Abstract:
The invention relates to method and apparatus for compactly stacking a sail having a tack, clew and head, the sail being mounted to batten or sail cars above a boom when the sail is stowed, furled or fully lowered. More specifically, most of the cars are compacted or stacked by diverting cars onto several lower tracks, such that the height of the stacked cars is approximately halved. Cars adjacent the boom and tack of the sail may be slidably mounted on at least two of the lower tracks, and carrying the sail between the at least two of the lower tracks. If more than two lower storage tracks are used, the height reduction of the stacked cars can be greater.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Non-Provisional Application Ser. No. 10/798,927, filed Mar. 12, 2004, now abandoned which claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/468,501, filed May 7, 2003, and the present application and invention also claim the priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/735,425, filed Nov. 10, 2005. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to method and apparatus for compacting or stacking sail cars above a boom when a very tall sail is lowered or furled. More specifically, most of the cars are compacted by diverting alternating cars onto a split track, to port or starboard, such that the height of the stacked cars is approximately halved. 
     PRIOR ART 
     Heretofore, when a sail of a sailboat has been stowed, furled or fully lowered, the sail or batten cars connecting the sail to the mast have been singly stacked along a centerline of the mast. This is not suitable when a sail is of great height, such as approximately 250 feet, is used since the singly stacked cars would reach approximately 20 feet above the boom, making storage of the dropped sail cumbersome at best. 
     Thus there exists a need for a method and apparatus for compacting the height of the cars which the present invention addresses. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the invention, there is provided an apparatus for compacting sail cars comprising a track along which cars of the sail ride, the track comprising a vertical upper section and a lower section including a port and a starboard track; each car or track having guide structure thereon for, preferably but not necessarily alternately, guiding adjacent cars to opposite tracks of the lower section, effectively halving the vertical height of the stacked cars when the sail is stowed. Further a improved tack car is also disclosed. 
     Further, according to the invention there is provided a method for compacting sail cars to effectively half a vertical height of the sail cars when stacked upon stowage of the sail, the method comprising the steps of:
         creating a track for engaging the sail cars, the track having an upper vertical centerline section and a lower section including at least a port and starboard track;   creating the cars with guide structure thereon for, preferably alternately, guiding adjacent cars to opposite tracks of the lower section; and   stowing the sail by lowering same along the track until the cars are, preferably alternately, received within the port and starboard tracks, serving as stowage tracks.
 
It should be understood that a different arrangement than strictly alternately stacking cars could be used and yet fall within the scope of the invention.
       

     Still further according to the invention there is provided an apparatus for compacting sail cars comprising a track along which cars of the sail ride, the track comprising a vertical upper section extending up the mast and a lower section including a port and a starboard track; the cars each having guide structure thereon for preferably alternately guiding adjacent cars to opposite tracks of the lower section, effectively halving the vertical height of the stacked cars when the sail is stowed. The track may also incorporate structure for maintaining one or more bottom cars adjacent the boom of the sail along a centerline of the mast rather than to either side thereof so as to provide sail symmetry. Preferably such improved tack car rides on two or more such sail storage tracks. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a sailboat having a very tall mast and sail with battens in the sail, with the battens mounted to batten cars sliding on a mast track. 
         FIG. 2A  is an end view of the prior art method and apparatus presently used for stacking of sail cars when the sail is lowered. 
         FIG. 2B  is an end view of the apparatus and method of the present invention for compact stacking of sail cars. 
         FIG. 3  is an end view of an enlarged of the new apparatus and method for compact stacking of sail cars. 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged detail view of the area where the cars are switched onto one or the other of the lower port and starboard track sections. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view through the upper track section taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view through the area where a bottom tip of the top track section is adjacent to a top tip of a bottom track section and is taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a top end view of the upper track section. 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom end view of the lower track sections. 
         FIG. 9  is an enlarged end view of the lower track sections and shows an optional guide placed to the outside side of each of the lower track sections against which edges of a car body bear with the guides keeping the car body from twisting and becoming lodged in the junction area before completely engaging on the lower track section. 
         FIG. 10  is an end view of another embodiment of the apparatus and method of the present invention wherein a section of the upper track adjacent the lower track sections is capable of moving or pivoting from side to side to deliver adjacent cars to alternating bottom tracks. 
         FIG. 11  shows the pivoting track section is a centerline or neutral position thereof. 
         FIG. 12A  is an enlarged elevational view showing one embodiment of a sail or batten car for engagement to the track. 
         FIG. 12B  is a bottom plan view of the sail car of  FIG. 12A . 
         FIG. 12C  is a side view of the sail car of  FIG. 12A . 
         FIG. 13A  shows a first accessory comprising a batten attachment fitting for receiving a batten and engaged to a rail car. 
         FIG. 13B  shows another accessory comprising a headboard for a sail engaged to a rail car. 
         FIG. 13C  shows a further accessory comprising a vertical bridge structure engaged to double rail cars. 
         FIG. 14  is an end view showing two bottom cars adjacent the boom riding on their own vertical path by being engaged on the insides of and between the port and starboard tracks. 
         FIG. 15  is an end view showing two bottom cars adjacent the boom riding on their own centerline track between the bottom track sections. 
         FIG. 16  shows a horizontal bridge formed between the bottom two cars adjacent the boom which are on opposite bottom track sections, the bridge incorporating structure thereon for maintaining the sail in a centerline position between the bottom track sections. 
         FIG. 17  is yet another alternative having a track with two lower portions, one of which is on the mast centerline, while the other is offset to one of port or starboard; optionally, magnets on the mast and cars can be provided. 
         FIG. 18  is a construction used in conjunction with the pivoting track structure of  FIG. 10  and shows cam means in the form of a wing on the track to permit the ascending cars to pivot the pivoting track carrying the wing to align the pivoting section to receive the ascending car. 
         FIG. 19  is a schematic view of another embodiment showing a mast having three storage tracks below a pivoting track section which can pivot to send descending cars to any one of the three tracks; optionally, a fourth track is shown. 
         FIG. 20  is a schematic view of a group of tracks and switch means for use with the present invention. 
         FIG. 21  is a sectional view taken on the line  21 - 21  of  FIG. 20 , but shown on the mast. 
         FIG. 22  is an enlarged detailed view of the switch means where the cars are switched from the single upper vertical track to one or the other of the lower storage tracks. 
         FIG. 22A  is an end view of the lower track section shown in  FIG. 22 , but shown on the mast. 
         FIG. 22B  is a cross sectional view of one of the lower tracks shown in  FIG. 22 , but shown on the mast. 
         FIG. 22C  is a cross sectional end view of the upper track section shown in  FIG. 22 , but shown on the mast. 
         FIG. 23  is a plan view of a sail car for carrying a batten (not shown) for the sail (not shown). 
         FIG. 23A  is a rear elevational view of sail car shown in  FIG. 23 . 
         FIG. 23B  is a side elevation of sail car of  FIG. 23 . 
         FIG. 24  is a top view of two sail cars joined to form a double or sail tack car. 
         FIG. 24A  is a side elevational view of the car shown in  FIG. 24 . 
         FIG. 24B  is a rear elevational view of the car shown in  FIG. 24 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings in greater detail there is illustrated therein a large sailboat  10  having a mast  12  which supports a battened main sail  14 , having a plurality of battens  11  and a head, tack and clew (comers). 
     The sail  14  is held or engaged to the mast  12  by a plurality of cars  16  which can be attached to the battens (batten cars  16 A) or the sail (sail cars  16 B) which ride up and down the mast  12  along a track  18 . The cars sometimes are referred to as “ 16 A/B,” meaning it could be either a sail or batten car. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2A , present day methods and apparatus only accommodate vertical stacking of sail cars, as the track is aligned along a vertical centerline of a mast. This is not conducive to efficient storage of a very tall sail, such as one rising on a mast 250 or so feet above a boom  17  and having perhaps twelve batt (batten) cars and another forty sail cars thereon. Such tall sail would produce a vertical elevation of about 20 feet of stacked cars upon lowering of the sail. For that matter, boats with masts on the order of 75 to 80 feet could benefit from the present invention. 
     Accordingly, the method and apparatus of the present invention address the problem of stacking of the cars to a height approximately half, say 10 feet or less, of that previously obtained. 
     Turing now to  FIG. 2B  it will be seen that a novel configuration for the track  18  is proposed which will drop the sail  14  in a novel configuration as shown. As better illustrated in  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  9 - 11 , the track  18  is a singe track  18  along the greater upper length of the mast. However, along a lower portion of about 10 feet or so, the track  18  is split into port and starboard sections,  18   a  and  18   b , respectively. As alternating cars  16 A or B are guided to either track section  18 A or  18 B, it will be understood that the excessive height of vertically stacked cars  16 A or B will be approximately halved. It should be understood that the track  18 ,  18 A and  18 B can be assembled, say, from convenient 6 foot lengths  18 D to the desired lengths. 
     It will be seen that some of the methods and apparatus  20  for producing such alternate stacking are illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4  and  9 - 11 . In a first embodiment  20 A, all track sections  18 ,  18 A and  18 B are stationary while in a second embodiment  20 B, a small track section  18 C adjacent and above the track sections  18 A and  18 B is movable, and in this instance, pivotable about pivot point  22 . 
     Turning now to the first embodiment  20 A wherein all track sections are fixed in position, it will first be understood that the mast  12  may be provided with a mounting flat  24  ( FIG. 8 ) along a circumferential or perimeter area  26  ( FIG. 8 ) thereof to which the base  24 A ( FIG. 8 ) of apparatus  20  and/or track  18  is mounted. 
     From  FIGS. 3 and 4  further, it will be seen that the bottom track sections  18 A and  18 B are formed in a “y” or wishbone configuration and have a switch means  21  where alternating cars  16  can follow along the same track section, such as  18 A, while adjacent cars  16  (or  16 A/B) can follow opposite track sections  18 A,  18 B, producing two stacks of cars  16  which will approximately half the height of cars stacked vertically. To accomplish this alternative stacking, a switch means or section  21  is provided with port and starboard guide tracks  21 A and  21 B respectively, which engage respective port or starboard guide pins  40  (see  FIGS. 12A , B and C) formed on or provided on the cars  16 A/B. One way to achieve this is to use screw ended  40 A sort or guide pins means that can be screwed into either the two port or two starboard threaded holes  40 P/ 40 S provided in the inner and mast side of the track car. Other means could be provided and achieve such stacking. For example, magnets (with north (N) and south (S) poles) could be arranged on the track (see N, S in  FIG. 17 ) and cars (see N′, S′ in FIG.  17 —primes indicating magnets on the cars) to attract (S′, N′) or repel (N′, S′), alternatively, if desired, the cars to the desired storage tank. Yet another means would be to use cam means for motioning the cars to appropriate track, be it ascending or descending the track sections, be it the upper section on the mast or the lower storage sections on the mast. Where guide pins are used, the upper edge of each of the port and starboard guide tracks  21 A and  21 B can be provided with entering ramp  40 D ( FIGS. 10 and 11 ) to “rerail” the descending guide pins onto upper end of the guide track. Thus, the two lower stacks of cars  16  produce a lower height, a more manageable stowage of the sail  14 , decreasing the amount of sail  14  exposed to the elements, such as wind. Also, covering of the sail is eased due to the decreased exposed area. 
     Also, as will be better described below when the sail cars  16  are defined, it will be understood that no user input is required to produce the desired stacking of the cars  16  when the sail is being lowered and no user input is required when raising the cars  16  to return them to a single file, centerline configuration, above the switch portion of the track. 
     In this embodiment, also, there are no moving parts required except for the cars  16  moving along the track  18 ,  18 A or  18 B, etc., and the guide pins moving in the guide tracks. 
     It will be understood that with either embodiment  20 , the sail  14  when stowed, flakes or folds in a normal manner as shown in  FIG. 2B . The sail  14  is pulled to one side or the other of track  18  in  FIG. 2B  by the car  16  leading the particular following section of sail  14  to its own side, i.e., toward track  18 A or  18 B, once past switch section  21 , which is either fixed as in the first embodiment  20 A or is pivotable as in the second embodiment  20 B, to be defined further hereinbelow. The embodiments shown in  FIGS. 3 to 9  are and operate similar to a “frog” of a railroad switch. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , an enlargement of the section similar to that of  FIG. 3  is shown, and has optional wing guides  50  to help guide by inner car facing surface  52  with the sides of the cars  16  through the switch section  21  of apparatus  20  of the present invention. In other respects, this is similar to the structure shown in  FIG. 4 . These wing guides  50 , like track sections  18 ,  18 A,  18 B, etc., can be secured to the base  24 A and/or mast  12 , by a plurality of fasteners, such as screws or rivets, etc.  54 . 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , there is illustrated therein the second embodiment  20 B wherein the switch section  21 , in the form of a movable portion  18 C of the track  18  is pivotable about a pivot point  22  to feed cars  16  to one or the other of bottom or lower track sections  18 A and  18 B, the switch section  18 C having a neutral position as shown in  FIG. 11 . To help maintain alignment, the lower end  18 D of the pivoting sections can slide under the cut-away lip  18 E formed on the upper end of the lower sections. 
     Pivoting of the switch section  18   c  to one side or the other is accomplished through use of cars  16  which include a guide pin  40  thereon cooperating with port and starboard guide tracks, to be described below; with the guide pin  40  and guide tracks also functioning in a similar manner as in the first embodiment  20 A. 
     While the guide pins and guide track will guide descending cars and move the pivot track, upon ascending a different means is used. For ascending a cam mechanism can be used (see  FIG. 19 ). That is, the pivoting track  18 C at its lower end is fitted with a cam arm which is engaged by the ascending car&#39;s side to move the pivoting track section  18 C in alignment to accept the ascending car. 
     While a pivoting track section is shown that pivots at the top, it would be within the scope of the present invention to provide a pivoting track section that pivots at the bottom thereof. Likewise, a movable track section could have a motion other than pivoting. For example, this movable track could slide so that first one section of storage track was aligned with one upper most section of track, then another section of storage track was aligned with the upper most section of the track, with the cars appropriately ascending or descending the upper track sections to or from the lower storage track sections during raising or furling the sail. 
     Not only can the sail be furled, it can also be reefed to expose less than its full sail area when sailing. During reefing, the desired number of cars (and sail) are stacked on the storage tracks and then the sail is held down with reefing lines at the reef points in the sail. This same operation also holds the stored (reefed cars) tightly downward. 
     Perusing  FIGS. 12A and 12B  and  12 C, the novel configuration of one car  16  used with both the embodiments  20 A and  20 B, it will be seen that the car has an opening  59  ( FIG. 12B ) to receive one of tracks  18 ,  18 A,  18 B, etc. On car  16  the sorting, sort or guide pin  40  is placed on a leading or forward edge  42  of each car  16  to one side of center. Here, two openings  40 S and  40 P, preferably threaded, are provided in each the leading and trailing edges  42  within one of which the pin  40  is secured, such as by screw threading as shown best in  FIG. 12B . It should be understood that when the sail is raised, the leading and trailing edges  42  are reverse from that when the sail is lowered. 
     Such pin or pins  40  when placed to the right (relative to  FIG. 12B ) will engage a starboard groove or guide track  21 B in the track section  18 , and will be guided onto the starboard track section  18 B, having a continuation of the starboard guide track or groove  21 B therein. 
     Alternatively, when the pin or pins  40  is to the left (in  FIG. 12B ) it engages in a port guide track or groove in track section  18  and is guided into a continuation of the port groove or guide track groove onto port track section  18 A. Thus, it will be understood that pins  40  are placed toward opposite sides on adjacent cars  16  to produce right, left, right, left, or port, starboard, port, etc. stowage of the cars on the track sections  18 B and  18 A, respectively. Preferably, each car has two pins  40 , one at or adjacent each of its leading and trailing edges  42 . 
     Turning back to  FIGS. 5 through 8 , it will be understood that the cars  16  ride along the various track sections in guided position due to engagement of pins  40  within either guide track as provided on an anterior (outside) port or starboard, interior (mast side) face  60  of car  16 . The removable pin  61  is provided to receive a sail or batten attachment. 
     Further, it will be understood from perusal of  FIGS. 13A ,  13 B and  13 C that various sail accessories can also be mounted on the cars  16 . To this end, each car has the track opening  59  for receiving track  18 ,  18 A,  18 B, etc. As examples, a batten attachment  62  is illustrated as engaged to a car  16  in  FIG. 13A ; a headboard  64  for a sail  14  is illustrated as engaged to a car  16  in  FIG. 13B , in this instance: a vertical double car and a bridge structure  66  is illustrated as engaged to double cars  16  in  FIG. 13C . 
     When this system is used with the storage tracks off of the centerline of the mast, there may be some sail nonsymmetry adjacent the boom due to one or two of the cars and adjacent sail luff of the sail being off centerline, but such is not sufficient to seriously effect sail performance and/or efficiency. 
     If symmetry is essential, such as in a high performance racing sailboat, some additional changes are made. To maintain sail symmetry, the bottom track cars that will be in the raised position but will be below the switch, say two or three cars  16 , adjacent the boom  17  may be mounted along a centerline of the mast  12  rather than being fed onto side tracks  18 A or  18 B so that the sail  14  is symmetrical when filled with air when hoisted and on either a port or starboard track. 
     Various means can attain this goal, and the illustrative embodiments of  FIGS. 14 ,  15 ,  16  and  17  are only to be considered as exemplary and not construed as limiting. 
     In  FIG. 14 , it is proposed to provide a special car  80  which will ride down inner sides  81  and  82  of the tracks  18 A and  18 B, to be positioned therebetween so the cars  16  carry the sail  14  along the centerline of the mast  12 . Alternatively, the car  80  could be constructed to fully engage both sails or tracks  18 A and  18 B, somewhat in the manner like shown in  FIG. 16 , that is, have two openings  59  at the necessary spacing of tracks  18 A and B. 
     Alternatively, in  FIG. 15 , a center track  18 D may be provided between tracks  18 A and  18 B onto which the lower cars  16  can be permanently mounted, with higher cars then being guided on the side tracks  18 A and  18 B. 
     Further, in  FIG. 16 , a horizontal bridge  90  can be provided between two parallel cars  16  on side tracks  18 A and  18 B, with the sail  14  engaging the center of the bridge  90 , rather than the cars  16  to maintain a centerline position. 
     Yet another alternative shown in  FIG. 17  is to have one or the two lower tracks on the mast centerline, with the other storage track on either side to the port or starboard. 
     In  FIG. 18  is shown cam means for causing ascending cars to cause the upward motion of the car, to pivot the pivotal section of track into alignment to receive the reversing car. To this end, the cam means is in the form of a wing  56  extending from each side of the pivoting track section  18 C that can be engaged by the reversing car on either storage track. Each of the wings has appropriate cutouts  58  to permit the car to pass from the lower section  18 A or  18 B up onto the upper portion of the track on the mast as the sail is raised. 
     In  FIG. 19 , a version of the present invention is shown which has three storage tracks  18 A,  18 B and  18 E, with track  18 E being on the centerline with the upper portion of the track  18 . In this version, a pivoting section  18 C can be moved or pivoted to engage or align with any of the track sections  18 A,  18 B and  18 E. As shown, track  18 A is to port and track  18 B as to starboard of the center storage track  18 E. This arrangement has the advantage of reducing the height to ⅓ of that without the invention, but yet keep the cars closest to the boom on the centerline of the mast. This arrangement would be useful in a large high performance sailboat. 
     Referring to  FIG. 20 , a collection  100  of a plurality track rails  102 , (say 6 feet in length) gap track rail  104 , gate track rail  106  and two storage track rails  108  are shown. The gate track rail  106  contains conventional means (now shown) for setting cars, batten cars or sail cars, onto and off of the track. The track sails  102  extend up the mast from above the boom to essentially its top, indicated at  100 . A stop  112 , optionally, may be provided at the top, or the tracks  102  arranged to terminate at its top close to the halyard sheeve to prevent an over hoist of the cars off of the track. 
     The bottom ends of the tracks have openings (not shown) to receive alignment pins  116 , to align successive sections. The gap track rail  104  is provided should such a short section of track be needed to complete a layout on a mast. As can be appreciated these rails are fastened on otherwise secured to the mast  120  (see  FIG. 21 ). 
       FIGS. 20 and 22  show the switch means  130  which has the alignment pin at the top for the single upper section rail and cooperating alignment openings (not shown) at the bottom to receive the alignment pins  116  of the, in this instance, two storage tracks rail  108 . Again stops  112  may be provided at the bottom of the storage tracks  108 . If need be additional storage track rails could be provided to extend the length and car capacity of the storage tracks. 
       FIGS. 22A ,  22 B and  22 C show how the switch means  130  can be mounted to the mast  120 . It should be understood that the track  102 ,  104 ,  108  or switch means  130  can be secured to the mast  120  by any fastener means, such as screws, bolts, and even welding or integrally formed or machined there in or on. 
     A batten car  140  is shown in  FIG. 23 , and it can ride on track  102 ,  106 ,  108  and pass through the switch means  130  or be sorted on to one of the storage tracks  108 . As shown in  FIG. 23  the batten car has a body  142  which has a recess  144  to closely receive the track rail, in this instance, rail  102  is shown. The body  142  has two extending bolsters  146  which mount a doubly pivoting pin  150  which can carry a swivelable batten (not shown). The pin  150  can pivot about the pin  152  mounted to the sub body  154 . The sub body  154 , in turn can pivot on the bolt  156 , the bolt being held in place in openings in the bolsters  146  by a nut  158 . For ease of operation, the recess  144  can be fitted with an internal slider bearing surface  158 . The necessary sorting or guide pins  160  can be appropriately installed to sort the car to the port or starboard, as desired. The guide pins  160  fit into threaded opening  162  in the body  142 . As apparent, the body can be flipped over to provide appropriate openings  162  on the desired port or starboard side. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 24 ,  24 A and  24 B, a double car or tack car  170  is shown in  FIG. 24  installed on two storage tracks  108  mounted on the mast  120 . It should be understood that these tack cars stay in the double track and mount the sail, whether with or without a batten in the locations below the switch means  130  and the boom of the sail boat. 
     Preferably, the car  170  is formed with two identical bodies  142 . Through not used, as they never leave the double sail storage tracks, the sorting pins  160  are shown but they are non functional. Note these pins  160  could be omitted or removed. Being made from bodies  142  they have similar recesses  144  and slider bearings  158  as the car shown in  FIG. 23 . A central member  174  is mounted to the two bodies  142 . This central member  175  has a pair of spaced apart plates or webs  176  with openings there in to receive the two bolts  156 . The two bolts  156  secure the central member&#39;s two webs  176  with nuts  158 . The central member also includes a center spacer  178  between the webs  176  with an opening there in to which can be secured the sail or batten for use with and to secure the luff of the sail. 
     While two and three storage track switch arrangements have been shown even four or more could be used(such as the fourth track  18 F in  FIG. 19 ). 
     The three track arrangement has the advantage of further reducing the stack height from over 20 feet for a single track, to 10 feet with a double track, to less than 7 feet with a triple track, to about five feet with quadruple track ( 18 A,  18 B,  18 E and  18 F in  FIG. 19 ) arrangement. While the invention has been described for a sailboat with a mast of about 250 feet tall, it is also useful with smaller boats, say where the mast height is 60 feet or greater and would reduce stacked height of the furled main or other sail. This invention would enable shorter persons to more easily reach the headboard and halyard of a lowered sail. While the invention has been disclosed in connection with a main sail, it could be used for other type sails. 
     As described above, the method and apparatus of the present invention provide a number of advantages, some of which have been described above and other of which are inherent in the invention. Also modifications may be proposed to the teachings herein without departing from the scope of the invention.