GB2315247A - Non capsizing sailing vessels - Google Patents

Abstract

A sailing vessel comprises a first buoyant body 4 carrying an adjustable keel 2 and laterally spaced from and connected to buoyant bodies 7 carrying sails or aerofoils 1. An arm 3 extends between the body 4 and a boom 12. In use the sailing vessel 2 produces forces 14 at right angles to the aerofoil surface which are transmitted down strut 3 and wires or ropes 8 to the hydroplaning buoyant body 4 and into keel 2 and finally into the water as shown by arrow 15. Because forces 14 and 15 are in opposite directions no tipping or capsizing forces are produced. The angle of the aerofoils can be adjusted via the bridle lines 8 which are connected to the body 4 through pulleys 20 and a control winch 31. The buoyant bodies 7 may be provided with hydrofoils (28, Fig 7) or spray rails (29).

Description

NON CAPSIZING SAILING VESSELS This invention relates to non capsizeable sailing, vessels, wind powered, boats, sailing ships, land, snow, or ice yachts, vehicles.

Sailing boats or yachts are well known for having a problem with capsizing when wind pressure on sails or wings becomes too great. Standard methods of minimising this problem have been to use ballast and or to spread the flotation forces as wide as possible such as is found in multi hulled craft, catamarans or trymarans.

According to the present invention parts supported in the air, sails, wings, or aerofoils, here in after called aerofoils, are directly opposite and parallel to parts in the water, keels or hydrofoils, here in after called the keel. Thus forces produced in the aerofoil are directly transmitted to the keel without producing any turning moments or capsizing forceps. In increasing winds this invention does not need to reduce sail area, wing size, or angle to the wind it can proceed at greater speeds.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the following drawings in which: Figure 1 shows in perspective, the sailing vehicle.

Figure 2 shows the front elevation and the resolution of the two main forces.

Figure 3 shows a plan elevation and the resolution of the forces for travelling in a straight line.

Figure 4 shows a plan elevation and the resolution of the forces for steering in an anti-clockwise direction.

Figure 5 shows a plan elevation and the resolution of the forces for steering in an clockwise direction.

Figure 6 shows a plan elevation with details of the structural and steering systems.

Figure 7 shows an orthographic drawing of the hydroplaning ski-float.

Figure 8 shows details of a suggested structure for sails or aerofoils.

The conventional method of steering is to have parts cutting through the water such as hulls, centre boards, or keels and then to provide a turning force usually at the rear by means of a rudder. Because of the large distance between the aerofoils and the keel and the very large turning moments that this configuration creates a new system of steering has had to be included.

The advantages of these configurations are as follows: 1. The craft 1 Vehicle does not tip over progressively with increasing wind speed.

2. The craft does not loose effective airfoil area with progressive tipping.

3. The craft is not pushed downwards into the water or land by an angled downwards airfoil.

4. The airfoil or sail is inclined towards the air movement thus producing a lifting force which helps the vehicle to skim over the surface of the water rather than through the water.

Further refinements of the design for which novelty is claimed are:5. Separate self steering hydroplanes, hydrofoils, or ground effect airfoils connected pivitorially to the bottoms of the masts.

6. Steering is achieved by means of angling the sails or keel to a greater or lesser angle in relation to the direction of the motion of the vehicle. Changing the relative speeds of the two opposite sides thus effecting steering in a similar manner to a caterpillered tracked vehicle.

Referring to the drawings a preferred version of the vehicle comprises aerofoils 1 connected pivitorially to strut hereinafter called the stability arm 3 in turn connected pivitorially to keel 2 (Fig 1) The vehicle has usually three hydroplaning buoyant bodies 7, 7, & 4 (Fig 1) Hydroplaning buoyant body 4 is capable of supporting a person or people having an impermeable skin and a low density filling to render it buoyant in water.

The keel 2 is adjustable in a vertical direction through a slot in the hydroplaning buoyant body.

The stability arm 3 is stiffened by spreader struts 10 and stay wires 9 which are fixed securely to the stability arm. Adjustment of the tension of the stay wires is incorporated.

Masts 11 are joined to the hydroplaning buoyant bodies 7 (Fig 1) by a universally pivoting joint on the underside of the bodies 26 (Fig 7) The hydroplaning buoyant body is free to turn in the roll, pitch, and yaw axis, is steered by the rudders 24, controlled in the pitch axis by the plane surface 25. Roil is controlled by the centre of effort being above the pivot point.

Hydrofoils 28 are an optional alternative to the spray rails 29 the purpose of both is to stop water and air being displaced sideways to the direction of travel of the hydroplaning buoyant bodies ( Fig 7) Strut 6 hereinafter called the pyramid arm is connected to the boom 12 (Fig 6)by a universally pivoting joint at 35. The other end of the pyramid arm is connected by stay wires or ropes to the masts 11 or top and bottom sail battens 30 (Fig 8) so that the aerofoils 1 are kept in line and out of twist with each other yet allowing them to adjust in a horizontal plane for direction control. The foregoing structure also supports the aerofoils should the wind bow on the exterior surfaces.

Stays 8 (Fig 1 & 3 ) hereinafter called the bridle lines support the aerofoil at right angles to the stability arm 3 whilst also transmitting the forces from the aerofoils to the hydroplaning buoyant body 4 and finaily to the keel 2 Forward motion of the vehicle is instigated by air movement in the direction of arrow 13 (Fig 3) hitting aerofoils 1 producing a force at right angles to their mean surface 14 transmitted via stability arm 3 and bridle wires ( not shown ) to hydroplaning buoyant body 4 to keel 2 which in turn produces a force in the water or land shown by arrow 15. Because arrows 14 & 15 are both pointing in a forward direction they produce the forward motion shown by arrow 16.

The vehicle is steered anti clockwise by adjusting the hydroplaning buoyant body 4 at right angles or at some other angle closer to a right angle to the stability arm thus the forward force from the keel 15. Due to drag on the hydroplaning buoyant body 4 it slows thus allowing force 14 to advance the aerofoils at a greater speed consequently turning the vehicle in a anticlockwise direction 17.

(Fig 5) is the converse situation to that illustrated in (Fig 4). Arrow 18 shows a clock-wise motion produced by Forces 15 and 14 The angle of the aerofoils 1 is adjusted by the bridle lines 8 being connected to the hydroplaning buoyant body 4 via pulleys 30 on the ends of extension arms 22 via a control winch 31 or other means of applying adjustment to the bridle lines. As the left hand set of bridle wires are shortened so the right hand set are lengthened by the same amount because they are connected together through the winch 31.

Because the distances between the two pulleys 30 & 30 are the same as between the two masts 11 & 11 the boom 12 and the extension arms form a parallelogram and or trapezium no matter what angles the hydroplaning buoyant body 4 or boom 12 are adjusted to. Thus the bridle line distances do not change and consequently they remain tight in order to support the aerofoils at right angles to the stability arm (Fig 6) The angle of the keel 2 which is located in the hydroplaning buoyant body 4 is adjusted in relation to the stability arm by means of ropes wires or other devise 34 being shortened or lengthened by winch or other devise at 33 The hydroplaning buoyant body 4 and the stability arm are pivitorially connected at point 5 allowing for adjustment of angle.

Aerofoils or sails are a part of the structure being in this case six sided. Mini booms 30 are fixed to and put under tension from top to bottom by masts 11 (Fig 8). Battens 31 keep wrinkles out of the sails and provide an aerofoil shape to sails. Aerofoils or Sails 1 are attached to the main boom 12 at points 32 and 33. The Aerofoils or Sails are tensioned between the two points 33 with ropes, pulleys or other means.

Claims (1)

1 A non capsizable sailing vehicle where sails / wings and keel or keels) are arranged parallel and opposite to each other. so that the main capsizing moments are cancelled out.

2 A non cap sizable sailing vehicle as in claim 1 where the vehicle can travel forwards and backwards where the main parts do not have to turn round to face the other direction.

3 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in claim 1 and claim 2 pivoted at 5 and 30 so that the keel and wing angles can be adjusted independently.

4 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in claim 3 that can be steered by making one side travel faster or slower than the other sidle.

5 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim with hydroplanes, floats, hydrofoils pivitorially mounted so that they are self adjusting in yaw angle in the direction of the motion of the vehicle.

6 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim with hydroplanes pivitorially mounted so that they are self adjusting in roll angle to the angle of horizontal forward motion.

7 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim Hydroplanes pivitorially mounted at 26 Fig. 7 so that they are self adjusting in pitch angle at right angles to the angle of horizontal forward motion.

8 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim where the angle of aerofoils can be controlled though the bridle lines attached to the aerofoils.

9 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim where the angle of the keel is and can be controlled by various means.

10 A non cap sizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim where the wings are kept at right angles to the keel by means of bridle lines.

11 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim where there are one or more vertical hydrofoils to give added stability to longitudinal steering.

12 A non cap sizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim were the keel is held at right angles to the stability arm so that forces from the sails or wings are transmitted in the vertical orientation directly into the keel and causing no capsizing moments.

13 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim with a two part winch where the two control ropes / wires are kept on separate spools so as to prevent them becoming entangled with each other 14 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim where a conical indentation in the top of the floats allows the forces on the pivot point to be transmitted to the under side.

17 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim where parallel bridle lines are used to stop lines loosening with angle adjustments.

18 A non cap sizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim where flexible or pre-bent aerofoil battens are used for greater efficiency in sails.

19 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim which employs symmetrical or asymmetrical keel, keels, lea boards, skegs or other method of resisting side forces.

20 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim which employs two way, independent, steerable keel.

21 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim that can travel on land with the aid of wheels and is non capsizeable.

22 A non cap sizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim that can travel on snow or ice with the aid of skis or skates and is non capsizeable.

23 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim where wings, aerofoils, or sails are not connected by a strut but rely only on one or more wires or ropes to connect them to a keel unit.

24 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim which employ rotary wings.

25 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim where Elevator foils are used to control angle of attack for stepped ski float.

26 A non cap sizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim where independent hydrofoils are self adjusting in roll, pitch, and or yaw.

27 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim where the sail or sails are part of the structure.

28 A non capsizable sailing vehicle as in any preceding claim where the sail or sails are reversible and can travel forwards or backwards.

29 A non capsizable sailing vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-8 of the accompanying drawings.