CASPAR
LOEWENSTEIN, of Number 37, Crutched Friars, in the City of London,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Caspar Loewenstein, Her special licence that I, the said Caspar Loewen-
stein, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Caspar Loewenstein, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 ARRANGEMENTS FOR PAYING-OUT SUBMARINE CABLES," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Caspar Loewenstein, 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 Caspar Loewenstein, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained-in and by the following
statement, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in arrangements for paying-
out submarine cables, to prevent the breaking of the cable by any sudden
strain arising from the rise and fall of the stern of the vessel. This object is
effected by regulating the rate of paying out the cable by a self-acting appa-
ratus acting in unison with the motions of the vessel, and the said self-acting
apparatus is governed by a pendulum, which remains relatively stationary
whilst the vessel pitches, and is connected by suitable apparatus, with a break
acting on a drum round which the cable passes. The annexed Drawing
shows an arrangement such as I prefer to employ for paying out submarine
cables.
The cable as it is payed out is caused to pass around a grooved wheel or
drum (A), over which also in a separate groove passes a break strap (B), one
end of which is connected to the head (C) of a heavy pendulum (D) mounted
on an axis carried in bearings, and the other end of the break strap is con-
nected to the axletree of a break wheel (E). As shown in the Drawing, the
head of the pendulum is made circular, and as the pendulum falls toward
the break drum (A) the strap B becomes wound partially around the head of
the pendulum, and is thus drawn tighter. When the pendulum falls in the
contrary direction the strap is unwound from the head, and is thus slackened.
In place of this construction the strap may be attached to the end of a lever or
cross head fixed to the upper end of the pendulum. Springs also may be
employed, tending to bring the pendulum constantly into the position in which
the Drawing shows it. I prefer, however, the construction shewn in the
Drawing, and I do not consider it necessary to use springs.
The break is in the first place adjusted to give the required amount of
strain for a smooth sea, when the vessel had no rolling or pitching motion.
This strain varies according to the nature and specific gravity of the cable to
be paid out, the depth of the water, and other circumstances well known to
those practically engaged in the work. The pendulum attached is made
capable of receiving additional weight when the vessel passes into deeper
water or meets with boisterous weather. The hand wheel E is employed to
increase or diminish the general pressure of the break strap without interfering
with the action of the regulating pendulum.
I call the instrument D a pendulum, as it acts on the principle of the pen-
dulum. Strictly speaking, it is a heavy bar hung easily from an axis of
suspension at one end, and having a heavy weight at the other. The axis
of suspension lies athwartships, so that the direction of motion of the pendulum

page_text: .
may be in the direction of stem and stern. The pendulum being free to move
upon its axis maintains its vertical position, notwithstanding the pitching of
the vessel, consequently, when the stern sinks the break bears with a greater
force upon the drum, slowing its motion, and thereby decreasing the rate of
paying out the cable. The stern rising the pendulum still remains vertical,
and the strain of the break upon the drum decreases in consequence, allowing
the cable to pass more freely. Guides are employed to support the stem of
the pendulum when the vessel rolls, and prevent a strain coming upon the
axis. Should it be considered desirable to pay out the cable from the side of
the vessel, a similar apparatus may be employed, the axis of the pendulum
then laying in the direction of stem and stern, giving a direction of motion
athwartships when the vessel rolls.
What I claim is the application of a pendulum to regulate the action of the
break, as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Caspar Loewenstein, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
. One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
CASPAR LOEWENSTEIN. (L.S.)