IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE SECURING OF SHIPS' MASTS
Year: 1837

page_text: H
S
TION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY VERB
HUNTLEY, of Great Russell Street, in the County of Middlesex, Lieutenant in
the Royal Navy, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster,
the Seventh day of September, in the first year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant Her Majesty's especial
license, full power, sole privilege and authority unto me, the said Henry
Vere Huntley, that I, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Henry Vere Huntley, my exors, admors, and assigns, might at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, and also within all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING THE SECURING OF
SHIPS' MASTS;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso, obliging
me, the said Henry Vere Huntley, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Inven-
tion, 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 months
next and immediately after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in

page_text: 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
Henry Vere Huntley, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are described and
ascertained by the Drawings hereunto annexed, and by the words following,
that is to say-
The masts of ships are secured by shrouds, each shroud being passed round
the mast head; the two ends are brought down and passed round "dead eyes,"
through the perforations in which are rove ropes, called "lanyards," uniting
these to other "dead eyes" fastened to the chain plates on the sides of
ships (see Figure A). As the means of "setting up" the shroud has no
further purchase than what is gained by passing the lanyard through the
perforations in the "dead eyes," great labour, preparation, and use of other
tackles are required in effecting that end. My improved apparatus (see
Figure B) consists of two parts, an upper and a lower; the upper purchase
is an oval metal frame or thimble (concave outside) for the shroud to lie
round, a pin being secured from side to side of the frame or thimble, round
which two or more sheaves revolve. The lower purchase consists of a metal
frame or strop, similar to that by which the lower dead eye is at present
secured. A bolt or pin is formed at one of its ends into the shape of a
windlass, whilst round the other end two or more sheaves revolve; this bolt or
pin is passed through the metal frame or strop, and is secured so as to revolve
in the same. An iron bar or lever (Figure C) is made to fit the holes of the
windlass for the purpose of heaving. A pall and rack are fitted to prevent the
roller flying back whilst the bar or lever is being shifted. The ends of the
shroud are secured round the concave sides of the upper metal frame or thimble.
One end of the lanyard is secured to the chains at the ship's side; the lanyard
is then passed round the sheaves, affixed on the bolt or pin which passes
through the lower iron frame or strop, above described. In setting up the
shrouds, one person holds the end of the lanyard on a strain; the lanyard is
rove through the apparatus affixed to the chain plate; another person works
the windlass, by which means the shroud is tightened or "set up," with a
reduction, not only of labour and previous preparation, but also in a manner
in which the lanyard is protected against the liability of chafing or friction, to
which it was formerly much subject by being drawn through the perforations
of a dead eye.
By comparing the two Drawings together, and with the above description,
it will appear that my improvements for securing ships' masts consist in

page_text: the great power obtained by the use of the windlass and pulley conjoined, and
the avoidance of the friction in the old manner; and therefore disclaiming all
old mechanical means used by me, I claim the new combination as described
in the words above, and seen in the Drawing, Figure B.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Vere Huntley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Fourth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven.
H. V. (Ls.) HUNTLEY.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fourth day of December, in the
year of our Lord 1837, the aforesaid Henry Vere Huntley came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Fifth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven.