US942510A - Towing arrangement for canal and river vessels. - Google Patents

Description

E. o. NIKEL, I` l RANGEMENT POR CANAL AND RIVER. VBSSELS.

TOWING AR APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23, 1908.

Patented Dec. '7, 1909.

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UNTER@ @TATE PATENT @Fldllit EMIL OSKAR NIKEL, OF TAWORZNO, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

TOWING ARRANGEMENT FOR CANAL AND RIVER VESSELS.

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To all whom it 'may concern.

Be it known that I, EMIL OsKAn NIKEL, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at Taworzno, Galicia, in the Empire of Austria-Hungary, have invented new and useful improvements in Towing Arrangements for Canal and River Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a towing device for canal and river vessels which aims at an uninterrupted and easy forward movement of the boats by eliminating all jerking and undue straining of the rope, as well as greater economy in working by means of a saving in power with respect to the forward motion of the stretching device, e'. e. the device at the forward end of the towing rope which keeps the portion of the rope in advance of the fixing stations or posts taut and carries it along the tow-path, and the invention is intended as an improvement in the device described by an endless rope being wound around a pulley fixed on board the vessel and around another pulley moving in a forward direction on the towing path.

In the present invention two ropes wound on special drums on board the vessel and on the forwardly moving stretching devicev are used which are alternately attached to the fixing stations or posts situated at regular distances from each other on the tow path.

The towing arrangement is shown in the drawing in which- Figures 1-6 show diagrammatically the positions of a ship during forward movement and Fig. 7 shows the winding of the rope on the ships drums, and on the pulleys of the stretching device.

The stretching device A for the forward movement of the ropes consists of two drums 3 and 11, the former having a lower rope and the latter an upper one. The drums and stretching device are applied in any way suitable to the work in hand and are moved forward either by land or by water.

B indicates the drums on board the vessel. They consist of a rope-drum 1 with upper rope, and a second rope-drum 2 with lower rope.

5, 6, 7 and 8 are the driving wheels for drinn 1 and 9, 10, 11, 12 the driving wheels for drum 2.

16, 17 is a stationary compound steam engine for driving drum 2, 14 and 15 being Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 23, 1908.

the driving engine for drum 1. To allow Patented Dec. 7, 1999.

Serial No. 464,039.

both driving engines and therefore both drums 1 and 2 being coupled together a friction clutch 13 is provided.

c, l and e show the fixing stations or posts on the banks of the river.

Each rope consists of a drawing line and a loose-line, which are joined together with a connecting-link or a loop 18, 19. A

The method of working in towing is as follows: in Fig. 1 the two driving engines are coupled by means of the friction clutch 13, the drawing line 20 is fastened at the station c, by means of the connecting link 18, and the vessel is brought up to station c, by the rotation of drums 1 and 2. While so doing, the drawing line 21 winds olf drum 2, and the loose line 22 is wound on to drum 1 of the stretching device, in consequence of which the connecting link 19 is brought to station l and attached thereto (Fig. 2.) rEhe clutch 13 is now disengaged and drum 2 reversed. Drum 1 continues working as aforesaid and the drawing lines 20 and 21 are wound on to drums 1 and 2 respectively. (Fig. Drum. 1 is now reversed and clutch 13 engaged with drum 1, the rope being wound olf, while on drum 2 it is wound on; the connecting link 18 is loosened from the station c (Fig. 4) and brought on to station e, by the winding up of the loose line 23 on drum 3 of the stretching device, and here link 1S fastened (Fig. 5). Clutch 13 is hereupon disengaged as before and drum 1 reversed. The drawing lines 20 and 21 are wound at the same time on drums 1 and 2, until drum 2 is reversed, whereupon after clutch 13 is engaged, the drawing line 20 is further wound on to drum 1, thus carrying the ship on again, while drawing line 21 is wound from drum 2. The connecting link 19 is loosened from station CZ and carried on to its next station by the winding up of the loose line 22 (Fig. (3). In this way the forward movement of the vessel is constant, and it is apparent that the vessel is kept in continuous movement while loosenings of the drawing line by the attendant on the change of stations are absolutely free from undue straining and jerking of the rope.

An important advantage is obtained in the fact that the loose line of any rope can be lighter than the drawing line, and that the loose line is keptmoving forward, while in the wound up state, on the stretching device.

I declare that what I claim is:

1. Towing device for canal and river vessels, comprising two drawing lines of strong resistance, wound on separate drums on a vessel, means to turn said drums at will in the same and opposite directions, fixed stations at suitable distances from each other along the tow path, means at the free ends of the drawing lilies to tie them at said stations, loose carrying lines, extending from the end of each drawing line forwardly, and a traveling drum adapted to take up said carrying lines, one as a lower strand and the other as an upper strand, substantially as described.

2. Towing device for canal and river vessels comprising two drawingl lines of strong resistance, wound on separate drums on a vessel, reversible motors for each drum and a clutch to couple the drums, fixed stations at suitable distances from each other along the tow path, means at the free ends of the drawing lines to tie them at said stations, loose carrying lines of lighter cross section than the drawing lines extending from the end of each drawing line forwardly and a traveling drum adapted to take up said carrying lines, one as a lower strand and the other as an upper strand, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EMIL OSKAR NIKEL.

/Vitnesses:

HUGO L. NIKEL, EDWARD STEINER.

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