IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE REEFING AND FURLING OF SHIPS' AND OTHER VESSELS' SAILS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE SAME
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Scott Collins, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Sail Maker and Ship Chandler, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE REEFING AND FURLING OF SHIPS' AND OTHER VESSELS' SAILS, AND
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE SAME."
Sealed the 22nd January 1858, and dated the 25th July 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Scott Collins at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th July 1857.
I, JOHN SCOTT COLLINS, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Sail
Maker and Ship Chandler, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE REEFING AND FURLING OF SHIPS' AND OTHER VESSELS'
SAILS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE SAME," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to facilitate the reefing and furling of ships'
and other vessels' square sails, and to strengthen all sails used on vessels.
These improvements will be fully understood from the following description :-
The yards are suspended by any of the methods at present used. Across the
centre or nearly so is fixed to the sail, fastened by bands afterwards described,
a rope, to this is bent four or more reef pendants carried upwards, and moving
through cheeks fitted with sheaves fastened on the after side of the yard, and

page_text: thenco down to the deck. These recf pendants, from the way in which I have
arranged or fixed them are of great use; first, when the sail is set they keep
it "taught" at the sides and middle, and thus prevent it from bellying or
getting slack; second, when close reefed after the yard has been lowerel
down to the reef band, they keep the remaining part close up to the yard, and
the part slackened, which on the old principles would require to be furled by
men going aloft, hangs perfectly safe, and in such a way that the wind cannot
blow into it. The strengthening of the sails I accomplish as follows:-In all
fore-and-aft sails, say, jibs, spankers, stay sails, and such like, I change the
scams from perpendicular lines to diagonal, and in this way there is no stress
on the seams, except the weight of the canvas, consequently the sail will
last much longer; in cutting out less cloth is wasted, and fewer small piccos
are put into the sails, there is therefore less probability of bagging. In square
sails I adopt the same principles as in fore-and-aft, but with this difference,
I place in different places as required, strong cross bands of canvas, which
are made to meet the rope already referred to as having the reef pendants
attached, and also the reef pendants at such places; the sail is so much
strengthened that it can scarcely give way. No blocks are attached to the
sails for reefing or other purposes, and a great advantage is thereby gained, as
it prevents tho chafing so much complained of in the leech rope by the block
on the back of the sail; it also prevents the reef points from getting into the
blocks in the hauling out of the reef tackle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filel
by the said John Scott Collins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd January 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Joun
SCOTT COLLINS, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Sail Maker and Ship
Chandler, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her inost Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Scott Collins, Her special licence, that I, the said John Scott
Collins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Scott Collins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should

page_text: 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 "INPROVE-
MENTS IN THE REEPING AND FURLING OF SHIPS' AND OTHER VESSELS' SAILS, AND IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said John Scott Collins, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the samo
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 Scott Collins, do hereby
declare the nature of any said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say):
My Invention relates to improvements in the arrangement of the rigging
and gearing of ships and other vessels, for the purpose of facilitating tho
reefing and furling of the sails. I accomplish the taking in or setting of one
or more reefs from deck; I can therefore manage a vessel with fewer hands
than heretofore, and these men by doing most of the work from the deck aro
not so much exposed to accidents in bad weather.
My Invention relates also to the strengthening of sails, and from a new
mode of construction I cause them to last longer. The application and
arrangement of reef pendants, and the seams of the sails being differently
arranged, and strengthened to those in ordinary use, are the characteristics of
my Invention.
These improvements will be clearly understood by reference to the accom
panying Sheet of Drawings, in which similar letters of reference are used to
represent the same parts in the different views.
Fig. 1 is a front view, with the course or main and top sails, shewing the
same set; Fig. 2 is also a front view, with the course or main sail furled and
the top sail close reefed; Fig. 3 is a rear or aft view, with the course or main:
and top sails set; all of these views shew my improvements, that is to say :-
a represents the lower mast; b, the top mast; c, the lower yard; d, the top-
sail yard; e, the inain sail or course; f, the top sail; 9, 9, reef pendants, which
are fastened to the reef band or rope about the middle of the sail, as shewn in.
Figs. 1 and 2, at h; they are then led upwards through choeks fitted with.
sheaves on the after side of the yard, and then through blocks suspended from

page_text: the topmast crosstree; part or all these may be fastened to the back of the
yard, but I prefer leading them to the deck, for when the halyard is slackened
to lower the topsail yard down, it might chance that the weight of the yard
operating through the reef tackles would not be heavy enough to lower itself;
the reef pendants therefore, by being led to the deck would enable the seamen
to pull it down one, two, or more reefs as required, and the reefs so taken will
be kept tight, as shown in Fig. 2; the part of the sail under the yard will be
kept close up to it, and this without men going aloft; and further, when the
sail is set, they always keep it tight at the sides or lecches, and the middle,
and thus prevent it from bellying or getting slack. i, shews reef pendants
attached to the course or main sail, these are shorter than those applied to
other sails, but work exactly on the same principle; j, clew garnets; k, bout-
lines;, leech-lines; the method shown by j, k, and 2, or any one similar, may
be applied for the reefing or furling of the under part of the sails; m shews
bands of canvas similar to the sails, which are sewn on at the respective angles
required to strengthen it; they are made to meet the reef band or rope h, and
secure it in such a way that it will stand a great strain; at the seams, or
where the different widths of canvas are joined together in the centre of the
sail, I lay or fold them more over each other, thereby leaving room for extra
sewing, preventing the sail from bagging, and obtaining great strength; these
bands and the folding over of larger seams in the middle of the sail are
applicable to square sails. To fore-and-aft sails I do not apply the bands, but
change the seams in jibs, spankers, stay sails, and such like, from perpendicular
to diagonal, and thus prevent the strain coming all on the seams; by making
them diagonal the pressure is equal all over. No blocks are attached to the
sails for reefing or such purposes on my principle, and a great advantage is
thereby gained, as it prevents the chafing so much complained of in the leach
rope by the block on the leech of the sail; it also prevents the reef points
from getting into the blocks in the hauling out of the reef tackle.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
1 desire it to be distinctly understood, that I do not confine myself to the
exact details herein set forth, as such may be varied or modified without
departing from the principle thereof; but I claim as my Invention, and
which to the best of my knowledge and belief has not been hitherto used
within the realm,-
Firstly, the general arrangement of the rigging or gearing, more especially
the reef pendants, by which means square sails may be recfed or furled from
the dook

page_text: And, secondly, the peculiar constructions of the sails, by which method I
obtain great strength and durability, as herein described and illustrated in the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Scott Collins, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
JOHN SCOTT COLLINS. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named John Scott Collins, in the
presence of
GEORGE SMITH, Patent Agent,
Liverpool.