Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 October 1894 — New Marine Device. [ARTICLE]

New Marine Device.

In heavy weather a steam tug will sometimes lose its tow, a sudden strain on the hawser breaking the same, and the sea being too rough to make it practicable to get a new line to the liberated craft. In order to lessen that danger several American tow boats have adopted a device called the Shaw & Spiegel towing machine. Its essential feature is an elastic steam cushion. The hawser is made fast to a drum, which unwinds a little when the strain abruptly increases, but this operation applies more steam to the drum, which then meets the strain and stops revolving. If the, pull lessens the drum automatically takes up the slack.