US1227147A - Releasing device. - Google Patents

Description

.I. IRWIN.

RELEASING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FIL'ED FEB- 19, 1916.

1,227,147. 7 Patented May 22, 1917.

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I AITORNE5 1. IRWIN. RELEASING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, I9I6.

1,227,147. Patented May 22, 1917.

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JAMES IRWIN, OF SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO H. J. MAHONY (30., OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ACOBPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 19,1916.' Serial No. 79,352.

, Improvements in Releasing Devices, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to'a releasing device. One of the is to provide a simple, substantial, easily operated releasing device capable of quickly releasing suspended bodies from their supports or mountings, and which is especially adapted for use in connectionwith life boats and the like to permitthe same to be quickly released from the tackle or davits from which they are suspended. Another object of the invention is to provide means for simultaneously operating two releasing devices, for instance, one at each end of a boat, and, furthermore, to provide a releasing device which may be released either with or without relieving the load. Further objects will hereinafter appear. I

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and" combination of parts as hereinafter more fuly described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure l is a central, vertical section through the releasing device.

Fig. 2 is an end view of same.

. Fig 3 is a longitudinal section ofa life,

boat, showing the application of the invention.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section'on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlargedcross section on line 5-5 of Fig.3; j

' Referring to the drawings in detail, A in dicates a pair of spaced side plates; which, in the instance, are connected on one side by a web 2, formed integrally therewith, and on the other sideby a cross bar 3. The side plates thus connected form an open slot 4, at the upper end, and the lower end is also open to permit access to ;the intermediate space, as will be hereinafter described.

Pivotally mounted on a pin 5, secured between the plates, is a hook-shaped bill 6, on the lower end of which isformed a shank -7'. The hook is so positioned as to extend across the slot 4, when closed, but is permitted 'tO swing back into the dotted line position shown at 6* when opened. Pivotally' mount objects of the present inventioned on a pin 8, secured between the side plates, is a horizontally positioned lever 9, on which is formed a shoulder or cam projection 10 provided for the purpose of engaging and locking the shank 7 of the hook.

Patented May 22, 1917. I

One vend of the lever is extended beyond the pivotal point 8, as at 11, to reach beyond the plates and is adapted to form a lock with a removable wedge member 12. The member 12 is adapted to be interposed between the lever extension 11 and a projecting flange 13 formed'on the crossbar 3.

Pivotally mounted between the side plates, near the lower end on a pin 14, is a locking lever 15. One end of this lever is adapted to engage the underside of the lever 9'; and

manner, but preferably to 'a-plate 17 which is bolted in position and which is provided with two pair of outwardly extending lugs 18 and 19. These lugs embrace the upperand lower ends 'of the side plates," and bolts 20, passing through the lugs and the side plates, form a secure connection between the releasing device and the plate 17. Positioned centrally of the "boat, or' in any other convenient position, is a vertically disposed frame 22, in the upper end of which is slidably mounted a rod 23 provided with ,a handle 24. The'rod is preferably round in cross section andlprovided with a'pair of wing extensions 25' (see Figs. 13 and 5), and the upper end of the frame is similarly shaped, that is, a round opening fitting the 'r0d*2 3-is providedand 'a pairjof slots, similar in shape to the wing extensions 25, is

provided to permit the rodto be lowered, as

will hereinafter be described. 7

1 Mounted on the lower end ofthe' rod is a bracket 26, and pivotally mounted in the lower end of the frame 22 is a pair of offset bell cranks27 and 28 whi'chare connected with thebracket 26, by means offa pair of links29 and' 30 Interposed betweenieach bell-crank 27 and28 and the bell cranks 17, mounted at each end of the boat, is area 31 which" extends through a nponthe keel of the boat.-

pipe secured V the handle, until the wing projections 25 register with the similarly shaped slots in the upper end of the frame 22. The rod will then permit a rocking of the bellcranks 27' and 28, with connected bellcranks 17, thereby allowing these to swing I the locking levers from the dotted line tackle.

position shown at 15* in Fig. 1 to the full line position. The cam lever 9, being released, will then drop down in unison with the locking lever and release the hook, per- 7 mitting this to swing free and release the The arrangement of the locking levers also permits the boat to be released while still in suspension. As the weight of the, load is carried by the hook, it will be seen that the hook always has a tendency to swing inward in the direction of arrow at and therefore has a constant tendency to depress the cam lever 9 androck the locking lever 15 into the full line position. It is,

therefore, only necessary toturn the rod 23 until the wing projections 25 register with the slots in the frame 22.

7 The pressure of the shank 7, against the cam levers 9 and locking levers 15, will then force this in a downward direction and pull the rod 23 down, permitting a simultaneous releasing action of both hooks.

A releasing device constructed as here shown is simple, rigid and substantial in construction and is always positive in action as it cannot fail to release either with or without a load if the operating requirements are complied with.

An important feature of the present invention is the position of the hook and locking levers. This arrangement causes the hooks to move, when released, with and not against the weight. The provision of the operating rod 23, which is inclosed by the frame 22, positively prevents accidental releasing of the hooks as these cannot become released except by the man in charge, and as he must deliberately turn the rod until the wing projections 25 register with the slots in the casing or frame 2 2,it can be seen that accidental release cannot take when it is turned into register with the slots or keyway in the frame. The weight or pressure constantly exerted is so. reduced,

through the arrangement of the leverage between the different pivotal points, that only a'small fraction of the load is trans.-

mitted at any time, thus removing any danger of bending the rods and accidentally releasing the hooks at anytime.

The secondary lock, formed movable wedge 12, is only provided for the purpose of permitting one man to engage the hooks and lock the same with relation to the tackle. It can easily be seen that one man could not possibly engage both hooks at one time as these are placed at opposite ends of the boat. He will, therefore, have to engage one hook and then interpo'se the wedge 12 to temporarily retain it in locked position. He may then proceed to the opposite end of theboat and engage and look by the rej the other hook in the same manner. He

next proceeds to the center of the boat and -locks it in this position, when fully extend- 7 ed, by turning the wing projections out of register with the keyway or slots in the frame. This upward movement of. the rod moves the connected levers and interposed leased, when the hooks are locked in the proper manner, and the chains connected to same are so short that they cannot again be inserted when the rod 23 is in the raised locked position shown. This is very essential as one or both wedges might possibly be left in looking position, thus permitting oneend only to becomereleased when'the rod 23 is operated'or some other accident might happen which could otherwise have been avoided.

The materials and finish of the several parts of the device are suchas theexperience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate.

I wish it understood that various changes in form, proportions and details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims and that I do not wish to limit myself to the specific design and construction here shown.

. Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is I 1. The combination with a pair of releasing devices and the locking levers carried thereby, of a releasing rod interposed between the locking levers, a frame in which the releasing rod is vertically positioned and slidably mounted, a bracket on the lower end of the rod, a pair of bell-cranks each connected with a respective one of the releasing devices, and a pair of rods connecting the bracket and the bell cranks.

2. A releasing device comprising a pair of spaced connected plates, a hook member pivotally mounted between the. plates having a shank extension on one side of the pivot,

a cam lever pivotally mounted between the plates and engageable with the shank extension on the hook to lock the hook against movement, a locking lever movable independently of and engageable with the cam lever, and means for locking the locking lever against movement.

3. A releasing device comprising a pair of spaced connected plates, a hook member pivotally mounted between the plates having a shank extension on one side of the pivot, a cam lever pivotally mounted between the plates and engageable with the shank extension on the hook to lock the hook against movement, and a removable wedge member insertible between the cam lever and a lug formed between the side plates to lock the cam lever against movement.

4. A releasing device comprising a pair of spaced connected plates, a hook member pivotally mounted between the plates having a shank extension on one side of the pivot, a cam lever pivotally mounted between the plates and engageable with the shank extension on the hook to lock the hook against movement, a removable wedge member insertible between the cam lever and a lug formed between the side plates to lock the cam lever against movement, a locking lever engageable with the cam lever, means for locking the locking lever against movement, and means for automatically retracting the -wedge member when the locking lever is moved into locking position and locked.

5. A releasing devicecomprising a pair of spaced connected plates, a hook member pivotally mounted between the plates having a shank extension on one side of the pivot, a cam lever pivotally mounted between the plates and engageable with the shank extension on the hook to lock the hook against movement, means for locking the cam lever against movement, and a securing member adapted to carry the releasing device as a whole, said member comprising a plate, a pair of lugs formed on each endof the plate and adapted to embrace the side plates of the releasing device, and bolts extending through the lugs and side plates to secure the releasing device.

6. A releasing device comprising a movably supported engaging member normally thereby, of a releasing rod interposed between the locking levers, a frame in which the releasing rod is vertically positioned and slidably mounted, cranks and links connecting the lower end of the releasing rod with the locking levers to transmit movement from the releasing rod to rock the locking levers simultaneously into releasing or looking position, a pair of wing extensions on the releasing rod and slots in the frame with which said wing extensions are adapted to register, and means for turning the releasing rod to bring the wing extensions out of register with the slots and to lock the rod against sliding movement when the locking levers are in looking position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES IRWIN.

Witnesses JOHN H. HERRING,

W. W. HEALEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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