Marine vessel roll stabilizer apparatus

Claim 2

Marine vessel roll stabilizer apparatus comprising: a fin member carried by the vessel and pivotally movable with respect thereto, a first rotary motor and a second rotary motor, each of the rotary motors being adapted to be in continuous operation, a first electrically operable clutch member, a second electrically operable clutch member, means connecting the first clutch member to the fin member for pivotal movement thereof, means connecting the second clutch member to the fin member for pivotal movement thereof, the first motor being connected to the first clutch member, the second motor being connected to the second clutch member, the motors operating in opposed directions of rotation so that when the first clutch means is energized the fin member pivotally moves in one direction and when the second clutch means is energized the fin member pivotally moves in the opposite direction, roll sensor means carried by the vessel and operable with roll movement of the vessel, means joining the roll sensor means to the clutch members for operation thereof with roll movement of the vessel, the roll sensor means comprising control mechanism, which includes a pendulum, first switch means, actuator means, for operation of the switch means, means joining the actuator means to the pendulum, for operation of the first switch means with relative rotative movement between the penduluM and the vessel, second switch means, means for operation of the second switch means with pivotal movement of the fin member.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 which includes support structure for fixed attachment to a marine vessel, a shaft rotatably supported by the support structure, the pendulum being attached to the shaft for rotative movement therewith, a leg member pivotally supported by the shaft, a dampener member connected to the leg member, a roller member rotatably attached to the pendulum and in engagement with the dampener member, the dampener member being pivotally movable to adjust the dampener member to compensate for any list of the marine vessel.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 which includes support structure, a shaft rotatably supported by the support structure, means attaching the pendulum to the shaft for pivotal movement of the shaft with pivotal movement of the pendulum, and means for dampening relative rotative movement between the pendulum and the support structure, the means for dampening relative rotative movement between the pendulum and the support structure comprising an engagement member having an arcuate surface, and engagement means carried by the pendulum and in engagement with the arcuate surface.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 in which the engagement member is pivotally movable and which includes resilient means which resist pivotal movement of the engagement member.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 which includes means adjustably supporting the engagement member with respect to the support structure.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 3 in which the engagement means comprises a roller member.

Claim 8

In marine vessel roll stabilizer apparatus, a fin member carried by the vessel for movement with respect thereto, motor means, clutch means joining the motor means to the fin member for movement thereof, electric control means for control of the clutch means, the electric control means including first switch means, the first switch means being pendulum operated switch means, second switch means, means connecting the second switch means to the fin member for sensing the position thereof with respect to the vessel, the switch means including means for positioning the fin member in a given position during absence of roll of the vessel.

Claim 9

In marine vessel roll stabilizer apparatus, a fin member carried by the vessel for movement with respect thereto, motor means, clutch means joining the motor means to the fin member for movement thereof, electric control means for control of the clutch means, the electric control means including first switch means, the first switch means being pendulum operated switch means, second switch means, means connecting the second switch means to the fin member for sensing the position thereof with respect to the vessel, the switch means including means for positioning the fin member in a given position during absence of roll of the vessel.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 which includes a pendulum, the first switch means including a pair of spaced-apart switch members, an actuator member, means pivotally connecting the actuator member to the pendulum, the actuator member having a portion positioned between the switch members for operation thereof, cam means, means connecting the cam means to the fin member for movement therewith, the second switch means being operable by the cam means, and circuit means connecting the clutch means to the first switch means and to the second switch means for operation of the clutch means with operation of the switch means.

Claim 11

Marine vessel roll stabilizer apparatus comprising: fin means movable with respect to the vessel for stabilizing thereof. Continuously operating rotary motor means, electric clutch means joining the fin means to the motor means, roll sensor means, the roll sensor means including first roll sensor switch means, the first roll sensor switch means closing when the vessel rolls toward the starboard side, second roll sensor switch means, the second roll sensor switch means closing when the vessel rolls toward the port side, a source of electrical energy, means joining the source of electrical energy to the first roll sensor switch means and to the clutch means for operation of the fin means in a direction to oppose roll of the vessel toward the starboard side, means joining the source of electrical energy to the second roll sensor switch means and to the clutch means for operation of the fin means in a direction to oppose roll of the vessel toward the port side, the roll sensor means including means closing the first roll sensor switch means wheN the vessel rolls toward the starboard side, and opening the first roll sensor switch means when the vessel stops roll toward the starboard side and begins roll toward the port side, and closing the second roll sensor switch means when the vessel begins rolling toward the port side and before the vessel reaches a level position, so that the fin means begins to operate in a direction to oppose roll of the vessel to the port side prior to roll of the vessel from a level position to the port side, third switch means, the third switch means sensing the position of the fin means with respect to the vessel, means joining the source of electrical energy to the clutch means and to the third switch means for operation of the fin means in accordance with the position thereof with respect to the vessel.

Claim 12

Marine vessel roll stabilizer apparatus comprising: fin means movable with respect to the vessel for stabilizing thereof. Continuously operating rotary motor means, electric clutch means joining the fin means to the motor means, roll sensor means, the roll sensor means including first roll sensor switch means, the first roll sensor switch means closing when the vessel rolls toward the starboard side, second roll sensor switch means, the second roll sensor switch means closing when the vessel rolls toward the port side, a source of electrical energy, means joining the source of electrical energy to the first roll sensor switch means and to the clutch means for operation of the fin means in a direction to oppose roll of the vessel toward the starboard side, means joining the source of electrical energy to the second roll sensor switch means and to the clutch means for operation of the fin means in a direction to oppose roll of the vessel toward the port side, the roll sensor means including means closing the first roll sensor switch means wheN the vessel rolls toward the starboard side, and opening the first roll sensor switch means when the vessel stops roll toward the starboard side and begins roll toward the port side, and closing the second roll sensor switch means when the vessel begins rolling toward the port side and before the vessel reaches a level position, so that the fin means begins to operate in a direction to oppose roll of the vessel to the port side prior to roll of the vessel from a level position to the port side, third switch means, the third switch means sensing the position of the fin means with respect to the vessel, means joining the source of electrical energy to the clutch means and to the third switch means for operation of the fin means in accordance with the position thereof with respect to the vessel.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 9 in which the roll sensor means includes a pendulum, spring-biased actuator means for operation of the first roll sensor switch means and the second roll sensor switch means, support structure, means pivotally connecting the actuator means to the pendulum for pivotal movement of the actuator means about a first axis, and means pivotally connecting the actuator means to the support structure for pivotal movement of the actuator means about another axis.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 9 in which the roll sensor means includes a pendulum, shaft means supporting the pendulum for rotative movement therewith, means for securing the shaft against rotative movement and for simultaneously disconnecting the switch means and the clutch means from the source of electrical energy.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 9 in which the roll sensor means includes a shaft, a pendulum supported by the shaft for pivotal movement about the axis of the shaft, a dampener member, the dampener member including a portion having an arcuate surface, a roller member attached to the pendulum and movable upon the arcuate surface, the radius of the arcuate surface being less than the distance from the shaft to the arcuate surface so that forces between the pendulum and the dampener member change as the roller moves along the arcuate surface.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 12 in which the dampener member is pivotally movable and which includes resilient means restraining pivotal movement of the dampener member.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 12 which includes support means joining the dampener member to the shaft for support of the dampener member by the shaft.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 14 which includes means for adjusting the support means to compensate for a list condition of the vessel.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 1 in which the control mechanism includes a dampener member having an arcuate surface, a roller member rotatably attached to the pendulum and rotatably movable upon the arcuate surface, the dampener member being pivotally movable and the arcuate surface thereof forming an arc having a radius less than the spacing between the pivotal axis of the pendulum and the arcuate surface.