Furling line tension control for roller-reefing drum

A furling line tensioning device for controlling the coiling action of a furling line on a roller-reefing drum, comprising a pressure cam assembly having base means for mounting to a sailboat structure, first and second cam members constructed and arranged with opposed cam walls extending normal to said base means and forming a passageway for a furling line therebetween, at least one of said cam members being pivotally mounted on said base means and having spring-loaded means for biasing its cam surface toward a closed position with the opposed cam member for providing a tensioning force on a furling line within the passageway during unfurling operations while accommodating substantially unrestricted passage of the furling line during furling operations.

A furling line tensioning device for controlling the coiling action of a furling line on a roller-reefing drum, comprising base means for mounting said device to a sailboat structure including means for angularly adjusting said base means on the sailboat structure, a pair of mirror-image cam members constructed and arranged with opposed cam walls having relatively smooth cam surfaces defining a furling line passageway therebetween, said angularly adjustable means of said base means accommodating orientation of said passageway for linear furling line movement through said device in opposite directions, said cam members being pivotally mounted on said base means and having spring-loaded means for biasing the cam surfaces toward each other to apply a tensioning force on the furling line in one direction of movement and accommodating unrestricted furling line movement in the opposite direction, and keeper means constructed and arranged on said base means for maintaining the furling line in the passageway between the opposed cam walls at all times.