IMPROVEMENTS IN SAIL HANKS AND OTHER FASTENING APPARATUS, AND IN THE MODE OF FASTENING SAILS AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Vivian Coombe, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SAIL HANKS AND OTHER FASTENING
APPARATUS, AND IN THE MODE OF FASTENING SAILS AND OTHER ARTICLES."
Sealed the 20th April 1880, and dated the 25th October 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Vivian Coombe at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th October 1879.
VIVIAN COOMBE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
IN SAIL HANKS AND OTHER FASTENING APPARATUS, AND IN THE MODE OF
FASTENING SAILS AND OTHER ARTICLES."
"
IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention has for its object a mode of fastening and a fastener that does
not require stitching, roving, or its equivalent.
As a hank it consists of two nearly circular pieces of iron, or other material, one
preferably of circular cross-section, the other fitting inside it of a cross-section
resembling a crescent. Both rings are cut away at one part for a short distance
so as to admit of a rope or other article being passed into their centres, and the
outer ring has an indentation, eye, or fastener at its opposite extremity (to hold the
eylet-hole of the sail, or its equivalent, in other articles), as hereafter described.
As applied to sails the breaks in both rings are made to coincide, and the eyelet
and stay are passed into the centres; the central ring is then turned round sliding
on the other till the eylet falls into the indentation, through the gap in the inner
ring; the inner ring is now prevented from moving by the eyelet, and the fastening
is complete. In hanks for sails I sometimes prefer to make the inner ring with
an oval central space instead of circular, and also of other irregular shapes, to suit
different purposes. This is accomplished by thickening the sides.
This kind of fastening can be applied to other purposes than sail hanks, namely,
as a fastener for garments or safety pins, the metal in such case being pointed at
the breaks in the inner ring so as to enter the garment more easily, the inner ring
can then be merely a circular pin, with plain or ornamental clasp round the outer
ring.

page_text: The shape is not actually of importance so long as the two rubbing surfaces are
circular. And in some forms of fasteners the inner ring may be almost filled up
and become a stud or other projection. It may sometimes be desirable to fasten
the outer ring permanently, and for this purpose an eye or eyes may be fixed
on it.
In fastening the corners of sails I prefer, instead of the usual ear-ring, to connect
the same to a travelling slide block by a bank. This slide block runs along a T
slide fixed to the yard. There are swivelling or other stops attached to the slide,
so that they can be swivelled round and hold the block from returning, or other
mechanical equivalent can be used; such as a ratchet and pawl.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Vivian Coombe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th April
1880.
VIVIAN COOMBE, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SAIL HANKS AND OTHER FASTENING APPARATUS, AND IN THE MODE OF
FASTENING SAILS AND OTHER ARTICLES."
This Invention has for its object a mode of fastening, and a fastener that does
not require stitching, roving, or its equivalent.
As a bank it consists of two nearly circular pieces of iron, or other material, one
A preferably of circular cross section, the other B fitting inside it, of a cross section.
resembling a crescent. Both rings are cut away at one part for a short distance C.
so as to admit of a rope or other article being passed into their centres, and the
outer ring has usually an indentation eye or fastener D at its' opposite extremity
(to hold the eyelet hole of the sail, or its equivalent, in other articles), as hereafter
described. As applied to sails the breaks in both rings are made to coincide, and
the eylet and stay are passed into the centres; the central ring is then turned round,
sliding on the other till the eyelet falls into the indentation D, through the gap in
the inner ring; the inner ring is now prevented from moving by the rope, and the
fastening is complete. In hanks for sails I sometimes prefer to make the inner
ring with an oval central space instead of circular, and also of other irregular
shapes to suit different purposes. This is accomplished by thickening the sides, as
shown in Fig. 2.
This kind of fastening can be applied to other purposes than sail hanks, namely,
as a fastener for garments or safety pins. This is shown in Fig. 4, the metal in
such case being pointed at the breaks in the inner ring so as to enter the garments
more easily; the inner ring B can then be merely a circular pin with plain or orna-
mental clasp E round the outer ring A.
The shape is not actually of importance so long as the two rubbing surfaces are
circular. And in some forms of fasteners the inner ring may be almost filled up,
and become a stud or other projection. It may sometimes be desirable to fasten
the outer ring permanently, and for this purpose an eye or eyes may be fixed on
it, as shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 1 is a safety hank, in which a block F comes down in the place usually left
open as C, with a pin projecting into a hole G in yoke H; this pin is prevented
from coming forward by a roving of twine passed through hole I, which thus stops
up hole G, as shown.
In fastening the corners of sails I prefer, instead of the usual ear-ring, to connect
the same to a travelling slide block, shown in Fig. 6, J, by a hank K. This slide
block runs along a T slide L fixed to the yard. There are swivelling (or other)
stops M (swivelling on pins N) attached to the side, so that they can be swivelled
round and hold the block from returning. In Fig. 5 one is shown in line swivelled
so as to stop the block. Other mechanical equivalent can be used, such as a ratchet
and pawl, in place of these swivelling blocks.
Having now described my Invention, and a few practical examples thereof, as
the best forms I have been able to devise, I wish it to be understood that what I
believe to be new, and desire to protect under the herein before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. The manufacture and use of sail hanks or other fasteners composed of two
parts, capable of sliding one within the other in a circular path, the two circles
being broken at one point, so that a loop or part of the article to be fastened
can be admitted into the inner circle, and then the latter revolved so as to hold
said article from being withdrawn.

page_text: Second. The construction of safety pin, substantially as described and shown in
Fig. 4.
Third. The slide and slide block illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, substantially as and
for the purposes described.
Fourth. The mode described of fastening sails and other articles consisting of
sliding a circular hook or pin in circular bearings, through a loop or part of the
article to be fastened, so as to form with its circular bearings a closed loop or
fastening, preventing said part of the article to be fastened from becoming with-
drawn.
In witness whereof, I, the the said Vivian Coombe, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty third day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
VIVIAN COOMBE. (L.S.)
Witness,
W. P. THOMPSON,.
Of the Firm of W. P. Thompson & Co.,
Patent Agents,
323, High Holborn, W.C., London,
& 6, Lord Street, Liverpool.