Snowmobile flotation system
OwnerJames A. Boyd, Dan Melansoninventors
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Abstract
Disclosed is a flotation system designed to be incorporated into an existing snowmobile and including a plurality of floats which may be inflated either selectively or automatically. The device is intended to be incorporated into a snowmobile which is used on ice covered bodies of water. Sometimes, during such use, the ice breaks causing the snowmobile to sink and thereby be destroyed. Through the use of the present invention, flotation is provided to maintain the snowmobile in a floating position to allow safe retrieval.
Claims8
In a snowmobile having a body with a forward end and a rearward end, a steerable ski at said forward end and motive power means, the improvement comprising a flotation system comprising:
- (a) a plurality of flotation devices mounted at spaced locations on said snowmobile including two flotation devices on opposed sides exterior of said forward end and two flotation devices on opposed sides exterior of said rearward end;
- (b) a source of inflation gas;
- (c) fluid passageway means for fluidly connecting said source with said flotation devices;
- (d) means for releasing said inflation gas from said source to inflate said flotation devices;
- (e) each of said flotation devices including:
- (i) an inflatable float fluidly connected to said fluid passageway means;
- (ii) said float having a collapsed configuration, before inflation, wherein said float lies adjacent said body;
- (iii) further wherein, in said collapsed configuration, said float is enclosed by a cover having first and second halves meeting at an elongated interface outward of said float with respect to said body, and fastening means at said interface releasably fastening said halves together to cover and enclose said float, said fastening means releasing upon inflation of said float.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.