Buoyant water-walking apparatus

Water-walking apparatus comprising a pair of elongated, buoyant water-walker members, each adapted for attachment to the foot of the user, and guide means for maintaining the members in parallel relationship during operation, said guide means comprising:

• an elongated, tubular frame extending longitudinally of the members and therebetween;
• and
• arm means carried by each member for interconnecting the latter and the frame,
• each arm means comprising a curved arm element and mounting means having a fitting for mounting the corresponding arm element on the frame for longitudinal movement therealong and swinging movement relative thereto about an axis extending generally longitudinally of the members, said mounting means being disposed on the upper surface of said member whereby the frame may be swung upwardly relative to the members from a position between the latter to a position thereabove.

Buoyant water-walking apparatus including a pair of elongated buoyant water-walker assemblies adapted for attachment to the feet of a user, each of said assemblies comprising:

• a rigid, elongated base member comprising a longitudinally extending central web section having lateral edges and a pair of longitudinally extending flange sections attached respectively to a corresponding edge of the web section and extending generally normally away from the latter in the same direction to present laterally spaced keels;
• at least one buoyant flotation member carried by said web section on the opposite side thereof from the direction of extension of the flange sections, said flotation member being generally coextensive in length and width with said web section and having an opening extending therethrough in a direction which is generally normal to the major plane of the web section, said opening being adapted for receiving the foot of a user of the apparatus therein;
• means detachably securing said flotation member and said base member together to present said assembly;
• and
• a retard mechanism mounted between said keels for impeding the movement of the assembly through the water in one longitudinal direction and permitting substantially unimpeded movement thereof in the opposite longitudinal direction, said retard mechanism including a gate element and means mounting the element on said base member for swinging about an axis extending generally perpendicularly relative to the major plane of said web section, said gate element of each retard mechanism is swingable between a first position where the same is disposed to extend generally longitudinally of said keels to permit said substantially unimpeded movement and a second position where it is disposed to extend generally laterally of the keels to impede the movement of the assembly, said retard mechanism including stop means disposed for limiting the swinging movement of the gate element to maintain the latter in said second position during said impeded movement of the assembly, and said retard mechanism further including retard starter means having foot actuated, spring loaded operator means and wedge means coupled to said operator means for movement by the latter to force the gate element toward said second position at the beginning of said impeded movement.

Buoyant water-walking apparatus including a pair of elongated buoyant water-walker assemblies adapted for attachment to the feet of a user, each of said assemblies comprising:

• a rigid, elongated base member comprising a longitudinally extending central web section having lateral edges and a pair of longitudinally extending flange sections attached respectively to a corresponding edge of the web section and extending generally normally away from the latter in the same direction to present laterally spaced keels;
• at least one buoyant flotation member carried by said web section on the opposite side thereof from the direction of extension of the flange sections, said flotation member being generally coextensive in length and width with said web section and having an opening extending therethrough in a direction which is generally normal to the major plane of the web section, said opening being adapted for receiving the foot of a user of the apparatus therein;
• means detachably securing said flotation member and said base member together to present said assembly;
• and
• a retard mechanism mounted between said keels for impeding the movement of the assembly through the water in one longitudinal direction and permitting substantially unimpeded movement thereof in the opposite longitudinal direction, said retard mechanism including a pair of gate elements and means mounting the element on said base member for swinging about an axis extending generally perpendicularly relative to the major plane of said web section, the axes of swinging of said gate elements being disposed on opposite sides of the base member adjacent a respective keel, each gate element having a length which is approximately one-half the width of said central web.

Buoyant water-walking apparatus including a pair of elongated buoyant water-walker assemblies adapted for attachment to the feet of a user, each of said assemblies comprising:

• a rigid, elongated base member comprising a longitudinally extending central web section having lateral edges and a pair of longitudinally extending flange sections attached respectively to a corresponding edge of the web section and extending generally normally away from the latter in the same direction to present laterally spaced keels;
• at least one buoyant flotation member carried by said web section on the opposite side thereof from the direction of extension of the flange sections, said flotation member being generally coextensive in length and width with said web section and having an opening extending therethrough in a direction which is generally normal to the major plane of the web section, said opening being adapted for receiving the foot of a user of the apparatus therein;
• means detachably securing said flotation member and said base member together to present said assembly;
• and
• guide means for maintaining the assemblies in parallel relationships during operation, said guide means including:
• an elongated tubular frame extending longitudinally of the assemblies therebetween, said frame having a pair of tubular lengths extending longitudinally of the assemblies in laterally spaced relationship and a bight portion at each end of the frame interconnecting said lengths;
• arm means carried by each assembly for interconnecting the latter and said frame, each arm means including a pair of longitudinally spaced arm elements;
• and fittings for mounting corresponding said arm elements on the frame for longitudinal movement therealong and swinging movement relative thereto about an axis extending generally longitudinally of the assemblies, said fittings having rings disposed in encircling relationship to a corresponding one of said lengths;
• each said arm element having an elongated arm having said ring at one end thereof, there being included means mounting the other end of each arm on the corresponding assembly for swinging movement about an axis extending longitudinally of the assembly;
• and said arms being curved, said means mounting the arms on the assemblies being disposed on top of the uppermost flotation member thereof whereby the frame may be swung upwardly relative to the assemblies from a position between the latter to a position thereabove.

Buoyant water-walking apparatus including a pair of elongated buoyant water-walker assemblies adapted for attachment to the feet of a user, each of said assemblies comprising:

• a rigid, elongated base member comprising a longitudinally extending central web section having lateral edges and a pair of longitudinally extending flange sections attached respectively to a corresponding edge of the web section and extending generally normally away from the latter in the same direction to present laterally spaced keels;
• at least one buoyant flotation member carried by said web section on the opposite side thereof from the direction of extension of the flange sections, said flotation member being generally coextensive in length and width with said web section and having an opening extending therethrough in a direction which is generally normal to the major plane of the web section, said opening being adapted for receiving the foot of a user of the apparatus therein;
• means detachably securing said flotation member and said base member together to present said assembly;
• and
• guide means for maintaining the assemblies in parallel relationships during operation, said guide means including:
• an elongated tubular frame extending longitudinally of the assemblies therebetween;
• and arm means carried by each assembly for interconnecting the latter and the frame, each arm means including an arm element and a fitting mounting the corresponding arm element on the frame for longitudinal movement therealong and swinging movement relative thereto about an axis extending generally longitudinally of the assemblies;
• said arm means of each assembly having a pair of longitudinally spaced arm elements, each arm element having a curved elongated arm having said fitting at one end thereof, and there being included means mounting the other end of each arm on the corresponding assembly for swinging movement about an axis extending longitudinally of the assembly, said means mounting the arms on the assemblies being disposed on top of the uppermost flotation member thereof whereby the frame may be swung upwardly relative to the assemblies from a position between the latter to a position thereabove.