CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF LAUNCHING OR DETACHING BOATS FROM SHIPS' SIDES OR DAVITS, AND IN THE APPARATUS AND TACKLE TO BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, THAT THE OPERATION MAY BE SPEEDY, SPONTANEOUS, AND SAFE
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Grignon, of No. 13, Sutherland Square,
Walworth, in the Parish of Saint Mary, Newington, in the County of
Surrey, Gentleman, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MEANS OF LAUNCHING OR DETACHING BOATS FROM SHIPS' SIDES OR DAVITS,
AND IN THE APPARATUS AND TACKLE TO BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, THAT THE
OPERATION MAY BE SPEEDY, SPONTANEOUS, AND SAFE."
Sealed the 4th September 1855, and dated the 15th March 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Grignon at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th
March 1855.
I, GEORGE GRIGNON, of No. 13, Sutherland Square, Walworth, in the Parish
of Saint Mary Newington, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MEANS OF LAUNCHING OR DETACHING BOATS FROM SHIPS' SIDES OR DAVITS, AND IN
THE APPARATUS AND TACKLE TO BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, THAT THE OPERATION
MAY BE SPEEDY, SPONTANEOUS, AND SAFE," to be as follows, viz. :-
1st, in the tackle, I propose that one additional block shall be placed at the
foot of each davit holding the boat, that the ends of the ropes may be carried
through and meet at a centre in the bulwark of the vessel, so as to be

page_text: worked by one man only, but I do not limit the number of men to work my
improvement.
2nd, from the bottom of one of the two under or moveable blocks (which
rise and fall with the boat to and from the blocks at the ends of the davits) to
the bottom of the other a loose rope is to be attached, to admit of the free
running from end to end of one, two, or more blocks, pulleys, swivels,
thimbles, or other such contrivances, to each of which is to be affixed a
double hook," herein-after designated "the detaching hook," for holding the
boat (while swinging) at the stem, stern, or any other appropriate part of
the boat.
3rd, the detaching hook is to be made of two pieces of iron or other
suitable material of proper length, and with one end of each bent at a right
angle to form a kind of hook; two of these pieces are to be joined together
by a loose rivet near the middle, to admit of separating and closing the said
.hooks in a similar manner to the working of a pair of scissors, care being
taken that the hooks are so placed as to close on to each other and to form a
grasp for the hook, ring, staple, or other contrivance affixed to the boats for
swinging to the davits. The two pieces of iron being so joined, a spring is
to be fitted on each side for the purpose of keeping the hooks apart or causing
them to fly open of their own accord when free from force or pressure.. The
two upper ends of the detaching look, namely, at the farthest extremity from
the hooked ends, one to be attached by means of rope, chain, or other suitable
suspending material to one of the above-mentioned running blocks, pulleys,
swivels, thimbles, or other such contrivance, so that the said detaching hook
may be kept closed by force or the pressure from the weight of the boat
while suspended. The action of the said "detaching hook " will be, that while
the boat is attached to it, the weight will be sufficient to keep the hooks closed,
but the moment the weight and consequent pressure is withdrawn, the springs
having free action will cause the instant opening of the detaching hook and
the hold on the boat to be relinquished. Without defining the exact number
which I reserve the power to employ in the working of my Invention, I
propose that the boat to be lowered shall have two strong hooks, staples, rings,
or other such contrivance for swinging, and that two "detaching hooks" shall
be the usual number employed in working the-Invention.
The end and object are, first, that a boat of any description on being lowered
from the davits at the side of the ship may, by the very act of touching the
water, immediately become disengaged and detached from the ship, the davits,
and tackle, by the ceasing' of its weight and pressure on the said "detaching
hooks; the said hooks flying 'open by means of their-springs, there being no

page_text: necessity for any exertion on the part of the crew. or persons in the boat to
- disengage the tackle when lowered into the water.
Secondly, the advantage of keeping the boat while swinging and filling with
persons nearer an upright position by means of the running, blocks, pulleys,
5, swivels, thimbles, or other such contrivances, to which the "detaching hooks
are to be attached.
. 1
Thirdly,, enabling one man instead of two or more to lower and launch a
boat with greater ease and safety than can at present, be effected by any known.
method of lowering, launching, or detaching boats from ships' sides or davits.
2:
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...
P
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T
0 SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the, said George Grignon in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th September 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
GRIGNON, of No. 13, Sutherland Square, Walworth,, in the Parish of Saint
5 Mary, Newington, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman,; send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters.
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord.
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her:
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
O said George Grignon, Her special licence that I, the said,. George Grignon,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
George Grignon, 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,.
5 exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MEANS OF LAUNCHING OR DETACHING, BOATS, FROM SHIPS' SIDES OR
DAVITS, AND IN THE APPARATUS OR TACKLE TO BE USED, FOR THAT PURPOSE, THAT.
THE OPERATION MAY BE SPEEDY, SPONTANEOUS; AND SAFE;" upon the condition
0 (amongst others). that I, the said George Grignon, by an instrument 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
5 Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Grignon, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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, that is to say:-
First, for the purpose of lowering boats from ships' sides on suspension from
the davits I propose that, for the purpose of working the tackle and running
ropes, there shall be placed at the foot of each davit, at its junction with the
bulwark, one additional block, pulley, swivel, or other similar contrivance, so
that the ends of the ropes holding the boat may be carried through and meet
at the centre in a block, pulley, or other contrivance to be formed in the
bulwark of the vessel, so as to be worked by one person only; but I do not
limit the number of persons by which my Invention is to be worked.
Secondly, the tackle is to be so contrived that two ropes suspending from
each davit a block, pulley, swivel, or similar contrivance, may run freely
from the person who works the same at the bulwark of the vessel to raise or
lower the boat at the side of the vessel.
Thirdly, a strong pliable rope, bar, chain, or other similar contrivance, and
of any suitable material, is to be fastened from the block or other contrivance
at one davit to the block or other contrivance at the other davit, so as to
unite the two blocks or other contrivance by means of a rope, and to admit
of the free running from end to end of the said rope of one, two, or more
blocks, pulleys, swivels, thimbles, or other such contrivances which are to be
swung thereon.
Fourthly, on each of the said blocks, pulleys, swivels, thimbles, or other
such contrivance so swinging, on the last-mentioned rope, bar, chain, or
other contrivance, is to be fixed and suspended a hook, herein-after designated
"the detaching hook," to which the boat to be launched is to be suspended
at the stem or stern, or both, or any other appropriate part or parts of the
boat.
Fifthly, the detaching hook is to be made of two bars of iron or other
suitable material connected in the middle by means of a small rivet or hinge
run through the said two bars of iron, thus uniting them, but leaving them
sufficiently loose to admit of their working, opening, and closing in a similar
manner to a pair of scissors. At the lower end of each of the said bars of
iron a hook is to be formed pointing inwards, and of sufficient length tha
when closed shall well cross each other to form a grasp for the ring, hook
staple, or other means of suspension contrived in and fixed to the boat for
that purpose. The two pieces of iron being so joined to make the "detaching
"the
hook," a spring is to be fitted thereon in such manner as to cause

page_text: detaching hook" to open and let go its hold the moment the pressure of
suspension is withdrawn. At the upper ends or handles of the detaching
hook are to be securely fastened two short pieces of rope or other suspender,
namely, one on each handle to meet at the bottom of the above-named blocks,
swivels, pulleys, thimbles, or other contrivance in one point, so that the
pressure of the suspension of the boat may cause the hooks to be kept closed
and firmly grasp the ring, staple, hook, or other contrivance at the head and
stern or other part or parts of the boat to be lowered.
Sixthly, the mode of working will be as follows:-One or more person or
persons is or are to be placed at the bulwarks of the vessel between the
davits, holding in each hand a rope, one to the davit on the right, and
the other to the davit on the left. The boat to be launched must be suspended
at the stem and stern, or other appropriate part or parts thereof, to the
detaching hooks," the weight of which keeping the said detaching hooks
closed, and grasping the hook, staple, or ring in the boat, causes the boat to
swing securely. Having loaded the boat, the launching is effected by the
person or persons placed at the bulwark to hold the ropes. He or they
gradually loosing the rope from his or their hold, the boat descends to the
water, on reaching which it becomes immediately detached from the detach-
ing hook, by the latter flying open on the cessation of the pressure upon the
boat touching the water, and thereby rendering it unnecessary to employ hands
to detach the boat from the tackle.
I claim, first, the application of springs or other suitable piece of mechanism
to the detaching hook to render it secure as a suspender and prompt and
spontaneous in detaching the boat.
I claim the use of every suitable material for the manufacture of the said
detaching hook, but confine myself to no particular shape, design, length,
breadth, or weight.
I claim the application of the tackle and detaching hook to the davits of
vessels to admit of one person working the same, but I do not limit the
working to any particular number over one.
I also claim the simultaneous and self-detaching of all the fastenings which
may be employed to suspend the boat on the boat touching the water.
I make no claim to the manufacture of the material forming the tackle;
but I claim the application to every description of vessel, whether propelled by
hand, steam, or wind, and to every description of boat attached thereto, and
on whatever ocean, sea, river, or other water navigated, of the means of
launching by the above-described process any boat or boats from ships' sides

page_text: or davits, without the necessity of employing any person or persons in the boat.
to detach the same on.descending.into.the water.
"In witness whereof, I, the said George Grignon, has hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand-eight hundred and fifty-five.
.2.
GEORGE GRIGNON
•
GEORGE CRIGNON
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