U.S. patent number 3,856,241 [Application Number 05/369,890] was granted by the patent office on 1974-12-24 for knockdown kite.
This patent grant is currently assigned to R. B. Toy Development Co.. Invention is credited to Dennis I. Kupperman, Sam Kupperman.
United States Patent |
3,856,241 |
Kupperman , et al. |
December 24, 1974 |
KNOCKDOWN KITE
Abstract
A knockdown kite formed of connectors having sockets with rods
detachably secured to sockets to form a generally cross-shaped
framework for the kite, and a flexible covering over the framework
with the covering extending between the wings of the framework of a
greater width than the width of the framework forming the wings so
that when the kite is in flight the wing coverings billow upwardly
and form pockets in the underside of the laterally extending wings,
with the air passing laterally outwardly of the opposite ends of
the wings to facilitate the flying of the kite and to sustain the
kite in flight.
Inventors: |
Kupperman; Sam (Skokie, IL),
Kupperman; Dennis I. (Skokie, IL) |
Assignee: |
R. B. Toy Development Co.
(Skokie, IL)
|
Family
ID: |
23457343 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/369,890 |
Filed: |
June 14, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
244/154 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H
27/08 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B64C
31/06 (20060101); B64C 31/00 (20060101); B64c
031/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;244/153R,154,155R,DIG.1
;46/74R,76,79 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Blix; Trygve M.
Assistant Examiner: Sauberer; Paul E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kraus; Max R.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A knockdown kite comprising a framework which forms a wing
framework, a forward and rearward framework extending forwardly and
rearwardly respectively of said wing framework, said framework
comprising a front connector and a rear connector, said front
connector having spaced forwardly facing sockets and laterally
facing sockets, said rear connector having spaced rearwardly facing
sockets and laterally facing sockets, a rod connecting said front
and rear connectors in spaced relation, a pair of spaced rods
secured in said forward facing sockets and forming the forward
framework and a pair of spaced rods secured in said rearward facing
sockets and forming the rearward framework and laterally extending
rods secured in said laterally facing sockets and forming the
oppositely extending wings of said wing framework, said rods and
connectors being detachably secured and when secured forming the
framework of said kite, a covering secured to the free ends of said
rods, said covering being of a flexible material and having a width
between the laterally extending rods so that the wing coverings
billow upwardly and form pockets in the underside of said wing
coverings while the kite is in flight.
2. A kite as set forth in claim 1 in which the framework is of a
generally cross-shaped configuration in plan.
3. A kite as set forth in claim 2 in which the covering is of a
generally cross-shaped configuration and in which when the wing
coverings billow upwardly and form pockets in the underside the
outer free ends of said wing coverings are open to permit the air
to pass out laterally and upwardly of said billowed end.
4. A kite as set forth in claim 2 in which the covering is of a
generally cross-shaped configuration and in which openings are
provided in said covering through which cover connectors extend to
detachably secure the cover connectors to said rods.
5. A kite as set forth in claim 4 in which the rods are hollow
tubular rods and in which the cover connectors have a stem which is
inserted in said rod and is frictionally held therein.
6. A kite as set forth in claim 4 in which the covering at the wing
portion has an arcuate-shaped cutout at the end thereof.
7. A kite as set forth in claim 1 in which cover connectors are
detachably secured to the ends of said rods for connecting the
covering material to said rods.
8. A kite as set forth in claim 7 in which the rods are hollow
tubular members and in which the cover connectors have stems which
are received in the free ends of said hollow tubular members and in
which the cover connectors each have a disk which abuts against the
covering to detachably hold the covering to said rods.
9. A kite as set forth in claim 1 in which the rods are straight
and in which the laterally extending rods forming the wings are
connected at their outer ends to bend said rods towards each other
so that the width between the rods forming the wings is narrowest
adjacent the outer ends.
10. A kite as set forth in claim 1 in which the outer ends of the
laterally extending wing rods are connected so that the width
adjacent the ends of the wings is narrower than the distance
between the spaced front and rear connectors.
Description
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One of the objects of this invention is to provide a kite which may
be inexpensively formed of components so that it may be shipped in
a knockdown condition to occupy a minimum of space and which may be
readily and easily assembled by a child to form a kite having the
ability to fly very easily and in sustained flight.
Another object of this invention is to provide a knockdown kite in
which the covering that extends between the front and rear of the
framework forming the wings of the kite has a width greater than
the distance between the framework so that as the kite is in flight
the wing covering will billow upwardly and form a pocket in the
underside of each wing so that the air currents will tend to lift
the kite and in which the flow of the air will be laterally around
the open ends of said wings as well as upwardly of the ends of the
wings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a view of the kite assembled and looking at same in the
position that the kite is flown.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the covering before it is assembled to the
framework of the kite; and
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the parts forming the framework of
the kite.
The knockdown kite is formed of a plurality of components which may
be shipped disassembled and comprises essentially rods and
connectors and includes a flexible polyethylene covering, all of
which occupies very little space in a container and is light in
weight. The construction is so simple that it may be easily and
readily assembled by a child to form a kite having a substantial
wing spread and of a size to form a kite having great air lift so
that it can be air-borne very readily. The covering between the
spaced laterally extending wing rods is greater in width than the
space between the front and rear of said laterally extending rods
so that the covering billows upwardly to form pockets in the
underside of the wings. These pockets have their outer ends open
and said pockets provide the lift for the kite as well as help to
sustain the kite in flight as the air passes under the pockets and
laterally outward of said pockets exteriorly of the exterior ends
of said wings.
The framework of the kite generally designated at 10 includes a
front connector generally designated at 12 and a rear connector
generally designated at 14, both being of identical construction
except that the front connector faces forwardly and the other
connector rearwardly. Since both connectors are identical a
description of one will suffice. The connector is integrally molded
to provide a generally L-shaped configuration in transverse section
having a vertical wall 16 and a bottom wall 18 which slopes
downwardly from the opposite ends toward the center in a wide
V-configuration. The connector is also formed with a plurality of
tubular sockets, namely, a central socket 20, a pair of spaced
parallel extending sockets 22 which are also parallel with the
central socket, and a pair of laterally extending sockets 24, one
at each of the opposite ends of the connector. The central tubular
socket 20 is alined with an opening 26 formed in the vertical wall
16. The front and rear connectors are identical and are formed of
plastic material from the same die mold and when assembling the
parts one connector 12 is positioned so that the tubular sockets 20
and 22 face forwardly while the rear connector 14 is positioned so
that the tubular sockets 20 and 22 face rearwardly.
A hollow tubular connector rod 28 is centrally positioned with the
opposite ends of said connector rod secured in the central sockets
20 through the openings 26 to secure the front and rear connectors
in spaced relation. Secured within the spaced forwardly extending
sockets 22 is a pair of spaced hollow tubular rods 30. Secured
within the spaced rearwardly extending sockets 22 are spaced hollow
tubular rods 32 which are preferably longer than the rods 30. A
pair of spaced tubular rods 34 are secured to the laterally facing
sockets 24 on each side of the connectors to form the wings of the
framework. The hollow tubular rods herein referred to are
commercial products and are substantially rigid but have a degree
of flexibility and are formed of a plastic material. The rods 34
forming the wings are normally straight but when the kite is
assembled they become bowed due to the fact that their outer ends
are connected by relatively short connectors generally indicated at
36.
To secure the cover, presently to be described, to the framework
there is a plurality of cover connectors generally indicated at 38
which are molded of plastic. Each cover connector comprises a short
stem 40 with a disk 42 integrally formed thereon intermediate the
ends of the stem. The diameter of the stem is such that it can be
inserted in the tubular ends of the rods 30, 32 and 34 and will be
frictionally held therein, with the disk 42 adjacent the ends of
the rods and a portion 41 of each stem extending outwardly thereof.
To secure the covering to the framework the stem 40 of the cover
connectors is passed through the respective openings in the
covering until the disk 42 abuts the covering. The ends of the
covering are bent upwardly, as shown in FIG. 1, and the stems 40
are inserted into the ends of the rods 30, 32 and 34 to hold the
cover to the framework. The disk 42 will extend outwardly of the
folded covering and will securely retain the ends of the covering
against detachment from the framework.
The covering for the kite is preferably a polyethylene material,
very light and very flexible and in general configuration is
cross-shaped, as best shown in a flat plan view in FIG. 2 in the
form in which it is cut to form the covering generally indicated at
50 for the framework. The forwardly extending portion 52 of the
covering is provided with spaced openings 54 outwardly of the fold
line 55, which openings fit on the stems 40 inserted in the outer
ends of the rods 30. The covering has a tail portion 56 with spaced
openings 58 outwardly of the fold line 60, which openings are
inserted in the same manner on the cover connectors 38 connected to
rods 32. The outer ends of the wing portions 62 of the covering are
likewise provided with spaced openings 64 outwardly of the fold
lines 66 which fit on the stem of the cover connectors connected to
the outer ends of the rods 34. The wing ends 62 of the covering
each have an arcuate-shaped cutout 68.
As best seen in FIG. 3, the connectors 36 for the outer ends of the
wing rods 34 includes a short strip 46 which has openings 48 at its
opposite ends to engage the portions 41 of the stems 40 of the
cover connectors 38, or the short strip 46 may be formed integrally
with one of the cover connectors 38 and connected to the portion 41
of the other cover connector through opening 48.
When the connectors 36 connect the outer ends of the wing rods 34,
the wing rods bow or bend to the configuration shown in FIG. 1, and
the narrowest span between the rods 34 forming the wings is
adjacent the outer ends of the wings. Thus, when the covering is
applied, the wing portions 62 of the covering has a greater width
than the distance between the spaced rods 34 so that when the kite
is in flight the covering billows upwardly, as indicated at 70 in
FIG. 1, to form pockets 72 in the underside of the wings. When the
pockets are formed the opposite ends of the wings are open as at 74
so that the air which passes under the wings and into the pockets
formed by the wings passes out laterally of the wings. It should be
noted that due to the arcuate-shaped cutout 68, the outer edge 75
of the billowed wing is inwardly of the extreme outer edge of the
wing, thus, in addition to the air passing out laterally of the
wing it simultaneously passes upwardly adjacent the outer edge of
the wing. The wings 62 of the covering are provided with spaced
tabs 63 which may be folded over the wing rods 34 and secured by an
adhesive tape.
In assembling the framework and before putting the connectors 12
and 14 on the central rod 28, a plastic plate or clip 76 having an
opening 77 is slipped on to said rod and is frictionally held in
place thereon, with the opposite tapering end of said clip provided
with an opening 78. After the covering is applied to the framework
the slot 80 in the covering permits the clip 76 to extend through
the slot so that a cord can be attached to the opening 78, with the
opposite end of the cord being held by the child when flying the
kite.
The aforedescribed kite is made of relatively few parts and is a
knockdown kite which can be readily and easily assembled, and when
shipped in disassembled or knockdown condition occupies very little
space. The kite may likewise be readily disassembled when
desired.
* * * * *