Tig rig sail system

Abstract

A sail system comprised of square-rigged sails each set in self-contained units attached to the sides of existing, ocean-going commercial freight ships, which sail system will be deployed in arrays along the sides of the hull of the ship and controlled by proprietary software. The Tig Rig sail system is a roller-blind design of sales, which can reef from full up to full down in increments of one-tenth of the length of the sail drop. The sail system unit has a mast that can rotate and be fixed in position through 360 degrees, which reefing and mast angle can be controlled through control cables, cogs and worm screws in three different ways, in addition to automated reefing and mast release functionality. The Tig Rig sail system is designed to utilize and maximize wind efficiency thereby reducing the reliance on fuel of such ships, with a particular focus on retro-fitting existing ocean-going commercial freight ships.

I. CLAIM: A sail system for the propulsion of a an ocean-going, commercial ship, complimentary to function with the ship's existing engine, comprising of:
 Square-rigged sails each set in self-contained units; 
 Each unit is attached to the side of existing ocean-going, commercial freight ships; 
 Said units are mounted on the rails in one of two different ways: at fixed set points or at specified points on the rails that are retro-fitted around the sides of the ship; 
 Said units can be either pocket-mounted or rail-mounted; 
 The units are arranged in arrays of units on each side of the hull of the ship and typically one unit on the bow, which total of units per ship varies depending on the type and size of the ship; 
 Said units can be moved for clearance during a ship's entry and exit into port; 
 Said units can be controlled manually or by proprietary control software, which can control the sail angle, the angle of the mast through 360 degrees, the drop of the sail and the reefing; 
 Said units can also be similarly controlled manually by using the same pulleys and cables used electronically by the computer controlled system; 
 Said units are moved manually by winding a black rope around the capstan, which rope runs around the ship and is lashed to a white rope to form a continuous cable; 
 Said units are lashed to the continuous cable using simple, cinched straps that loop over horn cleats on the units.
 The system according to claim  1 , wherein said units have the ability to be moved for clearance while docking, for said dockside clearance on the ship, a yellow rope is deployed to gather said units on one side of the ship closer together allowing room for said units from the dockside of the ship to be drawn around the ship and out of the way during loading and unloading of cargo. 
 The system according to claim  1 , wherein said units each have a sail fixed on them, which sail can be dropped or raised in increments of one-tenth of the length of the sail. 
 The system according to claim  1 , wherein said units are controlled by proprietary control software, the software program can receives signals from the ship's computer regarding its course, the route to be followed, the GPS, direction and intensity of wind and wave on the course, control knobs, manual actuation of the sails and total or partial retraction of the sails, the positioning of said units on the hull of the ship, and such software can be used to send signals to the units to direct or retract the sails or adjust the masts according to the supplied data. 
 The system according to claim  1 , wherein said units are controlled by ship crew, there is a control panel on each unit, which has a stainless steel/steel weathershield mounted in front of each unit. 
 
 
     
     
       II. CLAIM: The TR system is designed to be retro-fitted to existing ocean-going, commercial freight ships, thereby enabling the ships' operation to maximize energy efficiencies by the utilization of the sail system to optimize the ships' wind efficiencies in concert with use of the existing engines, and in so doing, reducing reliance on the consumption of fuel from the current consumption levels.