Did You Know...
...Chester Carlson was a patent agent who tired of having to make multiple copies of patent applications using the only duplication method available at the time: carbon paper. In 1959 he came up with a new copying system and took it to IBM for evaluation. The "experts" at IBM determined potential sales to be only 5,000 units because people wouldn't want to use a bulky machine when they had carbon paper. Carlson's invention was the xerography process, the company founded on the system is Xerox.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7762204 | Retractable bowsprit for a sailing vessel A bowsprit for a sailing vessel having a deck and a hull. A supporting member of the bowsprit has first and second opposing ends and is pivotably attachable to the deck such that the opposing ends of the supporting member extend outwardly past the hull. First and se... | 07/27/2010 |
| 7578252 | Inflatable whisker pole A whisker pole for a sailboat is provided. The whisker pole includes an inflatable portion that can be pressurized to maintain the position of a headsail. The whisker pole can be deflated for stowage. The length of the whisker pole can be adjusted for different boat... | 08/25/2009 |
| 7418911 | Trailerable sailboat with mast raising method Important design features and methods of launching a trailerable sailboat are described. The trailerable sailboat is designed to allow transportation on overland highways and to provide a simplified method of raising the mast without the need for a crane. ... | 09/02/2008 |
| 7367276 | Retractable bowsprit for sailboat A bowsprit, or spar, for supporting a spinnaker sail at the front of a sailboat is mounted on the deck of the sailboat. The bowsprit is retractable and extendable in telescoping fashion and includes a rope or tack line extending from the forward end thereof that con... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7294939 | Folding portable wind-power electricity generating apparatus A wind-power electricity generating apparatus includes a base, a cover and an electricity generating set. The cover is pivotally coupled to a lateral side of the base and can be lifted open or covered onto the base. A wind collecting surface is formed inside the cov... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7278366 | Method and apparatus for increasing sail efficiency A method and apparatus for increasing sail efficiency is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a second sail, disposed in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane, wherein the second sail is disposed proximate a periphery of the first sail. ... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7090236 | Mounting system, sail, steering mechanism and frame for a landsailer A mounting system for a boom (14) of a landsailer (1) includes a resilient flexible member (12), at one end engageable with a rearward portion of the landsailer frame (2) and at the other end with the main sheet (13). A steering me... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7025072 | Walking aid Walking aid apparatus comprises handle portion and a shaft portion including a ground-contacting ferrule, the shaft portion comprising telescopically-mounted cylindrical spindle and sleeve elements and a spring means acting between seats of said spindle and sleeve e... | 04/11/2006 |
| 7025218 | Billboard advertising copy hoist system A hoist system can be used to raise articles. The hoist system can include a composite pole member having a bend, a mounting structure attachable to the composite pole member and a winch assembly. The winch assembly has at least one component attached to the pole. T... | 04/11/2006 |
| 6932010 | Sailboat with offset boom A sailboat comprising a hull with a mast has a rotatable strut that supports a continuous boom and holds the boom far enough away from the mast to allow clear air flow over the sail on either tack. The support for the boom at the end of the strut is tubular to allow... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6857217 | Fishing gaff with multi-position fish hook A hand held fishing gaff for manually engaging and lifting fish from water having a multi-position fish hook. The handle preferably has a straight main portion and a gripping portion which is arcuately shaped and extends away from a longitudinal axis of the straight... | 02/22/2005 |
| 6776115 | Shaft mounted personal wind power device A personal wind power device is disclosed that includes at least one sail frame assembly firmly, yet removably, coupled to a shaft. The sail frame assembly includes a base that is coupled to the shaft and that has first and second boom arms pivotally attached to it.... | 08/17/2004 |
| 6520103 | Boom vang for sailing vessel A boom vang system for sailboats has a rear facing pivotal cam cleat arm hingedly connected to a rigid tang on the sailboat mast. When the boom vang rotates off the centerline of the boat, as for instance will occur when the boat is sailing downwind and t... | 02/18/2003 |
| 6405668 | Low friction boom to sheet attachment for sailboat A "U" shaped bail attached to a sailboat boom has a roller placed between it and the shackle attaching the sheet to the bail. This allows a smooth transmittal of the sheet load to the boom as the angle and intensity of the sheeting load changes.... | 06/18/2002 |
| 6116177 | Mast with top boom An improved mast assembly for use on a sailing vessel having both an upper boom and a lower boom that allows a user to control the upper section of the sail independently or in conjunction with the lower section of the sail. The mast of the assembly is po... | 09/12/2000 |
| 6112688 | Sail for a wind-powered vehicle A sail for a wind powered vehicle such as a surfboard, sailing boat or the like is provided wherein a sail is connected along its front edge to a mast and wherein the said at its clew or at its lower edge is connected to a boom. The boom is connected in a... | 09/05/2000 |
| 6092481 | Sailing rig A windsurfer sailing rig includes a mast with a top mast extension. A swivel connection connects the extension to the top of the mast. In use, down haul tension for the mast is applied to hold the swivel connection downwards in position.... | 07/25/2000 |
| 6062155 | Mast mounted boom support for sailboats A boom support for supporting a sailboat boom on all sailing angles. The boom support, which is pivotally attached to the lower portion of the mast below the boom, includes two resiliently flexible rods extending from the mast attachment upwardly and outw... | 05/16/2000 |
| 5862769 | Modified windsurf boom This invention modifies a windsurfing boom, to allow the clew of a windsurfing sail to move laterally away from the sailor. An elongated tail piece and roller assembly are used to facilitate movement of said sail.... | 01/26/1999 |
| 5816180 | Rotating rig A rig on a sailboat adapted to be mounted on a deck or cabin top of the boat, the rig having a mast, mast step, vertical stabilizing structure for the mast. The rig is mounted for rotation about a center and may be provided with more than one mast.... | 10/06/1998 |
| 5778814 | Sailboat sail arrangement and gooseneck device therefor A sunfish boat boom is slidably secured to a pipe tee for aft and bow relative motion to the tee which is secured to the mast by a conventional gooseneck device. A bungee cord secured to the boom at a pulley medial the boom between the mast and the aft en... | 07/14/1998 |
| 5765498 | Bowsprit arrangement A bowsprit is attached to a boat by fixing members. The bowsprit comprises two bowsprit rods which are hingedly interconnected by a hinge at the free end of the bowsprit. At a distance from this end, the rods are pivotable relative to the boat and slidabl... | 06/16/1998 |
| 5584259 | Lengthwise adjustable forked boom for surfboards A lengthwise adjustable forked boom for surfboards comprises two principal bars (1) bound by a forked boom head piece and two extension bars (3) telescopically adjustable in them. The extension bars are interconnected at the leech by a forked boom tail pi... | 12/17/1996 |
| 5566635 | Tailpiece for the forked boom of a rig for surfboards A tailpiece for a forked boom of a rig for surfboards, comprising a tube bend segment (9), carried by a tube bend (10) to which is fastened bars (3) of the forked boom. On the upper side of the tube bend segment (9) there is a plate (12) with a wide strai... | 10/22/1996 |
| 5560311 | Arrangement for a boom on a sailing boat The invention relates to an arrangement for a boom on a sailing boat which carries a sail capable of being wound onto a mast. Actuation of the sail is with a force F from a drive motor. In conjunction with this a rotatably driven screw accommodated within... | 10/01/1996 |
| 5524565 | Protective cushion for a sailboat boom A cushion for the boom of a sailboat including at least one preformed sleeve or flexible wrap of a soft resilient material which is configured to overly at least the entire opposite side portions of the boom along substantially the entire length thereof, ... | 06/11/1996 |
| 5423274 | Sailboat A sailing craft having a hull with a longitudinal midplane. A primary boom is pivotally mounted on the hull for 360° continuous rotation in either direction about a central vertical axis. The primary boom is connected by lines to a sail boom. At least on... | 06/13/1995 |
| 5406902 | Method and apparatus for optimum sail shaping A boom for a sailboat is controllably flexible to assume a predetermined specific airfoil-derived contour and to impose an aerodynamically efficient shape on the large lower portion of the sail. The boom is formed of five segments connected by four flex j... | 04/18/1995 |
| 5239938 | Quick-connect boom end A quick-connect, outhaulless boom end is adjustably secured to boom spars of a sailboard boom. The boom end terminates in a forward of leech position with respect to the sailboard's sail. A clew tube or rod coacts with the sail in the forward of leech pos... | 08/31/1993 |
| 5231943 | Sail plan for sailing craft A plan for a sail of a sailing craft such as a sailboat, an iceboat and a land yacht having a hull. At least one mast is mounted on an end of the hull and the mast angles upwardly over the hull. A boom is pivotably mounted approximately amidships of the h... | 08/03/1993 |
| 5205235 | External rail system for boats A system of elongated rails installed on the exterior hull surfaces of boats and projecting externally from the exterior hull surfaces of the boats, and having the functional attributes of: deflecting spray, reducing the tendencies of the bows to go under... | 04/27/1993 |
| 5193476 | Lengthwise adjustable wishbone for sailboards For locking the extension spars 3 to the main spars 1, with a lengthwise adjustment of the wishbone of a sailboard selected in correspondence with the size of the sail, the outer sleeves 9, loosely seated on the extension spars 3, are pushed in the direct... | 03/16/1993 |
| 5095838 | Clew fitting for a boom A sailboard boom clew fitting member comprising a pair of members (11 and 12) engagable with the ends of a pair of boom members of the boom. One member (11) having a transversely directed socket. The pawl (13) being snugly engagable in the socket and bein... | 03/17/1992 |
| 5038699 | Sail shaping arrangement for a sailing craft A sail shaping arrangement is disclosed for horizontal edges of a sail including a web formed along one side in a curved shape corresponding to the desired camber of the sail, the web attached to the sail edge to extend normally thereto. A diagonal batten... | 08/13/1991 |
| 5010932 | Adjustable sailboard boom handle apparatus An adjustable sailboard boom handle apparatus for use with a board sailor having an elongated flat buoyant board with a mast that carries a sail. The mast is movably attached to the board's center portion. A transverse hand held boom attaches to the mast ... | 04/30/1991 |
| 5001999 | Mast brace for a windsurfer A mast brace for a windsurfer which takes the form of a cord which is adjustable in length. The mast brace is to be adjustable to various desired degrees of tautness to decrease the amount of lateral bending of the mast that occurs when wind pressure is a... | 03/26/1991 |
| 4972790 | Boom for boardsailing A boom for a boardsailing is formed of two bodies, intermediate pipes, end pipes, a front coupler and a rear coupler. The bodies and pipes are non-metallic synthetic resin pipe reinforced by fiber layers, including a synthetic fiber layer and at least one... | 11/27/1990 |
| 4940008 | Foldable mast assembly An A frame mast is pivoted relative to a sailboat hull and supports a lateen yard. A boom is coupled to the yard and to the sailboat hull at the bow. The A frame mast is supported in all positions by struts that lead from each leg of the A frame mast to s... | 07/10/1990 |
| 4922845 | Boom for a sailing device A multi-level boom adapted for use on a sailing device such as a sailboard. The boom comprises a lower portion in a wishbone type shape having a forward end adapted to be secured to a mast and an aft end adapted for securing the clew of a sail to the boom... | 05/08/1990 |
| 4909168 | Fitting for attaching boom assembly to mast A device for rigidly but removably attaching the boom assembly, or wishbone (46), of a sail-powered vehicle to the mast (14). The device includes a tubular mast sleeve (15) that is slit in front, receptacles (16) for the forward ends of the booms (36,38),... | 03/20/1990 |
