Improvements in Automatic Disengaging Apparatus. for Boats.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 18th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 19th Sept.. 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Disengaging Apparatus. for Boats.
I, MOSES HENRY CAMERON, of 1, Ash Lea, Cornbrook Park Road, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :-
This invention relates to improvements in automatic disengaging apparatus for
boats and consists of an arrangement and combination of mechanism, namely, a
combination of two levers placed one at each end of the boat, cach lever having its
fulcrum at the top end.
These levers are connected together at the bottom end with a rod so that both
levers move simultaneously. On each lever there is a projection for holding the
shackles of the davit falls, whilst the boat is hung up free of the water. The
projection on the first lever is at right angles with the shackle, but the projection
on the second lever is an arc of a circle described from the fulcrum of this lever.
The fulcrums are carried by shafts passing through two metal boxes placed one at
each end of the boat, a slot being provided in each box to receive the shackle.
The fulcrum, of the first lever is placed in such a position that the weight of the
boat hanging on the projection of this lever, prevents its being disengaged until the
weight is released by the boat being supported by the water, when the projections
on the levers are withdrawn from the shackles by means of a spring or weight.
On the first lever shaft there is a lever or handle for bringing the projections into
position for securing the shackles in the slots when connecting the davit falls to
the boat.
Dated this 17th day of Novemba 1900
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Disengaging Apparatus for Boats.
I, MOSES HENRY CAMERON, of 1, Ash Lea, Cornbrook Park Road, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 improvements in automatic disengaging apparatus for
boats and has for its object to provide means which facilitate an automatic
disengaging of a boat when lowered bow first from a vessel under way, as soon as
the bow is water borne or if the bow should be struck by a breaking sea.
It is obvious that if a boat was lowered under the above conditions and the boat
fitted with gear that would not release until the boat was entirely water borne, it
would capsize in the davits, as the water striking the bow would send it against the
ship's side or broadside on.
If the stern should be lowered first the boat provided with my improved gear
will not disengage, but tow until it is entirely in the water.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood I have caused to
be appended hereunto one sheet of drawings which represents a longitudinal section
of a boat provided with my improved automatic disengaging gear.
In carrying out my invention the improvements consist of an arrangement and
combination of mechanism, namely, a combination of two levers a & b, placed one
at each end of the boat c, each lever having its fulcrum d & e, respectively, at the

page_text: C
top end. The levers a & bare connected together at the bottom end with a rod f
(in tension) so that both levers move simultaneously. On each lever a & b there is
a projection & h, respectively, for holding the links of the shackles i of the
davit falls, whilst the boat c is hung up free of the water. The projection g on the
lever a is at right angles with the shackles i at some distance from the fulcrum d,
thus the more weight that is held by the link the tighter the projection is held.
The under surface of the projection of the lever I form inclined or curved, or
preferably an arc of a circle described from the fulcrum of the same, so that the
spring which is connected to the lever and boat c, has only to overcome the
friction due to the weight on the link to withdraw the projection (when
permitted to do so by lever a). The fulcrums d&e are carried by shafts k, k¹
passing through two metal boxes placed one at each end of the boat c, a slot l'
being provided in each box to receive the link of the shackle . The fulcrum d
of the lever a is placed in such a position that the weight of the boat c, hanging
on the projection g of the lever a, prevents its being disengaged until the weight is
released, by the boat e being supported by the water, when the projections & h
of both the levers a & bare withdrawn from the links of the shackles i, as shown
in dotted lines, by means of a weight (not shown), or preferably by a spring b.
On the lever shaft k there is a lever or handle m, for bringing the projections &
into position to secure the links of the shackles in the slots , when
connecting the davit falls to the boat c for the purpose of hoisting it up,
which projections g & h virtually act as bolts and prevent the links from being
withdrawn.
If required, the spring & could be dispensed with, and the gear could be worked
by the person in charge, but the boat could not be released until it was water borne.
The whole of the mechanism described being boxed-in, the same runs no risk of
being damaged.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim, is-
"In automatic disengaging apparatus for boats."
1st. The combination of two levers a & suitably suspended in the boat and
connected together by a rod f (in tension) the lever a being formed with a pro-
jection g at a right angle to the shackle i and the lever b with a projection h,
having an inclined or curved under surface or preferably forming an arc struck
from its fulcrum e and being under the influence of a spring 6, which projections g & h
are adapted to simultaneously engage and automatically disengage the links ¹ of
the shackle i, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd. The metal boxes suitably fitted into the boat e near each end thereof and
adapted to serve respectively as a fulcrum for the shafts h, k, and receive the
links of the shackles through slots, the shaft & being furnished with a lever or
handle m, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 17th day of August 1891.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester, Agents to Applicant.