ATTACHMENT FOR SAIL VEHICLES TO AUTOMATICALLY COMPENSATE FOR VARYING WIND PRESSURE

摘要

ATTACHMENT FOR SAIL VEHICLES TO AUTOMATICALLYCOMPENSATE FOR VARYING WIND PRESSUREABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA device for use in a sailing vehicle for automaticallyadjusting the angular position of a boom supporting a sail inresponse to varying wind pressures is disclosed. A pulley andan adjustment block are mounted for slidable movement insidean elongated tubular housing which is attached to the boom bya pair of brackets. A compression spring is also disposedinside the tubular housing between the pulley and the adjustmentblock for urging the pulley away from the adjustment block. Anend block is fixedly mounted on the end of the housing nearestthe adjustment block. An attachment line having a stop atone end extends into the housing through the end block aroundthe pulley and back out through the end block. Means areprovided for selectively fixing the position of the adjustmentblock in the housing so as to set a predetermined initialpressure on the spring. In using the device, the other end ofthe line is secured to the body of the sailing vehicle and theadjustment block set to the desired position. Any increases inwind pressure on the sail, such as by sudden gusts of wind,will produce increased pulling on the line. This will cause thepulley to move toward the end block, compressing the springand as a result producing more slack on the line which willrelieve the pressure on the sail. Means are also providedfor locking the pulley in place if automatic compensation forchanging wind pressure is not desired.