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19,666
the tackle is operated and the boat swung
out and lowered as usual. As long as the
boat is suspended above the water, the grap-
ple-hooks retain a firm hold upon the bolts
5 C, C, and also so long as the shackle binds
the jaws together, no matter if the boat
lights upon the water, she cannot detach, but
as soon as the boat floats and the shackle is
thrown up off the jaws, the weight thereby
to being removed, the springs become the
greater power and they will force apart the
jaws of the grapple hooks and cause them
to release their hold on the bolts D, D, and
thus free the boat.
_5 The advantages of this arrangement are,
1st, a great saving of time and a perfect cer-
tainty in unhooking which can be done with
the strength of one finger conveniently; 2nd,
although the action of the water does ut-
o0 loose the boat, still it will not do so until the
officer in charge desires or orders the shackle
to be lifted; 3rd, if the command to unhook
is given too soon or too late, still the weight
of the boat keeps the grapple hooks fast un-
til the boat floats, and in the latter case, in- 25
stead of the boats falling into the trough
of the sea to be caught under the ship by the
returning roll, by a moment's work, the
shackle can be rehooked and the boat made
as secure as ever. 30
The importance of an invention of this
character must be evident to every one who
has noticed the great loss of life, especially
in passenger packets occasioned by a bad or
unfortunate lowering or detaching of the 35
boats in a heavy sea.
What I claim as my invention and desire
to secure by Letters Patent, is-
The peculiar arrangement consisting of
the chains or braces B, B, B, central broad- -
headed bolt C, and grapple-hook D, with the
lowering tackle of a ship, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
HENRY DE VEUVE.
Witnesses :
G. YORK AT LEE,
ED. F. BROWN.