US3380425A - Surfboard - Google Patents

Description

114-253. OR 3.380.425 SR Ti April 1963 H- A. WILSON 3,380,425

SURFBOARD Filed May 10, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.I.

FIG'Z. FIG.6.

PIC-5.8. FlG.4. mvmon Henry Allen Wilson BY /I,

ATTORNEY April 30, 1968 I HA. WILSON 3,380,425

SURFBOARD Filed May 10, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet Z ATTORNEY United States Patent M 3,380,425 SURFBOARD Henry Allen Wilson, 1000 Eldorado Ave., Clearwater Beach, Fla. 33515 Filed May 10, 1966, Ser. No. 548,920 4 Claims. (Cl. 114-435 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a surfboard and more particularly to a means for attaching a towing lineth e re t o Riding a surfboard tcYwed bTa pd'w ered craft is a? popular sport but can be dangerous to the inexperienced as well as providing problems in getting started. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a tow for a surfboard which will reduce the danger to the inexperienced as well as overcome the problem in getting started. To this end I fasten in a more or less permanent manner a tow rope to the underside of the board whereby to tip the board to bring the leading edge out of the water to thereby provide a proper angle for the board as it is towed. This prevents an inexperienced rider from forcing the leading edge under the surface of the water to overturn the board with the danger of being hit as he is thrown into the water ahead of the board. Also by providing the proper angle the start of the ride is simplified because the board is at the correct planing angle to skim over the water.

The invention will be understood by reading the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a surfboard showing the towing line connected thereto by a lasso connection;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation showing the tow line connected to the board by a hook and eye connection;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the tow line connected by a snap connection;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a ball end and key slot connection;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the rope molded in the board;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the rope connected to the board by a cam chock connection;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a bayonet joint connection;

FIG. 8 is a view showing a capstan and loop connection;

FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the invention shown in FIG. '7;

FIG. 10 is a section taken on the line 1010 of FIG. 9 with the parts greatly enlarged;

FIG. 11 is a similarly enlarged view of the connector of FIGS. 9 and 10;

FIG. 12 is a section taken on the line 1212 of FIG. 11;

FIGS. 13 and 14 are views showing how the separation of the connector of FIGS. 9-12 is effected.

In the drawings there is illustrated a surfboard 10 having a leading edge 12 and an undersurface 14. A tow rope 16 is secured to the board in such manner that when attached to a towing craft and tensioned by the towing action of the craft it will bear on the leading edge of the surfboard as shown in FIG. 2 to cause the board 3,380,425 Patented Apr. 30, 1968 to assume an angle with the surface of the water 18 such that the lea-ding edge is the high point of the board.

In FIG. 1 the tow rope is secured to the board by a lasso connection adjacent the leading edge of the board but removed therefrom a sufficient distance to produce the proper tip to the board when it is towed.

In FIGS. 2 and 3 an eye 20 is secured to the undersurface of the board for connection with the towing rope. The eye is secured adjacent the leading edge of the board but removed therefrom a sufiicient distance to produce the proper angle when the board is towed. In FIG. 2 the rope is secured to a hook 28 which is hooked through the eye while in FIG. 3 the rope end is connected to a snap fitting 22 which has a hook portion 24 hooked through the eye and a spring biased closure element 26 biased to close the open portion of the hook. In FIG. 7 the rope is secured to an eye 42 which is connected to the board in a manner to be described with reference to FIGS. 9-14.

In FIG. 4 a key slot 30 is formed in the undersurface of the board for reception of a ball 32. The rope 16 is secured to the ball which is held captive in the key slot.

In FIG. 5 the end of the rope is untwisted to produce a plurality of filaments 32 and the filaments are molded in the board.

Tatiifiizlliiiii aingtiaeseeketeonrieetieathat'ewee quickly disconnected at will but will remain connected under normal conditions of tow rope movement and slack which might tend to uncouple a conventional head and socket connector. The connector in this form of the invention comprises a socket part 43 consisting of a plate member 44 formed generally in the shape of a Y. An open ended slot 46 is formed in the crotch of the Y to slidably receive a head 48 formed with a protuberance 49. The slot forms a way for holding and slidably guid ing the head 48 during sliding movement therein. The head is secured to a body portion 50 and defines a headed member. The body portion comprises a plate part 52 and a flange 54. The tow eye 42 is integral with the headed member. Both the socket member and headed member with the eye are formed of a suitable plastic substance such as nylon or Teflon, for example, but could be formed of any suitable material. The base plate 44 can be secured to the board by threaded fasteners or a suitable adhesive neither of which is illustrated in the drawing for the sake of simplicity.

The overall height of the head 48 and the protuberance 49 as indicated by the letter H is slightly greater than the thickness of plate 44 as indicated by the shading in FIG. 10. When the parts are assembled on the undersurface of the surfboard the protuberance will be in frictional engagement with the undersurface to provide a brake therewith such that a slackening of the tow line will prevent the water pressure from moving the headed member toward the open end of the slot. If for some reason, such as hitting debris, the hook is forced rearwardly the surface 56 thereof will contact a surface 58 of the plate 44 as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 10 to prevent disconnection of the headed and socket members.

In all forms of the invention the connection means is secured to the underside of the surfboard at a point removed from the leading edge such that the tensioned tow rope will bear on the leading edge to cause the board to assume an angle with the water such that the leading edge is the high point of the board.

I claim as my invention:

1. A surfboard having a leading edge and an undersurface, a rope for towing the board through the water, and means for connectirg the rope totheundersurface of tgfirfaffar'ngagmeht with v the leading edge for towingthe board with the leading edge above the body of the board, the connecting means comprising a socket member secured to the undersurface of the board and a headed member slidably mounted in the socket, the socket member comprising a plate having a slotted way therein open at one end, and means confining the headed member for sliding movement in the way, and a protuberance on the headed member in frictional engagement with said undersurface for braking the movement of the headed member in the way.

2. A surfboard having a leading edge and an undersurface, a rope for towing the board through the water, and means for connecting the rope to the undersurface of the board for engagement with the leading edge for towing the board with the leading edge above the body of the board, the connection comprising a socket member and a headed member slidably mounted in the socket member, one of said members being secured to the underside of the board, said socket member comprising a plate having a slotted way therein open at one end and means confining the headed member for sliding movement in the way, an eye secured to the headed member for connection to the rope and means mounting the eye for abutting engagement with the plate as the member is moved toward the open end of the way with the eye moving toward the way.

3. A surfboard as defined in claim 2 wherein the socket member is secured to the undersurface of the board and the headed member is provided with a protuberance in frictional engagement with the undersurface to provide a brake for braking the movement of the headed member in the Way.

4. A coupling comprising a plate member having a slotted open ended way therein, a head member slidably mounted in the way, and a protuberance on the head member, the thickness of the plate member being less than the height of the head member and the protuberance thereon whereby when the plate is mounted on a member to be coupled the protuberance will be in frictional braking engagement with the member to be coupled, an eye, and means securing the eye to the head member for abutting engagement with the plate member as the head member is moved toward the open end of the way with the eye moving toward the way.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,423,590 7/1922 Zimmerman 24-224 1,428,358 9/1922 Burbery 24-222 1,559,390 10/1925 Waller 9310 2,403,057 7/ 1946 Davis 24222 3,092,857 6/1963 Churchman 93 10 3,308,493 3/1967 Lambach 9-310 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner.

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