▪ I. ribband, n.
(ˈrɪbənd)
Also 8–9 rib-band, 9 riband.
[Taken as f. rib. n.1 + band, but possibly a transferred use of ribband, var. of riband n.: cf. ribbon n. 8.]
1. In shipbuilding, a long narrow flexible piece of timber, of which a number are nailed or bolted externally to the ribs of a ship from stem to stern, to keep them temporarily in position.
| 1711 W. Sutherland Shipbuild. Assist. 163 Ribbons, or Rib-bands; so called from binding the Ribs or Ship's Timber together. 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1780) s.v., The ribbands, being judiciously arranged with regard to their heighth and distance from each other,..will compose a kind of frame [etc.]. c 1850 Rudim. Navig. (Weale) 141 The difference between cant ribands and square or horizontal ribands is, that the latter are only ideal, and used in laying off. 1874 Thearle Naval Archit. 23 The ribbands are sometimes placed just below the lines of the sirmarks... The ribband is made of 5 in. or 6 in. fir quartering. |
b. attrib., as ribband batten, ribband carvel, ribband line, ribband nail (see quots.).
| 1797 Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3) XVII. 378/1 Ribband lines, are curves on a ship's bottom by the intersection of a plane inclined to the plane of elevation. c 1850 Rudim. Navig. (Weale) 141 Riband lines, the same as diagonal lines. Ibid. 134 Riband nails are similar to weight nails, with this difference, that they have large round heads, so as to be more easily drawn. 1874 Thearle Naval Archit. 27 The ribbands..are simply checked with breadth staffs and marked with ribband battens. 1879 Outing XXX. 228/1 The hull is of ribband-carvel construction. |
2. In launching vessels, a square timber fastened on the outer side of the bilge-ways, to prevent the cradle from slipping outwards.
| 1779 Phil. Trans. LXX. 106 From this fore and aft piece or ribband to the ship's side, and from it to the uprights in the middle, were placed two rows of diagonal shores. 1879 Cassell's Techn. Educ. IV. 223/2 The ribbands are secured to the sliding-ways, and strongly shored to the sides of the ship, in order to prevent the bilge-ways from moving further apart. |
3. Mil. A wood scantling used in the construction of a gun or mortar platform.
| 1859 F. A. Griffiths Artil. Man. (1862) 256 The planks may be confined by two ribbands (which are pieces of wood of the same length, but weaker scantling than the sleepers). 1879 Man. Artill. Exerc. 81 Five..sleepers, held down by eye-bolt or coach screws, with or without ribands. |
4. A light spar used in the construction of a pontoon-bridge.
| 1899 Westm. Gaz. 8 Dec. 2/1 Across these are placed planks called ‘chesses’, which are secured in their places by long and light spars termed ‘ribands’. |
Hence ˈribband v. trans., to secure with ribbands.
| c 1850 Rudim. Navig. (Weale) 118 The frames are ribanded and shored. |
▪ II. ribband
var. riband n. and v.; ribbin Obs.