IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISCONNECTING AND CONNECTING BOATS FROM AND TO SHIPS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edgar James Evans, of Sudbury, in the County of
Suffolk, Master Mariner, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR DISCONNECTING AND CONNECTING BOATS FROM AND TO SHIPS, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edgar James Evans at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th February 1882.
EDGAR JAMES EVANS of Sudbury in the County of Suffolk, Master mariner.
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISCONNECTING AND CONNECTING BOATS FROM
AND TO SHIPS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
My invention has for its object to connect both thwarts of the boat to the
lowering tackle in such a manner, that they are disconnected simultaneously by
one pull of the hand, but can be connected independently of each other, and cannot
be disconnected by accident. It consists in providing the centre of each thwart
with a shoe which serves to receive a link and is connected with the keel of the
boat, the shoe being closed by a movable hook pivoted at one end while the free
end projects downward through a plate which is pressed upward by a spring, so as
to keep the hook closed when the plate is not pulled downward by a chain, so as
to release the hook and allowing it to turn back on its pivot, thereby throwing the
shoe open and letting the link escape. The upper end of each link projects into an
inverted shoe attached to the lowering tackle and capable of being closed at the
bottom by a movable lever which in its horizontal or closing position rests with its
end on a projection of the shoe and allows the link to be introduced from below by
turning the lever upward in its vertical position.
The attachment of the lower shoe to the keel of the boat may be stretched or
slackened by means of a screw and nut.
The chain for releasing the hook of the lower shoe passes over guide pulleys to
a block placed within easy reach of the man in charge of the boat and receiving
the ends of both chains, so that by pulling the block along its guide both chains
are pulled at once and thereby both links released at the same time.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edgar James Evans in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th August 1882.
EDGAR JAMES EVANS, of Sudbury, in the County of Suffolk, Master Mariner.
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISCONNECTING AND CONNECTING BOATS FROM
AND TO SHIPS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
My invention has for its object to connect two thwarts of the boat to the
lowering tackle in such a manner that they can be disconnected simultaneously by
one pull of the hand, but may also be connected independently of each other, and
cannot be disconnected by accident. It consists in providing the centre of each
thwart with a shoe which may be made in different ways and which serves to
receive a link and is connected with the keel of the boat, the shoe being closed by
a movable hook pivoted at one end or near the centre while the free end or the
longer shank projects downward through a slot and is held in this position by a
fork, strap or equivalent mechanism so as to keep the hook closed, as long as the
strap is pulled or kept in tension by a chain or rope, but to release the hook and
allow it to turn back on its pivot when the strap is released, thereby throwing the
shoe open and letting the link escape. The upper end of each link may project
into an inverted shoe attached to the lowering tackle and capable of being closed
at the bottom by a movable lever which in its horizontal or closing position rests
with its end on a projection of the shoe and allows the link to be introduced from
below by turning the lever upward into its vertical position. The attachment of
the lower shoe to the keel of the boat may be made variable in length by means of
a screw and nut. The chain or rope for releasing the book of the lower shoe
passes to a pulley block placed within easy reach of the man in charge of the boat
and receiving the ends of ropes or chains so that by operating the block, both
chains or ropes are pulled at once and thereby both links released at the same
time.
The invention furthermore embraces a lowering gear which consists chiefly of a
spar, the same as is generally lashed at each davit for the purpose of steadying and
lashing the boat securely when swung out, which purpose it will still serve. This
spar revolves in single bearings which are vertical and each single vertical bearing
is attached to two horizontal bearings which work around the davit, and the davit
in them. By this means the spar can be raised and lowered as required. The
belaying cleats are attached to the davits on the in board side. When the davits
are rigged out, about a foot higher than the spar would be in its raised or highest
position, this position is that at which it will present its middle part to the side of
the boat when the boat is out for securing. The davit has a shoulder on it to
prevent the spar from rising above this position and a hole for a pin to enter below
to keep it up when required. The spar is to be about two feet longer than the
distance from davit to davit. The extending ends are for checking the revolving
of the spar when lowering, this checking being done by a rope fastened with one
end to the davit then turned round over one end of the spar, while the other end
of the rope is held in the hands of the lowerer. The davit tackle falls lead down
through a block at the bend of the davit and thence to the belaying clent. After-
wards each full end is attached to the spar, and by revolving the spar, the entire
coils of both tackle falls are reeled up on it.
The application of the lowering gear is as follows: The boat being suspended
and the spar in its raised position, cast off the tackle falls from the davit cleat,

page_text: after stationing a man at the lower brake or a man at each lowering brake, and
allow the weight to come on the spar, and as the man or men ease their check
brakes, the boat descends on an even keel. By this method, the falls are always
clear and readily wound up and cannot foul. In hoisting, the fall may be hauled
or led to winches wound up by the spar.
The accompanying drawings are intended to illustrate convenient modes of
performing or operating my invention. In said drawings, like letters refer to like
parts.
Figure 1 is a side view of a boat with davits, spar and lowering tackle,
Figure 2 is a cross-section through the boat,
Figure 3 is an onlarged vertical section of an axle bearing for the spar,
Figure 4 is 'a longitudinal elevation showing the thwarts, parts of the keel, and
shoes with accessories, and .
Figures to 9 represent some modifications, while
Figures 10 and 11 show a shoo and link with accessories on a larger scale.
A designates the boat, A the axle bearings of the spar, B the spar, C the davits
around which the axle bearings are movable, as shown in a larger scale in Figure 3.
The pins c serve to fix the bearings at the required height. D is the head of the
standards or posts to which the movable shoes or hooks E are pivoted, as shown in
Figures 4, 5 and 9. F are the posts which connect the shoes to the heel G by
means of pivotal bearings or anchors f. To the extremity of the shoe is pivoted a
lever e as shown in Figure 4, which rests on the ledge d when the shoe is closed,
but is thrown open when the shank c¹ of the shoe is disengaged and turned up, or
when the link of the lowering tackle is introduced from below. In its locking
position, the shank el projects downward through a slot h in or near the thwart H
and is held in this position by a horizontal strap or fork I pivoted to the arm J
which is itself pivoted to the post F. The ropes are attached at one end to the
straps I and at the other to the pulley block L, around which passes a thinner rope
controlled by the operator, and attached with one end to a thwart when the shoes
are in the position shown in full lines in Figure 4. In order to disengage the
shoes, it is only necessary to detach the rope M from the thwart and allow the
block L to open, whereby the straps I which embrace the posts F, shank e' and
arm J assume the position shown by the dotted lines in Figure 4. By this notion
of the strap I, the shank e¹ is allowed to rise through the slot h, and to turn over
and assume the position shown by the dotted lines. The strap I may be secured
in this closing position by pins i inserted from the side. The spar B is movable
up and down along the davit C; the lowest position is indicated in Figures 1
and 2 by dotted lines.
Figure 5 shows a disconnecting gear together with a link and a portion of the
lowering chain. In Figure 6 the connecting link N is attached to an inverted
upper shoe O by means of a lever e pivoted to one shank of the said shoe. and
resting with its free end on the extremity of the other shank, the two shanks
being made hollow as shown in section by Figure 8. The head of the post F has
a central slot for introducing the link N. The shoe E is made one-sided, and the
arın J pivoted to a lateral extension of the post F. Figure 6 shows the shoe open,
while in Figures 7 and 8, it is shown closed. The safety pin i is shown attached
to a chain. In Figure 9 the lever e rests on the side or sides of the head D instead
of on a lug in front of the same. r are the lowering ropes for the ship's boat, and rº¹
the checking ropes attached at c.
Having thus described my Invention, what I claim is:
First: The construction and arrangement of connecting and disconnecting gear
for ship boats and other objects.
Second: The combination of the shoe E, head D, post F, lever e, fork or strap I
and arm J.
Third-The method or means of controlling and securing the arms I.
Fourth-The construction and arrangement of the spar A and bearings B.

page_text: Fifth The combination of the slotted head and one sided shoe E as shown in
Figures 6 and 7.
Sixth-The combination of the slotted head D³, one-sided shoe E, inverted
shoe O and lever e.
The whole substantially as described, and illustrated by the drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Edgar James Evans have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Seventeenth day of August, A.D. 1882.
EDGAR I EVANS
(T.)