U.S. patent number RE30,978 [Application Number 05/646,860] was granted by the patent office on 1982-06-22 for self-righting power-driven aquatic vehicle.
Invention is credited to Clayton J. Jacobson.
United States Patent |
RE30,978 |
Jacobson |
June 22, 1982 |
Self-righting power-driven aquatic vehicle
Abstract
A low draft, hydroplane-like vehicle in which the engine and
associated equipment is so located in the hull that the engine not
only drives a jet pump to power the vehicle but the weight
.Iadd.and location .Iaddend.of the engine and associated
equipment.[.imparts an.]..Iadd., relative to the center of buoyancy
of the vehicle, renders the vehicle stable only when it is in an
upright position, and the vehicle will immediately right itself
from any overturned position. In addition, the weight and location
of the engine and associated equipment imparts an
.Iaddend.imbalance to the vehicle except when a user is mounted
thereon. Due to this imbalance .[.the vehicle is stable only when
in an upright position, and will immediately right itself from any
overturned position. A further result of this imbalance is that.].
the bow is submerged to a substantially greater depth than the
stern when a user is not mounted on the vehicle, and as a result
the vehicle will slowly circle should the user be inadvertently
displaced therefrom. Such slow circling permits the user by
swimming a short distance to recapture the vehicle.
Inventors: |
Jacobson; Clayton J. (Manhattan
Beach, CA) |
Family
ID: |
26985015 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/646,860 |
Filed: |
January 5, 1976 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
325620 |
Jan 22, 1973 |
03826220 |
Jul 30, 1974 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
114/55.52;
114/55.56; 440/42; 114/290; 114/55.51 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63B
34/10 (20200201) |
Current International
Class: |
B63B
35/73 (20060101); B63B 001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;114/183R,185,271,270,290 ;9/31R,31E ;440/42 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Basinger; Sherman D.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fulwider, Patton, Rieber, Lee &
Utecht
Claims
I claim:
1. A power-driven aquatic vehicle of the type in which a user
stands in an upright position thereon and which includes a hollow,
elongate, buoyant hull defined by a bottom, side walls, stern, bow,
deck, and removable hood that cooperatively define a confined space
within the interior thereof; a jet pump and pivotally supported
nozzle assembly mounted on said hull adjacent said stern; a drive
shaft connected to said pump and extending forwardly into said
confined space; means for guiding said vehicle by pivoting said
nozzle as said pump discharges a jet of water rearwardly
therethrough, said vehicle being characterized by
a. an engine and associated equipment for operating said engine,
which engine is connected to said drive shaft, with said engine and
associated equipment being of substantial weight and so located in
said confined space as to not only drive said drive shaft, but to
cooperate with said hull to maintain said bow in a lower position
in the water than said stern except when a user is standing on said
deck, which .[.hull.]. bow, due to said lower position offers
greater resistance to the passage through water than said stern to
cause said vehicle to circle in said water should a user of said
vehicle be inadvertently displaced therefrom, and with the
positioning of said engine and associated equipment being so
related to said hull that the center of buoyancy of said hull is
above the center of gravity of said hull to cause said vehicle to
immediately pivot to an upright position in the water after it has
been inadvertently overturned and is free from said user. .Iadd. 2.
A power-driven aquatic vehicle comprising:
a hollow, elongated buoyant hull having a stern and a bow and
defining an operator space adjacent said stern to accommodate the
vehicle operator;
a jet pump mounted on said hull adjacent said stern;
an engine carried by said hull for operating said jet pump, said
engine being located forwardly of said operator space, the weight
of said engine and other components of the vehicle located
forwardly of said operator space being sufficient, in the absence
of a vehicle operator in said operator space, to dispose said bow
deep enough in the water to offer greater resistance to passage
through the water than said stern thereby to swing said bow to one
side and cause said vehicle to circle, the weight of said engine
and other components of the vehicle located forwardly of said
operator space being sufficient to balance the weight of a vehicle
operator and components located rearwardly of said operator space
so that said vehicle tends to follow a straight path when said
operator space is occupied by a vehicle operator;
an elongated steering arm having a lower end pivotally connected to
said hull and an upper end movable between an upwardly inclined
upper position and a substantially horizontal lower position;
and
steering means carried at said upper end, said steering means being
operable in said lower position of said steering arm by an operator
located in the water adjacent said stern, said steering means
further being operable in said upper position of said steering arm
by an operator standing on the portion of said hull defining said
operator space. .Iaddend..Iadd. 3. An aquatic vehicle according to
claim 2 wherein the bottom of said hull includes a plurality of
longitudinally extending concavities defining transversely spaced
apart longitudinal edges operative to provide improved lift.
.Iaddend..Iadd. 4. An aquatic vehicle according to claim 2 wherein
said hull is formed of two longitudinally extending glass fiber
sections bonded together along a pair of flanged portions extending
about the periphery of said hull. .Iaddend..Iadd. 5. A power-driven
aquatic vehicle comprising:
a hollow, elongated buoyant hull having a stern and a bow and
defining an operator space adjacent said stern to accommodate the
vehicle operator;
an elongated steering arm having a lower end pivotally connected to
said hull and an upper end freely movable about a horizontal axis,
between an upwardly inclined upper position and a substantially
horizontal lower position, said steering arm being buoyant and
thereby tending to rise when submerged, said steering arm further
including steering means carried at said upper end of said steering
arm and operable in said lower position of said steering arm by an
operator located in the water adjacent said stern, said steering
means further being pivotable about a vertical axis in said upper
position of said steering arm by an operator standing on the
portion of said hull defining said operator space; and
an engine carried by said hull, the center of gravity of said
engine and other components of said vehicle, relative to the center
of buoyancy of said hull, being operative with said steering arm to
urge said hull to an upright position if overturned. .Iaddend.
.Iadd. 6. A power-driven aquatic vehicle comprising:
a hollow, elongated buoyant hull having a stern and a bow and
defining an operator space adjacent said stern to accommodate the
vehicle operator;
an elongated buoyant steering arm having a lower end pivotally
connected to said hull and an upper end freely movable between an
upwardly inclined upper position and a substantially horizontal
lower position; and
an engine carried by said hull, the center of gravity of said
engine and other components of said vehicle, relative to the center
of buoyancy of said hull, being operative to urge said hull to an
upright position if overturned, said engine being located forwardly
of said operator space, the weight of said engine and other
components of the vehicle located forwardly of said operator space
being sufficient, in the absence of a vehicle operator in said
operator space, to dispose said bow deep enough in the water to
offer greater resistance to passage through the water than said
stern thereby to swing said bow to one side and cause said vehicle
to circle, the weight of said engine and other components of the
vehicle located forwardly of said operator space being sufficient
to balance the weight of a vehicle operator and components located
rearwardly of said operator space so that said vehicle tends to
follow a straight path when said operator space is occupied by a
vehicle operator. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 7. An aquatic vehicle according
to claim 5 wherein said hull is formed of two longitudinally
extending glass fiber sections bonded together along a pair of
flanged portions lying in the same plane and extending about the
periphery of said hull. .Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
Self-righting, power-driven aquatic vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, various types of water jet, power-driven aquatic
vehicles have been devised and used, but such vehicles have had the
operational disadvantages in that should the user be displaced
therefrom inadvertently the vehicle will fall on its side and so
float in the water. Upon occasion, water enters through passages
defined in the vehicle into the interior thereof, with the water
contacting the engine to render the latter inoperative. Also, such
prior art power-driven vehicles have the further operational
disadvantage that should a user be inadvertently displaced
therefrom, the vehicle will continue to operate, and travel in a
path where the vehicle cannot be recaptured by the user who is now
swimming in the water.
.Iadd.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION .Iaddend.
The primary purpose in devising the present power-driven aquatic
vehicle is to provide one that is in an imbalanced condition except
when the user is supported thereon .[., with the vehicle having the
operational advantage that it is self-righting from any overturned
position should the user be inadvertently displaced therefrom.
Also, due.]..Iadd.. Due .Iaddend.to this imbalance the vehicle will
continue to slowly circle in the water after a user has fallen
therefrom, and at a sufficiently low speed that the user may easily
swim to and recapture the vehicle.
.[.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.].
.[.A.]. .Iadd.The invention provides a .Iaddend.low draft,
water-jet-driven vehicle that is of such structure as to be
self-righting should it be inadvertently overturned in the water,
and is .Iadd.also .Iaddend.imbalanced except when a user is
supported thereon. Due to this imbalance, should a user
inadvertently be displaced from the vehicle, the vehicle will
immediately and automatically start to circle at a low speed in the
water, and allow the user to swim to the vehicle and recapture the
same.
.[.The vehicle includes an elongate hull having a pivotally
supported steering mechanism extending rearwardly from a forward
portion thereof, with both the mechanism and the hull being
buoyant..]. The engine and associated equipment is so located in
the hull that the bow of the hull is submerged in the water a
substantially greater distance than the stern, except when a user
is supported on the vehicle. Due to this differential in
submersion, the bow offers greater resistance to passage through
the water than the rearward portion of the hull when a user is not
positioned on the vehicle, and as a consequence the vehicle will
circle in the water after a user is displaced therefrom.
.Iadd.The vehicle includes an elongated hull having a pivotally
supported steering mechanism extending rearwardly from a forward
portion thereof, with both the steering mechanism and the hull
being buoyant. .Iaddend.
The weight of the engine and associated equipment is so chosen
relative to the buoyancy of the hull and steering mechanism that
the center of gravity of the vehicle is located below the center of
buoyancy thereof. A longitudinal axis extended through the center
of gravity will at all times be situated below a second
longitudinally extending axis that passes through the center of
buoyancy, and as a result the vehicle will be self-righting when
inadvertently overturned to any position in the water. The only
position in which the vehicle is stable in the water is when the
hull is in its normal operating position, with the steering
mechanism disposed in either a downwardly extending position or in
an upwardly extending position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the power-driven vehicle, with the
steering mechanism pivoted to a downwardly disposed position where
it may be operated by a person either kneeling on the hull or lying
in a prone position relative thereto;
FIG. 2 is the same perspective view of the vehicle as shown in FIG.
1, but with the steering mechanism pivoted to an upwardly and
rearwardly extending position;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, longitudinal cross-sectional view of the
vehicle taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the vehicle;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the bottom portion of the vehicle
when the vehicle is turned on its side to illustrate the
configuration of the bottom, as well as the positioning of the jet
pump thereon;
FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the bottom portion of the vehicle,
with the plates that normally extend over the jet pump and steering
assembly removed therefrom; and
FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a bilge pump assembly that is
actuated by a negative pressure created by water discharging from
the jet pump assembly.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The vehicle V, as may best be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a
hull A that has an elongate bottom B from which a stern C extends
upwardly and preferably forwardly a slight angle. Two laterally
spaced side walls D also extend upwardly from the bottom B and
intersect at their forward ends to define a bow E. Each of the side
walls D on the upper edges thereof develops into an elongate
horizontal member 10, which members 10 on their forward ends
develop into extensions 10a of narrower width that continue to the
bow E. The members 10 on their adjacent edges develop into
downwardly extending walls 12, which walls on their lower edges
merge into a horizontal platform 14 on which the user (not shown)
is supported when operating the vehicle. .Iadd.The walls 12 and
platform 14 define an operator space for the rider of the vehicle.
.Iaddend.
The walls 12 on their forward ends develop into a transverse
forward wall 16, as best seen in FIG. 3, which forward wall merges
on its lower end into the platform 14. The hull A adjacent to but
rearwardly situated from the bow E develops into an upwardly and
rearwardly extending nose F that is defined by an upper,
longitudinally extending portion 18 from which two side wall
portions 20 extend downwardly to merge into the members 10a. The
rearward portion of the nose F is defined by a downwardly and
preferably slightly forwardly extending rearward wall 22, as best
seen in FIG. 3. The member 10a, the upper portion of the walls 16
and lower rearward portion of the wall 22 all cooperate to define
an open rectangular frame 24 that has a recess 26 defined therein
in which a continuous strip 28 of a resilient material such as
rubber or the like is positioned, for reasons that will later be
explained.
A hood G, as may best be seen in FIGS. 1 through 3, includes an
elongate, longitudinally extending upper portion 30 that has a
forward wall 32 extending downwardly and forwardly therefrom, with
the forward wall 32 on opposite edges thereof merging into two
laterally spaced, longitudinally extending side walls 34, which
side walls on their rearward end merge into an upwardly and
forwardly extending rear wall 36. The forward wall 32 of hood G has
an opening 38 therein that is preferably closed by screens or
otherwise porous material 40, with the opening 38 being in
communication with an inverted U-shaped tubular member 42, as shown
in FIG. 3, and through which tubular member air may flow from the
ambient atmosphere into the interior 43 of the hull A.
The rearward wall 36 of hood G has an opening 44 therein that
likewise has a screen or porous material 45 extending thereacross,
and this opening being in communication with an inverted tubular
U-shaped member 46 that preferably slopes upwardly and forwardly at
an angle. An end 46a of tubular member 46 is removably connected by
conventional means to an air discharge in a housing 48 of a blower
H. Blower H includes an impeller 50 that is driven by an electric
motor 52. The air inlet of housing 48 is connected to a tube 49
that is in communication with confined space 43. The wall 16, which
also serves as the dashboard, supports on the forward surface
thereof a first portion 54a of a watertight box 54, which first
portion 54a sealingly engages a second forwardly extending box
portion 54b, as best seen in FIG. 3. The box portions 54a and 54b
at their junction are removably sealed in watertight contact with
one another by conventional sealing means 56.
Power for driving the vehicle V is provided by an internal
combustion engine J, as may be seen in FIG. 3, that has a drive
shaft 58 extending rearwardly therefrom that is illustrated in
FIGS. 5 and 6. A storage battery 59 that serves to power the motor
52 is situated within the confines of the box 54, as is all the
electrical accessories that are necessary in the operation of an
internal combustion engine J and which are indicated jointly in the
box 54 by the numeral 60 as shown in FIG. 3. The engine J has an
electrically operated starter 57 operatively associated therewith
as well as a fuel tank 59 that is preferably situated in confined
space 43. A waterproof electric plug 62 is mounted on the box 54
and has a number of terminals T that are connected by electrical
conduits (not shown) situated within the box 54 to terminals T on
the motor 52, accessories 60 and battery 59. The plug 62 has a
second plug 64 removably secured thereto and in watertight
connection therewith, which second plug 64 is connected to
electrical conductors 66 that are waterproof, and extend to the
ignition system of the engine J (not shown) and to terminals T on
starter 57. The wall 16 that acts as a dashboard serves to support
an engine starting switch 68 and fan control switch 70, each of
which have terminals T situated within the confines of the box 54
and connected by wiring (not shown) to other appropriate terminals
T in the electrical assembly illustrated in FIG. 3.
An exhaust pipe 72 extends from engine J to a water-cooled muffler
(not shown) of the same structure as shown in my U.S. Pat. No.
3,623,447 that issued Nov. 30, 1971, entitled "Powered Aquatic
Vehicle." The water-cooled muffler (not shown) has a tube (not
shown) extending therefrom to an exhaust opening 74 shown in one of
the sides D of the vehicle, as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the
same manner as described in said U.S. Pat. No. 3,623,447.
The bottom B of the vehicle V is formed to define a number of
longitudinally extending concavities 76, which at the juncture
thereof define longitudinally extending edges 78 that are
transversely separated from one another, with this configuration of
the bottom resulting in the vehicle having an improved lift, allows
the use of a boat bottom of relatively small area, and with said
edges and narrowness of the hull allowing the vehicle to cut
sharply in the water without appreciable side-wise slippage.
In the rear central portion thereof, the bottom B defines a
longitudinally extending cavity 80 in which a housing 82 of a jet
pump assembly 84 is positioned and held therein by screws or bolts.
The pump assembly 84 includes an impeller 87 that is driven by the
shaft 58, which shaft extends through a journal 88 situated in the
forward portion of the recess 80 illustrated in FIG. 5. The pump
assembly includes a pivotally supported nozzle 90 that is
controlled by movement of a rod or cable 92 secured thereto.
Pivotal movement of the nozzle 90 varies the direction at which the
jet of water (not shown) is discharged from the vehicle, and this
direction of discharge controls the path the vehicle will follow
under the guidance of the user. Plates 93 and 94 span the rear
portion of the recess 80 and are removably secured to the bottom B
by screws 96, or the like. The plates 93 and 94 prevent the nozzle
90 and pump assembly 84 from being contacted by hard objects such
as gravel, or the like, if the vehicle is directed upon an
embankment or sandy shore.
A steering mechanism K is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 that includes an
elongate, hollow, buoyant housing 98, which by a pin 100 is
pivotally secured to a mounting 102 situated on the nose F of the
vehicle.[...]..Iadd., pivoting about the horizontal axis indicated
in phantom lines at the right side of FIGS. 1 and 2. .Iaddend.At
the upper rear extremity thereof, the housing 98 pivotally supports
a handlebar-like guiding member 104. Pivotal movement of the
guiding member 104 results in movement of the cable or rod 92 to
pivot the nozzle 90 relative to the vehicle V for guiding purposes.
The guiding member 104 pivotally supports a control 106 for the
engine J, with the control having a flexible cable 108 extending
thereto to the appropriate portion of the engine. The steering
mechanism K, as may best be seen in FIG. 1, may be pivoted to a
downwardly longitudinally extending position, or if desired, the
steering mechanism may be raised to the upwardly and rearwardly
extending position shown in FIG. 2. The position of the steering
mechanism K illustrated in FIG. 2 will be used when the operator
(now shown) is standing in an upright position on the deck
14.[...]..Iadd., with the handlebar-like guiding member pivoting
about the vertical axis indicated in phantom lines at the left side
of FIG. 2. .Iaddend.Although the steering mechanism K is buoyant,
it possesses sufficient weight to automatically pivot to the
position shown in FIG. 1 when not supported by a user (not
shown).
The nozzle 90, as may be seen in FIG. 7, has a tube 110 connected
to the interior thereof, and the interior of the tube has a
negative pressure therein when water is discharging as a jet from
the nozzle. The tube 110 is connected to a conduit 112 that extends
forwardly to a tee 114, from which tee a second conduit 116 extends
to a strainer 118 that is located in the lower portion of space 43.
The tee 114 includes an anti-siphon device 120. When the vehicle V
is operating, the interior of the strainer 118 at all times has a
negative pressure maintained therein, and any water accumulating
within the interior of the vehicle is drawn into the strainer 118
and discharged through the conduits 116 and 112, and tube 110 into
water discharging through the nozzle 90.
Positioning of the engine J and the components held within the
confines of the box 54 is critical relative to the hull A. The
weight distribution of the engine and components in the box 54 must
be such that when the vehicle V does not have a user thereon, the
bow E of the vehicle will be submerged to a substantially greater
depth than the stern C thereof. Due to the differential in
submersion of the bow and stern, the bow offers considerably more
resistance to the water as the vehicle V is moved therethrough by
discharge of water through the nozzle 90, whereby the vehicle will
tend to travel through a circular path should the operator be
inadvertently displaced therefrom. However, when an operator is
standing on the platform 14, the balance of the vehicle V is
changed and then the bow portion thereof extends upwardly out of
the water a greater distance than the stern C to permit
hydroplaning of the vehicle when it is driven through the water by
a jet from the nozzle 90.
In FIG. 4 it will be seen that the center of gravity 122 of the
vehicle V is a substantial distance below the center of buoyancy
124 of the vehicle. Due to this differential in vertical position
shown in FIG. 4, and in the event the vehicle inadvertently
overturns in the water, it will immediately move from any
overturned position to assume the upright position. The
longitudinally extending recess configuration of the bottom B as
shown in FIG. 5, is also of importance in operation of the vehicle
V, for due to the edges 78 the vehicle will tend to have a minimum
of slippage when pursuing a tight circular or curved path. Streams
of water flow through the longitudinally extending recesses 76 when
the vehicle is operating, and as a result, the vehicle tends to
follow a straight path.
The hull A is preferably formed from fiber glass impregnated with a
suitable polymerizable resin, and may be made either as an integral
unit exclusive of the hood G, or if desired may be made in two or
more longitudinally extending parts that are bonded together along
flanged portions 126, as shown in FIG. 1. A strap 130 is secured to
the rear portion of the nose F and extends over the hood G to an
over-center clamp 132 removably secured to wall 16. The strap 130
serves to removably hold the hood G in sealing engagement with the
resilient strip 28 shown in FIG. 3.
From the previous description of the structure and operation of the
vehicle it will be seen that the engine J and associated equipment
60 not only serve to power the vehicle, but they are so located in
the vehicle that there is a differential in spacing between the
center of buoyancy and center of gravity whereby the vehicle is
self-righting from any overturned position. Also, the weight of the
engine J and associated equipment 60 is so located longitudinally
on the vehicle that the bow E is submerged a greater depth than the
stern C when no operator is present on the vehicle. Due to this
differential in the depth of submersion, the bow E offers greater
resistance to movement through the water than that portion of the
hull rearwardly therefrom, and as a result the vehicle V will
automatically circle if a user is displaced therefrom. Such
circling movement of the vehicle V permits easy recapture of the
vehicle by the user swimming in the water.
The steering and control mechanism K is buoyant, but is of
sufficient weight as to at all times tend to pivot to the lowermost
position shown in FIG. 1 when the vehicle is in an upright
position. Also, the steering and control mechanism is of sufficient
length as to be operable by a user, either when the user is
supported on the deck 14, or when he is in the water immediately
rearward the stern C. Due to the user being able to guide the
vehicle as well as control the speed thereof when in the water
immediately rearward the stern of the vehicle, the ease with which
he may regain an operating position on the vehicle is greatly
improved.
The use and operation of the invention has previously been
described in detail and need not be repeated.
* * * * *