The present invention refers to a rudder device for a vessel, in particular sailing boat, comprising at least one rudder and a device to control said at least one rudder, said device consisting of a vertical bar linked to said rudder, and a steering mechanism, which rotates both said bar and said rudder about the centre line of said bar.

In conditions when the vessel such as a sailing boat, for example, tilts to one side due to crosswind, the rudder is tilted together with the vessel resulting in a reduced effect of said rudder. The known solution to this problem lies in positioning two parallel rudders on either side of the vessel's longitudinal axis, the first embodiment thereof consists of two rudders arranged in essence vertically to the theoretical horizontal waterline, and the second embodiment thereof consists two rudders arranged in essence perpendicularly to the hull and thereby at an angle to the theoretical horizontal waterline.

The disadvantage of said first solution is that the rudders are quite operational when there is no crosswind and the vessel rests in essence perpendicularly to the waterline. However, when the vessel is affected by crosswind, it tilts to one flank and the rudder located opposite said flank remains completely unused and can even be retardant.

Also said second rudder embodiment has a disadvantage which occurs with a relatively high sailing speed, said each tilted rudder acts as a wing, resulting in undesirable and unpleasant oscillations which affect the vessel as well.

It is the object of the present invention to create a rudder device for a vessel, preferably for a sailing boat, which will remedy the disadvantages of the known solutions.

According to the invention, the object as set above is solved by a rudder for a vessel, said rudder can be rotated in at least two planes. This is achieved by means of a control mechanism, consisting preferably of at least two shifting devices which, on the one hand tilt said rudder in respect of the vessel's longitudinal axis and, on the other, they rotate the rudder in respect of the vessel's vertical axis. The forces acting to said rudder are transferred via said control mechanism to the hull where said control mechanism is attached to.

It is provided for, according to the present invention, that said control mechanism consists of either hydraulic, electromagnetic, electrical, rope-based or chain-based devices, or similar, which carry out an appropriate tilting and/or rotational movement of said rudder.

Furthermore, it is provided for, according to the invention, that the tilt angle of the rudder lies approximately between ±45° in respect of the longitudinal axis of the vessel. With the tilted vessel, said rudder can be positioned perpendicularly to the waterline by means of said control mechanism according to the invention. Thus, the longitudinal axis of the rudder remains parallel to the sailing direction, ensuring the maximum effect of said rudder in water and minimum drag. When said rudder device according to the invention is used on a sailing boat, positioning the rudder at a 90 degree angle to the waterline reduces drift resulting in reducing the windward angle.

The present invention will become more readily understood in the light of the ensuing description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 illustrates a rudder device according to the invention in a section plane perpendicular to the vessel.

A hull of a vessel 1, represented in Fig. 1 by a dashed-dotted line, is formed in the area of a rudder 2 with a through-hole 3, the circumference thereof having a rim 4 in order to reinforce said hull 1 at the break-through point. A ball-and-socket joint 5 being arranged in said through-hole 3, said joint consisting of a ball 6 and a two-part socket, in the particular case said socket being divided in the horizontal plane and comprises a bottom half 7 and a top half 8. Said joint is arranged in a watertight manner, known per se, in said through-hole 3. Said rudder 2 is attached at the water-facing side to said ball 6 which can be moved in all directions in said halves 7, 8, whereas a control mechanism 9 is attached to said ball 6 inside said vessel.

Said control mechanism 9 comprises a head 10 fixed to said ball 6, a shifting device 11, 12 being associated with said head 10 on each side thereof when viewed in the longitudinal direction of said vessel. Each of said shifting devices 11, 12 is articulated to the said head 10, whereas each opposite end of each of said shifting devices 11, 12 is articulated to an eye 13, 14 protruding from said hull 1 of the vessel. Said eyes 13, 14 are preferably fixed to said hull 1. It is provided for, according to the present invention, that said shifting device 11, 12 consists either of a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder know per se and operating in a manner not shown. Said shifting device 11, 12 may also resemble a form of an electrical or electromagnetic gear or similar.

At the end facing away from said ball 6, an articulated shaft 15 is associated with said head 10 of said control mechanism 9, said shaft 15 being arranged in an essentially perpendicular plane and the free end thereof being attached to said hull 1 of said vessel. Inside said vessel and within the deck area, said articulated shaft 15 being associated with a shifting device 16 being arranged in essence horizontally and eccentrically with regard to the vertical axis of said articulated shaft 15, said shifting device 16 being able to rotate said articulated shaft 15 around the longitudinal axis thereof. In order to compensate any length variations of said articulated shaft, which occur as a result of the rudder 2 tilting, said articulated shaft 15 being lengthwise formed in a manner of a telescope.

Here, said rudder 2 and said ball 6 are mutually connected by means of a bar 17 being rigidly fixed to said rudder 2. In addition, said bar 17 penetrates in a watertight manner said ball 6 and said head 10, and is articulated to said shaft 15.

Said rudder device according to the present invention is formed in a manner to be movable in at least two planes. Said movement of said rudder 2 is achieved in a manner that each said shifting device 11, 12 displaces said rudder 2 in either direction in a plane being perpendicular to said vessel and being perpendicular to the longitudinal vertical plane of said vessel (shown with a dotted line in the Fig.), respectively. The rotation of the rudder 2 about the vertical axis thereof and about the centre line of said bar 17, respectively, wherein said bar 17 is rigidly connected with said rudder 2, can be achieved by means of said shifting device 16, which rotates said articulated shaft 15 and thereby said rudder 2 about said vertical axis and about centre line of sad bar 17, respectively.

Furthermore, it is provided for according to the present invention, that in order to move and/or rotate said rudder 2, only one shifting device 11, 12 is foreseen on each side of said head 10, when viewed in the longitudinal direction of said vessel. For the rudder 2 to be rotated about the vertical axis thereof only by means of said shifting devices 11, 12, it is provided for, according to the invention, that each said shifting device 11, 12 is arranged eccentrically with regard to the vertical axis of said rudder 2. In such a case, said additional bar 17 becomes superfluous. It is apparent that also with said case, each shifting device 11, 12 is articulated to the head 10, whereas each opposite end of said shifting device 11, 12 is articulated to said eye 13, 14, protruding from said hull 1.

Of course, it is obvious that any person skilled in the art can utilise the above disclosed invention with a plurality of rudders on a single vessel, whereby said vessel does not have to be limited to a sailing boat or to stabilisation wings, without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.