IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAILS TO THE YARDS OF SHIPS. OR VESSELS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Lewis, of Elizabeth, in the County of Essex
and State of New Jersey, United States of America, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAILS TO THE YARDS OF SHIPS.
OR VESSELS."
Sealed the 12th May 1859, and dated the 1st December 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Lewis at the:
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st December 1858.
I, JOHN LEWIS, of Elizabeth, in the County of Essex and State of New
Jersey, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAILS TO THE YARDS OF
SHIPS OR VESSELS," to be as follows:-
On to the yard or other spar to which the sail is to be attached I secure a
strip of wood or suitable material with an overhanging edge, into which the
bolt rope of the sail is laid in "bending," and secured within the recess formed
by this overhanging strip by a strip or bar attached by pins in diagonal slots,
or otherwise, so that said strip wedges up and secures the bolt rope per-
manently in place, thus avoiding the injury to the sails and spars by the
metallic eyes and other attachments now in use. To secure the ring or cringle
at the corner of the sail, I use a ring clasp formed by a metal band nearly
surrounding the spar, with a clasp hinged thereonto, that is to be passed

page_text: through said cringle, and a screw nut securely attaches the ends of the band
and clasp; by this means the corner of the sail is strained to the proper place
by sliding the ring clasp lengthways of the yard, and said ring clasp is
prevented turning around said yard by a projection on the ring, or on the yard
entering a recess or groove on the other part.
This device I term a slidingb and clasp earring. A. life line led through
eyes on the said yard is provided for the security of the men.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Lewis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st May 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
LEWIS, of Elizabeth, in the County of Essex and State of New Jersey, United
States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of December, 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 me, the
said John Lewis, Her special license that I, the said John Lewis, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Lewis, 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 MEANS FOR
ATTACHING SAILS TO THE YARDS OF SHIPS OR VESSELS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Lewis, 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 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 John Lewis, 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereto annexed and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-1

page_text: Fig. 1 is a plan of a portion of a yard fitted with my improvements; Fig. 2
is a cross section thereof, showing the band clasp earring; Fig. 3 is a cross
section of the clamping bars or strips for holding the bolt rope and edges of the
sail; Fig. 4 is a section of the yard, showing the clamp which I make use of
for securing the bolt rope and sail between the metallic bands that pass around
the yard near the centre thereof, or securing said bolt rope of the sail at any
other point; and Fig. 5 is a plan of said clamp. The last four Figures are in
larger size than Fig. 1, and similar marks of reference denote the same parts.
In securing the bolt ropes of sails to the yards or other spars of a vessel,
very much labor and cost have heretofore been involved in "bending,"
because the sails have been attached by seizings, and these become useless
when cut to remove the sails, beside which the sails are very liable to become
torn at these points of attachment.
The nature of my said Invention consists in movable clamps; by which an
extended surface of the bolt rope and sail are enclosed so as to retain the sail
in a very firm and reliable manner, and at the same time allow for the almost
instantaneous detaching of the sail from the spar, and furnishing great facilities
in "bending" the sails, so that said sails can be attached to the yards without
the use of seizing, as now practised.
On to the yard A or other spar or place of attachment for the sail I affix a
strip a, with an overhanging edge beneath, and against which the bolt rope of
the sail is laid and secured by the movable strips or bars b, b, that are
provided with diagonal slots 1, 1, through which screw bolts or spikes 2, 2,
pass. It will now be seen that when these bars b, b, are moved endways, the
diagonal slots bring the edges up against the bolt rope (3) or remove them
therefrom, and when against said bolt rope, and a spike or screw (4) inserted
at the end, the bolt rope is secured with great firmness and reliability. The
bolts or spikes 2, 2, should be provided with an eye at their upper ends
through which the life line is led, and beneath the bar a holes should be
provided to prevent the lodging of water around the bolt rope.
In order to secure the sails between the metallic bands around the yards, or
at other places wherever desirable, I make use of a metallic clamp c that is
fitted to receive the bolt rope 3 under one edge, and provided with a screw
bolt & passing into the yard. When this screw is turned, as shewn in Fig. 4,
its T-shaped head bears almost over the bolt rope, and the clamp becomes a
lever resting at 5 on the yard, and pressed by the screw on to the bolt rope,
but not tending to bend or cut the sail itself; if, however, the screw d receive
a quarter turn (by a marling, spike or otherwise), the T head comes over a
recess in the clamp, that allows said clamp to be raised, and the bolt rope and

page_text: sail disengaged. I pass a life line e through holes in the back part of this
clamp c, as shewn in Figs. 4 & 5.
In order to attach the corners of the sails, I provide what is termed a band
clasp earring f, that is formed with a clasp 6, jointed at 7 to the band f; and
8 is a screw connecting the end of the clasp to the end of the band f; 9 is a
rib or groove to prevent the band turning. The mode of operating is as
follows: Loosen screw 8, enter clasp 6 through the thimble 10 at the corner
of the sail, turn clasp down, enter screw 8, slide the whole band clasp ear-
ring towards the end of the yard or spar to stretch the sail, and clamp it firmly
in place by tightening screw 8.
It will be seen that the band f may be formed in links similar to a chain,
whereby the same clasp could be adapted to different sizes of yards or
other spars.
My Invention may be applied to the bolt or head ropes of any sail wherever
available.
What I claim as my Invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,.-
First, securing the bolt or bead ropes of sails to yards or other spars by
means of the strip or bar a, and clamping bar or strip b, provided with
diagonal slots, or their equivalents, for the purposes and substantially as
specified.
Second, I claim the clamp c, fitted and acting as specified, to secure the
bolt or head rope of a sail to the yard or other spar, substantially as set forth.
Third, I claim the baud clasp earring receiving the thimble, or its equi-
valent, at the corner of the sail, and acting to retain the same in the manner.
described and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Lewis, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witnesses,
LEMUEL W. SERRELL,
121, Nassau St., New York.
THOMAS G. HAROLD,
121, Nassau St., New York.
JOHN LEWIS. (L.S.)