A NEW STANDING RIGGING FOR SHIPS AND VESSELS, AND A NEW METHOD OF FITTING AND USING IT
Year: 1835

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANDREW
SMITH, of Princes Street, Haymarket, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twelfth day of January, in the fifth year of His reign, did, for
Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Andrew
Smith, His especial licence, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Andrew
Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Andrew Smith, my executors, administrators, 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 mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England and Wales and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
my Invention of "A NEW STANDING RIGGING FOR SHIPS AND VESSELS, AND A
NEW METHOD OF FITTING AND USING IT;" in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso that I, the said Andrew Smith, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six 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
Andrew Smith, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, is particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
(that is to say)-
My Invention of a new standing rigging for ships and vessels, and a new
method of fitting and using it, consists,―
First, in a new and improved method of constructing standing rigging,
by combining any number of small metal rods or wires.
Secondly, in the peculiar method of connecting the ends of such wires or
rods into tubular pieces answering the purpose of deadeyes and lanyards in
ordinary rigging, and a new mode of attaching them to the crosstrees and
other parts of common rigging.
Thirdly, in the method of adjusting the tension, that is, tightening or slacking
of such rigging, when required, under different circumstances, such as change
of temperature in different climates, and also when it is required to remove it
for the dismasting of a vessel or for any other purpose.
Fourthly, in the means of preserving such standing rigging from the ill
effects of corrosion or oxidation, by coating or varnishing it with a mixture or
solution of dissolved caoutchouc (indian rubber), oil, and asphaltum, or any
other anti-corrosive compositions or mixtures, and also inclosing the rods with
coverings of cloth and cords, in the manner herein-after particularly described,
such coverings being also saturated or served with the waterproof composi-
tion. The several Figures in the accompanying Drawings will illustrate my
Invention, and the manner of carrying them into effect.
Figure 1 is a Diagram representing the elevation of a mast, with part of the
deck of a vessel, in which the shrouds are shewn connected with the chain
plates below and the crosstrees above.
Figure 2 is a Diagram on a larger scale, representing a partial side elevation
and section of the upper part of the mast with part of the crosstrees, shewing
the method of connecting the shrouds to a metal plate placed upon the bolster.
Figure 3 is a plan or horizontal view of the same, the mast being cut in
transverse section.
Figure 4 is a Diagram representing in vertical section part of the side of a
vessel with the chain plate, in which will be seen the method of connecting
the shrouds thereto, and also of adjusting the tension of the shrouds, and of
slackening them for the purpose of removal in order to dismast the vessel.
Figure 5 is a section taken vertically through one of the connecting pieces
of the shrouds and through the chain plate, in order to exhibit the interior.
..

page_text: Figure 6 is a partial side elevation, and Figure 7 a transverse section, on an
enlarged scale, of one of the shrouds, designed for the purpose of illustrating
the method of preserving them from corrosion or oxidation, the same letters
of reference being marked upon corresponding parts in all the Figures. A is
the mast; B, the deck; C, C, the sides of the vessel shewn in section; D, D,
the chain plates; E, E, the crosstrees; F, F, the shrouds made of rods of
metal or wires, as above described; G is a metal plate, resting upon the
crosstrees and bolsters; H, H, are the tubes in place of the deadeyes and
lanyards connecting the shrouds to the chain plates, corresponding with the
ordinary common rigging; I, I, are nuts or collars with countersunk holes in
them, one of which is shewn detached in plan and section at Figure 8. In
constructing the metallic shrouds or stays I first take a proper number of
metal rods or wires of equal lengths, and then heat one of their ends in a
furnace to a white or welding heat. These ends are then to be passed through
the holes in the collars or nuts I, I, and afterwards to be beaten in or upset
in their ends with a hammer, in order to fill the countersunk or conical recess
in the collar, as shewn in the Drawings, which, fitting into the countersunk
hole, will prevent the rods or wires being drawn through. If desired, the
ends of the wires or rods may be upset in a proper shaped countersunk tool
or die, previous to being placed in the collar. After having attached the ends
of the shrouds to the collars, as described, the shrouds are severally passed
into the grooves or notches K, K, in the plate G, as shewn more particularly
in Figure 3, and secured in their places by the bars L, L, which are firmly
bolted on to the plate G by screw nuts. The other end of the shrouds are
connected to the tubes H, H, in the following manner:-The pieces H, H,
are made hollow with a countersunk end, as shewn more particularly in the
section Figure 5, and after the upper ends of the wires or rods have been
connected as before stated, the lower ends of the wires or rods are to be
heated, and passed into the tubes H, H, and upset or enlarged into the conical
recess at the end of the tube by means of a punch or tool, so as to form an
enlarged or conical end to the shroud, and prevent their being drawn out of
the tube. These connecting tubular pieces H are passed through holes in the
chain plates D, having, screws formed upon their outer surfaces, and they are
secured by nuts M, M, at the under side of the chain plate, as shewn in the
Figures 4 and 5. By these means, when the shroud requires to be tightened
or slackened, that can be done by turning round the nut M. When the
standing shrouds require to be removed, the nuts M, M, must be taken off
the lower ends of the tubes, and also the bars or pieces L, L, from the plate
at top, when the shrouds can be taken away. It will be perceived that by this

page_text: method of connecting the ends of the shrouds or other standing rigging by
means of countersunk hole and conical enlargements that a direct strain or
tension is obtained in one right line from end to end of the shrouds and stays,
no part being bent or twisted to form the attachment. The ends of the
shrouds may be connected to the pieces A, H, in the manner shewn in the
partial sections Figures 9 and 10. In Figure 9, the end of the shroud is
first fixed in the way before described in a countersunk collar N, and then
the collar and shroud are passed into the tube H. In Figure 10 the counter-
sunk is formed at the lower end of the tube H, instead of the upper end.
Instead of heating and welding the ends of the wires into the conical holes in
the tubes or collars, as described, into the hollow of the tubes or collars in
a cold state, the ends of the wires being then spread out into the conical
recess, melted solder may be introduced into the hollow amongst the ends of
the wires, so as to fill up the interstices between, which, when cold, will hold
the shrouds fast in the recesses; but I prefer the former method, as it is more
secure; it of course being understood that the ends of the rods or wires are
first tinned in the usual way. If it should be thought desirable to provide
against the necessity of cutting away the masts of the ship or vessel in case
of a storm or shipwreck, the shrouds must be connected to the parts answer-
ing to the deadeyes of the ordinary rigging in such a manner that they may
in case of emergency be easily disengaged. This may be done in various
ways and by various kinds of connections.
I have shewn in Figure 11 a side view of one method of connecting the
shrouds to the parts answering to the deadeyes of the original rigging.
Figure 12 is a vertical section of the same. Figure 13 is a plan or hori-
zontal view, and Figure 14 is a transverse section taken in the line a, b. In
Figure 11 the parts II, corresponding to the screwed part of the tube in
Figure 1, is formed with a hollow cylindrical cup O at its upper end, into
which the collar N and confined end of the shroud is inserted. This
collar is retained in its situation by keys or fidding pieces P, P, which are
placed in notches or recesses formed or cut out of the sides of the cup O.
The tension of the shroud draws the collar N upwards against the key P, P,
and the keys are retained by the upper parts Q of the cylindrical cup. The
ends of the keys are confined for further security by links R, R. In order
to disconnect the parts, it is only necessary to knock away with a hatchet or
erowbar the links R, R, then force off the keys P, P, sideways out of the
notches in the cup, when the shroud and collar N is immediately free to slip
out of the cup O, and be disconnected from the holder H. It will of course
be understood that these connections should be placed just above the bulwark

page_text: of the vessel, in order that they may be easily got at by the men on deck.
It has been before said that in order to preserve the rods or wires from
corrosion or oxidation they are to be coated or varnished with a solution
of indian rubber, oil, and asphaltum, or some other anti-corrosive com-
position, and that the whole combinations of wires required for one shroud
or stay are to be bound round with cloth or cordage previously saturated
with the solution before stated. In Figures 6 and 7 a, a, is intended to
represent the wires or rods of which the shrouds are composed; b, b, the
coating or covering of cloth saturated with indian rubber or other preserving
mixture; e, e, is the coating with cord, also saturated with the preserving
composition.
Having now described my Invention, I wish it to be understood that I
claim the construction of standing rigging of ships or other vessels of com-
bined metal rods or wires, also the manner or method of fitting and using them,
in the way above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Andrew Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of July, One thousand eight hundred
and thirty-five.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Andrew Smith (being
first duly stamped), in the pre-
ANDREW (L.S.) SMITH.
Clerk to Messrs. Lock & Co.,
Freeman's Court, Cornhill.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Eleventh day of July, in
the year above mentioned, the aforesaid Andrew Smith came before our Lord
the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification aforesaid,
and all and every thing therein contained, in form above written. And also
the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute
in that case made and provided.
Inrolled the same Eleventh day of July, in the year above written.