FR2552046A1 - Boat formed from a platform raised up with the aid of pillars on floats - Google Patents

Abstract

The subject of the invention is a boat which can be propelled by motors or by wind action on a complete set of sails, comprising one or more means acting as aeroplane wings. The set of sails comprises at least two wings 21 with an armature which are placed vertically and turn by means of swivel joints on the horizontal rotating framework 20 and under the upper mast 22. During certain manoeuvres of the boat it is preferable that the direction in which the wind is presented to the wings 21 can be reversed, the leading edge thus becoming the trailing edge and the undersurface becoming the upper surface. The wings 21 must thus preferably have a symmetrical shape and their swivel joints or rotational axes must thus be placed in the extension of their axis of symmetry. The wings 21 are driven together preferably by the intermediary of gearing. The invention applies to boats.

Description

 The invention relates to a boat formed by a raised platform using pillars or partitions on floats. Said boat can be propelled by engines or by the action of the wind on a complete wing comprising one or more means acting as airplane wings.

 It is a raised platform using pillars or partitions on floats of cylindrical or oval section preferably and submersible at times or permanently.

 The pillars or partitions must have a profiled section or better still be streamlined in order to minimize their resistance to advancement in water when they are submerged.

 Thus, when the hull makes contact with a wave, the increase in its submerged parts is reduced and consequently the increase in pushes from bottom to top that it undergoes. The hull therefore rises very little and the float (s) pass under the wave.

 This is absolutely not the case for all hulls or platforms made to date with one or more floats.

 On the one hand, the volumes of the floats are too large, on the other hand the main hull or the platform are not raised and hit the slightest wave. If the boat is moving quickly it is more or less thrown into the air, if it goes slowly its pitch and roll are very important. They are the consequence in addition to very significant variations in the submerged volumes, therefore pushes from bottom to top and kinetic energy.

 The hull shape of today's boats favors pitching and rolling. In fact, when the front part of the hull enters a wave, there follows a very increasing increase in its submerged volume, the same for the rear part and the lateral parts. These large variations in submerged volume cause large, often contrary, variations in thrust from bottom to top on the different parts of the hull. On the other hand, under the effect of kinetic energy, these oscillating movements around the two longitudinal and transverse axes take on amplitude, all the more so because once again, the shape of the shell is ill suited for When pitching, the front and rear parts of the hull sink into the water and above all go up too freely and the pitching movement having gained speed continues long after the pushes from bottom to top, exerted on the hull, have reversed with respect to those which ensure the hull a horizontal position, such as for example a motor vehicle not equipped with shock absorbers. When rolling, the boat behaves like the pendulum of a pendulum. As for anti-roll stabilizers, they cause additional resistance which reduces speed and increases energy consumption.

 The boat according to the invention therefore comprises a platform which rests on semi-submersible or submersible floats. The platform is high enough to pass widely over the waves.

 The hull is made in such a way that the submerged volumes of the different parts vary as little as possible, during the raising or partial lowering of the water level.

 The hull platform is more resistant to forces if it has two crossed cross members inside the lower deck.

 By construction and by distribution of the load, it is preferable that the center of gravity of the boat is slightly behind the longitudinal center of the floats, so that it is rather the rear part than the front part of the platform which possibly make contact with the top of a wave. The water from the upper part of the wave being driven laterally, this additional upward thrust should be only brief and weak, especially in relation to the mass of the boat.

 On the other hand, the front or rear parts of the floats being underwater, their ascent is further slowed down by the inertial force of the mass of water located above them.

 These possible contacts of the front or rear part of the platform should therefore not cause a sudden and significant oscillation of the boat, but should stabilize it gently if a pitching start occurs.

 Without a stabilizer, the boat according to the invention is therefore much more stable than current liners equipped with stabilizers. Anti-pitch stabilizers are not essential.

 The propellers are very far apart, the boat must be able to without a bow propeller, simply by reversing the direction of rotation of a propeller, turn on the spot in the ports. The course corrections could be made by slightly modifying the engine speed.

For large crossings, it is preferable that the boat is propelled by four engines and four propellers or two propellers and two engines coupled to generators / engines or equipped with three floats so that two engines and two propellers are enough, the boat can then possibly continue to sail with a single engine and a single propeller. This solution also offers several advantages
- a single machine room,
- less significant constraints for the platform,
- to be able to place the propellers lower below the water level, so that they are less likely to turn out of the water in rough seas.

 It is sufficient to obtain this result that the central float is placed lower than the lateral floats. For short crossings, a single engine coupled to a generator / engine and a single propeller is sufficient for a boat with three floats. It is also preferable that the floats are very partitioned.

 To obtain the best stability and the lowest energy consumption, the mass of the boat, at full load, must be between 75 and 85% of the weight of the total volume of water displaced by the floats.

The floats are trained to go under the waves and not to climb on them like the current floats.

 At I / 280 scale, the boat shown in the figures has a length of 70 meters and a width of 40 meters, made up of two bridges over almost the entire surface of the platform.

 For greater stability, it is possible to ensure that the floats are completely submerged when the boat is fully loaded by an appropriate diameter of the floats. You can also build flat-bottomed floats with the front tip slightly raised so that they rise like water skis and emerge more or less depending on the speed of the boat. Compared to hydrofoils, energy consumption should be slightly lower at high speeds.

 For larger vessels, just increase the length only, the diameter of the floats remains the same, the energy consumption increases proportionally little, so it is reduced per passenger and tonne of freight transported. For smaller capacity boats, the width must be reduced and possibly designed in a single deck, which makes it possible to reduce the diameter of the floats, therefore the forward resistance and the energy consumption.

 The hull of the boat, according to the invention, is not only more stable, but thanks to the hydrodynamic shape of the floats, offers less resistance to advancement than monos and multihulls, as well as that of hydrofoils especially when cannot reach a speed sufficient to plan. In addition, the hull of the boat according to the invention allows high speeds, the floats pass under the waves while the current hulls violently abut on the waves and are more or less thrown into the air. The constraints of the hulls are then enormous and require the construction of more resistant, therefore heavier hulls.

Despite all the efforts that have been made, damage is frequent mainly among multihulls.

Sailing is not the best solution to generate a propelling force from the wind, for two main reasons.
10 The sail has a poor performance, the propulsive force obtained is relatively low, much higher yields have been obtained in the field of wind turbines by replacing the old wings made of stretched webs by modern wings. The aerodynamic profile of the sail is very bad, the angles of presentation to the wind vary from the base to the top and in addition in the wrong direction from the leading edge to the trailing edge.

 20 Sailing causes for the same reasons a strong drag which is obviously very detrimental to the speed of the boat and to its ability to sail as close as possible, but which moreover tends, by side wind, to cause the boat to drift and to lay down on the side.

 To summarize, the sails make the boat move relatively slowly by laying it more or less on the side, which requires the assembly of large daggerboards and a large ballast. The boat is then heavier because of the ballast and the drift causes additional significant resistance in the water; said boat advances even more slowly.

 Consequently, the boat according to the invention comprises a complete sail made up of wings having a profile similar to that of airplane wings.

We obtain
10 Much greater thrust in the direction of movement of the boat.

Indeed, a small plane weighing a ton and having wings with an area of only 14 square meters takes off at around 50 kilometers per hour.

All the square centimeters on both sides (lower and upper surfaces) of an airplane wing have the ideal profile and angles for the best air flow and the maximum effect desired.

 20 An infinitely less drag for the same reasons.

 The inventor therefore imagined and adopted the manner of equipping the boat hulls with one or more wings to obtain the maximum efficiency whatever the direction of movement of the air relative to that of the boat.

 To this end, the whole wing according to the invention is mounted on a horizontal frame, preferably metallic, which rotates like a tank turret on the hull of the above boat. At least two wings, preferably with a metal frame, which can be covered with canvas, aluminum sheets, etc. and more or less numerous, are placed vertically and rotate preferably by means of ball joints on the frame and under the frame they support.

 During certain evolutions of the boat, it is preferable that the direction of presentation to the wind of the wings can be reversed, the leading edge then becoming trailing edge and the lower surface, the upper surface. The wings must therefore preferably have a symmetrical shape and their ball joints or axes of rotation must therefore be placed in the extension of their axis of symmetry.

 The wings are preferably driven together by means of gears, coupling shafts, either manually, or by an electric, hydraulic or other motor, so that they all have the same angle of presentation to the wind.

 A wing acting as a fin is articulated on two frames. It can be driven by a motor or by gears, transmission shafts, chains, cables, etc ... Like the wings, said drift can be operated from the cockpit and also supports the upper frame.

 Guy lines ensure sufficient resistance of the wing to the forces caused by the wind.

 When the wings and the fin are placed perpendicular to the plane of the wings, the wing is oriented like a wind vane facing the wind and is in this position without any effect. Its wind resistance is then less than that of the masts of a sailboat.

 For the wing to orient itself even better facing the wind, at anchor, it is enough to add one (or more) anti-torque wings which can be placed as a flag by opening locks and using the levers. It is preferable that the anti-torque wing is driven in the same way as the main wings by a coupling shaft in order to also have the same angle of presentation to the wind. It is then possible by increasing the efficiency of the wing to place the main wings a little further back on the frame so as to improve the wind vane effect of the wing when the anti-torque wing is placed in flag.

 Almost no modification of the sail is therefore necessary when the boat sets sail, faces a strong wind or enters a port.

 To make the wing act or neutralize, it would therefore suffice to slowly rotate the wings in one direction or the other depending on whether the wind blows on port or starboard, until the desired effect is obtained from the draw to the one causing maximum speed for the boat and turning the wings in the opposite direction to reduce the speed and even brake the boat by rotating the wings again until they generate a force in the opposite direction. This braking can only be done in side wind.

 The wings cause a torque which more or less modifies the orientation of the wing, it is then enough to rotate the fin in the same direction until the wing is again oriented well facing the wind. The wind vane allows you to refine this setting. The maneuver of the fin must therefore be combined with that of the wings, it can also be done automatically, the wind vane activates the starting and stopping of the engine making the fin rotate in both directions.

 It is preferable to position the wings on the frame so that the corrective effect of the drift is also maximum for the movement of the boat.

 Two doggies allow the two outer wings to be uncoupled if the wind becomes excessive in the stern mainly.

 The forces exerted by the wind being variable, the boats according to the invention adapted for speed (light apparatuses equipped with a large wing) can be equipped with mobile counterweights so that their pilot can use all the propulsive force which the wing could generate and that all the forces to which the hull and its wing are subjected are as balanced as possible.

 The best solutions are either to mount seawater tanks on each side of the anti-torque wing on the frame, or solid counterweights that could be circulated around the wing on one or more fixed rails to the frame.

 These long boats according to the invention can be equipped with one or more sets of this type of wing.

SUMMARY OF THE MAIN TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE
BLADE MOUNTED ON A ROTATING MOUNT WITH VERTICAL ROTATING WINGS
- All the elements of the wing are oriented at the same time and possibly very quickly facing the wind or relative wind.

 - Although the airfoil is permanently "deployed", the thrusts on the hull remain very weak (airfoil neutralized) or little variable even in the event of a swirling wind blowing in gusts. I1 follows a great flexibility of operation, as well as a significant reduction in the risk of damage and drossage of the boat.

 - The width of the "brewed" corridor is constantly maximum. Compared especially to the relative wind, the wings are not more or less one behind the other as are the sails of a classic wing, but permanently side by side. The efficiency is thus much greater, mainly in tailwind.

 - When the boat picks up speed, the angle of presentation of the wings to the relative wind is automatically preserved.

 - The main counterweights placed on the frame supporting the wing are automatically moved and constantly have the best positions.

 - All the forces acting on the wing and on the hull are much more balanced.

 - The implementation and the total neutralization of the airfoil are done in less than a few minutes and without effort. The pilot can easily ensure the boat's operation, whatever its mass.

 - No need for additional specialized crew members, as for a boat with mixed propulsion (engine + sails), or among other important drawbacks (accommodation, food on board etc ...), the cost of this additional staff is, for the shipowner, higher than the cost of fuel saved.

 The attached drawings given by way of indicative and non-limiting example will easily make it possible to understand the invention. They represent a preferred embodiment according to the invention.

 Figure 1 is a view showing the hull of the boat seen laterally on the port side.

 Figure 2 is a view of the boat seen from the bow.

 Figure 3 is a view of the boat seen from the stern.

 Figure 4 is a plan view of the boat platform.

 Figure 5 is a view of the boat with three floats, seen by the stern.

 Figure 6 is a view of the boat with three floats, seen from the side at the stern.

 Figure 7 is a view of the boat with three floats, seen from the front by the stern at the bow.

 Figure 8 is a view of the boat with three floats, seen from the side at the rudder.

 Figure 9 is a view of the boat, port side view, the wind blowing on port.

 FIG. 10 is a view of the boat seen from the rear, the wind blowing on the rear and in the longitudinal axis of the hull.

 Figure 11 is a view from the port side of the boat, the wind blowing aft.

 FIG. 12 is a view showing the relationships between the floats, the platform and the horizontal rotating frame 20.

 Figure 13 is a view from the front of the boat, the wind blowing from the rear.

 The hull shown in Figures 1 to 8 is a basic hull for short, fast and economical crossings. All capacities, as well as the arrangements and installations of conventional hulls should be possible, some even facilities.

For reasons already stated (submerged volumes varying much less) but more particularly due to the hull of the boat according to the invention, the roll and pitch are of little importance for the following reasons
- for roll: the floats 1 in front, in their entirety, less up and down and this, in addition to the fact that they are very far apart, the roll must therefore have little amplitude and be not very noticeable.

 - for pitching: the floats stabilize partly reciprocally by being, depending on the waves, more or less antagonistic.

 So that the platform 2 of the hull better withstands these forces and stresses which tend to warp it, it is added to the interior of the lower deck, two crossed sleepers 3. The submerged volumes of the front and rear parts of the floats vary little, these constraints to which the platform 2 is subjected could not be strong, which would on the other hand be the case with two conventional hulls.

 Platform 2 is high enough to pass over the waves.

 By construction and by distribution of the load, it is preferable that the center of gravity of the boat is slightly behind the longitudinal center of the floats 1, so that it is rather the rear part than the front part of the platform 2 which eventually makes contact with the top of a wave. The water from the upper part of the wave being driven laterally, this additional upward thrust should be only brief and weak, especially in relation to the mass of the boat.

 On the other hand, the front or rear parts of the floats 1 being underwater, their ascent is further slowed down by the inertial force of the mass of water located above them.

 These possible contacts of the front or rear part of the platform 2 should not therefore cause a sudden and significant oscillation of the boat, but should stabilize it gently if a pitching start occurs.

 Without a stabilizer, the boat according to the invention is therefore much more stable than current liners equipped with stabilizers. Anti-pitch stabilizers 4 are not essential.

 The propellers are very far apart, the boat must be able, without a bow propeller, simply by reversing the direction of rotation of a propeller, turn on the spot in the ports. The course corrections could be made by slightly modifying the engine speed.

For large crossings, it is preferable that the boat is propelled by four engines and four propellers or two propellers and two engines coupled to generators / engines or equipped with three floats so that two engines and two propellers are sufficient (see Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8). The boat can then continue to sail with a single engine and a single propeller. This solution also offers several advantages
- a single machine room,
- less significant constraints for the platform,
- to be able to place the propellers lower below the water level, so that they are less likely to turn out of the water in rough seas.

 It is sufficient to obtain this result that the central float is placed lower than the lateral floats. For short crossings, a single engine coupled to a generator / engine and a single propeller is sufficient for a boat with three floats. It is also preferable that the floats 1 are very partitioned.

 The whole wing according to the invention is mounted on a horizontal frame 20, preferably metallic, which rotates like a tank turret on the platform 2 of the boat described above. At least two wings 21 preferably with a metal frame which can be covered with canvas, more or less numerous aluminum sheets, etc. are placed vertically and rotate preferably by means of ball joints on the frame 20 and under the upper frame 22 that they support.

 During certain evolutions of the boat, it is preferable that the direction of presentation of the wings 21 to the wind can be reversed, the leading edge then becoming trailing edge and the lower surface, the upper surface. The wings 21 must therefore preferably have a symmetrical shape and their ball joints or axes of rotation must therefore be placed in the extension of their axis of symmetry.

 The wings 21 are preferably driven together by means of gears 5, coupling shafts 6 either manually or by an electric, hydraulic or other motor 7, so that they all have the same angle of presentation to the wind.

 A wing acting as a drift 8 is articulated on two frames 20 and 22 It can be driven by a motor 9 or by gears, transmission shafts, chains, cables, etc. Like the wings 21, said drift can be operated from the cockpit 10 and also supports the upper frame 22.

 Guy lines 11 ensure sufficient resistance of the wing to the forces caused by the wind and counterweights 19 cancel or reduce the heel of the boat.

 When the wings 21 and the fin 8 are placed perpendicular to the plane of the wings 21, the airfoil is oriented like a wind vane facing the wind and is, in this position, without any effect. Its wind resistance is then less than that of the masts of a sailboat.

 So that the airfoil is even better oriented towards the wind, at anchor, it is enough to add one (or more) anti-torque wings 12 which can be placed as a flag by opening latches 14 and 15 and using the levers 16. It is preferable that the anti-torque wing 12 is driven in the same way as the main wings 21 by a coupling shaft 13 so as to also have the same angle of presentation to the wind. It is then possible by increasing the efficiency of the airfoil to place the main wings 21 a little further back on the frame 20 so as to improve the wind vane effect of the airfoil when the anti-torque wing 12 is placed as a flag.

 Almost no modification of the sail is therefore necessary when the boat sets sail, faces a strong wind or enters a port.

 To act or neutralize the airfoil, it would therefore suffice to slowly rotate the wings 21 in one direction or the other depending on whether the wind blows on port or starboard, until the desired effect is obtained from zero to to the one causing the maximum speed for the boat, and to rotate the wings in the opposite direction to reduce the speed and even brake the boat by rotating the wings again until they generate a force in the opposite direction . This braking can only be done in side wind.

 The wings cause a torque which more or less modifies the orientation of the wing, it then suffices to rotate the fin 8 in the same direction until the wing is again oriented well facing the wind. The wind vane 17 makes it possible to refine this adjustment. The maneuvering of the fin S must therefore be combined with that of the wings 21, it can also be done automatically, the wind vane 17 actuates the starting and stopping of the engine making the fin rotate in both directions.

 It is preferable to position the wings 21 on the horizontal rotating frame 20 so that the corrective effect of the drift is also maximum for the movement of the boat.

 Two dog-jacks 18 make it possible to decouple the two outer wings 21 if the wind becomes excessive mainly in the stern.

 Due to the lower lateral force exerted by the winged wing compared to sails, and all the more so for the boat hulls described above, that is to say, provided with two or three floats , the daggerboards under the hull must present much less interest especially for the heavy boats. The possibility of not placing a daggerboard, or a smaller one under each hull without compromising the speed performance of the boat, is still a very appreciable advantage because of the drawbacks that the daggerboards present for launching holds, dry docks and for the shallows.

 The forces exerted by the wind being variable, the boats according to the invention adapted for speed (light apparatuses equipped with a large sail) can be equipped with mobile counterweights so that their pilot can use all the populsive force that could generate the sail and that all the forces to which the hull and its wing are subjected are as balanced as possible.

 The best solutions are either to mount seawater tanks on each side of the anti-torque wing 12 on the rotating horizontal frame 20, or solid and mobile counterweights that can be circulated around the wing on one or more rails fixed to the frame 20.

 To use the winged wing and obtain its maximum efficiency, it is therefore sufficient either to press buttons or small levers, or to turn steering wheels or cranks from cockpit 10, away from bad weather, without the slightest risk and even while staying in a chair. A single person must easily ensure the total running of the boat, whatever its dimensions, all the more that once the adjustments have been made and the horizontal rotating frame 20 blocked by a brake or a locking device, the boat must continue its navigation alone. automatically keeping the same course. It is then enough from time to time to make some corrections mainly when the wind changes direction or force.

 These very long boats according to the invention can be equipped with one or more sets of this type of wing.

Claims (15)

 1. Boat characterized by the fact that it is composed of a platform (2) raised several meters above the level of the waves by pillars mounted on floats (1); said floats passing under the waves thanks to their shape and to the small volume of water which they move, but sufficient to maintain said platform above the waves.  2. Boat characterized by the fact that it is propelled by a blade which is mounted on a horizontal rotating frame (20).  3. Boat according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the airfoil is composed by means acting as airplane wings (21).  4. Boat according to claim 1, characterized in that, so that the platform (2) withstands the various forces and stresses well, it is arranged inside the lower deck, two crossed sleepers (3).  5. Boat according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the airfoil comprises at least two wings (21) with frame which are placed vertically and rotate by means of ball joints on the horizontal rotating frame (20) and under the upper frame (22).  6. Boat according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that during certain evolutions of the boat it is preferable that the direction of presentation to the wind of the wings (21) can be reversed, the edge d attack then becoming trailing edge and the lower surface, the upper surface; the wings (21) must therefore preferably have a symmetrical shape and their ball joints or axes of rotation must therefore be placed in the extension of their axis of symmetry.  7. Boat according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the wings (21) are driven together preferably by means of gears (5), coupling shafts (6) either manually, either by an electric, hydraulic or other motor (7), so that they all have the same angle of presentation to the wind.  8. Boat according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that a wing acting as a drift (8) is articulated on two frames (20) and (22) and can be driven by a motor (9 ) or by gears, transmission shafts, chains, cables etc ...; like the wings (21), said fin can be operated from the cockpit and also supports the upper frame (22).  9. Boat according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that for the wing to orient itself even better facing the wind, at anchor, it suffices to add one (or more) anti-torque wings ( 12) can be placed as a flag by opening latches (14 and 15) and using the levers (16).  10. Boat according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the anti-torque wing (12) is driven in the same way as the main wings (21) by a coupling shaft (13) in order to also have the same angle of presentation to the wind; it is then possible, by increasing the efficiency of the airfoil, to place the main wings (21) a little further back on the frame (20) so as to improve the wind vane effect of the airfoil when the anti wing -couple (12) is placed in the form of a flag.  11. Boat according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that to act or neutralize the airfoil, it therefore suffices to slowly rotate the wings (21) in one direction or the other, depending on whether the wind blows on port or starboard, until obtaining the desired effect from zero to that causing the maximum speed for the boat and turning the wings in opposite directions to reduce the speed and even brake the boat by still rotating the wings until they generate a force in the opposite direction; this braking can only be carried out by side wind.  12. Boat according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the wings cause a torque which more or less changes the orientation of the wing, then it suffices to rotate the fin (8) in the same direction until the wing is again oriented well facing the wind; the vane (17) makes it possible to refine this adjustment; the operation of the fin (8) must therefore be combined with that of the wings (21); it can also be done automatically, the wind vane (17) activates the starting and stopping of the engine turning the fin in both directions.  13. A boat according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that two doggies (18) allow the two outer wings (21) to be uncoupled if the wind becomes excessive mainly in stern.  14. Boat according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that to obtain the best stability and the least energy consumption, the mass of the boat, at full load, must be between 75 and 85 % of the weight of the total volume of water displaced by the floats (1).  15. Boat according to any one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that it circulates solid and mobile counterweight around the wing on one or more rails fixed to the frame (20).