FIXATION AVANT DE WISHBONE

Abstract

The invention relates to a wishbone front attachment comprising a semi-cylindrical ball joint ensuring the rigidity of the wishbone-mast assembly. It consists of a piece fixed to the front end of the wishbone and a sleeve adaptable to the mast; these two pieces can be fitted together. The assembly can be mounted from the front or the rear of the mast. It can be fitted with shock absorbers and tightened onto the mast using the wishbone as a lever.

Description

The subject of this application is a certificate of addition to the main patent application No. 88 16043 filed on December 7, 1988, which had as its subject a forward wishbone attachment comprising a transverse ball joint designed to maintain the orthogonality of the sail plans and the wishbone regardless of the position of the listening point of the sail and the height of the wishbone on the mast, this attachment being made up of a part integral with the wishbone and a sleeve adaptable to the mast. The embodiments included in the main patent described attachments adapted to the mast from the front. The object of the addition is the description of other embodiments, characterized in that the adaptation can be made from the rear of the mast, that is to say between the mast and the sail, and in that the left and right lateral parts of the part integral with the wishbone can be independent and held together by means of the sleeve, their axial connection being ensured by a cooperating fit of the male and female parts of the ball joint; the sleeve can then be provided with a flexible middle part or a hinge with a vertical axis, facilitating its mounting on the mast. These embodiments have the following advantages: - the adaptation from the rear of the mast is more rational, the shackle then being automatically applied against the mast when the clew of the sail is tightened. - the part attached to the wishbone then protrudes towards the rear and can come into contact with the sail, it is advantageous to remove the central part. The left and right lateral parts of this part, fixed to the wishbone tube, are then joined by the sleeve and the adaptation of the attachment to the mast can be done both from the front and from the rear. - the use of a vertically articulated sleeve in its middle part makes it easier to fix it to the mast. - shock absorbing devices preventing the wishbone from breaking in the event of significant stress can easily be included in the binding. The attached drawings illustrate the new embodiments. Figure 1 shows in perspective a fixing model which can be fitted from the rear of the mast. Figures 2 and 3 represent, in partial sections, respectively the top and front views of the same model. For adaptation from the rear of the mast, the part integral with the wishbone (1) and the sleeve (2) must have recesses on the front, the transverse support of the ball joint being obtained by a female part provided with removable elements (3) forming half-bearings enclosing the male part. As in the main patent, the female part can be on the sleeve or on the part integral with the wishbone. To be usable on masts of various diameters, the section of the sleeve can have an oblong shape in the longitudinal direction, the dimensions being chosen according to the diameters of the most common masts, the closing of the sleeve being done using a counter-plate (4) sliding in the sleeve until it contacts the mast. The tightening is obtained using cables or loops stretched using levers (5). For better adhesion to the mast, the inside of the sleeve can be covered with fixed or removable elastic pads, not shown in these figures. According to a variant not illustrated, the section of the sleeve may be circular, and the interior thereof covered with interchangeable elastic pads of various thicknesses allowing the internal diameter of the sleeve to be adjusted to the diameter of the mast. The interchangeable pads may be removably attached to the sleeve by pins, for example. A shock-absorbing system may be provided, consisting for example of a zone of reduced thickness on the part integral with the wishbone if the latter is made of semi-rigid plastic material. When the central part of the part integral with the wishbone is removed, the left and right lateral parts of this part are independent and joined by the sleeve. Their axial connection is then ensured by a cooperating fit between the male and female parts of the ball joint, a domed shape or a shoulder of the male parts engaging in a hollow shape or a groove of the female parts, or vice versa. Figures 4 and 5 represent, in partial sections, respectively the top and front views of a model where the left and right halves of the integral part of the wb are independent, and where the female part of the ball joint is on the sleeve. When the male parts are integral with the wishbone, their adaptation to the sleeve can be done using cups (6) or cheeks, threaded onto the ends of the front end of the wishbone then screwed onto the sleeve. A shock-absorbing device can be provided, consisting of an elastic piece (7) interposed between the male and female parts, the opening of the cups or cheeks then being oblong in shape in the vertical direction to allow a slight movement of the wishbone. According to a variant not shown, and when the material constituting the end piece is semi-rigid, another damping system can consist of a zone of lesser thickness of the part of the end piece connecting the tube of the wishbone to the ball joint. The two damping systems (elastic pieces and thinnings) can be associated. In these figures, the inside of the sleeve has elastic pads (8). O-rings (9) are provided to prevent particles from entering the ball joint. When the left and right halves of the wishbone part are independent, the middle part of the sleeve can be flexible or articulated, for example by means of a vertical hinge or a zone of reduced thickness and / or the use of a semi-rigid material. Figures 6 and 7 represent, in partial sections, respectively the top and front views of a model where the sleeve is articulated thanks to a middle zone of lesser thickness (10). In this example, the female part is provided with removable elements (3) forming half-bearings, and the internal part of the sleeve, of circular section, is provided with elastic pads (8), removably fixed to the sleeve by pins (11). Zones of lesser thickness (12) are used for shock absorption. Figure 8 shows, in partial section, a top view of a model where the sleeve is articulated by means of a central hinge (13). In this example, the male part is on the sleeve. The female part has a tubular shape split at its end so as to be expandable for its is introduced on the male part, and provided with a rim engaging in a groove of the male part. The assembly is then held in place by a ring (15) coaxial with the female part which can be moved by sliding or screwing onto it. A semi-elastic part serving as a shock absorber (16) is interposed between the female part and the end of the end piece (17), these different elements being able to be secured, for example, by gluing and / or using studs (18), screws, rivets. When the sleeve is hinged in its middle part, it can be tightened to the mast by using the wishbone arms like the levers of a clamp, with the rear end piece removed. If the rear end piece of the wishbone is fitted with a hinge allowing the wishbone arms to be folded along one or two horizontal axes, the removal of this end piece is no longer necessary for clamping the mast, as the sleeve can be opened when the wishbone is inclined along the mast, and closed by tilting the wishbone into its position of use, as illustrated in Figure 9 in the appendix. In both cases, the sleeve can be engaged on the mast from the front or from the rear.

Claims

CLAIMS 1) Device for connecting a wishbone to a mast according to any one of claims 1 to 8 of the main patent, characterized in that the sleeve (2) and the part integral with the wishbone (1) have recesses open towards the front allowing the assembly to be fitted to the mast from the rear, the transverse support of the ball joint being obtained by a female part provided with removable elements (3) forming half-bearings. 2) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the part integral with the vishbone is also open at the rear, the left and right parts of this part then being independent and joined by the sleeve, their axial connection being ensured by a cooperating fit between the male and female parts of the ball joint, a domed shape or a shoulder of the male parts engaging in a hollow shape or a groove of the female parts, or vice versa. 3) Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sleeve (2) has an oblong section closed by a sliding counter-plate (4) adjusting to the diameter of the mast. 4) Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sleeve is internally fitted with fixed or removable elastic pads (8) allowing the sleeve to be adapted to the diameter of the mast and better adhesion. 5) Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a shock-absorbing system consisting of an elastic material (7) interposed between the male and female parts of the ball joint and / or a zone of reduced thickness (12) of the connecting tips to the arms of the wishbone. 6) Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each female part is in the form of a split tube (14) provided with a shoulder, forming an expandable mandrel for its introduction onto the male part provided with a groove, and is provided with a coaxial clamping ring (15) which can be moved by sliding or screwing. 7) Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the part integral with the wishbone is made up of several elements connected to each other, elements ensuring fixing to the sleeve (14, 15), shock absorption (16), and connection to the arms of the wishbone (17). 8) Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sleeve is articulated along a vertical axis in its middle part by a zone of reduced thickness (10) or a hinge (13) allowing its opening and its tightening on the mast using the arms of the wishbone as levers. 9) Device according to claim 8 characterized in that the rear end of the wishbone is articulated along one or two horizontal axes, thus allowing the sleeve to be opened by folding the wishbone along the mast and its tightening by tilting the wishbone into its position of use.