US4345535A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sailboat trimming and stabilizing system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1980-12-15
•
Granted: 1982-08-24
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Expires: 2000-12-15
Abstract
Abstract A system for sailboats for the purpose of maintaining the trim or attitude of the hull in a level position and at the same time adjusting the rigging and keel. The mast is made so that it can tilt to port or starboard and apparatus is provided to produce a force or torque tending to urge the mast back to its upright position and to produce a righting moment on the hull. Alternative apparatus is provided to produce these forces. A rotatable keel is provided which is automatically adjusted when the mast tilts to compensate for the tendency of the craft to make leeway while under way. An auxiliary mast is provided, suspended from the top of the regular mast which is swung to port or starboard to keep the mainsail substantially upright. A horizontally movable jib boom is provided for the foresail and sheets are provided so that the helmsman can adjust the aspect of the foresail to keep it aligned with the mainsail when the mast tilts.
Inventors
- 👤 Abraham D. Ross
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 13:36
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63B; B63B15/00; B63B15/02; B63B41/00; B63B43/00; B63B43/02; B63B2015/0016; B63B2015/005; B63B2015/0075; B63B35/00; B63B2035/009
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
In a sailboat having a hull and a mainsail means for maintaining leveling or trimming of the hull comprising in combination, a mast mounted to be capable of tilting to port or starboard under the influence of the wind, means operatively connected to the mast to apply a force resisting the tilting of the mast, said means including a torsion bar mounted along the center line of the hull and connected to the mast whereby tilting of the mast applies torsion to one end of the bar about the axis of the torsion bar providing a righting moment and restoring force, the torsion bar having an end part connected to the boat whereby the torsion in the bar exerts a righting moment on the hull.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
In a sailboat having a hull and a mainsail means for maintaining leveling or trimming of the hull comprising in combination, a mast mounted to be capable of tilting to port or starboard under the influence of the wind, means operatively connected to the mast to apply a force resisting the tilting of the mast, said means including a torsion bar mounted along the center line of the hull and connected to the mast whereby tilting of the mast applies torsion to one end of the bar about the axis of the torsion bar providing a righting moment and restoring force, the torsion bar having an end part connected to the boat whereby the torsion in the bar exerts a righting moment on the hull.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 including an auxiliary mast supported from the first mentioned mast in a position for its lower end to move to port or starboard, and means whereby when the first mast tilts, the lower part of the auxiliary mast is moved in the same direction, whereby to keep the mainsail in an upright position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus as in claim 2, including an adjustable keel, mounted to be adjustable for compensating for tendencies of the hull to make headway to leeward, and means providing connections between the keel and the mast whereby when the mast is tilted, the keel is adjusted to compensate, by being rotated about a vertical axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
143 words
In a sailboat, having a hull and a mainsail, means for maintaining leveling or trimming of the hull comprising in combination, a mast mounted to be capable of tilting to port or starboard under the influence of the wind, means operatively connected to the mast to apply a force resisting the tilting of the mast, said means including a torsion bar mounted along the center line of the hull and connected to the mast whereby tilting of the mast applies torsion about the axis of the torsion bar providing the righting moment resisting and restoring force, the torsion bar including an upright member and an end part connected to the boat, a yoke carried by the upright member and means at the end of the mast cooperating with the yoke member for shifting it oppositely to the direction of tilt of the mast.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
143 words
In a sailboat, having a hull and a mainsail, means for maintaining leveling or trimming of the hull comprising in combination, a mast mounted to be capable of tilting to port or starboard under the influence of the wind, means operatively connected to the mast to apply a force resisting the tilting of the mast, said means including a torsion bar mounted along the center line of the hull and connected to the mast whereby tilting of the mast applies torsion about the axis of the torsion bar providing the righting moment resisting and restoring force, the torsion bar including an upright member and an end part connected to the boat, a yoke carried by the upright member and means at the end of the mast cooperating with the yoke member for shifting it oppositely to the direction of tilt of the mast.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
100 words
In a sailboat, means for providing leveling or trimming of the hull comprising in combination, a mast mounted to be capable of tilting to port or starboard under the influence of the wind, means operatively connected to the mast to apply a force restoring the mast to upright position, means comprising an adjustable keel mounted to be adjustable about a vertical axis to compensate for tendencies of the hull to make headway to leeward and means providing connections between the keel and the mast whereby when the mast is tilted the keel is adjusted about the vertical axis to compensate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
100 words
In a sailboat, means for providing leveling or trimming of the hull comprising in combination, a mast mounted to be capable of tilting to port or starboard under the influence of the wind, means operatively connected to the mast to apply a force restoring the mast to upright position, means comprising an adjustable keel mounted to be adjustable about a vertical axis to compensate for tendencies of the hull to make headway to leeward and means providing connections between the keel and the mast whereby when the mast is tilted the keel is adjusted about the vertical axis to compensate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
126 words
In a sailboat, having a hull and a mainsail, means for providing leveling or trimming of the hull comprising in combination, a mast mounted to be capable of tilting to port or starboard under the influence of the wind, an auxiliary mast supported from the first mentioned mast in a position for its lower end to move port or starboard, and means whereby when the first mast tilts, the lower part of the auxiliary mast moves in the same direction, whereby to keep the mainsail in an upright position, means providing an adjustable keel for compensating for tendencies of the hull to make headway to leeward, and means providing connections between the keel and the mast whereby when the mast is tilted the keel is adjusted.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
126 words
In a sailboat, having a hull and a mainsail, means for providing leveling or trimming of the hull comprising in combination, a mast mounted to be capable of tilting to port or starboard under the influence of the wind, an auxiliary mast supported from the first mentioned mast in a position for its lower end to move port or starboard, and means whereby when the first mast tilts, the lower part of the auxiliary mast moves in the same direction, whereby to keep the mainsail in an upright position, means providing an adjustable keel for compensating for tendencies of the hull to make headway to leeward, and means providing connections between the keel and the mast whereby when the mast is tilted the keel is adjusted.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
151 words
In a sailboat having a hull and mainsail, means for maintaining leveling or trimming of the hull comprising in combination, a mast mounted to be capable of tilting to port or starboard under the influence of the wind, means operatively connected to the mast to apply a force resisting the tilting of the mast, means including an auxiliary mast supported from the first mentioned mast in a position for its lower end to move to port or starboard, means whereby when the first mast tilts, the lower part of the auxiliary mast moves in the same direction, whereby to keep the mainsail in an upright position, means providing an adjustable keel rotatable angularly about a vertical axis for compensating for tendencies of the hull to make headway to leeward, and means providing connections between the keel and the mast whereby when the mast is tilted the keel is adjusted to compensate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
151 words
In a sailboat having a hull and mainsail, means for maintaining leveling or trimming of the hull comprising in combination, a mast mounted to be capable of tilting to port or starboard under the influence of the wind, means operatively connected to the mast to apply a force resisting the tilting of the mast, means including an auxiliary mast supported from the first mentioned mast in a position for its lower end to move to port or starboard, means whereby when the first mast tilts, the lower part of the auxiliary mast moves in the same direction, whereby to keep the mainsail in an upright position, means providing an adjustable keel rotatable angularly about a vertical axis for compensating for tendencies of the hull to make headway to leeward, and means providing connections between the keel and the mast whereby when the mast is tilted the keel is adjusted to compensate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
A sailboat as in claim 7 including means including a jib sail and jib boom, means whereby the forward end of the jib boom can be swung to port or starboard and sheet means whereby the lower aft corner of the jib sail and the forward end of the jib boom can be shifted for aligning the jib sail with the mainsail.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
124 words
In a sailboat having a hull and a mainsail, means for maintaining leveling or trimming of the hull comprising in combination, a mast mounted to be capable of tilting to port or starboard under the influence of the wind, means operatively connected to the mast to apply a force resisting the tilting of the mast, said means including mechanism positioned to be actuated by tilting of the mast to produce a force for returning the mast to an upright position and simultaneously for producing a force applying a righting force to the hull, said mechanism having a part engagable with the mast, the part being rotatably mounted and means actuated by the part rigidly affixed to and positioned to directly act on the hull.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
124 words
In a sailboat having a hull and a mainsail, means for maintaining leveling or trimming of the hull comprising in combination, a mast mounted to be capable of tilting to port or starboard under the influence of the wind, means operatively connected to the mast to apply a force resisting the tilting of the mast, said means including mechanism positioned to be actuated by tilting of the mast to produce a force for returning the mast to an upright position and simultaneously for producing a force applying a righting force to the hull, said mechanism having a part engagable with the mast, the part being rotatably mounted and means actuated by the part rigidly affixed to and positioned to directly act on the hull.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
139 words
In a sailboat having a hull and main sail, means for maintaining leveling or trimming of the hull comprising in combination, a mast mounted to be capable of tilting to port or starboard under the influence of the wind, means operatively connected to the mast to apply a force resisting the tilting of the mast, said means including means positioned to be actuated by tilting of the mast to produce a force for returning the mast to an upright position and simultaneously for producing a force applying a righting force to the hull, comprising a movable yoke positioned to engage the lower end of the mast and movable to port and starboard, and means operative by the yoke to produce a force for restoring the mast to upright position and for producing a righting moment acting on the hull.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
139 words
In a sailboat having a hull and main sail, means for maintaining leveling or trimming of the hull comprising in combination, a mast mounted to be capable of tilting to port or starboard under the influence of the wind, means operatively connected to the mast to apply a force resisting the tilting of the mast, said means including means positioned to be actuated by tilting of the mast to produce a force for returning the mast to an upright position and simultaneously for producing a force applying a righting force to the hull, comprising a movable yoke positioned to engage the lower end of the mast and movable to port and starboard, and means operative by the yoke to produce a force for restoring the mast to upright position and for producing a righting moment acting on the hull.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus as in claim 10 including resilient members extending between the said yoke and the sides of the boat whereby when the end of the mast moves to one side the resilient member on that side is flexed and put under tension producing the said forces.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
64 words
An apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said means includes a spring member at each side of the lower end of the mast, and means actuatable by the mast engagable with the said spring members whereby when the lower end of the mast moves to one side of said elements acts on a spring member to produce tension in it and a restoring force.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-08-23 | 1986-02-22 | 1986-08-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-08-23 | 1990-02-22 | 1990-08-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-08-23 | 1994-02-22 | 1994-08-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |