GB1438197A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1438197 Kites P T POWELL 11 April 1974 [28 Aug 1973] 40445/73 Addition to 1267933 Heading A6S A kite comprises sheeting 1 spread by a pair of crossed spars 2, 3, one spar 3 being in two parts 7, 8 connected together by a resilient flexible member 9 which is attached to the other spar 2, such that under wind pressure the two parts 7, 8 may move against the spring action of the member 9. The member 9 which may be a spring steel wire or strip is force fitted in bores at the ends of rods 7 and 8. The lateral spar 3 is preferably connected at 4 between intermediate points of bracing rods 5 which extend along leading edges of the sheeting and are force fitted into the ends of a flexible plastics tube 6 transfixed by the backbone spar 2. The brackets 4 are plastics mouldings having sleeve portions for the force fit of rods 5 and 7 or 8. Spars 2 and 3 are joined by a tubular plastics stub 10 which carries two diametral bores for the force fit of the backbone 2 and the member 9 respectively. Tethering loops 11 and 12 are attached to the kite at cutouts 14 and 15 and are tied to one, or preferably two, kite strings at 13. For storage, the spar 3 may be removed and wrapped in the sheeting alongside the spar 2 and folded-back rods 5 for accommodation in a storage tube. For assembly, the spar 3 is initially taken apart to allow insertion of the member 9 through the stub 10. The spars of the kite are made of hardwood dowel rod or metal, depending on the size of the kite, and may preferably be composite structures in some cases whilst the sheeting may be of polythene or fabric. In a variant kite, the members 4-6 are omitted and the ends of the spar 3 are held in pockets at the side apices of the sheeting.