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US 4,878,447 AGranted
Multihull vessels
OwnerJohn W. Thurstoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multi-hull vessel has a center section and a plurality of float arm assemblies disposed on opposite sides of the center section. The float arm assemblies are pivoted so as to be movable upwardly or downwardly. Each float arm assembly comprises upper and lower arm arrangements, each including inner and outer segments joined by a pivot. The outer segment of the lower arm arrangement includes a float. To raise the arms assembly, a rigging line is provided which extends from the center section to the outer segment of lower arm arrangement and is disposed above the intermediate pivot of the lower arm arrangement and below the intermediate pivot of the upper arm arrangement. The rigging line is oriented to produce a lifting force on the lower arm arrangement having a larger component in horizontal direction than in the vertical direction.
Claims29
A multihull vessel comprising:
- a center section;
- a plurality of float arm assemblies disposed on opposite sides of the center section and pivotably connected to the center section for movement between:
- a first position laterally extended from the center section to increase the stability of the vessel in an upright position,
- a second position located upwardly and inwardly from the first position above the center section and closely adjacent the vertical centerline of the vessel when the vessel is in an upright position, to decrease the stability of the vessel when the vessel is in a fully capsized position;
- and
- a third position located downwardly and inwardly from the first position to reduce the beam of the vessel,
- each float arm assembly including upper arm means and lower arm means pivotably connected to the center section for pivotal movement;
- the upper arm means including inner and outer segment means pivotably connected together about a first intermediate pivot, the inner segment means including an inner end pivotably connected to the center section,
- the lower arm means including inner and outer segment means connected together about a second intermediate pivot, the outer segment means of the lower arm means connected to a float and being pivotably connected to an outer end of said outer segment means of said upper arm means, the inner segment means of the lower arm means being pivotably connected to the center section,
- the outer segment means of the upper arm means being rotatable relative to the inner segment about the first intermediate pivot to shorten the effective length of the upper arm means as the float arm assembly is moved between its first and second positions,
- the outer segment of the lower arm means being rotatable relative to the inner segment about the second intermediate pivot to shorten the effective length of the lower arm means as the float arm assembly is moved between its first and third positions, and
- actuating means for pivoting the float arm assembly, comprising:
- lifting means for moving the float arm assembly from its first portion to its second position comprising a rigging line extending between the center section and to one of said outer segments at a location adjacent said float, the line disposed below the first intermediate pivot and above the second intermediate pivot and arranged such that the lifting force applied to said one outer segment has a larger component in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction,
- a lowering means for moving the float arm assembly from its first position to its third position, the lowering means extending between the upper and lower arm means and connected to the upper arm means,
- means for tensioning the rigging line for effecting movement of the float toward the center section when not opposed by the lowering means,
- means for tensioning the lowering means for reducing the separation between the upper and lower arm means when not opposed by the lifting means, and
- the rigging line engaging an underside of the first intermediate pivot to resist downward movement of the latter as the float assembly is being maintained in its first position.
14 more elements
A multihull vessel comprising:
- a center section;
- a plurality of float arm assemblies disposed on opposite sides of the center section and pivotably connected to the center section for movement between:
- a first position laterally extended from the center section to increase the stability of the vessel in an upright position,
- a second position located upwardly and inwardly from the first position above the center section and closely adjacent the vertical centerline of the vessel when the vessel is in an upright position, to decrease the stability of the vessel when the vessel is in a fully capsized position;
- and
- a third position located downwardly and inwardly from the first position to reduce the beam of the vessel,
- each float arm assembly including upper arm means and lower arm means pivotably connected to the center section for pivotal movement;
- the upper arm means including inner and outer segment means pivotably connected together about a first intermediate pivot, the inner segment means including an inner end pivotably connected to the center section,
- the lower arm means including inner and outer segment means connected together about a second intermediate pivot, the outer segment means of the lower arm means connected to a float and being pivotably connected to an
- outer end of said outer segment means of said upper arm means, the inner segment means of the lower arm means being pivotably connected to the center section,
- the outer segment means of the upper arm means being rotatable relative to the inner segment about the first intermediate pivot to shorten the effective length of the upper arm means as the float arm assembly is moved between its first and second positions,
- the outer segment of the lower arm means being rotatable relative to the inner segment about the second intermediate pivot to shorten the effective length of the lower arm means as the float arm assembly is moved between its first and third positions, and
- actuating means for pivoting the float arm assembly, comprising:
- lifting means for moving the float arm assembly from its first portion to its second position comprising a rigging line extending between the center section and to one of said outer segments at a location adjacent said float, the line disposed below the first intermediate pivot and above the second intermediate pivot and arranged such that the lifting force applied to the outer segment means of the lower arm means has a larger component in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction,
- a lowering means for moving the float arm assembly from its first position to its third position, the lowering means extending between the upper and lower arm means and connected to the upper arm means,
- means for tensioning the rigging line for effecting movement of the float toward the center section when not opposed by the lowering means,
- means for tensioning the lowering means for reducing the separation between the upper and lower arm means when not opposed by the lifting means, and
- the rigging line, in the first and second positions of the float arm assembly, extending entirely within a space disposed between axes of rotation of the first and second intermediate pivots before terminating adjacent the float.
15 more elements
A multihull vessel comprising:
- a center section;
- a plurality of float arm assemblies disposed on opposite sides of the center section and pivotably connected to the center section for movement between:
- a first position laterally extended from the center section to increase the stability of the vessel in an upright position,
- a second position located upwardly and inwardly from the first position above the center section and closely adjacent the vertical centerline of the vessel when the vessel is in an upright position, to decrease the stability of the vessel when the vessel is in a fully capsized position;
- and
- a third position located downwardly and inwardly from the first position to reduce the beam of the vessel,
- each float arm assembly including upper arm means and lower arm means pivotably connected to the center section for pivotal movement;
- the upper arm means including inner and outer segment means pivotably connected together about a first intermediate pivot, the inner segment means including an inner end pivotably connected to the center section,
- the lower arm means including inner and outer segment means connected together about a second intermediate pivot, the outer segment means of the lower arm means connected to a float and being pivotably connected to an outer end of said outer segment means of said upper arm means, the inner segment means of the lower arm means being pivotably connected to the center section,
- the outer segment means of the upper arm means being rotatable relative to the inner segment about the first intermediate pivot to shorten the effective length of the upper arm means as the float arm assembly is moved between its first and second positions,
- the outer segment of the lower arm means being rotatable relative to the inner segment about the second intermediate pivot to shorten the effective length of the lower arm means as the float arm assembly is moved between its first and third positions, and
- actuating means for pivoting the float arm assembly, comprising:
- lifting means for moving the float arm assembly from its first position to its second position comprising a first rigging line extending between the center section and to one of said outer segments at a location adjacent said float, the first rigging line disposed below the first intermediate pivot and above the second intermediate pivot and arranged such that the lifting force applied to the outer segment means of the lower arm means has a larger component in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction,
- a lowering means comprising an additional rigging line extending from the center section and between and in engagement with the upper and lower arm means for moving the float arm assembly from its first position to its third position,
- means for tensioning the first rigging line for effecting movement of the float toward the center section when not opposed by the lowering means, and
- means for tensioning the second rigging line for reducing the separation between the upper and lower arm means when not opposed by the lifting means.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.