US727719A - Mast-hoop. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED MAY 12; 1903. R. W. VAIL. l

MAST HOOP.

APPLICATION FILED Nov .'2s. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

I UNITED STATE Patented May 12, 1903.

ROBERT WILLIAM VAIL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MAST-HOOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,719, dated May 12, 1903.

Application filed November 28, 1902. Serialllo. 133,018. (No model.) i

To all'whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT WILLIAM VAIL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mast-Hoopsfof which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mast-hoops, and especially to that class of these devices for holding sails in their relation to the masts or spars of vessels without lashing; and the invention has for its object to combine the maximum of strength and efficiency with the minimum of weight and cost of manufacture. My improved mast-hoop is designed more especially for use upon small-vessels, such as yachts and other pleasure and racing crafts, as it is made of sheet metal, such as aluminium or nickeled steel or brass, which can present the most attractive appearance, while from the special configuration which I give to the body of the hoop great rigidity without clumsiness is obtained, combined with lightness and symmetry. The invention, however, is equally serviceable when applied for use upon the masts of the largest vessels, as my improved hoop can be made as heavy as desired without sacrificing the advantages due to its principle and construction.

Briefly speaking, my invention consistsin a separable mast-hoop the sections of which are formed from sheet metal stamped ,or drawn into single, double, or multiple-cur'ves in cross-section, such sections being hinged or pivoted together at their rearextremities and preferably elongated toward their front ends, so as to depart somewhat from the true circle, and then bent again at these front extremities, and so configurated as to afford novel and efficient means for receiving and holding the sail-rope and the cringle or eye of the sail.

For full comprehension of the details of construction"reference must be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, wherein similar reference characters indicate like'parts.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is aplan View of my mast-hoop with the sections closed and keyed together. Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line mac, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail'sectional plan View of parts of the sections, showing the meeting ends with the sailrope, part of the sail, and a cringle held in operative position thereby. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a preferred form of hinge-joint.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken on the lineyy,

tain curve in the direction of their length,

by preference one which is semicircular in cross-section, as represented in the drawings; but a plurality of' bends or curves may be imparted to the metal, the former being suitable for very light hoops, and the latter may be preferred for the heavier class.

To form the hinge connection at the rear side of the hoop, the endsof the sections 4 4 are compressed and somewhat flattened in a plane approximately at right angles to the curves, so as to form a lug or flange 5, one upon each section, of two thicknesses of metal, and a pivot is provided therefor by passing the bolt 5 through the four thick nesses thus presented. This particular construction, however, is not essential, as the hinge-joint may be otherwise formed according to judgment.

The sections 4 4 while forming a circle throughout the greater .part of their length are preferably turned somewhat tangentially at their forward ends, as at 4*, to impart extra strength to the structure and allow of extra space for manipulation. The meeting faces of these forward parts are indented, so as to form a recess 7 to receive the sail-rope, and cup-shaped formation is given to the end of each section, as at 8 8, the convexities thereof coming together. The dimensions of these cup-shaped ends 8 will be such that they may meet within the cripgle or eye of a sail, but not bind the same, freedom of movement being desirable at these points when the sail is in position.

The cup-shaped ends 8 8 are secured to- ICO gether by the key 6, the bent end or ward 10 of which is passed through suitably-formed perforations in the members 8. The perforations in one member may be a slot 11, having a reduced end, as seen in Fig. 2, and that in the other member a hole forming a socket suitably shaped to receive the inner end of a knob which forms the handle portion of the key 6 and prevent it from dropping out after it has beeninserted and turned to lock the parts together. The locking portion or stem of the key is ofalength between the ward and the knobjust sufficient to easily receive the two thicknesses of metal forming the cup-shaped members 8 and to hold the same firmly together without rattling.

The operation of the device will be apparent; but I may explain that the sections 4 4 are opened to place the same around the mast. The sail and its rope are then inserted in the usual way and the cup'shaped ends brought together within the cringle or sail-eye, the rope finding a lodgment in the recess 7. The key 6 is then inserted through the apertures in the cup-shaped ends 8 8 and turned so as to lock the same, the knob portion simultaneously finding a lodgment in the recess formed to receive it and prevent it from turning.

I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself to the details of construction and arrangement as herein describedandillustrated, as it is manifest thatvariations and modifications may be made in the features of construction and arrangement in the adaptation of the device to various conditions of use without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention and improvements. I therefore reserve the right to all such variation and modification as properly fall within the scope of my invention and the terms of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A mast-hoop made up of two approximately semicircular sections of sheet metal cavo-convex in cross-section, and each bent' into semicircular form for the greater por' tion of their length and then splayed outward and terminating toward their front ends in cup-shaped members, and a key for securing same, substantially as set forth.

3. In a mast-hoop, thecombination of two pivotally-connected sections of sheet metal concavo-convex in cross-section, semicircular for the greater portion of their length but having tangentially-bent meeting ends, a recess for the sail-rope formed by indenting such meeting ends, and cup-shaped terminations the convexities of which are adapted to meet within a cringle or sail-eye, perforations in said cup-shaped terminations and a key adapted to be passed through and turned in said perforations to lock the same together, substantially as set forth.

4. A mast-hoop made up of two approximately semicircular sections of sheet metal drawn into concavoconvex shape in crosssection, having their rear ends flattened approximately at right angles to their curves so as to present four interlocking thicknesses perforated and provided with a pivot-pin passing therethrough, and said semicircular sections terminating toward their front ends in cup-shaped members the eonvexities of which approach each other, and provided with means for securing such front ends together.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT 'VVILLIAM VAIL.

Witnesses:

CHAS. H. DAVIDS, J. G. PYBAS.

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