Drag-reducing shaft tailfin for vehicles

A method for minimizing drag on a wind-exposed shaft-shaped member wherein said shaft-shaped member is a component of a vehicle, said method comprising:

• forming a streamlined tailfin disposed in rotatable attachment to the shaft-shaped member wherein the tailfin may swivel freely about said shaft-shaped member in response to winds varying in direction impinging thereon;
• and
• configuring the tailfin for providing reduced drag on the shaft-shaped member in response to a variable wind impinging thereon wherein said variable wind varys substantially in impinging direction about said shaft-shaped member during operation of the vehicle.

A method for optimally reducing drag on a wind-exposed shaft-shaped member wherein said shaft-shaped member is both a component of a vehicle and is exposed to winds impinging thereon from a plurality of impinging directions as spaced along a major length thereof, said method comprising:

• forming a plurality of streamlined tailfins disposed in rotatable attachment to the shaft-shaped member wherein said tailfins may swivel freely about said shaft-shaped member in response to winds varying in direction impinging thereon;
• and
• configuring the tailfins for each providing reduced drag on a respective section of said shaft-shaped member in response to a variable wind impinging thereon wherein said variable wind varys substantially in impinging direction about said respective section during operation of the vehicle.