US3168751A

US3168751A - Pneumatic boat

Info

Publication number: US3168751A
Application number: US185357A
Authority: US
Inventors: Cavaignac Jean Pierre; Lafleche Jean-Francois; Jean Henri Joseph
Original assignee: Hutchinson Compagnie National du Cautchouc
Current assignee: Hutchinson Compagnie National du Cautchouc
Priority date: 1961-06-01
Filing date: 1962-04-05
Publication date: 1965-02-09
Anticipated expiration: 1982-02-09
Also published as: AT244178B; LU41737A1; BE614092A; FR1298492A; GB937968A

Description

Feb. 9, 1965 J. P. CAVAIGNAC ETAL 3,168,751

PNEUMATIC BOAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 5, 1962 By/Q 1965 J. P CAVAIGNAC ETAL 3,

PNEUMATIC BOAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 5, 1962 @by Q United States Patent Ofitice 3,168,751 PNEUMATIC BOAT Jean Pierre Cavaignac, Le Ves'met, and Jean-Francois Lafleche and Henri Joseph Jean, Paris, France, assignors to Etablissements Hutchinson (Compagnie Nationale du Caoutchouc), Paris, France, a corporation of France Filed Apr. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 185,357 Claims priority, application France, June 1, 1961, 863,680

11 Claims. (Cl. 9-2) The present invention relates to pneumatic boats of utility as pleasure boats or auxiliary boats on larger boats.

The advantages of this type of boat-which is made floatable by provision of inflated tubes, piping or the 1ike-are well known. Once their tubes have been deflated these boats can be folded up so as to occupy the minimum amount of space and be easily transported.

However, their manufacture presents certain difliculties and their nautical qualities need improving.

The major difliculty encountered in their manufacture resides in the shaping of the tubes to provide the bow and the stern of the boat. Further, despite efforts to provide a good profile the shape of the boat is imperfect hydrodynamically.

The object of the invention is to remedy these disadvantages. The invention provides a pneumatic boat so arranged that its hull is composite and comprises two rigid bow and stem panels to which are connected in a water-tight manner the transverse ends of a flexible assembly including inflatable tubes or the like, said assembly being capable of being laid flat and of being produced in the latter condition.

Advantageously, this flexible assembly, which is of rubberized fabric or like water-tight material, comprises two longitudinal tubes forming the lateral walls of the boat and framing a middle element which constitutes the bottom of the boat.

Owing to this composite arrangement, all the flexible part, which is the major part of the hull of the boat, can be very easily made up in the fiat state with vulcanized or non-vulcanized elements so that the assembly of these various elements does not present the ditficulties normally encountered. Further, the fact of forming the bow of the boat from a rigid panel instead of from shaped inflatable tubes as in previous practice, imparts improved nautical qualities to the boat. i

Further features of the invention will-become apparent from the ensuing description, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings given merely by way of an example and in which:

3 FIG. 1 is a perspective view, with parts cut away, of one embodiment of a" pneumatic boat according to the inven-' tion; t FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view thereof taken along line 3- -3 of FIG. 2, and

- FIGS. 46 are partial perspective views, on an enlarged scale, of certain parts of the boat shown in FIG. 1.

In the illustrated embodiment, the pneumatic boat comprises essentially two rigid panels or boards 1a and 1b of for example wood which form respectively the bow or prow and the stern ofthe boat, and a flexible assembly or the boat in proper shape.

3,168,751 Patented Feb. 9, 1965 unit 2 composed of water-tight fabric, for example rubberized fabric. This assembly 2 which is capable of being laid flat and can consequently be manufactured in the flat state, comprises two longitudinal tubes or piping 3 which are inflatable through valves 3a and extend alongside or frame a middle element 4. These tubes constitute the lateral walls of the boat whereas the element 4 forms the bottom thereof.

The connection of the tubes 3 to the bottom 4, which for reasons of ease of manufacture is constituted by sepa rate elements, is best seen in FIG. 3. The lateral walls of each tube are welded to one another at their lower edges thereby providing a lip or flange 5 encompassing a reinforcing filament or rod 6. The bottom 4 is welded to the lip 5, a reinforcing strip 7 overlapping the lip 5 and the bottom 4 so as to provide good seal.

The assembly 2 is furthermore connected to the bow and stern elements in the following manner. The transverse ends of the envelope (FIG. 4) are folded in such manner as to form a seam or piping 8 in which is located a compressible filament or rod 9 of cord or rubber, for example. Each piping 8 is adapted to be disposed in a. groove 10 formed in the corresponding panel 1, strips 11 screwed to this panel pressing against the rod 9 so as to render the joint fluidtight. A reinforcing strip 12 of watertight fabric stuck to the entire periphery of the joint completes the seal of the assembly. Thus it can be seen that the flexible part of the boat and the rigid parts are very easily assembled. This assembly imparts a shape to the flexible part 2 which in the free state is in the flat condition, once the tubes 3 are deflated.

It will be observed that the bow panel 1a has a width which is less than the stern panel 1b, the transverse ends of the bottom 4 being dimensioned in a corresponding manner so as to impart to the boat a shape which improves its nautical qualities.

Disposed in a detachable manner on the bottom 4 of the boat is a floor 13 divided in the longitudinal direction into several panels so as to facilitate its transport and its positioning. In the presently-described embodiment, the floor comprises a forward panel or element 14 a middle element 15 and a rear panel or element 15. The middle panel or element 15 has at its two longitudinal ends blocks 17 which, in bearing against the adjacent edges of the elements 14 and 16 hold the elements of the floor in position.

Props 18 bearing at one end against the panel 1 owing to the provision of a block 19 and at the other end against the end panels 14 and 16 of the floor through the medium of a block 20, apply the panels 14 and 16 against the bottom 4 and maintain the panels 1a and 112 at the appropriate inclination. The central panel 15 of the floor is moreover urged against thefloor 4 through the medium of a-seat 21 provided for the passengers of the boat. This seat 21 bears at both ends against the tube 3 (FIG. 6). To this end, there is stuck to each tube 3 a reinforcing sheet 22to which is fixed a strip 23 inserted between the sheet 22 and a second sheet 24 stuck to the tubes 3 and to the sheet 22. Screwed to the strip 23 at 25 is a bracket 26 on the horizontal branch of which rests the end of the seat 21. This end is furthermore provided with a pin 28 which is engaged in an aperture 29 formed in the vertical branch of the bracket 26 so as to firmly hold the seat 21 in position. It will be observed that the seat 21, in preventing the tubes 3 from bending inwardly, helps to keep Further, it exerts pressure on the panel 15 of the floor 13 through the medium of a leg 30 which latter is notched at its base and rests on a beading 31 rigid with the panel 15.

The fact that the floor is held in position by the props 18 and the leg 30 of the seat 21, permits, in accordance with an important feature of the invention, imparting to the bottom 4 a V-shaped section or profile and thus improving the nautical qualities of the boat. To this end, there is provided on the bottom 4 an inflatable tube or beading 32. To form this tube, a strip 33 is secured along the longitudinal axis of the bottom 4 by sticking its longitudinal edges to the inner face of the latter and thereby forming 'a fluidtight pocket. The outer face of the bottom 4 is reinforced in the region of this pocket by bands 34. This tube 32 is inflatable through a valve 35 which extends upwardly of the floor 13 through an opening 36 in the element 14. When the tube 32 is inflated it projects outwardly in bearing against the floor 13 so that it imparts to the lateral parts of the bottom 4 a downward inclination from the periphery toward the centre of the boat. Thus the bottom 4 has a V-shaped cross-section or profile, which is more hydrodynamic. V

The upper edges of the tubes 3 constituting the upper sides of the lateral walls of the boat, are also arranged in a special manner according to the invention. The walls of each tube 3 are pinched together at 37 (FIG. 4) so as to form a beading or piping 38 in which is located a filament or rod 39. In this way ledges or coamings are formed along the lateral walls of the boat which prevent small waves from entering the latter. Further, the piping 38 is utilized for fixing the rowlock supports 40 (FIG. adapted to receive the oars for propelling or steering the boat. Each rowlock support is composed of two wooden blocks 41 which rest at their bases on the upper part corresponding tube 3 with interposition of reinforcing sheets 42. Each block 41 has a groove 43 so that when thetwo blocks are assembled to two grooves clampround the piping 38. This assembly is accomplished by means of screws 44 extending through the two blocks, the latter being clamped together by wing nuts 45. One of the blocks 41 is provided with an aperture 46 with a reinforcing bushing 47 to receive the rowlock.

The boat is completed by accessories such as cord handles 48, and mooring cords 49 fixed to the panels 1a and 1b so as to facilitate the transportation and mooring of the boat. Similarly, the central panel 15 of the floor is provided with cord handles 50 to facilitate extraction of the floor.

The boat just described has numerous advantages over prior pneumatic boats notwithstanding. the fact that it is capable of being folded up just as easily for transportation.

Firstly, the manufacture of this boat is much simplified since'the shaping of the tubes 3 previously necessary for forming the bow and the stern is eliminated. Conse quently, the entire flexible assembly 2 can be manufactured in the fiat condition, which is an important simplification, especially when vulcanizing the rubberized fabric constituting this assembly. Further, the presence of a rigid bow 1a improves the careening of the boat while widening the latter which. is consequently more convenient for the passengers. The V-shaped profile given to the bottom 4 of the boat by the longitudinal tube 32 provided at its centre considerably improves the hydrodynamic qualities of theboat and in actingas a centre fin or board, easily maintains the boat on its path; this is not easily obtained in the known pneumatic boats whichhave a tendency to turn round at each stroke of the oar.

It is to be understood that the invention is in no way.

transversely of the boat which is less than the overall width of a flexible unit; said flexible unit composed of a watertight material and having transversely extending prow and stern end portions, two lateral portions constituting the lateral longitudinally extending walls of the boat, inflatable cavities in the lateral portions and a mid dle portion interconnecting the lateral portions in a watertight manner and constituting the bottom of the boat, the lateral portions extending upwardly from the middle portion and having outer faces which are convergent in plantoward the prow board and stern board; and means securing said prow and stern boards respectively to the prow and stern endlportions of the flexible unit, the prow and stern end portions of the flexible unit having a general shape in a transverse plane of the boat which corresponds to the shape of three of the sides of the four-sided prow board and stern board respectively.

2. A pneumatic boat comprising in combination: a rigid prow board and a rigid stern board both extending transversely of the boat; said flexible unit composed of a waterthe lateral longitudinally extending walls of theboat, the

restricted to the illustrated and described embodiments,

which have been chosen merely by way of examples, and various changes of detail can be made therein without fallingoutside the scope of the appended, claims.

lateral walls being in spaced relation to each other throughout the length of the boat, and a middle portion interconnecting the tubes in a watertight manner and constituting the bottom of the boat, the tubes extending upwardly from the middle portion, the flexible unit being so arranged that before assembly with said board and when the tubes are deflated it is capable of being laid in a completely flatposition in which it is wholly contained in a fiat plane, the unit comprising in said flat position two longitudinallyv extending edges to which the tubes are adjacent and two transversely extending edges; and means securing said' transversely extending edges respectively to the prow board. and the stern board in a watertight manner, the boat having a cross-sectional shape substantially in the form of a' U throughout the length of the boat.

3. A pneumatic boat as claimed in claim 2, wherein the prow board and the prow end of the (flexible unit are narrower than the stern board and stern end of the flexible unit, and the prow board is inclined forwardly and up wardly of the bottom of the boat.

4. A pneumatic boat as claimed in claim 2, comprising beading of enlarged cross-section disposed along said lon: gitudinally extending edges and constituting a coaming tor the lateral wall of the boat. 7 j

5. A pneumatic boat comprising in combination: a rigid prow panel and a rigid stern panel both extending transversely of the boat; a flexible unit composed of a watertight material and having two inflatable tubes constituting the lateral longitudinally extending walls of the boat, and a middle portion interconnecting the tubes in a watertight manner and constituting the bottom of the boat, the tubes extending upwardly from the middle portion, the flexible unit being so arranged that before assembly with said panels and when the tubes are deflated it is capable of being laid in a flat position in which itcomprises two longitudinally extending edges to whichthe tubes are ad: acent and two transversely extending edges; means securing said transversely extending edges respectively tothe p ow panel and the stern panel in a watertight manner; a' beading of enlargedcros's-section disposed along the longitudinally extending edges and constituting a coaming for the lateral walls, rowlock supports mounted on'the inflated tubes, each rowlock support comprising two blocks} which-are supported on the corresponding'inflated tube and are disposed one oneach side of the corresponding heading, and means clamping the blocks to the beading.

6. A pneumatic boat comprising in combination: a rigid prow panel and a rigid stern panel both extending transversely of the boat; a flexible unit composed of a watertight material and having two inflatable tubes constituting the lateral longitudinally extending walls of the boat, and a middle portion interconnecting the tubes in a watertight manner and constituting the bottom of the boat, the tubes extending upwardly from the middle portion, the flexible unit being so arranged that before assembly with said panels and when the tubes are deflated it is capable of being laid in a flat position in which it comprises two longitudinally extending edges to which the tubes are adjacent and two transversely extending edges; means securing said transversely extending edges respectively to the prow panel and stem panel in a watertight manner, said securing means comprising a rib of enlarged crosssection extending along each transversely extending edge, clamping elements secured to the prow and stern panels and forming with each panel a recess in which the rib of the corresponding transversely extending edge is clamped.

7. A pneumatic boat comprising in combination: a rigid prow panel and a rigid stern panel both extending transversely of the boat and forming a flat prow and a flat stern for the boat; a flexible unit composed of a watertight material and having two inflatable tubes constituting the lateral longitudinally extending walls of the boat, and a middle portion interconnecting the tubes in a watertight manner and constituting a substantially flat boat bottom down to which the flat prow and stern extend, the tubes extending upwardly from the middle portion, the flexible unit being so arranged that before assembly with said panels and when the tubes are deflated it is capable of being laid in a completely flat position in which it is wholly contained in a flat plane, the unit comprising in said flat position two longitudinally extending edges to which the tubes are adjacent and two transversely extending edges the transversely extending edges including end seams which are contained in the plane of the unit in said flat position and close the ends of the tubes so that when the tubes are inflated they taper to said seams; means securing said transversely extending edges respectively to marginal portions of the prow panel and marginal portions of the stern panel in a watertight manner; and a detachable floor of rigid material resting on and extending over the entire area of said middle portion for imparting rigidity to the bottom of the boat and acting as a spacer element between the two tubes and between the two panels.

'8. A pneumatic boat comprising in combination: a rigid prow panel and a rigid stern panel both extending transversely of the boat; a flexible unit composed of a watertight material and having two inflatable tubes constituting the lateral longitudinally extending walls of the boat, and a middle portion interconnecting the tubes in a watertight manner and constituting the bottom of the boat, the tubes exending upwardly from the middle portion, the flexible unit being so arranged that before assembly with said panels and when the tubes are deflated it is capable of being laid in a flat position in which it comprises two longitudinally extending edges to which the tubes are adjacent, and two transversely extending edges; means securing said transversely extending edges respectively to the prow panel and the stern panel in a watertight manner; a detachable floor of rigid material resting on and coextensive with said middle portion for imparting rigidity to the bottom of the boat and acting as a spacer element between the two tubes; and a longitudinally extending inflatable tube combined with said middle portion in a position midway between said two tubes and constituting on the bottom side of said middle portion a centre fin for the boat and on the top side of said midde portion a rib which bears against said floor and spaces said midde portion away therefrom so as to impart a downwardly convergent crosssectional shape to the bottom of the boat.

6 9. A pneumatic boat comprising in combination: a rigid prow panel and a rigid stern panel both extending transversely of the boat; a flexible unit composed of a watertight material and having two inflatable tubes constituting the lateral longitudinally extending walls of the boat,

and a middle portion interconnecting the tubes in a watertight manner and constituting the bottom of the boat, the tubes extending upwardly from the middle portion, the flexible unit being so arranged that before assembly with said panels and when the tubes are deflated it is capable of being laid in a flat position in which it comprises two longitudinally extending edges to which the tubes are adjacent and two transversely extending edges; means securing said transversely extending edges respectively to the prow panel and the stern panel in a watertight manner, said securing means comprising a rib of enlarged cross-section extending along each transversely extending edge, clamping elements secured to the prow and stern panels and forming with each panel a recess in which the rib of the corresponding transversely extending edge is clamped and a prop wedged between each panel and the adjacent portion of said floor so as to maintain the floor on said middle portion and prevent the panels from moving inwardly.

10. A pneumatic boat comprising in combination: a rigid prow panel and a rigid stern panel both extending transversely of the boat; a flexible unit composed of a watertight material and having two inflatable tubes constituting the lateral longitudinally extending walls of the boat, and a middle portion interconnecting the tubes in a watertight manner and constituting the bottom of the boat, the tubes extending upwardly from the middle portion, the flexible unit being so arranged that before assembly with said panels and when the tubes are deflated it is capable of being laid in a completely flat position in which it is contained in a flat plane, the unit comprising in said flat position two longitudinally extending edges to which the tubes are adjacent and two transversely extending edges; means securing said transversely extending edges respectively to the prow panel and the stern panel in a watertight manner; a detachable floor of rigid material resting on and coextensive with said midde portion for imparting rigidity to the bottom of the boat and acting as a spacer element between the two tubes, said floor being divided longitudinally of the boat into a plurality of single-piece floor members extending from one to the other of the tubes; and a transversely rigid member constituting a seat having ends respectively mounted on the two tubes and acting a a spacer member between the upper part of the tubes.

'11. A pneumatic boat comprising in combination: a rigid prow panel and a rigid stern panel both extending transversely of the boat, each panel having a substantially quadrilateral shape in a plane transverse to the boat and an extent transversely of the boat which is less than the overall width of the boat and a bottom edge and two upwardly extending lateral edges, a flexible unit composed of a watertight material and having two lateral portions constituting the lateral longitudinally'extending walls of the boat and a middle portion interconnecting the lateral portions in a watertight manner and constituting the bottom of the boat, the lateral portions each having an upwardly extending stern seam and an upwardly extending prow seam respectively secured in a watertight manner to the corresponding lateral edges of the stern and prow panels, the middle portion having transversely extending stern and prow edges respectively secured in a watertight manner to said bottom edges of the stern and prow panels, whereby a watertight assembly of said panels and flexible unit is obtained, each lateral portion of the flexible unit enclosing an inflatable and deflatable cavity extending throughout said lateral wall of the boat and tapering in plan to said stern and prow seams in the inflated condition of the cavity, and a floor of rigid material resting on and coextensive with said middle portion for imparting 33168575 7 8 rigidity to the bottom of the boat and acting as a. space x FOREIGN PATENTS v V element between said latral walls of the boat. 7 261,533 7 8/49 switzerl'ani 743,770 1/56 GreatBritai RternceQCited i n the fi le of thijs patent 766,074 16/54 Germany UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,249,407 111/60 France. 1,884,705 10/32 Huffman f i 9+4 Y 7 2,685,695 8/54 Murfay FERGUS S MIDDLETON, Przmary Exammer.

3,071,785 1/63 Holt 9-2 MILTON BUCHLER, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3 ,168, 751 February 9, 1965 Jean Pierre Cavaig znac et a1.

It is hereby certified that err or appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that th e said Letters Patent should read as corrected belo Column 4, line 27, for "said" read a column 5, lines 72 and 73 and column 6, line 42, for "midde", each occurrence, read middle Signed and sealed this 16th day of November 1965.

(SEAL) Anest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

Claims

1. A PNEUMATIC BOAT COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A RIGID PROW BOARD AND A RIGID STERN BOARD, THE BOARDS BEING UPWARDLY DIVERGENT AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE BOAT AND BOTH HAVING A FOUR-SIDED GENERAL SHAPE IN A PLANE TRANSVERSE TO THE BOAT AND BOTH HAVING AN EXTENT TRANSVERSELY OF THE BOAT WHICH IS LESS THAN THE OVERALL WIDTH OF A FLEXIBLE UNIT; SAID FLEXIBLE UNIT COMPOSED OF A WATERTIGHT MATERIAL AND HAVING TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING PROW AND STERN END PORTIONS, TWO LATERAL PORTIONS CONSTITUTING THE LATERAL LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING WALLS OF THE BOAT, INFLATABLE CAVITIES IN THE LATERAL PORTIONS AND A MIDDLE PORTION INTERCONNECTING THE LATERAL PORTIONS IN A WATERTIGHT MANNER AND CONSTITUTING THE BOTTOM OF THE BOAT, THE LATERAL PORTIONS EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE MIDDLE PORTION AND HAVING OUTER FACES WHICH ARE CONVERGENT IN PLAN TOWARD THE PROW BOARD AND STERN BOARD; AND MEANS SECURING SAID PROW AND STERN BOARDS RESPECTIVELY TO THE PROW AND STERN END PORTIONS OF THE FLEXIBLE UNIT, THE PROW AND STERN END PORTIONS OF THE FLEXIBLE UNIT HAVING A GENERAL SHAPE IN A TRANSVERSE PLANE OF THE BOAT WHICH CORRESPONDS TO THE SHAPE OF THREE OF THE SIDES OF THE FOUR-SIDED PROW BOARD AND STERN BOARD RESPECTIVELY.