Patent ID: 8375877
Filing Date: 2013-02-19
Classification: B63H

Abstract:
1. A sail roller furler assembly for furling or unfurling a sail with a luff and a geometric center, the roller furler comprising: a. a sail with a head, a tack, a luff, beaded edge located along said luff, and a geometric center; b. a stay cable; c an elongated drive shaft extending over said stay cable, said drive shaft includes a lower section, a middle section, an upper section, a lower end and an upper end; d. a drive mechanism coupled to said lower end of said drive shaft; e. a hollow, elongated sail edge device longitudinally aligned with and extending around said drive shaft, said sail edge device configured to attach to said beaded edge located alone on said luff, said sail edge device includes an upper section, a middle section, and a lower section, said middle section of said sail edge device being rotatably coupled to said upper section of said drive shaft and said upper section and said lower section of said sail edge device being rotatably detached from said drive shaft, said sail edge device also configured and made of flexible, medium modulus of elasticity material that enables said sail edge device to axially twist and thereby absorb and release rotational energy exerted thereto by said drive mechanism and said sail when said sail is reefed so that the unfurled section of said sail maintains taut and in an airfoil, aerodynamic configuration; f. an upper swivel longitudinally aligned with said stay cable and connected to said head of said sail; and, g. a lower swivel longitudinally aligned with said stay cable and connected to said tack of said sail.