GB2096961A

GB2096961A - Device for furling the sail of a boat

Info

Publication number: GB2096961A
Application number: GB8112219A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1980-04-14
Filing date: 1981-04-16
Publication date: 1982-10-27
Also published as: DE3114802A1; IT8012007A0; FR2480226B1; GB2096961B; ES257718Y; ES257718U; AU8514582A; IT1154819B; FR2480226A1

Abstract

The device comprises a tubular case (1) secured laterally to the boat mast (5), such case having a longitudinal slit (2) through which the sail is drawn out. A rotating shaft for winding up the sail is located inside the case and a control reel is connected to it. A first hand-operated rope (15) is wound on the reel to control reel rotation in the winding up direction of sail (3), while a second rope (17) is connected to the sail (3) to control the unwinding and drawing out of the same. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Device for furling the sail of a boat This invention refers to a device for winding up the sail of a sailboat mast, such as, for example, a triangular sail, usually called "spanker".

The sail of a boat is usually hoisted by means of a rope, called "halyard", by sliding elements connected to the sail said elements sliding through a slot made on the mast. The base or lower edge of the spanker, which is a triangleshaped sail, is then fixed to a horizontal beam, called "boom". The horizontal beam, or boom, which rotates on a vertical plane, then allows the correct tensioning of the sail according to the desired speed.

The aforesaid maneuver is rather delicate and awkward both when hoisting and when lowering and folding the sail.

The device to which the invention refers makes it possible to carry out the above-mentioned operation easily and effortlessly, especially when the length of the mast and the surface of the sail are considerable. In addition, it is also possible to reduce the sail surface progressively according to the force of the wind, by winding up and reintroducing a part of the sail in a tubular case, whereas a common spanker can only be reduced by fixed portions, each corresponding to one third or one fourth of the entire surface of the sail.

According to the invention, a winding up device for a sail has been provided which comprises a tubular case with a longitudinal slit for drawing out the sail and with fastening means to connect the tubular case to the boat mast; a rotating shaft for winding up the sail is located inside the case and a control reel is connected to the lower end of the rotating shaft, such a reel having a cylindrical surface on which a first hand-operated control rope is wound for controlling the reel rotation in the winding up direction of the sail on the abovementioned rotating shaft.

The device will be illustrated in greater detail here below, referring to the drawings, where: Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a boat shaft provided with a sail winding up device.

Fig. 2 is a sectional enlarged view of the winding up device.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view according to line 3-3offig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to fig. 1, showing the connection between the sail and the boom.

As appears from figure 1, the device comprises a tubular case 1 made out of a stainless metal alloy, having a longitudinal slit 2 on a side or lateral position, so that the sail 3 can slide tangentially to the inner surface of the case, as is schematically shown on figure 3. The tubular case 1 is fixed to the boat mast 5 sideways and parallelly by means of suitable devices 4. A rotating shaft 6 for winding up the sail 3 is located inside the case 1 with its lower end extending out of it. The side edge of the sail, corresponding to the edge commonly hooked to the boat mast, is secured to the aforesaid shaft.

As shown in figure 2, the ends of the winding up shaft 6 are supported by bearings 7 and 8 housed in locking supports 9 and 10, the upper support 9 being inside the case 1 while the lower support 10 being located in a tubular casing 11 round the lower end of the shaft 6. Such casing 11 is connected to case 1 by means of an intermediate connecting element 1 2 as shown. A reel 13 in the lower casing 11 is connected to the lower end of the rotating shaft 5.

The reel 1 3 consists of a cylinder having a helical groove 14. A rope 15, called "sheet", comes out from a slit 16 of casing 11 and is wound in the helical groove 14. Manual unwinding and pulling of the rope 1 5 causes rotation of the shaft 6 round its axis in the winding up direction of the sail 3 inside the tubular case 1.

On the other hand, pulling of a second rope 1 7, which is connected to the lower tip of the sail 3 as shown on figure 1, causes drawing of the sail from the case 1, while the first rope 1 5 is automatically rewound on the reel 13. This feature allows remote control of sail 3 unrolling and rolling, while steering the boat. To further improve the operation of the device, the sail has no stiffening spars and is perfectly triangular in shape; therefore, in order to have the same sail surface, the sail base is extended with consequent extension of the boom length. Since free unwinding and winding up of the sail is required, the sail base cannot in this case be connected to the horizontal beam or "boom" 18; the boom 18 is therefore modified as shown in figure 4.

The boom 18, which in this case cannot rotate on the vertical plane, is provided with a moving carriage 1 9 sliding in a slot (not shown) of the boom 18; the carriage 1 9 is moved and positioned in the desired point, for instance, by means of a third rope or "sheet" 20 of closed loop type passing over pulleys 21 and 22. The rope 1 5 for: unwinding the sail passes through a guide on the moving carriage 19 as shown; by acting on ropes 15, 1 7 and 20 (figures 1 and 4) the sail can be unwound or wound up so as to adjust the sail opening and tension according to the desired sailing rate.

In addition to the various aspects of the present invention which have been set out hereinbefore there is provided in accordance with one, broad aspect of the invention, a device for furling the sail of a boat, comprising an elongate case having a longitudinal slit through which a sail may be drawn out, fastening means for connecting the case to a boat mast, a rotatable shaft for the sail to be wound on provided inside the case, and control means connected to the said rotatable shaft for controlling rotation of the shaft in winding the sail around the shaft.

1. A device for furling the sail of a boat, comprising an elongate case having a longitudinal slit through which a sail may be drawn out, fastening means for connecting the case to a boat mast, a rotatable shaft for the sail to be would on

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Device for furling the sail of a boat This invention refers to a device for winding up the sail of a sailboat mast, such as, for example, a triangular sail, usually called "spanker". The sail of a boat is usually hoisted by means of a rope, called "halyard", by sliding elements connected to the sail said elements sliding through a slot made on the mast. The base or lower edge of the spanker, which is a triangleshaped sail, is then fixed to a horizontal beam, called "boom". The horizontal beam, or boom, which rotates on a vertical plane, then allows the correct tensioning of the sail according to the desired speed. The aforesaid maneuver is rather delicate and awkward both when hoisting and when lowering and folding the sail. The device to which the invention refers makes it possible to carry out the above-mentioned operation easily and effortlessly, especially when the length of the mast and the surface of the sail are considerable. In addition, it is also possible to reduce the sail surface progressively according to the force of the wind, by winding up and reintroducing a part of the sail in a tubular case, whereas a common spanker can only be reduced by fixed portions, each corresponding to one third or one fourth of the entire surface of the sail. According to the invention, a winding up device for a sail has been provided which comprises a tubular case with a longitudinal slit for drawing out the sail and with fastening means to connect the tubular case to the boat mast; a rotating shaft for winding up the sail is located inside the case and a control reel is connected to the lower end of the rotating shaft, such a reel having a cylindrical surface on which a first hand-operated control rope is wound for controlling the reel rotation in the winding up direction of the sail on the abovementioned rotating shaft. The device will be illustrated in greater detail here below, referring to the drawings, where: Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a boat shaft provided with a sail winding up device. Fig. 2 is a sectional enlarged view of the winding up device. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view according to line 3-3offig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view similar to fig. 1, showing the connection between the sail and the boom. As appears from figure 1, the device comprises a tubular case 1 made out of a stainless metal alloy, having a longitudinal slit 2 on a side or lateral position, so that the sail 3 can slide tangentially to the inner surface of the case, as is schematically shown on figure 3. The tubular case 1 is fixed to the boat mast 5 sideways and parallelly by means of suitable devices 4. A rotating shaft 6 for winding up the sail 3 is located inside the case 1 with its lower end extending out of it. The side edge of the sail, corresponding to the edge commonly hooked to the boat mast, is secured to the aforesaid shaft. As shown in figure 2, the ends of the winding up shaft 6 are supported by bearings 7 and 8 housed in locking supports 9 and 10, the upper support 9 being inside the case 1 while the lower support 10 being located in a tubular casing 11 round the lower end of the shaft 6. Such casing 11 is connected to case 1 by means of an intermediate connecting element 1 2 as shown. A reel 13 in the lower casing 11 is connected to the lower end of the rotating shaft 5. The reel 1 3 consists of a cylinder having a helical groove 14. A rope 15, called "sheet", comes out from a slit 16 of casing 11 and is wound in the helical groove 14. Manual unwinding and pulling of the rope 1 5 causes rotation of the shaft 6 round its axis in the winding up direction of the sail 3 inside the tubular case 1. On the other hand, pulling of a second rope 1 7, which is connected to the lower tip of the sail 3 as shown on figure 1, causes drawing of the sail from the case 1, while the first rope 1 5 is automatically rewound on the reel 13. This feature allows remote control of sail 3 unrolling and rolling, while steering the boat. To further improve the operation of the device, the sail has no stiffening spars and is perfectly triangular in shape; therefore, in order to have the same sail surface, the sail base is extended with consequent extension of the boom length. Since free unwinding and winding up of the sail is required, the sail base cannot in this case be connected to the horizontal beam or "boom" 18; the boom 18 is therefore modified as shown in figure 4. The boom 18, which in this case cannot rotate on the vertical plane, is provided with a moving carriage 1 9 sliding in a slot (not shown) of the boom 18; the carriage 1 9 is moved and positioned in the desired point, for instance, by means of a third rope or "sheet" 20 of closed loop type passing over pulleys 21 and 22. The rope 1 5 for: unwinding the sail passes through a guide on the moving carriage 19 as shown; by acting on ropes 15, 1 7 and 20 (figures 1 and 4) the sail can be unwound or wound up so as to adjust the sail opening and tension according to the desired sailing rate. In addition to the various aspects of the present invention which have been set out hereinbefore there is provided in accordance with one, broad aspect of the invention, a device for furling the sail of a boat, comprising an elongate case having a longitudinal slit through which a sail may be drawn out, fastening means for connecting the case to a boat mast, a rotatable shaft for the sail to be wound on provided inside the case, and control means connected to the said rotatable shaft for controlling rotation of the shaft in winding the sail around the shaft. CLAIMS

1. A device for furling the sail of a boat, comprising an elongate case having a longitudinal slit through which a sail may be drawn out, fastening means for connecting the case to a boat mast, a rotatable shaft for the sail to be would on provided inside the case, and control means connected to the said rotatable shaft for controlling rotation of the shaft in winding the sail around the shaft.

2. A device according to Claim 1 in which the control means comprises a control rotor connected to the end of the shaft intended to be the lower end in operation, and a line engaged on the control rotor for rotating the shaft to wind the sail onto the shaft.

3. A device according to Claim 1 or 2 in which the control means comprises a control reel connected to the end of the shaft intended to be the lower end in operation, the control reel consisting of a cylinder having a helical groove on which a first hand-operated rope is wound for effecting rotation of the shaft in the winding-on direction of the sail around the rotatable shaft.

4. A device according to Claim 3, in which the case for said rotating shaft is fastened parallel to the boat mast.

5. A device according to Claim 3 or 4, in which the sail is connected to a second hand-operated control rope for unwinding and drawing out the sail, said sail being also connected to a carriage moving along a horizontal boom supported by the boat mast.

6. A device according to any of Claims 3 to 5, in which said carriage moving along the boom is operated by means of a closed-loop type rope, said rope passing over pulleys supported by the boom, the-carriage being further provided with a guide element for the sail winding rope.

7. A device as hereinbefore described with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings.

8. A device for winding up the sail of a boat, comprising a tubular case having a longitudinal slit for sail drawing out, and fastening means for connection of the tubular case to the boat mast, a rotating shaft for winding up the sail being provided inside the case and a control reel being connected to the lower end of said rotating shaft, the reel consisting of a cylinder having a helical groove in which a first hand-operated rope is wound for controlling the reel rotation in the winding up direction of the sail round the aforesaid rotating shaft.

9. A device according to claim 8, in which the case for said rotating shaft is parallelly fastened to the boat mast.

1 0. A device according to claim 8, in which the sail is connected to a second hand operated control rope for unwinding and drawing out the sail, said sail being also connected to a carriage moving along a horizontal beam or "boom" supported by the boat mast.

11. A device according to any claim 8 to 10, in which said carriage moving along the boom is operated by means of a closed loop type rope, said rope passing over pulleys supported by the boom, the carriage being further provided with a guide element for the sail winding rope.

12. A device as hereinbefore described with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings.