THE SHEERLEGS
Information required
By Richard Beckett
I wish to make a scale model of the sheerlegs to be placed in the Newhaven Local & Maritime Museum. I have copies of the original drawings for the main structure, but none for the actual operating system for the cables and for moving the rear leg backwards and forwards. The drawings I have indicate that the leg was moved by means of a worm drive (see attached sketch), but I have been unable to locate any photographs of the actual winding gear for the cables OR for the actual method which drove the worm drive.
Is there anybody out there who actually worked with and operated the sheerlegs who can give me some idea, (even rough sketches would suffice). I know that there were two drums of cable, I believe one for the heavy lift and one for the lighter loads, but I have no idea of the mechanics of how these were operated. PLEASE, PLEASE, can ANYBODY HELP?