h ships,
arranged to take either of the cables, could be worked by hand or steam.
In the "Collingwood's" windlass the cables remained on their holders,
and could be hove-in or veered without being touched.

[Illustration: FIG. 2.--Elevation looking aft.]

Napier's patent windlass for merchant ships (1906) resembles an
appliance fitted in the earlier second-class cruisers of the British
navy (1890 to 1900). Two cable wheels or cable-holders are mounted loose
on a horizontal axle, one on each side of a worm wheel which is tightly
keyed on the middle part of the axle. A vertical steam engine with two
cylinders, placed one on each side of the framing, drives a second
horizontal axle which is connected by a set of bevel gears to an upright
worm shaft, which works the worm wheel. This worm wheel can be connected
by means of sliding bolts to one or both of the cable wheels, enabling
one or both cables to be hove-in or veered as necessary. A brake, of
Napier's self-holding differential type, is fitted to each cable wheel,
and is controlled by hand wheels on the aft side of the windlass. For
warping purposes, warping drums are fitted (made portable if required).
A third central capstan, fitted forward of the windlass, is connected to
the upright worm shaft by a horizontal shaft and bevel wheels. It can
also be worked by manual labour with capstan bars. Fig. 2 represents the
arrangement of the capstans on the forecastle of a battleship, fitted by
Napier Brothers. Deep-bodied capstans have been superseded by low
drum-headed ones, over which the guns may be fired. The three capstans
or cable-holders of cast steel, capable of taking 2-11/16 in. cables,
are fitted on vertical spindles, which pass down through the main and
armoured decks to the platform one, where the steam engine and gearing
are placed. The gearing consists of worm and wheel gears, so arranged
that the three capstans can be worked singly or in conjunction, when
heaving-in or veering, and the brakes (of the type previously mentioned)
are controlled by a portable hand wheel fitted on the aft side of each.
The cable-holders can be used for riding at anchor (see CABLE). The
middle line capstan E is keyed to vertical spindles and can be coupled
up to the capstan engine, by clutch and drop bolts in the capstan engine
room; it is fitted with a cable-holder, to take either the port or
starboard cables, and in addition is provided with portable whelps,
enabling it to be used