Ships – Sail or control means therefor – Specific sail structure or arrangement
Patent
1986-03-03
1988-07-19
Basinger, Sherman D.
Ships
Sail or control means therefor
Specific sail structure or arrangement
B63H 904
Patent
active
047577797
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
This U.S. application stems from PCT International Application No. PCT/FR85/00189 filed July 4, 1985.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device which improves the lift and decreases the drag of a sail by the provision of a thick profile instead of a simple flat surface held up by a fixed mast. Contrary to the conventional sail, this thick profile will be able to be controlled on demand and independently of the ambient wind.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional simple surface sails lead to an accumulation of aerodynamic perturbations (the drag of the mast disturbing the laminar flow, important induced drag leading to a bad sharpness ratio, etc.) and, in addition, they cannot be correctly controlled for the following reasons:
1. The sail should be as flat as possible, when the wind rises; but because of the wind this sail is hollowed, so that considerable forces must be applied in order to prevent this deformation.
2. The sail should be hollowed when the wind slackens; but this soft wind has insufficient force to hollow this thin profile.
At the present time, several types of thick propulsive systems or thick sails are known as follows:
The suction effect in the cylinder designed by the Cousteau Institution which is an important improvement of the discoveries made by Mr. MALAVARD, based on the Magnus principle of the rotatable cylinder.
The thick propeller of Messrs. PHILLIPPE and COESSIN.
The rigid sail used on the oil coaster "Shin Aito Kumaru" invented in Japan.
In spite of their obvious advantages, these different discoveries have some defects, such as overweight in the high parts, complex and fragile systems requiring either a large staff or computer assistance, the absence of the hauling down facility, use of the least power possible for their carrying out their functions, and, on the other hand, they are often far from the idea of a sail which normal consumers perceive, from the points of view of aesthetics and price, but especially from the need for using cordages and other rigging, as in the conventional sail.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The device according to the present invention eliminates these drawbacks, as well as some others. The object of the present invention is the propulsion of terrestrial or marine vehicles without any external energy except the wind, and without the drawbacks stated above.
For that purpose, the device is made up of a mast which has a circular or square cross-section, which may be guyed, which rotates in the hull of the vehicle supporting it and which may be controlled in its rotation in a precise manner.
On this mast, are slidably mounted at least six assemblies perpendicular to the axis of the mast and which are made up of a mechanism comprising a leading edge profile equipped with an inflatable part and with two battens symmetrically held by braces.
The ring, which is located within the mechanism sliding on the mast and which is driven by it in its rotation, on the right and on the left acts by traction on cables which are fastened to both battens at one of the braces.
This traction induces deformation of the battens, because the latter are also held at their trailing edge by a sheet arm system.
The whole of these two coordinated maneuvers allows the precise control of the curvature and of the incidence of these assemblies in harmony with the desired aerodynamic profiles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the drawings wherein:
FIGS. 1a and 1b are perspective views of the assembly, mechanism, leading edge and battens in accordance with the invention, FIG. 1b showing a second embodiment of the shape of the battens;
FIG. 2 is an exploded top plan view of the pieces of which the assembly of FIG. 1a is made;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a complete assembly as mounted for use;
FIG. 4 is an exploded top plan view which illustrates schematically the embodiment of the mechanism with a mast
REFERENCES:
patent: 1365346 (1921-01-01), Schenkel
patent: 3841251 (1974-10-01), Larson
patent: 4386574 (1983-06-01), Riolland
Rapport de Recherche Internationale PCT/FR 85/00189 dated 19 Nov. 1985, G. L. M. Kruydenberg, Office European des Brevets, two pages.
Basinger Sherman D.
Sotelo Jesus D.
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