IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REEFING AND FURLING THE TOPSAILS, COURSES, AND OTHER SQUARE SAILS OF VESSELS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Medhurst, of 53, Lower Queen Street, Rother-
hithe, in the County of Surrey, Shipwright, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REEFING AND FURLING THE TOPSAILS,
COURSES, AND OTHER SQUARE SAILS OF VESSELS."
Sealed the 22nd August 1862, and dated the 26th February 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Medhurst at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th February 1862.
I, JOHN MEDHURST, of 53, Lower Queen Street, Rotherhithe, in the
County of Surrey, Shipwright, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REEFING AND FURLING THE TOPSAILS,
COURSES, AND OTHER SQUARE SAILS OF VESSELS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for reefing
and furling the topsails, courses, and other square sails of vessels. For these
purposes in arranging topsails and other square sails (except courses) the
yard is made of iron and hollow, and there is a bar or tube, by preference of
iron, cased with wood, in the centre of the hollow part, and somewhat
exceeding the breadth of the head of the sail in length. This bar or tube is so
arranged that it can revolve on centres or bearings at its ends. On this bar
or tube the sail is laced, and when it is made to revolve the sail is wound
around it. In order to reef the sail the yard is lowered, and the sail is at the
same time wound up upon the bar or tube, which is caused to revolve. The
apparatus is actuated in the following manner:-A chain from the deck passes
through a sheave in the mast over the yard, and then around a chain wheel

page_text: fixed to and above the yard at the slings; the chain then passes up and around
a second sheave on the mast, and then returns to the deck, so that when the
yard is lowered by slacking off one end of the chain, the whole weight of
the sail, roller, and yard being pendent on the chain will cause the chain
wheel to revolve. This chain wheel puts in motion two axes extending in
either direction towards the extremities of the yard. These have pinions at
their ends, which gear with cog wheels at the ends of the roller to which the
sail is attached. As a security against the roller being bent or otherwiso
damaged by the wind blowing in the sail, there is a broad hook made by pre-
ference of sheet iron, and so placed as to support the middle of the roller.
This hook is connected with a purchase, so that when the sail is set, or after it
has been reefed, the hook may be made to take the weight of the sail. Both
ends of the chain are arranged so that thoy may be hauled on or slacked off
from the deck, so that any desired amount of rotation may be given to the
roller.
In arranging apparatus for reefing courses a modification is made in tho
construction, the roller and hollow yard is then made stationary, and the
roller is driven from the deck by an endless chain passing round the chain
wheel. It should be explained that by this Invention the sail can be made as
an ordinary topsail (or other sail), but without reef joints, clew, or buntlines.
The apparatus being made to stow the whole of the sail; or it may be made
only to take in the reefs, and the sail may then be afterwards stowed in the
usual manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Medhurst in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th August 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MEDHURST, of 53, Lower Queen Street, Rotherhithe, in the County of Surrey,.
Shipwright, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Medhurst, Her special licence that I, the said John Medhurst,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said;
John Medhurst, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any

page_text: time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use,. exercise, and vend; within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS. IN APPARATUS FOR REEFING AND FURLING THE TOPSAILS, COURSES, AND'
OTHER SQUARE SAILS OF VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said John Medhurst, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my,, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John. Medhurst, do hereby declaro
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
. This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for reofing and
furling the topsails, courses, and other square sails of vessels. For these pur-
poses in arranging topsails and other squaro sails except courses) the yard-
is mado of iron and hollow, and there is a bar or tube, by preference of iron,
cased wood, in the centre of the hollow part, and somewhat exceeding the
breadth of tho head of the sail in length. This bar or tube is so arranged
that it can revolve on centres or bearings at its ends. On this bar or tubo the
sail is laced, and when it is mado to revolve the sail is wound around it. In
order to reef the sail the yard is lowered, and the sail is at the same time
wound up upon the bar or tube which is caused to revolve. The apparatus is
actuated in the following manner: A chain from the deck passes through
a sheave in the mast over the yard, and then around a chain wheel fixed to and
above the yard at the slings. The chain then passes up and around a second
sheave on the mast, and then returns to the deck, so that when the yard is
lowered by slacking off one end of the chain, the whole weight of the sail,
roller, and yard being pendant on the chain will cause the chain wheel to
revolve. This chain wheel puts in motion two axes extending in either
direction towards the extremities of the yard; these have pinions at their ends
which gear with cog wheels at the ends of the roller to which the sail is
attached. As a security against the roller being bent, or otherwise damaged
by the wind blowing in the sail, there is a broad hook made by preference of
sheet iron, and so placed as to support the middle of the roller; this book is
connected with a purchase, so that when the sail is set, or after it has been

page_text: capable of sliding on the mast, the yard is connected to this by a pivot, as is
usual. The ends of the chain k have each a tackle connected thereto, these
descend to the deck, and by slacking out one or other or both of these the
yard may be lowered, or by hauling on them or one of them it may be raised.
The chain wheelj, and consequently the roller b, will be rotated so as to wind
up or let out the sail whenever one of the tackles is slacked out or hauled
upon more than the other, so that it will be seen that by working the two
tackles simultaneously an adjustment may be obtained, the same length of sail
being wound up as it becomes slack by the lowering of the yard, or the same
length being unwound as is required by the raising of the yard; n, n, is a
broad hook within the yard a, and the stem of which passes out through a slot
therein; when the sail is set it is hauled up by a chain o, and a tackle con-
nected with it, it then supports the centre of the roller, and takes the strain off
it. The hook n is covered with leather to prevent injury to the sail, as shewn
in the Drawing. The apparatus is arranged only for reefing the sail, the
furling being effected as heretofore; but the furling, as well as the reefing,
may be effected in the same manner, if the yard a is made of larger size.
The sockets for the studding sail boom irons are rivetted on the iron yard, and
the boon irons are screwed in as usual. The eyes for the braces are also
rivetted on the iron yard. The blocks for the topgallant sheets are rivetted in
their proper places, and the pins for the sheaves are screwed in. When the
apparatus is arranged for reefing courses, the yard, as before mentioned, is
fixed, and the chain wheel is actuated by an endless chain descending to the
deck, and in this case also the sails being of large size I employ guides
embracing the edges of the sail, and these guides I make to slide on the angle
iron which forms the lip of the slot or opening in the yard, and to these
sliding edge guides I attach tackles, by means of which they may be hauled
outwards, so as to distend fully the upper portion of the sail when reefed.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Medhurst, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
JOHN MEDHUI
HORST.
(L.S.)