US3201118A - Floating towing device - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 17, 1965 c. P. GOGGI 3,201,113

FLOATING TOWING DEVICE Filed Dec. 11, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 EN TOR.

Aug. 17, 1965 c. P. GOGGI FLOATING TOWING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Shee't 2 Filed Dec. 11, 1961 INVENTOR. C/MQ QS Goss/ uuhnnnnmmWWW of water.

United States Patent York Filed Dec. 11, 1961, Ser. No. 158,459 Claims. (Cl. 272-32) This invention relates to a floating propelling device and more particularly it is concerned with a water ski towing device adapted to move the skier in a substantial- 1y circular path.

Water skiing is taught generally by the use of a power boat which has been adapted for towing the student. Adajacent the shore, the instructor prepares the student for attempting the start of a ski run while at the same time, the boat is positioned with its stern pointing toward the student. The ski tow line is then transferred from the boat to the shore so that the sudent may grip it. The student is next positioned in the water by the instructor for the star. At his point it is necessary to move the boat a sufficient distance away from the student so that the slack of the tow rope is removed. Upon a signal from the instructor, the operator of the boat then moves the boat forward in order to tow the student from the water into a skiing position along the surface.

In the beginning the student normally has ditliculty in holding the tow rope against the pull of the boat and directing both skis toward the surface of the water. Further difilculty is encountered in maintaining balance once the skier has gotten the skis on to the surface of the water and is able to rise into a normal skiing position. In most cases the student is unsuccessful during the first few attempts. Whether innumerable starting attempts are made depends to a great extent upon the aptitude of the student, the handling of the boat and the advice of the instructor. Since for each false start it is necessary to return the boat to a position near the shore and then to move to its ready position for the next attempt, it is evident that a great deal of time may be lost in teaching water skiing.

Another difficulty in using a boat as a means of teaching water skiing is that the boat tends to subject the student from the very beginning to the full variety of conditions which may make skiing difiicult and cause the skier to fall. Still another problem incurred with this technique of teaching water skiing is that it removes the student from the shore area so that in case of an accident or injury, the student is in a greater degree of risk than he would be if adjacent to the shore line.

The teaching of water skiing with a boat also has the disadvantage that a large area of water must be available. For safety purposes, the teaching area should be segregated from the normally used areas of the body This may be impossible in a relatively small lake or river, especially in view of the great number of people today who are engaged in boating, skiing, fishing, etc. It is also evident that it is completely impossible to use a boat for towing purposes in a small pool or pond due to the large turning radius which a boat requires and the low efiiciency of the boat when operating in very tight turns.

In order to facilitate the teaching of water skiing, attempts have been made to provide floating bases with means to propel the students in a substantially circular path. In brief such devices have included floating bases with arm members extending outwardly to which tow ropes are attached. Such devices have generally encountered the difliculty that the floating base rocks excessively due to wave action or the wake of nearby boat-s. Rocking of the base tends to move the outwardly extending arm members with respect to the water so that it becomes diflicult if not impossible for the student to hold on to the tow rope and at the same time it becomes more difilcult to propel the structure in a rotary manner. Attempts to solve the problem by providing a fixed instead of a floating base for the device have can generally unsuccessful due to the expense and difficulty of providing such a base. Since the propelling devices are generally of a portable nature, and since they are used in a manner that is opposed to any degree of permanence, it is preferable that the floating type of base be employed.

The present invention overcomes these various disadvantages by providing a floating propelling device which has its main buoyant supporting means submerged in the surrounding fluid so that it is substantially isolated from the disturbances of waves or the wakes of boats. In order to obtain additional stability the propelling device is additionally supported by other supporting means which are spaced at a predetermined radial distance from the main buoyant support. Since the additional sup porting means are only partially submerged they are capable of providing a restoring moment whenever the propelling device is tilted by waves, etc.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a floating propelling device for propelling an object engaged thereto with respect to a limited area of a supporting fluid.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a floating propelling device which includes a supporting means for a major portion of the weight of the device and which is submerged in a supporting fluid in its operative position.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a floating propelling device which is stabilized by a plurality of partially submerged supporting means which are connected to the main supporting means at a predetermined radial distance therefrom.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a floating propelling device which has a means for anchoring it against horizontal movement by being engaged to the bottom underlying the supporting fluid.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a propelling device in which the outwardly extending members to which are attached the additional buoyant supporting members are submerged in the supporting fluid when in its operative position.

Another additional object of the present invention is to provide a floating base for carrying an object resting thereon which has the major portion of the weight of the base and object supported by means normally submerged in its operative position.

Additional objects and features of the invention include structural details which are simple and economical to construct and which are trouble free in operation.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a floating propelling device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the floating propelling device;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of the anchor supporting arrangement taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical cross-section of the adjustable attachments for the floats taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 2.

The floating propelling device or water skitowing device 16' (FIG. 1) has the major portion of its weight resting upon the supporting means or main float 11. Main float 11 which is attached to sleeve 12 is adapted to be submerged beneath the surface 13 of the fluid or water 14 which serves to support device Main float 11 can be formed as a figure of revolution whose major axis is. coextensive with the axis of the sleeve 1?... To make main float Ill a buoyant device it can be fabricated from plastic foam or other light weight and water resistant materials. Main float II can include a plurality of individual floats 15 disposed within containing member 16. Oil drums can be used as floats and in such a case, they are bound together by steel bands.

It is evident that with merely a single supporting member of a relatively compact nature, a floating device will tend to be unstable. With such a condition any disturbing force applied to the system tends to make it move from its normal undisturbed position. To counteract disturbing forces, the remaining portion of the weight of the propelling device is supported by means of out-rigger floats 17 attached to out-riggers l? which extend outwardly in a radial manner from the bottom portion of main float 11 at sleeve 12 (FIG. 2). The buoyant force of out-rigger floats 17 is transmitted to brackets 24% which are mounted adjacent the free end of each of the outriggers. It may be necessary to be able to adjust the vertical position of each of out-rigger floats 1'7 with respect to out-riggers 18 when the device is installed in the water. For this purpose out-rigger floats I7 (FIG. 4) may be connected to adjusting cable 21 which passes about pulley 22 mounted within bracket The bracket can be formed from light-weight pipe. Cable 21 can be locked in the correctly adjusted position by means of clamp 23 attached to the exterior of bracket 2%}. Handle 24 at the free end of adjusting cable 21 facilitates the application of the adjusting force to the cable.

In order to reduce the weight of the towing device, out-riggers 18 may be fabricated from light-weight pipe as were the brackets. In order to strengthen the outriggers against the bending moments applied by the outrigger floats and at the same time to add additional support for sleeve 12, braces 25 formed from light-weight pipe may be angularly disposed between the out-riggers and the upper portion of the sleeve.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the towing device is floating in the water in its operative position, main float 11 is completely submerged while out-rigger floats 17 are only partially submerged. It may also be seen that out-riggers 18, brackets 29 and the major portion of braces 25 are also submerged beneath surface 13 of water lid. The submerging of these members within the water serves both to reduce the weight that must be carried by the main and out-rigger floats and at the same time to add a great degree of drag in the plane of rotation to which the central axis of sleeve 12 is perpendicular. Thus outriggers, brackets and braces oppose any torque tending to rotate the flotation device about its vertical axis. The radially extending out-riggers are further strengthened by the provision of tie bars as which connect one out-rigger to the other in order to strengthen the assembly.

Tow arms 27 extend outwardly in a radial direction from the central location of main float 11, the inner end of each of the arm members is mounted on colla 28 'which is mounted in a pivotal manner about spindle 29 by means of ball or roller bearing 36? (FIG. 3). In order to simplify the assembly "of arms 27 while increasing the overall strength of the arrangement, collar 28 can be provided with a plurality of sleeve members adapted to receive the inner ends of the arms. A substantially horizontal driving force to rotate the towing device is provided by outboard motors 33 mounted upon hangers 34 which extend downwardly from tow arms 27. As shown in FIG. 2, hangers 34 are positioned along tow arms 27 so that the circular path of travel of the outboard motors is within the square defined by out-riggcr floats 17. In order to safeguard against the possibility of a skier who has fallen or a swimmer from entering into the path of travel of the outboard motors, nets 35 4 may be attached to brackets 2b and extend between them so as to form a protective barrier completely enclosing the path of travel of the motors.

Mast 56 (FIGS. 2 and 3) which is attached to plates 31 and 32 extend upwardly along the axis of rotation of the towing device. Guide wires 3'7 and 33 extend from the top of mast 36 to radially spacecLpoints along each of the tow arms in order to support their weight and any vertical load applied to them. In order to strengthen the tow arms against the substantially lateral forces applied to them by the skiers and the drag of the atmosphere, guide wires 39 and are connected from one tow arm to the tow arm adjacent to it in the direction of rotation.

As shown in FIG. 1, skiers 41 on skis i2 grip tow bar 4-3 of tow line 44 which is secured to free end 45' of tow arm 27. The free ends of the arms are supported at a predetermined height above the water by the guide wires which enables the tow line to be substantially horizontal when the skier is in the correct skiing position. The tow arms and the tow lines are of a suflicient length that the skier is enabled to maneuver considerably without being uncomfortably close to the out-rigger floats or netting.

It is necessary to anchor towing device It} with respect to bottom as in order that the towing device not drift away due to the horizontal movement of water 14. Anchor 47 includes body portion 48 to which are attached along its length tapered bafiies 49. Anchor 47 1s adapted to engage the lower end portion of anchor shaft 5% and to be secured thereto by a pin or the like (not shown). Anchor shaft d0 is of sutficient length so that with the anchor engaged on the bottom, the upper portion of the anchor shaft is still engaged within sleeve 12 (FIG. 3).

The sliding arrangement of anchor shaft 5th in sleeve 12 enables the anchor shaft and anchor to be retracted up to the time that the towing device is to be anchored. This simplifies the handling of the equipment before an= choring since the anchor could otherwise foul and retard movement. Once the device has been anchored, the sliding engagement of anchor shaft 50 in sleeve 12 provides the additional advantage of enabling the anchor to remain unaffected by vertical movement of the water. If the tow-' ing device is on a lake, for example, changes of water level accompanying heavy rains, drought, etc., merely result in the anchor shaft sliding with respect to the sleeve while the anchor remains firmly engaged with the bottom.

In order to lift the anchor to disengage it from bottom 46, cable 51 is attached to the upper portion of the ancho shaft by swivel 51a. Cable 51 which passes over pulley 52 and clamping device 53 is provided with handle 54 at its free end. Anchor i7 is positioned with either base portion 49a of the baffles up or down depending upon the condition of the bottom. For a muddy bottom or other soft bottom condition, anchor 47 is positioned with base portion 49a of the baffles in an upward manner as shown in FIG. 2. For a hard clay bottom or the like, the anchor would be inverted from the position shown in FIG. 2.

In a typical installation of the propelling device, main float 11 can be proportioned to carry approximately 70 to of the total weight of the device. The out-rigger floats 17 are then proportioned so that they can carry the remaining portion of the total weight not carried by the main float. Sleeve 12 is proportioned such that tow arms 27 are at their correct operating position above surface 13 when main float 11 is submerged beneath surface 13 of the water. Main float I1 is submerged at a depth below the surface so that the normal waves accompanying wind action plus the waves resulting from the wake of a boat operating in the vicinity do not break along any portion of the main float. So long as there is no free surface developed on the main float, the float will continue to exert its buoyant force and will have no tendency to raise or lower the towing device. Thus, the buoyant force supporting 70 to 80%, for example, of the weight of the towing device is substantially a constant one so that the device remains substantially stable in the water. Brackets 20 and cables 21 connecting from the brackets to the outrigger floats 17 are proportioned in such a way that the out-rigger floats are partially submerged when the towing device is in equilibrium in the water, so that it neither tends to rise or submerge. Out-riggers 18 are designed to have a sufliciently long lever arm with respect to the center portion of the towing device so that the relatively small force which is exerted by the out-rigger floats is capable of developing a suflicient restoring moment to maintain the towing device in a state of sufflciently high stability at all times.

Unlike the main float, out-rigger floats 17 having free surface above surface 13 of the water are affected by surface disturbances due to wind or boat wakes. During such disturbances, the buoyant force of the out-rigger floats will vary and thereby change the moment applied to outrigger arms 18. However, due to the mass and the moment of inertia of the device, the disturbances at the out-rigger floats which result in moments being applied to the system, will only have a minimum tendency to rock or sway it. Thus transient effects at the out-rigger floats will not appreciably change the position of the towing device. On the other hand, due to the length of the moment arms of outriggers 18, out-rigger floats 17 are completely capable of providing long term stability to the system.

Operation In order to set the water ski towing device in operation, it can be floated or otherwise transported to a suitable location on the body of water. Depending upon the nature of the bottom, anchor 47 is then positioned .at the bottom portion of anchor shaft 56. The operator releases clamping device 53, permitting cable 51 to lower anchor shaft 50 and anchor 47 into engagement into the bottom. Cables 24 have been previously adjusted so that out-rigger floats are are each floating substantially above their point of attachment to brackets 20 when main float 11 is completely submerged at a predetermined depth so that it will not be disturbed by the Wave action which would be encountered at the particular location. The next step is the starting of outboard motors 33 so that power is available to rotate towing arms 27. Skiers 4-1 then grip tow bars 43 attached to tow lines 44 and place themselves in a position to start to ski upon movement of the tow arms.

By means not shown the operator then engages the propellers of outboard motors 33 so that a propelling force is applied to the tow arms and then they begin to rot-ate. The propelling force transmitted through the tow lines enable the skiers to move their skis from beneath the water until the skis plane upon the surface. The skiers are then able to maneuver and otherwise practice skiing so long as the towing device remains in motion.

Out-rigger floats 17 apply restoring moments to the towing device so that the fluctuations in load applied by the skiers do not tend to rock or otherwise move the towing device. In the case of wave action, out-rigger floats 17 only have a minimum effect upon the towing device. The passage of these waves adjacent to main float 11 has no effect since it is completely submerged.

It can be seen from the above description that the present invention provides a propelling device adapted to tow water skiers. Although various embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein, it is understood that certain changes and additions within the scope of the appended claims may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A floating propelling device including means for buoyantly supporting the major portion of the Weight of the device, said supporting means in its operative positive being submerged in the fluid upon which the device is floated, additional means for buoyantly supporting the remaining portion of the weight of the device, means for connecting said additional supporting means to said supporting means at a predetermined radial distance therefrom,'said additional supporting means in its operative position being partially submerged in said fluid and being adapted to provide a restoring moment to said supporting means, at least one arm member extending outwardly from the location of said supporting means, means for pivotally attaching said arm member at one end thereof to said supporting means, and means for providing a substantially horizontal driving force to said arm member, said driving force rotating said pivotally attached arm member to rotate about said supporting means, whereby the portion of said arm memberadjacent the other end thereof is adapted to propel an object engaged thereto with respect to said fluid.

2. A floating propelling device in accordance with claim 1 in which said additional supporting means includes a plurality of additional buoyant bodies spaced apart from each other about said supporting means.

3. A floating propelling device in accordance with claim 1 in which said means for connecting said additional supporting means to said supporting means at a predetermined radial distance therefrom includes outwardly extending members attached adjacent their inner end to said supporting means and adjacent their outer end to said additional supporting means.

4. A floating propelling device in accordance with claim 3 in which said outwardly extending members are submerged in said fluid when in their operative position.

5. A floating propelling device in accordance with claim 1 in which said means for connecting said additional supporting means to said supporting means at a predetermined radial distance therefrom includes outwardly extending members attached adjacent their inner end to said supporting means and means for adjustably attaching said additional supporting means in a vertical direction with respect to said outwardly extending members adjacent the other end thereof to determine the depth at which said supporting means is submerged.

6. A floating propelling device in accordance with claim 1 in which said means for connecting said additional supporting means to said supporting means at a predetermined radial distance therefrom includes outwardly extending members attached adjacent their inner end to said supporting means and means for selectively attaching said additional supporting means in a vertical direction with respect to said outwardly extending members at a predetermined distance from adjacent their outer ends, said additional supporting means being attached at said predetermined distance enabling said additional supporting means to be partially submerged when said supporting means is submerged in said fluid.

7. A floating propelling device in accordance with claim 1 in which said means for providing a substantially horizontal driving force to said arm member engages said arm member at a location disposed at a radial distance from said supporting means less than said predetermined radial distance, whereby the path of travel of said means for providing a driving force is within between the center of rotation and the location of said additional supporting means.

8. A floating propelling device including means for buoyantly supporting the major portion of the weight of the device, said supporting means in its operative position being submerged in the fluid upon which the device is floated, additional means for buoyantly supporting the remaining portion of the weight of the device, means for connecting said additional supporting means to said supporting means at a predetermined radial distance therefrom, said additional supporting means in its operative position being partially submerged in said fluid and being adapted to provide a restoring moment to said supporting means, at least one arm member extending outwardly from the location of said supporting means, means for pivotally attaching said arm member at one end thereof to said supporting means, means for providing a substantially horizontal driving force to said arm member, said driving force rotating said pivotally attached arm member to rotate about a substantially vertical axes extending through said supporting means, and means extending substantially along said vertical axis for anchoring said device against horizontal movement, said anchoring means in its operative position engaging the bottom underlying said fluid, whereby the portion of said arm member adjacent'the other end thereof is adapted to propel an object engaged thereto with respect to said fluid.

9. A floating propelling device in accordance with claim 8 in which said anchoring means includes a substantially vertically disposed bar slideably connected to said supporting means and a base member attached thereto, said bar being of sufficient length when said device is in its operative position to extend from the slideable connection'with said supporting means to engage said base member to the bottom underlying the fluid upon which the device is floated, whereby said device is restrained from horizontal movement and has freedom for vertical movement.

10. A floating propelling device including means for buoyantly supporting the major portion of the weight of the device, said supporting means in its operative position being submerged in the fluid upon which the device is floated, additional means for buoyantly supporting the remaining portion of the weight of the device, means for connecting said additional supporting means to said supporting means at a predetermined radial distance therefrom, said additional supporting means in its operative position being partially submerged in said fluid and being adapted to provide a restoring moment to said supporting means, at least one arm member extending outwardly from the location of said supporting means, means for pivotally attaching said arm member at one end thereof to said supporting means, means for providing a substantially horizontal driving force to said arm member, said driving force rotating said pivotally attached arm member to rotate about said supporting means, and mean connected to said arm member adjacent its free end for propelling an object engaged there- 1 to with respect to said fluid.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,369,670 2/21 Kauflman 114-123 1,609,922 12/26 Wiig 272 -32 1,710,625 4/29 Kapigan 114, 123 1,722,523 7/29 Hunter 272-32 1,786,658 12/30 Iden 272-32 3,003,762 10/61 Lewis 272-32 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

DEIBERT B. LOWE, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A FLOATING PROPELLING DEVICE INCLUDING MEANS FOR BUOYANTLY SUPPORTING THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE WEIGHT OF THE DEVICE, SAID SUPPORTING MEANS IN ITS OPERATIVE POSITIVE BEING SUBMERGED IN THE FLUID UPON WHICH THE DEVICE IS FLOATED, ADDITIONAL MEANS FOR BUOYANTLY SUPPORTING THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE WEIGHT OF THE DEVICE, MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID ADDITIONAL SUPPORTING MEANS TO SAID SUPPORTING MEANS AT A PREDETERMINED RADIAL DISTANCE THEREFROM, SAID ADDITIONAL SUPPORTING MEANS IN ITS OPERATIVE POSITION BEING PARTIALLY SUBMERGED IN SAID FLUID AND BEING ADAPTED TO PROVIDE A RESTORING MOVEMENT TO SAID SUPPORTING MEANS, AT LEAST ONE ARM MEMBER EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE LOCATION OF SAID SUPPORTING MEANS, MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY ATTACHING SAID ARM MEMBER AT ONE END THEREOF TO SAID SUPPORTING MEANS, AND MEANS FOR PROVIDING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL DRIVING FORCE TO SAID ARM MEMBER, SAID DRIVING FORCE ROTATING SAID PIVOTALLY ATTACHED ARM MEMBER TO ROTATE ABOUT SAID SUPPORTING MEANS, WHEREBY THE PORTION OF SAID ARM MEMBER ADJACENT THE OTHER END THEREOF IS ADAPTED TO PROPEL AN OBJECT ENGAGED THERETO WITH RESPECT TO SAID FLUID.

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