GB2369337A

GB2369337A - Vane adjusted wing or sail

Info

Publication number: GB2369337A
Application number: GB0019309A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Alfred Worsley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-08-08
Filing date: 2000-08-08
Publication date: 2002-05-29
Also published as: GB0019309D0

Abstract

A wind-powered vessel comprises a wing or sail 1 rotatably mounted on a first vertical axis 3 and a wind vane 2 rotatably mounted on a second separate vertical axis 4, the position of the wing or sail about the first vertical axis being controlled by the position of the wind vane about the second vertical axis. The wind vane may be connected to the wing or sail by means of pulleys 5 and 6, sprockets or levers. The size of the pulleys and sprockets and the length of the levers on the wing or sail axis may be different to those on the vane axis such that they rotate at different rates. The helmsman of the vessel may be able to adjust the angle of the vane and therefore the wing or sail manually.

Description

VANE ADJUSTED WINGSAIL This invention relates to a wingsail or conventional sail used on boats or land vehicles.

Whilst using a sail to propel a boat or other vehicle, it is necessary to adjust the angle of the sail to the most advantageous angle relative to the wind for the most power.

Some previous wingsail adjustment systems have used the wind itself, by means of a suitable vane, placed downwind of the sail, to obtain the best angle.

The angle of the vane has to be adjusted by the helmsman in order for the sail to provide driving force on each tack, i. e. according to whether the wind is coming from the right or left of the craft. Also, if the wind is coming from directly ahead, the helmsman must endeavour to maintain the wing at a zero angle to the wind in order to prevent the craft from being blown backwards.

This invention provides for all of the functions mentioned in the last paragraph to be performed automatically by the wind, and the helmsman does not need to attend to the adjustment of the sail.

According to the present invention, a wingsail is allowed to be adjusted about a vertical axis relative to the boat or vehicle, and a vane, which is separately mounted, transmits is movements to the wingsail by means of a belt, chain, wire, rope, or rod.

The adjustment vane is mounted on an arm, the other end of which has a vertical axis pivot. Since the vane arm and wingsail are on different vertical axis pivots the vane may be carried in any position relative to the wingsail, e. g. behind, in front, or to either side.

A connection is made between the vane pivot and the wingsail pivot by means of a belt with pulleys, a chain with sprockets, or by means of levers and rods or wires.

A difference in diameter (or length of levers, or teeth on sprockets) between the wingsail pulley and the vane pulley provides for the wingsail to rotate a different amount than the vane pivot, thus allowing an advantageous angle to be obtained on either tack, and a zero angle of attack to the wind when the boat or vehicle is head-to-wind.

In order to provide for an override of the wind-controlled adjustment, for purposes of reducing the driving force obtained from the wind, provision may also made for the helmsman to adjust the angle of the vane in relation to its ann manually.

The preferred embodiment of the invention incorporates a wingsail, a sail surface consisting of two skins with a space or filling between, but an alternative embodiment may use a sail of the conventional kind with a single cloth-type skin. The wingsail version is shown in the drawing.

FIGURE I shows a side elevation of a boat with the wingsail system mounted upon it.

FUGURE 2 Shows a plan view of the sail elements only, in the position they would be when the wind is blowing from the left.

FIGURE 3 Shows a plan view of the sail elements only, in the position they would be when the wind is blowing from directly ahead.

FIGURE 4 Shows a plan view of the sail elements only, in the position they would be when the wind is blowing from the right.

As shown in Figure 1 the wingsail 1 and vane 2 are mounted upon an example of a craft 7 on vertical pivots 3 and 4 that are free to rotate.

The connection between the two pivots is made using pulleys 3 and 4 and a belt or chain 8.

Figure 2 shows the wing/vane assembly from above, in the position it would assume when the wind is blowing from the left. The vane and arm 2 has adopted a zero angle of incidence to the wind, but the wingsail 1 has a positive angle of the correct amount to provide the most forward thrust to the craft.

Figure 3 shows the same view of the wing/vane assembly, in the position it would assume when the wind is blowing from straight ahead. The vane 2 still maintains a zero angle of incidence to the wind, but because of differing diameters of the pulleys, the wingsail 1 now also has a zero angle of incidence.

Figure 4 shows the same view of the wing/vane assembly, in the position it would assume when the wind is blowing from the right. The vane 2 is again at zero angle of incidence, but the wingsail 1, due to the differing diameters of the pulleys, has again adopted a positive angle of incidence which will still provide the required forward thrust to the craft.

Claims

CLAIMS I A wingsail or conventional sail assembly with a wind-adjusting vane mounted upon a separate vertical axis.
2 A wingsail or conventional sail assembly as claimed in Claim I where the connection between the wingsail and the adjusting vane is by means of pulleys, sprockets, or levers.
3 A wingsail or conventional sail assembly as claimed in Claim 2 where diameter of the connecting pulleys, number of teeth on the sprockets, or length of levers are different on the wingsail vertical axis than on the vane vertical axis, allowing different amounts of rotation of each 4 A wmgsail and wind-adjustment assembly as claimed in Claims I 2 & 3 where the angle of incidence of the vane may be adjusted by the helmsman to reduce driving force if necessary.