U.S. patent number 3,739,410 [Application Number 05/100,927] was granted by the patent office on 1973-06-19 for collapsible boat with v-shaped pneumatic float.
Invention is credited to Bernard Marie Charles Fortin.
United States Patent |
3,739,410 |
Fortin |
June 19, 1973 |
COLLAPSIBLE BOAT WITH V-SHAPED PNEUMATIC FLOAT
Abstract
This invention relates to a boat intended mainly for sail
navigation, comprising a v-shaped pneumatic float forming part of a
collapsible structure comprising a forward and a stern transversal
board resting on the float and which are linked together by at
least one longitudinal beam, the forward tip of the float also
being connected to said structure by bars positioned in accordance
with the edges of a pyramid having its summit fixed on the forward
tip of the float and its base fixed to the structure.
Inventors: |
Fortin; Bernard Marie Charles
(Rouen, FR) |
Family
ID: |
9049277 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/100,927 |
Filed: |
December 23, 1970 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Jan 20, 1970 [FR] |
|
|
7001841 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
114/345;
114/61.1; 114/61.25 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63B
7/085 (20130101); B63B 7/087 (20130101); B63B
3/08 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B63B
7/08 (20060101); B63B 7/00 (20060101); B63B
3/00 (20060101); B63B 3/08 (20060101); B63b
007/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;9/2A,2C,2S,2R,1R
;114/61 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Buchler; Milton
Assistant Examiner: Rutledge; Carl A.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A boat intended mainly for sail navigation and comprising a
pneumatic float defined by inflatable tubes joined to one another
to form the point of a V constituting the bow of the boat, said
boat being characterized by a collapsible structure fixed to and
resting on said inflatable tubes, said collapsible structure
comprising a stern transversal board and a forward transversal
board, at least one longitudinal beam joining said boards, said
collapsible structure being positioned at a level higher than that
of the water line of said boat, and stiffening bars linking the
point of the V of said float to said forward transversal board,
said stiffening bars defining a pyramid having its summit fixed to
said V-shaped point of said float.
2. A boat as defined in claim 1 in which said stiffening bars
define a triangular pyramid and comprise one lower bar fixed to
said longitudinal beam and two upper bars fixed to said forward
transversal board, said longitudinal beam being provided with a
drop keel well.
3. A boat as defined in claim 1 further including a dish-shaped
deck rising in the direction of said V-shaped point.
4. A boat as defined in claim 3 in which said deck constitutes the
deck of a cabin, said boat further comprising two lateral pneumatic
floats, and four longitudinal beams joining said forward and stern
transversal boards.
5. A boat as defined in claim 4 in which two of said longitudinal
beams each pivotally receive a drop keel.
6. A boat as defined in claim 4 further including benches each
having a hollow and watertight interior and defining a ballast
tank, at least one bench being placed above each of said lateral
floats.
7. A boat as defined in claim 4 further including hollow decks
constituting reservoirs and used as ballast tanks, said hollow
decks being fixed between said inflatable tubes and said lateral
floats.
8. A boat as defined in claim 1 in which a bridge of flexible
material is fixed to said float and to Said forward transversal
board, said bridge being provided with a bag.
9. A boat intended mainly for sail navigation and comprising a
pneumatic float defined by inflatable tubes linked to one another
to form a V-shaped point and constituting the bow of the boat, said
boat being characterized by a collapsible structure fixed to and
resting on said inflatable tubes, said collapsible structure
comprising a stern transversal board and a forward transversal
board, at least one central longitudinal beam joining said boards
and provided with a drop keel well, said collapsible structure
being located on a level higher than that of the water line of the
boat, stiffening bars linking the point of the V of said float to
said forward transversal board, said stiffening boards defining a
pyramid having a summit fixed to the V-shaped point of said float,
and a rudder pivotally mounted on a collapsible extension of said
central longitudinal beam beyond the rear of said stern transversal
board.
10. A boat intended mainly for sail navigation and comprising a
pneumatic float defined by two inflatable tubes linked to one
another to form a V-shaped point and constituting the bow of the
boat, said boat being characterized in that said two tubes are
placed close to one another and in that said boat further comprises
two lateral pneumatic floats, a collapsible structure fixed to and
resting on said two tubes as well as on said two lateral floats,
said collapsible structure comprising a stern transversal board and
a forward transversal board, said boards being joined by at least
one central longitudinal beam and by two lateral longitudinal
beams, and stiffening bars connecting the V-shaped point of the
float to said forward transversal board, said stiffening bars
defining a pyramid having its summit fixed to the V-shaped point of
said float.
Description
This invention relates to a collapsible boat with V-shaped
pneumatic float intended mainly, but not exclusively, for sail
navigation.
Boats having a V- or U-shaped pneumatic float are already known;
these are ordinary inflatable boats. Boats, such as catamarans,
having two separate pneumatic floats connected by a suitable
structure, are also known. In comparison with these known boats,
the use of a V- or U-shaped pneumatic float, in accordance with the
invention, to manufacture boats similar to catamarans provides a
certain number of advantages which will be seen from the
description which follows.
In accordance with the invention, the boat comprises: a V-shaped
pneumatic float forming part of a collapsible structure comprising
a forward and a stern transversal board resting on the float and
which are linked together by at least one longitudinal beam, the
forward tip of the float also being connected to said structure by
bars positioned in accordance with the edges of a pyramid having
its summit fixed on the forward tip of the float and its base fixed
to the structure.
The invention also comprises certain other arrangements mentioned
hereinafter and used at the same time as the main arrangement set
forth hereinabove.
The invention aims more particularly at certain methods of applying
and producing these arrangements; even more particularly, and by
virtue of new industrial products, it aims at boats of the type in
question so improved, as well as the components and tools peculiar
to their creation.
Simply as an example, and to facilitate understanding of the
invention, a description of particular embodiments of the invention
are given below, represented schematically and unrestrictively in
the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a boat manufactured in accordance with the
invention;
FIG. 2 is a section view along vertical plan A--A in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a view of this boat in the direction of arrow F in FIG.
2, with the forward part of the float removed;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a deck of flexible material to equip the
boat;
FIG. 5 is a section view along vertical plan B--B in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 shows, in side elevation, the boat's deck planking;
FIGS. 7 and 8 represent, respectively, elevation and plan views of
the boat's rudder assembly;
FIG. 9 is a plan view of a variation of a boat in acordance with
the invention;
FIG. 10 is a view of this variation in the direction of arrow G in
FIG. 9, with the forward part of the V-shaped float removed;
FIG. 11 is a plan view of another variation of a boat in accordance
with the invention; and
FIG. 12 is a view of this other variation in the direction of arrow
H in FIG. 11, with the forward part of the V-shaped float
removed.
If it is proposed to manufacture a boat in accordance with the
invention and, more particularly, in accordance with what appear to
be the most suitable method of application and methods of
manufacturing its various parts, the following, or a similar,
method is followed.
The boat chosen as an example is of the catamaran type and is made
up of a V-shaped pneumatic float 1 forming part of a collapsible
structure comprising a forward transversal board 2, a stern
transversal board 3, and a longitudinal beam 4. Boards 2 and 3
rest, by means of their suitably-hollowed out ends 5, 6, on the
inflated arms of float 1 to which they are fixed, preferably by
strops. Boards 2 and 3 are connected by longitudinal beam 4, to
which they are fixed by means of removable joints. In addition, the
ends of boards 2 and 3 are connected by collapsible longitudinal
bars 7 and 8, parallel to beam 4, resting on the floats and serving
to hold fast the bracing. The mast 9 is placed in front of board 2,
with its base housed in longitudinal beam 4.
In accordance with the invention, the forward tip of float 1 is
connected to the boat structure by bars 10, 11, 12, positioned in
accordance with the edges of a pyramid having its summit fixed on
the forward tip of float 1 and its base fixed to the structure. In
this example, the said pyramid is triangular, lower bar 10 being
fixed at 13 to the front of beam 4 and the two upper bars 11 and 12
being fixed, at 14 and 15 respectively, on the upper part of
forward board 2. The relatively large distance between fixing
points 13, 14 and 15 in relation to each other makes the pyramid of
bars 10, 11 and 12 and, consequently, the fixing of the forward
part of float 1, very rigid. This pyramid of bars also serves to
obtain, at 16, a rigid fixing for the forward stay of mast 9.
The pyramid of bars 10, 11, 12 may also be used to support a
shelter-deck 17 of flexible material fixed, by means of toggles and
loops, such as 18, on the forward part of float 1 and on the
forward board 2. The deck 17 is notched at 19 to allow for mast 9.
A pyramid-shaped bag 20 is fixed to advantage under deck 17, this
bag being housed inside the pyramid of bars. Bag 20 opens and
closes on a level with deck 17 by means of turned-down pieces 21,
22 fitted wIth zips 23, 24. This bag 20 serves as a locker for
sails or other objects.
The boat is fitted with a deck made up of two half-decks 25, 26,
held in position by central beam 4 and forward board 2 and rear
board 3. The half-decks may be flat, as illustrated at 25 and 26,
but in accordance with one characteristic of the invention, they
may also form a dish 27 whose bottom 28 is on a lower level than
the bottom of the beam, this bottom 28 rising towards the front 29.
One advantage of this arrangement is that these dish-shaped
half-decks can, if necessary, provide a certain amount of buoyancy
if float 1 should be partially deflated.
The strops fixing the structure to the floats pass through bights
fixed to the half-decks to ensure that the whole is completely
attached.
As can be seen in FIG. 1, the back of stern board 3 is left clear,
to allow for the fixing of an outboard motor in the middle of it.
If the boat is to be fitted with a rudder, a part 30 is placed at
the back of board 3, in the extension of beam 4, centered by pins
31 and held in position by hook-stirrups 32 fitting into the eyes
of stay-tighteners 33, whose threaded ends receive nuts 34 resting
against the inside wall of board 3. The rudder 35 articulates at 36
on extension piece 30.
The central beam also serves as a tail fin support. In preference,
this tail fin pivots.
As a variation, the boat in accordance with the invention may have
a V-shaped pneumatic float 37 whose inflated arms are very close
together, and two lateral pneumatic floats 38 and 39. In this way,
a boat similar to a trimaran is produced, with one central and two
lateral floats. However, the boat so produced has various
advantages over the trimaran, which is supported asymmetrically by
its central float and one or other of its lateral floats, and thus
always has a list. Thanks to its V-shaped float 37, the boat in
accordance with the invention is supported symmetrically, lateral
floats 38 and 39 intervening only when the boat has a lateral list,
in order to ensure safety. Moreover, for equal transversal
stability, this arrangement allows the width of the boat to be
reduced in relation to the trimaran.
In this variation, the boat structure comprises forward transversal
board 40 and stern transversal board 41 connected by three
longitudinal beams, central 42 and lateral 43, 44, and two
longitudinal bars 45, 46. This structure also comprises decks 47,
48, and beams 49, 50, spreading the load over the inflated arms of
float 37 and ensuring fixing of these inflated arms to the
structure.
The boat comprises a mast 51 and a pyramid of bars 52 similar to
that already described. The longitudinal beams and the boards are
assembled by means of vertical bolts. Panels 53, 54, form a deck
covering the upper part of the float.
As a variation, the boat in accordance with the invention may
include a cabin 55 whose dish-shaped planking 56 is positioned
between the inflated arms of V-shaped float 57. This arrangement
allows the utilizable height of the cabin to be augmented, and
increases security, particularly when the boat is overloaded.
The structure comprises the forward 58 and stern 59 transversal
boards connected by four longitudinal beams 60, 61, 62, 63,
arranged in pairs on either side of the inflated arms of float 57.
The lateral pneumatic floats 64, 65 are fixed at the ends of boards
58 and 59. The structure is completed by longitudinal bars 66, 67
and by outer planking 68, 69.
The boat may be fitted with one or two tripod masts. Pivoting tail
fins or drop keels 70,71 are housed in beams 61, 62. Cabin bunks
72, 73 are placed above the inflated arms of the float and
distribution beams 74, 75.
A four-bar pyramid 76 similar to those already described is
positioned at the front of the boat.
Above each lateral float 64, 65, is placed a bench 77, 78 whose
hollow, watertight interior forms a ballast-tank. These
ballast-tanks are filled by means of a pump placed in the cockpit
and pipes which also shift ballast from one tank to the other to
balance the list. Reservoirs formed by hollow planking 68a, 69a may
also be used as ballast-tanks.
It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the
application methods and embodiments represented and described
hereinabove; it also covers all variations of them.
* * * * *