US3239858A - Water sled - Google Patents

Description

March 15, 1966 N. s. BECK 3,239,858

WATER SLED Filed Dec. 16, 1963 NEVITT s. BECK INVENTOR United States Patent 3,239,858 WATER SLED Nevitt S. Beck, Minerva, @hio (19174 Meredith, Euclid, Ohio 44119) Filed Dec. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 330,783 Claims. (Cl. 9-610) This invention relates to sea sleds, a device to be used on water and towed behind a power-boat, with the user either standing on the sled or in a sitting position, thus differing from water skis, which are intended to be used when the rider is in a standing position.

In the drawings herewith,

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a sled with an end of a towrope attached thereto;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section somewhat similar to FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view;

FIG. 5 shows the rudder separated from the sled;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section through the rudder pivot;

FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 6, with a modified float.

The body of the sled is preferably formed from a sheet of suitable metal, Fiberglass, or a material not easily distorted. Its general appearance resembles a piece sawed straight off from a sphere, that is, bowl-shaped on the bottom and straight across the top. The upper edge is enlarged to add strength, and therefore is shown as heavier. In this edge two handholds 12 are provided, and midway between these a notch 14 provides notch sides adapted to hold a towrope T.

If the sled were towed without steering control it would moved erratically. A rudder 16 is press-fitted on a pivot 17 that may turn freely in an opening in the body 10, and a knob 25 frictionally mounted on the pivot and pressed down, holds a plate 20 clear of the body and permits it to be rotated by the users foot, and the rudder 16 with it. A seat member 24 limits the are covered by the rudder. The rudder when moving with the sled, presents only an edge to the water as it moves, but this gives firm control. The sled is so small and light that a rudder of the conventional type would slew the sled violently and be dangerous.

The users feet upon plate 20 are protected from slippage by flutes or grooves in the plate, to afford firmer grip, so that only a slight effort is required to move the rudder in use.

A manually-removable knob 25, having a roughened surface is pressed down on the pivot 17, and may also be lifted to release the rudder, so no tools are required.

FIG. 7 shows a modified type of seat, which may be made of balsa wood or may be molded from a floatable material such as is marketed under the trade name of Styrofoam, which is very light and can be squeezed dry. Such a seat improves comfort in use.

The exact contours of the sled may be varied from those here illustrated, and the whole sled may be modified in particulars, to be within the terminology of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A water sled comprising, in combination, a concave body of a shape simulating a section of a spherical body and provided with suitable connections for a tow line, handholds for a user, a pivot extending through the body,

3,239,858 Patented Mar. 15, 1966 a rudder below the body, and attached to the pivot, and a footplate also attached to the pivot, so that the user, blydmoving the footplate may control the steering of the s e 2. A water sled comprising, in combination, a concave body having a shape simulating a section of a spherical body and having handholds and a towing line cleat, a footplate within the body and a rudder outside the body, a pivot extending through the body and connected to the footplate and the rudder whereby a movement of the footplate also moves the rudder, and a seat for the operator.

3. A water sled comprising, in combination, a concave body of a shape simulating a section of a spherical body and with handholds and towing cleats, a rudder under the body and a footplate within the body, a pivot extending through the bottom of the body and fixed to both the rudder and the footplate, whereby a foot movement of the footplate moves the rudder accordingly, and a seat located to permit the operators foot to move the plate as aforesaid.

4. A water sled of a shape similating a section of a spherical body and having towing cleats and handholds for the operator, a pivot extending through the bottom of the body and freely revolvable therein, a rudder fixed to the pivot and to a footplate so that a movement of the plate will also move the rudder accordingly, a seat for an operator and means for limiting the movement of the rudder.

5. A normally towrope pulled water sled having:

a main body which simulates a section of a spherical body,

said main body having an upper edge which, in turn,

has a notch for releasably engaging a knotted towrope and thereby defining the front of said sled,

a pivotal shaft extending through the center of said main body,

a movable footplate located within said body and attached to said shaft for rotating the same, said footplate being normally toward the front of the sled,

a rudder located below said body and afiixed to said shaft so as to rotate with rotation of footplate and shaft, and

a seat, which is located to the rear of the shaft, and which seat is secured to said body interiorly thereof and extends thereabove, to provide elevation for the hips of a rider, to provide advantageous leverage for operating said footplate, to provide maximal com.- fort for the rider, and to provide desirable front end uptilt of said sled, and thus to provide hydrodynamic advantages and also provide better balance of forces, as between riders weight and towrope pull, than would otherwise be provided.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1958 Erickson 9-310 X 7/1962 Smith 9-31O 7/1963 Holcomb 2802l FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A WATER SLED COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A CONCAVE BODY OF A SHAPE SIMULATING A SECTION OF A SPHERICAL BODY AND PROVIDED WITH SUITABLE CONNECTIONS FOR A TOW LINE, HANDHOLDS FOR A USER, A PIVOT EXTENDING THROUGH THE BODY, A RUDDER BELOW THE BODY, AND ATTACHED TO THE PIVOT, AND A FOOTPLATE ALSO ATTACHED TO THE PIVOT, SO THAT THE USER, BY MOVING THE FOOTPLATE MAY CONTROL THE STEERING OF THE SLED.

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