IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN WORKING WIRE ROPES, TELEGRAPH CABLES, AND CHAIN CABLES.”
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Cradock, of Westfield House, Wakefield, in the
County of York, and Louis Gooder, of Wakefield aforesaid, Engineer, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN WORKING WIRE
ROPES, TELEGRAPH CABLES, AND CHAIN CABLES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Cradock and Louis
Gooder at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th January
1882.
GEORGE CRADOCK of Westfield House Wakefield, in the County of York and
LOUIS GOODER of Wakefield aforesaid Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
EMPLOYED IN WORKING WIRE ROPES TELEGRAPH CABLES AND CHAIN CABLES."
This Invention has reference to that class of apparatus consisting of two or more
sheave pullies working upon studs or shafts around which the wire rope or hawser
is partially wound for mooring, hauling, hoisting lowering, heaving up anchor
playing out telegraph cable and warping purposes whether applied to a capstan or
"holder." When using wire rope for these purposes, this class of apparatus has
been found very imperfect because no practical means is employed for compensating
for the want of elasticity in the rope, consequently there was great strain thereon,
which weakened and damaged it.
To overcome this difficulty is the object of our Invention which we accomplish
by forming frictional disc surfaces on one or both sides of the sheaves, and placing
between each frictional disc surfaces a piece or pieces of leather, so that when the
friction plates are unscrewed for the purpose of winding wire rope or telegraph
cable in or paying out the sheaves would revolve with great freedom, but when the
frictional disc plates were tightened by the nuts and screws provided for that
purpose the unequal and great strain which from time to time is put upon the rope
by the upheaving of the vessel, and other causes, the leather friction surfaces would
yield sufficient as to compensate for the want of elasticity in the rope, by this
means weakening and breaking of the rope is prevented and thereby obtaining
greater durability.
The leather frictional surfaces are applicable to chain cables as well as to wire
ropes, hawsers and telegraph cables.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Cradock and Louis Gooder in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 13th July 1882.
GEORGE CRADOCK of Westfield House, Wakefield, in the County of York and
LOUIS GOODER of Wakefield aforesaid, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
EMPLOYED IN WORKING WIRE ROPES, TELEGRAPH CABLES AND CHAIN CABLES."
"
This Invention has reference to that class of apparatus consisting of two or more
sheave pullies working upon studs or shafts around which the wire rope or hawser
is partially wound for mooring, hauling, hoisting, lowering, heaving up anchor
paying out telegraph cable and warping purposes, whether applied to a "capstan
or "holder." When using wire rope for these purposes, this class of apparatus has
been found very imperfect because no practical means is employed for compensating
for the want of elasticity in the rope, consequently there was great strain thereon,
which weakened and damaged it. To overcome this difficulty is the object of our
Invention which we accomplish by forming frictional disc surfaces on one or both
sides of the sheaves, and placing between each frictional disc surfaces a piece or
pieces of leather, so that when the friction plates are unscrewed for the purpose of
winding wire rope or telegraph.cable in or paying out; the sheaves would revolve
with great freedom, but when the frictional disc plates were tightened by the nuts
and screws provided for that purpose, the unequal and great strain which from
time to time is put upon the rope by the upheaving of the vessel, and other causes,
the leather friction surfaces would yield sufficient as to compensate for the want of
elasticity in the rope, by this means weakening and breaking of the rope is
prevented, and thereby obtaining greater durability.
»>
In order that this Invention may be more fully understood we herein give
reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, which is cross section of what is
known as a " holder having our improvements applied thereto. A is the
foundation plate for supporting the stud or spindle B, upon which the grooved
pulley C is free to rotate, being placed loosely thereon. D is a disc provided with
leather a keyed on the stud B, and E is a nut which by means of the lever F will
force the leather in the said disc upon the part G of the grooved pulley to such an
extent as to stop or partially stop the rotation of the pulley. In addition to the
frictional surfaces just described, the inner rim of the pulley is provided with
leather as shewn at b which is also forced against the outer circumference of the
circular projection H by means of the lever and nut E. It will at once be seen
that the frictional surfaces a and b can be removed from contact with their
respective parts by the lever and nut E so that the pulley is free to revolve and
allow the rope or hawser to be freely unwound for any of the purposes for which
they are required, whilst on the other hand the leather frictional surfaces can be
so nicely tightened that when the anchor is being weighed or the vessel riding at
anchor, and is being heavily pitched by water the frictional surfaces would give way
and allow the pulley to slip and give off a little more rope thereby preventing
fracture or breakages. Although we have only shewn our Invention as applied to
a "holder" it can be equally well applied to a "capstan and can be employed
for chain cables, wire ropes, hawsers and telegraph cables.
"

page_text: Having now described our Invention, and the manner of performing the same,
we declare that we claim―
The use and employment of leather frictional surfaces a and b in the manner and
for the purpose substantially as herein shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I the said Louis Gooder for and on behalf of myself
and the said George Cradock have hereunto set my hand and seal this
Eleventh day of July in the year of our Lord, One thousand eight hundred
and eighty two.
LOUIS GOODER. (L.S.)