DEVICE FOR PROTECTING FURLING EXTRUSION

Abstract

A silencing device for an in-mast furling system is used to prevent contact between the furling extrusion and the interior wall of the hollow mast when a mainsail has been removed (such as for winter storage). The silencing device is hoisted onto the hollow mast and furled (or placed) onto the extrusion after the mainsail has been removed. In one configuration, the silencing device comprises a padding of several feet in length that is wrapped in sailcloth. The padding thus covers the extrusion and functions to limit the movement of the extrusion within the mast, eliminating contact between a “bare” extrusion and the interior of the mast, and significantly reducing the potential of fatigue failure for the extrusion itself.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an improved configuration for an in-mast mainsail furling system extrusion and, more particularly, to a protective (preferably padded) covering that is disposed in place over the extrusion after removal of the mainsail from the extrusion, preventing unwanted contact between the extrusion and the surrounding mast.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Sailboat manufacturers have developed newer and easier sail handling systems. One of the most popular of these systems is “in-mast” furling mainsails. In particular, these systems are comprised of a furling extrusion that is mounted within the interior, central region of the mast, where the mainsail is furled onto the extrusion using one of several different mechanisms (rack-and-pinion winch-driven, extended extrusion with a spiral-wrapped furling line, etc.). Regardless of the particular mechanism for attaching the mainsail to the extrusion, it is common for the extrusion itself to be mounted in the center of the mast, running from the gooseneck or boom attachment to the masthead. The extrusion is held in place at the masthead and also at the gooseneck. To allow plenty of furling room for the mainsail, there are no intermediate means of support between the mast and the centrally-disposed extrusion.

When the mainsail is installed, it is fed into an extrusion opening and hoisted with the main halyard. The mainsail thus remains hoisted during the sailing season. When furled, the mainsail covers the extrusion, which serves to increase the rigidity of the extrusion itself, as well as providing a degree of padding which functions to fill the space between the extrusion and the interior wall of the mast. This padding provided by the furled mainsail eliminates the possibility of noise (otherwise occurring when the extrusion is free to move and forth and contacts the interior wall of the mast), as well as fatigue of the extrusion component related to its freedom of movement within the mast. It is to be understood that while sailing, the tension from the sail shape holds the extrusion in place at the mast slot, thereby eliminating the possible of back and forth movement of the extrusion within the mast and preventing “extrusion-mast wall” impacts.

The problem occurs when the mainsail is removed, which most commonly takes place at the end of the sailing season (or when certain maintenance procedures are required). Mainsails are very expensive and should be removed and protected from the constant freezing/thawing cycle that occurs during a normal winter. When the mainsail is removed, the extrusion becomes free to swing back and forth within the mast, thereby coming into contact with the interior wall of the mast, and causing a loud, banging noise walls (which is likely to be amplified by virtue of the hollow design of the mast). The movement of the extrusion works on the upper and lower supports, as well as the extrusion segment connections. As a result, it is likely that the extrusion movement will result in fatigue of the extrusion sections and weakening of the connection points. Any time the boat is moving with the mainsail removed (whether swaying at anchor or mooring ball, under way, or simply tied in her slip), the extrusion is free to move back and forth so as to contact the interior wall of the mast and thus create damage to both the extrusion and the mast.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses and overcomes problems associated with fatigue of a mast's furling extrusion by the provision of a silencing device that is hoisted in the mast and furled (or placed) onto the extrusion once the mainsail has been removed. In one configuration, the silencing device comprises a padding of several feet in length that is wrapped in sail cloth. The padding thus covers the extrusion and functions to limit the movement of the extrusion within the mast, eliminating the possibility of a “bare” extrusion banging against the mast, while also significantly reducing the potential of fatigue failure for the extrusion itself. In another configuration, the silencing device comprises a plurality of padded disks (e.g., foam) disposed along the extrusion in a spaced-apart arrangement.

Specific embodiments include a silencing device for protecting a furling extrusion within a sailboat mast, comprising a padded element hoisted along the mast so as to surround at least a portion of the empty furling extrusion, the padded element having a diameter sufficient to reduce a gap between an interior surface of the mast and the empty furling extrusion, preventing physical contact between the furling extrusion and the mast when the mainsail is removed.

One exemplary silencing device takes the form of a triangular-shaped piece of cushioning material including opposing head and tack locations along one end termination and a clew termination at an opposing apex of the triangular-shaped piece of cushioning material. The cushioning material is furled around the extrusion within the mast (after the mainsail has been removed) to prevent physical contact between the furling extrusion and the inner surface of the mast.

Another exemplary silencing device comprises a plurality of annular disks of resilient, shock-absorbent material disposed in a spaced-apart arrangement along the empty furling extrusion.

Other and further aspects and embodiments of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following discussion and by reference to the associated drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the drawings, where like numerals represent like parts in several views:

FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of a typical prior art in-mast furling system;

FIG. 2 is a cut-away end view of a portion of the mast shown in FIG. 1, the view of FIG. 2 illustrating the hollow configuration of the mast and the location of the furling extrusion within the mast;

FIG. 3 is a cut-away view of the same combination of components as shown in FIG. 2, in this illustration with the mainsail removed;

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary silencing device formed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows the silencing device of FIG. 4 as inserted within a mast;

FIG. 6 is a cut-away view of the arrangement of FIG. 5, illustrating the furled silencing device within the hollow mast;

FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the silencing device shown in FIG. 4, in this case including a section of foam padding material;

FIG. 8 illustrates another exemplary silencing device formed in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a cut-away view of the arrangement of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of a typical prior art in-mast furling system, useful in understanding the particulars of the present invention. Shown in FIG. 1 is a hollow mast 10, with a furling extrusion 12 shown in phantom in position within the central opening of hollow mast 10. As better shown in FIG. 2, mast 10 includes a longitudinal slot 14 that provides access to furling extrusion 12. A typical mainsail S is shown as hoisted on mast 10, with its luff termination L passed through longitudinal slot 14 and attached to furling extrusion 12. A clew connection of mainsail S is shown in position on a boom 16. A furling gear 18, coupled to furling extrusion 12, is used to rotate extrusion 12 and furl mainsail S around extrusion 12 (and thus stowed within hollow mast 10) when not in use.

FIG. 2 is a cut-away view of the configuration of FIG. 1, taken along line 2-2. The opening created by longitudinal slot 14 is evident in this view, as well as the attachment of luff L of mainsail S to furling extrusion 12. The furling operation is identified by the arrows shown in FIG. 2, indicating the winding of mainsail S onto furling extrusion 12 within hollow mast 10.

As mentioned above, mainsails are very expensive and should be removed and protected from the constant freezing/thawing cycle that occurs during a normal winter. When mainsail S is removed, extrusion 12 becomes free to swing back and forth within mast 10, thereby coming into contact with the interior surface 11 of mast 10, creating a loud, banging noise (which is likely to be amplified by virtue of the hollow design of the mast). FIG. 3 is the same cut-away view as shown in FIG. 2, in this case with mainsail S removed. The large gap G between extrusion 12 and interior surface 11 of hollow mast 10 is clearly shown.

Moreover, it is likely that the movement of extrusion 12 will result in fatigue of the extrusion sections and weakening of its connection points along mast 10. Any time the boat is moving with the mainsail removed (whether swaying at anchor or mooring ball, under way, or simply tied in her slip), extrusion 12 is free to move back and forth so as to contact interior surface 11 of the mast 10, with the potential to create damage to both the extrusion and the mast.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary silencing device 20 formed in accordance with the present invention to overcome the problems with movement of extrusion 12 with respect to mast 10 during the winter (storage) season, or any time that the mainsail needs to be removed. In this particular configuration, silencing device 20 comprises a triangular piece of material, similar to a sail, and is hoisted in mast 10 in a manner similar to a conventional mainsail. In most cases, while silencing device 20 comprises a configuration similar to a mainsail, its overall dimensions may be smaller, avoiding unnecessary expense in terms of the needed materials. FIG. 5 shows silencing device 20 in its initial hoisted position along mast 10. As with a conventional mainsail, a long-end termination 21 (similar to the luff) of silencing device 20 is inserted through longitudinal slot 14 and coupled to extrusion 12. Once in place, silencing device 20 is furled onto extrusion 12.

FIG. 6 is a cut-away end view of mast 10 taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5. As shown, furled silencing device 20 completely surrounds and cushions extrusion 12, preventing extrusion 12 from coming into direct contact with inner surface 11 of hollow mast 10. The thickness of the furled material reduces the gap between extrusion 12 and inner surface 11 (denoted as “g” in FIG. 6), where this helps to limit the movement of extrusion 12 and reduce the possibility of fatigue at its connection points.

In an exemplary embodiment, silencing device 20 may simply comprise a relatively inexpensive base sailcloth material 22. Alternatively, this material may be padded (or quilted) in whole or in part to further fill the gap between extrusion 12 and mast 10 when silencing device 20 is furled. It is to be noted that in any case, the thickness of material 22 forming silencing device 20 needs to be less than the opening of longitudinal slot 14, in order for efficient furling to take place.

Silencing device 20 is shown in FIGS. 4-6 as including a clew end section 24 that remains exposed to the elements when the remainder of material 22 is furled around extrusion 12. Referring to FIG. 5, clew end section 24 is shown as being used to maintain silencing device 20 in place via attachment to boom 16. In preferred embodiments, clew end section 24 is formed of a UV-resistant material, since it will remain exposed to the weather as long as silencing device 20 is in place around furling extrusion 12.

FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative configuration of the embodiment of the inventive silencing device as shown in FIG. 4, denoted here as silencing device 20A. In this particular embodiment, silencing device 20A further includes a separate section of foam padding 26 that is attached to sailcloth 24. In most cases, foam padding 26 is disposed closer to long-end termination 21 (luff) of silencing device 20, so that the padding will be in close proximity to furling extrusion 12. In this embodiment, foam padding 26 provides additional cushioning to fill a larger portion of the gap between furling extrusion 12 and mast 10. The use of a separate foam pad attached to a piece of sailcloth may be a preferred embodiment, in terms of cost of the overall device. The embodiment as shown in FIG. 6 also shows clew end section 24 as being formed of a UV-resistant material.

It is to be understood that the size of a given silencing device formed in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention, as well as the specific materials used to form the silencing device, are all design considerations of the user and are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the length X of silencing device 20 will be based on the dimensions of the mast and the extrusion (i.e., on the gap spacing between these two elements).

FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative silencing device 30 utilized to minimize/eliminate contact between empty furling extrusion 12 and interior surface 11 of mast 10. As with the above-described embodiment, silencing device 30 reduces the spacing of the gap G between extrusion 12 and mast 10. Referring to FIG. 8, silencing device 30 comprises a plurality of annular disks 32 disposed in spaced-apart arrangement along extrusion 12. Disks 32 are preferably formed of a resilient material that absorbs motion of extrusion 12, where foam disks are one preferred material choice. A support line 34 is shown as passing through apertures 36, 38 formed in each disk 32, where support line 34 is attached between a head fixing point 40 and a tack fixing point 42.

FIG. 9 is a cut-away view of the configuration of FIG. 8 taken along line 9-9. Clearly evident in this view is the reduction in the gap dimension from “G” to “g” by the inclusion of silencing device 30 within mast 10. The locations of apertures 36, 38 is also visible.

The above description details various embodiments of an exemplary silencer configuration. It is to be understood that other configurations will depend upon mast and furling system construction and may consist of only foam padding, rubber ball cushions, polymer rigid supports (for example) and the like, required to optimize the silencer for the particular mast/furling system construction. All of these variations are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A device for protecting an empty furling extrusion within a sailboat mast during times when a mainsail has been removed, the device comprising a padded element hoisted along the mast so as to surround at least a portion of the empty furling extrusion, the padded element having a diameter sufficient to reduce a gap between an interior surface of the mast and the empty furling extrusion, preventing physical contact between the furling extrusion and the mast when the mainsail is removed.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the padded element comprises a triangular-shaped piece of cushioning material including opposing head and tack locations along one end termination and a clew termination at an opposing apex of the triangular-shaped piece of cushioning material, wherein the triangular-shaped piece of cushioning material is furled around the empty furling extrusion within the mast to prevent physical contact between the furling extrusion and the mast when the mainsail is removed.

3. The device as defined in claim 2 wherein the triangular-shaped piece of cushioning material includes a piece of sailcloth material.

4. The device as defined in claim 3 wherein the piece of sailcloth material comprises a piece of quilted sailcloth material.

5. The device as defined in claim 3 wherein the triangular-shaped piece of cushioning material further comprises a section of foam padding attached to the piece of sailcloth material.

6. The device as defined in claim 2 wherein the triangular-shaped piece of cushioning material further comprises a clew end section of UV-resistant material.

7. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein the padded element comprises a plurality of annular disks of resilient, shock-absorbent material disposed in a spaced-apart arrangement along the empty furling extrusion.

8. The device as defined in claim 7 wherein the plurality of annular disks comprises a plurality of foam disks.

9. The device as defined in claim 7 wherein the padded element further comprises a support line passing through each disk, the support line attached to opposing end terminations of the mast.