US 5,020,465 A · Coupleable flotation apparatus forming lines and arrays

Abstract

A flotation apparatus such as an inflatable tube is designed for a wide sluice waterslide. A coupling for the tube has a prong on the bow of the tube, which is V-shaped, the prong extending forward along a handle portion and downward to a distal locking knob with radial fins. A positioning plate reinforces the coupling between the prong and a mounting plate on the tube. A coupling ring is attached to the mounting plate or the positioning plate, laterally of the prong, and a second coupling ring is provided at the stern of the tube, such that the tube can be coupled to other such tubes in single file or face to face arrays. The fins of the prong and the inside diameter of the rings are complementarily conical in the insertion and removal directions. A wide sluice waterslide to be traversed by the tubes as joined in lines or arrays has a generally downhill contour along a sinuous path. However, the downhill contour is limited to the inside of the curves, and along the centerline of the path as well as along the banked outsides of the curves, the path proceeds uphill as well as generally downward and around curves. Along the uphill stretches, supplementary water inlets are provided, supplying a lateral flow over which the tubes can pass.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A flotation apparatus, comprising:

a buoyant body having a central aperture in which a rider can sit, the aperture being encompassed by a substantially tubular buoyant shape defining an outer wall around the buoyant body;
a coupling prong having a proximal end attached to a first mounting plate mounted on the outer wall, the coupling prong having a proximal section extending outwardly from the buoyant body and a distal section turned perpendicular to the proximal section, the distal section being spaced from the outer wall;
a positioning plate attached to the mounting plate and extending outwardly from the buoyant body and being attached to the distal section of the coupling prong at a space from a distal end of the distal section, the proximal section of the coupling prong defining a manually engageable handle;
a coupling ring attached to the positioning plate, the coupling ring defining an axis substantially parallel to an axis of the coupling prong and being spaced laterally from the coupling prong, the coupling ring having an internal diameter substantially corresponding to an external diameter of the coupling prong.

1 more element

A flotation apparatus, comprising:

a buoyant flotation body having outer sidewalls on two opposite sides, one of the outer sidewalls defining a substantially V-shaped bow and an opposite one of the outer sidewalls defining a stern;
a coupling prong having a proximal end attached to the V-shaped bow of the flotation body, the coupling prong having a proximal section extending forward from the bow and a distal section turned vertically downwardly from the proximal section, the distal section being spaced from the first outer sidewall such that the proximal section defines a handgrip;
a first coupling ring fixed along the bow and spaced laterally of the coupling prong, the coupling ring having an opening dimensioned to complement the coupling prong and defining a vertical axis, whereby the flotation apparatus is attachable to at least one other said flotation apparatus in bow-to-bow relation and in arrays of more than two said flotation apparatus;
and,
a second coupling ring attached to the stern of the flotation body, the second coupling ring defining an axis substantially parallel to the axis of the first coupling ring, whereby the flotation apparatus is attachable to another said flotation apparatus in a line.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Coupleable flotation apparatus forming lines and arrays

Life of this patent

Coupleable flotation apparatus forming lines and arrays

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26