Ax IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH MASTS AND BOWSPRITS AS ARE GENERALLY KNOWN BY THE NAME OF MADE MASTS AND MADE BOWSPRITS
Year: 1826

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Sir ROBERT
SEPPINGS, Knight, a Commissioner and Surveyor of His Majesty's Navy, of
Somerset House, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Пis present most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Nineteenth day of January, in the sixth year of His
reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Sir Robert Seppings, Ilis especial licence that I, the said Sir Robert
Seppings, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Sir
Robert Seppings, my exois, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in
His said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "Ax
IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH MASTS AND BOWSPRITS AS ARE GENERALLY KNOWN
BY THE NAME OF MADE MASTS AND MADE BOWSPRITS;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said Sir Robert Seppings,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe
and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's
High Court of Chancey within two calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Si Robert Seppings, do hereby declare that the nature of my sand Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly de-
senbed and ascertained in and by the Drawings hereunto annexed, and the
following description thereof (that is to say):-
The object of this Invention is to construct masts applicable to ships of
the line, fiigates, and large slips engaged in commercial purposes, of small
squared baulk timber, instead of the large and expensive mast timber hitherto
applied for that purpose, by which the strength of the masts will be as great,
if not greater, their durability extended, the means of repairing them it
required facilitated, then exportation in parts rendered easy, and the charge
for constructing them lessened considerably from the present expense of
building a mast of the best materials (Riga fir) according to the old method.
The method of constructing main and foremasts on this punciple for ships
of the linc, laige frigates, and the largest class of merchants' ships, is shown
by the the Drawing (No. 1) hereunto annexed, and is applicable for masts
above 33 inches in diameter. The size of the timber of which these masts.
are composed is found by dividing their respective diameters by 4.
..
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal view of the mast, which from B to C is made of
the same diameter. The head from A to B, and the heel from C to D have
the same form, that in case it should be desirable to substitute the heel for
the head, in consequence of accident to the latter, it may be done, to which,
however, I do not claim the exclusive light. Fig. 2 is also a longitudinal
view of the mast, shewing the number of pieces composing it, and the manner
in which they are disposed. This has also reference to the transverse sections,
Fig. 3 and 4, which are drawn on a much larger scale, for the purpose of
a better exemplification. On Fig. 2, the lines in black ink marked a, a,.ale
the buts or union of the ends of the pieces of timber forming that tier in
Fig. 3 which has a lark tinge; those in red, marked b, those in gicen c, and
in yellow d, have also a reference to the buts of the pieces so tinged in their
respective tiers in Fig. 3. The four centre pieces, which I denominate the
cole, are connected by treenails 1½ inches in diameter, driven diagonally, as
shewn in Fig 3; these are placed about 1 6 as asunder; the remaining
pieces are formed in pairs, connected together by circular coaks 3ins long, and
3 diameter, as shewn by Fig. 2 and 4, marked p; they are further secured
by bolts of an inch diameter, marked e, f; these are attached to the middle
pieces or core by coaks, marked 7 in Fig. 2 and 4, and further secured by
bolts passing through the whole mass (Fig. 2 and 4), marked g, h, 2, k, and
All the buts are coakel together with coaks 6 inches in length and 3
122.

page_text: inches diameter, as shewn at o, o, Fig. 2. Great care is to be taken to keep
the buts of the pieces in close contact before the core is treenailed together
ei the side pieces attached. Although I prefer the union of the ends of the
pieces by coaks in all masts on this principle, yet they may be attached
together by scarphs. In order to complete the mast in point of shape, angular
pieces, called ekings marked r, Fig 3, are placed; the buts of these and all the
other parts are always so disposed as to come under the hoops. The transverse
forms of the head and heel of the mast are shown by Fig. 5. The position of
the hoops is shown in Fig. 1, their form in Fig. 6. These hoops of iron are
segments of cucles, 5 broad, 3 of an inch in thickness; the two segments
are united by metallic sciews of 13" diameter, the screw is shown by Fig. 7.
The hoops, shewn on Fig. 1 from B to C, are screw hoops, those on the
head and heel of the mast, from A to B and C to D, are drift hoops, common
to the old method of mast making. In placing the hoops care is to be taken
to put the middle of them exactly over the buts, by which there is a support.
given of 21 of 11on to each side of a lut. The mode of scoring on the
trestle-tices and fixing the bibs is shown by Fig 8. Masts of 33 diameter
and under; these are also made from squared baulk timber as well as those
for the larger ships The size of the timber of which these masts aro
composed is found by dividing their respective diameters by 3. Drawing
No. 2, Fig 1, is the longitudinal view of the mast, which from B to C is of
the same diameter; the head from A to B, and the heel fiom C to D have
the same form, that in case of accident the one may be substituted for the
other, to which, however, I do not claim an exclusive right. Fig 2 is also
a longitudinal view of the mast, shewing the number of pieces composing it
and the manner in which they are disposed, this has also reference to the
tiansverse sections, Fig 3 and 4, which are drawn on a large scale, for the
purpose of a better eluculation. On Fig 2, the lines in black ink marked a
me the buts of the pieces of timber forming that tier in Fig. 3 which has a
daik tinge; those in red, marked b, and in green e, have also a reference to
the buts of the pieces so tinged in their respective ticis in Fig. 3. The buts
o umon of the ends of the pieces marked d, Fig 4, are to be connected with
coaks of about 3 feet in length, and 5 diameter, as shewn also, Fig. 2,
marked d, (as a general rule, these coaks should be in diameter one half of
the square of the piece), and the buts of the arris pieces, Fig. 4, marked e,
aic to be connected with coaks 6s long and 3s diameter, shewn also, Fig 2,
mashed e. The inasts are to be connected by ti cenails 1 in diameter, as at
Fig 5, these treenails are to be about? feet apart both m the square and
aus pieces. The transverse forms of the heads and heels of the masts are

page_text: shewn by Fig. 6. The position of the hoops is shewn in Fig. 1, their forms
by Fig. 7; these hoops of iron are 5 broad and full of an inch thick;
the two segments are united by metallic screws 14 diameter; the hoops
shewn on Fig. 1 fiom B to C are screw hoops; those on the heads and heels
of the masts, from A to B and C to D, by drift hoops, common to the old
method of mast making. In placing the hoops care is to be taken to put
the middle of them exactly over the buts, by which there is a support given
of 2 of iron to each side of a but. The mode of scoring on the trestle-
trees is shown by Fig. 8. To secure the durability of these masts it is desirable
that timber from which they are constructed should be well dried or seasoned,
and before being put together the faying surfaces and holes for the coaks
and bolts should, as well as the coaks, be covered with paint or with coal tar
in a hot state. The dimensions which have been given are now considered
to be the best adapted to the purpose, but these may be varied as experience
may point out.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sir Robert Seppings, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of March, in the year of our
T