초록 ▼

The invention provides a batten structure which can be placed inside a double sided sail to provide a so-called “wing”sail having an airfoil section which can be close to an ideal airfoil on either tack. The structure includes a central beam which engages the mast, a nose piece pivotably connected t

The invention provides a batten structure which can be placed inside a double sided sail to provide a so-called “wing”sail having an airfoil section which can be close to an ideal airfoil on either tack. The structure includes a central beam which engages the mast, a nose piece pivotably connected to the front end of the beam, and two flexible batten members each extending rearwardly from rigid connections on opposite sides of the nose piece and being slidably connected together at their rear ends. Spreaders which are movable relative to the beam connect the batten members and maintain its airfoil shape while allowing the batten members to flex when the wind moves from one side of the sail to the other.

대표청구항 ▼

An airfoil batten structure for use in combination with similar batten structures held in spaced apart relation within a wing sail comprising: a beam having a front portion with aperture means for slidably engaging a support such as a mast and having a rear portion rigid with said front portion, a n

An airfoil batten structure for use in combination with similar batten structures held in spaced apart relation within a wing sail comprising: a beam having a front portion with aperture means for slidably engaging a support such as a mast and having a rear portion rigid with said front portion, a nose piece pivotably connected to the front end of said beam by pivot means forward of said aperture means, said nose piece having side surfaces shaped to provide the front end portion of an airfoil, two flexible elongated batten members each extending rearwardly from opposite sides of the nose piece outside of said beam, said members having front ends rigidly connected to the nose piece and providing continuations of said side surfaces and having rear ends slidably connected together rearwardly of the rear end of the beam, and elongated spreader means having opposite ends thereof connected to said batten members to link said members together and being movable relative to said beam, the arrangement of said spreader means, beam, nose piece and batten members being such that sail pressure acting on a windward one of the batten members can cause a central part of this batten member between the nose piece and the beam rear end to be flexed towards the beam and into a shape determined by direct or indirect contact with the beam causing pivoting of the nose piece towards the windward side and while the other batten member is held away from the beam and in convex shape by the spreader means and by the pivoting of the nose piece, the said shapes of the batten members together with the nose piece forming a cambered airfoil section.