US2376753A - Molded boat - Google Patents

Description

y 1945. K. HQBOWEN 2,376,753

MOLDED BOAT Filed June 19, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 arvue/vvbo'v KENNETH H. BOWEN y 1945- K. H. BOWEN 2,376,753'

MOLDED BOAT Filed June 19, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 KENNE E H- B EN ZH'Ls Gum/nap aw M r 2 19 f 2,310,753 norm-2n noa'r Kenneth H. Bowen, Auburn, N..Y.,

Rope Com Columbian alalgnor to pany, Auburn, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application June 19, 1944, Serial No. 541,031 (Cl. 9-6) This invention relates to improvements in boats and particularly to comparatively small watercraft.

The primary object of theinvention is to provide a boat or water-craft whose hull, including the deck, is molded from a plastics composition of binder and filler materials. I

. Another object is to provide a molded plastics boat in which the strengthening members are formed integrally with the main structural elements of the boat. 1

.A still further object is to provide a boat that can be made of practically any design or shape by reason of the fact which the boat is molded has the ability to readily conformto irregular contours or surfaces of compound curvature whereby the boat may be made of a minimum number of molded pieces.

Another object is to produce a strong sturdy molded boat structure, particularly of the pleasure type such as outboard car top models by molding the deck with upwardly oifset portions and with downwardly offset seat portions whereby maximum rigidity is imparted to the structure as a whole.

A still further object is to provide anti-slip areas on the deck surface by molding the deck with sand or other granular material embedded in the surface thereof at the desired points.

Still another object is to simplify the construc: tion of small boats by molding them from ma.- terial that can be fabricated in sheets or webs of such size and shape as to permit the deck, with or without integral seats or other offset portions, to be molded from a single sheet and the remainder of the boat, which will be termed the hull, to likewise be molded from a single sheet regardless of the transverse or longitudinal curvature of said hull, whereby there is produced an integral hull and an integral deck which in turn, if desired, may be bonded into a substantially integral whole by the binder used in the composition from which the boat is fabricated.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts. all as will hereinafter be more fully described and the novel features thereof particu-, larly pointed out in the appended claims.

v In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the present invention- Figure 1 is a top plan in accordance with Fig.2 is a side view of a boat-fabricated the present invention; elevation thereof: a

that the material from.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the hull;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the stern of the hull; I

Fig. 4 is 'a perspective view of a modified form of deck; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a separate seat element;

Fig. 6 is a schematic illustration of the crosssectional shape of the boat at the several points indicated by the lines ll; 2-2; 3-3; H;

5-5; 86 and 1-1 of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view between the marginal portions of the hull and deck.

Fig. 8 is a similar sectional view illustrating a modification of the marginal edge of the hull.

The type boat used for purposes of illustration is known generally as an outboard car top model and comprises what, for convenience, will be termed the hull portion and the deck portion 30, both made of a moldable material of such a nature that the hull and deck can each bemade of a single sheetof said material. Preferably, this material consists of a thermo-setting synthetic resinous binder and a filler composed of a web of comparatively long vegetable flbers,.the fibers being interlaced in the web so that the latter, with or without the resinous binder, is a substantially stable body. position of this type is fully disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,249,888, granted July 22, 1941, wherein the fibers are shown as being fabricated in a stable web H needling operation. Of course, other types of binder and filler materials may be used but it I has been discovered that a sheet or web of needled fibers, such as described, can be drawn into various shapes, including compound curves without creasing and without substantially disturbing the uniform distribution of thefibers and hence it is especially suited for the fabrication of boats wherein the structural elements,

and deck'can each be produced from a single sheet. Integral reinforcing or strengthening ofiset portions can also be provided on these structural elements, if desired, each element and its reinforcements being sheet. This is true whether or not the sheet of interlaced fibers is drawn to the desired shape A material or comor sheet by a so-called such as the hull produced from a single n is illustrated at 31, Fig. 6, and openings maybe 1 i Also,-as shown in Fig. 7, additional strength the gunwale. Protection of the flange II or gun-- }will sift or distribute itself into or'through the multitude of interstices of the body. Where the binder is used in dry powderedform, it is preferred to apply heat to the sheet with the powdered binder therein to raise the temperature thereof to a point where the binder will be slight- 1y advanced and-rendered tacky whereby it cannot shake out of the flber body-but will adhere thereto. 1 v As best shown in the schematic illustration of Fig. 6, the hull is of greatest width at approximately midship or at the point indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. l. The cross-section of the boat at this point is indicated at 21in Fig. 6,,and from this point it tapers in both directions toward-the bow and stem. Its varying cross-sec- "tional shapes at the points indicated by the lines 13-4; 2-2 and i-l, approaching the how, are illustrated at 23, 22 and 2|, respectively. in Fig. 6 and its gradually diminishing width toward the 20 stem is illustrated by the cross-sectional contours along the lines H; 8-8 and 'I-'| of Fig. l which are indicated at 25, 26 and 21 in Fig. 6. In addition to this longitudinal, curvature, the sides of the hull are also curv'ed transversely from the gunwale down toward the keel id or longitudinally medial line of the hull. Thedegree and extent of this transverse curvature can, of course, be varied more or less at will depending uponthe style or model of the boat. The rein- }forcing or bracing of the deck 30 is also best illustrated in Fig. 6. Along the lines l-l and 2-2, of Fig.1, the deck is offset or bulged upwardly as indicated at St, 32, respectively, in Fig. 6. It is also of the same general formation along the line Fig. 1, as shown at 34, in Fig. 6. However, ialong the lines 3-! and 6-6, ofFig. 1, the deck is formed with downwardly oifset portions as illustrated at 33 and 36 in Fig. 6. In certain types pf boats, these downwardly oifset' portions may, 40 ,take the form of seats which are integral with the ideck proper by reason of the seat ends 40, and the back 40, -in the case of the forward seat, merging directly into the deck. The contour of the deck along the line 1-1, Fig. 1, at the stern provided, where desired, as sho'wnat 35, Fig. 6, which illustrates across-section of the deck along the line 5- 5 of Fig.1. a Y

-As stated, the material previously described lends'to theformation of the deck, with its upwardly and downwardly offset portions all of integral formation but it will be appreciated that the same maybe made of sectional construction and the sections united into a substantially integral deck by bonding them together or they may be united in the flnalj structure by riveting as the molded material-is well adapted for the use of rivets, one of which is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7. Preferably, hull 20 is provided with an integral'flange ll, along the gunwale to which the marginal portions of the deck are attached by being bonded or riveted thereto or both, as illustrated in Fig. 7.

maybe imparted to the boat structure, particu- 1 larly at the gunwale,'by the provision of an insert n. This insert i2 is preferably of moldable ma- ;terial, if the hull and deck are bonded together but wood or metal inserts can be used, especially where the deck and hull are riveted together at wale, can be further augmented by molding or iotherwise securing a l n th of vegetable flber i rope I along the edge thereof. Also, as shown in This offset portion .0 is, in effect, a reinforcing rib and similar integral ribs may readily be provided wherever deemed desirable. Such reinforcing panels or ribs need not necessarily be formed I with angular corners because the molding compositions are easily moldable in surfaces of compound curvature and hence these reinforcing portions may readily be given a stream-lined I eifect,if desired.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate a'modifled construction in thatthe seats are molded separately from the deck and the latter is formed with a superstructure such as a top ii. In such a construction the seat I2 may-extend entirely across the seat eleend of the seat and one of the side walls 53. The seat element is formed with a flange 56 extending around its upper edge and the deck element 50 is formed with a similar flange 50 so i that these two elements can be attached through said flanges to the flange ll of the hull element 3 as previously described. If the deck is formed with a top or superstructure as shown in Fig. 4;

suitable sight openings or windows may be provided, as desired. The principal feature is that each element is a one-piece structure with ademolded in one piece the seats, as well as the upwardly offset portions impart rigidity'to tlTe ele-. 1 ment.- Likewise, where separate seat and decl elements are used, as illustrated in,.Figs. 4 and 5, the seats themselves become the reinforcing means for the seat element and the superstructure and other vertically offset portions of the 1 deck element impart the desired rigidity to that element. Of course, when the several elements are assembled in the completed boat structure,

the reinforcing portions'of the several elements j combine with, or supplement, one another to form a completed structure of'maximum strength-a 1 result which is accomplished at very low cost by reason of the fact that a large saving in labor is quate reinforcing members integrally molded therewith. That is, where the seats and deck are effected by the reinforcing members being molded safety to any desired areas of that surface. Here, again, the fabrication of the boat by molding is advantageous by reason of the ability to provide such non-slip areas by merely molding the nonslip material along with, or "as part of, the mold- 1 able composition. I Fig. 8 illustrates a modified form of the flange II for the hull in that said flange is offset u'p-,-

wardly as at ll".

whatIclaimisz' 1. A boat formed of a molded composition con- 1 taining a binder and a filler, said boat comprising an integral, one-piece hull having a marginal flange extending around its upper edge, a deck 1 attached at its-edge to said flange, and reinforc- 1 ing means for the deck consisting of depressed seat portions formed integrally with said deck.

2. A boatformed of a molded composition comprising a binder and a vegetable fiber filler, said boat comprising a one-piece hull and a deck integrally fastened together, and said deck having integrally formed portions constituting seats onset below the deck and forming reinforcing members for said deck.

3. A molded boat hull formed'of a moldable composition of binder and vegetable flber filler. said hull having a deck portion with a granular material molded in the exposed top surface thereof.

4. A molded boat formed of a moldable composition of binder and vegetable flber filler, said boat comprising a one piece hull element and a one-piece deck element fastened together into an integrated structure, and offset portions integral with the deck forming reinforcing members for the deck, and said hull being curved transversely throughout substantially its entire length and of gradually decreasing width to both its stem and stem.

5. A molded boat formed of a moldable composition of binder and a vegetable fiber flller, said boat comprising an integral hull element and an integral deck section fastened together by said binder, said deck being formed with transverse upwardly curved portions at points intermediate the stem and stem and integrally formed, depressed seat portions intermediate said raised portions.

6. A molded boat composed of a moldable composition of binder and a vegetable fiber flller, said boat comprising an integral hull element and an integral deck element, said hull being curve transversely throughout its length and of decreasing width toward its stem and stem from a point intermediate said extremities, a marginal flange integral with the upper edge of the hull, said deck having integral vertically offset portions, said deck being secured along its marginal edge to the flange on said hull.

8. A two-piece boat structure formed of a moldable composition of binder and vegetable fiber filler, one piece of said structure constituting the hull element and the other piece constituting the deck element, said deck and hull elements being bonded by said binder into an integral structure, and said deck having integral, vertically onset sections constituting transverse bracing members for the boat. 9. A molded boat formed of a moldable composition of binder and filler materials, said boat comprising an integral hull element, an integral seat element nested in said hull element, and an integral deck element, all of said elements being secured together along their marginal edges.

10. A molded boat formed of a moldable composition of binder and filler materials, said boat comprising a one-piece hull element formed with an integrally molded marginal flange and an in tegral molded seat element nested in said hull, said seat element also having an integral marginal flange supported on and secured to the marginal flange of the hull element, and portions of the seat element being ofl'set vertically with respect to the seat element flange and constituting transverse reinforcing members for the boat. KENNETH H. BOWEN- a vegetable fiber flller,

extending above and

Images