AN IMPROVED WIND SHUTE OR WIND SAIL
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Arbuthnot Allardyce, of 5, West
Craibstone Street, Aberdeen, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
WIND SHUTE OR WIND SAIL."
Sealed the 21st August 1875, and dated the 3rd July 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the- said Robert Arbuthnot
Allardyce at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 3rd July 1875.
I, ROBERT ARBUTHNOT ALLARDYCE, of 5, West Craibstone Street,
Aberdeen, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED WIND SHUTE OR WIND SAIL," to be as follows:-
The principal object of this Invention is to supply to passenger steamers,
troop ships, and sailing vessels employed in tropical navigation' a simple
and effective means of ventilating passengers' and other cabins through
the side port. This when the port is a square one is easily and at present
done by fitting a canvas wind sail or shute, and catching the air passing
outside, and shooting it into the cabin. As most steamers are now built

page_text: with round brass scuttles or ports the fixing of the canvas wind sail is a
matter that requires no small amount of ingenuity.
Now my improved wind shute or wind sail will supply these vessels
with a cheap and effective means of thoroughly ventilating the cabins
while the vessel is in motion or lying at anchor, head to wind, as ships
always lay (except in a tide way. This wind shute or wind sail is
made of metal, and in the shape of a half circle, being made to fit the
port and to turn either way. Shifting bars are fixed for the purpose of
reducing the amount of surface exposed to the wind in proposition to the
force of the same. I make them of either brass, zinc, or tin, and
according to the size of the scuttle. It can be placed so as to direct the
current of air to almost any part of the cabin.
In wet weather the wind shute may be turned against the wind, and
act as a screen, allowing the scuttle to be open and prevent the rain
from coming in, and may be also used as a sun shade.
The appearance of a regular painted shute (the same colour as the
vessel's side) at every port scuttle will be pleasing to the eye, as well as of
great public utility'; painted white' on the inside will also be the means
of reflecting an additional amount of light into the cabin when the ports
open.
This Invention is specially applicable to vessels in the Indian and
China trade, West India, and other tropical parts, where it will be found
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters' Patent,
filed by the said Robert Arbuthnot Allardyce in the Great Seal 25
Patent Office on the 31st December 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
ARBUTHNOT ALLARDYCE, of 5, West Craibstone Street, Aberdeen, and of
14, Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 3
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,

page_text: give and grant unto me, the said Robert Arbuthnot Allardyce,
Her special licence that I, the said Robert Arbuthnot Allardyce, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Robert Arbuthnot Allardyce, 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 "AN IMPROVED WIND SHUTE OR WIND
SAIL," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert
Arbuthnot Allardyce, 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 Robert Arbuthnot Allardyce,
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:-
The principal object of this Invention is to supply to passenger
steamers, troop ships, and sailing vessels employed in tropical navigation
a simple and effective means of ventilating passengers' and other cabins
through the side ports. This, when the port is a square one, is easily
and at present done by fitting a canvas wind sail or shute, and catching
the air passing outside; and shooting it into the cabin. As most steamers
are now built with round brass scuttles or ports the fixing of the canvas
and sail that requires no small amount of ingenuity.
Now my improved wind shute or wind sail will supply these vessels'
with a cheap and effective means of thoroughly ventilating the cabins
while the vessel is in motion or lying at anchor, head to wind, as ships.
always lay, except in a tide way. This wind shute or wind sail is made
of metal, and in the shape of a half-circle, being made to fit the port,
and to turn either way. Shifting bars are fixed for the purpose of
reducing the amount of surface exposed to the wind in proportion to the
force of the same. The inner end is made to fit the round of the scuttle,

page_text: or turn-over flange being fitted on to prevent it from falling overboard.
The outer end is shaped so as to direct the current of air through the
port. It is sometimes rounded, and at other times flat, as shewn on the
Drawing, Fig. 5; they are also of various lengths, according to the
climate in which they are to be used. I also make them so as the 5
scuttle can be shut in a hurry without taking in the wind sail. It will
be seen that I can make them of either brass, copper, zinc, or tin, iron,
or any other suitable material, also in wood and vulcanized india-rubber
or a combination of such material, and sometimes on canvas fitted on a
frame, and according to the size of the scuttle. It can be placed so as 1
to direct the current of air in almost any part of the cabin.
In wet weather the wind shute may be turned against the wind, and
act as a screen, allowing the scuttle to be open, and prevent the rain
from coming in, and may also be used as a sun shade.
The appearance of a regular painted shute (the same color as the 1
vessel's side) at every port scuttle will be pleasing to the eye, as well as
of great public utility; painted white on the inside will also be the
means of reflecting an additional amount of light into the cabin when the
port is open.
This Invention is specially applicable to vessels in the Indian and 2
China trade, West India, and other tropical parts, where it will be found
most useful and effective; and in order that my said Invention may be
properly understood reference is made to the Sheet of Drawings annexed
to and forming part of this my Specification.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents one of my metal wind shutes.
Figure 2 represents an interior view, as seen from the inside of the
cabin or between decks.
Figure 3 represents another view of my wind shute fitted with a
2

page_text: ROBERT ARBUTHNOT ALLARDYCE. (L.S.)