INFLATABLE AMUSEMENT DEVICE FOR TREADING ON WATER

• US 3,779,201 A
• Filed: 04/17/1972
• Issued: 12/18/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leland R. Spahn
• Original Assignee: Leland R. Spahn
• Inventors: Spahn, Leland R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blix, Trygve M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sauberer, Paul E.
• Application Number:
  US05/244,383
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 9/31G,31R 115/1R,19,20 272/1B 280/206
• US Class Current: 441/66
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/047 with spherical hull or hull in the shape of a vertical ring freely movable rolling hoops, e.g. gyro wheels for exercising A63B19/02

Abstract

A hollow dirigible-balloon shaped device has spaced, inflated, double walls of pliable plastic and is provided with end openings as passageways for water sportsmen who enter the device and tread on waer. A pair of spaced, plastic dividers within the interior of the device provide reinforcement, and their inner rims function as hand rails.

Claims

1. An inflatable water amusement device with an inflated shape generally like a dirigible balloon having hemispherical end portions, each of said end portions being truncated to provide a coaxial, circular opening at a respective end of said device for passage of participants into the hollow interior thereof, the wall of said device comprising double, impervious, pliable, plastic sheets, valve means inserted through one of said sheets to permit desired inflation to space said sheets apart, and a reinforcing divider across the inner, larger end of each of said hemispherical end portions, each of said dividers being resilient and having a central, circular opening opposite said openings within said hemispherical end portions, the circular wall of each divider extending radially inwardly a sufficient distance so that the inner, circular rim thereof is at a convenient distance from the circumferential wall of said device to function as a hand rail for a participant treading between said dividers.

2. A water amusement device as claimed to claim 1 having a plurality of plastic reinforcing sheets extending between the inner surface of each one of said hemispherical ends and the adjacent surface of a respective one of said dividers, said reinforcing sheets being spaced apart circumferentially and each one extending from a radial line on one of said reinforcing dividers to a contiguous, longitudinal, circumferential line on the inner surface of the respective hemispherical end.

3. A water amusement device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said dividers comprises double-spaced sheets of impervious plastic material and have means for inflation and deflation thereof as desired.