ING THE SAILS OF NAVIGABLE
Year: 1858

page_text: "LETTERS PATENT to .Lewis Higgins, of Jersey City, and Alexander
Brown, of 'New York, in the United States of America, Mariners, for
T
IN READING THE SAILS OF NAVIGABLE
"LETTERS PATENT to .Lewis Higgins, of Jersey City, and Alexander
Brown, of 'New York, in the United States of America, Mariners, for
T
the Invention of "IMPROVEN IN REEDING THE SAILS OF NAVIGABLE
VESSELS."
Sealed the 22nd February 1859, and dated the 23rd August 1858.
1
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lewis Higgins and
Alexander Brown at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 23rd August 1858.
We, LEWIS HIGGINS, of Jersey City, and ALEXANDER BROWN, of New
York, in the United States of America, Mariners, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REEFING THE SAILS OF
NAVIGABLE VESSELS," to be as follows (that is to say)-
To apply this Invention to a topsail, the topsail yard at the centre is
mounted on antifriction rollers (of, say, about two feet long, supported at
their ends on a pair of crescent-shaped jaws formed on or connected to the
"parel," and at the ends in circular collars or rings, which encompass the
The inner
yardarms, and form bearings in which the yard can revolve.
surface of these collars.or bands are provided with antifriction rollers, which
are in contact with metal hoops, which are fixed on the yardarms, and pro-
vided with ridges or collars on their inner sides to prevent the yard slipping

page_text: .
longitudinally. On the top of the circular bearings at the yard-arms there
is a short arm, which is bent a little inwards, the head of which carries a
pully or other mechanical equivalent. The circular bearings on the yard-
arms are connected to the "bucket" gear on the 'mast by a pair of metal rods
or bars, which form fixed "rolling stays" for keeping the yard in position.
Now, the yard being mounted as described, take the topsail, which is of the
ordinary kind and shape (except that the reef points may be dispensed with,)
bend it on to the yard, then roll the sail round the yard, down to the close
reef, and place it in the position on front of the mast it would occupy when
the sail is close reefed, make a rope fast to each yardarm inside of the circular
collars in which the yard revolves, pass them up through the blocks or eyes
on the end of the short arms of the collars carrying them to the mast-head,
where they may be secured or carried through a block or eyes to the "top"
. or deck, where they can be made fast. By this arrangement it will be readily
seen that if the yard be raised by the "hawlyards" towards the mast-head, the
sail wound on the yard being attached by the foot to the lower yard will cause
the topsail yard to turn in its bearings, and unroll the sail as it goes up, and
at the same time the sail is unrolled from the yard, the ropes attached to the
yard-arm are wound round the yard, so that when the sail is let go again
the yard cannot fall without revolving, so that the sail is again wound round
the yard as it descends, thus making the reefing a self-acting operation; all
that is required being to slack off the hawlyards to the point the reef is
required.
To apply this Invention.to, say, top-gallant sails, take an ordinary top-
gallant sail, and across the foot of the sail at, say, the line of the the close-reef
points, attach a stout rope, and work it into the side leach ropes, with a
suitable eye at each end, then take two or any other suitable number of ropes,
and attach them to the horizontal rope; carry them vertically down to the
foot rope of the sail; secure them to the foot rope and the sail, and so fit
the vertical ropes that the upper end of the ropes are passed through the sail
that a "thimble" may be worked into each; make fast a buntline to the top
of each virtical rope, and to each leech of the sail at the ends of the horizontal
rope described, carry each buntline virtically up the back of the sail to the
upper yards, where pass each line through a cheek block (or other mechanical
équivalent) attached to the yard; then carry all the buntlines to a suitable
block on the mast-head, then form them into a loose pennant. By this
arrangement it will be seen, that if the top-gallant yard is let go to the close.
reef, the lower part of the sail will be suspended by the buntlines untill the
sail is secured to the yard by the reef points in the ordinary way, and which

page_text: may be done at convenience, thus accomplishing all that can be done with
double top-gallant sail yards, and thereby avoiding the weight and expence
thereof.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Lewis Higgins and Alexander Brown in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 23rd February 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, LEWIS
HIGGINS, of Jersey City, and ALEXANDER BROWN, of New York, in the United
States of America, Mariners, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Lewis Higgins and Alexander Brown, Her special licence that
we, the said Lewis Higgins and Alexander Brown, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Lewis Higgins and
Alexander Brown, our 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
REEFING THE SAILS OF NAVIGABLE VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said Lewis Higgins and Alexander Brown, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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 we, the said Lewis Higgins and Alexander Brown,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
:-
To apply the first part of this Invention to, say, a topsail; the topsail yard
at the centre is mounted on antifriction rollers, of, say, about two feet long,

page_text: supported at their ends on a pair of crescent shaped jaws formed on or
connected to the parral, and at the ends in circular collars or rings which
encompass the yardarms, and form bearings in which the yard can revolve; -
the inner surface of these collars or bands are provided with antifriction
rollers which are in contact with metal hoops, which are fixed on the yard
arms, and provided with ridges or collars on their inner sides, to prevent the
yard slipping longitudinally. On the top of the circular bearings at the yard
arms there is a short arm which is bent a little inwards, the head of which
carries a pully or other mechanical equivalent. The circular bearings on
the yardarms are connected to the "bucket "gear on the mast, by a pair of
metal rods or bars, which form fixed "rolling stays" for keeping the yard in
position. Now, the yard being mounted; as described, take the topsail, which
is of the ordinary kind and shape (except that the reef points may be dispensed
with), "bend" it on to the yard, then roll the sail round the. yard down to the
close reef, and place it in position on front of the mast it would occupy when
the sail is close reefed; make a rope fast to each yardarm, inside of the
circular collars in which the yard revolves; pass them up through the blocks
or eyes on the end of the short arms of the collars, carry them to the mast
head, where they may be secured or carried through a block or eyes to the
"or deck, where they can be made fast.
"top
.
By this arrangement it will be readily seen that if the yard be raised by the
hawlyards towards the mast head, the sail wound on the yard being attached
by the foot to the lower yard, will cause the topsail yard to turn in its bearings
and unroll the sail as it goes up, and at the same time the sail is unrolled
from the yard, the ropes attached to the yardarms are wound round the.
yard, so that when the sail is let go again, the yard cannot fall without:
revolving, so that the sail is again wound round the yard as it descends, thus:
making the reefing a self-acting operation, all that is required being to slack
off the hawlyards to the point the reef is required.
.
To apply the second part of this Invention to, say, top gallant sails, take an
ordinary top gallant sail,and across the front of the sail, at, say, the line of the
close reef points, attach a stout rope and work it into the side leach ropes with
a suitable eye at each end; then take two, or any other suitable number of
ropes, and attach them to the horizontal rope, carry them vertically down to.
the foot rope of the sail, secure them to the foot rope and the sail, and so fit.
the upper end of these vertical ropes that the upper end of the ropes are
passed through the sail, that a thimble may be worked into each; make fast
a buntline to the top of each vertical rope, and to each leech of the sail at the
ends of the horizontal rope described; carry each buntline vertically up the.

page_text: back of the sail to the upper yard, where pass each line through a cheek block
(or other mechanical equivalent) attached to the yard; then carry, all the
buntlines a little distance upwards, form them into a loose pennant (or single
rope), then pass it through a suitable block on the mast head, when the rope
may be carried down to the "top" or deck, where it is to be made fast.
By this arrangement it will be seen that if the top-gallant yard is let go to
the close reef, the lower.part.of the sail will be suspended by the "buntlines"
and "leech lines," until the sail is secured to the yard by the reef points in..
the ordinary way, and which may be done at convenience, thus accomplishing
all that can be done with double top-gallant sail yards, and thereby, avoiding
the weight and expence thereof. It will be readily seen that this last-
described means of reefing top gallant sails is equally applicable to topsails,
royals, or other like square sails; and that the first-described mode for reefing.
topsails is also equally applicable to top-gallant sails, royals, or other *similar:
square sails.
That this our said Invention may, be more readily seen and understood, we
have hereunto annexed Drawings in partial illustration of the same, like
figures and letters marked thereon having reference to similar. parts.
Figure 1 represents a front view of a topsail, with about one reef taken in
and fitted to our improved revolving yard, no alteration being necessary in the
sail as now used, except that the reef points and cringles may be dispensed
with; and Figure 2 is an after view of the same when close reefed, the dotted.
lines being used to show the position of the sail when fully set..
Figure 3 is an enlarged top view or plan of a revolving, yard, fitted with
our improved centre support or carrier, and circular hoops or zones encom-
passing each yardarm in which the yard revolves, and which are connected
together by two solid rods of metal, or, by preference; by two circular tubes
or pipes which act as rolling stays.
Figure 4'is a side view of a portion of a top mast showing the end of the
carrier for the centre of the yard attached to the parral or bucket.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the centre carrier and parral detached
from the mast.
Figure 6 is an enlarged side view of one of the lift hoops in which the yard-
arms revolve.
A, the topsail; B, the lower yard; C, topsail yard; D, support in the
centre of the topsail yard which is attached to E, the parral; F, (Figures
3 and 5,) the antifriction rollers of the centre carrier; G, hoops in which the
yardarms revolve, and which are fitted internally with loose antifriction
rollers; g, a short arm on the outer circular bearings, and which are bent a

page_text: little inwards carrying pullies, through which are passed the ropes which are
used to cause the yard to revolve; II, two metal rods which connect the gear
in which the yard revolves and act as rolling stays; I, ropes used to cause the
topsail yard to revolve, and wind or unwind the sail thereon. To each yard
arm one of these ropes are made fast, and act as a semi-parbuckle winding on
and off the yard as it is raised or lowered; K; downhauls, which act also as a
semi-parbuckle in a reverse direction to I, and are used to assist the yard to
revolve; L, lifts of upper and lower yards.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this our said
Invention, and in what manner the same may be performed, we wish it to be
understood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details, as the same
may be considerably varied without departing from the Invention; but what
we do claim is, the system for reefing the sails of navigable vessels substantially
and in the manner herein-before described, or any mere modification of the
same.
In witness whereof, we, the said Lewis Higgins and Alexander Brown,
have hereunto set our hands and affixed our seals, this Twenty-second
day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-nine.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
of 44, Castle Street,
Liverpool.
LEWIS
(L.S.) HIGGINS.
ALEXANDER (L.s.) BROWN.