Lever Lever A lever ( or ) is a simple machine consisting of a beam or rigid rod pivoted at a fixed hinge, or fulcrum. A lever is a rigid body capable of rotating on a point on itself. On the basis of the location of fulcrum, load and effort, the lever is divided into three types. It is one of the six simple machines identified by Renaissance scientists. A lever amplifies an input force to provide a greater output force, which is said to provide leverage. The ratio of the output force to the input force is the mechanical advantage
Highfield lever about 1930. http://www.ybw.com/cb/gloss.html#Highfield https://books.google.com/books?id=Fp63wWByImQC&pg=PA145&lpg=PA145&dq=%22Highfield+lever%22&source=web&ots=dtOvGn79kw&sig=vDH04nBiAXxluXvIdcGcUdh3i_U&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result Highfield lever A Highfield lever is a lever device which allows tension to be rapidly set up in a wire and equally rapidly released to the required extent. It is frequently used in sailing boats where tension in some part of the rigging needs to be adjusted to a pre-set amount as the wind impinges on one side of the sails or the other. It is typically used in running backstays (runners). To make it work, the backstay is led through a block or fairlead along the deck to a two-legged, second order lever mounted with