US3694836A - Collapsible inflatable boat - Google Patents

Collapsible inflatable boat Download PDF

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Publication number
US3694836A
US3694836A US94055A US3694836DA US3694836A US 3694836 A US3694836 A US 3694836A US 94055 A US94055 A US 94055A US 3694836D A US3694836D A US 3694836DA US 3694836 A US3694836 A US 3694836A
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Prior art keywords
boat
inflatable
float
collapsible
float means
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Expired - Lifetime
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US94055A
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English (en)
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Juan Duarry Serra
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Individual
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Individual
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
    • B63B7/00—Collapsible, foldable, inflatable or like vessels
    • B63B7/06—Collapsible, foldable, inflatable or like vessels having parts of non-rigid material
    • B63B7/08—Inflatable
    • B63B7/082—Inflatable having parts of rigid material

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A collapsible inflatable boat has a substantially rigid buoyant bottom with inflatable float means fixedly attached thereto and can be collapsed to occupy substantially no more space than is occupied by the bottom alone while still retaining sufficient buoyancy to float in its collapsed condition. When inflated, the boat can be propelled by motor, sail or oars.
  • the present invention relates. to improvements in a collapsible boat usable either as a rowboat, sailboat or outboard-motorboat, of the type comprising inflatable float means and a substantially rigid bottom. For instance, it may be provided with two longitudinally extending floats, attached along the bottom portion, which converge at their front ends towards the bow of the boat.
  • collapsible inflatable boats of this type that, in addition to providing an absolute guarantee of buoyancy, they would be capable of being folded and unfolded quickly and easily, and also that they occupy in their collapsed condition the least space as possible to facilitate their transport and storage from place to place.
  • collapsible boats comprise a bottom made of flexible sheet materials, such as rubber-coated fabrics to which the floats are attached as well as the support means for a motor in the stern, if it is the type of boat designed for operation with an outboard-motor.
  • a second rigid and unmovable bottom either of wood or of some other suitable material, so that between the rubber-coated fabric and the rigid bottom a keel may be arranged which may be inflated or also formed of a rigid material.
  • this type of boat necessarily requires the float means to be completely inflated at all times if the risk of sinking is to be avoided, since the bottom by itself does not provide sufficient buoyancy to the boat to provide any margin of safety if it carries occupants.
  • One object of the present invention is therefore to provide a type of collapsible inflatable boat which can be used either as a rowboat, sailboat and/or outboardmotorboat, having a much simpler structure than the ones used before and providing assembling and disassembling operations which can be very easily and quickly performed.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a boat bottom which is capable of maintaining the whole boat buoyant even if it carries passengers and its floats are deflated, and at the same time to completely eliminate all spaces susceptible of collecting water or sand.
  • the bottom of the boat is formed of a buoyant body of a waterproof, rigid and light material, the inflatable float means extending continuously along the side margins and the bow portion of said bottom and being fixedly attached thereto, the under surface of said bottom being formed with a longitudinally extending keel and the upper surface of said bottom defining the floor of the boat and being formed with a plain surface.
  • a substantially rigid upstanding transverse support means is also provided at the stern portion of the bottom for supporting an outboard motor means, defining with said bottom and said float means a cockpit, all these elements permitting a collapsing operation of the boat by deflating the float means, folding them around the margins and the bow portion of the bottom and placing them on top thereof to reduce the collapsed dimensions of the boat essentially to those of the bottom alone.
  • FIG. 1 is a top view of a collapsible inflatable boat which can either be used as rowboat, sailboat and/or outboard-motorboat, according to the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a side view of the boat of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view along line III-III of FIG. 2.
  • FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the boat.
  • FIG. 5 is a side view, partially in longitudinal vertical section, of a boat having a modified form of stem portion.
  • FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-section view along line Vl VI of FIG. 5.
  • the bottom 1 of the boat is formed, as already mentioned, of a body of a water-proof, rigid and light material, such as for instance glass fiber reinforced polyester or any analagous material, with two parallel inflatable floats 2 extending along the side margins of bottom 1 and a third generally U-shaped inflatable float 14 extending along the bow portion of bottom 1 and being connected to both said floats 2.
  • the floats 2 and 14 are generally cylindrical in cross-section and the marginal portions of said bottom 1 are provided with longitudinally extending arcuate edge surfaces 16 for abutting engagement with the surface of the floats and to permit the floats to be securely attached to the bottom to minimize their displacement.
  • a shelter fabric 15 may also be affixed to the upper part of float 14 to provide a sheltered space which affords protection from water which splashes over the bow.
  • the under side 3 of the bottom 1 is formed with a keel 4, whereas the upper side 5 defining the floor of the boat is formed with a plain surface.
  • a transom 6 is placed which can be fixedly or tiltably mounted, as desired, by means of hinges 13, said transom being able to support an outboard-motor (not shown).
  • the transom is fastened to the substantially rigid bottom 1 by means of metallic tension cables 7, attached at their forward ends to the floor, whereas in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 the transom is secured in its upstanding position by means of two forwardly projecting rigid bracing members 8 affixed either to the bottom 1 or to the floats 2.
  • the bottom 1 of the boat (FIGS. 3 and 6) comprises two external layers of a water-proof, rigid and light weight material having an internal core 9 of an insulating material of great buoyancy, such as foamed closedcell polyurethane, in order to make the boat buoyant even if the floats 2 and 14 are deflated.
  • a water-proof, rigid and light weight material having an internal core 9 of an insulating material of great buoyancy, such as foamed closedcell polyurethane, in order to make the boat buoyant even if the floats 2 and 14 are deflated.
  • the boat assembly may also be provided with several handles 10 to facilitate its transport, with oarlock means 11 to fix corresponding oars therein, and with valve means 12 to permit the floats 2 and 14 to be inflated or deflated.
  • While the generally U-shaped float means which surrounds the side and forward margins of the substantially rigid bottom is shown in the drawings as being formed of individually fabricated sections 2 and 14, it will be understood that, if desired, they could be fabricated as a unit. It will also be understood that, in either case, they could be internally connected so as to be capable of inflation and deflation by means of a single valve means, or additional compartmentation could be provided so as to minimize the chance of a loss of buoyancy in the event a single compartment should become damaged.
  • the improvements in collapsible inflatable boats according to the present invention provides a type of boat, the assembling and disassembling of which is a quick and easy operation. Indeed, the collapsing of the boat only requires the float means to be deflated and placed on top of the rigid bottom 1, the boat thus being basically reduced to the dimensions of the bottom alone.
  • bottom 1 can vided, along either transverse directions, into smaller sections so reduce the size of the collapsed boat.
  • a further great advantage of the inflatable boat according to the invention consists in that due to the bottom 1 comprising a rigid body and an internal core 9 of an insulating material, the boat is buoyant even if the floats 2 are deflated and persons are being carried.
  • the fin-shaped keel 4 contributes to better stability and planning action in the water, permitting higher speeds with the same motor and the same fuel consumption.
  • a collapsible inflatable boat comprising a single substantially rigid buoyant bottom having two side margins, a bow portion and a stern portion, and including a longitudinally extending integrally formed keel, said bottom defining a substantially flat floor of the boat, inflatable float means extending continuously along said side margins and said bow portion of said bottom and of the float means, and a substantially rigid support means secured at said stern portion for supporting an outboard motor means, said boat having an inflated condition in which said float means is inflated and in essentially invariable position with respect to the bottom, and a deflated condition in which said float means is deflated and positioned on top of said bottom, folded around the margins and the bow portion thereof, the collapsed dimensions of the boat in said deflated condition being essentially reduced to the dimensions of the bottom alone.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Tents Or Canopies (AREA)
  • Buildings Adapted To Withstand Abnormal External Influences (AREA)
  • Other Liquid Machine Or Engine Such As Wave Power Use (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)
US94055A 1970-05-22 1970-12-01 Collapsible inflatable boat Expired - Lifetime US3694836A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ES38067270 1970-05-22

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3694836A true US3694836A (en) 1972-10-03

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ID=8456112

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US94055A Expired - Lifetime US3694836A (en) 1970-05-22 1970-12-01 Collapsible inflatable boat

Country Status (4)

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US (1) US3694836A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2109435B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2068351A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1286188A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4231131A (en) * 1978-10-02 1980-11-04 Young Eldon L Inflatable high speed boat
US4376420A (en) * 1978-11-13 1983-03-15 Bruno Fracarossi Inflatable boat including a mechanical propulsion assembly for operation by a user
US4416639A (en) * 1981-06-22 1983-11-22 Gillmer Thomas C Manageable safety dinghy
US4449473A (en) * 1982-10-29 1984-05-22 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Inflatable boat with demountable transom
US4642056A (en) * 1985-05-28 1987-02-10 Massoud Keivanjah Recreational water craft
US4660497A (en) * 1984-06-07 1987-04-28 Cochran William H Boltrope attachment of flexible hull portion to a rigid hull portion of an rib
GB2184984A (en) * 1986-01-03 1987-07-08 Et Dev Des Brevets Georges Hen A semi-rigid pneumatic boat
GB2219770A (en) * 1988-06-18 1989-12-20 Hoyle Marine Ltd Inflatable boat
US4941419A (en) * 1988-04-29 1990-07-17 Dario Corti Catamaran boat structure
US6024042A (en) * 1998-02-17 2000-02-15 Brunswick Corporation Rib rigid hull inflatable boat with improved deck drainage and support construction
US6367404B1 (en) * 1999-04-02 2002-04-09 Steven Callahan Folding rigid-inflatable boat
US6684808B2 (en) 2000-03-29 2004-02-03 Steven Callahan Boat stability and directional-control device
US6739278B2 (en) 2000-03-29 2004-05-25 Steven Callahan Folding rigid-bottom boat
CN101712370A (zh) * 2009-12-18 2010-05-26 大连朝阳艇业有限公司 充气式艇用地板
US20140251195A1 (en) * 2011-10-21 2014-09-11 Sas Tiwal Inflatable hull and buoyant vehicle, in particular a dinghy

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2585321A1 (fr) * 1985-04-25 1987-01-30 Zodiac Perfectionnements apportes aux embarcations pneumatiques comportant un tableau arriere
GB8830126D0 (en) * 1988-12-23 1989-02-22 Sissons Anthony Watercraft
FR2756806B1 (fr) * 1996-12-10 1999-02-12 Zodiac Int Embarcation pneumatique
RU2388644C2 (ru) * 2008-04-08 2010-05-10 Сергей Викторович Мнев Моторная надувная лодка

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2949616A (en) * 1956-08-03 1960-08-23 Zodiac Soc Collapsible boats
US3261038A (en) * 1964-02-19 1966-07-19 Hans Klepper Corp Boat
US3438074A (en) * 1968-02-07 1969-04-15 Garrett E Goyen Portable watercraft
US3611459A (en) * 1968-09-19 1971-10-12 Dunlop Holdings Ltd Composite boat

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2949616A (en) * 1956-08-03 1960-08-23 Zodiac Soc Collapsible boats
US3261038A (en) * 1964-02-19 1966-07-19 Hans Klepper Corp Boat
US3438074A (en) * 1968-02-07 1969-04-15 Garrett E Goyen Portable watercraft
US3611459A (en) * 1968-09-19 1971-10-12 Dunlop Holdings Ltd Composite boat

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4231131A (en) * 1978-10-02 1980-11-04 Young Eldon L Inflatable high speed boat
US4376420A (en) * 1978-11-13 1983-03-15 Bruno Fracarossi Inflatable boat including a mechanical propulsion assembly for operation by a user
US4416639A (en) * 1981-06-22 1983-11-22 Gillmer Thomas C Manageable safety dinghy
US4449473A (en) * 1982-10-29 1984-05-22 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Inflatable boat with demountable transom
US4660497A (en) * 1984-06-07 1987-04-28 Cochran William H Boltrope attachment of flexible hull portion to a rigid hull portion of an rib
US4642056A (en) * 1985-05-28 1987-02-10 Massoud Keivanjah Recreational water craft
GB2184984A (en) * 1986-01-03 1987-07-08 Et Dev Des Brevets Georges Hen A semi-rigid pneumatic boat
GB2184984B (en) * 1986-01-03 1989-05-24 Et Dev Des Brevets Georges Hen A semi-rigid pneumatic boat
US4941419A (en) * 1988-04-29 1990-07-17 Dario Corti Catamaran boat structure
GB2219770A (en) * 1988-06-18 1989-12-20 Hoyle Marine Ltd Inflatable boat
US6024042A (en) * 1998-02-17 2000-02-15 Brunswick Corporation Rib rigid hull inflatable boat with improved deck drainage and support construction
US6367404B1 (en) * 1999-04-02 2002-04-09 Steven Callahan Folding rigid-inflatable boat
US6684808B2 (en) 2000-03-29 2004-02-03 Steven Callahan Boat stability and directional-control device
US6739278B2 (en) 2000-03-29 2004-05-25 Steven Callahan Folding rigid-bottom boat
CN101712370A (zh) * 2009-12-18 2010-05-26 大连朝阳艇业有限公司 充气式艇用地板
US20140251195A1 (en) * 2011-10-21 2014-09-11 Sas Tiwal Inflatable hull and buoyant vehicle, in particular a dinghy
US9694875B2 (en) * 2011-10-21 2017-07-04 Sas Tiwal Inflatable hull and buoyant vehicle, in particular a dinghy

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2109435A1 (de) 1971-12-02
FR2068351A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1971-08-20
GB1286188A (en) 1972-08-23
DE2109435B2 (de) 1975-01-23

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