US2135082A

US2135082A - Amusement device

Info

Publication number: US2135082A
Application number: US156195A
Authority: US
Inventors: Martin H Kelly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1937-07-28
Filing date: 1937-07-28
Publication date: 1938-11-01
Anticipated expiration: 1955-11-01

Description

Nov. 1, 1938. I M. H. KELLY 2,135,082

' AMLfsEMENT DEVICE Filed July 28, 1957 3nvento'r mm? A x /g/ Patented Nov. 1, 1938.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

AMUSEMENT DEVICE H Martin 11. Kelly, Chatcolet, Idaho Application July 28, 1937, Serial No. 156,195

" 5 Claims, (01172-32) This invention relates to an amusement device, and one object of the invention is to provide a device of this characteradaptedto be set up in a naturally or artificially formed body of water such as a lake orpool and including a buoyant body mounted to turn about a vertically disposed axis and having propelling means adapted to be operated by persons occupying opposite end portions of the body.

Another object of the invention is to provide the body with propelling means of such construction that they may be individually operated by occupants of the end portions of the body who may cooperate with each other to cause the body to swing about its vertical axis at a high rate of speed or vie with each other in an endeavor to control the direction in which the body turns about its pivotal mounting- It will thus be seen that a great deal of amusement can be obtained by the persons operating the device as well as exercise. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide the device with operating means consisting of drums carrying paddles andmounted in such position that the drums may have rotary motion imparted to them by persons standing upon them and operating the drums with their feet, handholds being provided to assist the operators in maintaining their balance while turning the drums with their feet. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide handholds consisting of handle bars so mounted that they may be adjusted according to the direction in which it is desired to turn the drums.

Another object of the invention is to provide housings or shields so mounted that the portions of the drums carrying paddles will be enclosed above the body and danger of injuries to the operators avoided.

Another object of the invention is to limit downward movement of the body upon its pivot pin and thus maintain it in its proper relation to the surface of the water.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein I Figure 1 is a perspective view of the buoyant body or float, together with the propelling means.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken 7 along the line 22 of Figure 1 and showing the buoyant body mounted upon the underwater Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary .view of one of the handles.

Thebuoyant body or float l of this amusement device consists of a board which may be of any desired length, width, and thickness and is reinforced by transversely extending cross bars 2 secured against its under face. In order to mount the board for swinging movement about a vertical axis, there has been provided an underwater support consisting. of a standard 3 V in the form of a piling or post which is driven standard and about this pin fits a sleeve 5 which is loose to turn about the pin and is secured through an opening 6 formed'in the board I by suitable fasteners passed through a flange or collar 1 carried by the sleeve. By properly pro- I portioning the height of the standard, the board will be disposed adjacent the surface of the water, as shown in Figure 2, and turn easily about the pin 4. By having the board pivotally mounted midway its length, two people can occupy the board with one standing upon each end portion thereof, and since the sleeve 5 restsupon the upper end ofthe standard and the board is secured to the collar 1, the board will be maintained substantially 'level and prevented from tilting. longitudinally if the occupants of the two end portions of the board are not of approximately the same weight.

. The board is to be swung about the stem which constitutes a vertical axis for the board, and in order to do so there have been provided propellers, one of which is carried by each end portion of the board. Each of the-propellers consists of a rotatable tread member havingthe form of a drum 8 which may be formed of metal or any desired material and is air tight so that it will'be buoyant and easy to turn in the bearings 9 mounted at opposite ends of the opening I 0 formed in the board and through which the drum extends when it is set in place with its stub axles ll mounted in the bearings. Each drum extends substantially the full length of the opening l0 through which it operates and its 'end portions carry paddles l2 which are rigidly mounted and project radially from the drum, as shown in Figure 3. Referring to Figure 2 it will be readily seen that when the drums are rotated the paddles will act upon the water under the float or board and swinging movement will be imparted to the board so that the board will be caused to turn about the pin 4. In view of the fact that the paddles are carried by end portions of the drums, the intermediate portions of the drums will be unobstructed and a person may stand upon a drum and impart rotary motion to the same with his feet. This is diflicult to accomplish as the drums are rotatably mounted and a person attempting to stand upon a drum and turn it with his feet will be liable to lose his balance. Hoods l3, which are formed of metal and secured upon the board by base flanges or in any other desired manner, enclose the end portions of the drums and the paddles extending therefrom above the board and serve to prevent danger of injury by a person's foot being caught and cut by the rapidly moving paddles as the drums rotate.

In order to make it easier for the operators of the device to stand upon the drums and operate them with their feet, there have been provided handholds, each of which consists of standards 14 which are disposed vertically at opposite ends of. the drums against outer sides of the hoods or shields l3 and are firmly mounted at their lower ends between the bearings 9 and the hoods, the upper ends of the standards being pivoted to lower ends of arms l5 extending from ends of a handle bar 6. The handle bars will be disposed as shown in Figure 1 when the two operators are turning the drums in the same direction for imparting swinging movement to the board but when each is attempting to turn the board in a direction opposite to the other and make it a competitive test of strength and skill, one handlebar will be turned to extend in an opposite direction, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 4.'

Pins I! project from the standards to engage the arms [5 and limit swinging movement of the arms about their pivots l8. It will thus be seen that the two operators may cooperate with each other for imparting swinging movement to the board at high speed or they may compete with each other in their endeavorSito impart swinging movement to the board.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: a

1. A device of the character described comprising a buoyant body' mounted to turn about a vertical axis andprovided with openings at opposite sides of the mounting,-tread members rotatably mounted in the openings and provided with paddles operating through the openings, and handholds adapted to be grasped by persons standing upon the tread members and imparting rotary motion thereto with their feet.

2. A device of the character described comprising a buoyant body mounted to turn about a vertical axis, rotary tread members carried by said body at opposite sides of the mounting and mounted to turn about axes disposed diametrically of the axis of the body, and paddles extending outwardly from said tread members for acting upon water to impart movement to the body about its axis.

3. A device of the character described comprising an underwater support including an upstanding pin, a board formed with an opening midway its length, said pin being engaged through said opening and mounting the board for swinging movement about the pin, openings being formed in end portions of the board, drums rotatably mounted and extending through the openings,

paddles radiating from end portions of said drums, and handholds rising from the board adjacent the drums.

4. A device of the character described comprising an underwater support including an upstanding pin-aboard formed with an opening midway its length, said pin being engaged through said opening and mounting the board for swinging movement about the pin, openings being formed in end portions of the-board, bearings rising from said board at opposite ends of the openings, drums over the board having axles journaled in the bearings, saiddrums extending downwardly through the openings and being provided with paddles extending radially from their end portions for acting upon water and imparting movement to the board when the drums are rotated, and hood-s above the board in shielding relation to the end portions of the hoods and the paddles carried thereby.

5. A device of the character described comprising an underwater support including an upstanding pin, a board formed with an opening midway its length, said pin being engaged through said opening and .mounting the board for swinging movement about the pin, openings being formed in end portions of the board, bearings rising from said board at opposite ends of the openings, drums over the board having axles journaled in the bearings, said drums extending downwardly through the openings and being provided with paddles extendingradially from their end portionsfor acting upon water and imparting movement to the board when the drums are rotated, hoods extending transversely of the drums and mounted upon the board in enclosing relation to upwardly projecting end portions of the drums .and serving as shields for the paddles, standards pivoted to the board at outer sides of the hoods, and handles extending longitudinally of. the drums and having side bars pivoted to upper. ends of the standards.

.MAR'I'IN H. KELLY.