Rigmaiden Patented Lanyard Plates

[BANYAN]

Hi folks, continuing to research for our club build of HMCSS Victoria (1855), we have unearthed the following in the Contract.  She was not fitted with deadeyes, but rather Lanyard Plates as invented by Leut. James Rigmaiden.  The patent was (I think) in 1849, and a model of the arrangement was displayed at the Paris Show in 1850/51.

 

Some wording we have found states that the invention allowed ships to fire their canon closer to the shrouds with this design.

 

I have found several online (pdf) books that chronicle or summarise the Paris Show stating that the model was on display (item 291) but have been unable to unearth any useful information.  I have also looked in Goodwin, Lees and Steel with no joy.  I have also trawled through the NMM's collections with no joy.

 

As the names suggests I believe these would have been metal plates that replaced the deadeyes but retained a lanyard, but probably in a much more compact design - alternatively, they may even have been an early form of rigging screw/turnbuckle?  The Victoria was fitted with some very leading/cutting edge technology for that time as a one-off build and plenty of (Gold Rush) money lavished on her.

 

Has anyone heard of these, or even better (please make my day) provider info and/or illustration of the arrangement?

 

Any help, advice or pointers would be much appreciated.

[trippwj]

I found this via a quick search using Google:

Mechanics' Magazine and Journal of Science, Arts, and Manufactures, 1846 - Volume 44 page 170

 

 

Pages from Mechanics_Magazine_and_Journal_of_Scienc.pdf

 

Hope it helps!

[realworkingsailor]

It's like an over engineered primordial bottle screw...

[BANYAN]

Hi Wayne, many thanks mate; you obviously use better search strings than me.  I did find the magazine but could not find a drawing - much more to learn this end

 

Many thanks again.

 

cheers

 

Pat

Edited September 29, 2013 by BANYAN

[trippwj]

No worries, Pat - glad to be of assistance!