Device for avoiding capsizing of catamarans

A device for avoiding capsizing of catamarans, wherein a mast of the catamaran is pivotally mounted at its base on a transverse beam of connection of two hulls of the catamaran and kept in position by said device, said device substantially comprising a piston device firmly mounted on said mast and having a movable end firmly connected to a piston and to shrouds of the catamaran, said shrouds extending from a remote end at the top of said mast to said movable end of said device after winding around appropriate lateral tensioning pulleys and central positioning pulleys, said piston device substantially comprising a cylinder receiving said piston for axially sliding movement therein, said piston being biased by appropriate resilient means to maintain said mast of said catamaran in an erect position up to a predetermined value of the force of the wind and permit said mast, when the wind exceeds said value, to bend relative to the catamaran and resume its erect position when the wind decreases again below said value, said value being determined by the calibration of said resilient means,

• said catamaran being provided with at least two tensioning means for said shrouds, said tensioning means being provided one on each side of said mast and substantially comprising a movable member projecting axially from a fixed member connected thereto and mounted thereon by appropriate resilient means, said movable members terminating at their free ends with appropriate pulleys passing outwardly of said shrouds kept under tension, said movable members recovering the backlash of said shrouds when, due to bending of said mast, one of said shrouds when, due to bending of said mast, one of said shrouds shortens and the other lengthens.

A device for avoiding capsizing of catamarans, wherein a mast of the catamaran is pivotally mounted at its base on a transverse beam of connection of two hulls of the catamaran and kept in position by said device, said device substantially comprising a piston device firmly mounted on said mast and having a movable end firmly connected to a piston and to shrouds of the catamaran, said shrouds extending from a remote end at the top of said mast to said movable end of said device after winding around appropriate lateral tensioning pulleys and central positioning pulleys, said piston device substantially comprising a cylinder receiving said piston for axially sliding movement therein, said piston being biased by appropriate resilient means to maintain said mast of said catamaran in an erect position up to a predetermined value of the force of the wind and permit said mast, when the wind exceeds said value, to bend relative to the catamaran and resume its erect position when the wind decreases again below said value, said value being determined by the calibration of said resilient means,

• said piston device substantially comprising an oleodynamic mechanical device, said cylinder being filled with oleodynamic fluid and said piston being biased by said resilient means formed by a first helical spring extending axially within said cylinder and urging against a peripheral portion of a piston head of said piston, said piston head comprising a pair of concentric members movable axially relative to each other and kept tight by appropriate resilient means formed by a second calibrated helical spring placed between said pair of concentric members, said pair of concentric members being movable axially relative to each other and substantially comprising a crown-shaped part having a bossed central hub and a solid piston part having an outside diameter corresponding to the inside diameter of said bossed central hub, said bossed central hub being provided with apertures communicating the inside of said cylinder with the outside portion of said oleodynamic circuit, said oleodynamic circuit comprising a tank and a pipe located outwardly of said cylinder and provided with an oleodynamic pump and at least two unidirectional valves, one located downstream of said oleodynamic pump and the other on said pipe, said unidirectional valves permitting circulation of said oleodynamic fluid in the direction cylinder-pipe-cylinder in said oleodynamic circuit both when said apertures of said piston head are open to cause shifting of said piston head toward an upper position wherein said first helical spring is compressed, and when said apertures of said piston head are closed, but when said piston head is shifted from its usual rest position and is in said upper position with said first helical spring compressed permits said first helical spring to act on said piston head and causes the latter to return due to said unidirectional circulation of said oleodynamic fluid in said oleodynamic circuit.

A device for avoiding capsizing of catamarans, wherein a mast of the catamaran is pivotally mounted at its base on a transverse beam of connection of two hulls of the catamaran and kept in position by said device, said device substantially comprising a piston device firmly mounted on said mast and having a movable end firmly connected to a piston and to shrouds of the catamaran, said shrouds extending from a remote end at the top of said mast to said movable end of said device after winding around appropriate lateral tensioning pulleys and central positioning pulleys, said piston device substantially comprising a cylinder receiving said piston for axially sliding movement therein, said piston being biased by appropriate resilient means to maintain said mast of said catamaran in an erect position up to a predetermined value of the force of the wind and permit said mast, when the wind exceeds said value, to bend relative to the catamaran and resume its erect position when the wind decreases again below said value, said value being determined by the calibration of said resilient means,

• said piston device being a mechanical device comprising a cylinder and a piston mounted for sliding movement in said cylinder and having a piston head biased axially and resiliently by a helical spring of a diameter slightly smaller than the inside diameter of said cylinder, said piston head thus being biased and calibrated exclusively by said helical spring.

A device for avoiding capsizing of catamarans, wherein a mast of the catamaran is pivotally mounted at its base on a transverse beam of connection of two hulls of the catamaran and kept in position by said device, said device substantially comprising a piston device firmly mounted on said mast and having a movable end firmly connected to a piston and to shrouds of the catamaran, said shrouds extending from a remote end at the top of said mast to said movable end of said device after winding around appropriate lateral tensioning pulleys and central positioning pulleys, said piston device substantially comprising a cylinder receiving said piston for axialy sliding movement therein, said piston being biased by appropriate resilient means to maintain said mast of said catamaran in an erect position up to a predetermined value of the force of the wind and permit said mast, when the wind exceeds said value, to bend relative to the catamaran and resume its erect position when the wind decreases again below said value, said value being determined by the calibration of said resilient means,

• said piston device being an oleodynamic device comprising a cylinder filled with oleodynamic fluid and a piston mounted for axially sliding movement in said cylinder and having a piston head biased only by the oleodynamic pressure prevailing upstream, a pipe with an oleodynamic pump and a unidirectional valve being provided outwardly of said cylinder and being further provided with a calibration valve bypassing said oleodynamic pump and said unidirectional valve, said calibration valve determining the load at which it opens to permit circulation of said oleodynamic fluid and upward movement of said piston head toward an upper portion of said cylinder, when the load is less than said calibration load, said calibration valve closing again to stop the upward movement of said piston head and permit the latter to be returned to its rest position due to the action of said pump provided on said pipe located outwardly of said cylinder and acting on said oleodynamic fluid through said unidirectional valve provided downstream of said pump.