IMPROVED APPLIANCES FOR LAUNCHING TORPEDO OR OTHER BOATS FROM WAR SHIPS OR VESSELS
Year: 1884

page_text: "
I, ALEXANDER WILLIAMSON RAMSAY, of Inverkeithing, in the county of Fife,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for IMPROVED
APPLIANCES FOR LAUNCHING TORPEDO OR OTHER BOATS FROM WAR SHIPS OR
VESSELS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to provide simple and effective appliances to be
used in launching torpedo boats or other boats from vessels either while under
weigh or at anchorage.
According to my Invention, the torpedo boats or other boats for which the
launching appliances are provided, are carried upon a raised platform or railway
formed at a higher level than the main deck or upper deck, the shorter boats being
placed on carriages running on longitudinal lines of rails on each side of the vessel,
and the longer boats on carriages fitted to run on transverse lines of rails amid-
ships, the boats in each case lying fore and aft. The railways may be of any
ordinary construction, and the carriages may consist of wheeled frames fitted with
suitable bracket or chock blocks to support the boats, the carriages being however
provided with wheels or guide brackets adapted to grip the flanges of the rails on
each side in order that the rolling of the vessel in heavy seas may not occasion the
displacement of the boat carriages from the rails. To this part however I lay no
separate claim.
At each side of the vessel are fitted a pair of davits of improved construction
which are designed for lifting, lowering, and disengaging the smaller size of boats
carried on board the vessel. Each davit consists of a vertical stem bent out
horizontally at its upper end in the usual fashion, a lower part of the stem being
fitted in an eye formed in a swivelling trunnion or hollow pin passing horizontally
through the ships side above the deck level, the eye being outside the vessel, and
this part is secured therein by collars. The davit is fitted with hoisting tackle
consisting of a chain carrying a sheaf block and hook at the outer end of the davit,
the chain being led over guide pulleys on the davit to and through the hollow
trunnion by which the davit is carried and to suitable hoisting gear on the deck.
By means of this tackle the boat to be launched is lifted from its carriage on the
rails, and is swung out over the ship's side by swivelling the davits on their
vertical axis in the usual way. The weight of the boat is then transferred from
-

page_text: the hoisting tackle to a peculiar form of disengaging hook fitted at the end of the
davit, a chain or rope attached to the bont being passed through the disengaging
hook; or the use of the hoisting gear may be dispensed with by attaching the
chain directly to this hook before swinging out the boats, the supporting blocks on
the carriages being in this case withdrawn after the chains are fixed in the hooks.
The boat is not lowered in the usual way by allowing it to drop from the davits
while they are in the vertical position, but the davits carrying the boat are made
to swivel simultaneously on the horizontal axes of the trunions or swivelling eyes
by which they are carried, until the boat is within a convenient distance from the
water level, and at such position the boat is disengaged automatically. To provide
the necessary support for swivelling of the davits on their horizontal axes while
preventing them from turning on their vertical axes, a bracket piece fitted with
rollers is fitted on the lower end or stem of each davit above the ship's bulwarks.
When the davit has been swung out with the boat over the ship's side, a binged
plate secured to the top of the bulwarks is raised from the horizontal to the
vertical position in which it is secured by folding brackets brought up behind
it, and the rollers on the davit bracket then bear upon the hinged plate. The
davits are swivelled on their horizontal axes by means of wheels or pulleys secured
inside the bulwarks to the hollow pin or trunion on which the carrying eye for
the davits is formed, and these pulleys carry an endless band or chain over them,
so that the motion of the one is communicated to the other, and the davits are
swung or canted together. When the davits have been canted to the required
extent, the disengaging books on the ends of the davits simultaneously release the
chains or cords by which the boat is hung, and the boat drops into the water.
The
disengaging hooks are formed by shackles or rings fitted loosely so that they may
be free to turn on the ends of-the-davits, the lower end of the shackle being formed
by a jointed link which is secured by a spring or jointed catch. As the davit-is
canted, the shackle or ring turns on it, or the davit turns within the shackle which
is kept in its vertical position by the weight of the boat, and when the davit has
canted a certain length a projecting stud or studs formed on it come into contact
with the spring or catch and release the jointed link which falls away and frees it
and the chain or rope carrying the boat. To ensure the release of the rope from
each disengaging hook at once, the davits may be allowed to fall away with a jerk
just before the point is reached where the disengagement should take place. For
this purpose the long lower guiding end of the davit stem is fitted in an eye in a
bracket piece which slides or rolls in guides on the ship's side. When the davit is
canted, this bracket piece comes into contact with a stop pin which may be with-
drawn by means of a lever acted on by a handle on the deck, and is locked when
the davits are in their vertical position lifting the boats to prevent them swivelling
on their horizontal trunion axes.
For raising the boats out of the water, the hoisting gear with which each davit
is provided, may be employed.
A 1004

page_text: I, ALEXANDER WILLIAMSON RAMSAY of Inverkeithing, in the County of Fife,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVED
APPLIANCES FOR LAUNCHING TORPEDO OR OTHER BOATS FROM WAR SHIPS OR
VESSELS" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this Invention is to provide simple and effective appliances to be
used in launching torpedo boats or other boats from vessels either while under
weigh or at anchorage.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section and
Figure 2 is a side elevation of part of a vessel fitted with my improved appliances
for launching boats. Figure 3 is a plan showing the mode of carrying and moving
the boats on deck. Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of the improved davit and
operating gear which I employ in launching boats. Figures 5 to 15 are views in
detail of parts of the improved davit and Figure 16 is a sectional elevation showing
one of the sliding brackets which serve to support the longer sizes of boats while
the davits are being brought into position for lowering.
The torpedo boats or other boats for which the launching appliances are provided,
are conveniently carried upon a raised platform or railway formed at a higher level
than the main deck or upper deck, the shorter boats being placed on carriages
running on longitudinal lines of rails on each side of the vessel and the longer
boats on carriages fitted to run or transverse lines of rails amidships, the boats in
each case lying fore and aft, as shown in Figure 3.
The railways may be of any ordinary construction, and the carriages may consist
of wheeled frames fitted with suitable bracket or chock blocks to support the boats
as shown in Figure 16, the carriages being however provided with wheels or guide
brackets adapted to grip the flanges of the rails on each side in order that the
rolling of the vessel in heavy seas may not occasion the displacement of the boat
carriages from the rails.
At each side of the vessel are fitted a pair of davits of the improved construction
illustrated in Figures 4 to 15 which are designed for lifting, lowering, and dis-
engaging the smaller size of boats carried on board the vessel. Each davit consists
of a vertical stem A bent out horizontally at its upper end in the usual fashion,
a lower part of the stem being fitted in an eye b formed in a swivelling trunnion
or hollow pin B passing horizontally through the ship's side above the deck level,
the eye b being outside the vessel, and this part is secured therein by collars a.
The davit is fitted with hoisting tackle consisting of a chain C carrying a sheaf
block D and book d, at the outer end of the davit the chain being led over guide
pulleys E on the davit to and through the hollow trunnion B by which the davit
is carried, and to hoisting gear of any ordinary kind on the deck. By means of
this tackle the boat to be launched is lifted from its carriage on the rails after
having been brought opposite the davits and is swung out over the ship's side by
swivelling the davits on their vertical axis in the usual way.
The weight of the boat is then transferred from the hoisting tackle, by shifting
the supporting chain or rope attached to the boat to a peculiar form of disengaging
hook F fitted at the end of the davit, the shackle of the chain or rope G attached
to the boat being passed through the disengaging book F; or the use of the hoisting
gear may be dispensed with by attaching the chain G directly to this hook F
before swinging out the boats, the supporting blocks on the carriages being in this

page_text: case withdrawn after the chains are fixed in the hooks. The boat is not lowered
in the usual way by allowing it to drop from the davits while they are in the
vertical position, but the davits A carrying the boat are made to swivel simul-
taneously on the horizontal axes of the trunnions or swivelling pins B by which
they are carried, until the boat is within a convenient distance from the water
level, and at such position the boat is disengaged automatically.
To provide the necessary support for swivelling of the davits A on the horizontal
axes while preventing them from turning on their vertical axes, a bracket piece H
fitted with rollers h is fitted on the stem of each davit above the ship's bulwarks.
When the davit has been swung out with the boat over the ship's side, a hinged
plate I secured to the top of the bulwarks is raised from the horizontal to the
vertical position in which it may be secured by folding brackets brought up behind
it, and the rollers h on the davit bracket H then bear upon the hinged plate I.
The davits are swivelled on their horizontal axes by means of wheels or pulleys I'
secured inside the bulwarks to the hollow pin or trunnion B on which the carrying
eye b for the davit A is formed, and these pulleys I' are grooved and carry an end-
less band or chain over them, so that the motion of the one is communicated to the
other, and the davits are swung or canted together. When the davits have been
canted to the required extent, the disengaging hooks on the ends of the davits
simaltaneously release the chains or cords by which the boat is hung, and the boat
drops into the water. The disengaging hooks F are formed as shown in Figures 10
and 11, or 12 and 13 by shackles or rings F fitted loosely so that they may be free
to turn on the ends of the davits A, the lower end of the shackle being formed by
a jointed link which is secured by a spring or jointed catch f¹ or by a pair of
_catches_as in Figures 12 and 13. As the davit is canted, the shackle or ring F
turns on it, or the davit turns within-the-shackle which is kept in its vertical
position by the weight of the boat, and when the davit has canted a certain length-
a projecting stud or studs f* formed on it come into contact with the spring or
catch and release the jointed link which falls away and frees it and the chain or
rope G carrying the boat. To ensure the release of the rope from each disengaging
hook at once the davits may be allowed to fall away with a jerk just before the
point is reached where the disengagement should take place. For this purpose the
long lower guiding end of the davit stem A is fitted in an eye in a bracket piece J
fitted with rollers to slide or roll in guides on the ship's side. When the davit is
canted, this bracket piece J comes into contact with a stop pin which may be
withdrawn by means of a lever acted on by a handle on the deck. The davits are
locked in their vertical position when lifting the boats to prevent them swivelling
on their horizontal trunnion axes, by means of a pink entering an eye in the
bracket J, such pin being withdrawn by a hand lever K. actuated from the dock as
shown in Figures 4 and 9. For raising the boats out of the water, the hoisting
gear with which each davit is provided may be employed.
Figures 6, 7, and 8 illustrate a convenient arrangement for swivelling the davit A
on its vertical axis. A groove is formed on the davit stem, into which is fitted
a pin on a sliding collar L guided by the bars L' connected to the davit, the collar L
being drawn up or down by means of cords or chains l' attached to it and passing
over pulleys to any convenient position on deck.
In launching the larger size of boats, the swivelling davits A are swung down
below the level of the bulwarks, and their upper steadying arms lowered and
released from their collars and keys so as to be laid clone to the side of the ship.
Two or more brackets M hung on vertical pivots or hinges m carried in vertical
slides and guides N on the side of the ship, are swung out from a longitudinal
position to a position at right angles to the side of the ship.
The upper edge of these brackets M is at a lower level than the rails, but the
brackets are carried and raised in their vertical guides by hydraulic or other gear
until they are on a level with the boat carriages on the transverse rails. When the
brackets are swung out the long boat to be launched is brought on its carriage
towards the ship's side and on to these brackets as shown in Figure 16. The davits

page_text: are then swung up to the vertical position, between the ship's side and the side of
the boat, and out over the boat, and their locking and guiding arms again raised
and secured to them to retain their upper carrying ends at right angles to the
ship's side over the boat, which is then suspended to the davits. The brackets M
below are then lowered until the weight of the boat comes on to the davits, when
the brackets M are swung round to lie close to the ship's side, and the boat is
lowered by the swivelling davits and let go, all in the manner already described in
reference to the smaller boats.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. The improved appliances for launching boats from vessels, said appliances
comprising means of carrying and supporting the boats on deck, and of raising
and lowering the boats substantially as herein described and illustrated.
Second. The improved construction of davits and operating gear for raising and
lowering or launching ship's boats substantially as herein described and illustrated.
Third. Arranging and carrying ships davits in horizontal swivelling pins or
trunnions geared and operating in unison substantially as herein described and
illustrated in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.