An Improved Rig for Schooners or Barquentines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 20th Nov., 1895--Accepted, 28th Dec., 1895
An Improved Rig for Schooners or Barquentines.
I, JAMES FAIRLIE, of 12 Waterloo Street, Glasgow, Shipowner do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved rig for schooners or barquentines.
When barquentines or schooners exceed a certain size, the heavy gaffs at present
in use, become very unmanageable from the way they swing about when the sea is
at all heavy, bringing a great strain on the after leaches, and often causing them
to carry away, thereby splitting the sail. And in many instances the fore and
afters have to be taken in altogether, when they would otherwise be of great use,
owing to the swinging back and forward of the. gaffs, caused by the roll of the
ship. My improved rig will not only be as easily handled, but sail will be able
always to be carried however high the sea, as long as the pressure of wind will
allow. To attain this, I discard gaffs in all but the after mast, using instead
jil-headed boum sails, which are carried up to the head of lower mast-the gaff
topsails being stretched on boom specially provided on lower mast heads.
To make up for loss of canvas by this arrangement, I provide a jack-yard on
one, two, or more masts, slung under the cross-trees, and controlled by braces: on
which I set two triangular sails-one from the topmast-head to the yard, and one
from the yard to the deck, both being set on the weather side. For setting the
lower sail provide a wire stay running down the fore part of mast from a little
above the yard and set up on deck, the same being kept clear of the mast by two
wooden saddles, one on a level. with the yard and the other near the deck, the
inner leach of the sail working up and down this stay by hanks, with halyards.
A wire jackstay also runs the whole length of the yard, and is also kept clear of
same by two saddles, one at each yard arm. The outer clew is attached to this with a
spring hank, and is hauled out to either yard arm by a wire rope passing through a
sheave at either yard arm, and led from these through sheave at lower mast head
and down to the deck. In tacking ship all that is required to shift the sail from
the one side to the other, is to let go the yard rope on the side at present set,, and
haul in the other. It is also fitted with a tripping, or spilling line, led from a bull's
eye about two-thirds of the way up the outer leach to a block at centre. of the yard 4
by hauling this up when shifting the sail from one side to the other it prevents[the
sail from thrashing about in a strong breeze.
THE UPPER 'SAIL..
:
;"
The head of this sail works up and down a wire jackstay (to which it is attached
by a spring hank) stretched from the topmast head down, to the cross-trees on the
fore part of the mast, and kept clear of mast by two saddles, one at top and the
other at foot of topmast: the tack being hauled out to either yard farm by a wire
or other rope, which is ded through a sheave at either yard arm. From there it is
led along underneath the yand through quarter blocks and down to the deck... The
inner lewis controlled by a sheet led through a bull's-eye fixed to, the centre
of the yard. The head has also halyards: vand: down haul (for fhauling it mp
and down.
.
..
**ft T
The upper sailinmay be fitted with anreef along the foot.
The lower sail may be fitted with a reef, along the inner each (supp

page_text: The advantages claimed for this rig are, that it will be more easily handled:
cause less wear and tear to canvas; cordage and spars have less chafe: require
less cordage for setting and taking in sail: and altogether be more economical than
any vessel as at present rigged, and at the same time will in no way interfere with
the speed or safety of the ship.
Dated this 19th day of February 1895.
I, JAMES FAIRLIE, of 12 Waterloo Street, Glasgow, Shipowner, 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:-
This invention relates to an improved rig for schooners or barquentines, and
consists as follows and as is shown in the accompanying drawings.
Figures 14, 18 and 1° form a side elevation of a four masted barquentine fitted
with my improved rig.
Figure 2 is a cross section looking forward from abaft the mizzen mast, and
Figure 3 a detail.
When schooners or barquentines as at present rigged, exceed a certain size, the
heavy gaffs become unmanagable during heavy seas owing to their swinging about
in such a manner as to cause a great strain to be brought upon the after leaches
and often of such a degree as to carry away the said leaches and thereby split the
sail. Also in many instances the fore and afters had to be taken in altogether, when
they would otherwise have been of great use, owing to the surging back and
forward of the gaffs caused by the roll of the ship.
By the employment of my improved rig, as hereinafter described and shown in
the accompanying drawings, the sail will not only be much more easily handled,
but will always be capable of being carried no matter how high the sea is, so long
as, and to such an extent as the pressure of the wind will allow.
In carrying out my said invention, I discard the use of gaffs A. in all but the after
mast B, using on the other masts C, D, instead jib headed boom sails E which may
or may not be provided with short top spreaders e, fitted near the head of the
lower masts. The gaff topsails F on the masts C and D are stretched on light
booms G, provided on the lower mast heads C, D as shown.
To provide or make up for the loss of canvas by this arrangement I suitably
mount on one or more of the masts C, D, though preferably on the mizzen mast C-
and also on the back or after mast B, a jack yard H, slung under the crosstrees
and controlled by lifts h, and the ordinary braces, on which I set two triangular
sails; one J from the topmasthead to the jack yard H and one J¹ from the yard H
to the deck, both being set on the weather side of the vessel. In order to set the
lower sail J I provide a wire jackstay K running down the fore part of the mast,
from a little above the yard H to the deck where it is set up; the said stay K
being kept clear of the mast by means of one, two or more saddles, blocks or their
equivalents, though preferably two, one at either end. The inner leach of the said
sail J works up and down this jackstay K by means of hanks and halyards.
I also mount in front of the yard arm H a wire jackstay L which extends from
end to end and is kept clear of the yard by means of two wooden saddles, blocks or
their equivalents, one being mounted at the end of each yard arm. The outer clew
or corner of the lower sail J¹ is attached to a swivel traveller M (shown in detail
Figure 3.) which is hooked to each of the outhauls N in such a manner as to be

page_text: capable of being run out to or taken in from any of the yard arms along the
jackstay K. The outhauls N after passing through sheaves on the yard arms pass
up to a block on the lower mast head and thence down to the deck where they are
set up.
The shifting of the said sail J¹ being assisted by a suitable tripping
line P, led from a bulls-eye p on the outer leach to a block at centre of yard H.
By hauling this up when shifting the sail it (the sail) is prevented from thrashing
about in a strong breeze.
In order to set the upper sail J I mount a perpendicular wire jackstay Q in front.
of the topmast from which is kept clear, as already described, so as to enable the
hanks of the sail's inner leach travelling up and down. The outer clew j of the
upper sail J is hauled out to either yard arm by a rope R which passes through
cheek blocks at yard arms and along underneath the yard arms H thence through
a quarter block down to the deck. The outer clew; is also attached to a tripping.
line S for tripping up the sail and so assisting in the manipulation of the same.
The inner clew of the said sail J is controlled by a sheet led through a bulls-eye
fixed to the centre of the yard H. The head of the sail J has also halyards and
down haul for hauling it up and down.
The various jackstays are provided with right and left hand screw arrangements.
for tension purposes.
If desired may fit or provide the upper sail J with a reef along the foot. Also.
I may fit or provide the lower sail J with a reef along the inner leach.
The whole arrangement thus forms a rig for barquentines or schooners which
when tacking ship only requires the upper and lower sails to be shifted from
the one side of the masts to the other, by letting go the one set of ropes and
hauling in the other, thus facilitating the manipulation of the sails, and at the same
time cause less wear and tear to canvas, cordage and spars; also there is less chafe
as well as less cordage being required for setting and taking in sails; and also the
said rig will be more economical and will in no way interfere with the speed or
safety of the ship.
Having now. particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1st. The general arrangement, construction and combination of the various parts.
constituting my improved rig for barquentines or schooners, substantially as
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2nd. In a rig for barquentines or schooners, discarding the use of gaffs and large
sails, and employing in lieu thereof, cross jackyards and triangular sails, on one or
more of the masts, substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the.
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of November 1895.
. JOHNSONS,
115 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.