IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR HOISTING AND LOWERING YARDS OR GAFFS OF STEAM OR SAILING VESSELS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Smith Melville, of No. 9, Frederick Place, Mile
End Old Town, County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR HOISTING AND LOWERING YARDS OR
GAFFS OF STEAM OR SAILING VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Smith Melville at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st December 1877.
WILLIAM SMITH MELVILLE, of No 9, Frederick Place, Mile End Old Town,
Coy. of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR
HOISTING AND LOWERING YARDS OR GAFFS OF STEAM OR SAILING VESSELS."
My Invention consists in having two parrel tubs or buckets, of wood or iron, so
arranged on the mast that they will oscillate freely in the direction of the yard,
always keeping square or flat to the mast, being attached by truss bows to a perpen-
dicular bail or stud connecting the truss bows, on or in which stud or bail the yard
swivels or peaks. By this means I minimise the chafe on the mast, the tub working
evenly, and the yard bracing sharp up with ease, without straining the tie or
halvards.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Smith Melville in the Great.Seal Patent Office on the 21st
June 1878.
WILLIAM SMITH MELVILLE, of No. 9, Frederick Place, Mile End Old Town,
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR
HOISTING OR LOWERING YARDS OR GAFFS OF STEAM OR SAILING VESSELS."
My Invention consists in having two parrel tubs or buckets of wood, iron, or
other suitable materials, so arranged on the mast that they will oscillate freely in
the direction of the yard, always keeping square or flat to the mast, being attached
by truss bows to a perpendicular bail or stud connecting the truss bows, on or in
which stud or bail the yard swivels or peaks. The connexion to the gaff is effected
by one truss bow, unless otherwise desired, a bolt connecting the saine to strap in on
on gaff, allowing the gaff a horizontal or rolling motion, so that tub remains square
on niast without canting or jamming. By these means I minimise the chafe on
the mast, the tubs or tub working evenly, and the yards bracing sharp up with ease
without straining the tio or halyards. The gaff or gaffs of a vessel, when fitted
with my Invention, working without wringing, twisting, or chafing on the
mast.
•
Figure 1 represents portion of a mast with tub parrel on it, showing vertical
section of yard attached.
Figure 2 shows part of yard longitudinally as connected to tub parrel.
Figure 3, tub' parrel off, the mast, enlarged.
Figure 1, section of wooden lining showing pin confining truss arm bolts inside
binding...
Figure 5 is the iron binding of the tub, enlarged, without the wood or iron lining,
or same may be utilized and worked alone without lining.
Figure 6 is the stud or bail disconnected, in or on which the yard swivels or
peaks.
Figure 7 shows stay plate off the heads of truss arm bolts, used to check vibra-
tion.
Figures 8 and 9 are the same bolts, connecting tub binding together, and carrying
the truss arm bolts.
.
Figure 10 represents portion of mast, with gaff connected to tub parrel, part of
luff & head rope of sail, halyard, & sheet blocks.
Figure 11, horizontal or top view of gaff.
•
: Figure 12, enlarged section showing the manner of attaching truss bow to strap
iron on gaff by socket joint and bolt, allowing gaff to be disengaged in a few seconds.
The weight of gaff and sail being thrown to side centres of mast, the pressure is not
so great abaft, and gaff swings more freely, which is a great advantage to yachts in
light winds.
a, is a part of truss bow; b, the connecting bolt; c, the throat halyard horse;
d, portion of strap iron; c, keyhole and washer confining connecting bolt.
.
In Figure 11 the truss bow arm bolts are shown going to stop cleets f, forming
a backing for truss bow arm bolts.
In Figure 10, g is an ordinary mast hoop; h, sail rope; i, throat halyard block;
and k, sheet block; l, strap iron on gaff; m, eyes on fore and aft part of tub binding
for throat of sail, and line to keep mast hoops square
A, Figure 1, is topsail tie chain; B, swivel screw regulator, used when yard is
required to be kept a long way forward, to ease hoist. C, sling hoop of yard; D,
stud or bail of parrel; E, truss bows; F, iron binding; G, truss bow pin or bolt;
H, portion of yard; K, quarter hoops.
For convenience of getting tub parrel off and on the mast, and tightening up
wood tub, lugg joints are necessary, but hinge joints are sufficient for iron, with
cleets or studs to carry truss arm bolts.
The separate truss bolt is a great advantage, as vessels are continually carrying

page_text: away or breaking the stumps of ordinary tub parrels, which cannot be repaired at
sea. Also, top-sail ties, in bracing up yards break, endangering lifts parting, and
lower yards and mast-head caps are broken off, disabling the ship.
My oscillating tub parrel slides upon the greasy mast, and simply tightens the
leach rope, an advantage; the old parrel jams itself into the mast on its edge or
corner, and cannot rise, making yard hard to brace about, and exceedingly dan-
gerous. My tub parrel also closes laterally on top-mast when mast-headed (no other
does) doing away with the rolling jerk.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to
the precise details herein described and illustrated, as the same may be varied
without departing from the nature of my Invention; but I claim as my Invention
the improvements in tub parrels for steam or sailing vessels, herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings; that is to say, the sus-
pension of the tub parrel or parrels at each side, so that they may oscillate freely
fore and aft, so as to keep surfaces flat to the mast, the said tub parrels being con-
structed and connected together substantially in manner and so to operate as and
for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Smith Melville, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WILLIAM SMITH MELVILLE. (L.S.)