B - Operations – Transporting – 63 – H
Patent
B - Operations, Transporting
63
H
114/12, 114/33
B63H 9/04 (2006.01) B63H 25/04 (2006.01) G05D 1/02 (2006.01)
Patent
CA 1081552
SELF-STEERING APPARATUS FOR SAILBOATS ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wind powered, self-steering device for sailboats of the type employing a main steering rudder and auxiliary steering rudder. The wind vane pivots about an axis that is tiltably adjustable with respect to the horizontal so as to adjust the sensitivity thereof in accordance with the type of keel associated with the boat, its point of sailing, and prevailing wind and sea conditions. The wind vane axis is also rotatably adjustable with respect to the center line of the sailboat to provide course adjustment. when engaged for operation, the wind vane senses the relative ship-wind direction and, when a boat is off course, translates the wind forces on the wind vane into corrective movements of the auxiliary rudder to return the sailboat to course. The self-steering device is characterized by the coplanar nature of the axis about which the vane pivots, about which the axis of the vane is pivoted and about which pivoted motion of the vane is transmitted to the auxiliary rudder. The present invention is further characterized by the fact that a transmission is pro- vided to transmit the pivotal movements of the wind vane to the auxiliary rudder in a range of settable gear ratios which can be determined independently of and in addition to the angle of tile selected for the wind vane and the sensitivity corresponding thereto. The present invention is further characterized by an auxiliary rudder blade subassembly having a pendulum body pivotally mounted on an axis at an angle to the horizontal. The pendulum carries the auxiliary rudder blade which pivots about an axis on the pendulum which axis is oblique to the axis about which the pendulum rotates. Wind vane movements are transmitted to the auxiliary rudder blade whereby the force of water flow past the deflected auxiliary blade causes the pendulum to swing on its tilted axis. The tilt of the pendulum axis reduces the angle of the auxiliary rudder blade to water flow as the pendulum swings resulting in a reducing force on the blade. In this manner movement of the pendulum is transmitted to the main rudder in such a way as to cause the main rudder to correct the sailboat's heading as dictated by the deflections of the wind vane. -2-
287992
Macrae & Co.
Regent Marine & Instrumentation Inc.
LandOfFree
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