Improved Releasing Device for Boats' Sails.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 9th July, 1898.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Releasing Device for Boats' Sails.
I, THOMAS HENRY ANSTEY, 7, Albert Road, Morice Town, Devonport, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
My invention relates to sheet slips for open sailing boats and is a device for
automatically preventing open sailing boats from being capsized by the over-
pressure of wind upon the sails and the fact of the sheet line being belayed or
made fast when such over-pressure occurs.
In carrying out my invention I employ a suitable hook plate A provided with
a cheek joint near one end to carry hook B and a check joint near the other end
to carry slip C. This said slip C passes through plate A and engages in bar D
which is secured to plate A in such a manner as to allow of free travel in either
a fore or aft direction when moved by lover E. This lever, which is pivotted on a
lug projecting from plate A, is connected at the long end by rod F which said
rod F is in turn connected by a pair of links G and nut G 1 to another lever H.
The other end of lever E engages in plate D in such a manner that when the
long arm is drawn down this short end moves plate D in a forward direction,
which in turn moves slip C and thus allows the pivotted hook B to become
released. An anchorage plate J with suitable cheek joints is provided for lever H
and rod K. The cheek joint for rod K being fitted with a suitable quadrant to
allow the rod K to move through a suitable angle and secured when set to suit
requirements by a thumb-nut L. A suitable weight M is provided having a
slot through it to enable it to slide freely up and down on rod K, being held in
position at the upper end of the rod K by a pin N which passes through the
weight M and engages in a slot in the rod K, but so arranged that when the rod K
is inclined from the vertical the weight M will retain its position at the
upper end of rod K, and when this said rod K is moved to a vertical position (or
thereabout), due to the incline of the boat caused by the over-pressure of wind upon
the sails, then the weigh M will automatically and instantly drop down the
rod K the slot in the weight M being wide enough to allow of this.
The action of my device when fitted in a sailing boat will be as follows:-
Place the sheet block or rope under the hook B and put the clip C, over the end
of this said hook. Next put the rod K which carries the weight M to the proper
and desired angle, to suit the stability of the boat and the requirements of the
person in charge of or using the said boat, and lock it in this desired position
by means of the thumb-nut L. When the said boat is under sail and it is found
necessary or desirable to let go the sheet line, the person in charge of or using the
said boat may pull the rope O provided for that purpose on clip C, and thus
release the sheet line from hook B; but, should the said person in charge of or
using the said boat omit to release the sheet line, in the manner just described,
then when the boat is, by the over-pressure of wind upon the sails, heeled or
inclined over to the angle already fixed upon in setting the rod K, and which said

page_text: inclination of the boat has now brought the said rod K into a vertical position
(or thereabout) the weight M will automatically and instantly fall down the
rod K at the same time releasing the sheet line from hook B by carrying with it
lever H which causes the hook B to become disengaged, thus releasing the sheet
Tine and automatically preventing the said boat from being capsized.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner it is to be performed and operated, I declare that
what I claim is that:-
In this my said invention the whole of the parts and portions of my device and
apparatus herein described (and shewn upon the accompanying drawings) as
being used for the purpose of performing the automatic release of the boat's sails,
and the method of fitting same together described, are each and all the new and
novel features in this my said invention.
Thi
JT1000