Improvements in Shackles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Shackles.
I, CHARLES PERCY DEAN, of Bryndart, Kingswear, Devon, Major in Royal
Engineer Militia, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This is an ordinary screw shackle applicable for mooring purposes having the
Inner portion of the screw threads in the bow removed.
The pin has a shoulder, against which rests a washer of absorbent material,
vulcanized fibre or wood.
The pin is screwed home until the washer butts against the bow of shackle.
When in the water the washer expands jamming the screw pin tight, and
dispenses with the necessity for wiring to prevent unscrewing.
The invention consists in the use of the expanding washer, and in the screw
thread being carried only partially through the eye of the bow, the inner portion
being smooth, largely increasing the rapidity of connecting up.
Dated this 12th day of May 1899.
CHAS. PERCY DEAN.
[Improvements in Shackles.
I, CHARLES PERCY DEAN, of Bryndart, Kingswear, in the County of Devon,
Major in the Royal Engineers Militia, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
My invention relates to shackles for mooring and like purposes and is chiefly
designed to provide an improved shackle of the kind known as a screw shackle,
so as to enable the screw-pin thereof to be more easily and rapidly placed in
position than heretofore and to be securely retained in position without the use
of the wire heretofore generally employed for preventing unscrewing.
According to one part of my said invention, I make the shackle with the hole
in the bow or clevis, into which the pin screws, partly screw-threaded and partly
plain, i.e., having the inner part of the screw-thread in one eye of the bow or
clevis removed, so that when the pin is inserted through the other eye of the
bow or clevis, it will be guided towards the screw-thread by the plain or non-
screw-threaded part of the hole or eye and can thus be very easily inserted and
rapidly screwed-up by reason of the small number of screw-threads. Moreover,
by forming the body of the pin so that it will fit easily into the non-screw-
threaded part of the eye, a full bearing for the pin is obtained notwithstanding
that the screw-thread does not extend throughout the said eye.
According to another part of my said invention, I provide between the head
of the screw-pin and the bow or clevis, a washer of vulcanized fibre, wood, or
other suitable material which will swell or expand when wetted, so that the said

page_text: washer will be clamped between the head of the pin and the outer surface of the
bow or clevis when the said pin is screwed home and the screw-pin thereby
firmly jambed or held in position when the shackle is immersed in water.
In the accompanying drawing, I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice :-
Figure 1 is a plan, partly in longitudinal section, and
Figure 2 a side elevation showing a screw-shackle having my improvements
applied thereto.
a is the bow or clevis of the shackle and the screw-pin thereof. One eye c
of the bow or clevis is made to easily fit around the exterior of the pin b, whilst
the other eye is made with a screw-threaded part d to engage with the screw-
thread on the end of the pin b, and with a non-screw-threaded part e which fits
easily against the exterior of the pin b, thus providing a bearing for the said pin
throughout the length of the eye whilst enabling the said pin to be very easily and
rapidly secured in position.
The pin is moreover provided with a head f having an eye g for the insertion
of a marlinspike or pin and with a flange which, when the pin is screwed
home, is adapted to compress a washer j of vulcanized fibre, wood or other
material which expands when wetted.
My improved shackle is used as follows:-When the cables, chains, eyes or
the like to be connected have been placed in position, the screw-pin 6 bearing the
washer is inserted into the eyes é and e and screwed up, which can be done by
the fingers so as to compress the washer j. When wetted, the action of the
water causes the washer to expand and to jamb the screw-pin b tight.
By these means, the use of the wire heretofore required for securing the pin
and the delay involved in inserting and removing such wire, is entirely avoided.
Moreover, the inconveniences caused by rusting of the wire are entirely obviated.
Rapidity, certainty and absence of risk of the pin coming adrift are thus obtained
by my improvements.
My improved shackle is very certain in action and can be very advantageously
employed for mooring buoys, mines, ships' cables, anchors, and in harbour work
generally. It can also be employed on ships' decks for all purposes where screw-
shackles are required.
My improved shackle is very advantageous for use in the dark, and in cold
or wet weather by reason of the great facility afforded by it for inserting the
screw-pin.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is: -
1. A mooring shackle having a screw-pin, and constructed with the hole in
the bow or clevis, into which the pin screws, partly screw-threaded and partly
plain, substantially as, and for the purposes, specified.
2. In a mooring shackle, having a screw-pin, the use between the bow or
clevis and the head of the pin, of a washer made from material which expands or
swells when wetted, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
3. A mooring shackle constructed substantially as described with reference to
the accompanying drawing and operating as specified.
T
1
בד
1
1000
D. Young & Co.,
CHAS. PERCY DEAN.
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.