IIS 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[Maroh, 



the plates will be lowered, and in their descent will successively catch hold 

 and successively draw each other down, and thereby form a plain metallic 

 surface with lop joints. The patentee claims the mode of constructing and 

 combining shutters in such manner, that they are successively caused to move 

 into and out of the same grooves. 



CHAIN CABLE. 



James Brown, of High Street, Stepney, Middlesex, Engineer, for " Im- 

 piovements in tackle and apparatus for loorking and nsing chain cables in ships, 

 and otherwise, and also certain improvements in tillers or rudders of ships and 

 other v<-ss«/s."— Granted August 16, 1843 ; enrolled February 16, 1844. 



The first part of these improvements relates to a mode or modes of letting 

 out, stopp ng, and raising chain cables; and secondly, to an improved 

 steering apparatus. One of the improvements in the controller first described, 

 of which Fig. 1, is a side elevation, and Fig. 2, a plan, is tliat the "shoe 



Fig. 1. 



Fig. 3. 



seat" or base of the frame is more deeply imbedded in the wood than is 

 usual, and the anti-friction rollers hereafter described instead of working in 

 fixed steps or jiiurnals in the ordinary manner, are dioppeJ lonsely in their 

 bearings, a n, Figures and 2, is the framing ; 6,ashaft,supportedateach end 



(I 



^ d'-^-ij 



/;=^ 



wheels and two sets of levers, this view only showing one half the machine, 

 the section being taken through the centre. Between the ratchet wheels 

 there is an indented wheel k, such indentures being made to receive each al- 



Fig. 2. 



Fig. 5. 



by the frame sides ; c, is a leaf, having a slot or opening, as will be seen by the 

 plan, and is attached to the shaft b : to the end of this shaft is also fixed a 

 winch or handle, d, the object of which is to move or alter the position of 

 the leaf when required ; e, is a bent lever, moving upon its axis,/; this lever 

 is connected by means of a handle, g, to a corresponding lever on the oppo- 

 site side of the frame ; i, is an iron roller, supported at each end by the levers 

 e, and moving in a curvilinear .slot A- ; it will be clearly seen, ihat when 

 heaving the chain cable, the same will be allowed to pass freely in the di- 

 rection of the arrow, in consequence of the leaf moving freely upon its axis, 

 but it cannot return, on account of the end of the leaf coming against the 

 iron roller i, which is shown in its elevated position, but on depressing the 

 end of the level, the roller will be moved in the slot and away from the end 

 of the leaf, and the cable will be at liberty to run off; 1 1, are two anli-fric- 

 tiou rollers, which are dropped loosely in their bearings or journals. 



Another modification of the above, consists in moving the iron roller by 

 means of an eccentric. There are several other method.s described for slop- 

 ping and relarding chain cables, amongst which is the following, which is 

 termed a box stopper, and is placed just over the chain funnel : a a. Fig. 3, 

 is the frame firmly fixed to the deck timbers, and covered with a loose lid b ; 

 c, is a lever or nipiier, attached at one end by a pin joint to the projection d; 

 through the other end of this lever is passed a pin, which moves in the slot 

 of the lever e ; this lever is also attached in like manner to the projection/. 

 The cable passes betHeen the lever or nipper c, and the dead nipper g ; thus 

 by elevating the lever e, the pin of the nipper c, will be moved in the slot, 

 and the same will be raised and the cable set at liberty, but on depressing 

 the lever e, the nipper will retain the cable by one of the links, as sho«n. 

 Another modification of this is shown, as being applied to the underside of 

 the deck, which is termed an under deck controller. Fig. 4, is a sectional 

 elevation of an apparalus for heaving the cable ; a a, shows a portion of the 

 frame side ; b, a plate boiled thereon, which carries one end of an horizontal 

 shaft c; upon this shaft is firmly fixed the working lever d, and also an arm 

 e, to the extremities of which are attached one end of the connecting links 

 //, the other ends being attached to the levers^.?, which levers work loosely 

 upon the main axis h ; i i, are two palls afhxed to the levers g g, and taking 

 into the ratchet wheel : it should be observed that there are two ratchet 



Fig. 4. 



temate link ; the intermediate links of the chain pass into a groove : J, is a 

 lever moving upon an axis n; to this lever is attached one end of cross bar o, 

 which takes into the teeth of the ratchet wheels ; p, is a friction band for 

 retarding the motion of the barrel when letting out the cable. It will be 

 clearly seen by the above, that on moving the ends of the lever up and down 

 that a continuous rotary motion will be given to the barrel, and the chain 

 will be hove in ; when it is required to let out the chain it will be necessary 

 in the first place to release the palls / i, after which the cross bar o, is released 

 from the wheel by raising the lever /, which gives full liberty to the barrel. 



Another improvement consists in constructing an improved link, which is 

 iniended to supersede the common ishackle or snivel. Fig. 5, shows a front 

 and edge view of one of these improved links, which are constructed in two 

 halves or parts, each part having an opening, so that when put together, 

 (which is effected by means of pins passing through holes in the link,) the 

 openings are on opposite sides, and form one continuous link, which is said 

 in the specification to have "all the strength of one continuous so/irf ring."' 

 We think if the patentee had said links or shackels, constructed as above, 

 were something less than half the strength of a solid ring, he would have 

 been nearer the truth, since the strength of the link is, by such opening, 

 reduced to one half, minus the area of metal removed by drilling the holes 

 for the reception of the pins. It will be seen that when it is required to 

 disconnect the chains it will only be necessary to remove the pins and turn 

 one of the parts half round, so that the two openings come together. There 

 are other modifications of the above, which consist of hooks, the openings 

 of which are closed by a piece of metal, so connected to the hook or hooks 

 as to be easily removed. 



The second part of the invention relates to a steering apparatus, and con- 

 sists in the application of an additional pair of blocks, which are said in 

 the specification to be attached by chains to the outer ends of the axis of the 

 wheel, but in ihe drawings are shown as being attached to the end of the 

 tiller, which is undoubtedly the proper place, the effect of which is said to 

 cause the tiller rope to be always kept perfectly " taught'' tight on the lee 

 siilc. The specification sets forth twelve claims, which may l)e summed up 

 in the general arrangement and combination of the parts described. 



CORKING OF BOTTLES. 



William Fletcher, of Morion House, Buckingham, clerk, for "Securing 

 corks in the mouths of bottles."— GtanUd Aug. 24, 1843; enrolled Feb. 24, 1844. 



This invention relates to a mode of securing or fi.xing corks into the necks 

 of bottles containing soda water and other aerated liquors, the mode of 

 effecting which is as follows. Through the neck of the bottle and just below 

 the rim there are two small holes in a ri^ht line with each other. These 

 holes are intended to receive a metallic pin pointed at one end and turned 

 round at the other, so as to form a ring suitable for withdrawing the pin 

 when it is required to draw the cork of the bottle. When stopping or 

 corking bottles containing aerated liquors, the cork is forced into the neck of 

 the bottle in the ordinary manner ; but in place of securing such cork by 

 means of cord or wire passing round the neck of the bottle and over the 

 cork, it is only necessary to insert the point of the pin into the sm.all hole 

 formed in the bottle neck, and force the same through the cork and through 

 the hole in the opposite side of the neck, which will have the effect of hold- 

 ing the pork very securely in the neck of the bottle. 



