Design of a Windlass Mounted on Bitts

[ccozewith]

Does anyone have design details for a windlass of the type shown in the figure? The axle is mounted on the Samson post and attachments for the brake are shown but not how it would be supported or where the pawls would be located. Thanks.windlass.tif

[ccozewith]

Here is a jpg version of the figure showing the windlass in question.

[Kenchington]

My trouble is that the type of windlass isn't obvious from the drawing -- probably because (as the recorder noted) "Windlass removed by present owner".

 

Before removal, it's just possible that the windlass was an old-style handspike one and equally possible that it was driven by belt or chain from some sort of engine or motor. More likely, it was one of the many patent designs but whether of pump-brake type or something else isn't obvious.

 

As drawn, it had only the two warping drums (one each end) and perhaps that was enough for a skipjack. But maybe there was something more substantial to take the anchor warp.

 

 

Trevor

[ccozewith]

I came across another drawing of a bitts mounted windlass that also omits the actual mechanism that turned the barrel which is the information I am looking for.  I guessing there must have been another post to support the cranks.  My build is a yacht from 1904 so I'm guessing it was hand operated.  Any ideas?

[Kenchington]

My best guess is that the two projections pointing aft (in profile: level with the axis of the windlass; in plan: aligned with toothed gears immediately inboard of the warping drums) ended in sockets into which the crew could insert wooden levers (modern versions of the old handspikes). Then it would be a matter of lifting the lever as pawls (built into those same projecting parts) rattled across the teeth of the gear, before pulling aft and down to turn the drums. With two men working the levers out of sync with each other, a fairly steady pull could have been maintained. That would suffice for a small vessel, particularly one not operated much in heavy weather and never needing to anchor in deep water.

 

John Harland's 2015 paper on capstans and windlasses (in Mariner's Mirror vol. 101, pp. 38-62) has an illustration of something of the sort as its Fig 26, taken from a patent filed by Charles Perley of New York (date not stated but probably 1850s to mid-1860s, as that was when Perley filed other windlass patents).

 

Trevor

[Dziadeczek]

Showing results for 'windlass'. - Model Ship World™

[Kenchington]

I went looking for images of windlasses similar to my previous guess and found a couple that had been sold in recent years but were still posted on he sale websites -- both once-lovely bronze yacht fittings, as those are the ones that have survived:

 

Edited Sunday at 06:54 PM by Kenchington

[ccozewith]

Thanks to everyone for their replies.  I thought there was more to the mechanism  than shown on the plans but kenchington's explanation of how it was hand cranked plus the photos he posted has cleared the air for me.

 

I am building a model of the yacht Kathleen (1904) shown below in the collection of the San Francisco Maritime National Park.  I just learned there are some photos available and if I can obtain copies of the deck fittings I will post them here.