US2343086A - Safety suspension device - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 29, 1944. A 1 SCHULTZ SAFETY SUSPENSION DEVICE Filed D'ec. 24, 1941 Patented Feb'.

SAFETY SUSPENSION DEVICE Arnold J. Schultz, Bellport, N. Y., assixnor to Slmplex Safety Block Co. Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 24, 1941, Serial No. 424,233

6 Claims. (Cl. 25d-192) This invention is directed to a safety device which is adapted to be used in the suspension of life-boats, scaiolds and the like, so as to enable the occupants thereof to manipulate their position .with full control of the boat or scadold.

In such devices and especially in life-boats, which are hung from davits,` considerable diillculty arises when it is necessary to lower the boats. It has been customary to cause the lowthereof, especially at night.

pable of manipulating the same.

perfect control.

operative position.

or the like.

like, can be accurately and closely controlled.

In the accompanying drawing, constituting apart hereof and in which like reference characy ters indicate like parts:

ering by hand manipulation of ropes by at least Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional two individuals aboard the vessel, their actions view, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and lowering the life-boats to vthe water. `Consider- Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modiiled form able diiiiculties arise in that since each individual of the device, shown in Fig. 1. controls one end of the boat, it is most diiiicult The device consists essentially of a block havto lower both ends equally, particularly as when ing lateral faces I and 2, a front face 3 and a the boat is part-way down from the vessel, it is rear face 4. As shown in Fig. l, the block is elonno longer visible to the operators aboard the vesgated and has at the' lower end 5 thereof, an sel. Therefore, very often a boat iscapsized beopening 6 whereby the device may be attachedfore it reaches the water. Also, it is impossible to a boat, platform, or the like. At the upper end for the operators to slowly and uniformly lower I of the b1ock, there is usually provided an openthe boat so thatmany accidents occur by reason ing 8 whereby a rope may be secured to the top of the device.

In order to overcome these disadvantages, it is Within the block and at a central portion highly desirable that a device be provided which thereof, there is an opening 9 extending from 'is' located within .the boat itself and which can 25 front 3 to back 4 of the block. A pulley I0 is rbe manipulated by the occupants of the boat, who pivoted on axis I I. Below said pulley and above are in a position to determine at all times exactly opening 6 and extending laterally from the block, how the lowering should be conducted. It is also is the member I 2 formed integrally with the block desirable that the control of the lowering be so and having a brake face I3 therein. Sides I I simple that even inexperienced persons are caand I5 thereof extend forwardly and hold in pivoted position by axis I6, a cam I1 recessed as It is therefore among the objects of the presshown at I8. The faceof the cam is formed with ent invention to provide a device which may be corrugations I9 to better grip arope. attached to a boat, scaffold, or the like and which Extending downwardly from the cam and inwill render it a simple matter for .the occupant 35 tegral therewith, is a handle 20 which in the poto lower the device at any desired speed, and with sition shown, is vertical. The cam is in gripping position. The Weight of the handle 20 is sub- It is also among the objects of the present in-1 stantially greater than the weight of the cam I1; vention to provide a device which is simple in so that the action of gravity tends continually construction, contains but a few parts, which is to hold the cam in gripping position. sturdy, and which may be readily inserted in In operation, a rope 2I is secured to an VAupper block which is held on the davit or the like, the In practicing the present invention, there is rope extending at 22 downwardly under pulley provided an elongated block, usually of cast metal- I0, then extending upwardly as shown at 23, over such as bronze or of malleable iron. YIntegrally 4" the pulley of the upper block, andthen down- 'formed therewith is a brake face, and a pivoted wardly as shown at 24, around and over the snubcam cooperates therewith to grip a. rope, cable, hing-post 25. Said -post extends laterally from A handle formed on the cam isV se side 2 of the blockthe upper surface being aparranged that the action of gravity normally proximately on the same level las the top of pulley forces the cam intothe grippingposition. Up- 50 I0. The rope then passes downwardly as shown ward movement of the handle by the operator at 26, through the space between face I3 and will release the rope to the desired extent and by cam I1, and out as shown at 2 1, the free end of continued manipulation. the speed ofA movement the rope resting .in the boat or the like. of the rope and consequently of the boat or the In suspending a-boat from the davits, two such blocks are used, one at each\end ofthe boat. as

20 and moves it forwardly and upwardly, relative 'to the block, thereby releasing the rope 26, the

weight of the boatthen causing slipping of the rope through the brake, snubbing-post and pulleys. The two operators may, by shifting the handle backward and forward, control the speed of movement of rope 26 or arrest it as desired. Such control is very simple and does not require any great effort on the part of the operators. If the operators should drop the handles then the brake automatically locks the boat in place.

In Fig. 1 a rope 28 is shown as passing through opening 6. It may beused for securing to the boat or the like. However, in many cases, a hook is provided which replaces rope 28 and may be inserted into opening 6.

As shown in Fig. 1, the opening 8 is not used. It is provided in case the boat block on the davit has two pulleys instead of one. In such case, the end of rope 2| is tied in opening 8. It then passes over one of the pulleys of the boat block, down under pulley I0, then upward over the second pulley, and then downwardly as shown at 24, 26 and 21..

In Fig. 4 there is shown a modication of the device in which there is provided a block 30 of elongated form, having vertical partitions 3| extending from front to back, and defining three openings in which pulleys 32 are mounted.

To the lower end 35 of block 30 is secured a hook .36. This may be formed integrally with the block. It is adapted to hold a ring 31 or other element which supports the boat or the like. Extending laterally from portion 35 at side 33 are members 38, similar to members I4 and l5 of Fig- 2. A cam 39 is pivoted at 46 and cooperates ilyith a brake face (not shown) similar to face A handle Il integral with cam 3S extends in a horizontal direction and. as shown in Fig. 4, is' slightly above the horizontal. theextreme end thereof, provides suitable weight to force cam 39 into the gripping position as shown in Fig. 4, by the action of'gravity. In many cases, particularly in certain types of lifeboats where the covers thereof extend up to hook 36 or opening 6, if the handle in the gripping position extended downwardly, there might be interference with the placing and the removal of the cover. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 4, the handle may be made to extend substantially horizontally and thus avoid such a diiliculty.

In the prior art it has been attempted to obtain results of the type described herein, but the devices suggested for the purpose have been entirely inadequate. In one such device there was provided a relatively long member which was pivoted and which was intendedto be Dressed against a rope by hand in order to modify the speed of the rope. However. this did not operate by a cam action and normally there was no gripping of the rope by the device. Furthermore, it was necessary that the pressure exerted by the A knob 42 oiix a considerable number of parts. so that the strengh thereof was'inadequate. It was liable to f tachment of the device to operator be sufficient in order to give the c1amp` ing action. In another device for the same pur,- pose, there was provided a cam .arrangement of complicated character having a spring device which normally held the cam in gripping position. ItA was necessary, by handmanipulation, to overcome the pressure of the spring'. This device had numerous disadvantages in that there was 'no certainty of the operation of the spring device and the entire structure was fabricated of be injured by even moderate blows and it was incapable of withstanding the corrosive action of weather on the various assembled parts.

Although the invention has been described, setting forth two embodiments thereof, it 'is apparent that changes may be made in the details of the construction within the spirit of the invention. For instance, the exact form and shape of the blocks aswell as the size thereof, may be varied at will. It is essential that the relative arrangement of the brake, snubblngpost and pulley be as shown, but variations'in the detail of construction may be made.A One of the sides I4 or I5 may be open so that a rope may be slipped into the brake. While it'f'is preferred that the entireblock and associated parts be cast or forged or otherwise integrally 'tormed. it is'of course possible to modify the construction and form the same of a greater number of parts. However, the simplicity and unitary construction is highly desirable for service wear. In view of the above, the invention is to be broadly construed and not to be limited except by the claims appended hereto. What is claimed is:

,1. Safety device for boats, scaiolds, and the like comprising an elongated solid unitary block, means formed in the lower end thereof for attachment to a device to be supported, a brake face extending laterally from said block and formed integrally therewith, a cam held laterally from said block and pivoted in said extension and adjacent to said face, a handle rigidly ity acting to clamp said flexible member against A movement, and a snubbirig-post extending laterally from said block above said face in vertical alinement therewith to hold said flexible member in operative relation with said cam, the manipulation of said handle being adapted to allow continuous and variable movement of said flexible member.

2. `Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein a lateral hole is provided at the upper end of the block for the attachment of a flexible member and wherein an .enlarged lateral hole at the lower end of the block provides said means formed in the lower end of the block for the atbe supported. 3. Safety device for boats, scaifolds, and the like comprisingan elongated solid unitary block,

,means formed in the lower end thereof for ating laterally' from said block above said face in vertical' alinement therewith .to hold said rope in operative relation with said cam, the manipulation of said handle being adaptedto allow continuous and variable movement of said'lilexible member. y'

4. Safety device for boats,'scalflds,and the like comprising an elongated solid unitary block,

means formed in the lower end thereof for attachment to a device to be supported, at least one pulley pivoted within the body of said block on a horizontal axis inthe central portion there-l of, a brake face below said pulley extending laterally from said block and formed integrally therewith,.a cam held laterally from said block and pivoted in said extension and adjacent to said face, a handle rigidly secured to said cam,

said face and cam adapted to clamp a rope 'face of said snubbingv-postA being in substantially horizontal alinement with said pulley, the

, manipulation of said vhandle being adapted to allow continuous and variable movement of said ilexible member.

5. In a safety device which is adapted to percause the rope to be clampedI a snubbing post extending laterally from said block above said bracket for cooperating with the rope, and a pulley mounted within said block above the center of the block with the block recessed and the pulley of such a size that a rope passing downwardly and about said pulley and thence upwardly again passes free of the two sides of the block. i f

6. A safety device of the character describedA comprising, an elongated solid unitary block having means at one end thereof forattachment to a device to be supported, a braeket extending laterally from said block and formed integrally therewith, said bracket having a pair erate therewith in clamping a rope extending mit continuous and variable descent of a device supported by a rope, the combination of, an elongated solid unitary block adapted to be held ina vertical position and having attaching means at the lower end thereof, a bracket extending laterallyw from said block and formed integrally therewith. said bracket having a pair of spaced ears with a brake face therebetween,

a cam member pivoted between said ears and face whereby the weight of the handle tends to d0 therebetween, said cam member having a handle rigidly secured to said cam portion and so related to said cam surface that the weight ofthe handle under the action of gravity acts to clamp the tion by the opposed forces of the device to be supported at the lower end of the block and of the combined action of a rope-extending through said pulley and the rope acted upon by said cam member and whereby the manipulation of said handle allows continuous and variable movement of the rope.

.f- ARNOLD J. SCHULTZ.

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