GB2042425A

GB2042425A - A kit for use on water

Info

Publication number: GB2042425A
Application number: GB7828857A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-07-05
Filing date: 1978-07-05
Publication date: 1980-09-24

Abstract

A kit for use on water has two water skis 1 of sufficient buoyancy to support the human body and two ski sticks which have buoyant members at their lower ends. The buoyancy of the two ski stick members is adjustable. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A kit for use on water It is known that in order to develop the arms and legs, it is desirable to do exercises in which they are in continual movement.

The present invention provides a kit as set forth in Claim 1.

The user can stand on the water skis and can use the sticks to push himself forward, both using the buoyancy of the sticks to provide a reactive force and using the force of impact of the sticks on the water. The arms can be moved continually in order to push the water skis over the surface of the water, the speed depending upon the rate of movement of the arms, and in this way both the arms and legs can be exercised. The buoyancy of the skis is such that they can support the user, and the buoyancy of the sticks enables the user to correct any small imbalance.

In general, it is expected that the user would be a child, but the buoyancy of the water skis can be calculated according to the expected weight, and the length, width or cross-sectional shape can be altered as desired. In general terms, the sticks can be arranged such that their lower end buoyancy can be altered.

Claims 2 to 10 set forth preferred features of the invention, and other preferred features are described hereafter.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accom panying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a view of a pair of water skis, forming part of a kit in accordance with the invention; Figures 2 and 3 are respectively an elevation and a plan of one of the water skis; Figures 4 to 7 are different cross-sections which the water skis can have; and Figure 8 is a view of a ski stick forming part of a kit in accordance with the invention.

The kit will normally have two water skis and two ski sticks. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, each water ski 1 is of boat-shape and has an upturned front end portion 2 terminating in a square end. The water ski 1 has an attach ment in the form of a rubber shoe 3 for the user's foot and has a threaded stud 4 which passes up through a transverse connecting member or bar 5 and carries a milled nut 6.

The connecting bar 5 connects the two water -skis 1 together, generally parallel to but spaced from one another. The connecting bar 5 makes a single pivotal connection with each water ski 1, and the connection can be tightened or loosened by the user merely by screwing the nuts 6 to fix the skis 1 together, or to permit relative motion therebetween; thus a simple alternate motion could be used when the nuts 6 are not fully tightened.

Furthermore, the connecting bar 5 could be removed altogether so that the two skis 1 are independent of one another.

The preferred cross-sectional shape for the hull of each water ski 1 is ogee, as shown in Fig. 4. However, many other shapes are possible, for instance ovaloid, part-circular or triangular, and Figs. 5 to 7 show three further alternatives.

The water skis 1 may be formed of any material, whether natural (wood) or synthetic, but the preferred material is a synthetic plastic which has a somewhat yielding surface. As indicated in Fig. 4, each ski 1 can have a thin-walled plastic hull 7 to which is sealed a thin-walled plastic cover 8. The shape of the hull 7 is such that the ski 1 slides well over the surface of the water.

Fig. 8 has one of the ski sticks 9 for holding in the hands, the ski stick 9 having a hand grip 10 and a small strap 11. As indicated in dashed lines in Fig. 8, the bottom end of the stick 9 is screw-threaded, and carries a number of buoyant members in the form of discs 1 2 which are screwed onto the bottom of the stick 9; each disc 1 2 can be made of thin-walled plastic or for instance of a light wood. The discs 1 2 can be removed as desired, thereby enabling the buoyancy of the lower end portion of the stick 9 to be altered.

It will be seen that the discs 1 2 form a generally conical shape and that the ski stick 9 has a planar lower end, normal to the axis of the stick 9, enabling the end of the stick 9 to be used to impact and push against the water so that the reaction force so caused reinforces the force due to the buoyancy of the stick 9. The generally conical shape of the discs 1 2 enables them to be withdrawn more easily from the water, without offering excessive resistance.

The top disc 1 2 may be in the form of a collar fixed to the stick 9.

The two skis 1 and two sticks 9 can be packaged together and sold as a kit, for instance with instructions as to their use and pictorial matter showing a skier using the kit.

1. A kit for use on water, comprising two water skis which have sufficient buoyancy to support the human body, attachments for attaching the water skis to respective feet, and two ski sticks for holding in the hands, the ski sticks having buoyant members at their lower ends.

2. The kit of claim 1, and including a transverse connecting member for connecting the two water skis together, generally parallel to and spaced from one another.

3. The kit of Claim 2, wherein the connecting member makes a single pivotal connection with each water ski.

4. The kit of Claim 3, wherein the connections can be tightened or loosened by the user to fix the skis together, or permit relative

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A kit for use on water It is known that in order to develop the arms and legs, it is desirable to do exercises in which they are in continual movement. The present invention provides a kit as set forth in Claim 1. The user can stand on the water skis and can use the sticks to push himself forward, both using the buoyancy of the sticks to provide a reactive force and using the force of impact of the sticks on the water. The arms can be moved continually in order to push the water skis over the surface of the water, the speed depending upon the rate of movement of the arms, and in this way both the arms and legs can be exercised. The buoyancy of the skis is such that they can support the user, and the buoyancy of the sticks enables the user to correct any small imbalance. In general, it is expected that the user would be a child, but the buoyancy of the water skis can be calculated according to the expected weight, and the length, width or cross-sectional shape can be altered as desired. In general terms, the sticks can be arranged such that their lower end buoyancy can be altered. Claims 2 to 10 set forth preferred features of the invention, and other preferred features are described hereafter. The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accom panying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a view of a pair of water skis, forming part of a kit in accordance with the invention; Figures 2 and 3 are respectively an elevation and a plan of one of the water skis; Figures 4 to 7 are different cross-sections which the water skis can have; and Figure 8 is a view of a ski stick forming part of a kit in accordance with the invention. The kit will normally have two water skis and two ski sticks. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, each water ski 1 is of boat-shape and has an upturned front end portion 2 terminating in a square end. The water ski 1 has an attach ment in the form of a rubber shoe 3 for the user's foot and has a threaded stud 4 which passes up through a transverse connecting member or bar 5 and carries a milled nut 6. The connecting bar 5 connects the two water -skis 1 together, generally parallel to but spaced from one another. The connecting bar 5 makes a single pivotal connection with each water ski 1, and the connection can be tightened or loosened by the user merely by screwing the nuts 6 to fix the skis 1 together, or to permit relative motion therebetween; thus a simple alternate motion could be used when the nuts 6 are not fully tightened. Furthermore, the connecting bar 5 could be removed altogether so that the two skis 1 are independent of one another. The preferred cross-sectional shape for the hull of each water ski 1 is ogee, as shown in Fig. 4. However, many other shapes are possible, for instance ovaloid, part-circular or triangular, and Figs. 5 to 7 show three further alternatives. The water skis 1 may be formed of any material, whether natural (wood) or synthetic, but the preferred material is a synthetic plastic which has a somewhat yielding surface. As indicated in Fig. 4, each ski 1 can have a thin-walled plastic hull 7 to which is sealed a thin-walled plastic cover 8. The shape of the hull 7 is such that the ski 1 slides well over the surface of the water. Fig. 8 has one of the ski sticks 9 for holding in the hands, the ski stick 9 having a hand grip 10 and a small strap 11. As indicated in dashed lines in Fig. 8, the bottom end of the stick 9 is screw-threaded, and carries a number of buoyant members in the form of discs 1 2 which are screwed onto the bottom of the stick 9; each disc 1 2 can be made of thin-walled plastic or for instance of a light wood. The discs 1 2 can be removed as desired, thereby enabling the buoyancy of the lower end portion of the stick 9 to be altered. It will be seen that the discs 1 2 form a generally conical shape and that the ski stick 9 has a planar lower end, normal to the axis of the stick 9, enabling the end of the stick 9 to be used to impact and push against the water so that the reaction force so caused reinforces the force due to the buoyancy of the stick 9. The generally conical shape of the discs 1 2 enables them to be withdrawn more easily from the water, without offering excessive resistance. The top disc 1 2 may be in the form of a collar fixed to the stick 9. The two skis 1 and two sticks 9 can be packaged together and sold as a kit, for instance with instructions as to their use and pictorial matter showing a skier using the kit. CLAIMS

4. The kit of Claim 3, wherein the connections can be tightened or loosened by the user to fix the skis together, or permit relative movement therebetween.

5. The kit of any one of the preceding claims, wherein each water ski has a hull part of ogee shape in cross-section.

6. The kit of any one or the preceding Claims, wherein each water ski has an upturned front end portion terminating in a square end.

7. The kit of any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the lower end buoyancy of each ski stick can be altered.

8. The kit of Claim 7, wherein each ski stick carries at its lower end a number of removable buoyant discs, thereby enabling the buoyancy to be altered.

9. The kit of any one of the preceding Claims, wherein each ski stick has a substantially planar lower end, normal to the axis of the stick.

10. The kit of Claim 9, wherein the lower end portion of the each ski stick is of generally conical shape.

11. The kit for use on water, substantially as herein described with reference to, and as show in, Figs. 1 to 4 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.

1 2. The kit of Claim 11, modified substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, Fig. 5 or Fig. 6 or Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings.

1 3. The kit of any one of the preceding Claims, with the water skis and ski sticks packaged together.