IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS' BLOCKS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Obed Hussey, of Baltimore, United States of
America, for tlie Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
SHIPS' BLOCKS."
Sealed the 29th April 1859, and dated the 26th January 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Obed Hussey at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th January 1859.
I, OBED HUSSEY, of Baltimore, United States of America, do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF SHIPS BLOCKS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in ships' blocks, and is more
especially applicable to blocks which are so situated as to be subject to sudden
and severe jerks, as, for example, the blocks in connection with the booms of
fore and aft sails.
The Invention consists in fitting the frame or portion containing the sheave
or sheaves with a strap, which in place of fitting closely to it, as an ordinary
strap, allows the sheave or sheaves, with the frame in which they are mounted,
to slide a distance within it. A spring of vulcanized india-rubber or other
material is employed to keep the frame with the sheaves; when the strain is

page_text: small, at the extremity of the strap, but when a sudden jerk comes on the
block, the spring yields, and allows the frame and sheaves to approach for the
moment the other end of the strap.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Obed Hussey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th July 1859.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, OBED
HUSSEY, of Baltimore, United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Obed Hussey, Her special licence that I, the said Obed Hussey, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Obed
Hussey, 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 CONSTRUCTION OF SHIPS' BLOCKS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Obed Hussey, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
r
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Obed Hussey, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, 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 ships' blocks, and is more
especially applicable to blocks which are so situated as to be subject to sudden
and severe jerks, as, for example, the blocks in connection with the booms of
fore and aft sails.
The Invention consists in fitting the frame or portion containing the sheave
or sheaves with a strap, which in place of fitting closely to it, as an ordinary.

page_text: strap, allows the sheave or sheaves, with the frame in which they are mounted,
to slide a distance within it. A spring of vulcanized india-rubber or other
material is employed to keep the frame with the sheaves, when the strain is
small, at the extremity of the strap, but when a sudden jerk comes on the
block, the spring yields, and allows the frame and sheaves to approach for the
moment the other end of the strap.
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
annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a front view, and Figure 2 is a side view, of a ship's block
constructed according to my Invention. a, a, is the frame of the block,. and
b, b, are two sheaves with which it is fitted. The frame a is mounted in a
strap c, and is retained in its place by the side plates d, attached to it; these
side plates are furnished with projections d', d', embracing the strap c on each
side. The strap c is, as the Drawing shows, made in two parts, connected
together by screws and nuts. e is a spring; I prefer to make it of vulcanized
india-rubber, but a spiral or other spring of metal may be substituted, if it is
preferred; f is a rod passing through the centre of the spring, and serving to
keep it in place; the rod f is fixed in the frame a of the block, and passes
through a hole in the strap. g is a ring, attached to the strap c, by which
the block may be attached to a boom or spar, or in any other position in which
may be required.
it
In constructing blocks as above described, the spring should be so com-
pressed within the strap that when a moderate strain is on the block, such as
would come upon it in ordinary sailing, the spring may keep the frame and
sheaves constantly in contact with the further end of the strap, and may only
yield to case any severe strain, such as may arise from the swinging of the
booms or otherwise.
In witness whereof, I, the said Obed Hussey, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
JOHN H. BAWDEN.
OBED HUSSEY. (L.S.)