GB2160165A

GB2160165A - Wing sail

Info

Publication number: GB2160165A
Application number: GB08513884A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Bellinger
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-06-06
Filing date: 1985-06-03
Publication date: 1985-12-18
Also published as: GB8414386D0; GB8513884D0

Abstract

A sailing vessel comprises two wingsails 1 and 2 which are mounted at a fixed angle to each other so that they can pivot about their own axes 3 and 4 and together about the vessels fore-aft axis such that with one wingsail generally upright the other wingsail has its end which is provided with a float 7 and 9 respectively in the water to stabilise the vessel. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Rolling wing sail This invention relates to a rolling wing sail.

Rigid aerofoils, or wings, similar in design and concept to aircraft wings have been used as sails to provide propulsion to land and water craft as a more efficient alternative.

Many different types exist but as the more efficient family of aerofoil designs for this purpose offer the better lift/drag ratios to one side of their aerodynamic or absolute zero angle of attack, in acceptable airflow incidences, there arises the problem that with any vertically mounted wing of it only being efficient on one tack. Some designs resolve this problem with camber changing aerofoils although not entirely satisfactorily.

Inherently wings are heavy in comparison to traditional sails and may result in top heaviness to a craft, therefore many designs incorporate low aspect ratio or multiple wing configurations, both thereby reducing any potential efficiency.

A sailing vessel having a pair of divergent wings mounted thereon having buoyant outer ends and being rotatable about the fore and aft direction of the vessel and individually rotatable about the longitudinal axis of each wing, the arrangement being such that when one wing extends generally upright to provide propulsion for the vessel with its buoyant end floating to assist in stabilising the vessel and vice versa.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows in perspective the vessel with one set of rolling wingsail in a position of sailing, configuration A shown.

Figure 2 shows frontal elevation of configuration A in midway position rolling to port with associated lift forces.

Figure 3 shows frontal elevation of configuration A with rolling motion arrested and in sailing trim.

Figure 4 shows frontal elevation as in 3 but with wind and resultant lift forces to the opposite tack.

Figure 5 shows frontal elevation of configuration A in same position as Figure 2 with different lift forces by the wind on the other tack.

Figure 6 shows in perspective an alternative variant of a rolling wing sail and vessel with the rig set for sailing, this is configuration B.

Figure 7 shows a plan of configuration B in a typical close hauled sailing postion on a starboard tack.

Figure 8 shows a plan of configuration B in a typical reaching sailing position on a starboard tack.

Figure 9 shows a plan of configuration B in a typical running sailing position.

Figure 10 shows a frontal elevation of configuration B illustrating the wing position due to a starboard wind with the wings positioning to a port wind being shown by a broken line.

Referring to the drawing of the craft with rolling wing sails type A comprising of a pair of wings 1 and 2 joined to hull 9 by pivots 3 and 4 mounted at dihedral angle 11, arc 12 indicate angular rotation of wing 1 but also wing 2 would have a similar ability when raised.

Wing 1 is shown trimmed for sailing to starboard wind 10 with outrigger hull 8 stabilising the craft in roll outrigger hull 7 being redundant.

Figure 2 shows positive lifting force 13 to wing 1 and negative lifting force 14 towing 2 thus creating rolling moment 15 from wind 10.

Figure 3 shows rolling moment 15 arrested by outrigger 8 and wing 1 angled to wind 10 for sailing.

Figure 4 shows wind 20 giving negative lift 16 to wing 1, creating rolling motion 17.

Figure 5 shows as the wing rolls in the direction of arrow 17 wing 2 receives positive lift 18 further enforcing rolling moment.

The next steps are as Figures 3 and 4 on the opposite tack, also rolling wing sail type B would change from starboard to port tack and port to starboard in the same manner as shown in Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5.

Rolling wing sail B type shown in Figure 6 has wing 1 raised, set to this at dihedral angle 11 is wing 2, both wings are able to roll about axis 24 to change tack, also both wings 1 and 2 are able to rotate about axis 25 in order for wing 1 shown to be set at an angle of attack to wind 10 and for wing 2 to move outrigger 8 into position to stabalise the craft in roll and pitch. Outrigger hull 8 is pivoted on axis 22 to remain parallel to hull 21. On the opposite tack hull 7 would pivot about axis 23 to maintain parallel to hull 21, wings 1 and 2 still being pivoted about axis 25 to attain their correct position as illustrated in Figure 7 being close hauled, Figure 8 being on a reach and Figure 9 running with the wind and Figure 10 indicates the relative attitude of wing 1 and 2 to the respective wind.

1. A sailing vessel having a pair of divergent wings mounted thereon having buoyant outer ends and being rotatable about the fore and aft direction of the vessel and individually rotatable about the longitudinal axis of each wing, the arrangement being such that when one wing extends generally upright to provide propulsion for the vessel, the other wing extends on the leeward side of the vessel with its buoyant end floating to assist in stabilising the vessel and vice versa.

2. A sailing vessel as claimed in claim 1 wherein each wing has a float at its end remote from the vessel to render the end of the wing buoyant.

3. A sailing vessel as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the wings are attached to the vessel which rolls about its fore and aft axis to present one or other wing to the wind with the other wing stabilising the vessel.

4. A sailing vessel as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the wings are hinged to the vessel about a fore and aft axis or axes of the vessel to

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Rolling wing sail This invention relates to a rolling wing sail. Rigid aerofoils, or wings, similar in design and concept to aircraft wings have been used as sails to provide propulsion to land and water craft as a more efficient alternative. Many different types exist but as the more efficient family of aerofoil designs for this purpose offer the better lift/drag ratios to one side of their aerodynamic or absolute zero angle of attack, in acceptable airflow incidences, there arises the problem that with any vertically mounted wing of it only being efficient on one tack. Some designs resolve this problem with camber changing aerofoils although not entirely satisfactorily. Inherently wings are heavy in comparison to traditional sails and may result in top heaviness to a craft, therefore many designs incorporate low aspect ratio or multiple wing configurations, both thereby reducing any potential efficiency. A sailing vessel having a pair of divergent wings mounted thereon having buoyant outer ends and being rotatable about the fore and aft direction of the vessel and individually rotatable about the longitudinal axis of each wing, the arrangement being such that when one wing extends generally upright to provide propulsion for the vessel with its buoyant end floating to assist in stabilising the vessel and vice versa. A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows in perspective the vessel with one set of rolling wingsail in a position of sailing, configuration A shown. Figure 2 shows frontal elevation of configuration A in midway position rolling to port with associated lift forces. Figure 3 shows frontal elevation of configuration A with rolling motion arrested and in sailing trim. Figure 4 shows frontal elevation as in 3 but with wind and resultant lift forces to the opposite tack. Figure 5 shows frontal elevation of configuration A in same position as Figure 2 with different lift forces by the wind on the other tack. Figure 6 shows in perspective an alternative variant of a rolling wing sail and vessel with the rig set for sailing, this is configuration B. Figure 7 shows a plan of configuration B in a typical close hauled sailing postion on a starboard tack. Figure 8 shows a plan of configuration B in a typical reaching sailing position on a starboard tack. Figure 9 shows a plan of configuration B in a typical running sailing position. Figure 10 shows a frontal elevation of configuration B illustrating the wing position due to a starboard wind with the wings positioning to a port wind being shown by a broken line. Referring to the drawing of the craft with rolling wing sails type A comprising of a pair of wings 1 and 2 joined to hull 9 by pivots 3 and 4 mounted at dihedral angle 11, arc 12 indicate angular rotation of wing 1 but also wing 2 would have a similar ability when raised. Wing 1 is shown trimmed for sailing to starboard wind 10 with outrigger hull 8 stabilising the craft in roll outrigger hull 7 being redundant. Figure 2 shows positive lifting force 13 to wing 1 and negative lifting force 14 towing 2 thus creating rolling moment 15 from wind 10. Figure 3 shows rolling moment 15 arrested by outrigger 8 and wing 1 angled to wind 10 for sailing. Figure 4 shows wind 20 giving negative lift 16 to wing 1, creating rolling motion 17. Figure 5 shows as the wing rolls in the direction of arrow 17 wing 2 receives positive lift 18 further enforcing rolling moment. The next steps are as Figures 3 and 4 on the opposite tack, also rolling wing sail type B would change from starboard to port tack and port to starboard in the same manner as shown in Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5. Rolling wing sail B type shown in Figure 6 has wing 1 raised, set to this at dihedral angle 11 is wing 2, both wings are able to roll about axis 24 to change tack, also both wings 1 and 2 are able to rotate about axis 25 in order for wing 1 shown to be set at an angle of attack to wind 10 and for wing 2 to move outrigger 8 into position to stabalise the craft in roll and pitch. Outrigger hull 8 is pivoted on axis 22 to remain parallel to hull 21. On the opposite tack hull 7 would pivot about axis 23 to maintain parallel to hull 21, wings 1 and 2 still being pivoted about axis 25 to attain their correct position as illustrated in Figure 7 being close hauled, Figure 8 being on a reach and Figure 9 running with the wind and Figure 10 indicates the relative attitude of wing 1 and 2 to the respective wind. CLAIMS

4. A sailing vessel as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the wings are hinged to the vessel about a fore and aft axis or axes of the vessel to pivot between the laterally extending stabilising position and the upright propelling position.

5. A sailing vessel as claimed in claim 4 wherein the wings are interconnected to move together between said stabilising and propelling positions.

6. A sailing vessel as in claim 2 and claim 15 wherein the float attached to the leeward wing may pivot directionally by mechanical linkage to maintain its parallel to the main hull.

7. A sailing vessel as in claim 2 and claims 5 and 6 wherein the float attached to the leeward wing maintains its parallel to the main hull by trailing.

8. A sailing vessel as claimed in claim 4 and claim 5 wherein the divergent angle between the upper side to the wings is allowed to increase during its leeward rotation about the said fore and aft axis or axes by means of a roving arm type link between the herein described wings to facilitate reduced rolling moment forces.

9. A sailing vessel as claimed in claim 4 and claim 5 wherein the hinged fore and aft axis or axes are used to lower the raised wing for easier rigging and derigging.

10. A sailing vessel as claimed in 1, 2, 4 and 5 wherein a lock to the rotation about the fore and aft axis as in claim 4 is introduced to transmit dynamic forces induced by the main hull and its hydrofoils to the float on the leeward wing.

11. A rolling wing sail substantially described herein with reference to Figures 1-10 of the accompanying drawings.