IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CATTING AND FISHING SHIP'S ANCHORS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark of the firm of A. M and
W. Clark of 53 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex Fellow of the
Institute of Patent Agents for an Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
CATTING AND FISHING SHIP'S ANCHORS." communicated to him from abroad
by John Norval Purdy of St. Johns in the province of New Brunswick and
Dominion of Canada
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th August 1883.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A. M. and W. Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CATTING AND FISHING SHIP'S ANCHORS" [communi-
cated to him from abroad by John Norval Purdy of St. Johns in the province
of New Brunswick and Dominion of Canada]
The object of this Invention is to overcome the difficulties heretofore experienced
in the catting and fishing of anchors.
The Invention consists in combined mechanism comprising a windlass barrel
with suitable operating gear mounted in a frame pivoted upon the cat head of the
ship so as to be adjustable in position to enable it to wind up either the cat-fall or
the fish pennant in order that the anchor when raised can be easily moved on
board.
A bed plate is bolted upon the cathead and a suitable iron frame is pivoted
upon the bed plate by-a centre bolt so that the frame may turn freely thereon, a
latch or bolt being provided to lock it in position. The windlass barrel is journaled
in the frame and is provided at its ends with ratchet and pawl gear operated by
windlass levers. The fish davit is provided with a fish pennant and suitable falls
and blocks.
In operation after the anchor is hove up to the hawse-pipe, by the main
windlass, the block upon the cat-fall is hooked into the ring of the anchor and
the anchor then hove to the cathead by means of the small windlass above
described, and the stopper is then passed through the ring of the anchor and made

page_text: fast to its proper place. The cat-fall is then slackened and slipped over the end
of the windlass barrel, and the windlass frame is unlatched and swung around so
that the windlass shall face the fish-davit, and the frame again locked. The fish
pennant is then placed around the barrel of the windlass and the fish-hook, having
been hooked upon the fluke of the anchor the latter is then hove up by the
windlass until high enough to swing over the rail, then by slackening the guy of
the fish davit the anchor will swing over the rail to its proper place and can bo
made fast.
The advantages of this mechanism are first that it does away with all
encumbrances such as wooden frames in the forecastle; second, there is no
necessity of cutting holes through the ships top gallant forcastle, and third, the
ships main windlass or capstan is not required in tho operation of catting the
anchor, as all the necessary power may be applied by means of the small pivoted
windlass above described. The whole apparatus requires but little space aud when
a ship is at sea the windlass and its fraime can be removed from the cat-head and
stowed away..
•

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Patent Office on the 28th February
1884.
"
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A. M. and W. Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents.
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR CATTING AND FISHING SHIPS' ANCHORS a communi-
cation to me from abroad by John Norval Purdy of St John's in the province
of New Brunswick and dominion of Canada.
The object of this invention is to overcome the difficulties heretofore experienced
in the catting and fishing of anchors.
The invention. consists in combined mechanism comprising a windlass barrel
with suitable operating gear mounted in a frame pivoted upon the cathead of the
ship so as to be adjustable in position to enable it to wind up either the cat fall
or the fish pennant. that the anchor when raised can be easily moved on board as
hereinafter described and claimed.
I will proceed to describe the invention with reference to the accompanying
drawings forming a part of this specification. Similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts in both the figures.
Figure 1 is a side perspective view of the improved anchor catting apparatus.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.
A is the ships cat-head; B is the cat-fall; C is a bed plate bolted to the cat-
head and D is a suitable iron frame pivoted upon and attached to the bed plate by a
centre bolt a so that the frame may turn freely thereon a suitable latch or bolt
being provided to lock it in position. E is the windlass barrel journalled in the
frame D and provided at its ends with the ratchets 6 that are engaged by pawls c
operated by the windlass levers F; G is the anchor and H is the fish-davit guyed
as usual, and provided with a pennant I fish hook e, and suitable falls and
blocks.
In operation after the anchor is hove up to the hawse-pipe by the main
windlass, the block upon the cat-fall B is hooked into the ring of the anchor and
the anchor then hove to the cat-head by the windlass E; the stopper is then
passed through the ring of the anchor and made fast to its proper place. The
cat-fall B is then slackened to liberate the catting windlass and passed over the end
of the barrel E. The latch or bolt holding the frame D,.is then removed and frame D
and windlass E are swung around to face the davit H and the bolt again put in
place. The fish pennant I is then placed around the barrel of the catter and the
hook e at the other end of the pennant having been hooked upon the fluke of
the anchor, the latter is then hove up by the catting windlass until high enough
to swing over the rail, then by slackening the guy of the fish davit the anchor will
swing over the rail to its proper place and can be made fast.
The advantages of this mechanism are as follows; first, it does away with all
encumbrances such as wooden frames in the forecastle; second, there is no necessity
of cutting holes through the ships top gallant forecastle, and third, the ships main
windlass or capstan is not required in the operation of catting the anchor, as
all the necessary power may be applied by means of the small pivoted windlass
above described. The whole apparatus requires but little space and when a ship
is at sea the windlass and its frame can be removed from the cat-head and
stowed away.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is:
1 The apparatus for catting and fishing anchors, consisting of the cathead A,
turn table D mounted above the latter, the windlass E, chain B passed around the

page_text: barrel of the windlass and capable of connection to the anchor, and davit H with
means also capable of connection to the anchor, said windlass being adapted for
operation so as to face the davit substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2nd The combination with the windlass E, the chain B, coiled around the barrel
of the latter and capable of connection to the anchor, the bed plate C, and the
turn table D, supporting the windlass and pivoted upon the bed plate substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
3rd The combination of the cathead A, bed plate C secured across or upon the
latter turn table D pivoted upon the bed plate, windlass E mounted upon the turn
table, and the chain B coiled around the barrel of the windlass and adapted to be
connected to the anchor substantially as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and Seal this Twenty seventh day of February A.D. 1884."
A M CLARK (L.S.)