AN IMPROVED FABRIC FOR SAIL CLOTH
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN AYRE,
of the Borough and Parish of Tynemouth, in the County of Northumberland,
Sail Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty. Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent-under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Fifteenth day of November, in
the ninth year of Her reign, did, of Her especial grace, give and grant unto
me, the said John Ayre, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said John Ayre, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
and such others as I, the said John Ayre, 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 of years therein expressed,- should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, and Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "AN IMPROVED FABRIC FOR
SAIL CLOTH;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso,
obliging me, the said John Ayre, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same
to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the, date of the said. in part recited

page_text: Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will
more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Ayre, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention to consist in
strengthening generally the woven fabrics, or cloths of which sails are to be
made, by introducing occasionally thick warp threads in the width of the
fabric, and in strengthening particularly the said fabric in those parts where
reef points are to be attached, or where for any other purpose additional
strength is required, by introducing thick weft threads, as herein-after explained.
And in further compliance with the said proviso, I, the said John Ayre, do
hereby describe the manner in which my said Invention is to be performed by
the following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawing annexed,
that is to say:-
In warping the threads of which what is called a bolt of canvas or any
other fabric intended for sail cloth is to be made, I introduce one or more sets
of threads of a stronger and stouter quality than the general threads used for
the warp, each set of strong threads occupying about two inches of the width
of the warp, and being at equal distances from each other; I then weave the
fabric in the ordinary manner, except that, where I wish to strengthen the
fabric by the weft at the parts where reef points are attached, or for any other
purpose, I use a weft also of stronger thread than the generality of the weft, and
so produce a fabric which, when made up into a topsail for instance, presents
the appearance represented by the Drawing annexed, in which three sets of
thick warp threads are shewn in each breath of the fabric, the parts shaded
and marked A representing those parts of the fabric where thick warp threads
are used, and the parts shaded and marked B, B, and C, C, those parts of the
fabric where thick weft threads are used, and which it will be seen cross the
thick warp threads C, C, being a mere strengthening belt, as it were, across the
sail.
Now, whereas I claim as my Invention the strengthening of any fabric
intended to be used for sail cloth by the introduction of occasional thick and
strong warp and weft threads (either or both), as aforesaid, in the weaving of
such fabric. And such my Invention being to the best of my knowledge and
belief entirely new and never before used within that part of Her said
Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England and
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, I do hereby declare this to bo
my Specification of the same, and that I do verily believe that this my said
Specification doth comply in all respects fully and without reserve or disguise

page_text: with the proviso in the said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent con-
tained, wherefore I hereby claim to maintain exclusive right and privilege to
my said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Ayre, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-six.