US2124062A - Child's play raft - Google Patents

Description

July 19, 1938. G, A. GRANT Er AL 2,124,062

CHILD s PLAY RAFT Filed April 19. 1937 RNEY.

- Parenteel July 19, 193e CHILDS PLAY RAFT George A. Grant and Wells F. Le Moine, Oakland, Calif.

Application April 19, 1937, Serial No. 137,752

3 Claims.

The invention relates to devices such as amusement and swimming instruction float used to support and iioat persons, and particularly children, in water.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which, while aiording a body iioat for a child, will at the same time enable and afford a partial submergence of the lower portion of the childs body and up to substantially the waist and chest portions oi' the childs body and leave the childs legs free in the water to propel the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which is so l5 arranged as to afford, when in use, for a weight distribution having the center of gravity of the child and the device positioned below the plane of support of the device in the water so that there will be no possibility of the child overturning the device when afloat in the water.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character labove wherein the utmost safety for the protection of the child is a'orded by insuring a proper flotative buoyancy of the device and in safeguarding and preventing an accidental dislodgment of the child from the device.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the fore- 3@ going, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specication. it is to be u nderstood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawing:

Figure l is a plan view of a childs play raft constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view oi' the raft and is taken substantially on the plane of line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the raft.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line`4-d of Figure l.

The childs play raft illustrated in the `accom-- panying drawing consists of a oat 6 having transversely spaced water buoyant portions adapted for oating on a body of water, or the like, and a body support l here shown in the form of a seat which is carried by the oat in spaced 55 balanced relation between the water buoyant portions of the i'ioat for supporting a child in the water. More specifically, the float comprises 'a body or frame member 8 which is formed with an open central portion 9 and about the outer periphery II of which is secured, as by means of a 5 plurality of brackets I2, an air tube I3 which, in accordance with the present raft, provides a majority of the buoyancy of the raft. Preferably, the construction is such as to permit the ready removal of the tube I3 when desired for repair l0 or replacement and to'this end the brackets I2 are so arranged as toprovide a horizontal out- Wardly opening channel for the inner periphery of the tube, (see Figures 2 and 3) whereby the tube will be normally securely held in place, but 15 may be removed by stretching, where the material of the tube will so permit, to remove the same from the brackets l2. In the present design the tube I3 is made of rubber and is of the type used for inner tubes for pneumatic tires and is provided with an air lling stem I4 which may be bent and engaged by a side arm portion I 6 of one of the brackets i2. In the present showing the brackets I2 each consist of a pair of metal strips ll and I8 which are secured as by bolts I9 to the 25 upper and lower sides 2| and 22 of the member 8 adjacent its periphery II, the strips I'I and i8 being extended beyond the periphery Il and being bent away from each other to provide a pocket or channel for the receipt oi' the inner pe- 30 riphery of the tube I3.

As will be seen from Figures 1 and 2, the seat l is mounted in the open portion 9 of the member 8 and is preferably supported below the plane of the member 8 and the plane of sup- 35 port of the raft in the water so as to cause a submersion of the lower portion of the childs body in the Water. As here shown, the seat 'l is suspended from the member 8 by means of a plurality of straps 23 which position the seat 40 centrally of the opening 9 and allows the child to straddle the seat with his legs and leaves the childs body completely open to the water. Preferably, the straps 23 are made of a flexible material, such as, fabric, so as to allow the child some relative movement with respect toI the raft as a whole. Also, as will be noticed, the seat supports the child only in the crotch and leaves the childs legs entirely free and submerged in the water and unrestricted in their movements for kicking or for churning in the water and in propelling the raft. As an important safety feature of the raft, the seat 'i is disposed by a distance below the member 8 leaving the childs arms and shoulders entirely above the top side important my feature of the -device the member l is preferably formed out of some w'ater buoyant material, such as aleahgeortallure olthetube Il.theraftw1ll, regardless of all else, have suillcient buoyancy tonunaln afloat andsateluardachildusinxthe ame.

Another important feature ot the present dersttwithotherobiects.

Weclaim: hechildsplaydevioedthecharaeterdemembers positioned on the rait imtothetrontandrearoisaidopeninz viding guards to prevent the child from sitand a srippins Y clonal A GRANT.

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