Improvements in Grapnels.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 11th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1899
Improvements in Grapnels.
We, GEORGE DRAPER, Secretary of The Eastern Telegraph Company, Limited,
and WALTER JOHN MURPHY, Electrician, both of Winchester House, Old Broad
Street, in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to grapnels suitable for hooking and raising submarine
cables and its objects are to reduce the size and cost of the grapnel, to diminish
the chances of its breaking or catching in cracks in rocks and to render the
hooking of the cable more certain even if the grapnel be drawn across it at an
acute angle.
The grapnel is star shaped in section consisting of a number of longitudinal
ribs (preferably five) projecting radially outwards. The front edge of each rib
inclines backwards and outwards at an angle of about 45°. A hook or hooks is or
are formed in each rib the edge of the rib inclining gradually inwards and
rearwards to the bottom of the hook. In long grapnels a number of such hooks
are formed in each rib but it is preferred to connect together a number of short
grapnels (having only one hook in each rib) in such a manner that the planes
of the ribs of each grapnel bisect the angles between the planes of the ribs of
the adjacent ones.
One great advantage obtained by the small size and form of the grapnels is
that they can be hoisted inboard over the ordinary grooved pulleys so that a
chain of a considerable number of them can be employed thereby greatly increasing
the chance of hooking the cable.
GEORGE DRAPER.
WALTER J. MURPHY.
Improvements in Grapnels.
We, GEORGE DRAPER, Secretary of The Eastern Telegraph Company, Limited,
and WALTER JOHN MURPHY, Electrician, both of Winchester House, Old Broad
Street, in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
:-
This invention relates to grapnels suitable for hooking and raising submarine
cables and its obiects are.

page_text: (1.) To afford the advantages of protected prong rock grapnels with a reduction
of size (with special reference to their diameter) and cost.
(2.) To enhance the certainty of not hooking rocks or other large obstructions.
(3.) To minimize the probability of the grapnel being caught, or if caught, of
jambing in the crevices of rocks.
(4.) To so shape the grapnel that its small diameter and peculiar action will
allow of its being easily brought straight away inboard over the sheaves a
feature which will quicken work and enable a long series of grapnels to be
shackled together and yet will allow the grapnel which may have hooked the
cable and the cable it carries to be immediately hove up close under the bow
since the grapnels above will pass inboard.
(5.) To so shape the grapnet prongs and hooks that they shall have practically
as good a chance of hooking if the grapnel is dragged across the cable in an
oblique direction as it has when properly crossed at right angles.
(6.) To do away with the necessity of any moving parts having the object of
freeing grapnels from rocks and in fact to simplify its construction to a plain
casting.
(7.) To minimize the chances of breaking toes or prongs by limiting the thick-
ness of rock which a toe can hook and so do away with the necessity of providing
for the replacement of toes which is all the less necessary because of the cheap-
ness of the grapnel as a whole.
The grapnel is star shaped in section being furnished with (preferably) five
ribs projecting radially outward and equidistant from each other. It is furnished
with a shackle ring at each end and the ribs are cut away towards these at
about an angle of 45°.
The shaping away of the top of the ribs at about that particular angle is for
the purpose of making it easier for the grapnel to fit over rough bottom without
jumping, and to prevent the forming of a wedge which would jamb the grapnel
and prevent it falling back out of a crevice when the rope is slackened.
The outside edges of the ribs when not cut away are parallel with the axis
of the grapnel so that if the grapnel once enters a narrow way it will go right
through.
A hook or hooks is or are formed in each rib the edge of the rib inclining
gradually inwards and rearwards to the bottom of the hook. In long grapnels a
number of such hooks are formed in each rib but it is preferred to connect
together a number of short grapnels (having only one hook in each rib) in such
a manner that the planes of the ribs of each grapnel bisect the angles between
the planes of the ribs of the adjacent ones.
Figure 1 is a plan of a pair of short grapnels constructed and connected together
in accordance with this invention. Figures 2 and 3 are end views of each of these
separately.
Figure 4 is a plan of a long grapnel and Figures 5 and 6 are end views of
the same.
In Figures 1 to 3 A¹ to A and a to a³ are the ribs of the two grapnels each
of them being cut away at B to form hooks. At each end of each grapnel
eyes CD and c d are formed so that the grapnels can be connected in series
by shackles E. The eyes C and c are in the same planes as the ribs A5 a5 but
the eyes D and d are in the same planes as A2 and a² the result being that
if A¹ A² rest on the ground and make equal angles with the vertical as shown
then a³ is vertical and rests on the ground. This arrangement gives an increased
chance of catching the cable.
In Figures 4 to 6 each of the ribs A has in it several hooks B and as these
grapnels are seldom used in series it is not necessary for the eyes C and D to
be set at an angle to each other but an eye is provided at each end so that they
may be used in series with short grapnels. Instead of the whole grapnel being
made in one piece each ring of hooks may be made separately and threaded on a
central stem.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is':-
1. A grapnel consisting of longitudinal radial ribs with hooks formed in them.
2. A grapnel consisting of longitudinal radial ribs with hooks formed in them,
and having an eye at each end such eyes lying in different planes.
3. A grapnel consisting of five longitudinal radial ribs with hooks formed
in them and having an eye at each end such eyes being at right angles to each
other.
4. Grapnels substantially as described and illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this 10th day of October 1899
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.