Abstract:
A rigging for a wind-propelled vessel includes: a rotating airfoil-shaped mast; a sail movably coupled to a trailing edge of the airfoil-shaped mast and configured to be hoisted or lowered along the airfoil-shaped mast; a swiveling masthead coupled to a top section of the airfoil-shaped mast; and a plurality of stays supporting the airfoil-shaped mast, each stay having a first end connected to the swiveling masthead and a second end connected to a hull of the vessel.
Abstract:
In one embodiment, a method that receives a manifest for plural encoded representations of a single content stream, each representation fragmented into plural chunks, each representation comprising a different quality level, the manifest listing a plurality of representations, each representation comprising the plural chunks at one of a plurality of quality levels, and requests one of the plural chunks based on selection of one of the plurality of quality levels explicitly indicated in the manifest.
Abstract:
A submersible vessel having wing and keel assemblies that are extendable for wind-powered surface operation and retractable to reduce drag for submerged operation or to place the vessel in a more compact configuration. A deployment mechanism including an actuator and linkage pivots the wing and keel assemblies simultaneously between the deployed and retracted configuration. The vessel may have first and second pressure hulls flanking the wing and keel assemblies. A drive mechanism including a motor and a gear train employing pulley-and-cable assemblies rotates either the wing and flap together such that the flap angle relative to the wing is constant, or to change the flap angle relative to the wing with the wing angle of incidence held constant. The invention also provides a retractable wind-powered propulsion apparatus that is mountable to the hull assembly of a submersible or non-submersible vessel.
Abstract:
A rigging for a wing propelled craft comprises a mast having a starboard side and a port side, wherein the mast is controllably rotatable in either direction about a longitudinal axis; a flexible sail comprising a star-board flexible sail portion and a substantially identical port flexible sail portion, each flexible sail portion having a luff and a leach, wherein the luff of each sail portion is connected to a respective side of the mast; and a plurality of elongated battens, each of which extends substantially between the luff and the leach of one of the respective sail portions, each of which is in contact with the respective flexible sail portion. Rotation of the mast causes the battens connected to one of the sail portions to be compressed along their length so as to bend one of the sail portions to increase the camber thereof and causes the battens connected of the other sail portions to be tensioned along their length so as to partly straighten the other sail portion which changes the shape of an aerofoil formed by the sail.
Abstract:
The invention relates to improvements to masts and in particular a mast apparatus (17) for raising and/or lowering a mast (18) on a vessel such as a vessel, and a vessel incorporating such a mast apparatus. In one example embodiment, the mast apparatus for raising and/or lowering the mast on a vessel comprises a mast; a mast housing (28); a pivot (44) for the mast fixedly connected to the mast housing; a lateral movement control mechanism (34) for enabling controllable lateral movement of the mast with respect to the pivot and the mast housing; a lateral movement control mechanism such as hydraulic ram (30) connected to the mast and connected to the mast housing, or connected to the mast and connectable to a vessel, for driving the mast to rotate about the pivot and move laterally under the control of the lateral movement control mechanism so as to raise or lower the mast and move the mast laterally in a controlled manner.
Abstract:
A submersible vessel having wing and keel assemblies that are extendable for wind-powered surface operation and retractable to reduce drag for submerged operation or to place the vessel in a more compact configuration. A deployment mechanism including an actuator and linkage pivots the wing and keel assemblies simultaneously between the deployed and retracted configuration. The vessel may have first and second pressure hulls flanking the wing and keel assemblies. A drive mechanism including a motor and a gear train employing pulley-and-cable assemblies rotates either the wing and flap together such that the flap angle relative to the wing is constant, or to change the flap angle relative to the wing with the wing angle of incidence held constant. The invention also provides a retractable wind-powered propulsion apparatus that is mountable to the hull assembly of a submersible or non-submersible vessel.
Abstract:
The problems associated with rotating a wing sail around a stayed rig mast; changing the airfoil shape of a wing sail on different tacks; and reefing a wing sail may be solved by using an A-frame mast with port and starboard mast extrusions for supporting two asymmetrical wing sails.
Abstract:
A collapsible mast and rigging for a sailboat. A collapsible mast is provided having a base section and one or more telescopic sections. A plurality of mast rings are also provided, each mast ring having a sail attachment portion for attaching the mast ring to the sail of the sailboat, and a ring-shaped portion for fitting around a selected one of the telescopic sections and, thus fitted, sliding on the outer surface thereof. A hydraulic fluid pump may be used to power the collapsible mast.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to devices and methods for powering a craft by aerodynamic forces. The device features a fairing member and flap element in which the flap element has a first flap position which creates a aerofoil contour on one face of the fairing member, and a second position in which the flap element presents an interrupted surface on both sides of the aerofoil to direct the fairing member in a non-power position without oscillation.
Abstract:
An improved system for rigging a sail to a spar consists of a slot and a gateway plate. The slot is disposed on the spar to selectively enable the sail slugs to engage an internal channel. The gateway plate is adapted to selectively cover the slot and can be removed so the slugs can be inserted to or removed from the channel. The gateway plate consists of a plate body having a first and second oppositely disposed plate-hole, the plate holes having a predetermined alignment with receiving-holes on the spar, the gateway plate further includes a channel-engaging edge, an oppositely disposed handle end, and a predetermined length of elastic cord, which couples to the spar and provides positive engagement of the gateway plate against the spar when in the closed position. The gateway plate can be mounted internally or externally relative to the spar channel.