Sailboard outhaul and downhaul tensioning mechanism
AssigneeNeil Pryde Limited
InventorWilliam P. Doolittle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid pressure member (26 or 26' or 100) is connected between foot portion (3) and upper portion (4) of the mast (3, 20, 4) of a sailboard (1) which, in turn, are connected to the head (6) and tack (10) of the sailboard sail (7). Controls for a source of fluid under pressure (32 or 50) for the pressure member (26 or 26' or 100) are mounted on the boom (5) for convenient access by the user. While under sail, the user can cause a portion (29 or 101) of the fluid pressure member to extend and retract to adjust the overall effective height of the mast (3, 20, 4) and, consequently, the tension of the downhaul (11), i.e., the vertical tension applied to the leading upright edge of the sail (7). A similar fluid pressure member (76) can be carried in the boom (5) to adjust the tension of the outhaul (9).
Claims13
In a sailboard construction including a board for supporting a user, a vertically elongated mast member supported on the board, a horizontally elongated boom member supported on the mast member, a generally triangular sail having a head, a tack and a clew, means connecting the head of the sail to the top of the mast, the tack of the sail to generally the foot of the mast and the clew of the sail to the boom so as to tension the sail, the improvement comprising a fluid pressure member supported on but separate from one of the elongated members, said fluid pressure member having a portion reciprocable by introduction of fluid into and release of fluid from said fluid pressure member, said reciprocable portion being connected so that reciprocation thereof is effective to adjust the sail tension, and manually manipulable control means for introducing fluid into and releasing fluid from said fluid pressure member, said control means being mounted for access by the user while under sail to reciprocate said reciprocable portion and thereby adjust the sail tension.
In a sailboard construction including a board for supporting a user, a vertically elongated mast member mounted on the board, a horizontally elongated boom member supported on the mast member, a generally triangular sail having a head, a tack and a clew, means for connecting the head of the sail to the top of the mast, the tack of the sail to generally the foot of the mast and the clew of the sail to the boom so as to tension the sail, such mast member including a foot portion supported on the board and an upper portion telescoped over the foot portion and movable relative thereto, the improvement comprising a fluid pressure member connected between the mast foot and upper portions, said fluid pressure member including a reciprocable portion extendible and retractable to effect movement of the two mast portions relative to each other and thereby adjust the effective length of the mast, and control means for supplying fluid to and releasing fluid from said fluid pressure member so as to cause its reciprocable portion to reciprocate.
In a sailboard construction including a board for supporting a user, a vertically elongated mast member supported on the board, a horizontally elongated boom member supported on the mast member, a generally triangular sail having a head, a tack and a clew, means for connecting the head of the sail to the top of the mast, means for connecting the tack of the sail to generally the foot of the mast and an outhaul for connecting the clew of the sail to the boom, the improvement comprising a fluid pressure member supported on the boom and having a portion reciprocable relative to the boom by introduction of fluid into said fluid pressure member and release of fluid from said pressure member, said reciprocable portion of said fluid pressure member being connected to the outhaul, and control means for introducing fluid into and releasing fluid from said fluid pressure member so as to reciprocate its reciprocable portion and thereby adjust the outhaul tension.
The method of adjusting the tension of the downhaul of the sail of a sailboard having a mast including foot and upper portions movable relative to each other, said sail having a head connected to the mast upper portion and a tack connected to the mast foot portion by the downhaul, which method comprises supplying fluid under pressure to a fluid pressure member having a portion mechanically connected to one mast portion and a reciprocable portion mechanically connected to the other mast portion so as to cause said reciprocable portion to move in a direction to increase or decrease the effective height of the mast and thereby increase or decrease the downhaul tension.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.