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Aga Aktiebolag

Stellan P Knoos

Bertil Ingemar Bostrom

A self steering system for a sailboat has a rotatably and pendulously supported servo blade or 'oar' member, which is suspended in the water behind the boat. A central body portion is attached to the transom of the boat. A pendulum body having two lever arms or 'winglets' which extend generally in opposite directions is fixedly supported on a shaft suspended below the central body portion. A line is attached to each of the tips of the lever arms. Each of these lines runs upwardly and through separate blocks to the boat's steering control. A wind vane is installed on the top of the assembly and drives a push rod, which is coupled, to the servo blade. In operation, the wind vane provides a motional signal in accordance with changes in the heading of the boat from a preset heading, this motional signal operating to drive the servo blade, which controls the sailboat's main rudder, to bring the boat back to its preset heading.

Sailboat servo-pendulum steering system

A steering device for sailboats comprises a bracket (11), a rocker (12) pivotally mounted on the bracket and including means for connecting it to a rudder, a servo oar (13) rotatably mounted in the rocker (12), a steering lever (17) mounted on the bracket (11) and pivotable in response to a steering signal, and a linkage (17A/18/23) coupling the steering lever (17) to the servo oar (13) to rotate it in response to the steering signal. The linkage comprises a link rod (18) which extends generally transversely of the axis (L) of rotation of the servo oar (13) and generally forwardly from the servo oar to a lever arm (17A) of the steering lever (17).

Steering device for sailboats

Steering gear for a yacht

A thermodynamic system for interchanging thermal energy with external sources or sinks while minimizing the dead volume presented to the pressure cycle is based upon a thermodynamic machine which cycles a working fluid bidirectionally through a regenerator means and at least one external heat exchanger for interchanging thermal energy with a heat source or sink. Between the thermodynamic machine and the heat exchanger is a switchable thermal energy storage system using at least one heat load capacitor and two different circulation loops through the storage system. By switching the working fluid paths through the thermal energy storage system, thermal energy is exchanged but the thermodynamic machine is isolated from the heat exchanger at least predetermined intervals during operation, and the dead space in the external device does not affect the pressure cycle of the machine.

Thermal energy transfer system and method

A system for providing thermal energy output at intermediate levels below about 120.degree. C. uses both a conventional heat source input and an ambient heat source input to the hot and cold ends, respectively, of a Vuilleumier cycle machine. While converting thermal energy to work in both a heat engine process and a heat pump process, an intermediate working chamber integral with both processes is arranged to provide thermal output at the desired intermediate level. By maintaining the pressure ratio within predetermined limits and observing a number of temperature relationships desirably high coefficients of performance are provided with useful levels of output in a reliable system having long operating life.

Unitary heat engine/heat pump system

In thermodynamic apparatus and methods utilizing constant volume cycling devices, substantial improvements in energy output can be gained by utilization of an integrated thermodynamic process placing regenerator efficiency in a higher regime. Displacer elements operating in phased relation to the thermodynamic cycle provide superheating and supercooling to extended opposite ends of the regenerator, to establish steady state conditions which increase the temperature ratio of the system. In turn, the pressure ratio of the thermodynamic cycle is increased and the specific energy output improved. This expansion of the capability of thermodynamic machines for working in moderate temperature ranges is further utilized with systems for achieving thermal gain for heating or cooling, utilizing ambient energy as a heat source as well. It thus becomes feasible to effect thermal transformation between different temperature levels with high coefficients of performance, vastly increasing the number of alternatives available for practical thermal exchange systems.

Thermodynamic machine and method

A support arm is pivotally supported on the side of a boat for movement from a horizontal to an alternate stowed side position, this arm in its horizontal position extending transversely relative to the longitudinal axis of the boat across the steering device which may comprise a tiller or wheel in the close proximity thereto. Supported on the arm for movement along the longitudinal axis thereof is a coupler member having drive cable connected thereto, the drive cable being wound about suitable blocks so as to enable positioning of the coupler along the axis of the support arm in response to movement of the cable. The coupler member has a plurality of apertures spaced longitudinally therealong which enables the selective connection of the coupler member at any one of its apertures to a mating attachment member on the tiller. Thus, the coupler is driven laterally in either direction in response to movement of the cable, thereby actuating the steering control accordingly. The cable may be driven in response to a self-steering system, such as a self-steering wind vane system or an autopilot, to control the course of the boat. When the steering control system is not in use, it can readily be disconnected from the steering control and pivotally moved to a side position where it is stowed.

Steering control system for the steering of a boat

A self-steering system particularly suitable for maintaining a sailing craft such as a yacht on a preselected heading relative to the apparent wind. An oar member which forms a hydrodynamic servo is mounted on a center body for rotational motion. Also supported on the center body above the oar member is a wind vane which is mounted for rotational adjustment and for pivotal motion substantially normal to its rotational axis. The center body is pivotally supported on the transom of the yacht for motion about an axis approximately parallel to the longitudinal center line of the boat. The wind vane is coupled to the oar member such that when the heading of the yacht changes relative to the apparent wind, the wind vane is pivotally driven sidewise by the wind and through its linkage thereto rotatably drives the oar member. Such rotatable motion of the oar member from a predetermined neutral position results in sidewise water forces thereon which pendulously drive the oar member sidewise and along with it rotate the center body and the vane base. The center body is coupled through a suitable linkage to the steering control of the yacht such that the sidewise pendulous motion of the oar causes the steering control to drive the rudder of the yacht in a direction such as to maintain the yacht on the preselected heading relative to apparent wind.

Sailing craft self-steering system

A hot-gas engine the power output of which is regulatable comprises a cylinder defining variable-volume primary and secondary chambers separated by a piston moving in the cylinder, the movement of which piston is transmitted to an external system extracting the mechanical work produced by the engine. The engine has a heater communicating with the primary chamber, a regenerator communicating with the heater and a cooler containing a supply of working gas at the maximum gas pressure occurring during the work cycle. The engine is provided with valves controlled to pass the working gas to, from and between the primary and secondary chambers in sequential steps. The regulation of the output is accompolished in that during a work-cycle period of increasing primary chamber volume the pressure in the primary chamber is maintained at a high and constant level during a variable fraction of this period, which fraction extends over the work-cycle interval in which a reduction of the power output is obtained for increasing injection time at high and constant pressure. Simultaneously with a reduction of the power output, there is a reduction of the ratio of the maximum and minimum pressures over the work cycle.

Thermodynamic machine

A compact, highly versatile, modular solar energy collector is achievable through the employment of well distributed bypass flow components providing a bypass mass flow within a given range across a thin collector face, in conjunction with a low height, laminar interior flow having a predetermined proportionality to the bypass flow. A short flow path length along the collector together with the bypass flow relationship and other parameters permit high temperature differentials to be attained, accompanied by high efficiency. Further, the mass flow through the collector may be varied within a substantial range in response to changing insolation conditions while maintaining the bypass flow in an acceptable range by incorporation of a pressure drop having mass flow dependent characteristics in the principal flow path.

Solar energy collector

A readily fabricated, high efficient modular solar energy collector that may be arranged in a wide variety of arrays comprises a relatively small, typically but not necessarily rectangular, panel structure that is centrally coupled to an insulative support that may define an outlet conduit. In a specific example, a pair of coextensive, thermally conductive panels, the outer one of which preferably has a light absorptive black upper surface of low emissivity, defines flow paths directed laterally inwardly from side margins of the panel to a central mid-line region at which outlet apertures flow into a manifold region under the panel. The heated fluid in the manifold communicates with an outlet conduit within the support that is connectable at its respective ends to like conduits of adjacent modules. The centrally supported panels are sufficiently rigid to need no additional support, and freely expand and contract in response to temperature changes. An array of modules of this character may be mounted adjacent a single transparent cover of larger size, and for low ambient temperature regions may include an individual transparent cover for each module. The construction further permits swiveling of individual lines of modules so as to assume optimum angles to incident radiation. Despite the relatively small module size, high temperature differentials are achieved with high efficiency, and great flexibility is permitted in the arrangement of an array, which also can have good aesthetic appearance. All modules may be arranged to communicate with a heat exchanger system, such as an air-to-water heat exchanger.

Modular solar energy collector systems

High efficiency solar radiation collectors may employ a dual flow path relative to heat transfer surfaces of the collector panel. A major air flow is confined beneath the panel, but a subsidiary (bypass) air flow at an angle to the principal air flow is also employed to suppress natural (free) flow convection at an upper side of the panel. Advantageously, the subsidiary air flow can be established by perforations in the collector panel and by creation of a suction for the bypass air. High efficiency energy collection, particularly adapted to weak and intermittent radiation environments, is further enhanced by the usage of a collector panel having a low thermal mass and providing good thermal interchange with a relatively small air mass moving beneath and above the panel, while being arranged to limit thermal conduction along the panel in the direction of air flow. Thus, a thermal gradient is established along the length of the collector panel, with a low temperature differential with the heated air mass at every position, with a fast heating response time, and with reradiation losses being minimized. By recirculating the air in a low thermal mass heat exchange system with an energy storage system in such fashion that inlet fluid is at the lowest sustainable temperature, insolation incident upon the collector is more fully utilized. The thermal energy storage most advantageously comprises what may be termed a minimum entropy system, with thermal energy in the heated air mass being interchanged in counterflow relation with a storage fluid which may be fed to different temperature level storages, dependent upon the intensity of the solar radiation available to the collector.

Solar radiation collection system

A steering device which is particularly suitable for the automatic steering of a sailboat on a preselected heading relative to the apparent wind incorporates a hydrodynamic servo device. An oar member which forms the hydrodynamic servo is mounted in a support housing and positioned in the water behind the boat for both rotational and pendulous motion. Also mounted in the support housing and positioned in the water behind the boat for solely rotational motion is a rudder member which is coupled to the oar member to provide a rotational input thereto in response to steering control signals. These steering control signals may be provided by a dual axis wind vane which generates an output when the heading of a sailboat relative to the apparent wind changes. When the oar member is rotatably driven from its neutral position (i.e., the position where the sidewise hydrodynamic forces balance each other out), the water force pendulously drives this member substantially sidewise. This sidewise motion signal is converted to a rotational motion signal which is coupled to the rudder member to effect steering of the boat in accordance with the steering control signal (in the case of automatic steering, to maintain the desired heading). The rudder-oar member control linkage and wind vane (if used) are integrated with the housing to form a single compact portable unit that can be removably installed on the transom of a boat.

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La Jolla, CA, United States of America

Stellan P Knoos