Revolving Collapsable Sails for Propelling Ships, Boats, Cycles and the like, also applicable for Windmill Sails.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 30th July, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Revolving Collapsable Sails for Propelling Ships, Boats, Cycles and
the like, also applicable for Windmill Sails.
HENRY ORLEY, Loten Cottage, Close Woods, Denmead, near Cosham, Hants,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
The general principle of my invention consists in a system of sails which are
so fitted on the yards of ships that the force of the wind from any quarter causes the
sails to alternately spread open, collapse and revolve around the top of an iron
tubular mast, the power of the yards thus revolving with the sails is conveyed by
means of bevel cog wheels and machine belting from an upper shaft to the screw
shaft, which revolves the fan and thus propells the vessel in a direct course against
a head wind.
In the case of cycles and the like the sails and yards revolve in a similar manner
to that described, turning bevel cog wheels and conveying the power by means of
machine belting, or chain gearing to a wheel on the crank shaft and thus assisting
to propel the machine against a head wind.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1. Elevation of mast, with revolving collapsable sails set; as the would
appear looking from above.
Fig. 2. Sectional elevation of sprits closed.
Fig. 3. Sectional elevation of sprits open; dotted line shows position of sail set.
Fig. 4. Shows the top of the cap, with the centre of the yards dovetailed together,
and laying in the bed (O).
Fig. 5. Sectional elevation of upper part of mast of Fig. 1.
Fig. 6. Sectional elevation of a life boat, showing revolving collapsable sails set.
Fig. 6. Sectional elevation of upper part of mast of Fig. 6, showing the lead of
the wire (I) to the iron ring for unlocking the spring on the yard.
Fig. 7. Sectional elevation of rowing or sailing boat, with revolving collapsable
sails set.
Fig. 8. Illustration of how revolving collapsable sails may be applied to bicycles
and the like.
Fig. 9. Illustration of how revolving collapsable sails may be applied to wind-
mills and the like.
1. The revolving collapsable sail (A) is made of sail cloth, or lighter fabrics for
small boats or machines: shaped quadratic, sexangular, or as required for the
number and position of sprits used to hold it out on the yard (vide A Fig's. 1, 6, 9)
it is laced to the roping (B) which passes around through eye-holes and is secured
at the extremeties of the sprits (C) running over wheels fitted in the inner and outer
ends of the yard (D).
The sprits are secured to the yard by eyebolts (or hinges) which admits of them
opening outwards towards the vardarm for furling the sail when the yards are
down; and perpendicularly at right angles from the yard to open and spread the
sail also to close down at right angles from the yard to nearly a horizontal
position for closing the sail: projections on the back part at the base of the sprits
closes back on the vard preventing them from falling backwards, similar projec-
tions prevent them from falling inward towards the mast.

page_text: When the wind is blowing towards the front part of the sprits, they open out
and spread the sail to a perpendicular point; they, with the yard and sail revolve
in a horizontal line round the mast, (V) when in their course they come to the
opposite side of the mast (at the point Ĺ Fig. 1) the force of the wind is on the
back of the sail and closes it, thus holding very little wind while coming in a con-
trary direction to it.
Each of the four sails opens out and collapses alternately in their rotation, as the
force of the wind falls on the front or back of the sail. The sprits are made of
Tangle iron; their action in opening back on the yard is rendered noiseless by the
contacting parts falling on indiarubber pads, (N) Fig. 3 they also close on india-
rubber fittings (Fig. 2) (N) for the double purpose of being noiseless in their action,
and to keep them sufficiently apart to catch the wind (as in their revolution they
face it) on the inner, or front part of the sail, and reopen it.
2. The two horizontal yards (D, M) are made of steel and bisect each other at
right angles, they are dovetailed together in the centre part, which rests in the bed
of the cap, (0) Fig. 4 revolving on wheels (P) fitted in a groove around the top
of an iron tubular mast (V). At the base of an iron structure (R) secured to the
bottom of the cap fitting around the inside of the mast are bevel cogs, (Q) which,
as the yards revolve turns a bevel wheel (E) on the horizontal shaft (F) and the
top pulleys, (G) these are connected by leather bands (H) around cone pulleys (J)
see (Fig. 6) on the propeller shaft (see K Fig. 6) thus revolving the screw and pro-
pelling the vessel. The yards when not in use may be lowerd from the hinges (Y)
Fig. 5 to a perpendicular line and secured around the foot of the mast; to rehoist
them a hookrope is passed through a block at the top of the topping lift, (T) (which
is easily taken out of its socket by hand) the hook at the end of the rope, is passed
over a similar hook on the yard-arm, the other end of the rope leading to the deck,
from whence the yard is hoisted to a horizontal position; this work necessitates
about two men being aloft, to secure the yard in its place with a nut screw bolt
at the side of the hinges (Y), to haul out the upper sprit to a perpendicular, and
unhook the hookrope from the yardarm. A brake (U) stays the yards from revoly-
ing while the sails are being set.
;
3. In order to ease the speed of the vessel, or to entirely stop the yards from
revolving a brake (U) which consists of a strong iron band encircling the mast,
roughed on the outside, and wedge shaped at the top, so made, to fit up between
the mast and the lower part of the cap, which revolves around the outside of the
mast; it is forced upwards to this position by two levers (similar in construction
to the locking levers S Fig. 6) one, on either side, and leading sufficiently far down
the mast, that they might be worked by a man standing on deck; a slight pressure
on the levers, compresses the wedge-shaped brake up under the cap, and partially
obstruct its motion, and eases the speed of the vessel; a strong pressure stays the
yards from revolving and stops her entirely.
4. A locking lever (similar in construction to that shown in Class 2, S, Fig. 6).
fitted perpendicular from the steering wheel on the upper deck to the shaft passage,
then passing through it by the side of the screw shaft, and connected to the cone-
pullies; by shifting the handle of the lever forward, the cone pully on the fore-
mast end of the lever will lock into the fixed cone on the screw shaft, and drive the
ship ahead; the reverse action drives her astern, as one of the leather bands (H)
(between the top and cone pully) is crossed, and thus revolves the screw in an
opposite direction.
5. Two, or more masts might be fitted to each ship according to her size, fitted
with the before mentioned system of sails. Three sets of yards, sprits and sails
should be carried for each mast, one a large and light set for use in a gentle breeze,
another of medium size and strength for a stiff breeze, the third, a small and very
strong set for use in a storm. Studding-sails might easily be fitted and used in this
system to a great advantage. About five minutes would be sufficient time to shift
an entire set of sails, providing they are kept already laced on to the roping.

page_text: CLASS 2.
Figure 6. Represents a sectional elevation of a life boat, fitted with revolving
collapsable sails, showing those that would be spread with the direction of the
wind on the starboard bow. The boat is covered with a sheet-iron canopy, (W)
made to slide open at various parts, it is fitted over Tangle iron, extending in a
semi circular shape along her entire length, it is built on, and slightly overlaps the
gunwale, to carry off seas striking over her. She is propelled by a similar system.
of revolving collapsable sails as is described in Class 1; but alters in several ways
in the structure of the mast and yards, being intended for use in smaller vessels,
such as yachts, life boats, trawlers, colliers, hoys and the like; the mast is made of
tubular steel, but of a much smaller build than Class 1, the fittings being
on the
exterior; the cap supporting the yards rests on rollers fitted in a projecting ledge
on the top of the mast, and revolves around the base of the topping lift (T) which is
let into a socket in the centre of the top of the mast. The part of the cap extend-
ing downward is fitted with bevel cogs which in its revolution turns a bevel wheel
on the top shaft (F) and drives the lower shaft as explained in -Par. 2 Class 1; the
lower bevel wheel acts also as a top pulley, being fitted on the outer edge with a
double groove in which the leather bands (H) revolve. In order to set sail and hoist
the yards to a horizontal position without sending a man aloft, a revolving block
is fitted around the top of the topping lift through which a rope runs, diverting off
in four parts, each one of the respective parts leading to, and secured to each yard-
arm (vide dotted line Fig. 6) the bight leading to the deck, from whence the four
yards can be hoisted at the same time, and the bight of the rope secured to a cleat
at the bottom of one of the lower sprits; the rope revolves with the sail; one side
of the bight of the rope is for hoisting, the other the haul down part. Each yard
is fitted with a spring lock (similar to that on a clasp knife) so that when hoisted
to a horizontal position, they will lock of their own accord; to unlock these springs
and lower the yards when standing on deck, a wire (I) passes through a hole in the
mast by the side of the handle of the brake (U) leads up through the hollow of the
mast, and near the top part diverts off into four parts, each of these four parts passes
through a groove at the base of the topping lift and is there secured to an iron ring
around the bottom of it; this ring rests on, but is not attached to, the inner part
of the four springs that lock the yards, by hauling down on the wire, the springs
are unlocked and the yards lowered by easing off the hoisting part of the topping
rope. The life boat in other ways, is similar. in construction to those in present
use.
CLASS 3.
Fig. 7. Represents a sectional elevation of a small class of rowing or sailing
boat, and illustrates how the system of revolving collapsable sails may be applied.
The mast is made of tubular steel, of light build, but sufficiently strong to carry
the weight of the yards, and withstand the strain of the force of the wind on the
sails. The lower part of the mast from the hinge downward is solid and concave
at the base, where it rests on and revolves around a steel pin fitted in the keelson:
around the bottom is fitted bevel cogs, which as the mast itself revolves, turns a
bevel wheel on the propeller-shaft, revolving the propeller, and thus driving
the boat ahead. The mast is fitted to lower down to the stern of the boat, from the
hinge at its base, by unshipping the stays (7) and pressing a clasp to release the
spring of the hinge. In the centre of the mast at the top is a square socket: a
square iron projection standing out at right angles from the centre of the yards fits
in this socket, a bolt is passed through the mast and secures the vards in position.
In order to stop the mast and yards from revolving the brake (U) which is wedge
shaped at the top is forced upwards under the band that encircles the mast by
the lever and thereby obstructs its motion.

page_text: and be carried in a small space; to easily ship and unship as required, and used
as an auxiliary power for propelling bicycles, tricycles, vehicles, and the like against
head winds.
The mast (V) is circular at the upper part, where the cap revolves around it, and
square at its base, it does not revolve, but fits into a square socket at the outer end
of the supports (X). The action of the sails (A) is the same as explained in Class 1;
they are fitted with a small grummet at each corner, which, when required to set
them, passes over the outer ends of the sprits, the yard arm, and a hook on the cap.
The roping (B) used for larger class of sails is not necessary.
The yards rest on, and are attached to a tubular cap (0), which fits over the top
of the mast, resting on a point at its summit; bevel cogs are fitted at the base of the
cap, which as it revolves turnes a bevel wheel on the shaft, (F), on the outer edge
of the bevel wheel is a groove, in which works a leather band (H) connected it to
and driving a wheel on the crank shaft, thus propelling the machine.
When the wind is light, four sprits, instead of two on each yard, might be used
to advantage, two attached at the inner end of the yard and two at the yard arm:
the hinges securing the sprits to the yard, so made, as to admit of them opening
and closing only at right angles from the yard, and not to fall backwards from a
perpendicular. Sails made to fit on four sprits would hold more wind, and need
not take up more space than those fitted on two sprits.
CLASS 5.
Fig. 9. Illustrates the revolving collapsable sails with four sprits to each yard,
applied to wind mills and the like.
1st. Its advantages over steam vessels-viz.
(a) Economy. Because the expense for engines, boilers and coals is saved.
No engineers or firemen required.
(b) Space. The room taken up by engines, boilers stoke hole and coal bunkers
might be used for the stowage of cargo.
2nd. Its advantage over sailing vessels-viz.
(a) Economy. Because top and top gallant masts, and a number of sails and
ropes are done away with, together with a reduction of one third of the crew.
"
(b) Speed. Because the stronger the wind is ahead, the greater the power to
force the ship against it, and providing there is any wind it gives the power attained
by both sail and steam. The ship is enabled to go in a
direct course to any
given point, it does not matter from what direction the wind is blowing. No tack-
ing or trimming sails, or beating up against head winds; consequently voyages
might be accomplished, in many cases, in one half the time occupied by vessels
fitted with the ordinary sails.
(c) Safety. The masts being only the ordinary height of a sailing ship's lower-
mast, with sails not one quarter the usual size, together with no topsails, top-
gallant or royal yards; the stability is greatly increased; secondly, there is far
less danger of collision, as the same power can be instantly given to send the ship
astern, as to drive her ahead, by simply shifting the locking lever.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
claim is, viz. :-
-
The revolving collapsable sails, substantially as described and illustrated in the
drawings herewith.
1
B TA ·
1000