IMPROVEMENTS IN REEFING OR FURLING THE SAILS OF VESSELS, AND IN THE APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Baillie, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REEFING
OR FURLING THE SAILS OF VESSELS, AND IN THE APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED
THEREIN."
Sealed the 4th December 1863, and dated the 17th August 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Baillie at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
August 1868.
I, ROBERT BAILLIE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN REEFING OR FURLING THE SAILS OF VESSELS, AND IN THE APPARATUS TO
BE EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of apparatus for
reefing or furling the sails of vessels by mechanical means and without
requiring the "hands" to go aloft for the purpose.
Under one modification or system of arrangement as applied to the top sails
of vessels the topmast has fitted to it a moveable ring or slide, which traverses
easily up and down the mast. This slide is connected by means of a stud and
socket, or in any other convenient manner with the topsail yard, so that when'
hauled upon by means of a pitch chain halliard, the yard may be readily raised
or lowered, either by its own gravity or by means of a second halliard, when
the sail is to be furled or reefed. The topsail yard is made by preference of

page_text: metal; it is of a tubular form throughout the greater portion of its length, the
tapering extremities being formed either partially of wood or entirely of metal.
On the fore part of the tubular yard is a longitudinal slot of sufficient length
to admit of the topsail passing through it and into the tubular cavity of the
yard. The yard is fitted internally with a longitudinal rod or shaft, upon
which the sail is wound; this shaft is carried in suitable bearings, and at each
extremity is a wheel, which is arranged opposite a slot cut in the yard, to
allow of a pinion on the outside gearing with the contiguous wheel. The two
pinions on the outside of the yard are carried on the ends of a longitudinal
shaft carried in bearings projecting laterally from the yard. At the centre of
this external shaft is a pitch chain pulley, which is put in motion by the lifting
halliard, and thus gives motion to the pinions at the end of the shaft. The
lift halliard is carried up from the deck over a pulley at the topmast head,
down below the pulley on the external shaft, and upwards over a block at the
topmast head, then downwards, and is fastened to the yard. When the
halliard is hauled on, the yard is raised, and the action of the chain on
the pulley on the yard causes the shaft to be put in motion, and so unfurl the
sail by the rotatory motion of the internal shaft. The reefing or furling of the
sail is done by means of a halliard, which is made fast to a convenient part of
the mast and carried through a block hung to the yard, and thence down to
the deck. When this halliard is hauled on, the yard is brought down, and in.
its descent the lift halliard causes the external shaft to rotate in the opposite
direction to that before described, so that the sail is wound upon the yard
either partially as in reefing, or wholly so when required to be furled; in some
cases this may be accomplished by the weight of the yard without hauling.
The pinions at the ends of the external shaft are covered with light metal
hoods, or the yard may be made of an elliptical figure on one side, so as to
admit of the external shaft and its connected parts being carried inside the
yard. This mode of reefing or furling sails may be modified in various ways,
so as to render it applicable to sails of various kinds.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Baillie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th February 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
BAILLIE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Engineer, 3
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Robert Baillie, Her special license that I, the said Robert Baillie, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Baillie,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN REEFING OR FURLING THE
SAILS OF VESSELS, AND IN THE APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Robert Baillie, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, or under the
hand and seal of one of them, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to bu
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 Robert Baillie, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to the arrangement and construction of apparatus
for reefing or furling the sails of vessels by mechanical means, and without
requiring the hands to go aloft for the purpose.
Under one modification or system of arrangement as applied to the topsails
of vessels, the topmast has fitted to it a moveable ring or slide, which traverses
easily up and down the mast. This slide is connected by means of a stud and
socket, or in any other convenient manner, with the topsail yard, so that
when hauled upon by means of a pitch chain halliard the yard may be readily
raised or lowered either by its own gravity or by means of a second halliard
when the sail is to be furled or reefed. The topsail yard is made, by
preference, of metal; it is of a tubular form throughout the greater portion of
its length, the tapering extremities being formed either partially of wood or
entirely of metal. On the fore part of the tubular yard is a longitudinal slot
of sufficient length to admit of the topsail passing through it and into the
tubular cavity of the yard. The yard is fitted internally with a longitudinal

page_text: rod or shaft, upon which the sail is wound; this shaft is carried in suitable
bearings, and at each extremity is a wheel, which is arranged opposite a slot
cut in the yard to allow of a pinion on the outside gearing with the contiguous
wheel. The two pinions on the outside of the yard are carried on the ends of
a longitudinal shaft, carried in bearings projecting laterally from the yard.
At the centre of this external shaft is a pitch chain pulley, which is put in
motion by the lifting halliard, and thus gives motion to the pinions at the ends
of the shaft. The lift balliard is carried up from the deck over a pulley at
the topmast head, down below the pulley on the external shaft, and upwards
over a block at the topmast head, then downwards, and is fastened to the
yard. When the halliard is hauled on, the yard is raised, and the action of
the chain on the pulley on the yard causes the shaft to be put in motion, and
so unfurl the sail by the rotatory motion of the internal shaft. The reefing or
furling of the sail is done by means of a halliard, which is made fast to a
convenient part of the mast, and carried through a block hung to the yard,
and thence down to the deck. When this balliard is hauled on, the yard is
brought down, and in its descent the lift halliard causes the external shaft to
rotate in the opposite direction to that before described, so that the sail is
wound upon the yard either partially, as in reefing, or wholly so when it is
required to be furled, in some cases this may be accomplished by the weight of
the yarn without hauling. The pinions at the ends of the external shaft are
covered with light metal hoods, or the yard may be made of an elliptical
figure on one side, so as to admit of the external shaft and its connected parts
being carried inside the yard. This mode of reefing or furling sails may be
modified in various ways, so as to render it applicable to sails of various
kinds.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I shall
now proceed to describe the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of
Drawings, which I have hereunto appended for the purpose of showing certain
modifications under which my improvements may be judiciously carried out in
practice, that is to say :-
Figure 1 represents a side elevation showing the lower and top foremast of
n square rigged ship as fitted with one arrangement of my Invention;
Figure 2 is a front view of the same, at right angles to Figure 1 ; and
Figure 3 is a plan corresponding to Figure 1. These views show the general
arrangement of fittings and tackling according to this modification.
Figures 4 to 13 exhibit in detail the construction of the various parts of the
same, and which will herein-after be more fully named and referred to.
Figure 14 is a front view of a square rigged ship, showing the foremast of

page_text: the same fitted with another modification of my Invention, and the general
arrangement of the fitting and tackling as applied to yards of the existing
constructions; Figure 15 being a side view of the same foremast.
Figures 16 and 17 exhibit enlarged transverse sections of a lower and top-
sail yard, embodying certain modifications of the arrangement shown at
Figures 14 and 15 as applied to yards of the present construction.
In the arrangement from Figures 1 to 3 of my Drawings, A represents the
hull; B, the lower foremast; B', the upper foremast; and B2, the top fore-
mast, to which is fitted my improved reefing apparatus; C is the lower yard
fixed to the lower mast B in the ordinary manner by a swivel joint D, fixed
ring D', and chain D. The yard C being of a hollow cylindrical construction
by preference formed of boiler plate, having lap rings E riveted over it for the
purpose of forming the joints and imparting strength to the structure, as more
particularly seen in the detailed views, Figures 4 to 8, which are respectively,
Figure 4, a transverse section of the yard near its junction with the mast on
the line 1, 1, Figure 5; Figure 5 being a plan of the same portion; Figure 6,
a plan of a portion of the extremitics; and Figure 7 a longitudinal section of
the same; and Figure 8 being a transverse section on the line 2, 2, Figure 7.
On the interior of the yard C is a winding shaft or roller F, more particularly
seen in the transverse and longitudinal sections, Figures 4 and 7; this shaft is
by preference built up of pieces of wood and iron, and consists of a solid bar
in the centre, to which are riveted or otherwise secured along its length angle
or T irons, for the purpose of rendering it stiff, the spaces between the
projections thus formed being filled up with strips of wood which are
rounded off at the exterior to give the shaft or roller a cylindrical form. This
shaft is supported in end bearings G fitted into the ends of the yard C, in
which it is capable of revolving. Along the front side of the yard C is made
a longitudinal opening H, of a length equivalent to the whole width of the
sail. Through this opening the lower foresail J passes into the interior of the
yard, and is fastened to the herein-before described winding shaft or roller F,
on which it is wound or unwound as required. At the back of the hollow
yard C is riveted or otherwise fixed a rib I, more particularly seen at Figures
4 and 5, in the central part of which is formed a recess, as shown in the plan,
Figure 5, to allow room for the chain pulley K; this pulley being fixed on to
the shaft L, which also extends and passes along the back of the yard C. The
shaft L is carried on central bearings on the rib I, and in end bearings fitted
near to the ends of the exterior of the yard C, and to the ends of the shaft L
are fixed pinions N, which gear into and work into or actuate similar pinions
N' on the ends of the herein-before mentioned interior shaft F, a portion of

page_text: the yard being cut away at each end to form an opening to allow of these
pinions working into each other, covers being placed over them for protection.
The pulley K has a racked or pinned groove made all round it to fit the links
of an endless chain M, which passes over it and under a sheave or pulley on
deck, and thus acts as a "pitch wheel."
Having now described in detail the more important parts of my improve-
ments as applied to lower yards, I shall proceed to explain the system or
mode by which the sails are furled or unfurled as required. On applying
tractive force to the chain M, which passes over the pulley K, on the shaft
L, the shaft L is caused to rotate, and along with it the pinions N, on its
extremities, which gearing into similar pinions N¹ on the ends of the winding
shaft or roller F, on the interior of the hollow yard to which the sail I is
secured, this winding shaft or roller is also caused to revolve, and thus winds
or unwinds the sail as may be desired.
In the section, Figure 4, the sail is shown as furled, the end edge of it
projecting a little beyond the longitudinal opening or aperture and passing
over a friction roller or rollers, which extend the whole length of the opening
and are carried in suitable bearings O' fixed to the exterior of the yard, in
which the sail, as it is furled or unfurled, causes the rollers to revolve,
thus enabling the sail to be furled or unfurled with a less expenditure of
power than would be the case if it passed immediately over the edge of the
opening or aperture. When the sail is unfurled it is distended by "sheets"
in connection with the deck in the ordinary manner.
When these improve-
ments are applied to topsail yards C³, and the furling of the top sails J³, the
general construction of the yard and rolling gear are very similar to the
herein-before described lower yard. The arrangement of mechanism will be
seen fully in the detailed views, Figures 9 to 18, of which Figure 9 is a
transverse section of the centre portion of the topsail yard near its junction
with the mast, Figure 10 being a plan of the same portion; Figure 11 being
a longitudinal view of one end of the yard, one half in section, and the other
half in front elevation; Figures 12 and 13 being an end elevation and plan
respectively showing another arrangement of attaching the topsail yard to
the mast. In this modification similar parts are indicated by similar letters
to those in the foregoing arrangement generally with the addition of a unit
to the letter. As the topsail yards C¹ slide up and down on the mast as the
sail is furled or unfurled, advantage is taken of this for the direct winding or
unwinding of the sail, through the peculiar arrangement of the chain, balyards,
and winding barrel mechanism. In this arrangement the yard is fixed to the
ring P, which slides and swivels on the mast B' as in the ordinary manner,

page_text: the chain "halyard" for hoisting or lowering the yard being fastened to it
about the middle, passing up and over the fixed pulley R, and down from
this round the chain barrel S, on the shaft L, and finally up over a "halyard
sheave" R', whence it proceeds to the deck where it is "bowsed" upon by
the usual blocks for the purpose of hoisting or lowering the yard C³, at the
same time unfurling or furling the topsail. Since in this arrangement the
"halyard" in passing over a double set of pulleys causes the chain barrel S
on the shaft L' to revolve with double the velocity of the first pulley R, it is
necessary that the pinions N, in this case should be very much smaller than
the pinions on the winding roller F, and at the same time to arrange the
chain barrel S in such a manner that it shall actuate the pinions N¹ on the
winding shaft or roller, so that the sail may be furled in a proportion
corresponding to the lowering of the yard.
To effect this in one modification, as shown at Figs. 9 and 10, the chain
pulley S is made conical, having a helical racked groove extending from end to
end of it, in which the chain halyard works. When the sail is either furled
or unfurled, the winding barrel F¹ is of an increased or decreased diameter,
and as a revolution of it with much of the sail wound on would cause it to
roll up a larger portion of the sail for a given amount of lowering of the yard
than would be the case when only a small portion of the sail is wound on, and
thus draw the sail too tight, or leave it hanging loose; and as it is necessary
that the sail shall at all times be equally distended, to enable it to do so the
winding roller F in the interior must be caused to rotate with a velocity
corresponding to the increasing or diminishing diameter of the winding roller,
and to effect this a gradually increasing or diminishing velocity of revolution is
imparted to the chain barrel S, as more particularly seen in plan at Figure 10,
and when the sail is furled, and the winding roller consequently of large
diameter, the chain is at this period on the larger end of the conical winding
pulley S, and gradually proceeds to the smaller end of it as it is turned round
by the pull applied to the "halyard," consequently, causing the winding shaft
on the interior of the yard to revolve more rapidly as the "halyard" approaches
the smaller end of the spiral groove of the chain barrel S. In Figures 9 and
10, the sail is shown furled, with the chain halyard wound on the larger
end of it, which may either simply pass round the under side of the groove in
the barrel, or it may have one or more turns round the barrel, to insure a
firmer grip upon it. Since in this arrangement the sliding ring P of the
yard C cannot be lowered further than the cap T, that part of the sail between
the cap and the lower yard C remains unwound, and must therefore be hand
furled if necessary, which is however rarely required, but when it is desirable

page_text: to make the winding barrel F" of the topsail yard C¹ thoroughly furl the sail,
a modification for effecting this object is shown in partial elevation and plan
at Figures 12 and 13, which consists of attaching the yard by a swivel and
sliding buckle U to a T-rail U¹, extending the whole length of the mast down
to the lower yard C, this rail being firmly secured to swivel rings U2, seen also
in the general arrangement, Figure 15, which is an elevation of a mast fitted
with this arrangement of sliding yard. Figure 12, end view, shows the spur
pinion N working into the larger wheel N¹ on the winding barrel F¹. In
Figure 18, instead of the conical chain barrel, a simple chain pulley S¹ is
substituted. As the foregoing arrangements can scarcely be depended upon
for thoroughly tightening the sails at all times under all circumstances when
the sails are sometimes wet or dry, the topsail J' is kept a few inches off the
lower yard C, as seen moro particularly in the enlarged view, Figure 7, and
when the sail is set at the particular height desired by the raising or lowering
of the yard C, as herein-before described, it is then finally tightened up by
the sheet chains J in the usual manner, the royal sail J being shown
tightened on the topsail yard C¹ by the sheets in Figure 11. All or any of
the arrangements of mechanism, herein-before described for the purpose of
furling or unfurling the lower topsail may be advantageously applied to the
furling of any or all of the topsails on all the masts of "square-rigged" ships,
and therefore need not be more fully specified in relation to them. The
winding barrels F and F' on the interior of the hollow yards C and C¹ are
fitted so as to be easily removed and replaced without interfering with the
actuating wheels N₁, and their short driving shafts N, coupled to the main
winding rollers.
In describing the modifications of my Invention shown in Figures 14 to 17
as applied to yards and the furling of sails of existing constructions, brackets a
are secured to the end portions of the yard b as seen in front and end elevation
at Figure 14 and 15 respectively. In the upper portion of these brackets a
bearings are made for the purpose of carrying the actuating shaft c and rolling
barrel d. On the end of the actuating shaft c pinions similar to those in the
herein-before described arrangements are fixed for the purpose of actuating
similar pinions on, and giving revolving motion to the rolling barrel d, which
furls or unfurls the topsail e from the bottom, in lieu of being wound from the
top as in the foregoing modifications. In this arrangement the rail e is fixed
to the topsail yard f, and is "bowsed" upon by the chain "halyard "f" in the
usual manner, one end of a supplementary or driving chain g being fixed
to the top side of the yard f, thence carried up over a fixed pulley g', down
from this under a chain pulley s', similar to that shown at Figure 18, but in

page_text: this case fixed at the centre of the actuating shaft c, the other end of the chain
being carried up and fixed to the under side of the yard. By this arrange-
ment, as the yard f is either raised or lowered by its halyards f¹, the sail is
wound or unwound on the barrel d by the action of the pinions c².
Figure 16 shows an arrangement for furling or unfurling the lower sail h
as applied to yards of the ordinary construction, pendent brackets i being fixed
near the extremities of the yard k, which carry the actuating shaft cand
winding barrel d, the chain barrel K being actuated by a "chain halyard" M
in a manner similar to that shown in the herein-before described Figures 1
and 4 in reference to the hollow yard, the sail in this latter case being furled
or unfurled from the top; but when applied to the furling of topsails I prefer
to invert this arrangement of mechanism, as in Figure 17, where it is shown
fixed to the upper side of the topsail yard, the winding barrel and pinions in
this case being arranged in manner similar to the arrangements described in
reference to Figures 9 to 11, in which case the sail is furled or unfurled from
the top by the raising and lowering of the yard, similar parts being indicated
by corresponding letters of reference as in Figure 9, and therefore need not
be again specified. As the winding barrels F and F¹ are of light construc-
tion, and supported only at their ends, an additional support may be given to
them, if considered necessary, by a pressure roller & working and carried in the
arms of a lever m, carried in brackets fixed to the body of the hollow or solid
yards, as the case may be; a long arm extending towards the mast is capable
of being acted upon from the deck by the rope n, as shown in dotted lines at
Figure 4; when applying this arrangement to hollow yards a portion of the
roller o will be required to be cut away.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or practically
carried into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details which I have had occasion to describe or refer to,
as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating from the prin-
ciples or main features of my Invention; but what I consider as novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is, -
First, the general arrangement or construction of machinery, apparatus, or
means for the purpose of furling, reefing, and unfurling sails as herein-before
described.
Second, the arrangement and construction of the hollow yards with winding
barrels working in them for the purpose of furling and unfurling sails, as
herein-before described.

page_text: Third, the application of a separate shaft, directly acted upon by the chain
"halyards," which transmits the motion imparted to it to the winding barrel,
either in hollow yards or in connection with yards as commonly made, sub-
stantially as herein-before described, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Baillie, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of February, One thousand eight hun-
dred and sixty-four.
ROBERT BAILLIE. (L.S.)