US1841979A - Davit mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 19, .1932. G. w. P. OVERMAN DAVIT MECHANI SM Filed Aug. 2. 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jam, 19, 1932- G. w. P. OVERMAN DAVIT MECHANISM Filed Aug. 2. 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwuentow JZR 0mm.

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Jan. 19, 1932. G. w. P. OVERMAN DAVIT MECHANISM Filed Aug. 2. 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Jan. 19, 1932 UNlTED STATES GEORGE W. I. OVERMAN, O1 NORFOLK, VIRGINIA DAVIT MECHANISM Application filed August 2, 1929. Serial No. 382,939.

This invention relates to a davit mechanism and the general aim is to provide a construction which will simplify and expedite the launching of life-boats.

It is particularly aimed to provide a construction wherein the aforesaid launching of the life-boats is accomplished with maximum ease and safety primarily through the action of a traveling fall, operates to remove a life-boat from its chock position to a position laterally beyond the ships side, and then be released through movement of the davit preferably on a horizontal axis.

Another object is' to provide a construction wherein the launching of the life-boat is accomplished, upon operation of the parts, by gravity, rather than by force.

A further object is to provide a novel construction whereby the launching of the lifeboat is facilitated when the ship is heavily listed inboard.

Various additional objects and advantages,

mostly servient to those mentioned, will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment, certain of which additional objects and advantages will be specifically pointed out in said description.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a view showing a pair of davits constructed in accordance with my invention, the supporting deck being shown in section and a life-boat being suggested in dotted lines,

Figure 2 is an enlarged end elevation of one of the davits in connection with a lifeboat and supporting deck,

Figure 8 is a side elevation illustrating one of the davits in its normal position, in connection with a life-boat,

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail side elevation illustrating the retaining or latching mechanism for the traveler of the fall, Figure 5 is a view substantially similar to Figure 3 but showing the fall at the limit of its outward travel,

Figure 6 is a side elevation showing the davit in position in which a life-boat is completely projected from the ship,

Figure 7 is a view in side elevation suggestmg the action and operation of the parts in the event the vessel greatly lists inboard,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary enlarged plan 7 view of the latching mechanism for the fall a Referring specifically to the drawings,

wherein like reference characters designate like or similar parts, 10 designates the deck of a ship on which one or more life-boats as shown at 1'1,conventionally, are carried and which life-boats are normally chocked or 5 held against positioning blocks 12 or other means, formmg no part of the present 111- vention which for example may embody the mechanism set forth in Letters Patent issued 1 to me May 31, 1927, No.-1,631,053,'for improvements in life-boat securing and releasmg mechanisms.

Ad acent the bow and stern of each 11feboat 11, a davit construction generally designated A is provided.

Each davit construction A comprises a base B and a movable section or davit proper G. The base sections B essentially comprise spaced apart frames 13 which may be solid or open and covered by plates l4: suitably secured thereto as shown. Such frames 13 are secured together in spaced relation by bolts, rivets or the like at 15, and by means of suitable brackets 16 and 17, are rigidly attached to the deck 10.

The davits proper G comprise frames preferably of skeleton form and primarily capable of being cast or formed in a single piece aside from cross heads 18 at the top thereof which are inclined downwardly and outwardly and riveted or bolted as at 19 to the upper ends of the davits C.

Fastened to each end of the cross heads or bars 18 are brackets or the like 20 to which track members 21, inclined similarly to the cross heads 18, are pivotally connected as at 22.

Movable along the tracks 21 are travelers 23 which may comprise spaced apart bars 24,

suitably spaced andconnected together as by elements with a pulley 26 journaled on a pin 27 connecting the upper ends of such bars 24 and with a suitable tackle block 28 pivotally suspended from the traveler as from a pin 29 connecting the bars 24 of such traveler. Tackle block 28 has a double groove pulley 28a therein and is arranged to enact with another tackle block as at 30 having a double groove ulley 31 therein and which is provided with an eyelet at 32 and a hook at 33, preferably pivoted -i i and which hook is adapted for engagement in an eyelet or ring 34 carried by the adjacent end of the life-boat 11. A fall or cable 35 is fastened to the lug 32 of tackle block 30 and is trained over the grooves of the pulleys 28a and 30 and thence over a control block 35' carried by the cross heads 18 and brackets 29 so that movement of the free ends of the all will move the pulleys toward each other or permit them to separate and the said free end is adapted to be wrapped removably about a eleat 36 carried by the base to B.

Normally the life-about 11 is in chock position and the traveler 23 is in innermm position and held in the inneumwt or retracted position by the engagement of a latch 37 at an .aramrte surface 38 with the pulley 26. Such latch 37 is pivoted as at 39 to a bracket or arm 40 rigid with the track members 21. The tendency of the travelers, in view of the inclination of tracks 21, is to move from the position shown .in Figure 3 toward the other endofthetrwk 21 and tothe position specifimllyslmn in Figure 5.

Each latch 37 has a-crankzanm 41 adjacent which is disposed a crank 42 of a releasing lever 43, jouraaled transversely in the cross heads I78 and which lever has a crank 44 thereon to which a depending actuating rod 45 is pivotedat 46. 120G145 inturn is pivoted ratflrtoa handlevcr 48 which is 'votedat '49 to the davit (1. Thus it will e seen that thmlqgh manual raim'ng of the lever 48 at its free end, lever 43 will be rocked so that the crank 42 will act on the arm 41 thus elevating the latch 37 out of engagement with the pulley 26, so that the latter by gravity will travel fawn the ition shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure 5. Level 48 automatisally drops to normal position since its free end is weighted as at 5() When the travelers .23 are in outermost position as in Figure 5, the davits C .are operated in order that they may be moved from the position shown in Figures 3 and 5 where they are vertical, to the position illustrated in Figure 6 where they are horizontal totlae end that the life-beat 11 will be carried beyond the side of the ship and in line with the waterso tbatthe life-boat may be lowered into the water upon disengaging the free end of the fall from the cleat 3 6. To the end mentioned, the lower portion of each davitC is provided with an arcuate rack bar 51 adapted for movement between the plates or frames 13 constituting the bases B, such davits being pivotally connected for movement on a horizontal axis with said bases, by means of pins or rods 52, the axis of rods 52 constituting the center from which the rack bars 51 are described.

.Aspur gear wheel 56 meshes with the teeth of the rack bars 51 and is fixed to a shaft 57 journaled in the frames 13 and beyond which frames has a Worm wheel 58 keyed thereto, which is protected as by a casing 59 disposed 'fihe'reover and hinged as at 60 to the base B. A worm 61 meshes with the worm wheel 53 bein journaled in suitable bearin 5 61a carried y one of the frames 13, am having a crank 63 thereon whereby the same may be manually operated to turn the worm 61 and associated gearing, and thereby cause the gear 56 to shift davits C from the positions of Figures 3 and 5 to the position shown in Figured Attention is called to the fact that the apparatus is adapted for actuation by two men, to simultaneously turn or actuate the cranks 63. Such actuation of the cranks 63, itwill 'be realized, occurs after the lovers 48 are operated and the latches 37 move to released position whereby the pulleys 26 are released and the travelers 23 move to the position shown in Figure 5. Operation of such cranks 63 thereafter causes davits C to swing outwardly from the axis 52 as pivots, carrying therewith the life-boat and moving the same as from the positions of Figures 3 and 5 to that of Figure 6, in which position, the free .end of the fall 35 may be released from the chat 36 by the operators of the cranks 63 and the life-boat thus launched and the latter being readily detachable by disengagmcnt of the hook 33 from the ring 34.

lfleans is provided whereby the latches 37 are automatictlly operated in order to release the travelers, u on operation of the cranks 63, in the event 1t has been forgotten to manually operate the same through actuation of levers 48. To this end, flexible elements or chains 62 are anchored as at 62a to the bases B and their upper ends or eyelets (126 are adapted to engage lugs or hooks 64 provided .on the levers 48. Thus it will be seen, that upon turning cranks 63, the davits C will move outwardly and the levers 48 remaining relatively fixed as to position with respect thereto, accordi ly resulting in relative movement of the t avits C with respect to the latches, releasing pulleys 26 and accordingly the travelers.

An important feature of the present inven- .tion is its capability of launching the lifeboats 11 in the event the vessel lists materially inboard and as is suggested in Figure 7. Under theconditions disclosed in said figure, operation is the same as described with respect to the preceding figures aside from the lid fact that the travelers 23 must be moved manually from the position shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure 7, the release being accomplished by manipulation of the latches 37 and the cranks 41 thereof constituting handles. The travelers in the position shown in Figure 7 are adapted to be secured therein against return to the other end of the track 21 by means of chocks applicable thereto and held in place as by means of pins 66 passed detachably through registering openings 67 and 68, in the chocks 65 and track 21. In addition, the fall 35 is trained over a suitable snatch block 69 fastened to the bases B adjacent the pivot members 52.

Various changes may be resorted to pro vided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

1 claim as my invention 1. A davit construction comprising a pivoted davit, a track carried thereby and arranged substantially transversely of the davit and at distance above the axis thereof, the inner end of said track being located inwardly of a vertical line passing through the axis or" said davit, a traveler normally located at the inner end of the track and movable on s..- track from one end to the other, means carried by the traveler for attachment to a life-boat, means operable to project the davit, means normally maintaining the traveler adjacent one end of the track, and means operable to release the traveler.

2. A device of the class described comprising a davit, an inclined track on said davit, the inner end of said track being located inwardly of a vertical line passing through the axis of said davit, a traveler normally located at the inner end of track and movable on said track, means on the traveler for attachment to a lite-boat, and releasable means normally maintaining the traveler at a position on the track above the lower portion thereof.

3. A device of the class described comprising a davit, a track, a traveler movable on the track, means carried by the traveler for attachment to a life-boat, means normally maintaining the traveler against movement along the track, means operable to permit projection of the traveler, and means operable automatically through actuation of the last mentioned means to cause operation of the first mentioned means to release the traveler.

4. A device of the class described comprising a davit, a track, a. traveler movable on the track, means carried by the traveler for attachment to a lite-boat, means normally maintaining the traveler against movement lever and latch, and a means to maintain the lever substantially inactive when the davit is moved.

5. A device of the class described comprising a davit, a base having separated sections between which the davit extends, means pivotally connecting the davit to said sections, a rack on said davit, gearing carried by the base meshing with the rack operative to project the davit, a cross head carried by the davit, a track connected to the cross head and dis posed at an angle, a traveler adapted for movement along the track, a latch to secure the traveler in its uppermost position, manually operable means to operate the latch to release the traveler, and a connection between the base and said manually operable means to maintain the latter relatively stationary so as to release the traveler automatically as the davit is projected.

6. A device of the class described comprising a davit, a base having separated sections between which the davit extends, means pivotally connecting the davit to said sections, a rack 011 said davit, gearing carried by the base meshing with the rack operative to project the davit, a cross head carried by the davit, a track connected to the cross head and disposed at an angle, a traveler adapted for movement along the track, a latch to secure the traveler in its uppermost position, manually operable means to operate the latch to release the traveler, a connection between the base and said manually operable means to maintain the latter relatively stationary so as to release the traveler automatically as the davit is projected, means pivotally con necting the track to the cross head so that the same may swing in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the life-boat, and means att-achable to the track to maintain the traveler at the normally lowermost ends of the track in case of inboard listing of the vessel.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE W. P. OVERMAN.

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