Mechanical traveller
Encyclopedia
A mechanical traveller is a moving part of a machine
, typically a ring that slides between different positions on a supporting rod when the machine goes through its operating cycle. The term may also be used refer to the supporting rod.
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In sailing
, it is a mechanical device used to modify the location at which lines used to control sail
s (such as sheets
) are attached to the vessel. The attachment is often by means of a block
through which the line runs; the block can move along the traveller. This allows independent control of the direction and tension
of the line running through the block, which allows the sailor to position the block in the optimal location for the wind conditions and desired sail trim. This kind of traveller is often a metal track, which is attached to the deck of the boat. The block is attached to a "car", which much like a miniature railroad car, attaches to the track and slides along it in either direction. A traveller on a smaller craft (such as the popular single-handed "Laser" sailboat) might simply be a line attached to two points on the deck
, along which another block runs. The term traveller can also be applied to the specialized lines used to control the location of the block.
Machine
A machine manages power to accomplish a task, examples include, a mechanical system, a computing system, an electronic system, and a molecular machine. In common usage, the meaning is that of a device having parts that perform or assist in performing any type of work...
, typically a ring that slides between different positions on a supporting rod when the machine goes through its operating cycle. The term may also be used refer to the supporting rod.
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
, it is a mechanical device used to modify the location at which lines used to control sail
Sail
A sail is any type of surface intended to move a vessel, vehicle or rotor by being placed in a wind—in essence a propulsion wing. Sails are used in sailing.-History of sails:...
s (such as sheets
Sheet (sailing)
In sailing, a sheet is a line used to control the movable corner of a sail.- Fore-and-aft rigs:Fore-and-aft rigs comprise the vast majority of sailing vessels in use today, including effectively all dinghies and yachts. The sheet on a fore-and-aft sail controls the angle of the sail to the wind,...
) are attached to the vessel. The attachment is often by means of a block
Block (sailing)
In sailing, a block is a single or multiple pulley. One or a number of sheaves are enclosed in an assembly between cheeks or chocks. In use a block is fixed to the end of a line, to a spar or to a surface...
through which the line runs; the block can move along the traveller. This allows independent control of the direction and tension
Tension (mechanics)
In physics, tension is the magnitude of the pulling force exerted by a string, cable, chain, or similar object on another object. It is the opposite of compression. As tension is the magnitude of a force, it is measured in newtons and is always measured parallel to the string on which it applies...
of the line running through the block, which allows the sailor to position the block in the optimal location for the wind conditions and desired sail trim. This kind of traveller is often a metal track, which is attached to the deck of the boat. The block is attached to a "car", which much like a miniature railroad car, attaches to the track and slides along it in either direction. A traveller on a smaller craft (such as the popular single-handed "Laser" sailboat) might simply be a line attached to two points on the deck
Deck (ship)
A deck is a permanent covering over a compartment or a hull of a ship. On a boat or ship, the primary deck is the horizontal structure which forms the 'roof' for the hull, which both strengthens the hull and serves as the primary working surface...
, along which another block runs. The term traveller can also be applied to the specialized lines used to control the location of the block.