IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORE AND AFT GAFF AND BOOM SAILS OF SHIPS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Turpie, of North Shields, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORE AND AFT GAFF AND BOOM SAILS OF SHIPS."
Sealed the 20th January 1860, and dated the 5th October 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Turpic at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th October 1859.
I, JAMES TURPIE, of North Shields, do hereby declare the nature of the
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORE AND AFT GAFF AND BOOM SAILS or
SHIPS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the fore and aft gaff and
boom sails of ships. Fore and aft gaff and boom sails as at present arranged
are reefed by lowering the gaff and tyeing in a portion of the lower part of the
sail.
Now according to my Invention, in order to facilitate the reefing of sails of
this description, I bend the sail to a spar called a trysail mast, placed imme-
diately behind the fore, main, or mizen mast, as the case may be, and I so
arrange the trysail mast that it may be turned round in order to wind up the
sail upon it; this is conveniently done by means of a winch handle, giving
motion to a screw which gears with a screw wheel fixed on the lower end of
he trysail mast; the sail is arranged to slide on the gaff and on the boom (if

page_text: a boom be employed) in the ordinary manner, but the head of the gaff is not
peaked up or raised as much as is usual, but is nearly parallel with the boom.
In conjunction with fore and aft gaff and boom sails, arranged in the manner
above described, I prefer to employ two triangular topsails one
the other.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Turpie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
April 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
TURPIE, of North Shields, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said James Turpie, Her special licence that I, the said
James Turpie, my executors, administrators and assigns, or such others
as I, the said James Turpie, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FORE AND AFT GAFF AND BOOM SAILS OF SHIPS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that the said James Turpie, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing, 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 James Turpie, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to. be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the fore and aft gaff and
boom sails of ships. Fore and aft gaff and boom sails as at present arranged
are reefed by lowering the gaff and tyeing in a portion of the lower part of
the sail.

page_text: Now according to my Invention; in order to facilitate the reefing of sails of
this description, I bend the sail to a spar called a trysail mast, placed imme-
diately behind the fore, main, or mizen mast, as the case may be, and I so
arrange the trysail mast that it may be turned round in order to wind up the
sail upon it; this is conveniently done by means of a winch handle giving
motion to a screw which gears with a screw wheel fixed on the lower end of
the trysail mast; the sail is arranged to slide on the gaff and on the boom (if
a boom be employed) in the ordinary manner; but the head of the gaff is not
peaked up or raised as much as is usual, but is nearly parallel with the boom.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a side view of the stern of a ship, with a mast which carries a try-
sail arranged according to my Invention; Figure 2 is a similar view showing
the sail close reefed. a is the mast; b, the trysail mast; c, the boom; and
d, the gaff; e is a chain by which the gaff is suspended from the head of the
lower mast; and f is a stay by which the boom is suspended from the gaff.
The inner edge of the sail is made fast to the trysail mast in such a manner
that the edge of the sail cannot slip round on the said mast, so that when the
try sail mast is turned the sail will be wound up upon it. The head of the
sail is supported by metal hoops g, g, which are capable of sliding on the gaff;
a side view and an edge view of one of these hoops is shown at Figures 3; it
will be seen that the two ends of the bar, which being bent round from the hoop,
come sufficiently close together securely to retain the line with which the head
of the sail is strengthened, but they permit the sail itself to pass between them.
The lower end of the trysail mast fits into a metal socket, as is shown at
Figure 4, and this socket is received by and is capable of turning in a metal
step fixed to the deck; the upper end of this mast is supported in the usual
manner. Near the point where the boom abuts on the trysail mast, this mast
is supported by a chock i, which, however, will allow the try sail mast to turn
freely. In order to turn the trysail mast, a worm wheel jis securely fixed on
the said mast; this wheel, with the apparatus in connection with it, is shown
in front view at Figure 5, and in plan at Figure 6; k is a strap surrounding
the wheel; a section of it and of the said wheel is shewn at Figure 7; the
strap k carries the bearings of an axis 1, on which a worm m is formed; it gears
with the worm wheel j; the axis m is actuated by means of a crank handle n
at its end, and thus the trysail mast is caused to wind up the sail; the strap k

page_text: being prevented from turning by being linked to another strap o on the mast,
as is shown. In order to set or extend the sail to its full extent, the ropes p, p,
are employed; they are attached to the top and bottom corners of the outer
edge of the sail; they pass through blocks at the ends of the boom and gaff
respectively, and are then led in the direction shown. The hoops 9, 9, are con-
nected together by a line, so as to keep them properly spaced when the sail
is set.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Turpie, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
JAMES TURPIE. (L.S.)