US1886522A - Diving raft - Google Patents

Description

R. BUCK DIVING RAFT Nov. 8, 1932.

Filed Aug. 26, 1931 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 orlw R. BUCK DIVING RAFT Nov. S, 1932.

Filed Aug. 26, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Et Zorzeg.

Nov. s, 1932. R. BUCK 1,886,522

DIVING RAFT Filed Aug. 26, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 vai Patented Nov. 8, 1932 PATENT OFFICE f RONALDV BUCK, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND DIVING RAFT Application led August 26, 1931, Serial No.

The object of my invention is to provide for swimming baths and other bathing places, a diving raft which is capable of providing a means of safe-amusement and adding fresh enjoymentl to the activities of divers, nondivers and non-swimmers.

According to my invention I provide a diving raft having a rising upper part and footholds adapted to assist bathers in climbing to the top thereof, means being provided on the raft to restrict tilting or rotary movement about a horizontal axis and thereby as'- sist the bathers in climbing.

The footholds may be arranged in a localized manner or to surround the rising upper art. l

p Float means, weighting means, anchoring means or shaping of the lower part of the raft may be employed to limit, hinder or prevent tilting of the raft.

Handhold means may be provided at the upper part of the raft to assist bathers in the latter part of the climb.

The footholds preferably comprise ledges or projections of relatively soft material and may also be adapted to serve also as handhold means.

The float means preferably are of a relatively soft nature.

The weighing means are preferably arranged in such a manner that they do not produce loose or abruptly projecting parts.

The raft may be inflated or contain air at atmospheric pressure, or be stuffed with buoyant material.

In the accompanying three sheets of draw- Figure l is a front view, partly in section of a diving raft.

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in vertical section and Figure 4 is a fragmentary front view Y drawn to a larger scale and illustrating more clearly a detail.

Figure 5 is a front elevation showing a second construction.

Figure 6 is a front elevation illustrating a third construction.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary front view, part- 559,355, and in Great Britain April 1, 1931.

' ing l of a suitable fabric or material, preferably a fibrousfabric which may be rendered waterproof by any suitable means.

The casing has substantially the sho-wn shape with a dome-like upper part and contains an inflatable bladder 2, Figure 3, for example of india-rubber. The whole, when inflated as shown, is adapted to float. The casing l may be of any other suitable shape, for example that of an animal, fish, bird, giant, allegorical figure, and so forth and may contain more than one inflatable bladder.

The casing 1 has secured to its exterior pieces 3 of fabric, see more particularly Figures 3 and 4, for example by stitches 4 and/ or 80 any other suitable means. Each piece of fabric extends round a padding 5 of comparatively soft material, for example rope and is secured round the padding 5 byv stitches 6 and/or any other suitable means. 85 If desired, the piece 3 may be drawn together at the ends, for example by stitches 7 and/or other suitable means to cover the ends of the padding 5.

The pieces 3 are arranged to form one or 90 more'series of footholds arranged at suitable distances one above the other. The projections produced by the padding 5 are sufficient to assist the bather in climbing up the casing, but owing to their comparatively soft nature, can not injure the bare feet or other parts of the bather and can not trap the bather. Furthermore, the footholds which the projections give are not such as to enable the bather to climb without some care, ex-

ertion and skill and consequently mounting of the ball is rendered more interesting and exciting.

A ring 8 of comparatively soft ma-terial, for example rope, may be provided at the top of the casing to serve as a handheld for those who climb and those whohave reached the top. Y

Depending, loose membersv 9, for exampleV hand ropes attached at the upper end only, may also be provided to .assist the bathers in completing the climb.

An inflated tube l0 for example of rubber or the like, and formed continuous or with closed ends, surrounds the casing at the lower part thereof. 'Ihe tube 10 is maintained in its surrounding position by a fabric' or other suitably soft covering 11 secured to the casing and preferably permitting the tube 10 to rise a suitable distance up the casing when placed in the water. The tube floats entirely or partly unsubmerged. Its purpose isrrto lend sufficient stability to the whole against tilting or turning on a horizontal axis, to

partially counteractV the effect which the weight of a bather would otherwise have thereon when he attempted to climb up the casing. Preferably the stabilizing action is maintained suiiiciently low as to permit a predetermined amount of tilt or rock under the weight of a bather or bathersand thereby render the climb more amusing and exciting. The lowermost'part of the casingmay be somewhat flattened, for example asfshown, to assist in obtaining stabilityand enabling the diving raft to oat in more shallow water. Preferably Vthe diameterl of the casing is large forfexample from 5 to 12 feet upwards.

in order to give a good height for diving and make the climbing thereof an achievement.

Instead ofproviding an inflatable tube 10 in the covering 11, the covering may be filled with buoyant material such as capoc, ground cork, and so forth, or it may be adapted to lill itself with the water Afrom that in which the diving raft floats. One method of adapt-V paratively stiff lmaterial arranged at suitable distances apart. Another suitable means consists of spaced plugs of padding which preferably is of an absorbent nature. .The pad' ding may bemaintained in position by attachment thereof tothe covering or by-disposing it in pockets formed by the aid of suitable cross partitions in the cover. In the example illustrated in 'Figures 10 Vand 11,` the casing has bags or buckets 28 attached in an annular row to its lower part, and connected together externally by a thick rope ring 29 attached to all of the bags or buckets 28. I-Ioles 30 are provided in the bags or buckets 28 to allow water to enter them and act as ballast and thereby impart the .desired` stability to the raft. Thebags or buckets 2,8 are1 preferably of stout canvas so as to have flexibility.

The water contained in the covering 11 or bags or buckets 28 constitutes a weight, which,- when the raft is tilted acts at the raised side of the raft toreturn the raft to its 'initial "position or prevent further tilting under the weight of the bather. a

The covering 11, or `bagsor buckets 28 and'- the water therein, .and also the padding, Where employed, are of a relatively soft nature and therefore arel not liable to injure the bathers. If required the cross partitions may, be arranged in oblique slantingpositions. The covering 11 or the-bags orV buckets 28 may be completely filled with absorbent niaterial, for example sponge rubber. Instead of relying on water as ballast, the covering 1l pir bags or buckets28 may be filled with san Y i Y It will be observed that inV the construction shown Vin Figures 1 to `4, there are yfour series of projections, which series are spaced irregular distances apart, but it is to be under? stood that there may be any desired number andv airangementI of series of projections. In the example shown inFigure 10 thelower part of the casing is provided withtwo annular projections 81 and 82 which also serve as foot and hand holds. The rope ring 29 also serves as a footand hand hold. f

In the constructionA shown in Figure 5,A there are four series of projections spaced equal distances apart and a predetermined amount of stability is obtained by forming the inflated casing 12 with the shown shape of bottom.

In the construction shown in Figure 6 there is only one series `of projections which extend completely round the linflated casing 13 and the top ofthe-casing 13 is slightly` flattened to facilitate standing thereon, whilst a predetermined amount of stability is obtained by shaping the bottom of the' casing as shown.

Figure 7 illustrates another method of obtaining a predetermined amount ofstability. Aseries of closed pockets 14, 15, 16 of pro-y gressively smaller size are provided, the pocket 14 being secured to the inflated casing 17, the pocket 1'5 Vto thepocket 14 `andthe pocket 16 to the pocket 17. The pockets 4are of comparatively soft materialiandare `lled with suitable ballast 18, for` example lsand or other comparatively, soft orV yielding material. The pockets may be lined with sandproof material andberendered waterproof.

iis

In the method illustrated in Figure 8 a predetermined amount of stability is obtained by means of bags 19 filled with suitable ballast of comparatively soft or yielding material, secured to the casing 20 and enclosed in apocket 21 of comparatively soft material, the pocket 21 being also secured to the casing 20.

In all of the above stabilizing means there is nothing to hurt or injure the bathers feet or other parts of his body by coming into contact therewith and in the unlikely event of the raft being turned completely over due to the combined efforts of many bathers, the stabilizing means in subsequently descending towards the water cannot strike a bather in such a manner as to injure him.

In arrangement shown in Figure 9, stability is obtained by means of ropes or tubes composed of a ring 22 having four depending parts 23 which converge to a point and having a weight 24: which is retained in position by the parts 23. The ring 22 is secured to the lower part of the inflated casing 25.

Instead of or in addition to providing a weight 2A, the frame may be attached by means of a slack chain 26 to the ground or to a flat, heavy weight 27 which rests on the ground, the weight 27 being sufficiently heavy as to be unliftable by the bathers. An inverted hollow pyramid of fabric, of the same shape as the said frame may be substituted for the frame. In lieu of providing the casing of the raft with an inflated blad-` der or bladders, it may be retained in its distended state by a hollow frame or foundation of wickerworlr, basketwork and so forth, or may be stuffed with buoyant material. I however prefer to employ an inflatable bladder or bladders because the raft is thereby rendered readily portable.

I claim- 1. A diving raft comprising a casing having a rising part, an inflated bladder in the said casing, footholds of soft material distributed over the rising part of the casing, hand ropes depending from the casing, water buckets depending from the lower part of the casing and apertures in the buckets for automatically filling them from the water in which the raft floats.

2. A driving raft according to claim 1, wherein the footholds comprise horizontal ledges consisting of horizontally disposed cores of textile material, and tight coverings attached horizontally to the casing and completely enclosing the cores.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specication at Manchester in the county of Lancaster, England, this 14th day of August, 1931.

RONALD BUCK.

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