A remote controlled model landsailer includes a wheeled vehicle having a sail supported on a mast with a fixed rig position, in which realistic heeling is produced by an outrigger structure including a transversely-mounted resilient wire having wheels at either end thereof, with the elasticity of the wire providing for realistic heeling of the vehicle while at the same time preventing the vehicle capsizing. The model landsailer is remote controlled, in one embodiment, with a single remote control radio channel which is utilized to control the position of the nose wheel of a three-wheel support structure, with the single channel radio controlled operation permitting all sailing maneuvers including heading up, jibes, tacking, coming about and runs, and with the flexible wire outrigger providing realistic visual feedback to the operator of the radio control unit. Features of the vehicle include single pivot steering, a mast which serves as an antenna, a fixed position lateen rig, a one piece slip pocket sail, and a boom and yard coupling which permits rotation about the longitudinal axis of these elements to permit sail shaping.
A motorized sail tensioner gives the sailor the ability to change the sail shape while sailing, permitting constant adjustment of the sail with only the touch of a switch, to adjust for wind gusts and lulls. It accomplishes this by using a small DC-battery powered motor, assisted by two methods of gear reduction, using a planetary gear and screw. The motor is activated by a remote RF wireless transmitter, worn on the sailors wrist, and activated by a switch, worn on the sailor's index finger. The sail tension is changed by moving the mast position by the action of moving a nut up and down a screw attached to the motor.
The sail toy land vehicle includes a generally rod-like elongated frame or central body, having a raised forward portion, an elongated rigid rear wheel axle structure includes a pair of rear outrigger wheels to help support the vehicle rollably along the ground. An aerodynamic upright sail structure has a sail positioned such that its center of gravity is disposed approximately over the rear axle structure of the vehicle, and positioned in a rearwardly inclined manner.
A tricycle-type wind-propelled toy land vehicle includes a sail with reliable tangle-free boom control. Both the disposition of the boom and the front wheel steering is actuated by a radio frequency remote control system. The vehicle further includes a skid plate surrounding the front wheel to prevent tip-over. The front wheel is steered by a worm gear drive which is self-locking. Boom control is provided by a guided cable system or, in an alternate embodiment, a direct gear drive to rotate the mast. In yet another embodiment, boom control is provided by a sliding leaf spring which passes underneath the boom and attaches to a track on the underside of the boom.
A wind propelled vehicle defining a center of gravity. The wind propelled vehicle has a frame. A rear axle is connected to the frame at its rear portion and two rear wheels are rotatably connected to the rear axle. The center of gravity of the wind propelled vehicle is forward of the rear axle. A front wheel is rotatably connected to the frame at its forward portion. A mast is connected to the frame and a boom is connected to the mast. A sail is connected to the mast and boom. A motor is operably connected to the boom and to the front wheel. The motor is also physically connected to the boom. The motor is remotely controlled via a remote control unit. To propel the wind propelled vehicle the position of the sail is adjusted relative to the wind. Sail position adjustment is achieved by the motor turning the front wheel and manipulating the position of the boom in response to control signals generated by the remote control unit.
A wind propelled vehicle. The wind propelled vehicle has a frame. A plurality of wheels is connected to the frame. A mast is connected to the frame and a boom is connected to the mast. A sail is connected to the mast. A motor is operably connected to the boom via a string. The string has a boom end and a motor end. The string is connected to the boom at the boom end and the string is connected to the motor at the motor end. The motor is remotely controlled via a remote control unit. To propel the wind propelled vehicle the motor manipulates the boom in response to control signals generated by the remote control unit to adjust the sail relative to wind. In a preferred embodiment the sail is a rigid wing sail.
