IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDLASSES AND CAPSTANS "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Reid and Thomas Reid Junior both of the firm of
Thomas Reid and Sons, Engineers, Paisley in the County of Renfrew for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WINDLASSES AND CAPSTANS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Reid and Thomas
Reid, Junior, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th October
1883.
JAMES REID, and THOMAS REID, Junior, both of the firm of Thomas Reid
and Sons, Engineers, Paisley, in the County of Renfrew, "IMPROVEMENTS IN
WINDLASSES AND CAPSTANS;
This Invention, which relates to windlasses and capstans, has special reference to
improved appliances fitted in connection with the chain wheels, and adapted to
control such wheels in winding or paying out chains or cables on board ship or
otherwise.
In ship's windlasses, the chain wheels are usually connected to and actuated
by the winding gear by frictional contact of the surfaces, a V-like edge rim on the
chain wheel fitting into a correspondingly shaped groove in the driving wheel which
is keyed to the main shaft. In winding, as for example when weighing the anchor,
the V edge of the chain wheel is pressed tightly into the groove in the driving
wheel, and the chain wheel which is loose on the shaft, is thereby driven; and in
paying out cable, the chain wheel is drawn back to lessen the frictional contact
between it and the driving wheel, so that the cable may be rapidly paid out, and
the driving wheel may act merely as a brake. Owing to the means of regulating
the degree of contact pressure between the frictional surfaces being imperfect, the
chain wheel is at times allowed to "run away," and at other times is altogether
checked in its motion. The driving wheels on which the friction brake is formed,
are made to slide laterally on the shaft, but being at long intervals out of action,
are liable to rust and become immovable.
According to the present Invention, the chain wheels of windlasses and capstans
are arranged to be operated as usual by frictional contact, but to prevent any of
--

page_text: the movable parts on the shaft adhering to it by corrosion, they are bushed or lined
with brass, gun-metal or other similar material. Between the eye of the chain
wheel and the face of the usual pressure nut, a short sleeve washer or collar is fitted
on the shaft on a suitable square or feather to prevent its turning, but leaving it a
perfectly free lateral motion so that it may slide freely on the wheel shaft. A flange
may be put on this collar at each end, one of the flanges fitting in a recess or
check in the eye of the chain wheel, and being retained by a ring fitted over the
collar and secured by screws or otherwise to the outside of the wheel. The end of
the wheel shaft is screwed, and on it is fitted the pressure nut which is formed
with a grooved rim overlapping or fitting over the outer flange of the sliding sleeve
or collar, so that such collar serves as a means of connecting the screw nut to the
chain wheel, and leaves the wheel free to revolve loosely on the shaft while the nut
remains in its place and turns with the shaft. On the screw nut is fixed a handing
wheel, by means of which the nut is turned to move the sliding collar, and with it
the chain wheel, towards or back from the fixed driving wheel on the shaft, so that
the contact of the frictional surfaces may be more or less perfect and a greater or
less "grip" may be obtained. The frictional contact or "grip" may be tempered
by the action of the screw, to secure the chain wheel rigidly when winding, and to
allow it to run more or less freely when paying out a rope or cable, or to apply
pressure gradually so that, for example in dropping anchor when there is "
on a vessel, there may be no risk of snapping the cable.
way
"

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Reid and Thomas Reid, Junior, in the Patent Office on the
18th April 1884.
JAMES REID and THOMAS REID, Junior, both of the firm of Thomas Reid
and Sons, Engineers, Paisley, in the County of Renfrew IMPROVEMENTS IN
WINDLASSES AND CAPSTANS
"
Our said Invention, which relates to windlasses and capstans, has special reference
to improved appliances fitted in connection with the chain wheels, and adapted to
control such wheels in winding or paying out chains or cables on board ship or
otherwise.
In ship's windlasses, the chain wheels are usually connected to and actuated by
the winding gear by frictional contact of the surface, a V-like edge rim on the
chain wheel fitting into a correspondingly shaped groove in the driving wheel which
is keyed to the main shaft. In winding, as for example when weighing the anchor,
the V-edge of the chain wheel is pressed tightly into the groove in the driving
wheel, and the chain wheel which is loose on the shaft, is thereby driven; and in
paying out cable, the chain wheel is drawn back to lessen the frictional contact
between it and the driving wheel, so that the cable may be rapidly paid out, and
the driving wheel may act merely as a brake. Owing to the means of regulating
the degree of contact pressure between the frictional surfaces being imperfect, the
chain wheel is at times allowed to "run away," and at other times is altogether
checked in its motion. The driving wheels on which the friction brake is formed,
are made to slide laterally on the shaft, but being at long intervals out of action,
are liable to rust and become immovable. The object of our Invention is to remedy
such defects in windlasses and capstans.
Our Invention is illustrated by the accompanying Drawings, in which figure 1
is a plan, figure 2 is a sectional side elevation, and figure 3 an end elevation of an
ordinary pump lever windlass to which our improvements are applied. Figures 4
and 5 are detached views showing the novel means employed for moving the chain
wheel on the shaft; while figures 6 and 7 show the mode of securing on the shaft
the sliding collar, by means of which the chain wheel is moved.
According to our Invention, the chain wheels A, A, of the windlass or capstan
are fitted loose on the shaft B and are arranged to be operated as usual by frictional
contact, such as that of the V-edge on the chain wheel A fitting into the V groove c
in the driving wheel C, but to prevent any of the movable parts on the shaft B
adhering to it by corrosion, the wheels are bushed or lined at a with brass, gun-
metal or other similar material. Between the eye of the chain wheel A, and the
face of the usual pressure nut D, a short sleeve washer or collar E is fitted on the
shaft, on a suitable square or feather, as indicated in figures 5, 6 and 7, to prevent
its turning, but leaving it a perfectly free lateral motion, so that it may slide freely
on the wheel shaft B. A flange may be put on this collar at each end, as shown in
figures 2 and 4, one of the flanges fitting in a recess or check in the eye of the
chain wheel A, and being retained by a ring a¹ fitted over the collar and secured by
screws or otherwise to the outside of the wheel. The end of the wheel shaft B is
screwed at b, and on it is fitted the pressure nut D which is formed with a grooved
rim D overlapping or fitting over the outer flange of the sliding sleeve or collar E,
so that such collar serves as a means of connecting the screw nut D to the chain
wheel A, and leaves the wheel free to revolve loosely on the shaft B while the nut D
remains in its place and turns with the shaft. On the screw nut D is fixed a
handing wheel F, by means of which the nut is turned on the screw b to move the

page_text: sliding collar E, and with it the chain wheel A towards or back from the fixed
driving wheel C on the shaft, so that the contact of the frictional surfaces c may be
more or less perfect, and a greater or less "grip" may be obtained. The frictional
contact or "grip" may be tempered by the action of the screw nut D to secure the
chain wheel A rigidly when winding, and to allow it to run more or less freely
when paying out a rope or cable, or to apply pressure gradually so that for example
in dropping anchor when there is " way on a vessel, there may be no risk of
snapping the cable. In the windlass shown in the Drawings, the driving wheels C
are actuated by levers and grippers bearing on the periphery of the wheels, the
arrangement being in common use well known, as that of the pump lever
windlass. The ends of the shaft are in the present example carried out beyond
the bearings and fitted with winding barrels. This is an arrangement also
commonly adopted.
-
Having now particularly described our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed we declare that we do not claim the general arrangement
of the windlass or capstan described and illustrated, but what we do claim is,-
First. In a windlass or capstan, the arrangement on the winding shaft of a
sliding collar, connecting the chain wheel and the pressure nut, substantially as
herein described and illustrated.
Second. In a windlass or capstan, the adaptation for the purpose set forth, of a
bush or lining of brass, gun-metal, or other metal between the eye of the chain
wheel and the shaft as described and illustrated.
Third. In a windlass or capstan, the combination with the chain wheel and shaft
of the sliding collar E secured to the wheel, and the pressure nut D, D¹, actuated
by the handing wheel F, substantially as herein described and illustrated.
In Witness Whereof, we the said James Reid and Thomas Reid, Junior, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixteenth day of April in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty four.