GB1589635A - Inflatable tube boat - Google Patents

Inflatable tube boat Download PDF

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Publication number
GB1589635A
GB1589635A GB37335/77A GB3733577A GB1589635A GB 1589635 A GB1589635 A GB 1589635A GB 37335/77 A GB37335/77 A GB 37335/77A GB 3733577 A GB3733577 A GB 3733577A GB 1589635 A GB1589635 A GB 1589635A
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United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
boat according
outer layer
boat
tube
edges
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
GB37335/77A
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Galt G S
Original Assignee
Galt G S
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Galt G S filed Critical Galt G S
Priority to GB37335/77A priority Critical patent/GB1589635A/en
Publication of GB1589635A publication Critical patent/GB1589635A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
    • B63B7/00—Collapsible, foldable, inflatable or like vessels
    • B63B7/06—Collapsible, foldable, inflatable or like vessels having parts of non-rigid material
    • B63B7/08—Inflatable

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Rigid Pipes And Flexible Pipes (AREA)

Description

(54) IMPROVED INFLATABLE TUBE BOAT (71) I, GRANVILLE STEWART GALT, a British subject of Prospect Road, Cowes, Isle of Wight, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a boat having an inflatable tube as a buoyancy member. Such boats are well known and widely used.
Usually the inflatable tube is like an elongated V in plan and the space between the arms of the V constitutes the accommodation space of the boat. This space can be above a simple deck joined to the inflatable tube, or it can be above a rigid hull the upper margin of which is fixed to the tube.
In such a boat it is known to provide the inflatable tube as a single skin which contains the air or gas and which also provides resistance to wear and abrasion, which can be considerable since the tube is the outer margin of the boat. The single skin tube can be divided into a number of separate compartments for safety; thus if the tube is punctured, only one compartment of the single skin tube would be flooded, not the whole tube.
If the single skin tube is damaged, such as by being torn, punctured, or worn by abrasion, the tube can be removed from the remainder of the boat. For example in the case of a rigid hulled inflatable craft the glue joint of the tube to the hull can be unbonded. But this is time-consuming and unsatisfactory.
According to this invention, in a boat of the kind referred to, the inflatable tube has inner and outer layers, the inner layer being inflatable and insertible through an opening in the outer layer, and the outer layer comprising outboard and inboard parts connected at spaced connecting zones each of which extends lengthwise of the tube The zones are at or in the region of the edges of the outboard and inboard parts which edges extend lengthwise of the tube. Preferably the outboard part is of thicker and heavier material than the inboard part. Thus the necessary strength and resistance to abrasion may be imparted to the outer face of the boat without the need to make the whole outer layer of the tube of the thicker and heavier material.
The material of the outboard part may itself be an abrasion resistant material, or it may have an outer abrasion resistant layer fixed on the outboard face of the outboard part.
The join at or in the region of one pair of the said edges may constitute a closable opening through which the inflatable inner layer is insertible into the outer layer. The join at or in the region of the other pair of the said edges may be combined with a mounting connection of the outer layer on a rigid hull.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a boat; Figure 2 is a top plan of the boat; Figure 3 is a section through the inflatable tube, showing an inner layer, and an outer layer in two parts and having an abrasion resistant layer; Figure 4 is a section of an outer layer in two parts, showing one method of connection to the boat hull; Figure 5 is a section of an outer layer in two parts, showing another method of connection to the boat hull; and Figure 6 is a top plan of part of the inflatable tube.
Referring to the drawings, there is shown a boat of the kind referred to and having an inflatable tube 1 as its main structural and buoyancy member. As seen from Figure 2, the tube 1 is like an elongated V in plan, with a rigid hull/deck structure 2 whose upper margin or gunwale 3 (Figs. 3 to 5) is fixed to the tube 1.
The tube 1 comprises an inner, inflatable layer which is in the form of a series of separate portions or bladders several of which are indicated by 4A, 4B and 4C. The tube 1 also comprises an outer layer in two parts: an inboard part 5A and an outboard part 5B. Preferably the outboard part SB is of thicker, heavier material than the inboard part 5A. At least the part 5B is of an abrasion resistant material and preferably the part 5A is also of such material.As seen in Figure 3 an outer abrasion resistant layer 6 is fixed on the outboard face of the part SB. The parts 5A and 5B are joined together at their adjacent longitudinal edges along one join line 7 by a releasable fastening 7A, shown in Figure 6 in the form of holes through which lacing would be threaded. The fastening 7A may be continuous along the line 7, as indicated in Figure 6, or it may be discontinuous to provide (in another embodiment, not shown) a series of closable openings. The parts 5A and 5B are also joined together at their other pair of adjacent longitudinal edges at a join line 8 which is combined with the mounting connection of the inflatable tube 1 to the gunwale 3 of the rigid hull 2, as will be discussed below.
As will be understood, the releasable fastening 7 is for closing the opening which is formed when the adjacent edges of the outer layer parts 5A and SB are moved apart. m the open, moved-apart state, there is access to the interior of the outer layer, for insertion or removal of the inflatable inner layer, and also for access to the connection of the inflatable tube to the gunwale 3.
In the present embodiment the inner layer is formed by a series of inflatable bladders, see 4A in Figure 6. The outer layer may have transverse partitions 9 (Fig. 1) to define a series of compartments each receiving a bladder 4A, or the bladders may be enclosed each in a retaining net 10 (Fig. 6) within the outer layer. If desired there may be a separate opening for each bladder in the outer layer.
Some of the bladders may be inflated to a higher pressure than others so that for example the bow portion which contains bladders 4B may be a high pressure portion, and also the rearmost pair of bladders 4C. If required some bladders may contain water ballast.
Figures 3 to 5 show different ways of connecting the inflatable tube and rigid hull together along the join line 8.
Referring to Figure 3, one pair of adjacent longitudinal edges of the outer layer parts 5A and 5B overlap on top of an outwardly directed flange 3B of the gunwale 3 and they are fastened to the flange by a row of nuts and bolts 11, one of which is seen, by way of a plate or washer 11A. Figure 4 is similar to Figure 3, but showing an anti-chafing strip 12 bonded along one edge to the inner surface of the part 5A, to prevent chafing of the inner layer (not shown in Fig. 4) against the plates 11A. Figure 5 shows an embodiment in which an edge portion 13 of the part 5A is bonded to the top of the flange 3B and the adjacent edge portion of the part 5B is bonded to the underside of the flange 3B.
Although in Figure 6 lacing has been indicated as the closing means, it would be possible to use other means, for example a "Velcro" fastening ("Velcro" is a Registered Trade Mark), or a zip fastener or fasteners.
The invention is not limited to a tube hav ing an imperforate outer layer. The outer layer may for example comprise one or more layers of the woven synthetic material known under the Registered Trade Mark "Kevlar".
This material is tough but light in weight, and dimensionally stable. It would preferably be covered to protect it from the effect of ultraviolet light.
In another modification, the tube can be continued completely around the boat, that is, across the stern as well as along the sides, unlike the embodiment described above with reference to the drawings, in which the tube does not extend across the transom.
WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A boat having an inflatable tube as a buoyancy member, wherein the inflatable tube has inner and outer layers, the inner layer being inflatable and insertible through an opening in the outer layer, and the outer layer comprising outboard and inboard parts connected at spaced connecting zones each of which extends lengthwise of the tube.
2. A boat according to claim 1 wherein the zones are at or in the region of the edges of the outboard and inboard parts which edges extend lengthwise of the tube.
3. A boat according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the outboard part is of thicker and heavier material than the inboard part.
4. A boat according to any preceding claim wherein the outboard part is of an abrasion resistant material.
5. A boat according to any preceding claim wherein an outer abrasion resistant layer is fixed on the outboard face of the outboard part.
6. A boat according to any preceding claim wherein the inboard part is of an abrasion resistant material.
7. A boat according to claim 2 or any of claims 3 to 6 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the join at or in the region of one pair of edges constitutes a closable opening through which the inner layer is insertible in the outer layer.
8. A boat according to claim 2 or any of claims 3 to 6 when dependent on claim 2, the boat having a rigid hull on which the outer layer is mounted, wherein the join at or in the region of one pair of edges is combined with the mounting connection of the outer layer on the hull.
9. A boat according to any preceding claim wherein the inner layer comprises a plurality of inflatable bladders.
10. A boat according to claim 9 when dependent on claim 7 wherein the closable opening comprises a series of openings.
11. A boat according to claim 10 wherein the number of openings in the series is the same as the number of bladders, so that each
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (29)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. an outer abrasion resistant layer 6 is fixed on the outboard face of the part SB. The parts 5A and 5B are joined together at their adjacent longitudinal edges along one join line 7 by a releasable fastening 7A, shown in Figure 6 in the form of holes through which lacing would be threaded. The fastening 7A may be continuous along the line 7, as indicated in Figure 6, or it may be discontinuous to provide (in another embodiment, not shown) a series of closable openings.The parts 5A and 5B are also joined together at their other pair of adjacent longitudinal edges at a join line 8 which is combined with the mounting connection of the inflatable tube 1 to the gunwale 3 of the rigid hull 2, as will be discussed below. As will be understood, the releasable fastening 7 is for closing the opening which is formed when the adjacent edges of the outer layer parts 5A and SB are moved apart. m the open, moved-apart state, there is access to the interior of the outer layer, for insertion or removal of the inflatable inner layer, and also for access to the connection of the inflatable tube to the gunwale 3. In the present embodiment the inner layer is formed by a series of inflatable bladders, see 4A in Figure 6. The outer layer may have transverse partitions 9 (Fig. 1) to define a series of compartments each receiving a bladder 4A, or the bladders may be enclosed each in a retaining net 10 (Fig. 6) within the outer layer. If desired there may be a separate opening for each bladder in the outer layer. Some of the bladders may be inflated to a higher pressure than others so that for example the bow portion which contains bladders 4B may be a high pressure portion, and also the rearmost pair of bladders 4C. If required some bladders may contain water ballast. Figures 3 to 5 show different ways of connecting the inflatable tube and rigid hull together along the join line 8. Referring to Figure 3, one pair of adjacent longitudinal edges of the outer layer parts 5A and 5B overlap on top of an outwardly directed flange 3B of the gunwale 3 and they are fastened to the flange by a row of nuts and bolts 11, one of which is seen, by way of a plate or washer 11A. Figure 4 is similar to Figure 3, but showing an anti-chafing strip 12 bonded along one edge to the inner surface of the part 5A, to prevent chafing of the inner layer (not shown in Fig. 4) against the plates 11A. Figure 5 shows an embodiment in which an edge portion 13 of the part 5A is bonded to the top of the flange 3B and the adjacent edge portion of the part 5B is bonded to the underside of the flange 3B. Although in Figure 6 lacing has been indicated as the closing means, it would be possible to use other means, for example a "Velcro" fastening ("Velcro" is a Registered Trade Mark), or a zip fastener or fasteners. The invention is not limited to a tube hav ing an imperforate outer layer. The outer layer may for example comprise one or more layers of the woven synthetic material known under the Registered Trade Mark "Kevlar". This material is tough but light in weight, and dimensionally stable. It would preferably be covered to protect it from the effect of ultraviolet light. In another modification, the tube can be continued completely around the boat, that is, across the stern as well as along the sides, unlike the embodiment described above with reference to the drawings, in which the tube does not extend across the transom. WHAT I CLAIM IS:
1. A boat having an inflatable tube as a buoyancy member, wherein the inflatable tube has inner and outer layers, the inner layer being inflatable and insertible through an opening in the outer layer, and the outer layer comprising outboard and inboard parts connected at spaced connecting zones each of which extends lengthwise of the tube.
2. A boat according to claim 1 wherein the zones are at or in the region of the edges of the outboard and inboard parts which edges extend lengthwise of the tube.
3. A boat according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the outboard part is of thicker and heavier material than the inboard part.
4. A boat according to any preceding claim wherein the outboard part is of an abrasion resistant material.
5. A boat according to any preceding claim wherein an outer abrasion resistant layer is fixed on the outboard face of the outboard part.
6. A boat according to any preceding claim wherein the inboard part is of an abrasion resistant material.
7. A boat according to claim 2 or any of claims 3 to 6 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the join at or in the region of one pair of edges constitutes a closable opening through which the inner layer is insertible in the outer layer.
8. A boat according to claim 2 or any of claims 3 to 6 when dependent on claim 2, the boat having a rigid hull on which the outer layer is mounted, wherein the join at or in the region of one pair of edges is combined with the mounting connection of the outer layer on the hull.
9. A boat according to any preceding claim wherein the inner layer comprises a plurality of inflatable bladders.
10. A boat according to claim 9 when dependent on claim 7 wherein the closable opening comprises a series of openings.
11. A boat according to claim 10 wherein the number of openings in the series is the same as the number of bladders, so that each
bladder is insertible through a separate opening.
12. A boat according to any of claims 9 to 11 having a series of compartments within the outer layer.
13. A boat according to claim 12 wherein at least a majority of the compartments each contains a bladder.
14. A boat according to any of claims 9 to 13 having a series of retaining nets within the outer layer, the bladders being in the nets.
15. A boat according to claim 8 wherein the rigid hull has at its upper edge a lateral flange, to which the outer layer is fixed.
16. A boat according to claim 15 wherein the said one pair of edges overlap at the flange and are connected thereto.
17. A boat according to claim 16 wherein one of the said one pair of edges is above and the other below the flange.
18. A boat according to claim 16 or claim 17 wherein the edges are connected to the flange by nut and bolt connections.
19. A boat according to claim 16 or claim 17 wherein the edges are bonded to the flange.
20. A boat according to any of claims 15 to 19 wherein the flange extends outwardly from the upper edge of the rigid hull.
21. A boat according to claim 7 or claim 10 wherein the opening or openings is or are closable by means of lacing.
22. A boat according to claim 18 wherein the ends of the nut and bolt connections within the outer layer are covered by a chafepreventing strip.
23. A boat according to claim 12 wherein some of the compartments are inflated at a higher pressure than others.
24. A boat according to claim 23 wherein nose and stern compartments are high pressure compartments.
25. A boat according to claim 12 or claim 24 wherein the compartments are formed by fixed partitions or flexible diaphragms within the outer layer and each extending transversely thereof.
26. A boat according to any of claims 12, 23, 24 and 25 wherein some of the compartments contain ballast or fuel.
27. A boat according to any preceding claim wherein the outer layer comprises one or more layers of a woven synthetic material.
28. A boat according to any preceding claim wherein the tube extends around all the perimeter of the boat.
29. A boat of the kind referred to constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
GB37335/77A 1977-09-07 1977-09-07 Inflatable tube boat Expired GB1589635A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB37335/77A GB1589635A (en) 1977-09-07 1977-09-07 Inflatable tube boat

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB37335/77A GB1589635A (en) 1977-09-07 1977-09-07 Inflatable tube boat

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB1589635A true GB1589635A (en) 1981-05-13

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GB37335/77A Expired GB1589635A (en) 1977-09-07 1977-09-07 Inflatable tube boat

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Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2161118A (en) * 1984-07-02 1986-01-08 Galt Glass Laminates Limited Inflatable tube boat
GB2162131A (en) * 1984-07-04 1986-01-29 Lifeguard Equip Ltd Improvements in or relating to buoyancy tubes
US4628854A (en) * 1984-06-29 1986-12-16 Harding Richard J A Securing inflatable tubes to rigid hulls
US4660497A (en) * 1984-06-07 1987-04-28 Cochran William H Boltrope attachment of flexible hull portion to a rigid hull portion of an rib
US4667618A (en) * 1984-09-18 1987-05-26 Edoardo Cigognetti Removable connection of a rigid deck and rigid keel to the covers of an inflatable boat
EP0321235A2 (en) * 1987-12-16 1989-06-21 Avon Inflatables Limited Inflatable boats with rigid hull
GB2226282A (en) * 1988-12-23 1990-06-27 Anthony Sissons Watercraft
US5282437A (en) * 1992-08-21 1994-02-01 Avillez De Basto Luiz J Personal marine transport
GB2277492A (en) * 1993-04-29 1994-11-02 Robert David Humphreys Semi-rigid inflatable boat
US6192822B1 (en) * 1998-05-14 2001-02-27 Zodiac International Pneumatic boat with auxiliary floats

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4660497A (en) * 1984-06-07 1987-04-28 Cochran William H Boltrope attachment of flexible hull portion to a rigid hull portion of an rib
US4628854A (en) * 1984-06-29 1986-12-16 Harding Richard J A Securing inflatable tubes to rigid hulls
GB2161118A (en) * 1984-07-02 1986-01-08 Galt Glass Laminates Limited Inflatable tube boat
GB2162131A (en) * 1984-07-04 1986-01-29 Lifeguard Equip Ltd Improvements in or relating to buoyancy tubes
US4667618A (en) * 1984-09-18 1987-05-26 Edoardo Cigognetti Removable connection of a rigid deck and rigid keel to the covers of an inflatable boat
EP0321235A2 (en) * 1987-12-16 1989-06-21 Avon Inflatables Limited Inflatable boats with rigid hull
EP0321235A3 (en) * 1987-12-16 1989-11-15 Avon Inflatables Limited Attachment of tubes in inflatable boats
GB2226282A (en) * 1988-12-23 1990-06-27 Anthony Sissons Watercraft
US5282437A (en) * 1992-08-21 1994-02-01 Avillez De Basto Luiz J Personal marine transport
GB2277492A (en) * 1993-04-29 1994-11-02 Robert David Humphreys Semi-rigid inflatable boat
US6192822B1 (en) * 1998-05-14 2001-02-27 Zodiac International Pneumatic boat with auxiliary floats

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PS Patent sealed [section 19, patents act 1949]
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee