Self-fairing windmill vane

A windmill vane for use with a windmill having a vertical shaft disposed for rotation by the wind in a selected direction around a vertical axis, said vane comprising:

• (a) a rigid, generally open planar frame standing out from and fixedly carried by the shaft, the frame having a central portion, a first end, and a second end aligned horizontally and radially outwardly from the shaft with the first end, the frame being oriented in a plane with the central portion of the frame leading the ends thereof relative to the instantaneous direction of movement of the frame around the shaft, such plane being inclined at an angle of about forty-five degrees (45.degree.) upwardly relative to such instantaneous direction of movement;
• and
• (b) a sail carried by the frame, the sail comprising a light weight, resilient substantailly wind resistant material, the sail extending continuously between
• (i) a head edge securely attached along the frame, and
• (ii) a foot edge extending continuously between the first and second ends of the frame and being otherwise not attached to the frame;
• the orientation of the frame and the length of the foot edge of the sail being such that the sail is full when moving with the wind and streams behind the frame and has minimal drag when moving across and against the wind.

A windmill vane for use with a vertical axis windmill having a vertical shaft disposed for rotation in a selected direction around a vertical axis and having a hub fixedly attached to the shaft, said vane comprising:

• (a) a rigid, generally open planar frame having the shape of a half-ellipse, the frame including
• (i) a proximal end fixedly attached to the hub of the shaft,
• (ii) a distal end aligned horizontally and radially outwardly from the shaft with the proximal end, and
• (iii) a central portion located about midway between the proximal and distal ends of the frame, the frame being oriented in a plane with the central portion of the frame leading the ends thereof relative to the instantaneous direction of movement of the frame around the shaft, such plane being inclined at an angle of about forty-five degrees (45.degree.) upwardly relative to such instantaneous direction of movement;
• and
• (b) a light weight, resilient substantially wind resistant sail carried by the frame, the sail extending continuously between
• (i) a head edge securely attached along the frame, and
• (ii) a foot edge extending continuously between the proximal and distal ends of the frame, a portion of the foot edge being positioned substantially directly below the central portion of the frame when the sail is full;
• the orientation of the frame and the length of the foot edge of the sail being such that the sail is full when moving with the wind and streams directly behind the frame and has minimal drag when moving across and against the wind.