AN IMPROVED SCUTTLE FOR SHIPS."
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Powers, of Wellclose Square, in the County
of Middlesex, Smith, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED SCUTTLE FOR
SHIPS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Powers at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th
April 1857.
I, GEORGE POWERS, of Wellclose Square, in the County of Middlesex,
Smith, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
SCUTTLE FOR SHIPS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in constructing scuttles mainly in two parts, so as to
be capable of admitting light and air, or air only, the one being a fixed frame
and the other capable of being moved. The fixed frame is divided into four
equal parts; two of these parts are glazed and the other two open. The
moveable frame is connected by a pin to the centre of the fixed-frame, and its
periphery works within a flange upon the fixed frame; it is capable of being
moved round this pin as a centre, to the extent of one-fourth of a revolution.
Two parts of the moving frame are glazed and the remaining parts are open.
Upon the periphery of the moveable frame there are teeth or cogs, into which
the teeth of a toothed pinion, worked by a key from the inside of the cabin,
take. When the light is closed the glazed parts in the moveable frame aro
opposite to the open spaces in the fixed frame, and the glazed parts of the

page_text: fixed opposite to the open spaces in the moveable frame, thus forming a water-
tight scuttle. But in order to admit air the moveable frame is worked round,
so as to bring the open spaces in the two frames opposite to each other, and
the extent to which the frame is so moved determines the amount of air to bo
admitted. Should any of the glass break, or for carrying cargo, a wooden or
metal cap is placed over the rim or flange in which the moveable frame is
held, and thus the scuttle is made tight. Where light is not required to be
admitted, the spaces in cach frame instead of being glazed may have metal
plates fitted in them.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Powers in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th October 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
POWERS, of Wellclose Square, in the County of Middlesex, Smith, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Powers, Her special licence that I, the said George Powers,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
George Powers, 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 "AN IMPROVED
SCUTTLE FOR SHIPS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
George Powers, 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 George Powers, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following

page_text: statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say-
My Invention consists in constructing scuttles mainly in two parts, so as to
be capable of admitting light and air, or of being used for ventilation only,
one part being a fixed frame and the other capable of being moved. The
fixed frame is divided into four equal parts; two of these parts are glazed and
the other two open. The moveable frame is connected by a pin to the centro
of the fixed frame, and its periphery works within a flange upon the fixed
frame; it is capable of being moved round this pin as a centre to the extent
of one-fourth of a revolution. Two parts of the moving frame are glazed and
the remaining parts are open. Upon the periphery of the moveable framo
there are teeth or cogs, into which the teeth of a toothed pinion, worked by a
key from the inside of the cabin, take. When the light is closed the glazed
parts in the moveable frame are opposite to the open spaces in the fixed frame,
and the glazed parts of the fixed opposite to the open spaces in the moveable
frame, thus forming a water-tight scuttle. But in order to admit air tho
moveable frame is worked round, so as to bring the open spaces in the two
frames opposite to each other, and the extent to which the frame is so moved
determines the amount of air to be admitted. Should any of the glass break,
or for carrying cargo, a wooden or metal cap or dead light may be placed over
the rim or flange in which the moveable or fixed frame is held, and thus tho
scuttle will be made tight. Where light is not required to be admitted, the
spaces in each frame instead of being glazed may have metal plates fitted in
them.
Inven-
The Drawings hereunto annexed shew the manner of carrying my
tion into effect. Figure 1 is a front view or plan representing the scuttle
open; Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1, shewing the scuttle closed;
Figure 3 is a back view or plan with the glass open; and Figure 4 is a
similar view to that shewn in Figure 3, but with the glass closed, and
having part of the scuttle framework broken away so as to shew the interior;
Figure 5 is an edge view, and Figure 6 is a section. Similar letters refer to
similar parts. A is the main body of the scuttle, which consists of a plate B,
which has a ring C cast or formed on it. At right angles to the plate B the
ring C has four arms D, D, D, D, cast or formed therein; these arms meet in
a boss E, and thus divide the space within the ring C into four parts. In two
of the spaces between the arms two pieces of plate glass F, F, are firmly
secured; the two remaining spaces have no glass, and are open. Another
ring G, with boss H and arms I, I, I, I, with two pieces of glass J, J, fixed
between them is fitted air and water tight to the back of the ring C. The

page_text: The journal d is of
ring G with its arms and glass are pivotted to the ring C by a screw pin a
passing through the boss H and screwing into the boss E of the ring C.
These rings, arms, and bosses are kept in close contact by a circular casing K,
which is passed over both rings and secured to the plate B by screws b, b,
which pass through lugs c, c, formed or cast on the circular casing K, a
small flange L projecting inwards is formed or cast on the circular, casing K.
The circular casing and its flange or projection are turned or bored out
internally, so that when the casing is firmly secured to the plate B the flango
or projection L will embrace the ring G in such a manner so as to allow it to be
capable of turning on its pivot or screw pin a, and at the same time to be kept
up to the ring C, so as to bo water-tight. The ring G with its arms I, I, I, I,
and glass J, J, are turned or partially rotated by means of a pinion M, which
is inserted in a recess formed in the circular casing K. The journals d, d', of
the pinion M turn in holes or bearings in the casing K.
large size, and has a hole e formed in it to admit the square end of a key f
shewn in dotted lines. The teeth of tho pinion M take into corresponding
teeth N cast or formed in or on the ring G. These teeth in this case occupy
the quadrant of the circle, which corresponds to the distance through which it
is necessary to turn the ring G when opening or closing the scuttle. To open
the scuttle, the square end of the key f is inserted in the square hole e formed
in the journal d of the pinion M, the key is turned round, causing the pinion
M to rotate, which by gearing into the teeth of the ring G, causes it to turn
or rotate through the quarter of a circle, or until the teeth of the pinion come
in contact with the solid ring, which acts as a sufficient stop, and prevents it
from turning too far. When in this position, the glass pieces J, J, in the
ring G will stand exactly over the glass pieces F, F, in the ring C, and the
spaces between the arms in which there are no glass will likewise coincide,
thus providing a free passago to the air for the purposes of ventilation. In
Figures 1 and 8 the scuttles are shewn open, and in Figures 2 and 4 they are
represented shut. Figures 7 and 8 are respectively a plan and section of a
plate or dead light for closing the scuttle entirely when required. This plate
is placed in the recess O formed in the face of the plate B; a screwed pin is
passed through the hole g formed in the boss h of the plate, and screwed into
a tappet or threaded hole in the boss E. Or, the dead light may be hinged
to the outside of the plate B, and secured when closed from the inside of
the ship by a catch, or other suitable fastening. When ventilation only is
required plates of metal may be used instead of glass. P, P, are holes in the
flanges or plates B, through which screws or other fixings may be passed for
securing the scuttle in its place.

page_text: And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the constructing
of ships scuttles in the manner herein-before described, and represented in tho
Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Powers, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-seven.
GEORGE POWERS. (L.S.)