US3227126A

US3227126A - Towing rigs for water skis

Info

Publication number: US3227126A
Application number: US372321A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert D Etzler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-06-03
Filing date: 1964-06-03
Publication date: 1966-01-04
Anticipated expiration: 1983-01-04

Description

Jan. 4, 1966 ETZLER 3,227,126

TOWING RIGS FOR WATER SKIS Filed June 5. 1964 INVENTOR ROBERT D. ETZLER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,227,126 TOWING RIGS FOR WATER SKIS Robert I). Etzler, R0. Box 795, Hagerstown, Md. Filed June 3, 1964, Ser. No. 372,321 3 Claims. (Cl. 115-6.1)

This invention relates to towing rigs for water skis or various types of water ski boards which enables an inexperienced person during the pull-out or starting stage to easily control the skis until they reach a planing position.

It is an object of the invention to provide a towing rig having means detachably connecting the tow rope to the tips of the skis so that the thrust of the pulling vehicle is applied through the tip of the skis rather than through the rider.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a towing rig detachably connected to the tips of the skis so that less pulling power is required to move the skis from a starting position to a planing position and which will become automatically disconnected from the skis when a normal planing position is reached.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a detachable towing rig which may be applied to conventional skis without any material alterations and which may be controlled by the rider without requiring any particular skill.

Another object of the invention is to provide a detachable towing rig for skis which is simple in construction, reliable and eflicient in use and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following specification.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a skier in the starting position with the towing rig attached to the skis,

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG 1 with the skier in the planing position and the towing rig detached from the skis,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of skis with the towing rig attached to the tips of the skis,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view of a ski showing the connection between the tow rig and the ski,

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a ski showing the connection between the towing rig and ski,

FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 5 showing the connecting elements between the towing rig and ski reversed, and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a water ski board showing the connecting rings applied thereto.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing a water skier is shown in the starting position with the towing rig attached to the tips of the skis to supply the pulling force directly to the skis. The pulling force is supplied by a power boat or other suitable means (not shown). The towing rig comprises a tow rope 5 having diverging branch lines 6 and 7 held in spaced relation by a handle bar 8 connected to their free ends. Each branch line, intermediate its length, has a metal ring 9 suspended from the line for free swinging movement. The rings 9 are adapted to engage U-shaped hooks 10 fixedly attached to the top face of the upwardly curved tips 11 of the skis 12 by bolts 13 with the mouth of the hooks positioned to receive and retain the rings when the tow 3,227,126 Patented Jan. 4, 1966 rope is pulled forward. The bill of the hooks is slightly curved to facilitate engagement and release of the rings from the hooks.

With the tow rope attached to the skis the skier assumes the position shown in FIG. 1 with the handle bar 8 gripped by the hands of the skier. As the tow rope is pulled forward by the power boat or other source of power the skis ride to the surface of the water and when the skier rises to the position shown in FIG. 2 and exerts a backward pull on the handle bar the rings 9 are automatically detached from the hooks 10.

If desired the hooks 10 may be attached to the branch lines 6 and 7 and the rings 9 attached to the tips 11 of the skis 12, as shown in FIG. 6. When applied to a Water ski board 14, as shown in FIG. 7, the rings 9 are attached to the front end of the board in spaced relation.

In use, an inexperienced skier need only attach the tow rope 5 to the tips 11 of the skis 12 by engaging the rings 9 carried by the branch lines 6 and 7 with the hooks It) mounted on the tips of the skis. As the power boat pulls the tow rope 5' forward, the skier assumes the position shown in FIG. 1 gripping the handle bar 8 with his hands. Thus, it is seen the skis are held in an inclined plane with the tips of the skis upwardly and as the skis are pulled forwardly through the water they rise to the surface of the water and the skier then rises to the position shown in FIG. 2, at the same time pulling backward on the handle bar so as to detach the rings 9 from the hooks 10 thus releasing the tow rope from connection with the skis. The location of the connection at the tip of the skis gives the best directional pull which is most important as directional stability is lost rapidly when the connection is moved back from the tip. However, directional stability is reestablished by the skegs or fixed rudder on the skis when the planing position is attained and the connection between the tow rope and skis is broken. Another advantage of the towing rig is that the skis can be raised to a planing position with considerable less power than required for normal pull-outs with conventional rigging. This permits the use of smaller power boats for pulling skiers.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is a preferred example of the same and changes in the shape, size and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A towing rig for water skis comprising a towing rope for connection with a pulling force, said rope having diverging branch lines, a handle bar connecting the free ends of the branch lines, a hook attached to the tip of each ski with the mouth of the hook facing the rear end of the ski and a ring freely suspended from each branch line intermediate its length adapted to engage said hook to establish connection between said branch lines and the skis when said towing rope is pulled forward by the pulling force, said rings being detachable from said hooks when a backward pulling force is applied to said handle bar.

2. A towing rig for water skis comprising a towing rope for connection with a pulling force, said rope having diverging branch lines, a handle bar connecting the free ends of the branch lines, and a hook and ring connection between each branch line and the tip of a ski held together by the pulling force on said towing rope, said hook and ring being disconnected when a pulling force is applied to said handle bar to pull said towing rope in the opposite direction.

3. A towing rig for a water ski board comprising a towing rope for connection with a pulling force, said rope having diverging branch lines, a handle bar connecting the free ends of the branch lines, and a hook and ring connection between each branch line and the forward end of the ski board held together by the pulling force on said towing rope, said hook and ring connections being disconnected when a pulling force is applied to said handle bar to pull said towing rope in the opposite direction.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,308,166 1/1943 Fulton 24-73 2,946,305 7/ 1960 Hill. 3,027,574 4/1962 Meehan 114-235 X 3,142,075 7/1964 Hill.

FOREIGN PATENTS 932,071 7/1963 Great Britain.

MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

2. A TOWING RIG FOR WATER SKIS COMPRISING A TOWING ROPE FOR CONNECTION WITH A PULLING FORCE, SAID ROPE HAVING DIVERGING BRANCH LINES, A HANDLE BAR CONNECTING THE FREE ENDS OF THE BRANCH LINES, AND A HOOK AND RING CONNECTION BETWEEN EACH BRANCH LINE AND THE TIP OF A SKI HELD TOGETHER BY THE PULLING FORCE SAID TOWING ROPE, SAID HOOK AND RING BEING DISCONNECTED WHEN A PULLING FORCE IS APPLIED TO SAID HANDLE BAR TO PULL SAID TOWING ROPE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.