Mr. Cunningham's plan of reefing from the deck purpose to mitigate these
dangers; and, from the very favourable reports of a large number of
intelligent captains, who have tested the system and experienced great
benefits from it, there is every reason to believe that Mr. Cuniingham has
been successful in the accomplishment of the object which he had in view, by
his laudable and ingenious invention becoming generally adopted, particularly
among the merchant marine.[1] The sail can be close-reefed in
heavy weather by one man and a boy, in two seconds and a half -- an
operation which, under the old system, would occupy at least half an hour, and
require many men.
A contrivance of such great practical utility deserves and requires a
detailed description, which, by the kindness of Mr. Cunningham, the wuthor is
enabled to give:-
The lead of the topsail, ties, &c., are represented as letters. AA and BB
are the two parts of the tie, in the bight of which, it will be seen, the
topsail-yard hangs. In this drawing, there is a second sheave-hole at the
mast-head through which the fore part of the tie is led, a score being cut in
the heel of the topgallant mast to allow it to come up clear,[2] and this plan is the one particularly
recommended by the Patentee; but other arrangements may be made for the
lead of the tie; for instance, two sheave-holes may be put under the
cross-trees, a hanging iron-block may alos be placed well forward under the
heel of the topgallant mast, &c. The end of the tie B is fitted with a runner,
the standing part of which is in the top, thus forming double topsail
haulyards. The hoisting part A may be fitted with a common purchase on the
end, except in large ships, when any arrangement necessary may be made.
In fitting masts on this plan, it is necessary to have a roller put into
the score in the heel of the topgallant mast for the chain to work over, which
should have an iron band to take pin of roller, and form dogs at foot of
score. See Figure 4.
To hoist the whole topsail, both haulyards are hauled on, and when the sail
is close up, the part B is belayed; the sail is then ready for reefing. By
lowering on the part A, it will be seen that the yard necessarily turns round
as it descends the topmast, and the sail is rolled up accordingly. By hoisting
on the part A, the yard is par-buckled up, and the sail unrolled.
When reefing, thesail in lowering slacks a little; this is taken up by
hauling on the part B, so as to keep the topsail tight set. By lowering on
both haulyards, the whole topsail comes down without rolling up.
It is recommended to fit the clue-lines to the lower-mast cap; C shows the
clue-line block; and a down-haul tackle, D, is fitted to assist the yard down
in case of necessity.
Figure 1, shows a plan of patent topsail-yard fitted complete. The
topgallant sheets lead through the iron blocks a,a, and down on deck
through the quarter-blocks b,b. The foot ropes, it will be seen, are
attached to the yard-arm irons and chafing spar. The topgallant studdingsail
boom irons are carried on the chafing spar at CC, thus allowing the topsail to
be reefed without rigging in the booms should the topgallant studdingsails be
set and the ship taken in a squall, which is an oimportant feature.
The annexed diagram represents one of the yard-arm hoops within which the
yard works, proper rubbing collars being attached to it. A is a roller shackle
to which the topsail-lifts hook, and through which the topgallant sheets are
led, and which are continued through a leading block on the tie; B is a spur
to which the end of the chafing spar is attached, which is shown on Fig. 1.
The shackles appearing at each end of the hoop are for the braces.
N.B. -- The roller shackle, A, is now fixed to the yard-arm ironwork.
The sketch given below exhbits a topsail close reefed.
The following are more detailed instructions concerning fitting
Topsail-yards and Sails with "Cunningham's Patent."
Figure 3, Page 167, shows the lines of a patent topsail yard. The hole
B is for the earing to pass through, and must be grooved and smoothed
out in the direction of it. Before the jackstays and battens are fixed, of
course the ironwork must be put on; the centre boss must be driven on with
care, but as tight as possible; and when brought truly in the centre of
the yard, must be secured by two short bolts on each side of it. Besides the
yard a spar is required, called the "Chafing Spar." -- (See Figure I, Page
167.) The intention of this is to keep the rolled-up sail off the lee-rigging,
&c., and to carry the topgallant studdingsail booms. [5] This spar is recommended to be entire from lift to lift, and
slightly tapering, say 1 1/4 inch; the ends must be hooped to receive the
starts, which are driven into them, and which connect the chafing-spar to the
yardarm hoops. Great care must be taken in driving these starts in, not to
drive them too far, so as to compress the yard armhoops, and thus prevent the
free working of the yard in them.
The following is a scale of the sizes of Chafing-Spars: --
Figure 2, Page 167, shows the arrangment for the lead of the foremost part
of the topsail-tie. This drawing shows a second sheave-hole at the mast-head,
though which the tie is led, a score being cut in the heel of the topgallant
mast to allow it to come clear. [6] starts with
heads are driven into the ends of the yard for the topmast studdingsail
haulyard block to hook to, which are to be fitted with clip-hooks, or eight
eye-rings.
Figure 2, Page 167, shows the lead of the topsail ties, and also the
length of them. The clew-lines are brought to the cap at the block C,
and downhaul tackle is fitted to assist the yard down at D. This downhaul
must never be omitted.
To Hoist the whole Topsail. -- Hoist on both haulyards.
N.B. -- If the after-haulyards are hauled upon more than the
foremost ones, the head of the yard will cant over and bring the jackstay
under it; a little care should therefore be taken to hoist on both haulyards
alike. If the jackstay should be brought under the yard, hoist on the formost
haulyards alone, slacking a little on after-haulyards. It is a good
plan to get a turn in the yard before hoisting on both haulyards.
To Reef the Topsail. -- Lower away on after-haulyards, and pull on foremost
or reefing ones, until the sail is set taut.
N.B. -- The downhaul is provided to assist the yard down should it
require it.
N.B. -- If the foremost or reefing haulyards are merely steadied in
the hand during hoisting, they will slack themselves as much as is needed.
To Reef the Sail with the Yard on the Lifts. -- Let go the after haulyards,
and haul away on the foremost or reefingones.
To Shift a Split Close Reefed Topsail, and Bend and Set another one
Close-Reefed. -- Pass earings through close-reef cringle, round the spur of
the yardarm iron, or where the topgallant sheet blocks are, taking care that
they (the earngs) are quite clear of the yard. Take, say a dozen lengths of
rope that will reeve through the eyelet-holes in the close-reef band, knot the
ends, and reeve them throughso many eyelet-holes from fromward to aft,
so that they shall come through abaft the sail; let two or three of
them be rove through the first two or three eyelet-holes from the bunt of the
sail, so as to support the sail well amidships. Then clew up the sail, haul up
the bunt-lines, and hitch the aforesaid points round the chafing-spar. The two
nearest the bunt of the sail may be made fast to the eye-bolts on parrall.
Disconnect the upper part of bonnet from swinging-iron. Take a turn with
downhaul, unbend sheets, keeping bunt-line fast. Overhaul the foremost
haulyards, and haul on after-haulyards, so as to unroll the sail to head.
Unbend the sail, and ease in close-reef earing, and secure all for sending
down sail. Make the bending sail up so as to leave upper and lower part
separately clear, which can be done by passing strong stops through
eyelet-holes of close-reef, previously having shoved bonnet close down to
close-reef. Send sail up; haul out close-reef earings, and pass earings
as before described. support sail amidships, bend the sail, cast off stops of
upper part of sail, overhaul after-haulyards, haul on formost ones, so as to
roll up sail to close-reef -- a Hand, if necessary, laying the leeches clear
on yard. Connect upper part of bonnet with swinging-iron. Bend topsail sheets,
and cast off stops of lower part of sail. Sheet home the topsail. Cast off
close-reef earings, &c. Mend the reef, if necessary, by hoisting the topsail a
few feet, and reefing again.
The foremost, or reefing, haulyards, are those which come up
before the yard. -- The after haulyards are those which come
up abaft the yard.
In making a Cunningham's Topsail, it is requisite to have an
odd number of squares in the foot; and in cutting-out, so much of the
middle-cloth will be left out as will take in the whole length of patent
cloth supplied. It is found that rather a square-headed topsail,with
hollow leeches, stands best, and the leech-ropes are not apt to ride over the
yard.
Transcribed by by
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Description, &c.
The succeeding Figure, No. 2, represents a yard, suspended in the bight of the
chain-topsail-tie, which chain is received and works in and over a whelped
grooved boss, firmly fixed on the yard. This boss is embraced on each side by
the sling-hoops, within which it works freely. The sling-hoops are connected
together by cross-ties, and are geared to the parrall in the manner which will
be no doubt understood by the diagram. A is the hoisting part of the tie,
which leads through the sheave-hole at the mast-head in the ordinary manner.
B, the fore part of the tie, which is secured to the mast-head by an
arrangement of tackles, and which allow of its being released from its
security aloft, if required.
Bonnet, &c.
It was necessary to make provision to allow the sail to clear the tie, sling,
hoops, &c., and also to prevent the sail from chafing against the lee-rigging
when rolled up, and the yard braces forward. The first of them is accomplished
by dividing the sail down the centre to some feet below the line of the close
reef, the space being sufficiently wide as to allow the sail to roll up on
each side of the fittings on the centre of the yard. The sides of this
division are roped in a peculiar way, and travellers of such formation as to
embrace the rope, yet allow the sail cloth to pass freely through, work up and
down this roping; these travellers are disposed at intervals of about one
foot; and are connected together across the division. A cloth of canvas is
laid on each side and secured to the travellers, and the whole form what is
termed the Bonnet. The upper part of the bonnet is attached to a
swinging T bolt on the sling-hoop (see D, page 167,) this allows the bonnet,
which forms the centre cloth of the sail, to work in harmony, or in
other words to blow out freely with the whole sail. As the yard ascends or
descends the bonnet is drawn up or shoved down the division of the sail which
is thus kept closed up. The foregoing sketch shows a topsail fitted with
bonnet complete, and bent to the yard.
Sailmakers' Department
a certain new portion of middle cloth, with the Patent Bonnet fitted complete
to it, is supplied with the Patent Gear, and the duty required of the
Sailmaker is simply to take out so much of the old middle-cloth and put
in the new. In new sails so much of the middle cloth will be left out
and the patent one put in. Stray ends of the roping on the new middle cloth
are left to splice into the head rope. Inan old sail, the points and cringles
must of course be taken out. It is recommended to have a close-reef band and
cringles, for the purpose of shifting and bending a close-reefed
topsail, in the event of its splitting in a gale of wind.
Mast Makers' Department
There are no cleats required to be worked in the yardarms of Cunningham's
Patent Yards. The arms are carried out full and round to the lifts; about one
foot of the yard, at the slings, is worked eight square; and care must be
taken to get the squares as true as possible. The Jackstays are made of wood
in the ordinary manner, only they must be under deeper towards the
yardarms;[3] the intention of this is to make up for the
taper of the yard, so as to keep the sail set tight and fair. A batten of the
same proportions as the jackstays, but one foot shorter, is also put on the
underneath after-part of the yard, to assist in taking up the slack
sail.[4]
Size of the yard Size of Chafing-
at slings. Spar at slings.
7 inches . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1/2 inches.
8 " . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3/4 "
9 " . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 "
10 " . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 "
11 " . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 "
12 " . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 3/4 to 5 "
13 " . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 to 5 1/2 "
14 " . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 3/4 to 6 1/4 "
16 " . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 1/2 to 7 "
18 " . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 to 7 1/2 "
The inner head-earings in the centre of the ropsail is confined to the yard by
screw stud-bolts. These bolts are placed on the yard at the following
distances from the centre of the yard: --
All yards up to 9 1/2 inches . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1/2 inches.
Ditto, above 9 1/2 inches . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 3/4 "
The bolts are so placed as to allow the head-rope of the sail to be clear of
the jackstay, say 1 1/2 inches before ditto, and the distance they stand off
from the yard must be enough for a piece of two-inch rope to hook over them.
The inner end od the jackstays must be placed say two inches outside of the
earing bolts.
Riggers' Department.
Figure 1, Page 167, shows the plan of rigging the topsail-yards. The
foot-ropes go abaft the topmast, and the inner ends seize on to the
chafing-spar on opposite side of mast. The two quarter blocks bb are
for the inner lead of the topgallant sheets, which have been previously led
down through the iron blocks aa. The chafing-spar is lashed at each
quarter to eye-bolts on parrall. The mode of connecting yard to parrall is by
means of the drop-bolts; a turn of the quarter lashing of chafing-spar must be
taken through these bolts to keep them down and from coming out.
Instruction for Working Cunninghams's Patent Self-Reefing Topsail.
To Bend the Sail. -- Put the eyelet-holes in middle of over the iron bolts or
studs on each quarter of the yard; secure the upper part of bonnet to the
swinging iron; then haul out head earings, and bend the sail in the usual
manner.
Footnotes:
From Robert Kipping: Elementary Treatise on Sails and Sailmaking
with Draughting, and the Centre of Effort of the Sail . . .
Together with an Appendix, Comprising the Inventions of
Self-Reefing Topsails of Captain Cunningham &etc. and Captain
Howe; and Also a Cutting Board or Table, by Mr. Pittard.
5th ed., enl. and greatly improved.
C. Wilson, London, 1860-61 (5th). pp 168-169 [?].
Weale's Rudimentary Series, No. 149.
First published in 1847.