IMPROVEMENTS IN ANCHORS AND THEIR ACCESSORIES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Saunders, of Croydon, in the County of
Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ANCHORS AND THEIR
ACCESSORIES."
Scaled the 19th July 1872, and dated the 30th January 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Saunders at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th January 1872.
I, ROBERT SAUNDERS, of Croydon, in the County of Surrey, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ANCHORS AND THEIR ACCESSORIES," to be as follows :-
The improvements in anchors and their accessories, to which my
Invention relates, are to the method of manufacturing anchors and to
their shape and attendant parts and accessories, so as to combine greater
strength and increased certainty of grip or hold; also less liability of the
cable parting or the anchor dragging when exposed to sudden jerks
caused by heavy seas; tides, or other sudden efforts.

page_text: An anchor constructed according to this Invention is made with the
flukes or arms in one piece, to swing on either side of the shank, the
flukes passing through a suitable opening at the crown end of the shank,
and swinging so that both flukes grip the ground at the same time, the
flukes swinging to the required angle on either side of the shank (the
principle being that known as stockless anchors). At the cable end of
the shank I attach two rests, one on each side, standing out from the
shank at right angles with the flukes or arms, so as to give the flukes
or arms a favourable pitch for entering the bottom when bringing up.
These rests may be of wood or metal, projecting from the shank about a
foot more or less in accordance with the size of anchor. The flukes or
arms I make of one solid piece, with a tongue or stop in the centre to
correspond with the opening in the shank and to insure the right angle
or pitch of entry when gripping the ground; and in place of making the
palms of the flukes flat I prefer to shape them pointed. The flukes or
arms are held in position in the opening in the crown of the shank by
means of a collar piece bolted on each side. Attached to the flukes or
arms are two portable or shifting wings, adapted to the quarter or inner
section respectively of each fluke or arm. These wings I secure to the
flukes or arms by clips or in other suitable manner, and so as they may
be removed or their position altered at pleasure, their utility being to give
additional holding power to the anchor. I prefer to make the shank of
my improved anchor of a series of uniform parts or templates cut out of
plate iron, the required number of which are built together and attached
by rivets, bolts, or hoops so as to form one compact bar, a suitable
opening being formed at the crown end to hold the flukes and so as to
admit of the flukes swinging to the required angle when in use, the
collars holding the flukes in position being bolted on each side. The
whole shank may have a band shrunk on its edge so as to give additional
strength. I do not however confine myself to manufacturing the shank
of plates built together, as the whole anchor may be manufactured of
forged or cast iron, or malleable cast iron or other metal.
:
The second part of my Invention relates to a class of anchors of
malleable or cast iron to be used for mooring. These anchors are of a
modified mushroom form, with scollop-shaped edges, with a recess or
boss in the centre to hold the shank; or this anchor may be made in the
form of an elongated parachute, strengthened at the back with ribs of
angle or Tiron. For light ships, Channel buoys, and all stationary

page_text: moorings this will be found a very desirable anchor, as it affords much
greater holding power than those now in use.
The third modification of my improvements in anchors consists in
making the stock out of a bar of rolled iron, shaped like railway iron,
with two flanges. The bar is bent in the centre in the shape of a fork,
and runs in two parallel lengths to the cable end, the bent end forming
the crown.
Through the crown.is an opening through which, pass arms
or flukes, which may be made to rest against the flange on either side,
which forms a stop. The arms or flukes are held in position by a collar
bolted to the shank. In addition to the arms or flukes there may be
hinged in the fork of the shank a spur made in two pieces, coming out
in centre of the swinging flukes. The spur will help the flukes to enter,
and will be in fact a third fluke, thus increasing the gripping power.
The shank may be stayed by pieces being introduced between the fork to
give strength. A shackle is attached to the cable end of the shank to
attach the cable to. Short rests similar to those herein-before described
may also be used to give the flukes the proper angle for entrance.
Anchors constructed according to the before-going methods are fitted
with shackles similar to those now in use for the purpose of attaching
the cable to.
d
To promote the holding power of anchors, and to mitigate all sudden
shocks and strains to which the cable may be subjected when vessels are
bringing up or riding in a heavy sea, I lodge an elastic controller on the
deck of the vessel, being an accessory to the holding power of the anchor,
and by the action of which all sudden jerks on the anchor and its con-
nexions are arrested, and violent shocks nullified. The controller is
self-acting, and is made to grip the cable link by link if necessary as it is
hove in. The compresser or controller consists of an iron lever hinged
to a sliding block, which block is connected to a base plate by means of
india-rubber or other elastic discs acting as a buffer. The block has a
groove to take the under side of the vertical link of the cable, and the
compresser or controller has a groove fitted with a friction piece to take
the upper side of the vertical links of the cable.
For the operation of heaving in the cable I provide chain guide wheels
on the deck, which are acted upon by one or more cog wheels or pinions
under the deck, and worked by preference by a capstan.

page_text: An anchor constructed according to this Invention is made with the
flukes or arms in one piece, to swing on either side of the shank, the
flukes. passing through a suitable opening at the crown end of the shank,
and swinging so that both flukes grip the ground at the same time, the
flukes swinging to the required angle on either side of the shank (the
principle being that known as stockless anchors). At the cable end of
the shank I attach two rests, one on each side, standing out from the
shank at right angles with the flukes or arms, so as to give the flukes
or arms a favourable pitch for entering the bottom when bringing up.
These rests may be of wood or metal, projecting from the shank about a
foot more or less in accordance with the size of anchor. The flukes or
arms I make of one solid piece, with a tongue or stop in the centre to
correspond with the opening in the shank and to insure the right angle
or pitch of entry when gripping the ground; and in place of making the
palms of the flukes flat, I prefer to shape them pointed. The flukes or
arms are held in position in the opening in the crown of the shank by
means of a collar piece bolted on each side. In some cases there may be
attached to the flukes or arms portable or shifting wings, adapted to the
quarter or inner section respectively of each fluke or arm.
These wings
I secure to the flukes or arms by clips or in other suitable manner, and
so as they may be removed or their position altered at pleasure, their
utility being to give additional holding power to the anchor. I prefer to
make the shank of my improved anchor of a series of uniform parts or
templates cut out of plate iron, the requisite number of which are built
together and attached by rivets, bolts, or hoops so as to form one com-
pact bar, a suitable opening being formed at the crown end to hold the
flukes and so as to admit of the flukes swinging to the required anglo
when in use, the collars holding the flukes in position being bolted on
each side. The whole shank may have a band shrunk on its edge so as
to give additional strength. I do not however confine myself to manu-
facturing the shank of plates built together, as the whole anchor may be
manufactured of forged or cast iron, or malleable cast iron, or other
The second part of my Invention relates to a class of anchors of
5 malleable or cast iron to be used for: mooring as well as for general
anchoring purposes. These anchors are of a modified mushroom form,
with scollop-shaped edges, with a recess or boss in the centre to hold the
shank; or this anchor may be made in the form of an elongated para-

page_text: Figures 39 to 47 (Sheet 2) illustrate a self-acting controller made to
grip the cable link by link as it is hove in. Figures 46 and 47 show
perspective view of controller. The controller consists of a strong
lever a, which is hinged at a¹ to a sliding box b, which box slides on a
base plate c, and in connexion therewith there are india-rubber or other
suitable elastic discs d acting as a buffer, as will be understood upon
reference to the Drawings; Figure 39 being a side elevation of the con-
troller; Figure 40, a plan of same; Figure 41, a plan of base; Figure 42,
plan of compressing lever and dog catch; Figure 43, elevation of com-
pressing lever; Figure 44, elevation of dog catch, which grips the
vertical links and acts in conjunction with the compresser; Figure 45,
elevation of base. The sliding box 6 has a groove e, in which run the
under side of the vertical links of the cable, and the compressing lever a
has a fork or opening f, in which works a dog catch a³. A compressing
lever a presses or grips the horizontal links of the chain between the
friction pieces 9 and the base e. The dog catch a² acts upon the top
shoulders of the vertical links, as shown in Figure 44.
Figures 48 to 52 illustrate a system of chain guide wheels fixed on the
deck and used for heaving in the cable, which act in conjunction with
the controller and capstan, the cable passing through the controller and
then round the guide wheels, which are worked by the capstan (or may
be worked by messenger independent of the capstan), thence to the chain
locker, as will be understood upon reference.
When ships are riding to a heavy sea I use a peculiar arrangement of
windlass abaft the controller, as shown at Figures 53 to 61, Figure 53
being an elevation of the windlass showing cable coming from locker,
passing round the chain pulleys, and thence through compresser
(Figure 54) and out through hawse pipe. The letters in Figures 53
to 61 are distinct from those in the before-going explanation. Figure 53
is a side elevation of windlass. A, frame or bits of windlass, with cable
pulleys C and C¹ on the outside, showing the way in which the cable
passes over them to controller, shown at Figure 54; B, main shaft; B'is
an outer shaft, on which the chain wheels C are fitted and revolve with
the main shaft B when the power clutches are put in motion; B³ is the
shaft of cable pulleys C¹; D and D¹ are cog wheels fitted respectively
on to shafts B¹ and B² to connect the upper and lower cable pulleys.
On the lower cog wheels Dare drums D³, having spaces for the clutches of
power wheel E to be held by when the pulleys are wanted to work, so
the

page_text: Fifthly. The construction, arrangement, and combination of anchor
shown at Figures 32 to 38, substantially in the manner and for the
purposes described and set forth.
Sixthly. The cable controller as shown at Figures 39 to 47, being
accessory to the holding power of the anchors when subjected to sudden
jerks or strains.
Seventhly. The arrangement and combination of chain guide wheels,
controller, and capstan shown at Figures 48 to 52, substantially in the
manner and for the purposes described and set forth.
Eighthly. The construction, arrangement, and combination of windlass
and accessory controller shown at Figures 53 to 61, substantially in the
manner and for the purposes described and set forth.
Ninthly. The construction, arrangement, and combination of riding bit
and compresser shown at Figures 62 and 63, substantially in the manner
and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Saunders, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
ת וזז
מזגתמת
ROBERT (L.S.) SAUNDERS.