GB2088226A

GB2088226A - A Water Toy

Info

Publication number: GB2088226A
Application number: GB8129632A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: VALIANT IND CO Ltd Pty
Current assignee: VALIANT IND CO Ltd Pty
Priority date: 1980-12-01
Filing date: 1981-10-01
Publication date: 1982-06-09
Also published as: BR8106948A; ES260697U; FR2495004A1; ES260697Y; DE3139379A1

Abstract

A boat (12) is powered by a water jet provided by water from a pressure source e.g. a pool pump, connected to the boat (12) by a flexible hose (80). A steering mechanism (14) includes a linkage (30) which is used to rotate the end portion of the hose (80) which is connected to the boat. The resultant reaction, and drag, causes the boat to be turned in one or the other direction. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A Water Toy This invention relates to a water toy such as a boat, underwater vehicle or the like, and to a method of operating the toy.

A number of similar devices are disclosed in the prior art. United States Patent No. 3 384 047 shows a watercraft which is propelled by a water jet produced by means of an on-board engine.

United States Patent No. 4 11 5 888 discloses a float powered by two independently controllable jets of water supplied to the float via a flexible hose. In United States Patent No. 3 142 285 a jet of water supplied through a flexible hose is positioned near the bow of a boat. The strength of the jet and its direction relatively to the boat are variable to control the speed of the boat and its direction of travel.

Other United States patents of interest are Nos. 1 795596,3105453,3221 699 and 3 709185.

The invention provides a water toy which includes a body, a water nozzle attached to the body, means for connecting a flexible hose for carrying water under pressure from a source remote from the toy to the nozzle, and means for causing at least limited rotation of the hose connecting means relatively to the body to steer the toy.

In one form of the invention the hose connecting means includes an elbow which is swivelably connected to the toy and the means for causing hose rotation is a steering mechanism which is connected to the elbow through a linkage.

Preferably, the toy is a boat and the elbow is positioned to hold the connected end of the hose substantially horizontal.

The invention also provide a method of operating a water toy which includes the steps of propelling the toy by means of at least one jet of water which is produced by means of a source of water under pressure connected to the toy by means of a flexible hose, and steering the toy by causing movement of the hose relatively to the toy.

The invention is further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a toy according to the invention, Figure 2 is a plan view of the underside of the toy of Figure 1 illustrating the steering system, and Figure 3 is a sectioned side elevation of a hose connector on the base of the toy of Figure 2.

Figure 1 illustrates a toy boat 10 having a catamaran type hull 12, a steering arrangement indicated generally at 14 and a propulsion system 1 6. The boat is intended particularly for use in a swimming pool which includes a pool filter pump.

The boat hull 12 is moulded from a high density foamed plastics material but could equally weli be made from shells of moulded plastics sheet material which are suitably bonded together to provide a hollow hull. The longitudinal sides of the boat each include a downwardly dependent wing 20 which is integral with the hull 12. The upper surface or deck of the boat carries a seat 22.

The steering arrangement 14 consists of a steering rod 26 which carries a steering wheel 28 at one end and a linkage mechanism 30 at the other.

The propulsion system 16 consists of a tube 32 which is moulded into the material of the hull with one end 34, which is tapered to form a nozzle, at the rear of the hull. A downwardly extending tube 36 branches from the tube 32.

This tube has a flap valve 38 which controlled by means of.a linkage 40, operable from the top of the boat.

Figure 2 shows the linkage mechanism 30 in greater detail. It includes a swivelable hose connector 56, an arm 60 which is fixed at one end to a projecting end of the steering rod 26, an arm 62 which is fixed to the hose connector, and a link member 64 which is pivotally connected to the free ends of the arms. The linkage arrangement is such that rotation of the rod 26 in one direction causes rotation of the hose connector 56 in the opposite direction.

The hose connector 56, as seen in Figure 3, consists of a sleeve 66 which passes through and is bonded to the material of the base 68 of the boat, an elbow 70 which is freely rotatable in the sleeve 66, and a connector 72 which is located over and fixed to the sleeve 66 on the inside of the hull 12. The connector 72 carries a tube 32 which leads to the fixed nozzle 34 in the transom of the boat. The elbow 70 is held in the sleeve 66 by a lodating ring 74 which is bonded to the material of the elbow. Back pressure of water in the connector 56, during operation of the boat, forces water between the elbow spigot located in the sleeve 66 and the sleeve to lubricate the connector while being rotated in the sleeve.

In use a flexible hose 80 is connected between the delivery side of the pool filter pump and a connector 76 on the free end of the elbow 70.

Water is pumped through the tube connector 56 and to the nozzle 34 to propel the boat.

Rotation of the steering wheel 28 on the deck of the boat causes, through the linkage 30, counter rotation of the connector 56 and the end of the hose connected to it. The reaction produced by the hose movement and by the drag against the hose causes a change in direction of the boat movement. It has been found through experiment that the steering mechanism is highly efficient, the steering effect being such that the boat is turned in the conventional direction corresponding to the direction in which the steering wheel is turned.

The boat can be braked simply by operating the linkage 40 to open the valve 38. When the valve is open the water flows through the downwardly directed tube 36 rather than the restricted area of the nozzle 34. With no propulsive force the boat rapidly slows down. The speed of the boat can be varied in a similar way i.e. by adjusting the degree to which the valve 38 is open.

The tube 36 need not necessarily be directed downwardly and it can if desired be directed in any direction transversely to the direction of movement of the boat e.g. sideways or even upwardly. The downward direction has the advantage that the resultant jet of water does not tend to cause boat movement across the water, and the water jet is absorbed directly by the body of water.

Claims

1. A water toy which includes a body, a water nozzle attached to the body, means for connecting a flexible hose for carrying water under pressure from a source remote from the toy to the nozzle, and means for causing at least limited rotation of the hose connecting means relatively to the body to steer the toy.

2. A water toy according to Claim 1 wherein the hose connecting means includes an elbow which is swivelably connected to the toy and the means for causing hose rotation is a steering mechanism which is connected to the elbow through a linkage.

3. A water toy according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the elbow is positioned to hold the connected end of the hose substantially horizontal.

4. A water toy according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 which includes a water outlet upstream of the nozzle and valve means for controlling the amount of water diverted from the nozzle through the water outlet thereby to control the speed of the toy.

5. A method of operating a water toy which includes the steps of propelling the toy by means of at least one jet of water which is produced by means of a source of water under pressure connected to the toy by means of a flexible hose, and steering the toy by causing movement of the hose relatively to the toy.

6. A method according to Claim 5 in which the hose is caused to move by rotating the hose end which is connected to the toy.

7. A method according to Claim 5 or 6 which includes the step of varying the speed of the toy by diverting the jet of water at least partially into a water outlet which is directed transversely to the direction of movement of the toy.

8. A method according to Claim 7 in which the water outlet is downwardly directed.

9. A method according to any one of Claims 5 to 8 in which the hose is caused to move by means on the toy.

10. A method of operating, in a body of water, a water toy which includes a body, a water nozzle, and means connecting a flexible hose to the nozzle, the hose carrying water under pressure from a source remote from the toy, the method including the step of steering the toy by moving the hose by means on the toy.

11. A water toy substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. A method of operating a water by substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.