Train coupleable flotation tube for waterslides

• US 6,053,790 A
• Filed: 03/31/1998
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Frederick Langford
• Original Assignee: Frederick Langford
• Inventors: Langford, Frederick
• Primary Examiner(s): SWINEHART, EDWIN L
• Application Number:
  US09/052,177
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 114/345, 114/346, 114/246, 114/248, 114/267, 472/128, 472/129, 441/67, 441/68, 441/129-132
• US Class Current: 441/129
• CPC Class Codes: A63G 21/18 Water-chutes
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 34/52 Inflatable or partly inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/58 Rafts, i.e. free floating waterborne vessels, of shallow draft, with little or no freeboard, and having a platform or floor for supporting a user lifeboats, life-rafts or the like B63C9/02

Abstract

A flotation device carries two or more people down a waterslide on shaped flotation tubes, coupled by flexible straps into a train. The bows and the sterns of adjacent buoyant bodies are complementarily shaped, preferably the bow being circularly convex and the stern concave as viewed in plan. The straps hold the bow and stern together at a minimal gap, constraining relative rotation by the convex/concave engagement of the bow and stern. In addition, lateral shoulders on the bow abut against the ends of the concave stern to prevent rotation beyond a predetermined angle, for example wherein the bodies in the train are relatively rotated to a bend having about a ten foot radius. This structure provides sufficient flexibility to traverse relatively tight turns in the waterslide course while preventing buckling or accordion-fold collapse when the train of buoyant bodies encounter an obstruction such as a splash down pool.

Claims

1. A flotation device comprising:

at least two bodies, each having a bow and a stern, wherein one of said bow and said stern is substantially convex and the other of said bow and stern is substantially concave, the bows and the sterns of the at least two bodies being complementary and defining a limited angle of relative rotational freedom between the bodies; and

,

movable means for fastening together said bodies bow to stern so that each bow is constrained to complementary movement relative to each stern, wherein said means for fastening comprises a first pair of attachment structures arcuately spaced from one another adjacent to said bow and a second pair of attachment structures arcuately spaced from one another adjacent to said stern, wherein said first pair of attachment structures is spaced more closely than said second pair of attachment structures; and

,

the movable means for fastening comprises at least two flexible straps affixing together the attachment structures between said bow and said stern.

2. A flotation device according to claim 1 wherein said straps are positioned relative to one another within said passageways and between said bodies so as to subtend an angle between them in the range from about 45 to about 90 degrees.

3. A flotation device according to claim 2 wherein said adjacent bodies as affixed define a gap between them of less than about 0.75 to 1.5 inches.

4. A flotation device according to claim 1 wherein said bodies comprise protrusions at end portions of said stern and complementary recesses at lateral sides of the bow, relative rotation of the bodies being constrained by abutment of the protrusions and the complementary recesses.

5. A flotation device comprising:

at least two buoyant bodies, each having a convexly curved bow surface and a concavely curved stern surface, said at least two bodies having bows and sterns that are substantially complementary;

a first pair of attachment structures spaced laterally adjacent to the bow and a second pair of attachment structures spaced laterally adjacent to the stern, the first pair of attachment structures being more closely spaced than the second pair, the attachment structures being affixed to the bodies and being structured to receive straps; and

,

at least two of said straps, each having at least one fastener, the straps being flexible and attachable between the attachment structures to flexibly fasten together said buoyant bodies in a nested relationship, so as to constrain the relative rotation of each bow and each stern to a movement complementary to the abutting bow and stern surfaces.

6. A flotation device according to claim 5 wherein the attachment structures are spaced such that said straps subtend an angle of about 60 degrees.

7. A flotation device according to claim 6 wherein said adjacent buoyant bodies as attached by the straps define a gap between them of less than about 0.75 to 1.5 inches.

8. A flotation device according to claim 5 wherein said bodies have a central aperture for receiving a rider, the convexly curved bow forming a circular arc substantially concentric with the central aperture, whereby the bodies are constrained to relative rotational movement about an axis of the central aperture.

9. A flotation device according to claim 8 wherein said buoyant bodies are relatively rotatable to a bend radius of about ten feet.

10. A flotation device according to claim 8 wherein said buoyant bodies comprise protrusions at end portions of said stern and complementary recesses at lateral sides of the bow, relative rotation of the bodies being constrained by abutment of the protrusions and the complementary recesses.

11. A flotation device comprising:

at least two buoyant bodies each having a central aperture, a convexly curved bow and a concavely curved stern, wherein said bows and said sterns are complementary; and

flexible means for fastening together said buoyant bodies bow to stern and means for constraining the relative movement of said bows to said sterns so that each bow is constrained to complementary rotational movement relative to each stern wherein said central aperture of each of said buoyant bodies defines the axis of said constrained rotation of each of said bows and said means for constraining said relative rotation include protrusions formed by end portions of said stern and complementary recesses formed by end portions of said bow.

12. A flotation device according to claim 11 wherein said fastening means include a first pair of attachment structures spaced from one another and adjacent to said bow and a second pair of attachment structures spaced from one another and adjacent to said stern, the first pair being more closely spaced than the second pair;

at least two straps, each being affixable to the attachment structures and having at least one fastener, said straps being extending between the attachment structures for affixing the bow of a rearward one of the bodies to a stern of a forward one of the bodies.

13. A flotation device according to claim 12 wherein said straps diverge laterally from the bow of the rearward body to the stern of the forward body.

14. A systern for providing aquatic recreation comprising:

a waterslide amusement comprising a down-hill run and at least one curved section having a radius of curvature of about ten feet;

a flotation device comprising at least two buoyant bodies each having a convexly curved bow and a concavely curved stern, wherein said bows and said sterns are complementary and include protrusions formed by end portions of each of said sterns and complementary recesses formed by end portions of each of said bows; and

,

flexible means for fastening together said buoyant bodies bow to stern so that relative rotation of the bodies is constrained by abutment of the recesses formed by said end portions of each of said bows of a rearward one of the flotation devices and the protrusions formed by said end portions of each of said sterns of a forward one of the flotation devices.

15. A flotation device comprising:

at least two resilient bodies, each having a bow and a stern, wherein said bow comprises a convexly shaped portion and said stern comprises a concavely shaped portion, the bows and the sterns of the at least two resilient bodies being complementary and defining a limited angle of relative rotational freedom between the bodies;

a first pair of attachment structures spaced from one another adjacent to said bow and a second pair of attachment structures spaced from one another adjacent to said stern; and

at least two flexible and resilient straps affixing together the attachment structures between said bow and said stern so as to fasten said resilient bodies bow to stern such that each bow is constrained to complementary movement relative to each stern.

16. A flotation device according to claim 15 wherein said first pair of attachment structures is spaced more closely than said second pair of attachment structures.