IMPROVE MENTS IN SAIL HANKS FOR SECURING STAY-SAILS, JIBS, AND OTHER SAILS TO THEIR PROPER STAYS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Archibald Brooman, of the firm of
Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of 166 Fleet Street, in the
City of London, Patent Agents, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN SAIL HANKS FOR SECURING STAY-SAILS, JIBS, AND OTHER SAILS
TO THEIR PROPER STAYS," A communication.
Sealed the 2nd August 1853, and dated the 7th February 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Archi;
bald Brooman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with his Petition, on the 7th February 1853.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of the firm of Robertson,
Brooman, and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London,
Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN SAIL HANKS FOR SECURING STAY-SAILS, JIBS, AND
OTHER SAILS TO THEIR PROPER STAYS," to be as follows:-
This Invention is an improvement in sail hanks, intended to secure
the stay-sails, jibs, &c. to their proper stays. The peculiar advan-
tages this improved hank has over the old one are, effecting a great
reduction in friction, ability to attach and detach the sail at any

page_text: a,
time, and facilitating the raising and lowering of the sails in gales
and storms as well as in smooth weather; and further, the increased
security from always keeping a firm hold upon the sail. These ad-
vantages will more clearly appear by an inspection of the old hank
in comparison. As seen in Figure 3, it consists of a flexible piece
of wood, bent as shewn; a number of these are strung upon the stay,
and when a sail is to be bent, these are tied to the eyelets with spun
yarn. In the shifting and chafing they are constantly getting loose,
and the sail must be lowered to refix them, or it will be in danger
of being torn, which, in fact, frequently occurs. The improved hank
is shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3; Figures 1 and 2, are slightly dif
ferent in construction, but embrace the same principle; Figure 4,
is an illustration of it in operation. The construction is as follows:
, is a metal hoop, composed of two pieces, divided in halves. a', is a
rivet joining the lower ends; the upper ends, after completing the
form of a circle, are flattened, and bent so as to form an ear or handle,
as seen at b; a socket is also formed in the top part of 6, into
which the ears c, of a second and smaller divided ring, can be inserted
and firmly clamped by screw bolts d, d¹. Upon the hoopa, a series of
friction rollers are strung side by side, as shewn at e, Figure 2, in
number sufficient nearly to fill the hoop. They are, however, kept
a short distance from the ears by stops e¹. The ring c, at Figure 1,
is hinged near the ears, and parts at the side opposite at c¹, a pin
and socket fitting into each other, to increase its strength when
closed. In operation a sufficient number are strung upon the stay
g, Fig. 4; and in attaching the sail, the screw bolts d, d', are
loosened; this allows the ears to separate, and permits the opening
of the ring c, at c¹. This is then passed through the eyelet of the
sail, as seen at h, and the screws being set hard up closes the ring
and secures the sail. The difference in the hank shewn in Figure
2, consists in dispensing with the cars b, upon the hoop a; instead
of this, the hoop, after the friction rollers, and the ring c, are put on,
is permanently fastened by a screw or rivet. The ring is of two
parts, but, instead of being hinged, it is clamped together by the
screw i. To apply the sail by this form of hank, the screw i, is

page_text: loosened when the ring parts in halves; as seen in dotted lines, and
the eyelet of the sail can be secured within it, as before described. The
bolt d, has an eye upon it: this is for the purpose of guiding the
down haul rope, as seen at k, Figure 4.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Richard Archibald Brooman in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th August 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of the firm of Robertson, Brooman,
and Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agents, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said Richard Archibald Brooman,
Her special licence that I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Richard Archibald Brooman, 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 SAIL
HANKS FOR SECURING STAY-SAILS, JIBS, AND OTHER SAILS TO THEIR PROPER
STAYS," communicated by a foreigner residing abroad, upon the con
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard Archibald Broo
man, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six

page_text: calendar months next and iminediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I; the said Richard Archibald Brooman; do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention; and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say:
This Invention consists of an improved mode or modes of con-
structing sail hanks, such as are used to secure the stay-sails, jibs,
&c., to their proper stays. The peculiar advantages, which the im-
proved hanks possess over the old form; consist in effecting a great
reduction in friction, in affording means of attaching and detaching
the sail at any time, and in facilitating the raising and lowering of
the sails in gales and storms as well as in smooth weather; while,
further, they insure increased security from the fact of their always
keeping a firm hold upon the sail: These advantages will be rendered
more clearly apparent by an inspection of the old hank in com-
parison, as seen in Figure 4; this consists of a flexible piece of wood;
bent as shewn; a number of these are strung upon the stay, and
when a sail is to be bent, they are tied to the eyelets with spun yarn:
In the shifting and chafing to which the hanks are subject, they are
constantly getting loose; and the sail must be lowered to refix them,
or it will be in danger of being torn, which, in fact, frequently occurs:
The improved forms of hank are shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3:
Figures 1 and 2, are slightly different in construction, but embrace
the same principle; Figure 3, is an illustration of the hank in ope
ration. The construction is as follows:-a, is a metal hoop com-
posed of two pieces, that is divided in halves; a¹, is a rivet or pin
joining the lower ends; the upper ends, after completing the form of
a circle, are flattened and bent so as to form an ear or handle, as at
b; a socket is also formed in the top part of b, into which the ears
c, of a second and smaller divided ring can be inserted and firmly
clamped by screw bolts d; d. Upon the hoop a, a series of friction
rollers are strung side by side (as shewn at e, Figure 2), in number
sufficient nearly to fill the hoop. They are, however, kept a short

page_text: distance from the ears by stops c¹. The ring c, in Figure 1, is
hinged near the ears, and opens at c¹, on the opposite side; a pin
and socket fitting into each other to increase its strength when
closed. In using these hanks, a sufficient number are strung upon the
stay g, Figure 3; and in attaching the sail when the hank, Figure 1,
is used, the screw bolts d, d', are loosened, which allows the ears to
separate, and permits of the opening of the ring c, at c¹. This is
then passed through the eyelet of the sail, as shewn at h, and the
screws are set hard up, which closes the ring and secures the sail.
The difference in the hank, shewn in Figure 2, consists in dispensing
with the ears b, upon the hoop a; instead of this the hoop, after the
friction rollers and the ring c are put on, is permanently fastened
by a screw or rivet. The ring is composed of two parts, but, instead
of being hinged, they are clamped together by the screw i. To
secure the sail by this form of hank the screw i, is loosened, when
the ring parts in halves, as seen in dotted lines, and the cyelet of the
sail can be secured. within it, as before described. The bolt d, has an
eye upon it for the purpose of grinding the down haul rope k,
Figure 3.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is, the divided hank for securing the sail to the stay, con-
structed and operating substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Archibald Brooman,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of
August, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
R. A. BROOMAN. (..)