초록 ▼

A stabilizing system for vehicles such as sailing craft, ice craft or racing cars that are periodically subject to lateral forces that tend to heel or roll such vehicles, the stabilizing system having a ballasted member laterally movable and positionable by non binding locking mechanism, the method

A stabilizing system for vehicles such as sailing craft, ice craft or racing cars that are periodically subject to lateral forces that tend to heel or roll such vehicles, the stabilizing system having a ballasted member laterally movable and positionable by non binding locking mechanism, the method to use the stabilizing system providing the ballasted member to be moved only by forces present in the environment such as wind or wave energy, centrifugal, gravity and inertia forces, the method allowing surface vehicles to execute turns with their weight more evenly distributed among their wheels or runners and allowing sailing vessels to sail with windward heel and reduced resistance and better balance.

대표청구항 ▼

In a vehicle adapted to move in touch with a medium, said vehicle having a body with a front end or leading end and a rear end or trailing end, said body defining a center line passing through said front end and said rear end, said vehicle exposable to external forces acting substantially normal to

In a vehicle adapted to move in touch with a medium, said vehicle having a body with a front end or leading end and a rear end or trailing end, said body defining a center line passing through said front end and said rear end, said vehicle exposable to external forces acting substantially normal to said center line, said vehicle having steering means and at least one antiskid member or antidrift member disposed on said body aligned substantially parallel with said center line and adapted to be in touch with said medium and to resist movement of said vehicle in the direction of said external lateral forces by contact with said medium, the improvement comprising: a separate stabilizing system to resist rolling or heeling forces acting on said vehicle, said stabilizing system comprising weight shifting means and consisting of: (a) at least one ballasted member having a higher specific weight than water and being distinct from said antiskid member and having more mass than said antiskid member, said ballasted member adapted and disposed on said vehicle to be laterally movable with respect to said center line solely by at least one of said external lateral forces and (b) a releasable stopping means or locking means adapted to hold or connect said ballasted member in selected positions with respect to said body.