IMPROVEMENTS IN THE RIG OF SHIPS, AND THE SETTING, REEFING, AND TAKING IN OF THEIR SAILS FROM THE DECK
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERŠ PATENT to Charles Chapman, of No. 3, Leadenhall Street, in the
City of London, Master Mariner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE RIG OF SHIPS, AND THE SETTING, REEFING, AND TAKING IN OF THEIR
SAILS FROM THE DECK."
Sealed the 16th November 1866, and dated the 17th May 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Chapman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
May 1866.
I, CHARLES CHAPMAN, of No. 3, Leadenhall Street, in the City of London,
Master Mariner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention .for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE RIG OF SHIPS, AND THE SETTING, REEFING, AND TAKING IN
OF THEIR SAILS FROM THE DECK," to be as follows:-
My improvements relate to the simplification of the rigging of ships of all
sizes, so that by the application of my said improvements all the setting,
reefing, and taking in of sails can be effected from the deck in. all weathers
without sending hands aloft, as must now necessarily be done, and the vessel
is thereby relieved of a great weight aloft by dispensing with a great portion
of the masts, ropes, canvass, and other fittings.
I append to this Provisional Specification a Drawing for the purpose of
illustrating the said improvements, which I now proceed to describe.

page_text: By reference to the said Drawing, Figure 1, at the part marked A, it will
be seen that the main courses or lower sails can be first reefed and afterwards
taken in entirely from the deck by means of yard ropes a attached to the ear-
rings of the sails for hauling it out, and in-hauls b for hauling the sail in, as well
as brails c attached to the mast for brailing the sail in, after which the sail
can be easily lowered on deck.
I now proceed to the top-sails, the lower of which, marked B, is a "storm
sail," which ships can carry in all conditions of the weather. This sail is for
the most part identical with those used in double top-sail yard ships.
For the upper top-sail (so called), marked C in the Drawings, the first reef
can be taken in from the foot without any hands going aloft by means of
sheets & which are attached to each reef ear-ring and brails to brail in the
slack of the sail at the foot. The remaining part or portion of the top-sail C
is rolled up on the yard D by rotating the said yard by means of halyards and
hauling lines f.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Chapman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
CHAPMAN, of No. 3, Leadenhall Street, in the City of London, Master Mariner,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-eighth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Charles Chapman, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Chapman,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Charles Chapman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time, and at all times
thereafter 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 THE RIG OF SHIPS, AND THE SETTING, REEFING, AND TAKING IN OF THEIR
SAILS FROM THE DECK," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Charles Chapman, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing

page_text: under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly 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 Charles Chapman, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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:-
My improvements relate to the simplification of the rigging of ships of all
sizes, so that by the application of my said improvements all the setting,
reefing, and taking in of sails can be effected from the deck in all weathers
without sending hands aloft, as must now necessarily be done. The vessel is
also thereby (by the application of my said improvements) relieved of a great
weight aloft, a great portion of the masts, ropes, canvas, and other fittings
being dispensed with.
In order that the nature of my said Invention, and the means by which I
effect the same, may be particularly described and ascertained, I, to this
Specification, append a Sheet of Drawings having figures and letters of
reference marked thereupon, the like letter being used to denote a similar or
corresponding part in each Figure.
By reference to Figure 1 in the said Sheet of Drawings, at the part marked
A it will be seen that the main courses or lower sails can be set entirely from
the deck by means of sail ropes from the bunt of the yard and yard ropes b
for hauling them out; they can also be reefed and afterwards taken in
entirely from the deck by means of yard ropes or in-hauls a attached to the
ear-rings of the sails for hauling them in as well as by the brails c attached
to the mast, and also to the leech of the sails for brailing the sail in, after
which the sails can be easily lowered on the deck by means of the herein-
before mentioned sail ropes leading from the bunt of the yard.
I now proceed to the top-sails, the lower of which, marked B, is a "storm
sail," which ships can carry in all conditions of the weather. This sail is for
the most part identical with those used in double top-sail yard ships.
For the upper top-sail (so called), marked C in the Drawings, the first reef
can be taken in from the foot without any hands going aloft by means of
sheets d, which are attached to each reef ear-ring and brails e to brail in the
slack of the sail at the foot. The remaining part or portion of the top-sail C
is rolled up on the yard D by rotating the said yard by means of halyards and
hauling lines f.

page_text: Figure 2 in the Drawings represents the lower sail A brailed up.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said:
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to
be understood that what I claim is, the particular means and combination of
means of setting, reefing, and taking in of sails from the deck for the purpose.
of simplifying the rig of ships in this Specification described and in appended
Drawings illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Chapman, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.