IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ANCHORS
Year: 1864

page_text: Sealed the 3rd January 1865, and dated the 22nd July 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Snell and George
Allibon at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 22nd July 1864.
We, EDWARD SNELL, of Saltash, in the County of Cornwall, Engineer, and
GEORGE ALLIBON, of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, Marine Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF ANCHORS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention of improvements in the construction of anchors has for its
object to dispense with the ordinary stock or sector of anchors, so that the
anchor may be more conveniently stowed away when not in use. By the
peculiar mode of constructing the anchor the palms will be made to catch
against and enter the ground with greater certainty than heretofore, and will
hold with great tenacity.

page_text: In carrying out our Invention the cross arm which carries the palms
extends on each side of the shank, and is cut out or slotted at its central part
so as to receive an eye at the end of the shank. This eye is made of great
strength, and the arms are connected to it by a strong pin, which passes
through but allows the arms to turn on it as on a centre. The arms are bent
round into a position nearly parallel with the shank, which is provided with
projecting shoulder pieces or blocks against which corresponding shoulders on
the central part of the cross arms are made to bear when the palms are
holding in the ground. These arms are also provided on each side near the
angle or bent part with a pair of projecting horns, one being on each side of
the arms, so that whichever way the anchor is dropped on the ground one of
the horns will rest thereon, and cause the ends of the palms to be pointed
downwards so as to ensure their catching into and holding in the ground.
The slotted or central part of the arms is provided with a shackle or ring to
which is attached a buoy rope, whereby the palms of the anchor may be
drawn out of the ground when it is to be weighed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Snell and George Allibon in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th January 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, EDWARD
SNELL, of Saltash, in the County of Cornwall, Engineer, and GEORGE ALLIBON,
of Greenwich, in the County of Kent, Marine Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Edward Snell and George Allibon, Her special license that we,
the said Edward Snell and George Allibon, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Edward Snell and George Allibon,
our 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF ANCHORS," upon the condition (amongst, others) that we, the said
Edward Snell and George Allibon, by an instrument in writing under our

page_text: hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, 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 Edward Snell, on behalf of myself
and of the said George Allibon, do hereby declare the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being
had to the Drawing hereunto anuexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say) :-
Our Invention of "Improvements in the Construction of Anchors has for its
object to give greater holding power and also to dispense with the ordinary
cross stock or sector of anchors, so that the anchor when not in use may be
stowed away more conveniently than anchors of the ordinary kind. By the
peculiar mode of constructing the anchor the palms will be made to catch
against and enter the ground with greater certainty than heretofore, and will
hold with great tenacity.
In carrying out our Invention the cross arms which carry the palms extend
on each side of the shank, and the central part of the said cross arms is cut
out, forged, or slotted so as to receive an eye at the,,end of the shank. This
eye is made of great strength, and the arms are connected to it by a strong
pin, which passes through but allows the arms to turn on it as on a centre.
The arms are bent round into a position parallel with the shank, which is
formed with two projecting shoulders or blocks, against which corresponding
shoulders on the central part of the cross arms are made to bear when the
palms are holding in the ground. The arms are also provided on each sido
near the angle or bent part with a pair of projecting horns, one horn being on
each side of each of the arms, so that in whichever way the anchor may be
dropped on to the ground two of the horns will rest thereon, and cause the
ends of the palms to be pointed downwards so as to ensure their catching into
and holding in the ground. The slotted or central part of the arms is provided
with a shackle or ring to which is attached a buoy rope, whereby the palms of
the anchor may be drawn out backward when the anchor, from catching in rocks,
sunken wreck, ship's moorings, or other obstructions, cannot be weighed in
the usual manner.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 represents one of our double grip
anchors in plan as it would lie on the ground before the palms enter the

page_text: ground. a is the shank; b, b, the arms; c, c, the horns which catch against
the ground, and turn the palms d, d, into the ground.
Fig. 2 represents the anchor in side elevation, and shewing the palms d as
having turned down and entered the ground until the end or shoulder of the
slotted joint is brought up by the stop e at the end of the shank.
same result would ensue had the anchor fallen on the reverse side.
The
Fig. 3 is a side elevation representing the anchor with the parts in an
inoperative state, or as they would be when the anchor is lying on the ship's
deck or out of use. This Figure also shews the position of the horns c, c, on
the arms b, b, and the manner in which the horns direct the palms or ends of
the arms b, b, into the ground; f is a small shackle to which the buoy rope is
attached.
Fig. 4 is a cross section taken through the slotted eye of the arms b, b, and
shewing the centre pin g on which the arms turn, and whereby they are
connected with the shank a of the anchor.
It will be seen on referring to the Drawings that whichever way the anchor
falls on to the ground the points of two of the horns c, c, must rest thereon,
and upon any strain being put on the shank a (having a tendency to draw the
anchor along the bottom) the horns will catch in the ground, and turn the
palms or points of the arms downwards, as indicated by the dotted lines until
the arms are brought into the position shewn in Fig. 2, when the side or
shoulder of the slotted eye or joint 6 will be brought against the shoulder or
stope of the shank, and the arnis will be prevented from turning down any
farther. It will be seen that by this arrangement or construction of parts
the anchor is not liable to foul, that a ship is not liable to injure her
bottom from grounding on her anchor, and that no sector or cross stock will
be necessary, consequently the anchor will require much less room for stowage
than an anchor of the ordinary construction, and great facility is given for
withdrawing the anchor from foul ground, sunken wreck, ship's moorings, or
other obstructions, as such withdrawal of the anchor may be effected by
under-running the cable, there being no stock to prevent the rope from
reaching the arms, or by hauling on the buoy rope, and thus drawing out the
anchor backwards.
Having now described our Invention of "Improvements in the Construction
of Anchors," and having explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, we claim as the Invention secured to us by Letters Patent as aforesaid,
the mode herein set forth of constructing anchors whereby the cross stock or
sector is dispensed with, and the anchor is caused to lie on the ground in the

page_text: right position to compel the palms or ends of the arms to enter or penetrate
the ground, and take hold at once, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Snell, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Eleventh day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
EDW. SNELL. (L.S.)