Claims
- 1. A multihull vessel comprising:
- a center section;
- a plurality of float arm assemblies disposed on opposite sides of the center section and pivotably connected to the center section for movement between:
- a first position laterally extended from the center section to increase the stability of the vessel in an upright position,
- a second position located upwardly and inwardly from the first position above the center section and closely adjacent the vertical centerline of the vessel when the vessel is in an upright position, to decrease the stability of the vessel when the vessel is in a fully capsized position; and
- a third position located downwardly and inwardly from the first position to reduce the beam of the vessel,
- each float arm assembly including upper arm means and lower arm means pivotably connected to the center section for pivotal movement;
- the upper arm means including inner and outer segment means pivotably connected together about a first intermediate pivot, the inner segment means including an inner end pivotably connected to the center section,
- the lower arm means including inner and outer segment means connected together about a second intermediate pivot, the outer segment means of the lower arm means connected to a float and being pivotably connected to an outer end of said outer segment means of said upper arm means, the inner segment means of the lower arm means being pivotably connected to the center section,
- the outer segment means of the upper arm means being rotatable relative to the inner segment about the first intermediate pivot to shorten the effective length of the upper arm means as the float arm assembly is moved between its first and second positions,
- the outer segment of the lower arm means being rotatable relative to the inner segment about the second intermediate pivot to shorten the effective length of the lower arm means as the float arm assembly is moved between its first and third positions, and
- actuating means for pivoting the float arm assembly, comprising:
- lifting means for moving the float arm assembly from its first portion to its second position comprising a rigging line extending between the center section and to one of said outer segments at a location adjacent said float, the line disposed below the first intermediate pivot and above the second intermediate pivot and arranged such that the lifting force applied to said one outer segment has a larger component in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction,
- a lowering means for moving the float arm assembly from its first position to its third position, the lowering means extending between the upper and lower arm means and connected to the upper arm means,
- means for tensioning the rigging line for effecting movement of the float toward the center section when not opposed by the lowering means,
- means for tensioning the lowering means for reducing the separation between the upper and lower arm means when not opposed by the lifting means, and
- the rigging line engaging an underside of the first intermediate pivot to resist downward movement of the latter as the float assembly is being maintained in its first position.
- 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the additional rigging lines of at least two of the float arm assemblies are part of a continuous rigging line means extending therebetween.
- 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lowering means comprises an additional rigging line extending from the center section and passing beneath the second intermediate pivot.
- 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lowering means comprises an additional rigging line extending from the center section and passing beneath the second intermediate pivot.
- 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the additional rigging line terminates at the outer segment means of the upper arm means.
- 6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said outer segment means of said lower arm means includes a pivotable leg which is also pivotably mounted to said outer segment means of said upper arm means, said float being carried by said leg.
- 7. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a mast pivotably mounted on the center section, the first rigging lines of the float arm assemblies being operably connected to the mast such that rotation of the mast produces a tensioning of at least one rigging line and a slackening of at lest one other rigging line.
- 8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rigging lines of at least two of the float arm assemblies are part of a commonly controllable continuous rigging line means extending therebetween.
- 9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lowering means comprises an additional rigging line, the additional rigging lines of at least two of the float arm assemblies are part of a continuous rigging line means extending therebetween.
- 10. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a mast pivotably mounted on the center section, the rigging lines of the float arm assemblies being operably connected to the mast such that rotation of the mast produces a tensioning of at least one rigging line and a slackening of at least one other rigging line.
- 11. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said outer segment means of said lower arm means includes a pivotable leg which is also pivotably mounted to said outer segment means of said upper arm means, said float being carried by said leg.
- 12. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rigging line also engages a topside of the second intermediate pivot to resist upward movement thereof when the float arm assembly is being maintained in said first position.
- 13. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first rigging lines of at least two of the float arm assemblies are part of a commonly controllable continuous rigging line means extending therebetween.
- 14. A multihull vessel comprising:
- a center section;
- a plurality of float arm assemblies disposed on opposite sides of the center section and pivotably connected to the center section for movement between:
- a first position laterally extended from the center section to increase the stability of the vessel in an upright position,
- a second position located upwardly and inwardly from the first position above the center section and closely adjacent the vertical centerline of the vessel when the vessel is in an upright position, to decrease the stability of the vessel when the vessel is in a fully capsized position; and
- a third position located downwardly and inwardly from the first position to reduce the beam of the vessel,
- each float arm assembly including upper arm means and lower arm means pivotably connected to the center section for pivotal movement;
- the upper arm means including inner and outer segment means pivotably connected together about a first intermediate pivot, the inner segment means including an inner end pivotably connected to the center section,
- the lower arm means including inner and outer segment means connected together about a second intermediate pivot, the outer segment means of the lower arm means connected to a float and being pivotably connected to an
- outer end of said outer segment means of said upper arm means, the inner segment means of the lower arm means being pivotably connected to the center section,
- the outer segment means of the upper arm means being rotatable relative to the inner segment about the first intermediate pivot to shorten the effective length of the upper arm means as the float arm assembly is moved between its first and second positions,
- the outer segment of the lower arm means being rotatable relative to the inner segment about the second intermediate pivot to shorten the effective length of the lower arm means as the float arm assembly is moved between its first and third positions, and
- actuating means for pivoting the float arm assembly, comprising:
- lifting means for moving the float arm assembly from its first portion to its second position comprising a rigging line extending between the center section and to one of said outer segments at a location adjacent said float, the line disposed below the first intermediate pivot and above the second intermediate pivot and arranged such that the lifting force applied to the outer segment means of the lower arm means has a larger component in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction,
- a lowering means for moving the float arm assembly from its first position to its third position, the lowering means extending between the upper and lower arm means and connected to the upper arm means,
- means for tensioning the rigging line for effecting movement of the float toward the center section when not opposed by the lowering means,
- means for tensioning the lowering means for reducing the separation between the upper and lower arm means when not opposed by the lifting means, and
- the rigging line, in the first and second positions of the float arm assembly, extending entirely within a space disposed between axes of rotation of the first and second intermediate pivots before terminating adjacent the float.
- 15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the rigging lines of at least two of the float arm assemblies are part of a commonly controllable continuous rigging line means extending therebetween.
- 16. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the lowering means comprises an additional rigging line, the additional rigging lines of at least two of the float arm assemblies are part of a continuous rigging line means extending therebetween.
- 17. Apparatus according to claim 14 including a mast pivotably mounted on the center section, the rigging lines of the float arm assemblies being operably connected to the mast such that rotation of the mast produces a tensioning of at least one rigging line and a slackening of at least one other rigging line.
- 18. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the outer segment means of said lower arm means includes a pivotable leg which is also pivotably mounted to said outer segment means of said upper arm means, said float being carried by said leg.
- 19. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the rigging line extends in a substantially straight path from the center section to said location adjacent said float, when said float arm assembly is in the first position.
- 20. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the lowering means comprises an additional rigging line extending from the center section.
- 21. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the rigging line engages an underside of the first intermediate pivot to resist downward movement of the latter as the float arm assembly is being maintained in its first position.
- 22. A multihull vessel comprising:
- a center section;
- a plurality of float arm assemblies disposed on opposite sides of the center section and pivotably connected to the center section for movement between:
- a first position laterally extended from the center section to increase the stability of the vessel in an upright position,
- a second position located upwardly and inwardly from the first position above the center section and closely adjacent the vertical centerline of the vessel when the vessel is in an upright position, to decrease the stability of the vessel when the vessel is in a fully capsized position; and
- a third position located downwardly and inwardly from the first position to reduce the beam of the vessel,
- each float arm assembly including upper arm means and lower arm means pivotably connected to the center section for pivotal movement;
- the upper arm means including inner and outer segment means pivotably connected together about a first intermediate pivot, the inner segment means including an inner end pivotably connected to the center section,
- the lower arm means including inner and outer segment means connected together about a second intermediate pivot, the outer segment means of the lower arm means connected to a float and being pivotably connected to an outer end of said outer segment means of said upper arm means, the inner segment means of the lower arm means being pivotably connected to the center section,
- the outer segment means of the upper arm means being rotatable relative to the inner segment about the first intermediate pivot to shorten the effective length of the upper arm means as the float arm assembly is moved between its first and second positions,
- the outer segment of the lower arm means being rotatable relative to the inner segment about the second intermediate pivot to shorten the effective length of the lower arm means as the float arm assembly is moved between its first and third positions, and
- actuating means for pivoting the float arm assembly, comprising:
- lifting means for moving the float arm assembly from its first position to its second position comprising a first rigging line extending between the center section and to one of said outer segments at a location adjacent said float, the first rigging line disposed below the first intermediate pivot and above the second intermediate pivot and arranged such that the lifting force applied to the outer segment means of the lower arm means has a larger component in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction,
- a lowering means comprising an additional rigging line extending from the center section and between and in engagement with the upper and lower arm means for moving the float arm assembly from its first position to its third position,
- means for tensioning the first rigging line for effecting movement of the float toward the center section when not opposed by the lowering means, and
- means for tensioning the second rigging line for reducing the separation between the upper and lower arm means when not opposed by the lifting means.
- 23. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the first rigging line, in the first and second positions of the float arm assembly, extends entirely within a space disposed between axes of rotation of the first and second intermediate pivots before terminating at the outer segment means of the lower arm means.
- 24. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein each of the first and second rigging lines contains resilient means within the length thereof for permitting an increase in the effective length of the rigging line and adjustment of the relative orientation of said arm segment means of all float assemblies in reaction to increased external force.
- 25. Apparatus according to claim 22 including primary float position control means located in the center section for applying force to the first-named rigging lines of all said float assemblies.
- 26. Apparatus according to claim 25 including auxiliary float position control means located in the center section and being separately connected to the first-named rigging line of each float assembly to permit independent adjustment in length thereof.
- 27. Apparatus according to claim 26 including resilient means connected to the auxiliary float position control means, permitting individual adjustment in length of the first-named rigging lines in reaction to different and variable external forces applied to the respective float arm assemblies.
- 28. Apparatus according to claim 25 including resilient float position control means located in the center section and connected between a pair of the first rigging lines associated with a pair of float assemblies to permit mutual and interactive adjustments in length thereof in reaction to variable external force being applied.
- 29. Apparatus according to claim 25 including resilient float position control means located in the center section and connected separately to the first rigging lines associated with each float arm assembly to permit individual adjustment in length thereof in reaction to variable external force being applied.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a Continuation-in-Part of now-abandoned U.S. Ser. No. 07/027,208 filed March 24, 1987 which, in turn, is a Continuation of now-abandoned U.S. Ser. No. 06/751,382 filed Jul. 3, 1985.
This invention relates to multihull vessels having a center section, which may be a cabin or other superstructure with or without an attached hull, a pair of outrigger hulls (hereinafter referred to as floats) oppositely spaced from the center section on pivotally mounted and jointed arms or outriggers (hereinafter referred to as float arms), and one or more masts mounted on the center section.
In contrast to a self-righting monohull vessel which maintains stability by having its center of gravity arranged below its center of buoyancy, a multihull vessel provides buoyancy to oppose heeling in the form of divided hulls or outrigger floats. A monohull sailboat with ballasted keel has no righting moment at 0 degrees of heel where heeling moment is maximum, has maximum righting moment at 90 degrees of heel where heeling moment on the sailplan vanishes and is unstable at 180 degrees of heel. A multihull vessel has large initial stiffness or resistance to heeling due to the lateral displacement of the center of buoyancy, but the righting moment decreases as the angle of heel increases while more of the bottom of the vessel is exposed to the forces of wind, and the vessel is more stable at 180 degrees of heel than at 0 degrees unless additional buoyancy is provided above the center of gravity of the upright vessel. Unless the beam of the vessel can be reduced, a very large righting moment is required, usually in the form of unavailable external leverage, to bring the vessel back past 90 degrees of heel.
A solution to the problem of multihull capsizing, comprising means for placing movable outrigger floats beneath and within the cross-sectional extent of the center section of the capsized vessel, thereby rendering the vessel unstable in a capsized position, is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,006 issued 26 Jun. 1979 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,248 issued 3 Jul. 1984, both to this inventor. In addition to providing a method for righting a capsized multihull vessel inherently superior to any disclosed in the prior art, the inventions described in the two cited patents provide a degree of adjustability in the position of standing rigging as well as in the position of the outrigger floats making possible many additional improvements in sailing performance, safety and comfort.
The present invention provides feedback means permitting compensating interactive adjustments in the relative positions of elements of standing rigging and outrigger float connection apparatus, such adjustments being activated by changing forces of wind and water on the floats and sails, to produce such additional benefits.
It is an object of the above cited patents to provide means for varying the positions of floats from their normal extended positions, laterally spaced from the center section to provide stability in normal sailing attitudes, to positions raised above the center section, i.e., beneath the center section when the vessel is fully capsized, thereby rendering the vessel unstable in a inverted or capsized condition, and also to positions lowered to the sides of or below the center section of the upright vessel, thereby reducing the beam for various purposes such as trailering or accommodating a narrower berth.
It is another object of the above cited patents to provide means for adjusting the floats to and maintaining them in various orientations with respect to the center section at all heights between the fully raise and the fully lowered positions, which means may be contained inboard and in-place as permanent components of the structure and rigging, require no equipment to be attached or detached from the floats or arms to effect the adjustments and require no releasable restraints and a minimum of fixed limits on the rotation around joints within the float arms. Applications dependent on float adjustability, in addition to those mentioned for reducing the beam of the vessel with the floats in their extreme positions, include alterations in float height, distance from the center section and attitude relative to the center section for fine adjustments to the vessel's performance in different operational circumstances and for more radical changes in the vessel's performance characteristics. Such changes include lifting the main hull of a trimaran nearly clear of the water to gain any performance advantages of a catamaran and rotating the floats to bring planing or hydrofoil surfaces into operational positions.
It is a further object of the cited patents to make elements of the standing rigging adjustable such that the position of a mast may be varied from fully vertical to fully horizontal (in either the fore or aft directions) and such that adjustments of the mast can be carried out in a variety of ways, independently of or in conjunction with adjustments of the floats. Beside independent lowering of the mast for stowage and re-raising of the mast from the stowed position, the applications include: "lowering" the mast as the floats are "raised" in a capsize recovery for the purpose of pivoting shrouds out of the way of the floats; "lowering" the mast to the deck in a capsize recovery for the purpose of utilizing shrouds to life the floats, with motive force possibly being supplied by masthead flotation; causing the mast to be re-raised during capsize recovery by the re-lowering of the floats and leaving the mast stowed on the deck as floats are re-lowered during capsize recovery, with "raising" and "lowering" referred to the vessel in its upright position. It is a further object of the above cited patents to bring control of rigging or other equipment for adjustment of float and mast position to a central location where this control can be readily and selectably exercised by the crew for various operations while underway or during capsize.
It should be noted that in all of the following description, terms such as "up" and "down" or "raising" and "lowering" will be assumed to be defined in terms of the upright vessel, unless otherwise noted, even when it is being considered to be upside down in the water.
The preferred embodiments of the inventions disclosed in the cited patents include float arm assemblies, each pivotally connecting a float and the center section and each comprising a pair of arms, each arm comprising pivotally connected arm segments. These embodiments also include pairs of adjustable-length rigging lines connected between the pairs of arms in each float arm assembly and the center section and led to a central location for control by the crew of the relative positions of all float arms segments. They further include adjustable-length rigging lines connected between a mast pivotally connected to the center section and the center section and optional adjustable rigging lines connected between this mast and each of the floats.
These two patents do not fully describe how seemingly independent rotations at a multiplicity of pivot connections within float arm assemblies connecting the floats to the center section in the preferred embodiments of the basic invention can be simultaneously controlled with no more than two adjustable means in each float arm assembly to move the floats between desired positions and to maintain them at desired spacing from and orientation to the center section in each of these positions while the floats are being acted upon by variable and fluctuating external forces.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement of dual rigging lines connected between arm segments in each float arm assembly whereby: the float arm segments may be manipulated into desired orientations relative to one another, the resulting configuration of float arm assemblies will maintain the floats at desired positions relative to the center section in opposition to expected external forces on the floats and controllably small deviations from the desired positions will occur in response to expected fluctuations in such forces. The present invention provides control over the orientation of arm segments within float arm assemblies with a method and a concept not described and not anticipated in the two prior patents of this inventor.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide control means interconnecting the adjustable rigging from the separate float arm assemblies, such control means including manual means permitting common and equal as well as separate and independent movement of the outrigger floats between desired positions, the control means further including resilient reactive means connected between any of the adjustable rigging lines and any other rigging lines, the center section, the floats or the float arms, the resilient means keeping rigging lines under tension and operating reactively and independently of the manual means to permit adjustment within any one float arm assembly to sudden and variable external forces and to permit compensating adjustment within other float arm assemblies for purposes of maintaining the floats at desired positions relative to an irregular sea surface while minimizing changes in motion (or orientation) of the vessel's center section.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mast pivotally connected to the center section and permitting rotation of the mast toward either side of the center section in addition to rotation toward the fore or aft end of the center section and also to provide adjustable length control means between the mast and structural components of the vessel, such control means including manual means for controlling the rotation of the mast relative to the center section and further including resilient means within the adjustable length control means and interconnected with the float arm rigging control means or connected to float arm segments to permit interactive and compensating adjustments within float arm assemblies in reaction to rotation of the mast caused by sudden changes in the force of the wind on the sails, the purpose of the adjustments in float position being to minimize the effect of these flutuating forces on the motion of the vessel's center section or of the mast.
According to the present invention, there is provided a multihull vessel comprising a center section, which may be a cabin, platform or other superstructure with or without an attached center hull; a pair of floats oppositely spaced from the center section; a plurality of float arms connecting the floats to the center section and consisting of segments arranged in fore and aft float arm assemblies for each float and pivotally connected at their ends to the center section, to the floats or to other float arm segments; rigging lines connected between locations on or within float arm assemblies, the floats or the center section and led via pulleys or other guides within the float arm assemblies and the center section to means for controlling this rigging from a central location; at least one mast, normally connected pivotally to the center section; elements of standing rigging effectively adjustable in length, with the termination of this rigging or, optionally, of additional rigging, attached to the standing rigging or to pulleys riding on the standing rigging, being led to means for controlling this rigging from a central location within the center section and finally, controls in a central location for adjusting independently or simultaneously, in various selectable combinations, the length of rigging lines to vary the positions of either or both floats and the mast by any desired amount from fully raised positions to fully lowered positions.
A particular embodiment of the invention is a sailing trimaran (having a center hull) with double arm float arm assemblies jointed twice in the upper arms and pivotally connected at either end and jointed once in the lower arms and pivotally connected at the inboard ends. A mast is pivotably to the center section at a joint near the deck for rotation in both fore and aft directions as well as sideways. This embodiment will now be described, by way of an example, along with various alternative or optional features and extensions of the basic structure, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
US Referenced Citations (2)
| Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
| 4159006 |
Thurston |
Jun 1979 |
|
| 4474128 |
Wallach |
Oct 1984 |
|
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
| Parent |
751382 |
Jul 1985 |
|
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
| Parent |
27208 |
Mar 1987 |
|
Patent Grant
4878447
