2*2 Description of a Capstan. 



The small barrel should be furnished with falling palls as 

 well as the large ones ; a fixed iron spindle ascending from 

 the deck will be the best for it, as it will take up less room. 

 This spindle may be secured below the deck, so as to bear 

 any strain, as the small barrel need not be much above half 

 the height of the lar^e barrel ; the capstan bars can easily 

 pass over it in heaving round, when it is thought fit to use 

 capstan bars on the same deck with the small barrel. As 

 two turns of the messenger round both barrels will be at 

 least equivalent to three turns round the common capstan, 

 it will hardly ever be necessary to use more than four turns 

 round the two barrels. 



The circumstance which prevents the lateral friction of 

 the messenger in my double capstan, is, that in it each coil 

 is kept distinct from the rest, and must pass on to the se- 

 cond barrel, before it can gain the next elevation on the first, 

 by which no one coil can have any influence in raising or 

 depressing another; and what each separate coil descends in 

 a single revolution, it regains as mucli as is necessary in its 

 passage between the barrels, where in the air, and free from 

 all contact with any part of the apparatus, it attains a higher 

 elevation without a possibility of friction or wear. 



I have described my double capstan, as it is to be used in 

 laro^e vessels, where messengers are necessary, from the 

 great size of the cables ; but it is obvious that it is equally 

 applicable in smaller vessels, as their cables can be managed 

 with it in the same manner as is directed for the messenger. 

 The same principle may also be easily applied to windlasses, 

 by having a small horizontal barrel placed parallel to the 

 body of the windlass, and having both fitted with rings, in 

 the same vi'ay as the capstan already described. The prope 

 place for the small horizontal barrel is forward, just befo 

 the windlass, and as much below its level as circumstances 

 will admit ; it should be furnished with catch-palls as well 

 as the windlass. 



Besides the advantages already stated, my proposed im- 

 provement to the capstan has others of considerable utility. 

 Its construction is so very simple, that it is no more liable 

 to derangement or injury than the capstan itself. Its cost 



can 



