US3561156A - Aquatic toy - Google Patents

Abstract

AN AQUATIC TOY INCLUDING A SMALL BOAT AND ON-SHORE MEANS CONTROLLED BY THE USER FOR SUPPLYING PRESSURIZED WATER TO SELECTED DISCHARGE ORIFICES ON THE BOAT FOR PROPULSION AND STEERING WHILE FLOATING ON A BODY OF WATER SUCH AS A SWIMMING POOL, AND EMPLOYING PRESSUIZED WATER FROM THE POOL RECIRCULATION SYSTEM. THE BOAT HAS A RUDDER PIVOTAL ABOUT A FORWARD VERTICAL AXIS, AND A PAIR OF FORE DISCHARGE ORIFICES SO ORIENTED RELATIVE TO THE RUDDER AS TO CAUSE THE RUDDER TO DEFLECT AWAY FROM ITS NEUTRAL POSITION WHEN ONLY ONE OF THE DISCHARGE ORIFICES IS SUPPLIED WITH PRESSURIZED WATER, HYDRAULICALLY PARALLELED WITH EACH FORE ORIFICE IS AN AFT ORIFICE DIRECTED AT A LATERAL ANGLE OPPOSITE THAT OF ITS FORE ORIFICE, TO PROVIDE A FORCE COUPLE WHEN WATER ISSUES FROM A PARALLELED SET OF FORE AND AFT ORIFICES. THE STERN OF THE BOAT INCLUDES ALSO A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED GENERALLY REARWARDLY DIRECTED ORIFICES, DESIRABLY ABOVE THE WATER LINE, AND MEANS ARE PROVIDED TO SELECTIVELY SUPPLY PRESSURIZED WATER SIMULTANEOUSLY TO THEM. THE REACTIVE FORCE OF WATER ISSUING FROM THE LATTER ORIFICES CAUSES FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE BOAT, AND THE IMPACT OF THE DISCHARGED WATER ON THE WATER IN THE POOL CAUSES A REALISTIC APPEARANCE OF A WAKE IMMEDIATELY REARWARDLY OF THE BOAT. AN ON-SHORE CONTROL BOX INCLUDES VALVES FOR THROTTLINGLY SUPPLYING PRESSURIZED WATER THROUGH A FLEXIBLE MULTI-CONDUIT HOSE TO THE BOAT. THE WATER SUPPLY TO THE CONTROL BOX, AND THUS TO THE VARIOUS DISCHARGE ORIFICES OF THE BOAT, IS DESIRABLY TAKEN FROM THE POOL RECIRCULATION SYSTEM, THEREBY NOT ONLY MAINTAINING THE PROPER AMOUNT OF WATER IN THE POOL, BUT ALSO ENABLING THE PRESENT INVENTION TO BE ENERGIZED WITHOUT A SEPARATE SOURCE OF POWER.

Description

Fell 9. 197.1 M. TOBIAS --f AL y v AQUATIC TOY Filed April 4, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IgG /0\ INVE/VTo/es.

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Feb. 9,:1971 M, Toms- ETAL 3,561,156

AQUAT I C TOY Filed April 4, 1969 2 Sheets-Shoot 2 "d0 'L60 L/OO ZN VEN Toes. /Uyfo/v Toa/f7: /Q/vr/fo/Vs/ JI ,Russo L10@ lW05 United States Patent O 3,561,156 AQUATIC TOY Myron Tobias, Woodland Hills, and Anthony J. Russo, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor of five percent to Jordan M. Wank, Hollywood, Calif.

Filed Apr. 4, 1969, Ser. No. 813,542

Int. Cl. A63h 23/06 U.S. Cl. 46--93 8 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE An aquatic toy including a small boat and on-shore means controlled by the user for supplying pressurized water to selected discharge orifices on the boat for propulsion and steering while floating on a body of water such as a swimming pool, and employing pressurized water from the pool recirculation system. The boat has a rudder pivotal about a forward vertical axis, and a pair of fore discharge orifices so oriented relative to the rudder as to cause the rudder to deflect away from its neutral position when only one of the discharge orifices is supplied with pressurized water; hydraulically paralleled with each fore orifice is an aft orifice directed at a lateral angle opposite that of its fore orifice, to provide a force couple when water issues from a paralleled set of fore and aft orifices. The stern of the boat includes also a pair of laterally spaced generally rearwardly directed orifices, desirably above the water line, and means are provided to selectively supply pressurized water simultaneously to them. The reactive force of water issuing from the latter orifices causes forward movement of the boat, and the impact of the discharged water on the water in the pool causes a realistic appearance of a wake immediately rearwardly of the boat. An on-shore control box includes valves for throttlingly supplying pressurized lwater through a flexible multi-conduit hose to the boat. The water supply to the control box, and thus to the various discharge orifices of the boat, is desirably taken from the pool recirculation system, thereby not only maintaining the proper amount of water in the pool, but also enabling the present invention to be energized without a separate source of power.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to floating toys which may be propelled and steered by the reactive force of pressurized water supplied thereto, and more particularly describes such a device adapted to be used in a swimming pool provided with a conventional recirculation system, and intended to include means for tapping a small supply of the recirculation water for use, under the control of valves actuated by the user, to cause the boat to move in the water.

In accordance with the invention, a rudder which is pivotable about a downwardly projecting vertically disposed axis is provided in the forward portion of the boat. Symmetrically flanking the rudder is a pair of tubes terminating in discharge orifices directed generally rearwardly and inwardly, so that water discharging from the orifices impinges on the rudder in its neutral position. The tubes serve also as stop means to limit pivotal movement of the rudder within an angle of about 45 on either side of its neutral position. A pair of aft tubes terminating in discharge orifices is also provided, the axes of the aft orifices being generally rearwardly directed and angularly displayed symmetrically from the longitudinal axis of the boat. Conduit means interconnect the fore and aft tubes in pairs, the connections being such as to produce a force couple when one fore tube and one aft tube are 'ice supplied with pressurized water to be discharged to the orifices. An additional pair of discharge tubes and orifices are also provided in the aft portion of the boat, preferably above the waterline, so that water discharging therefrom not only drives the boat forwardly by reason of its reactive force, but also creates the illusion of a wake astern of the boat.

The invention includes also an on-shore control box having valves actuated by the user for controlling water ow to selected discharge tubes and orifices on the boat, the water being led to the boat through a multi-conduit flexible hose, made of a material desirably having a density approximately equal to that of water so that it has virtually no effective weight in the water. The source of pressurized water, when the boat is used in a swimming pool, is most conveniently provided by the use of a portion of the recirculation water of the pool.

It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide a novel floating toy, particularly adapted for use in a swimming pool. Additional objects and purposes are to provide, in such a floating toy, a forwardly disposed rudder and means including a pair of oppositely disposed orifices for controllably supplying water under pressure to one side or the other of such rudder and thereby defiecting it from its normal central position; to provide in such a floating toy a pair of discharge orifices and associated tubing in the rear portion of the boat, one of such orices to be energized by pressurized water issuing therefrom simultaneously with one of the forward orifices affecting the rudder position, the rear orifices being disposed angularly oppositely to the corresponding front orifices, whereby to tend to rotate the boat about a vertical axis; to provide such an aquatic toy including means for using the available pressurized water in the pool recirculation system of a conventional swimming pool; and for other and additional objects and purposes as will be understood from a reading of the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. l is a plan view of a swimming pool with an aquatic toy in accordance with the present invention floating thereon, and its control mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of an aquatic toy embodying the present invention, partially in section along the line II-II of FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a plan view looking upwardly at the bottom of the boat, and showing in dotted outline the several water conduits within the hull.

FIG. 4 is a view, partially in section, taken on the arrows IV-IV of FIG. l and showing a preferred form of the control box in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the arrows V-V of FIG. 4.

FIGS. 6, 7 and S are views looking upwardly at the bottom of the boat and showing the water discharge from the several orifices under conditions of movement, respectively, straight ahead; leftwardly as seen in the drawing (actually starboard); and rightwardly as seen in the drawing (actually port).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In FIG. l there is, indicated generally at 10 a swimming pool of conventional construction, including a water recirculation system diagrammatically shown in dotted outline and including a drain 12 in the lower portion of the pool, a conduit line 13 leading from the drain to a pump indicated generally at 14, a conduit 15 leading from the pump to a lter indicated generally at 16, and a return line 17, leading from the filter to an outlet 18 3 formed in the sidewall of the pool slightly below water level therein. It will be readily understood that this recirculation system is conventional, and its details form no part of the present invention.

Thus water under pressure is available at the outlet 18, and the present invention contemplates use of at least a portion of such pressurized water to serve as the propulsion and steering means for the toy boat oating in the pool. A diversion valve indicated generally at may be connected to the fitting 18 in the sidewall of the pool, the valve 20 including two outlets, one indicated at 22, discharging filtered water into the pool, and the other outlet including a hose or similar conduit 24 leading to a control box indicated generally at 30.

A multi-conduit flexible hose is indicated generally at 32, and extends from control box to a toy boat indicated generally at 34. The hose 32 is desirably made of a material having a density approximately equal to that of water to minimize drag on the boat, and the hose is desirably of sufficient length to extend from the control box 30 to all portions of pool 10, thus allowing the boat 34 to range over the entire surface of the pool during its movement.

Movement of boat 34 results from the reactive force of water discharged from selected orifices which are in communication with the several conduits of hose 32. A preferred arrangement of the terminal portions of such conduits, and their discharge orifices, will be understood by reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

More specifically, hose 32 terminates in a fitting 36, which is desirably resiliently supported from the bottom 37 of the boat hull by suitable means such as a spring 38. From fitting 36 a number of individual conduits extend upwardly through a sealed opening 39 formed in the bottom 37 of the boat hull. One of such conduits is indicated at 40 and may be referred to as the dead ahead conduit.

As best seen in FIG. 3, dead ahead conduit 40 extends reanwardly -within the boat hull and includes at its rearmost end a pair of branch conduits 41 and 42, which continue rearwardly through laterally spaced openings 43 and 44 respectively formed in the transom 45 of the boat, and discharge rearwardly and desirably downwardly through discharge orifices 47 and 48 respectively. Desirably the two orifices 47 and 48 are above the water line 50, so that water discharged therefrom not only produces forward motion of the boat 34 by reason of its reactive force, but also adds to the realism of the device by creating a disturbance in the water resembling a wake.

Multi-conduit hose 32 also includes a pair of steering conduits, one for starboard movement and one for port movement of the boat. Thus, with further reference to FIG. 3 and keeping in mind that FIG. 3 is a view looking upwardly at the bottom of the hull, a starboard conduit includes two branch conduits 61 and 62,

extending respectively fore and aft within the boat hull.

Branch conduit 61 extends forwardly to a discharge tube 63, which projects downwardly through a sealed opening 64 in the hull, terminating in a discharge orifice 65. It will be noted in FIG. 3 that the sealed opening 64 in the boat hull is spaced laterally to the starboard of the longitudinal central axis of the boat, and that the terminal portion 63 of the conduit, leading to the discharge orifice 65, is angularly directed toward the center line. Thus the reactive force of water issuing from discharge orice 65 will tend to urge the bow of the boat upwardly as seen in FIG. 3, corresponding to starboard movement of the bow proper.

The aft extension 62 of starboard conduit 60 extends rearwardly within the hull and includes a downwardly extending portion 70, projecting through a sealed opening 71 in the hull into a discharge tube 72 terminating downwardly and rearwardly in a discharge orifice 73. Discharge tube 72 is angularly spaced from the longitudinal axis of the boat and projects to the starboard.

Multi-conduit hose 32 includes also a port conduit 80 having a fore and aft branch conduits 81 and 82 respectively. These conduits lead respectively to discharge tubes and orifices which are disposed symmetrically to the corresponding starboard elements just described, relative to the central longitudinal axis of the boat. Thus, fore branch conduit 81, in its forward portion, extends downwardly through a sealed opening 84 in the hull and into a discharge tube 83 terminating rearwardly and downwardly in a discharge orifice 85, the axis of tube 83 being angularly inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the boat in a starboard direction as shown.

Similarly, aft branch conduit 82 extends downwardly through a sealed opening 91 in the hull of the boat and includes a discharge tube 92 terminating in a discharge orifice 93. Tube 92 is angularly spaced relative to the longitudinal axis of the boat so that its discharge orifice 93 is directed to the port.

The flow of pressurized water through the various conduits and discharge orifices is under the control of the user by suitable valve means integrated in control box 30, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. With reference first to FIG. 4, the conduit 24 is connected through a suitable vfitting 25 to a manifold 100, supplying pressurized Water to three valves indicated generally at 102, 104 and 106, controlled by manually adjustable throttle levers indicated respectively at 103, 105 and 107 for flow of water into port conduit 80, dead ahead conduit 40, and starboard conduit 60 respectively. As seen in FIG. 5, the three conduits 40, 60 and 80 lead from control box into the multi-conduit hose 32.

In order to enhance the realism and accuracy of control of boat 34 in the water, there is provided in accordance with the present invention a rudder disposed forwardly of the longitudinal center of the boat and pivotal about a vertical axis intersecting the longitudinal axis of the boat. The rudder lies between the discharge tubes 63 and 83 previously mentioned, so that the surfaces of the rudder receive water discharged from the orifices 65 and 85. More specifically, with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, a rudder indicated generally at is pivotally attached at 112 to a vertically projecting shaft or rod 114 having its upper end securely fastened in a suitable mounting indicated generally at in the upper portion of the hull.

Movement of the boat 34 in the water, under the control of the user through the valves of the control box will be understood by reference to the diagrammatic showings of FIGS. 6, 7 and 8.

In FIG. 6 it is assumed that all three of the valves 102, 104 and 106 are in their open positions, so that pressurized water is discharged from all six orifices 47, 48, `65, 73, 85 and 93. As will be understood, all of these orifices are directed generally aft of the boat, so that the reactive force of water discharged therefrom will cause forward movement of the boat.

FIG. 7 illustrates the discharging water and position of rudder 110 during starboard turning of boat 34, as commanded by the user of actuating valve 106 to open position. Water discharging from orifice 65 impinges upon rudder 110, moving it about its pivotal axis 114 toward discharge orfice 85 which under these conditions is inoperative, except to serve as a stop means limiting pivotal movement of rudder 110 by abutment thereagainst. Simultaneously, pressurized water is discharged from orice 73, whose effective discharge axis, it will be recalled, is angularly disposed in the opposite direction from that of discharge orifice 65, relative to the longitudinal axis of the boat. The reactive force of water discharged from orifices `65 and 73 serves to move the boat in a starboard turn, such reactive forces thus serving as a force couple about a vertical axis intermediate the length of the boat. The sharpness of the turn may be controlled by the user by adjusting valve 104 to supply a desired amount of pressurized Water to the dead ahead discharge orifices 47 and 48.

The operation of the boat in performing a turn to the port as illustrated in FIG. 8 will be readily understood as being effectively the opposite of the starboard turn described in connection with FIG. 7. Thus, in FIG. 8, it is assumed that the user has actuated valve 102 to its open position, thereby forcing pressurized water outwardly of discharge orifices 85 and 93. The reactive force of discharged water from orifice 85 serves to urge the bow of the boat to the port, while the reactive force of water discharged from orifice 93 serves to urge the stern of the boat to the starboard, the two forces again acting as a force couple about the intermediate vertical axis of the boat. As in the case of FIG. 7, the sharpness of the turn can be controlled by the user by supplying through valve 4 a desired amount of pressurized water to be discharged through dead ahead orifices 47 and 48. In FIG. 8 it Will be noted that inoperative discharge orifice 65 serves as a stop means limiting the angular movement of rudder 110 in its pivotal rotation about axis 114.

In either of the turning movements indicated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the port or starboard movement of the bow will be accentuated by reason of the forward movement of the boat, and the effect of such movement on the rudder 110.

In a typical embodiment of the present invention, the axes of the forward discharge orifices 65 and 8'5 may be angularly inclined to the longtiudinal axis of the boat by between about 30 and about 60, and the axes of the aft discharge orifices 73 and 93 are inclined at substantially similar angles to said axis. The dead ahead discharge orifices may have their axes directed dead astern, or may diverge slightly as shown. The fore discharge tubes 63 and 83 are desirably inclined downwardly at about 45, so that their reactive force adds realism by lifting the bow.

We claim:

1. An aquatic toy comprising:

a boat-shaped floating body;

a rudder mounted on the lower surface of the body, pivotable about a downwardly projecting vertical axis disposed forwardly of the center of the body and intersecting the longitudinal axis thereof;

a pair of fore discharge tubes termin-ating in discharge orifices symmetrically disposed relative to the rudder and directed convergently rearwardly, the orifices being adapted to project water from the tubes onto opposed faces of the rudder;

and first conduit means for supplying pressurized water to, selectively, one or both of said fore discharge tubes.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 including a pair of aft discharge tubes terminating in .a pair of laterally spaced aft discharge orifices disposed symmetrically of said longitudinal axis and directed generally rearwardly of the body,

and second conduit means for supplying pressurized water to said aft discharge tubes.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said aft discharge orifices are disposed rearwardly of the center of the boat and above the water line thereof.

4. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein the axes of said aft discharge orifices are angularly spaced from said longitudinal axis.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein the axes of said aft discharge orifices are rearwardly divergent.

6. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein thhe first and second conduit means include means interconnecting each fore discharge tube with the yaft discharge tube having an orifice whose axis is spaced angularly from the longitudinal axis in a lateral direction opposite that of the orifice of the fore discharge tube.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6 including a sec ond pair of aft discharge tubes having aft discharge orifices directed symmetrically relative to said longitudinal axis and generally rearwardly of the boat, and means for selectively supplying pressurized water to the second pair of aft discharge tubes. A

8. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said first conduit means receives pressurized water from the recirculation system of a swimming pool, and the boatshaped body floats on the water of said pool.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

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