US371396A

US371396A - Sail for vessels

Info

Publication number: US371396A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1887-10-11
Anticipated expiration: 1904-10-11

Description

(No Model.)

J. 0. WHEEDEN.

SAIL FOR VESSELS.

No. 371,396. Patented Oct. 11, 1887.

WITNESSES Z 0 ATTORNEY UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C. \VHEEDEN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

SAIL FOR VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 371,396, dated October 11, 1887.

Application filed May 28, 1887. Serial No. 239,613. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES 0. WHEEDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Sails, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved sail for vessels, and has particular reference to vessels which carry square sails.

The invention is illustrated in the accom. panying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows the center three-cornered sail spread and the wings furled. Fig. 2 shows the wings which combine with the center threecornered sail, the latter, however, not being shown. Fig. 3 shows the center three-cornered sail and the wings all spread and together making a main-topsail. Fig. 4 shows the curved edges of the wings slacked away from the center sail to allow the wind to blow through.

The letter A designates the mast; A, the topmast; O, the top-gallant sail, all of which are of ordinary or well-known construction.

My improvement relates to the main-topsail, all the parts comprising which are shown in Fig. 3 spread for sailing. This sail comprises three parts, the center three-cornered sail, F, and the two wings F F". The center threecornered sail, F, has two corners, 6, made fast to the lower yard,f, while the third and top corner, e, is made fast to the upper yard, f. Thus the center sail stands pyramid shape, having two edges, (2, inclining down from the top corner. This sail may be always spread, and is equal to a close reefed main topsail. The two wings F F are also three cornered sails, each having two straight edges and one full-curved edge, 9. These two wings have one straight edge attached to the upper yard, f, acorner, h, of one wing adjoining a corner of the other wing at the center, and the other straight edge forms the leech t, the bottom corner, h, being made fast to the lower yard, f. The full-curved edge 9 of each wing overlaps one of the inclined edges d of the center sail. Each wing has a crow-foot line, It, attached to its curved edge 9, and from thence extends through a snatch-block located (but not visible on the drawings) on the side of the mast at about the point designated by the letter Z, and from thence the two lines may extend down the mast, and may be made fast in any suitable manner. \Vhile these lines k are drawn taut the curved edgesg of the wings will be kept overlapping the inclined edges d of the center sail, and the said three parts F F F thus rigged comprise a full-spread maintopsail, as in Fig. 3. If it is desired to reef this sail, the lines It may be slacked to allow the curved edges 9 to part from or slack away from the center sail and form openings at, as shown in Fig. 4, thus allowing the wind to blow through the said openings m. v

If desired, the two wings F F may be furled by letting go their bottom corner, h, and drawing them up to the upper yard, f, as shown in Fig. 1; or they may be taken down.

A sail thus constructed has more surface, because across the top of wings it may have greater breadth than would be possible for a square sail provided with the usual reefs. A vessel will therefore sail faster with it.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. An improved square sail consisting of three parts, namely: the central threecornered sail, F, having two corners made fast to a lower yard, and the single or third corner made fast to an upper yard, said sail Fhaving inclined edges d d and the wings F F each having one of its edges overlapping the inclined edges of sail F, and the crow-foot line k, attached to the bottom edges of the wings F F, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. An improved square sail consisting of three parts, namely: the central three cornered sail, F, having two corners made fast to one yard and the third corner made fast to another yard, said sail F having two inclined edges, d d, and the two wings F F, having curved edges 9 g, and each provided with a line, It, whereby the said curved edges are adapted to overlap the inclined edges (2 d of sail F or form openings m, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES C. VVHEEDEN.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN E. MoRRIs, J NO. T. lVIADDOX.