IMPROVEMENTS IN REEFING SAILS
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Matthew Augustus Soul at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 8th July 1873.-A communication from abroad by Gustave
Courtenay, of Paris, in the Republic of France, Lieutenant in the
Mercantile Marine.
I, MATTHEW AUGUSTUS SOUL, of No. 101, Leadenhall Street, in the
City of London, Consulting Engineer for Patents, Patent Law Adviser,
and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REEFING SAILS," a communication to me from
abroad by Gustave Courtenay, of Paris, in the Republic of France,
Lieutenant in the Mercantile Marine, to be as follows :—
This Invention relates to a simple, safe, and rapid plan of reefing sails,
whereby fewer men are required, and which is from its nature par-
ticularly applicable to steam ships.
In carrying this Invention into effect an octagonal metal rod is placed
across the mast in the same direction as the yard, having a bracket at
its centre serving to keep the yard a suitable distance from the mast,
and at the same time to support it. There are two strong supports at a

page_text: regulated distance from the centre firmly fixed together for supporting
the weight of the yard. Collars or shrouds keep the chains in the
gearing. Four rings fixed to this octagonal rod serve for the blocks and
falls, and the attachments fixed from the point of the bunt of the sail.
There is also a round iron rod having at a regulated distance from the i
centre two toothed wheels. The roller or yard is made of wood held
together by four laths or bands of iron, the ends being prepared to
receive toothed wheels. These three parts are united by means of metal
collars of oval or other suitable shape, having a square hole at the centre
to receive the ends of the octagonal shaft, also a round hole, top and 1
bottom to receive the round iron rod and the yard. Five sheaves are
attached, to the circumference of these collars. The yard is lowered and
hoisted by two chains taking into the tooth wheels in the round iron
rod.
The chain is at one end fixed to a point to which the yard ascends, the ]
other end passes round a wheel through one of the collars fixed on the
yard, it then passes up over and round toothed wheels fixed at the point
of ascent, the end then receives a block, by the aid of which the chain
is hauled. The length of the chain is twice the distance of one yard
from the other.
The sail is formed or divided into two parts united or coupled together,
"
namely, the "bunt” or apron or the "clews or wings. It is operated
by means of two sheets, two haulyards, and two fixed points. The
sheets fixed on the "clew" or wing points serve to lower the clew to the
ends of the lower yards. The haulyards also fixed on the wing or clew ;
points serve to lower the latter to the centre of the sail, whereby the
leaches are divided to an equal thickness, and the rolling up is uniformly.
performed. The attachments fixed to the points of the bunt or apron
keep the sail stretched, which facilitates the rolling.
By hauling the tackles fixed on the chains, the latter are naturally
caused to descend by hoisting the yard, but not without imparting a
rotary motion to the yard, which by means of its gearing wheels com-
municates a corresponding motion to a roller which unrolls the sail. By
lowering the contrary takes place with great power, although this force
is regulated by the weight of the yard.
...A sail may also be rolled and unrolled by not fixing the chains to the
point of ascent, and by fixing the chains to the points of the bunt or:

page_text: apron. This operation necessitates two points of suspension; it is par-
ticularly applicable to lower yards.
If it is desired to reduce sail or to take a reef, it is only necessary to
lower the yards. The arrangements for working the yards are of the
ordinary kinds. The fittings for a sail are two fixed attachments or
hooks, two sheets, and two brails.