WO1996011135A1

WO1996011135A1 - Rigging for a sailing craft

Info

Publication number: WO1996011135A1
Application number: PCT/FR1995/000657
Authority: WO
Inventors: Arnaud Ballu
Original assignee: Arnaud Ballu
Priority date: 1994-10-07
Filing date: 1995-05-19
Publication date: 1996-04-18
Also published as: AU2619895A; FR2725418A1; FR2725418B1

Abstract

Rigging, in particular for a sailing boat or sailboard, including a wing-shaped sail assembly divided into identically shaped first (12) and second (13) sails that may be joined together at the leading edge by means of quick fastening members (40) arranged along the mast (2). Battens (14, 15) for shaping the sails (12, 13) comprise mutually engageable front ends (46, 47) for absorbing the mechanical stress exerted on the quick fastening members (40). Compressing (19, 20) and pulling (21) stays engage the battens (14, 15) to hold the sails (12, 13) at a predetermined spacing.

Description

RIGGING FOR A VELIC PROPULSION MACHINE.

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to a rigging for a wind-powered machine, in particular a boat or a windsurfing board, comprising:

- a vertical mast,

- a wishboπe restraint connected to a listening point,

- a wing-shaped sail passing around the front part of the mast, and subdivided into a first sail extending between the mast and a first trailing edge, and a second sail extending between the mast and a second edge leak,

- Sails shaping slats, extending parallel to each other in a direction perpendicular to the mast, - and a series of transverse spacers bearing on the slats to maintain a predetermined gap between the two sails.

State of the art.

It is well known to make sails for a sailing boat with an aerodynamic profile in the shape of an airplane wing. The rigging constitutes a thick profile sail, formed by a more or less rigid central frame including spacers and two sails applied on either side of the central frame. These two sails respectively constitute the lower surface and the upper surface of the thick profile sail, and depending on the tack (on the port or starboard side where the wind comes from), the profile can deform to always form a lower surface and an upper surface on the right side. The known rigs have a great complexity of assembly and have a relatively large weight with a cost of very high workmanship. The assembly and disassembly of these known rigs is not easy, and the folding operation is made difficult, if not impossible.

Summary of the invention.

The object of the invention is to produce a thick profile rig that can be easily assembled, disassembled, and folded and having a reduced manufacturing cost.

The rigging according to the invention is characterized in that the first sail and the second sail have flexible identical parts capable of being joined to each other at the leading edge by quick fixing means arranged on along the mast.

The mounting of the rigging is facilitated by the opening of the quick fixing means making it possible to insert the mast in the non-bent state. It is not necessary to provide a mast retaining sleeve, the latter being mounted semi-floating inside the U of the wing.

According to a characteristic of the invention, each slat associated with the second sail is equipped at the front end with a first end piece intended to cooperate with a second complementary end piece located on the corresponding corresponding batten of the first sail, the interlocking of the two end pieces being operated under the sails when the rapid fixing means are installed, by inducing around the mast a perfectly defined leading edge profile.

The presence of the end pieces in the nesting position makes it possible to withstand the mechanical stresses exerted on the sails at the level of the rapid fixing means, and to precisely conform the leading edge of the airfoil.

The means for quick attachment of the two sails can be constituted by a zipper, or by complementary fastening strips.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the transverse spacers comprise compression spacers located in the vicinity of the mast, and traction spacers disposed between the compression spacers and the trailing edges. Description of the drawings.

Other advantages and characteristics will emerge more clearly from the description which follows of an embodiment of the invention, given by way of nonlimiting example, and represented in the appended drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is a side view of the rigging according to the present invention, applied by way of example to a windsurfing board;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along line l-l of FIG. 1, the rigging being positioned in a first configuration,

- Figure 3 shows a view identical to that of Figure 2, the rigging being shown in a second configuration;

- Figures 4 and 5 show the stages of mounting the rigging according to the invention, the first camber link not being shown; - Figure 6 is an enlarged view of an embodiment detail of Figure 5;

- Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale along the line II-II of Figure 1.

Detailed description of the invention.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, a windsurfing rigging 1 comprises a mast 2, an airfoil 3, and a wishbone 4. The vertical mast 2 and the wishbone 4 can be of a conventional construction and will not be described in detail. thereafter. The proximal end 5 of the wishbone is connected to the mast 2 in an intermediate part of the latter. The distal end 6 of the wishbone 4 is connected to a listening point 7 of the airfoil 3.

The wing 3 is made from a fabric or a plastic film and comprises two sails situated respectively on the port side and on the starboard side. The first sail 12 extends between the trailing edge 10 and the mast 2, and the second sail 13 extends between the trailing edge 11 and the mast 2. The passage of the airfoil 3 around the front part of the mast 2 forms the leading edge.

The airfoil 3 comprises a first set of slats 14 constituted by several slats substantially parallel to each other, each slat extending in a gusset from the mast 2 to the vicinity of the trailing edge 10 of the sail 12. A second set of slats 15 is planned at the second sail 13. Each batten comes out of its gusset in the vicinity of the mast 2, and it is retained in the gusset in the vicinity of the trailing edge 10 or 11 using a retaining means 16 or 17.

The slats 14, 15 undergo a compressive force resulting from the action of stretching the retaining means 16, 17. The sail 12 or 13 is then subjected to a tension force in a direction substantially perpendicular to the mast 2. The wing 3 is additionally provided with a plurality of spacers 19, 20, 21 serving to maintain a certain distance between the two webs 12 and 13.

The wing 3 is equipped with cambering means having a first link 22 stretched between a point 24 of the mast 2 and a first mooring element 50, which is linked to a point close to the trailing edge 10 of the sail 12 and to a point next to the trailing edge 11 of the sail 13. The first mooring element 50 comprises a first mad pulley 25, the axis of which is connected to the end of the first link 22, and a second link 26 connected to the neighboring points trailing edges 10, 11 passing around the pulley 25.

The tensioning of the link 22 causes a compression effect within the airfoil 3, with a forced approximation between the area of the trailing edge of the airfoil 3 and the mast 2, and a bending action of each of the slats 14 and 15 due to the presence of the spacers 19, 20, 21. In FIG. 2, the relatively significant deflection of the slats 14 located on the first sail 12 generates a convex curvature of this sail 12, while the less significant deflection of the slats 15 located on the second veil 13 forms a concave curvature.

The deformation of the slats 14, 15 results from the different lengths of the spacers 19, 20, 21, the shape of the outer envelope of the airfoil 3 being comparable to an airplane wing.

The rigging according to figure 1 is provided with seven sets of slats 14A-15A, 14B-15B, 14C-15C, 14D-15D, 14E-15E, 14F-15F and 14G-15G staggered at regular intervals in the height direction of the airfoil 3. The first set of slats 14A-15A is located near the base of the mast 2 and the last set of slats 14 G-15G is located near the top of the mast. The sets of intermediate slats 14C-15C, 14D-15D, 14E-15E and 14F-15F, are associated with camber means comprising a link 22, while the two sets lower 14A-15A and 14B-15B have three spacers, but are devoid of camber links 22. Each set of slats, for example 14E-15E, corresponds to a series of three spacers 19E, 20E, 21 E.

The first spacer 19 is disposed in the vicinity of the mast 2, for example about 20cm from the mast 2. The second batten 20 is preferably disposed at about 30% of the distance separating the mast 2 from the trailing edges 10 or 11. Both spacers 19 and 20 work in compression, and the spacer 21 works in traction.

Depending on the direction and the force of the wind, the airfoil 3 makes it possible to transform its configuration by passing from a first profile operating on a port tack (direction V1, FIG. 2), to a second profile having mirror symmetry with respect to to the first profile, and making it possible to operate on a starboard tack (direction V2, FIG. 3).

The change in configuration of the airfoil 3 can be obtained by the appropriate manipulation of the wishbone 4, or using the mooring elements 50 allowing the continuous tension of the camber links 22 to be released slightly or completely.

The fact of shortening the link 22 makes the blade 3 stiffer, requiring significant force for the transformation from one configuration to another. The shortening of the length of the link 22 also results in a general modification of the profile of the wing, the upper surface 12 becoming more rounded, and the lower surface 13 more hollow.

From the same wing 3, it is also possible to modify the profile by changing the sets of spacers 19, 20, 21 or by modifying their length.

In FIGS. 4 to 6, the first sail 12 and the second sail 13 have identical shapes, connected at the level of the leading edge by a slide fastener 40, extending over almost the entire length of the mast 2. The rigging assembly is facilitated by opening the zipper 40, then inserting the non-bent mast 2 substantially in its normal position, then closing the zipper 40 (Figure 5).

A first male end piece 46 is mounted at the front end of the slat 15, and a second complementary female end piece 47 is fixed to the end of the batten 14. The male end piece 46 comprises a tenon 49 (FIG. 6) capable of penetrating into a conjugate housing of the female end piece 47. When the zipper 40 is closed, the connection and setting under tension of the sails 12 and 13 causes the two nipples 46, 47 to fit automatically under the sails, by inducing a perfectly defined leading edge profile.

The compression spacer 19 is permanently connected at one of its ends to one of the slats, for example the slat 14, while the opposite end is removably nestable in a suitable retaining element 43 formed on the other batten 15. When mounting the rigging, one begins by threading an arm between the two webs 12 and 13 in the open position of the slide fastener 40, so as to fit the spacer 19 onto the retaining element 43 correspondent. This is done for each pair of slats of all levels. The zipper 40 is then closed, which simultaneously causes the stretching of all the slats, and the installation of the mast 2, which remains freely rectilinear. Then, we put on the wishbone (not shown), then we fix the front of the wishbone on the mast and the rear of the wishbone on the listening points of the two sails 12 and 13. The stretching of the listening point causes then a bending of the mast. The traction spacer 21 can be of adjustable length, and it can be detachable to make the two webs 12 and 13 completely separable from each other.

The film constituting the sails 12 and 13 is not under stress, and the presence of the zipper 40 avoids the use of a sheath for the passage of the mast 2. When the zipper 40 is active, the mast 2 is mounted semi-floating inside the U of the airfoil (Figure 5).

If the wing falls into the water, it immediately empties by gravity at the start of the bearing race during which it leaves the horizontal plane.

The function of the end pieces 46, 47 is multiple, and essentially consists in: collecting in the nesting position the mechanical forces exerted on the slide fastener 40;

- serve as stops for the slats 14, 15 authorizing the tensioning of the wing 3; - conform the leading edge by choosing the radius of curvature compared to the diameter of the mast 2.

It is clear that the zipper 40 serving as a connection to the two webs 12, 13 of identical structures can be replaced by any other quick fixing means, in particular fastening strips or clips.

With reference to FIG. 7 representing a section in section of FIG. 1 along the line II-II, the presence of the wishbone 4 completely surrounding the wing 3, constitutes a retaining structure comprising a first listening point situated at the edge 10 of the sail 12, and a second similar listening point located at the trailing edge 11 of the other sail 13. The distal end 6 of the wishbone 4 is connected to these two listening points of the wing 3, using a second mooring element 52. The latter comprises listening means comprising a third listening link 29 connecting the distal end 6 to an axis of a mad pulley 28, and a fourth link 22a wound on the pulley 28 and having its ends connected respectively to the trailing edges 10, 11.

The presence of the second mooring element 52 makes it possible to exert an equal listening traction force on each of the two listening points of the two webs 12 and 13, while allowing them to move freely, one with respect to the other in a direction substantially perpendicular to the mast 2.

The rigging according to FIGS. 1 to 7 can be used for any vélique propulsion machine, in particular sailing boats, windsurfers, or sand yachts.

Claims

1. Rigging for a wind-powered machine, in particular a boat or a windsurfing board, comprising:

- a vertical mast (2),

- a wishbone retainer (4) connected to a listening point (7), - a wing-shaped blade (3) passing around the front part of the mast (2), and subdivided into a first sail (12) extending between the mast (2) and a first trailing edge (10), and a second sail (13) extending between the mast (2), and a second trailing edge (11),

- slats (14, 15) for shaping the sails (12, 13), extending parallel to each other in a direction perpendicular to the mast (2),

- And a series of transverse spacers (19, 20, 21) bearing on the slats (14, 15) to maintain a predetermined gap between the two sails (12, 13), characterized in that the first sail (12) and the second sail (13) are formed by identical flexible parts capable of being joined to each other at the leading edge by quick fixing means arranged along the mast (2).

2. Rigging according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each slat (15) associated with the second web (13) is equipped at the front end with a first end piece (46) intended to cooperate with a second complementary end piece (47) located on the other corresponding slat (14) of the first sail (12), the interlocking of the two end pieces (46, 47) being operated under the sails (12, 13) when the means are put in place fast fixing, by inducing around the mast (2) a perfectly defined leading edge profile.

3. Rigging according to claim 2, characterized in that the quick fixing means of the two sails (12, 13) are formed by a zipper (40) or hooking strips.

4. Rigging according to claim 1, characterized in that the transverse spacers comprise compression spacers (19, 20) located in the vicinity of the mast (2), and traction spacers (21) disposed between the compression spacers and the trailing edges (10, 11).

5. Rigging according to claim 1, characterized in that the wing (3) comprises camber means having a first link (22) associated with a first mooring element (50), comprising a first pulley (25) mad whose the axis is connected to the end of the first link (22), and a second link (26) wound on the pulley (25), and connected by its opposite ends respectively to a point close to the trailing edges (10, 1 1) corresponding, so as to exert an equal tensile force on each of the trailing edges, while allowing the latter to move freely relative to one another in a direction substantially perpendicular to the mast (2).

6. Rigging according to claim 1, characterized in that the wishbone (4) of the retaining device is provided with a second mooring element (52), comprising listening means having a third link (29) arranged between the distal end (6) of the wishbone (4) and the axis of a second crazy pulley (28), and a fourth link (22a) wound on the pulley (28), the ends of which are respectively connected to the first and second trailing edges (10, 11) said second mooring element (52) making it possible to exert a sheet tensile force on each of said trailing edges, while allowing them to move freely relative to each other to the other in a direction substantially perpendicular to the mast (2).

7. Rigging according to claim 4, characterized in that the compression spacer (19) close to the mast (2) is pivotally mounted on the batten (14), and is nestable in a retaining element (43) formed on the other batten (15).