Coupling and decoupling method and device for in-boom furling boom sails

The invention relates to a method for automatically coupling and decoupling the luff of a battened mainsail and stackable luff holders as the connecting link between the sail luff and mast guiding slides, thereby allowing the now free sail luff to be reefed up by means of an in-boom furling boom and allowing the battened mainsail to be hoisted and reefed by means of mast guiding slides.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an automated coupling and decoupling method between the luff of a sail and mast guiding slides when hoisting and furling a battened mainsail, and a device for performing this method.

In-boom roller furling systems of greatly varying constructions wind the foot of a sail over an approximately horizontally rotatable winding mandrel for reefing in the case of strong wind and thus reduce the sail area to an amount supportable by the ship or roll it away entirely for furling.

The advantage of boom roller furling systems in relation to other systems is that through-battened mainsails having advantageous leech presentation may be used having almost equally good position and performance as in the case of sails having a traditional jiffy reef.

In the case of regatta participants, where performance is important, typically only sails having jiffy reef come into consideration at all, whose approximately horizontal continuous sail battens may be hoisted and/or furled using smooth-running running slides guided on the rear edge of the mast. For reefing, the lower part of the sail is pulled down in folds and bound to the boom using chords, which are typically attached to the sail, by a strong regatta crew. For a small crew, who wants to sail safely and efficiently, only an in-boom furling system comes into consideration because of the better sail position, in spite of its flaws, properties, and known problems.

The main problem is the luff of the sail and its connection to the mast. It is to let the sail run up and down in a smooth-running manner and the luff is to be able to be wound over the winding mandrel jointly with the sail.

Currently, a luff tape made of fabric plastic having correspondingly smaller terminal diameter, in order to be windable, is selected, which is longitudinally displaceable within a special small mast groove, but cannot slip through it.

The winding diameter of the coiled luff tape cannot significantly exceed the diameter of the sailcloth bale, including profile reinforcements, when reefing and furling, because both must be wound on the same mandrel as free of wrinkles as possible. So as not to be entirely filigree in construction, the luff tape is often sewn along its length of the sail in a slightly wavy form, so that the luff winding occurs not only one on top of another, but rather more widely one next to another, with the disadvantage of greater friction in the mast groove, which runs linearly and accordingly warps the sail.

In order to connect the advantageous sail guiding along a tall mast to smooth-running running slides of a battened mainsail as for a jiffy reef, for example, and the operating advantages of an in-boom furling system, the following solution is proposed according to the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The goal of the invention was to provide an automatic coupling and decoupling system of the sail luff, which allows a preferred battened mainsail in suitable shape and quality, which is hardly restricted in height, having continuous sail battens parallel to the foot in a suitable number, on the one hand, to be hoisted or reefed along the mast in a typical way using smooth-running mast guiding slides behind a mast in a suitable running track and, on the other hand, to advantageously hoist and furl the sail through a coupling method according to the invention via a device using the luff, which is then released, advantageously using an easily operable roller furling boom.

Because setting and furling sail always occurs in the direction against the wind, the roller furling boom always occupies the location behind the mast, so that this position is decisive for the overall function.

In the mast-side attachment of the sail, a luff holder implemented according to the invention, made of hard aluminum and/or stainless steel, is preferably located in front of each sail batten, which is in turn mounted so it is horizontally pivotable on a suitable mast guiding slide (mast roller), so that pivoting outward of the sail to both sides is provided. The luff holder allows a disconnection of the luff of the battened mainsail from the components of the mast-side guiding path just before it is wound onto the winding mandrel of the roller furling boom. The sail can thus be rolled up in its entirety unobstructed, while in contrast the guide path elements, i.e., luff holders and mast guiding slides, remain stacked closely on one another at the end of the mast guiding path. The luff holders are concealed in a stacking magazine for protection against contact, which is fastened on the roller furling boom on the mast side and in which all switching functions of the coupling and decoupling occur in mutual cooperation. The energy required for this purpose is taken from the upward and downward movement of the sail.

Upon further hoisting of the sail, each sail batten which was wound up picks up its associated mast guiding slide again using the luff holder according to the invention and thus again produces an inseparable connection along the mast. If needed, in a similar way, an additional luff holder having mast guiding slides can be placed between the battens.

The coupling and decoupling of the sail/mast guiding slide connection occurs according to the invention through a forced function of the luff holder, which does not permit any incorrect switching in the functional sequences due to its mechanical construction and thus operates reliably.

The luff of the battened mainsail does not have a sewn-in round luff cord as is typical, but rather a high-strength thin luff belt according to the invention, in which button rivets formed for docking the luff holder are each preferably riveted in fixedly in front of the sail battens, which produce a positive permanent connection on all sides enclosed by the lever closure of the luff holder.

Each luff holder according to the invention comprises a molded base plate having a fixed jaw protruding approximately perpendicularly, which has a corresponding conical recess to receive the button rivets of the belt as the sail luff. A molded closure jaw is located parallel to the fixed jaw and spaced apart from the luff belt to be clamped, whose opening rotational axis is received in a bearing bush, which is fixedly connected to the base plate.

The opening geometry of the closure jaw in the form of a higher point of rotation allows a free passage of the luff belt from top to bottom when reefing. Vice versa, the easy-closing spring-loaded jaw capture an unrolled incoming button rivet using their leading detent arms, center it, and enclose it in the fixing depressions, so that upon hoisting of the sail, the connection closure (luff holder) is carried upward along the mast together with its coupled mast guiding slide.

Before each coupled luff holder leaves the stacking magazine, mechanical forced locking of the two clamping jaws is performed by lever contact, so that all slides going up the mast are inseparably coupled to the sail. This coupling is first disengaged when the first luff holder arrives at the base of the stacking magazine upon furling or when a further luff holder is placed in the final position on the prior one. I. e., the coupling and decoupling procedures occur exclusively within the stacking magazine immediately before and after the sail is wound up. However high the sail is hoisted, it is always attached fixedly and non-positively.

The components of the luff holder are implemented in order to be closely stackable so that they spatially interlock vertically in one another using their functional elements and may thus acquire their multifunction. Thus, upon furling of the sail, the luff holder running into the prior luff holder from above opens its forced locking of the closure jaws in each case, which then releases the fixed luff holder of the sail for rolling up. Simultaneously, however, a spacer finger protruding downward from the upper base plate is pushed into the lower luff holder, which entirely raises and disengages the already unlocked, slightly spring-loaded closure jaws there against the spring force.

All of the other luff holders located underneath in the case of furled, i.e., rolled-up sail, thus each have an entirely raised closure jaw in the stacking magazine, which are each raised by the upper spacer finger and covered thereby in such a manner that they all remain in the stack outside the range of the button rivets of the luff holder and these rivets may pass freely during the up or down movement.

The closure jaw of the particular uppermost luff holder, in contrast, is not raised because the next one located above is missing, and therefore presses against the luff belt with light spring force. If the luff belt is unrolled and drawn upward when shaking out the sail and when setting sail, each arriving button rivet only takes along the particular uppermost luff holder, locks it upon exit from the stacking magazine to form a fixed connection using an eccentric lever of the forced locking unit pivoted beyond dead center and runs up the mast guided by the mast guiding slide. When furling the sail, the individual functional steps run in reverse, up to the unlocking moment of the forced locking unit, which occurs in each case entirely at the path end before running into the stack height in the stacking magazine.

All luff holders run into the stacking magazine conducted by the guiding slides. The first, which has arrived lowermost on the magazine floor here, opens the closure jaw by pivoting the protruding control lever of the forced locking unit by running into the stop of the stacking magazine, so that the now released sail can be rolled away and the next incoming luff holder runs into the first. Through the mutual running into the particular one below, firstly the closure jaw therein is disengaged by the spacer finger and the forced locking unit of the oncoming luff holder is opened by adapted lever contact with the lower slightly later in the same stroke, whereby the luff is finally released as a whole and the sail as a whole can be rolled up until the headboard of the sail has been drawn to the stacking magazine.

The above description outlines the more important features of the present disclosure rather broadly, so that the more detailed description which follows contains additional features of the disclosure and is thus better understandable.

The embodiments of the disclosure are not restricted to the details of the design situated in the following description and in the detail drawings. Other embodiments may be practiced in the scope of the invention and implemented in various ways. In addition, it is obvious that the phraseology and terminology used is only employed for description and not as a restriction.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in greater detail hereafter on the basis of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1shows a ship13, on which a mast5stands, on which a roller furling boom8is mounted so it is pivotable to all sides using a gooseneck9and is held in position in a typical manner using a boom support10and a main sheet11.

Furthermore, a battened mainsail1is shown, which has been raised and/or hoisted entirely on the mast5using a main halyard7on a headboard6.

The battened mainsail1is uncoiled for this purpose from a winding mandrel12(shown by dot-dash lines as a center line) of a roller furling boom8. The sail battens2are all situated in a suitable number parallel to the winding mandrel12and are thus windable over it.

The luff14of the sail1must also be windable in such a way that its growing cross-sectional coil diameter always remains equal to that of the sail1including its sail battens2, which is performed according to the invention using a suitable belt strap as the luff belt15.

The force transmission from the sail1to the mast5advantageously occurs in each case in front of the sail battens2via a luff holder16according to the invention, which is guided on a mast guiding slide3along the mast guiding path4and allows smooth-running hoisting and furling of even a large sail, above all a tall sail.

Dimensionally-rigid connecting links17made of suitable material are required between the luff holders16and the possibly commercially-available guiding slides3, which allow mechanical adaptation to dimensional differences and ensure a parallel guide along the guide rail4and allow linked horizontal pivoting of the luff holders16to both sides, as required by the use of the sail1. The pivot rotation points35of the luff holders16must lie above that of the gooseneck9for this purpose in the longitudinal direction of the mast.

The reefing and furling of the sail1is performed by rolling it up on the winding mandrel12of the roller furling boom8, the luff holder16located at least in front of each sail batten2arriving in the stacking magazine18, which is located above the gooseneck9, fastened on the roller furling boom8.

Coming to the base of the stacking magazine18, the first luff holder16mechanically unlocks using its forced locking unit26(inFIG. 2) and releases the luff belt15to be rolled up, the unlocked luff holder16remaining in the stacking magazine18. The connection link17, which is attached so it is horizontally pivotable, and which represents the mechanical connection to the mast guiding slide3, remains attached to the mast guiding path4on the mast side.

All luff holders16are stackable in their structure and partially perform their coupling function with the aid of stops of the stacking magazine18, all switching functions occurring within the protection and the guide of this magazine body.

The view of a luff holder16according to the invention is shown inFIG. 2, coupled to a luff belt15according to the invention of a sail1having a riveted-in button rivet19(inFIGS. 3 and 5) in front of a sail batten2(shown by dot-dash lines).

A possible mast guiding path4having a smooth-running mast guiding slide3, from which a dimensionally-rigid connection link17extends to the laterally pivotable base plate20in an adapted manner, is shown by dot-dash lines. The contour of the fixed jaw21can be seen, in the foreground the closure jaw22having the leading detent arms27having their bearing bush23and the spacer finger25protruding downward from the base plate20, furthermore the rotational axis of the forced locking unit26running approximately parallel to the bearing bush23, which keeps the closure jaw22permanently locked in the closed state outside the stacking magazine18(inFIG. 1).

FIG. 3is the side view ofFIG. 2of the luff holder16from the side of the sail1according to the invention. The mechanical structure can be seen, comprising a base plate20having a fixed jaw21protruding approximately perpendicularly and a molded closure jaw22, which is linked in relation to the fixed jaw21in such a manner that the opening of the two occurs with the movement of the luff belt15running downward and the release of the button rivets19occurs by the free pivoting out over the lateral and higher-lying bearing bush23, which runs in the horizontal approximately parallel to the luff belt15and is fastened on the base plate20.

Both the fixed jaw21and also the closure jaw22have an exposed conical recess24provided in the clamping jaws in the closed state with appropriate clamping pressure on the luff belt15, the recess enclosing the incoming button rivets19positively therein and thus an unshakable coupling resulting.

Furthermore, the mechanism and function of the forced locking unit26in the closed locked position can be seen, which comprises an eccentric axis29running in a bearing bush28, which is pivoted using the attached switching lever30(inFIG. 2) into the locked position30aand, using the attached contact pressure cog31(inFIG. 2) on the eccentric arm, pivots the eccentric axis29via its dead center into the locked position31a, and locks the closure jaw22to clamp the luff belt15. In order to be able to set the pressure on the luff belt15to various makes of the luff belt, the forced locking unit26is linked as a complete component via the fastening bolts having nuts32(inFIGS. 2 and 4) and can be moved toward the closure jaw22using the adjustment screw33, which can be countered, and is thus re-adjustable.

The unlocking of the closure jaw22can only be performed when a luff holder16runs into the one located underneath in the stacking magazine18(inFIG. 1), so that upon the approach, the switching lever30(inFIG. 2) located in the locked position30areceives contact with the switching link36located underneath and the unlocking procedure is completed shortly before reaching the stack height and the unlocked position30bof the switching lever30(inFIG. 2) and the contact pressure cog31(inFIG. 2) is in the unlocked position31b.

Furthermore, the spacer finger25protruding downward is shown, as it engages in a luff holder16(shown by dot-dash lines) located underneath in the stack and entirely raises the previously unlocked closure jaw22, so that a button rivet19incoming from below or protruding downward does not find an engagement point and can pass freely, as well as in the case of all luff holders16located underneath in the stack.

Every button rivet19coming upward upon unrolling thus passes all luff holders16located in the stacking magazine18(inFIG. 1) unobstructed and catches in the leading centering detent arms27of the easy-closing spring-loaded closure jaw22of the particular uppermost luff holder16, whose contact pressure cog31(inFIG. 2) is in the unlocked position31band takes it along on its route up the mast5(inFIG. 1).

FIG. 4shows the top view of a luff holder16according to the invention in the closed state having coupled sail1(shown by dot-dash lines) behind a typical mast5having a mast guiding path4, a mast guiding slide3, and a connection link17(shown by dot-dash lines) adapted to the mutual connection dimensions.

Possible shaping of the base plate20, the pivot rotation point35, around which the luff holder16is mounted so it is pivotable horizontally on both sides, which is positioned aligned with the sail1and as close as possible to its luff14, are shown. The closure jaw22, which closes approximately parallel to the fixed jaw21, having its bearing bush23, which also runs parallel, and which is fastened on the base plate20, are shown. Furthermore, the switching link36can be seen as the external contour of the base plate20, on which the forced locking unit26of a luff holder16running into it from above unlocks.

The forced locking unit26(partially shown by dot-dash lines) is located below the base plate20, whose bearing bush28(inFIG. 3), which also runs approximately parallel, is fixed by the fastening bolts having nuts32, which can be guided toward the closure jaw22using the adjustment screw33, which can be countered and is offset laterally and by 90°, in order to set the closing pressure of the contact pressure cog31(inFIG. 2) in the locked position31a.

The opening moment of the forced locking26is determined by the shape and position of the switching lever30(inFIG. 2), which, shortly before the upper luff holder16runs into the lower, pivots the eccentric axis29by contact with the switching link36of the lower enough that the contact pressure cog31(inFIG. 2), which is brought into the unlocked position31b(inFIG. 3) via the dead center, opens the closure jaw22enough that the enclosed button rivet19of the luff belt15can slide out of the exposed conical recess24(inFIG. 2) of the jaws21and22and releases the sail1to be rolled in.

The moment of the locking of the fixed jaw21using the closure jaw22, which is pressed against it by light spring force, when setting the sail1occurs exclusively upon exiting of the luff holders16, which are acquired by the button rivets19and raised, from the stacking magazine18(inFIG. 1) through an exit baffle37on its upper end, which pivots the switching lever30(inFIG. 2) from the unlocked position30b(inFIG. 3) of the forced locking26downward into the locked position31aand thus moves the contact pressure cog31(inFIG. 2) of the eccentric axis29from the unlocked position31b(inFIG. 3) in front of the dead center into the locked position31avia the dead center and thus positively confines all button rivets19(inFIG. 3) of the sail1between the jaws21and22in their exposed conical recess24(inFIG. 3).

FIG. 5shows the cross-section of a lathed button rivet19riveted into the luff belt15of the sail1(inFIG. 1), preferably made of aluminum or stainless steel, which has a conical outer contour38like a truncated cone adapted to its exposed recess in the area of the fixed jaw21, which can be positively fixed in the conical recess24(inFIG. 3) in the case of sustained clamping pressure, but can slide out of it without clamping pressure.

An approximately mirror-inverted conical lathed area39is provided to transmit the contact pressure in the area of the closure jaw22, but toward the outer end it becomes a detent groove having a rounded outer shoulder40, using which the button rivet19can slide from the closure jaw22lightly pressing against it upon hoisting into its conical recess24(inFIG. 3) and can be securely captured.