Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Releasing and Attaching Boats from and to their Suspending Gear.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 28th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 12th Mar.,
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Releasing and Attaching
Boats from and to their Suspending Gear.
I, JOHN CHARLES ROBINSON, of Blenheim House, High Barnet, in the County
of Herts, Master Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for releasing and attaching boats from and
to their suspending gear and by means of a simple and effective appliance is
designed to attain a solution of the following important and difficult problems
in combination.
i.e. 1. That on lowering a boat for launching, the gear shall of necessity
release both ends simultaneously and only at the proper moment.
2. That no amount of shaking, unevenness in lowering, carelessness, ignorance,
or partial flotation shall be able to cause either end to become detached before
the other.
3. That on preparing to hoist the boat up again, neither end can by any
possibility be reattached without the other.
4. That such gear shall work automatically, or by hand, according to preference,
or as circumstances may require. That is to say, (A) that on lowering, when the
boat is entirely waterborne, and the strain is off the tackles, the gear shall
immediately and of necessity release both ends together automatically, or (B) that
this may be accomplished by hand in the same manner, whether waterborne or
not, (C) that in preparing to reattach the boat for hoisting, the gear at each
end shall respond mechanically, and only, when both blocks are in position for
taking hold; or (D) that the same thing may be done by hand with a similar
result.
So far as I am aware these features have never, hitherto, been attempted in
conjunction; and no boat gear I believe can be considered satisfactory which does
not combine these elements of safety to meet the various circumstances under
which boats have at times to be handled.
The means by which these conditions are secured may be briefly described as
follows:
Draw bolts located at or towards the two ends of the boat, with or without
guide rod slides are geared under or otherwise relatively to the centre thwart,
or fore-and-after, to a spindle and crank or equivalent means having a handle
or lever or the like as an actuating medium.
The extremities of these draw bolts pass under openings in suitable plates let
into the bow and stern sheets or thwart which plates are secured to the keel
by rods bolted through, and thus form the stays by which the boat's weight is
suspended. The blocks are fitted with appropriate iron straps or strops or the like
which pass through these openings and are caught by the bolts (during suspension).
At the ends of the draw bolts (but not attached thereto) are placed pawls, which
come into position against the ends of the bolts as soon as the block straps are

page_text: withdrawn, and hold them in that position until they in turn are knocked away
by the block straps or strops, when the latter are passed into position for attach-
ment in the openings in the plates.
Under the centre of the thwarts next forward of, and abaft the middle gearing
(or in any other convenient situation) are placed weights--and preferably this
weight is utilized to form two (say) square fresh water cans.
These cans or weights may be of a size to correspond with the gear used
These cans
(unprofitable weights being most objectionable lumber in a boat).
or weights are built in snugly, so that they may rise and fall easily without
knocking about: they are suspended by cords or the like, (having hooks at the
other ends) led over pulleys to the thwarts above them.
In place of weight power, springs may be utilized.
When it is desired to make the gear automatic for either releasing or reattaching
it is only necessary to pull up the cans and hook the cords or their equivalents
(which are made the correct length) to the crank arms under the thwarts. By
simply reversing the cords right to left, and left to right the action is reversed.
To work the gear by hand, a lever (which is the only part of the appliance
visible above the thwarts) is added as a convenience but this may be effected by
any equivalent device.
A plate or board is fastened along the middle of the thwarts fore and aft, to
cover and protect the draw bolts, which are suspended underneath by brackets to
carry their weight. This fore and aft plank will be found exceedingly useful
as an auxiliary seat in case of need, and is also a good strengthening element to
the boat.
The gear can be overhauled and cleaned at any time without interfering with.
the draw bolts, by removing the crank pins; thus avoiding the danger of move-
ment during the operations.
In some instances projecting parts may be applied at either side from the boat
towards the blocks adapted to control the tilting of the bolt when tackle borne.
These plans are subject to modification to meet the peculiarities of any boat,
launch or other vessel.
On the end of the draw bolt is formed a small knob, or enlargement, against
which the strop of the block, engages when passing into position in the opening
This knob serves when
of the plate of the thwart, or in the act of leaving the same.
engaged by this strop to keep back said bolt sufficiently far to ensure correct
engagement of the pawl, against the end of the bolt.
1002
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Releasing and Attaching
Boats from and to their Suspending Gear.
I, JOHN CILARLES ROBINSON, of Blenheim House, High Barnet, in the County
of Herts, Master Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to apparatus for releasing and attaching boats from and
to their suspending gear and by means of a simple and effective appliance is

page_text: designed to attain a solution of the following important and difficult problems
in combination.
i.e. 1. That on lowering a boat for launching, the gear shall of necessity
release both ends simultaneously and only at the proper moment.
2. That no amount of shaking, unevenness in lowering, carelessness, ignorance,
or partial flotation shall be able to cause either end to become detached before
the other.
3. That on preparing to hoist the boat up again, neither end can by any
possibility be reattached without the other.
4. That such gear shall work automatically, or by hand, according to preference,
or as circumstances may require. That is to say, (A) that on lowering, when the
boat is entirely waterborne and the strain is off the tackles, the gear shall
immediately and of necessity release both ends together automatically, or (B) that
this may be accomplished by hand in the same manner, whether waterborne, or
not, (C) that in preparing to reattach the boat for hoisting, the gear at each
end shall respond mechanically, and only, when both blocks are in position for
taking hold; or (D) that the same thing may be done by hand with a similar
result.
So far as I am aware these features have never, hitherto, been attempted in
conjunction and no boat gear I believe can be considered satisfactory which does
not combine these elements of safety to meet the various circumstances under
which boats have at times to be handled.
The means by which these conditions are secured may be briefly described as
follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a boat fitted with my improved apparatus.
The plan is divided on the line x-x for the sake of convenience. Portions are
shown broken away to expose the mechanism to view.
Fig. 2-2 shows a longitudinal side section of the same, divided on the
line yy.
Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sectional views taken on the lines z¹¹ and 22-23
respectively.
Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are details.
Fig. 9 shows a portion of the apparatus to an enlarged scale.
Draw bolts a located at or towards the two ends of the boat, with or without
guide rod slides, are geared under or otherwise relatively to the centre thwart c,
or fore-and-after, to a spindle d and crank e or equivalent means, having a handle
or lever for the like as an actuating medium.
The extremities of these draw bolts a pass under openings in suitable plates g
let into the bow and stern sheets or thwarts h and i respectively; which plates g
are secured to the keel k by rods bolted through, and thus form the stays by
which the boat's weight is suspended. The pulley blocks m are fitted with
appropriate iron straps m¹, or strops or the like, which pass through these openings
and are caught by the bolts a (during suspension).
At the ends of the drawbolts (but not attached thereto) are placed pawls a', which
come into position against the ends of the bolts as soon as the block straps m² are
withdrawn, and hold them in that position until the pawls in turn are knocked away
by the block straps or strops, when the latter are passed into position for attach-
ment in the openings in the plate g.
Under the centre of the thwarts next forward of, and abaft the middle gearing
(or in any other convenient situation) are placed weights and preferably these
weights are utilized to form two (say) square fresh water cans n.
These cans or weights may be of a size to correspond with the gear used (un-
profitable weights being objectionable lumber in a boat). These cans or weights
are built in snugly, so that they may rise and fall easily without knocking about;
they are suspended by cords o or the like (having hooks o¹ at the other ends) led

page_text: over pulleys o² attached to the thwarts above them. In place of weight power,
springs may be utilized.
When it is desired to make the gear automatic for either releasing or reattaching
it is only necessary to pull up the cans n and hook the cords o or their equivalents
(made the requisite length) to the crank arms e under the thwarts.
By simply reversing the cords, right to left, and left to right ends of the said
crank the action is reversed.
To work the gear by hand, a lever f (which is the only part of the appliance
visible above the thwarts) is added as a convenience but this may be effected by
any equivalent device.
A plate or board p is fastened along the middle of the thwarts fore and aft,
to cover and protect the draw bolts, which are suspended underneath by brackets pl
to carry their weight. This fore and aft plank p will be found exceedingly useful
as an auxiliary seat in case of need, and is also a good strengthening element
to the boat.
The gear can be overhauled and cleaned at any time without interfering with
the draw bolts, by removing the crank pins: thus avoiding danger of movement
during the operations.
In some instances projecting parts may be applied at either side from the boat
towards the blocks adapted to control the tilting of the bolt when tackle borne.
A visible stop may be applied to the spindle or elsewhere to indicate when the
draw bolts are closed or full open.
On the end of the draw bolt is formed a knob a², or enlargement shown
in the enlarged view Fig. 9 in which figure some of the parts are shown somewhat
modified in form. Against this enlargement a² the strop of the block engages
when passing into position in the opening of the plate g of the thwart, or in the act
of leaving the same. This knob a serves when engaged by this strop to keep
back said bolt sufficiently far to ensure correct engagement of the pawl a¹ against
the end of the bolt. is a hard wood block to form a stop.
These plans are subject to modification to meet the peculiarities of any boat,
launch or other vessel.
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. The combination or arrangement of parts of apparatus for releasing and
attaching boats from and to their suspending gear so that the boat can alternately
as desired be released automatically upon the same being fully waterborne, or
by hand when so waterborne, or otherwise, but always so that both ends shall always
be simultaneously released and further that in preparing to rehoist the boat the gear
at each end shall respond mechanically and only when both blocks are in position for
taking hold or, if operated by hand, so that one only of such blocks cannot be con-
nected; all substantially as and for the purpose set forth and shown by the drawings.
2. The construction, or arrangement in combination of parts, of means or
apparatus for releasing and attaching boats from and to their suspending gear
so that upon lowering a boat for launching both ends thereof must be simultaneously
and accurately released from the suspending gear automatically only when the
boat is properly waterborne, or by hand when waterborne, or not; and so that when
about to be hoisted neither end separately can be reattached, substantially as
described and shown by the drawings.
3. In means or apparatus for releasing and attaching boats from and to their
suspending gear the use of stropped blocks with their accessory suspending gear,
in combination with guarding pawls a¹, cooperating draw and locking bolts a,
and means to actuate same automatically when wholly waterborne, or alternatively
by hand when otherwise such locking and unlocking parts at opposite ends of the
boat being capable of operation only simultaneously for release, and for reengage-

page_text: ment only when both strops are in place, substantially as described and shown
by the drawings.
Dated the 27th day of January 1898.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.