~ ™ mil ii ii ii ii mi iii ii 1 1 ii i ii

(19) J European Patent Office

Office europeen des brevets (11) EP 0 746 495 B1

(12) E U R O P E A N PATENT S P E C I F I C A T I O N

(45) Date of publication

ation and mention
mention (51) int. CI.6: B63H 9 / 1 0
of the grant of the patent:
09.06.1999 Bulletin 1999/23 (86) International application number:
PCT/SE95/00233
(21) Application number: 95911545.2
(87) International publication number:
(22) Date of filing: 03.03.1995 WO 95/23732 (08.09.1995 Gazette 1995/38)

(54) A DEVICE TO FACILITATE FURLING AND SETTING OF SAILS

VERBESSERTE VORRICHTUNG ZUM EINHOLEN UND SETZEN VON SEGELN
DISPOSITIF AMELIORE DE FERLAGE ET DE LARGAGE DE VOILES

(84) Designated Contracting States: (72) Inventors:

DE DK ES FR GB GR IT NL SE • KALLMARK, Tore
S-593 36 Vastervik (SE)
(30) Priority: 03.03.1994 SE 9400760 • KALLMARK, Jan
13.01.1995 SE 9500133 S-593 34 Vastervik (SE)

(43) Date of publication of application: (74) Representative:

11.12.1 996 Bulletin 1996/50 Claesson, Lennart et al
Patent Ability L Claesson AB,
(73) Proprietor: ROYAL SAILS AB Box 41 10
593 38 Vastervik (SE) 175 04 Jarf alia (SE)

(56) References cited:

US-A-2 595110 US-A-4102 289

CO
10

CO
Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give
notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in
^o
a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art.
Q. 99(1) European Patent Convention).
Printed byXerox (UK) Business Services
2.16.7/3.6
 1 EP 0 746 495 B1
Description
[0001] The present invention refers to an improved
device to facilitate furling and setting of sails, a so called
spinnaker sleeve. The device is intended for spinnakers
or similar sails such as the family spinnaker and the new
sail genuaker, which normally only are suspended at the
top and at the bottom.
[0002] A known spinnaker sleeve mainly consists of 4
parts:
1. A ring with a gently shaped funnel which collects
the sail at pull-down of the sleeve.
2. A tube of fabric, as long as the sail is high. The
fabric is attached to the funnel and thus follows is
down at pull-down of the funnel and thereby keeps
the sail collected.
3. An upper terminal consisting of a plastic ring with
a through bolt. The upper part of the fabric tube is
attached to the plastic ring. The upper clew of the 20
spinnaker is attached to the bolt with a wire strap.
To the bolt the shackle is also attached to which the
hoisting device (halyard) is fixed with which the
whole sleeve is hoisted up. A block is also attached
to the bolt downwards. 25
4. A control line with which the sleeve itself can be
hoisted and hauled. The line is "endless" (continu-
ously circulating) and is threaded through the
above mentioned block and through a block
attached to the deck or other appropriate location 30
with a short line.
[0003] Mounting of the sail in a sleeve is carried out as
a suggestion horizontally. The sleeve "is hoisted" by
means of the control line, that is, compressed to a
length of about 200 mm. Thereby the wire strap is
uncovered, to which the sail is going to be fastened. The
top of the sail is fixed with a shackle in the wire strap.
The sail is drawn out in its full length without being
twisted or turned, whereupon the sleeve with the control
line is drawn downwards over the sail. The mounting is
completed.
[0004] When the sail is going to be used one fastens
the hoisting device (the halyard) in the shackle at the top
of the sleeve, whereupon the sleeve with the confined
sail is hoisted. The lower block with its line is fixed to the
deck. The sail is now hoisted but the wind cannot take
hold of it (it does not fill) since it is collected in the
sleeve.
[0005] The length of the sleeve is adapted such that
the two lower clews of the sail, to which sheet lines are
going to be fastened, protrudes about 300 mm. When
the above mentioned sheets and additional devices
being required for sailing with spinnaker are mounted,
the sail can be uncovered by the sleeve being hoisted
by means of the control line. Thereby the sleeve is com-
pressed and ends up above the sail. Sailing with a spin-
naker subsequently is done exactly as usual.
2
[0006] Hauling in of the sail is initiated with the sleeve
again being drawn downwards over the sail by means of
the control line. In order to facilitate pull-down in fresh-
ening wind one releases one of the sheets (the lee
5 sheet) whereby the spinnaker falls together. When the
sleeve once is down the sail is again powerless and
confined, why it easily can be hauled and stowed under
deck.
[0007] At a spinnaker sleeve of a known construction
10 the following problems exist:
[0008] The control line is attached to the funnel with a
crowfoot that divides the funnel right in two, that is,
halves the space that the sail disposes in the aperture
of the funnel. Moreover, that the crowfoot only is
attached in two articulated points implies that the fun-
nel, at the least hooking up on the edge tilts and is put
on end, which entails that the sail obtains still less pro-
jected area in the funnel, which entails still increased
friction. Besides the sail may gush out respectively
above and under the crowfoot, which causes the sail to
hook up.
[0009] Parts of the sail, which still are not catched, can
partly be located above the funnel at the pull-down,
whereby the design of the funnel causes the friction of
the sail against the edge of the funnel to give unneces-
sary wear on the sail and even may entail that the sail
hooks itself up.
[001 0] These and further problems are solved by a
device according to the present invention which has
been given the features stated in the subsequent patent
claims. This is thus designed such, that at least a part of
the inside of the ring is provided to extend essentially
axially outwards and that the control line in at least two
locations, separated by a substantial axial distance is
35 attached to and/or runs through support points at one
side of the ring so that the opening of the ring, when the
control line is stretched, is held essentially perpendicu-
lar against the control line. Further the ring at the open-
ing of the sleeve has soft flared edges folded up about
40 180 degrees. Further features are evident from the pat-
ent claims.
[0011] The invention will now be described in closer
detail with reference to the enclosed drawing, in which
45 Fig. 1 shows a device according to the
invention,
Fig. 2A and 2B shows in two different projections the
ring and the funnel at the lower part
of the sleeve and the mounting of the
so control line,
Fig. 3A-C shows a conventional mounting of a
spinnaker sleeve with a crowfoot, and
Fig. 4 shows a design of the upper terminal
5.
55
[0012] As is evident from Fig. 1 a device according to
the invention is built up of the sleeve 1 with an upper ter-
minal 5 and a ring 3 which is applied about the sleeve at
2
 3 EP 0 746 95 B1
746 495
its lower end. The ring 3 supports a funnel 4 or is made
integral with the funnel. A control line runs in the sleeve
between an upper block 14 (Fig. 2) and a lower block
18, connected with a hook 19 to be fastened at the deck
with a line 20 which has been adapted in length so that
the control line becomes somewhat tight.
[0013] The ring 3 with the funnel 4 in a preferred
embodiment is manufactured from a shock resistant,
UV-resistant, temperature resistant polyetene, which
material also gives a minimum of friction.
[001 4] The funnel 4 has gently flared edges, folded up
so that they form about 180 degrees of a toroid shaped
ring. Through this form the funnel even by rapid pull-
down gives a gently rounded edge for the sail to slide
against.
[0015] As is evident from Fig. 2A and 2B in closer
detail a disc 6 of a rigid, curved plastic is mounted at the
inside of the ring 3 so that the disc 6 extends as a
tongue axially out from the ring 3 and forms an exten-
sion of the extended cylinder surface of the sleeve. The
control line 2 has a lower attachment 7 in the proximity
of the tongue tip and an upper attachment 8 at the ring
3. On the disc 6 two line guides 9 are also arranged
spaced from each other. Through the plastic disc 6 the
ring is given an extension in axial direction, that has to
be 200-300 mm depending on the size of the sleeve and
the ring 3. The line guide 9 and/or attachments 7, 8 of
the control line must be on top and at the very bottom of
the disc. When the control line is held stretched up, line
guides and attachments thereby will control the ring 3
with the funnel 4 so that they at control of the sleeve
cannot be put on edge but all the time are maintained
essentially perpendicular against the control line and
project the greatest possible opening against the spin-
naker.
[0016] From Fig. 3A-C is evident in closer detail how
a conventional mounting with a crowfoot 10 in the ring 3
may give poor possibilities to control a spinnaker sleeve.
Fig. 3A shows how the ring 3 with the funnel or the collar
4 easily may tilt about the axis of suspension of the
crowfoot, Fig. 3B shows how the sail can gush out
above and under the crowfoot respectively and hook up
and Fig. 3C shows how the crowfoot limits the area 21
available for the sail. The obvious risk of hooking up
through all these drawbacks is eliminated through the
embodiment according to the invention with the disc 6
as attachment and guide for the control line 2.
[0017] With deleting the crowfoot a possible and
unfortunately frequently occuring mismounting of the
sail in the sleeve has also been able to be eliminated. If
the sail was threaded into the sleeve on the wrong side
of the crowfoot the function stopped completely due to
too large friction.
[0018] According to the invention both strands of the
control line 2 are also collected at one edge of the ring
3 and the sleeve 1, which also results in that the spinna-
ker disposes the whole aperture area and that the risk
of hooking up diminishes.
4
[001 9] Two fasteners 12 for sheet clews are mounted
at the outside of the ring 3. These consist of woven
bands, about 200 mm long, which are fixed diametri-
cally on opposite sides of the ring 3 with the funnel 4. At
5 the outer free rear end there is a push-button and about
100 mm on the band there is a corresponding push-but-
ton. These may be pressed together so that the band
forms a loop. In this loop respective sheet clew is fixed.
This entails that one quickly and simply finds the sheet
10 clews at the next setting of the spinnaker/sleeve and
eliminates the risk of twisting of the spinnaker with
resulting hourglass. It should be possible to replace the
fasteners 12 with some type of hook, but this is less
appropriate since a hook can hook on to something
15 unsuitable, for instance the masthead and make hauling
in impossible.
[0020] The fabric sleeve 1 or the tube is preferably
manufactured from a knitted, tear resistant, sparse
material which has been silicone impregnated so as to
20 give the smallest possible friction at contact with the sail
and control line. At the ends the material has been rein-
forced with sewed-on PVC-tape in order not to be torn
by the tubular rivets that fix the fabric sleeve to the rings
at its ends. In order to achieve a maximum width even
25 highest up in the sleeve, where the ring from considera-
tions of space may not have a too large diameter the
reduction of diameter has been provided through nar-
rowing of the sleeve with the sewed-on band so that the
material has been folded threefold at the fixing points of
30 the upper ring. The tube is open at the top at the ring 15
in order to let in and out air when the sleeve is control-
led.
[0021 ] If the sail is twisted inside the sleeve when it is
hoisted with the control line in order to begin sailing, the
35 sail when it fills will look like an hourglass. A lower part
that fills, the wound together "wasp waist", and the
upper part that fills. Since the lower part is attached to
two sheet lines and therefore cannot be twisted to solve
the problem, the turning back thus has to take place at
40 the top. Since the control line and wire stop runs com-
pletely next to each other they will be twisted together
whereby the control line no longer runs free. This entails
a substantially increased friction at the hauling. If the
spinnaker is twisted more than two turns and thus the
45 whole top terminal at the unloosening rotates two turns,
the friction may be so large that the system is com-
pletely locked.
[0022] Fig. 4 shows in closer detail the construction of
the upper terminal 5. As described above the sleeve 1
so reduced in diameter through folds and attached to the
upper plastic ring 15, which has a diameter of about 110
mm. A bolt 22 is mounted diametrically to the ring 15,
which bolt supports a shackle 13, in which the whole
device with the sail 11 is hoisted, a wire strap 16 with a
55 swivel 17 in which the sail 11 is fixed and the upper
block 14 for the control line 2. Thanks to the swivel 17
the sail 11 may rotate without rotation of the whole
upper terminal 5 and thereby twists together the wire
3
 5 EP 0 746 495 B1
strap and the control line. The length of the wire strap 16
is approximately equal to the length of the sleeve 1,
when this is compressed.
[0023] The invention has now been described with ref-
erence to one embodiment. Other detail designs and
variants are possible within the scope of the subsequent
patent claims.
Claims
1. Device to facilitate furling and setting of sails, in par-
ticular spinnakers, including a tube shaped sleeve
(1) , one end of which is intended to be attached to
the upper end of the sail, a ring (3) attached to the
sleeve about its other end and a control line (2) with is
which the ring and the sleeve can be drawn over the
sail, characterized therein that at least one part of
the inside of the ring (3) is provided to extend
essentially axially outwards and that the control line
(2) in at least two locations (7,8,9,9), separated by 20
a substantial axial distance is attached to and/or
runs through support points at one side of the ring
so that the opening of the ring (3), when the control
line (2) is stretched, is held essentially perpendicu-
lar against the control line (2).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized therein
that the control line (2) is maintained stretched by
running in an upper block (14) at the upper end of
the sleeve and in a lower block (18) which by a 30
rope's end (20) is fastenable to the deck.
3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized
therein that the part of the inside of the ring (3)
which is provided to extend axially outwards is con- 35
stituted by a disc (6) mounted on the inside of the
ring such that it forms a tongue shaped extension of
the cylinder surface of the extended sleeve (1).
4. Device according to claim 3, characterized therein 40
that the ends (7,8) of the control line (2) are
attached to the end of the tongue shaped extension
(6) and to the ring (3) respectively.
5. Device according to any of the claims 1 - 4, charac- 45
terized therein that the control line (2) is arranged
to run through at least one line guide (9) at the ring
or its outwards directed portion.
6. Device according to claim 3 and 5, characterized so
therein that a line guide (9) is arranged at the end
of a tongue shaped extension and a line guide (9) is
provided at the ring.
7. Device according to any of preceeding claims, 55
characterized therein that the control line (2) is
arranged to run inside the sleeve (1) and the ring
(3) .
6
8. Device according to any of preceeding claims,
characterized therein that the upper end of the
sleeve (1) is mounted about a second, open ring
(1 5) and that the upper end of the sail is attached to
s a bolt (22) through the second ring (15) via a swivel
(1 7) and a wire strap (16).
9. Device according to any of preceeding claims,
characterized therein that the ring (3) at the open-
10 ing of the sleeve (1) has gently flared edges (4)
folded up about 180 degrees.
10. Device according to any of preceeding claims,
characterized therein that the bands (12) which
are provided with a push-button so that they can
form a loop that can be opened are arranged at
opposite sides of the ring (3).
Patentanspruche
1. Vorrichtung zum Erleichtern des bergens und set-
zens von Segeln, insbesondere Spinnakern, beste-
hend aus einem tubenformigen Strumpf (1),
dessen eines Ende vorgesehen ist, am oberen
25 Ende des Segels befestigt zu werden, einem Ring
(3), der am Strumpf urn dessen anderes Ende befe-
stigt ist und einem Bedienungsseil (2), mit welchem
der Ring und der Strumpf uber das Segel gezogen
werden konnen, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass
zumindest ein Teil der Innenseite des Ringes (3)
angeordnet ist, sich im Wesentlichen axial nach
aussen zu erstrecken und dass das Bedienungsseil
(2) an zumindest zwei durch einen erheblichen
axialen Abstand getrennten Stellen (7,8,9,9) an
einer Seilfuhrung (9) an der einen Seite des Ringes
befestigt ist und/oder durch diese Seilfuhrung (9)
lauft, so dass die Offnung des Ringes (3) im
Wesentlichen winkelrecht zum Bedienungsseil (2)
gehalten wird, wenn das Bedienungsseil (2)
gestreckt wird.
2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekenn-
zeichnet, dass das Bedienungsseil (2) dadurch
gestreckt gehalten wird, dass es in einem oberen
Block (1 4) am oberen Ende des Strumpfes und in
einem unteren Block (18) lauft, der mit einem Tamp
(20) am Deck befestigt werden kann.
3. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch
gekennzeichnet, dass der Teil der Innenseite des
Ringes (3), der angeordnet ist, sich axial nach aus-
sen zu erstrecken, aus einer an der Innenseite des
Ringes montierten Scheibe (6) besteht, so dass er
eine zungenformige Verlangerung der Zylinderfla-
che des ausgestreckten Strumpfes (1) bildet.
4. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekenn-
zeichnet, dass die Enden (7,8) des Bedienungssei-
4
 7 EP 0 746 495 B1
les (2) am Ende der zungenformigen Verlangerung
(6) bzw. am Ring (3) befestigt sind.
5. Vorrichtung nach einem der Ansprtiche 1 - 4,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Bedienungs-
seil (2) angeordnet ist, durch mindestens eine Seil-
fuhrung (9) am Ring oder dessen nach aussen
gerichteten Partie zu laufen.
6. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 3 und 5, dadurch
gekennzeichnet, dass eine Seilfuhrung (9) am
Ende der zungenformigen Verlangerung und eine
Seilfuhrung (9) am Ring angeordnet ist.
7. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorgenannten Ansprii-
che, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Bedie-
nungsseil 2) angeordnet ist, innen im Strumpf (1)
und dem Ring (3) zu laufen.
8. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorgenannten Ansprii-
che, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das obere
Ende des Strumpfes (1) urn einen zweiten, offenen
Ring (15) montiert ist und dass das obere Ende des
Segels an einem Bolzen (22) durch den zweiten
Ring (15) via ein Drehgelenk (17) und einen Draht-
seilstropp (1 6) befestigt ist.
9. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorgenannten Ansprti-
che, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Ring (3)
an der Offnung des Strumpfes (1) leicht ausge-
stellte, urn ca. 180 Grad hochgebogene Kanten (4)
hat.
10. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorgenannten Ansprti-
che, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass Bander (12),
versehen mit Druckknopfen, urn eine Schleife bil-
den zu konnen die sich offnen lasst. an gegentiber-
liegenden Seiten des Ringes (3) angeordnet sind.
Revendications
1. Dispositif pour ferler et etablir plus facilement les
voiles, en particulier les spinnakers, constitue d'un
fourreau tubulaire (1) dont I'une des extremites est
destinee a etre fixee a la partie superieure de la
voile, d'un anneau (3) fixe au fourreau a son extre-
mite opposee et d'un cordon de tirage (2) permet-
tant d'enfiler la bague et le fourreau sur la voile,
caracterise par le fait qu'au moins une partie de
I'interieur de I'anneau (3) est prevue pour se dilater
vers I'exterieur, essentiellement dans le sens axial,
et que le cordon de tirage (2), dans au moins deux
positions (7, 8, 9, 9) separees I'une de I'autre par
une assez grande distance, est fixe en differents
points d'attache situe sur un cote de I'anneau (3)
et/ou y coulisse de sorte que cet anneau soit main-
tenu pour I'essentiel perpendiculaire au cordon de
tirage (2) lorsque celui-ci est tendu.
8
2. Dispositif selon le revendication 1, caracterise par
le fait que le cordon de tirage est maintenu tendu
par I'intermediaire d'une poulie superieure (14), a
I'extremite superieure du fourreau, et d'une poulie
s inferieure (18) qu'il est possible de fixer au pont par
un bout de cordage.
3. Dispositif selon les revendications 1 et 2, caracte-
rise par le fait que la partie de I'interieur de
10 I'anneau (3) prevue pour se dilater vers I'exterieur
dans le sens axial est constitute d'un disque (6)
monte a I'interieur de I'anneau de maniere a former
une languette prolongeant la surface cylindrique du
fourreau (1) lorsque celui-ci est tendu.
is
4. Dispositif selon le revendication 3, caracterise par
le fait que les extremites (7, 8) du cordon de tirage
(2) sont fixees respectivement a I'extremite de la
languette (6) et a I'anneau (3).
20
5. Dispositif selon I'un des revendications 1 - 4, carac-
terise par le fait que le cordon de tirage (2) est dis-
pose de maniere a coulisser dans au moins un
guide (9) au niveau de I'anneau ou de la partie de
25 celui-ci tournee vers I'exterieur.
6. Dispositif selon les revendications 3 et 5, caracte-
rise par le fait qu'un guide (9) pour le cordon de
tirage est prevu a I'extremite de la languette et un
30 autre sur I'anneau.
7. Dispositif selon I'un des revendications precedents,
caracterise par le fait que le cordon de tirage (2)
est dispose de maniere a coulisser a I'interieur du
35 fourreau (1) et de I'anneau (3).
8. Dispositif selon I'un des revendications precedents,
caracterise par le fait que I'extremite superieure du
fourreau (1) est munie d'un second anneau (15),
40 ouvert, et que I'extremite superieure de la voile est
fixee a un boulon (22) traversant le second anneau
par I'intermediaire d'un emerillon (17) avec une
boucle de cable metallique (16).
45 9. Dispositif selon I'un des revendications precedents,
caracterise par le fait que I'anneau (3) situe a
I'ouverture du fourreau (1) est muni de bords lege-
rement evases (4) replies vers le haut a environ 180
degres.
so
10. Dispositif selon I'un des revendications precedents,
caracterise par le fait que les sangles (12), munies
d'un bouton-pression permettant de former une
boucle ouvrable, sont placees des deux cotes
55 opposes de I'anneau (3).
5
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