US3459149A

US3459149A - Prefabricated sail kit

Info

Publication number: US3459149A
Application number: US665627A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ronald J Hallmark
Original assignee: RONALD J HALLMARK
Current assignee: RONALD J HALLMARK
Priority date: 1967-09-05
Filing date: 1967-09-05
Publication date: 1969-08-05
Anticipated expiration: 1986-08-05

Description

1969 R. J- HALLMARK 3,459,149

PREFABRICATED SAIL KIT Filed Sept. 5, 1967 FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

flrrmwsms United States Patent 3,459,149 PREFABRICATED SAIL KIT Ronald J. Hallmark, Signal Hill, Calif. (P.O. Box 3525, Long Beach, Calif. 90803) Filed Sept. 5, 1967, Ser. No. 665,627 Int. Cl. B63h 9/06 U.S. Cl. 114-103 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A prefabricated sail kit having a plurality of cloth panels that collectively define the configuration of a finished sail. The proximate edges of the panels are overlapped and temporarily adhered together. The aforedescribed prefabricated sail is then rolled up for shipment. The customer unrolls the sail and stitches the overlapped portions of the panels together one at a time, the adhesive maintaining alignment.

Background of the invention The vast majority of boat sails are made by professional sailmakers. The cost of professionally-made sails is considerable. The prefabricated sail kit of the present invention was developed in order to permit sails to be prefabricated at a manufacturing plant on a mass production basis. Such kits are then rolled up and shipped to retail customers. These customers may easily complete the sail using a conventional sewing machine. No particular sailmaking skill is required.

Summary of the invention It is a major object of the present invention to provide a prefabricated sail kit that can be economically mass produced for shipment to a purchaser. The purchaser then sews the sail together.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sail kit of the aforedescribed nature wherein the outer peripheral portions of the adhered together panels are overlapped at the manufacturing plant so as to receive elongated reinforcing means.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sail kit of the aforedescribed nature wherein the foot defined by the lowermost of the panels is overlapped and adhered at the manufacturing plant to define a foot adjustment seam.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred form of prefabricated sail kit embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the encircled area designated 2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the encircled area designated 3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken in enlarged scale along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken in enlarged scale along line 55 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken in enlarged scale along line 66 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an inclined sectional view taken in enlarged scale on line 7--7 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing said prefabricated sail kit rolled up for shipment.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment Referring to the drawings, there is shown a preferred form of prefabricated sail kit S embodying the present invention. As shown particularly in FIG. 1, the sail kit is made up of a plurality of cloth panels designated 20-, 22,

24, 26, 28, 30 and 32. The proximate edges of these panels are overlapped as shown particularly in FIG. 4. A suitable adhesive (not shown) is interposed at 34 between the overlapping portions of the sail panels. Preferably, the panels are marked with seam numbers 36, as shown particularly in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, for a purpose set forth hereinafter. The edges of the overlapped panels are also preferably formed with match marks 38, such match marks 38 extending from the upper portion of one panel to the lower portion of the panel disposed above the first panel, as shown particularly in FIGS. 1 and 3. Such match marks are imprinted upon the overlapped panels after the panels have been properly aligned so as to define the configuration of the finished sail.

As indicated in FIG. 5, the leech 39 defined by the overlapped panels is overlapped with a leech wire 40 or similar elongated tension element positioned within the overlapped portion 42 of the leech.

The luff 43 defined by the overlapped said panels is preferably provided with a luff tape 44 that is overlapped over the front of the panels and adhered thereto by a suitable adhesive. A luff wire 46 is positioned within the overlapped front portion of the luff tape just forwardly of the front end of the overlapped panels, as shown particularly in FIG. 7.

The lowermost portion of the lower panel 20 is overlapped to define a roach adjustment seam 50, as shown particularly in FIGS. 1 and 6. A suitable adhesive is interposed between the overlapped portions of the foot to define this seam. The adhered-together cloth panels are rolled up as indicated in FIG. 8 for shipment to the customer. The kit may also include miscellaneous hardware, such as grommets, snaps, slides and the like.

When the customer receives the rolled-up sail kit, the sail will be unrolled and the first seam as designated by seam No. 1 will be sewn. This may be accomplished by means of a conventional domestic sewing machine. If match marks 38 are employed they should be aligned so as to effect proper positioning of the overlapped panels should the cloth panels have slipped relative to one another. The same process will be repeated for the other seams, the succession of the sewing of such seams being determined by the succession of the seam number 36 if the latter are employed. Thereafter, the overlapped side edges of the sail will be sewed together to define the luff 39 and leech 43. The roach seam 50 is preferably not sewn until the sail has been hoisted and the proper shape of the foot determined. This adjustment is facilitated by the use of a temporary adhesive or masking tape. After the proper adjustment is obtained the roach seam 50 may be permanently sewn.

It will be apparent that various changes in the details of construction of the aforedescribed sail kit may be made as necessitated by the various types of commonly-utilized sails. It will also be understood that various modifications and changes may be made with respect to the foregoing detailed description.

I claim:

1. A prefabricated kit for a sail having a luff and a leech, such kit being shippable in a collapsed form and cbmprising:

a plurality of cloth panels that collectively define the configuration of a finished sail, the proximate edges of said panel being overlapped and said luff and said leech being overlapped;

elongated reinforcement means positioned Within the overlapped portions of said luff and leech;

and adhesive means interposed between the edges of said panels and the overlapped portions of said luff and leech for temporarily securing said edges and said overlapped portions together.

2 A sail kit as set forth in claim 1 wherein match marks are imprinted on said panel edges that when aligned properly position said panels in said configuration.

3. A sail kit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said over lapped panels are provided with seam numbers to indicate the succession of seams of the completed sail.

4. A sail kit as set forth in claim 1 wherein the foot defined by the lowermost of said panels is overlapped to define a roach adjustment seam, and adhesive means are provided to temporarily maintain said overlap.

5. A method of making a finished sail, comprising:

cutting a plurality of cloth panels that collectively deline the configuration of a finished sail;

applying adhesive means along the edges of said panels;

overlapping the edges of said panels and temporarily securing such edges together in the configuration of the finished sail by said adhesive means;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,796,038 6/1957 Pegel et a1 114-l03 3,118,801 1/1964 Lamport 1l4--103 X 3,325,826 6/1967 Ryan 2243 TRYGNE M. BLIX, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 161-50