AN IMPROVED FID FOR THE UPPER-MASTS OF YACHTS AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Allix, of the Town and County of Southampton,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED FID FOR THE UPPER-MASTS OF YACHTS
AND OTHER VESSELS."
Sealed the 9th September 1879, and dated the 25th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Allix at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th March 1879.
GEORGE ALLIX, of the Town and County of Southampton.
FOR THE UPPER-MASTS OF YACHTS AND OTHER VESSELS."
AN IMPROVED FID
This Invention relates to an improvement on the fid for which Letters Patent
were granted to Richard Francis Stiles Blake, dated August 14th, 1833, No. 6461,
and it consists in a device having for its object to automatically set the fid in
position to support the top mast or other upper mast immediately the same is raised
bigh enough to bring the fid above the tressel trees or the lower cap in which the
top mast slides, thereby avoiding the necessity for sending a hand aloft to fid the
mast, or the use of tackle for operating the fid from deck. For unfidding and
striking the top mast the device does not operate, the fid like that described in
Blake's Patent aforesaid falling of itself wholly within the fid hole immediately it
is relieved of the weight of the top mast.
The said device consists of a lever hung loosely on a pivot in an extension of the
fid hole beneath the fid, and having at its upper end a catch to engage in a notch
on the underside of the heavier end of the fid, and hold it up until it rests on the
tressel trees or cap; the lower arm of the said lever being curved outwards, and
the lever being so hung or weighted as to cause this curved part to project slightly
out of the tid hole. The action in fidding the mast is as follows:-
On the mast being hoisted the fid hangs in a nearly vertical position, wholly
within the fid hole as usual, until it arrives a short distance above the tressel trees
D

page_text: or the lower cap, as the case may be, whereupon the curved projecting lower arm
of the lever strikes against the cap, and in passing through it is pushed back
within the fid hole, whereby the upper end of the lever is caused to turn the fid
into a nearly horizontal position, and by engaging with the notch above mentioned
retain it, until by lowering the top mast slightly the fid rests upon the tressel trees
or cap, whereupon the lever is disengaged from the notch and falls back to its
former position.
In unfidding the top mast is raised only until the fid no longer rests on the
tressel trees or cap, and (the mast not having been raised high enough for the
projecting arm of the lever to be acted on) is free to fall within the fid bole.

page_text: Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through the fid hole showing the fid and
lever in three positions. Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 are front elevations on a smaller scale
illustrating the action of the fid and lever; and Figure 6 is a side elevation.
A is the lower mast; B, the top mast or top gallant mast; and C, C', the caps
in which the mast B slides; D is Blake's Patent fid oscillating on a pin D¹, the only
difference made in it being a notch d across the under face of the heavier end near
the centre of oscillation.
E is the lever of my Invention hung loosely on a pin E¹ beneath the fid D, the
fid hole being extended downwards to receive it. For convenience both the fid D
and lever E are enclosed in a metal box or case F let into the fid hole as shown,
their pivots passing through holes in the sides of said box, so as to ensure their
proper relative positions. The upper extremity e of the lever engages with notch d
of the fid, as shown in position No. 3 in Figure 1 and in Figure 3, and the lower
arm of said lever is curved outwards near the lower end so as to project from the
fid hole, the extreme end however being bent inwards so as not to obstruct its
downward passage through the lower cap C¹. The lever is so hung or weighted
that this curved part tends to project, as shown in the full line position No. 1,
Figure 1; G is a stop fixed to the top mast B, which comes against the lower cap C¹
and prevents the top nast being raised too high.
The action in fidding the mast is as follows:-On the mast being hoisted the fid D
hangs in a nearly vertical position wholly within the fid hole as usual, and the curved
lower arm of the lever E projects from the fid hole (see position No. 1, Figure 1,
and Figure 5). When the fid has passed through lower cap C¹ (or the tressel trees
as the case may be) to a certain distance above the same, the projecting curved arm
of the lever strikes against the said cap (or tressel trees), and in passing through
the same is oscillated on its pivot E' and pushed back within the fid hole, as shown
in position No. 2, Figure 1, and in Figure 2. By this movement the upper end e

page_text: of the lever is caused first to turn the fid into a horizontal position, and then to
engage with the notch d in the fid, as shown in position No. 3, Figure 1, and in
Figure 3. By this means the fid is held up in a nearly horizontal position until by
lowering the top mast it rests upon the cap C¹ (or tressel trees as the case may be),
as shown in Figure 4, whereupon the nose e of the lever is disengaged from the
notch d, and the lever E allowed to fall back to its former position No. 1, Figure 1.
The top mast is then fidded.
In unfidding the top mast is raised slightly so as just to lift the fid clear of the
cap or tressel trees, but not high enough for the projecting arm of the lever
to be acted on, whereupon the fid is free to fall within the fid hole in the usual
way.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
The employment in combination with a fid of the kind herein specified and
provided with a notch d of a lever applied to actuate and support the fid, and itself
constructed and arranged to strike the cap or tressel trees and be operated thereby,
substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Allix, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty second day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.