US30582A - Attaching sails to ships yards - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT JOI-IN LEWIS, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

ATTACHI-NG SAILS TO SHIPS YARDS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 30,582, dated November 6, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN LEWIS, of Elizabeth, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented, made, and applied to use a certain new and useful Improvement in Attaching Sails to Spar-s; and I do hereby declare that the 'following is a full, clear, and' exact description of the nature of my said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making part of this specication, wherein- Figure l, is a plan ot' a portion of a spar with my means fitted thereto for attaching the sail. Fig. 2, is a section of the spar showing the chain ear-ring. Fig. 3, is a section of my clamp, and Fig. 4, is a section of my hasp.

Similar marks of reference denote the same parts.

In attaching sails to yards itis usual to have a rod on the upper side of the yard, and in bending the sails they are secured to this rod by seizings; a second rod is provided to form a reeng jack stay. This mode of attaching the sails involves considerable trouble and expense in bending the sails, and no ready means is furnished for detaching the sail when in port or when otherwise necessary.

The nature of my said invention consists in a series of movable clamps secured to the yard or other spar, and receiving the head rope of the sail and also in a movable and adjustable ear-ring that takes the angle or corner of the sail and holds the same firmly to the yard or spar.

In the drawing a, is a portion of a yard or spar and represents one corner of a sail.

c, is my improved clamp that is to be applied along on the yard or spar, at convenient and suit-able distances apart. It is however preferable to place these clamps so as to take the head or inclosing rope of the sail where there is a seam in the canvas. Each of these clamps is attached by a screw bolt cl, passing nearly through the center thereof and having a head, as seen in Fig. 3, that presses at the point 2, over the curved hollow toe piece 3 that receives the head rope of the sail so as to clamp the same iirmly to the spar.

The rear or heel of the clamp rests on the spar, and is provided with eyes l, l, through which a life line e, is passed, or

the same may receive a reefing rod in the same position, so as to dispense with the separate reefing jack stay heretofore in use for reeting the sails. The bolt l setting into a socket in the clamp c, as represented allows for disconnecting the sail by simply turning said bolt d by a marline spike inserted into the eye thereof, and the T head of said bolt coming into this socket or recess allows the toe part 3 of the clamp to be raised and the head rope entirely freed, which is a great convenience as the clamps c, do not require disconnecting from the spar.

The thimble g in the corner of the sail is fitted as usual, and to this I connect my earring by means of the hasp f. The ear-ring is formed of the chain it', at one end of which is the metal box z', containing a nut that takes the screw m, passing through the fork catch 7L. This fork catch 7L, is made as an open or skeleton connection; at the part 7 is a fork taking the link of the chain as said chain is passed around the spar, andby this chain my ear-ring can be adapted to any size of yard or spar, and clamped rmly thereto by the screw m, after the proper link of the chain has been dropped into the said fork 7 at 8, on this catch It, is a rib running longitudinally of the spar and taking a groove made therein so that the earring cannot turn on the spar. The clasp 71 also receives one end of the hasp that is formed to take the sail thimble g and litted so that the upper part f, can be opened on the joint (i, for entering or withdrawing the said thimble g, and when the parts f, f, are shut together the stud 5 takes the strain and the button 4 secures the hasp together.

It will now be apparent that my device not only secures the sail very firmly to the spar, but that it furnishes facility for easily disconnecting the same and that without the cost of the seizings heretofore required whenever the sails were to be bent, and my ear-ring is adapted to different spars or different parts of the same spar, and is easily adjusted and secured in place.

That I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is*- 1. The clamps c, c, fitted and acting sub stantially as set forth to retain the sail to the yard or spar, or allow of its being disconnected as specified.

2. The ear-ring formed of the chain f,

fork 7L, and screw m, to firmly clamp or my signature this eighteenth day of October grasp the yard or spar regardless of the seize 1860.

as set forth. Y. 4

3. The hasp, (f, 70,) in combination With JOHN LEVIS' 5 the ear-ring in the manner and for the pur- Witnesses:

poses specified. LEMUEL W. SERRELL,

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set THos. GEO. HAROLD.

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