US313279A

US313279A - Upper top sails

Info

Publication number: US313279A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1885-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 1902-03-03

Description

(No Model.; 2 sheets-sheep 1.

R. M. BELFRAGE.

KEEPING UPPER TGP SAILS.

Patented Mar. 3, 1885..

No Modem 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. M. BELFR'AGE. REEFING UPPERy TOP SAILS.

N0. 313,279. Patented Mar. 3, 1885.

UrvrTnn STaTns TPATENT Orrrcn.

ROBERT M. BELFRAGE, OF OANNONSVILLE, NEWY YORK.

REEFING UPPER TOP-SAILS.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,279, dated March 3, 1885.

.Application filed October 27, 1884. (No model.)

T0 all whom-it may concern:

Beit known that I, ROBERT M. BELFRAGE, of Cannonsville, county of Delaware and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Reefing Upper TopSails; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvementin reeling the upper top-sail, the object of which is to enable the operation to be performed from the deck.

My invention consists in the novel arrangementof the upper top-sail reef-tackles, whereby the sail is adapted to be reefed to the lower top-sail yard instead of to the upper one, in the arrangement of spilling-lines to spill or smother the sails, and in a false foot or ridge across the sail just above its foot, 'whereby when the sail is reefed the false footstrengthens it, all of which I shall hereinafter fully explain. l

The object of my invention is to provide a means for reeng the upper top-sail effectively and rapidly from the deck.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,Y

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a n1ast,showing theupper top-sailand the means for reefing it. Fig. 2 is au elevation of the front of the upper top-sail.

A represents the deck of a vessel, and B one of its masts, which for the purpose of this description may be the mainmast.

C is the main-yard, D the lower topsail yard, and E the upper top-sail yard.

F is the top-gallant yard, and Gis the royal yard.

H is the upper top-sail, bent and secured to the upper top-sail yard in the usual Inanner, and clewed down to the lower top-sail yard. Across the back of the sail,about onethird of the distance from its foot, is secured a ridge-band, I, extending longitudinally of the sail. This may be made ol' any suitable material, though .l prefer that it should be made of pliable wire. This ridge-band forms a false foot to the sail when reel'ed, as I shall hereinafter show.

J are the halyards, secured to the upper topsail yard and also to the deck by the usual purchase-lines j.

K are the upper top-sail reef-tackles, which below are belayed to theJ rife-rail L, and pass upward through the niaintop and through the usual blocks outward under the lower topsail yard, their pendants being made fast to the leech ofthe sail at a point below its longitudinal center, preferably at the ends of the ridge-band. rEhe pendants of the reef-tackles I prefer to be made of wire or chain.

M are lines which I call spilling-lines..77 These are belayed on the deck to the life-rail, and thence extend up and over suitable blocks at the top mast head and down on each side to the blocks m', through which said blocks the legs m of the spilling-lines pass. These legs, one on each side of the mast, consist of a single line, the ends of which pass down through guide-blocks on the upper topsail yard, down through suitable eyes on the front of the sail, and through eyelets in said sail, locatedjust above the ridge-band I, and down through eyes O on the foot of the sail, and are secured to the lower top-sail yards.

The ordinary or usual manner of reeling the upper top-sail is as follows: The halyards are let go to allow the upper top-sail yard to drop, and the reef-tackles are then pulled on to haul the sail up to the said upper top-sail yard, when said tackles are then made fast below. The nien aloft go out to the outer ends of the upper top-sail yard and secure the sail there by means of the usual reef-earings. These are necessary in order to hold the sail to its position, while the reeftackles are let go in order to allow the halyards to pull the yard up again; but by my invention I propose that this reet'- ing shall be done from the deck, and for this purpose in the first place it will be observed thatthe pendants of the reef-tackles are not secured to the upper portion ot' the leech, as is usual, but are secured to the lower portion about at the ends of the ridge-band. In this way the sail instead of being reefed to the upper yard is pulled down to the lower yard, and thus there is no necessity for any-reefearings, for the lower top-sail yard being stationary there is no need of letting go the reeftackles after being once made fast, because the halyards having only to do with the upper top-sail yard the reef-tackles do not prevent their use. When thereef-tackles arebelayed, l the sail is reefed down to the lower yard and there held without the necessity ofgoing aloft; but if such necessity should arise it can be further secured by tying the reef-points P; but ordinarily the reef-tackles are suiiicient of themselves to hold the sail to its reet'ed position, the ridge-band then acting as af'alse foot for the sail and preventing it from straining and tearing. The spilling-lines by their course through and about the sail serve when taut to spill the sail when reeling, or to smother itin, so that it can be furled or reefed.

In order to reef the sail, the operation is as follows: Haul taut the spilling-lines, let go the top-sail halyards, haul outthe reef-tackles and belay, tie the reefpoints on the foot of the sail, if necessary, if not, hoist away on the top-sail halyards again.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Theupper top-sail, H, adapted to be reefed down tothelowertop-sail yard, in coinbination with the spilling-lines M, the fall of which is on deck. their upper portions being guided by suitable blocks, aud having legs m passing down to and traversing and interlacing the sail vertically, and secured to the lower top-sail yard, as shown, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

2. The upper top-sail, H, in combination with the upper top-sail reef-tackles K, the pendants of which are made fast to theleech ofthe sail below itslongitudinal or-horizontal center, andthe spilling-lines M, having legs m traversing and intel-lacing the sail vertically, and secured to the lower top-sail yard, all arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

3. The upper top-sail, H, having the ridgeband or false foot I, extending, horizontally across it below its longitudinal center, in combination with the upper top-sail reefetackles K, 'the pendants ofwhich are made fast to the leech ot' the sail at or about the ends of the ridge-band, and the spillinglines M, having legs 'm traversing and interlacing the sail vertically, and secured to the lower top-sail yard, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

ln witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ROBERT M. BELFRAGE.

Witnesses:

S. H. NoURsF., C. D. CoLE.