IMPROVEMENTS IN ANCHORS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents, 66,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ANCHORS."-A communication
from abroad by Charles Alexander Chamberlain, of Alleghany, in the
Sealed the 7th October 1864, and dated the 4th May 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th May 1864.
. I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ANCHORS," to be as
follows:
The objects of this Invention are, firstly, to ensure an anchor catching more
quickly in the ground, and thereby being brought sooner into position to hold
the vessel; and, secondly, to obtain an anchor which will hold more in propor-
tion to its weight than those ordinarily constructed. To this end the shank of

page_text: દ
the anchor is forked, and to each prong a fluke is attached in such manner
that the two flukes will operate simultaneously, and thus obtain a firm hold
on the ground. Extending across the back of the anchor from one prong to
the other is a "reverser," which consists of a bow strengthened by a diagonal
brace that connects it with the shank above the fork. The object of the
reverser or bow piece is to throw the anchor on its side immediately it touches
the ground should it fall with the flukes upwards. In doing this it brings into
action a pointed arm termed an "elevator," which is secured by a pivot joint
to a raised rib on the stock end of the anchor shank. This elevator is.free to
turn on its pivot in a direction transverse to the flukes. Its office is to supply
the place of the stock ordinarily employed, as it catches more readily into the
ground, does not require to be so long, and cannot under any circumstances
foul the cable. Holes are provided in the raised rib to receive the pin of the
shackle to which the cable is attached, the pin being inserted into one or
other of the holes according to the depth of water, the hole nearest the shank
being used for the shallowest water, the next for deeper water, and so on, the
use of the raised rib being to lower the line of draft in order to keep the flukes
at the proper angle for holding. On either side of the shank, at the elevator
end, are two curved elbow shaped pieces of iron, which constitute a guard and
serve to ensure the depression of the elevator when the anchor is thrown on
its side. When the pointed arm or elevator has entered the ground the draft
put on the anchor will elevate the shackle end of the shank and the anchor
will then fall over into the proper position for holding.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters. Patent," filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton,' in the Great Seal Patent Office on 2
the 4th November 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane; in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters 3
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her reign,
did, for Herself; Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special license that I, the said Alfred Vincent

page_text: Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ANCHORS," being a communication from abroad, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly, described and ascertained in and by the following.
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
The main objects of this Invention are, firstly, to insure a quick bite of
the anchor; and, secondly, to obtain an anchor which will hold more in pro-
portion to its weight than an anchor of ordinary construction.
The improvements consist in certain devices, which the inventor terms
respectively, the "reverser," the "elevator," the "depressor," and the "guard,"
applied and operating in combination with the anchor as herein-after
described.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which Fig. 1
is a side view of an anchor in position for holding a vessel; Fig. 2 is a top
view; Fig. 3 is an end view; Fig. 4 represents the anchor on its side; but
being turned over by what is termed the elevator. Similar letters of reference
indicate like parts.
To carry out the Invention with the. greatest advantage, the two flukes
A, A, of the anchor are arranged side by side, that both may operate simul-
taneously, and so obtain a firm hold on the bottom, the shank B being forked,
as shown in Fig. 2, and one fluke being formed upon or attached to each prong
thereof. The prongs of the shank are connected by means of the reverser,"
which consists of a bow C, arranged opposite to the flukes or across the back of
the anchor, and bolted to the two prongs of the shank by screw bolts a, a, and
this bow or reverser is strengthened by a stout diagonal brace D, which
:

page_text: connects it with the shank above the fork thereof. The principal object of this
reverser is to bring the anchor in such a position that the elevator, which will
be presently described, can act, but it is also very convenient to catch with
grappling hooks when fishing for the lost anchor. To the upper part of the
shank B is connected the elevator E. This elevator is arranged on the oppo-
site side of the shank to that on which the flukes are arranged, and set off at
some distance from the centre line of the shank by the formation of a deep rib
or flange F on the shank, and is so pivotted by the pin 6 that it is free to work
in a direction transverse to the flukes A, A. The concave side of the elevator
is toward that side of the shank on which the flukes are arranged, and its
convex side toward that side of the shank on which the reverser is arranged.
The said elevator is intended to supply the place of the stock commonly em-
ployed, but it is free from the defects of the stock, that is to say, it catches into
the ground better, consequently does not require to be so long, and it can never
under any circumstances foul the cable. Instead of being applied near the
upper end of the shank, as described, the elevator may be pivoted to any part
of the length thereof, so as to be capable of swinging in either direction from
the centre thereof. The rib or flange F, above mentioned, is termed the
depresser. It may be forged on the shank, or otherwise rigidly secured thereto;
it has provided in it two or more holes c, c', c³, at different distances from the
shank for the reception of the pin d of the shackle G by which the cable is
attached. This pin is to be inserted in one or other of the said holes, according
to the depth of water in which the anchor is to be used, the hole nearest the
shank being used for shallow water, and one further from the shank being
used for deeper water, that furthest off for the deepest. The depresser is
intended to lower the line of draft, so that the flukes are kept at the proper
angle for holding, and it enables a vessel to be anchored the more securely in
deep water.
The operation of the anchor is as follows:-In most cases, owing to the
superior weight of the flukes, it will strike the bottom in its proper position ;
in case, however, of its falling on its back, the reverser causes it to roll
over on to one side, and the point of the elevator then entering the bottom
causes the end of the shank to which it is attached to be elevated in the
manner shown in Fig. 4, that the anchor may fall over into the proper position
for holding.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements in
Anchors," as communicated to me from abroad, and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above

page_text: in part recited Letters Patent I claim, constructing anchors in the manner
above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Third day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.8.)