Ships – Sail or control means therefor – Specific sail structure or arrangement
Patent
1991-08-10
1994-01-25
Huppert, Michael S.
Ships
Sail or control means therefor
Specific sail structure or arrangement
114 90, B63H 906
Patent
active
052807622
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to the sailing field and more specifically to a complex sail adjustment device comprising a hoist block fixed on an articulated slide to enable a perfect rotation in the axis of the mast groove, and a drop or outside said edge block associated with a batten rod or slat that stiffens the sail profile.
The invention relates to a sailboat having a mast with a groove running along the length thereof. At least one "hoist" block slides vertically along the length of the groove. A sail is attached to the hoist block so that it raises and lowers as the hoist block moves up and down the groove. The outside edge of the sail (remote from the mast) is called the "drop edge" herein, reflecting the manner in which the outside edge may drop, droop, or flutter freely, as compared to the way that the mast edge of the sail is more or less held close to the mast. Hence, a "hoist" block is on the mast side and a "drop" block is on the opposite and unattached side of the sail.
Presently different processes exist to tauten a sail. In a first embodiment, the most commonly used means is to provide a flat slat to slide through a sleeve sewn on the sail, parallel to the boom. In another embodiment, there is a slat regulating system which is made up of boat slings, generally located on the dropping edge of the sail. It will be noted that in these two embodiments, the slats take their support from the hoist block of the sail, hindering its rotation on the mast groove at any time when the sail edge is changed.
The present invention makes it possible to orient the sail under all angles without being hindered by the tension of the slats on the mast groove. This is because a hoist block is rigidly affixed as one piece on an articulated slider. The drop block is located on the outside or drop edge of the sail and has a screw that makes it possible to compress and capture the rod or slat located between the two blocks.
Other characteristics of the invention will appear from the description that follows, taken with reference to the following drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is the representation of a rod system assembly;
FIG. 2 is the representation of a slat system assembly; and
FIG. 3 is the representation of a slat system assembly.
According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and according to the invention, the assembly that tauten the sail 1 is made up of a hoist block 2, fixed as one piece with an articulated slider 3, that slides inside the mast groove 4. The sail 1 of the hoist system is inserted between the two suitable plates or parts 2 and 2a which together form the hoist block. The outside or dropping edge of the sail 1 is inserted between the two suitable plates or parts of the dropping or lowering block 5 and 5a. Captured between the hoist block 2 and the drop block 5, the batten rod or slat 6 slides inside its cloth sleeve 7, sewn on sail 1, and parallel to the boom. A screw 8 is located in the drop block 5 and threaded into the shaft of batten rod or slat 6. By tightening screw 8, a pressure is exerted on the end of the batten rod or slat 6 that makes it possible to tauten sail 1 and to modify its profile. The two blocks 2 and 5 are fixed onto sail 1. The pressure exerted on batten rod or slat 6 is not transferred to slider 3. This makes it possible to complete a perfect rotation of the assembly around the two axes of the slider 3.
According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, and according to the present invention, the sail 1 tautening assembly is made up of a hoist block 9, which receives one end of the slat 10, and of an outside or drop block 11 inside which the other end of batten rod or slat 10 slides. Batten rod or slat 10 slides inside a cloth sleeve 12 sewn parallel to the boom, on the sail 1. The hoist gear block 9 captures sail 1 between the two parts 9 and 9a. The outside or drop block 11 captures the outside edge of the sail between its two parts 11 and 11a. In part 9 of the hoist block and in the axis of batten rod or slat 10, there is located a screw 13 on which there is fixed the articulate
REFERENCES:
patent: 1362950 (1920-12-01), Ljungstrom
patent: 1516063 (1924-11-01), Scammell
patent: 4006701 (1977-02-01), Corbellini
patent: 4064821 (1977-12-01), Roberts et al.
patent: 4388888 (1983-06-01), Gushurst
patent: 4823720 (1989-04-01), Foster
patent: 5012755 (1991-05-01), Cockhart et al.
Brahan Thomas J.
Huppert Michael S.
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