US2958875A

US2958875A - Prow-shaped water sled with manually operated steering apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2958875A
Application number: US682544A
Authority: US
Inventors: David H Mcclain
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1957-09-06
Filing date: 1957-09-06
Publication date: 1960-11-08
Anticipated expiration: 1977-11-08

Description

Nov. 8, 1960 A D. H. MCCLAIN 2,958,875

PROW-SHAPED WATER SLED WITH MANUALLY OPERATED STEERING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 6, 1957 INVENTOR DAVID H. MCCLAIN ATTORNEY and the wake of the towing speedboat.

2,958,875 Patented Nov. 8, 1960 PROW-SHAPED WATER SLED WITH MANUALLY OPERATED STEERING APPARATUS David H. McClain, Joseph A. McClain, In, P.(). Box 3239, Tampa, Fla.

Filed Sept. 6, 1957, Ser. No. 682,544

12 Claims. (Cl. 9-310) This invention pertains to water-borne sports equipment.

The object of my invention is to relate the known principles of hydrodynamics and aerodynamics to recreational devices of the water-ski class, thereby minimizing the physical strains and physical hazards hitherto associated with the sport of water skiing.

In the prior art, the design of water skis and water sleds has been unduly influenced by snow skis and toboggans, and thus ultimately by barrel staves and ham doors. Skis and toboggans are propelled, Wholly by gravity, over a substantially smooth inclined plane offering a minimum of friction between the waxed hard wood surface of the ski and the hard-packed surface of the snow. In devices of the water ski class, on the other hand, a waxed, substantially flat hard wood surface is towed at high speed over a water surface made rough and irregular by wind The motion of the water ski, therefore, is partly through water and partly, in defiance of gravity, over water.

So considered, the two situations are seen to be-wholly dissimilar, and the analogy hitherto drawn between them to be false. In my view, it is this false analogy which has made water skiing more hazardous and more demanding of athletic skill than is inherently necessary, effectively restricting this type of sports activity to venturesome young athletes.

My device is calculated to interest a far wider public in water skiing by minimizing the physical hazards and the physical strains imposed by known devices, preserving however the kinesthetic and recreational values of ski-sports, whether on snow or on water. To the highly skilled young athlete, moreover, the flexibility of my device provides a wider range within which he can practice coordination and demonstrate skill.

To this end, I invoke a seriesof expedients new in this context and combine them in a free form design. First, I form the sled in imitation of the prow of a speedboat with keel and shaped sides. Optionally, I may add to the hull fixed fins for maximum directional stability against yaw.

nally, I provide that the rudder-control sub-assembly may be optionally removed, thereby enabling the sportsman to keep his position by means of positionally fixed but adjustable shoes while he grasps the grip-bar andirope in his hands as is now done.

I contemplate that sleds of my design will most advantageously be executed in low-density glass fiber materials rather than in marine plywood or laminated hard woods.

the sled with its removable rudder. plan view of the sled and steering assembly, as seen from In my drawing, Fig. 1 is a profile view of the removable rudder sub-assembly. Fig. 2 is a profile view of the handlebar and grip sub-assembly, removable along with the rudder sub-assembly. Fig. 3 is a top view of the removable handle-bar and grip sub-assembly. Fig. 4 is a top view of the main bodyof the sled complete with steering assembly. Fig. 5 is a side or profile view of the sled with steering assembly. Fig. 6 is a bottom view of Fig. 7 is a head-on directly in front. Fig. 8 shows, on a relatively enlarged 'scale, a detail of the sled comprising a receptacle for the removable rudder sub-assembly. Fig. 9, on the same relatively enlarged scale, is a detail of a hollow cylinder with adherent lug and tightening bolts. Fig. 10, again on the same scale as Figs. 1 through 7, shows a direct rear plan view of the sled complete with steering apparatus.

The sled consists of a forwardly tapering, non-rectangular platform, here shown by way of example as deltashaped. That platform is modified by slight lateral dishing in the manner of Sideboards and by

rearward projections

18 and 19, and equipped with a pair of shoes 4 and 5, positionally fixed relative to the platform but adjustable to the individual sportsman. Along the longitudinal axis of the sled and apporximat'ely at its position of gravity, I place a receptacle 13 for the removable steering apparatus. By means of the fixed eyelets 7 and 8 forward, the sled may be attached by means of ropes to the towing speedboat when the steering apparatus is being utilized.

on the ventral surface of the sled, I use a shallow keel 17, optionally augmented by a pair of rearward stabilizing fins 2 and 3 which also, in the relative position here indicated, serveto protect the rudder against damage in shallowwater.

By means of their arced contours, the

rearward extensions

18 and 19 clear the wakes of the towing speedboat and of the sea sled itself, and offset the tendency of the stern to drag as the bow is lifted out of the water at high forward speeds.

The removable steering assembly (Figs. 1 and 2), consists of a curved bi-manual handlebar element 6, a tubular column 9 telescopically adjustable at 20, a downward-projecting rudder holder 1, and a rudder 14. It will be noted that the upper portion of the shaft 9 is bent forward to throw the handles away from the body of the sportsman, thereby .providing a more natural position for steering.

The receptacle '13 for the above-described assembly is positioned along the longitudinal axis of the sled, at or near its centerof gravity. The said receptacle is developed around'a central .cylinder 10 corresponding to the tubular column 9, and also includes two coaxial depressions 15 and 16. The inner depression 15 is fully annular and of a diameter matching that of the cylinder 10. The outer depression 16, however, is a partial annulus developed through substantially 90 of arc, providing a channel within which the centrally spaced adherent lug 11 may restrictedly rotate through, say, of are, or only 40 either side of dead center.

Thus, neither the handlebars 6 nor the rudder 14 is free 1y rotatable on their common vertical axis, but only within the 80-0f play permitted by the lug 11 and channel 16 which together comprise a stop-motion element. It will be perceived that the design of the receptacle 13 has a dual functionz first, to hold the shaft-9 in a fixed position relative to the chamber, and-second, to limit the angular speedboat, the path of the speedboat is the principal vector component of the path of any object towed behind it, in this instance, of the water sled. Hitherto, the water skier has been able to slalom, e.g,, follow a sine-curve path behind and across the straight-line courseof the towing boat, by shifting his body weight. With my device, the sportsman is able to slalom by shifting his body weight as heretofore, or he may accomplish the same effect solely by rudder-action or by any desired combination of the two forces.

On the other hand, the stabilizing fins 2 and 3, in cooperation with the keel 17, operate to resist the yawing effect set up by the wake of the speedboat, whether the rudder sub-assembly is in use or not.

By means of three bolts 12, spaced 120 apart around the periphery of the hollow cylinder 10, the cylinder is adjustably secured upon the shaft 9.

When the steering assembly (Figs. 1 and 2) is optionally removed, the receptacle 13 is plugged, the ropes are detached from the eyelets 7 and 8, and the sportsman holds in his hands a conventional grip bar attached by ropes to the towing speedboat. He is still able to slalom, modifying his path relative to that of the towing speedboat, but only by shifting body weight as now. In general, he obtains a larger effect from a lesser amount of effort because of the built-in stability provided by the keel 17 and the fins 2 and 3 in conjunction with the shaped and tapered hull.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A delta-shaped water sled having the apex of the delta forward and the base of the delta rearward comprising, a substantially flat delta-shaped deck having an isosceles triangle configuration, upwardly flaring angularly disposed sideboards joined with said deck along the two equal lengthed forward edges thereof, said sideboards joining one another to form a bow at said apex, said sideboards having outer edges disposed parallel to said equal lengthed forward edges, said sideboards extending rearwardly beyond the stern edge of said deck, the under surface of said sideboard having rounded engagement with said deck, a center keel running from how to stern, a pair of parallel-shaped stabilizing fins on either side of said keel and parallel thereto, and means for towing said sled.

2. A delta-shaped water sled having the apex of the delta forward and the base of the delta rearward comprising, a substantially fiat delta-shaped deck having an isosceles triangle configuration, upwardly flaring angularly disposed sideboards joined with said deck along the two equal lengthed forward edges thereof, said sideboards extending from said forward edges of said deck a substantial distance, said sideboards joining one another to form a bow at said apex, said sideboards extending rearwardly beyond the stern edge of said deck, the under surface of said sideboards having rounded engagement with said deck, a center keel running from bow to stern, a pair of parallel-shaped stabilizing fins on either side of said keel and parallel thereto, and means for towing said sled.

3. A dela-shaped water sled having the apex of the delta forward and the base of the delta rearward comprising, a substantially flat delta-shaped deck having an isosceles triangle configuration, upwardly flaring angularly disposed sideboards joined with said deck along the two equal lengthed forward edges thereof, said sideboards extending from said forward edges of said deck a substantial distance, said sideboards joining one another to form a bow at said apex, said sideboards ex- .tending rearwardly beyond the stern edge of said deck,

a center keel running from bow to stern, a pair of parmeans for towing said sled.

allel-shaped stabilizing fins on either side of said keel and parallel thereto, and means for towing said sled.

4. A delta-shaped water sled having the apex of the delta forward and the base of the delta rearward comprising, a substantially flat delta-shaped deck having an isosceles triangle configuration, upwardly flaring angularly disposed sideboards joined with said deck along the two equal lengthed forward edges thereof, said sideboards extending from said forward edges of said deck a substantial distance, said sideboards adjoining one another to form a bow at said apex, said sideboards extending rearwardly beyond the stern edge of said deck, a pair of parallel-shaped stabilizing fins on the undersurface of said sled and parallel to one another, and means for towing said sled,

5. A delta-shaped water sled having the apex of the delta forward and the base of the delta rearward comprising, a substantially flat delta-shaped deck having an isosceles triangle configuration, upwardly flaring angularly disposed sideboards joined with said deck along the two equal lengthed forward edges thereof, said sideboards extending from said forward edges of said deck a substantial distance, said sideboards joining one another to form a bow at said apex, said sideboards extending rearwardly beyond the stern edge of said deck, a center keel disposed on the under surface of said sled, and

6. A water sled as defined in claim 3 wherein, said water sled has a steering means connected thereto.

7. A water sled as defined in claim 3 wherein, said water sled has secured to said deck a steering control assembly, and a rudder operated by said assembly.

8. A delta-shaped water sled having the apex of the delta forward and the base of the delta rearward comprising. a substantially fiat delta-shaped deck having an isosceles triangle configuration, upwardly flaring angularly disposed sideboards joined with said deck along the two equal lengthed forward edges thereof, said sideboards extending from said deck a substantial distance, said sideboards joining one another to form a bow at said apex, a center keel disposed on the under surface of said sled, a pair of parallel-shaped stabilizing fins on either side of said keel and parallel thereto, and means for towing said sled.

9. A water sled as defined in claim 4 wherein, said water sled has connected thereto a steering means.

10. A water sled as defined in claim 5 wherein, said water sled has connected thereto a steering means.

11. A water sled as defined in claim 1 wherein, said water sled has connected thereto a steering means.

12. A delta-shaped water sled having the apex of the delta forward and the base of the delta rearward comprising, a substantially flat delta-shaped deck having an isosceles triangle configuration, upwardly flaring angularly disposed sideboards joined with said deck along the two equal lengthed forward edges thereof, said sideboards extending from said deck a substantial distance, said sideboards joining one another to form a bow at said apex, a center keel disposed in the undersurface of said sled, and means for towing said sled.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,271,277 Roscher Jan. 27, 1942 2,685,696 Oscanyan Aug. 10, 1954 2,735,115 Dees Feb. 21, 1956 2,744,267 Roby May 8, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 753,711 France Aug. 12, 1933 687,340 Germany Jan. 20, 1940