US2693329A - Kite frame construction - Google Patents

Description

N 1954 c. E. BEACHY KITE FRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 17, 1952 CHA/PLEs E. BEA cm INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY L WV United States PatentOfiFice This invention relates to kites and it has particular reference to certain improvements in collapsible kite frames.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a kite frame made up of a plurality of parallel, co-extensive frame members held detachably in assembled relationship by interconnecting ribs which are primarily joined to each other and to the parallel members by pins in certain of the members which are retained in holes of companion members, thepins being held against displacement from their respective holes by elastic bands so related to the interconnecting members at their joints to resist relative displacement thereof. The elastic'bands are effective to permit a certain amount of movement between the interconnecting members to relieve strain and absorb shock which would otherwise tend to cause breakage of the members if they were not permitted to yield to violent strains and severe shocks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a kite frame which may be readily assembled and disassembled and, by virtue of the novel means by which the elements of the frame areinterconnected for yielding displacement, the frame may be subjected to more abuse than it would otherwise survive if the parts were not resiliently joined together, hence the kite will have a longer life but will be as economical to construct as other less rugged kite construction.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention has further reference to certain features of accomplishment which will become apparent as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view with part of the plane members broken away to better reveal the frame construction.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the resilient connection between one of the parallel frame members and an interconnecting member.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detailed View of one of the wings, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, showing a modified example of the resilient connection between parts of the kite frame.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, reference numeral denotes each of the three parallel frame members or booms which are of equal length. These members may be of any suitable material but are preferably made of wood and it is obvious that there may be three of these members, as shown, or four of such members may be used to form the so-called box kite. Spaced from the upper and lowerends of the assembled frame members 10 are brace members or sticks 11 and 12 forming a substantially T-shaped interconnecting assembly for the said frame members 10. Each of the'two brace members 11 has a pin 13 embedded in each end thereof and extending a short distance from the end. The pin in one end of each member 11 is adapted to enter a hole 14 in the foremost frame member 10 while the pin in the opposite end of each of the members 11 is adapted to enter a hole midway between the ends of one of the companion brace members 12. Each of the two brace members 12 has a pin 15 embedded in its end and extends beyond the end into a hole in one of the rear frame members 10. The interconnecting assemblies consisting of the brace members 11 and 12 adjacent the top and bottom of the kite frame are identical to each other and their manner of 2,693,329 Patented Nov. 2, 1954 attachment through the medium of the pins 15 and holes 14 are the same in each assembly, hence the same reference numerals are used for both the top and bottom assemblies.

In order to prevent displacement of thepins 13 and 15 of the members 11 and 12 of each assembly from their respective holes, rubber bands 16 are looped in notches 17 made in the rear frame members 10 and spaced on each side of the connection between the brace members 12 and the said frame members 10 at both the top and bottom of the frame. The rubber bands 16 are then engaged in grooves or slots 18 in the brace members 12 and spaced inwardly from each end of each brace member. The rubber bands 16 are secured in the notches or slots 17 and 18 under tension, hence his a tendency of the rubber bands to urge the rear frame members 10 toward the ends of the upper and lower brace members 12. These bands are effective also to permit limited movement between the frame members 10 and brace members 12 and to relieve shock imposed on the frame as a whole to prevent fracture thereof at the joints.

The notches 18 adjacent the ends of brace members 12 also retain rubber bands 19, the latter being brought under tension and, engaged in notches 20 in the upper and lower surfaces of brace members 11 at a point spaced from the ends thereof which engage the midsections of companion brace members 12. Tension on .the rubber bands 19 cause the brace members 11 and 12 to be urged into close relationship and held in such relationship against forces tending to separate them.

v In a manner similar to the foregoing, rubber bands 21 i are engaged in notches or slots 22 in the sides of brace members 11 at a point spaced inwardly of the end of said member 11 which engages the foremost frame member 10. The bands 21 are also engaged in notches or slots 23 in the foremost frame member 10 at points spaced above and below the point of engagement between the brace members 11 and the said frame members 10, at both the top and bottom of the kite frame. Thus, the frame members and brace members are held securely together, subject to limited displacement as permitted by the resilient bands.

Embracing the frame members 10 at the top and bottom end concealing the interconnecting assembly are planes 24 and 25. These planes may be made of any material but are preferably constructed from pliable plastic sheet material to allow for a small degree of resiliency.

On each side of the kite frame is a wing 26 consisting of paper or other suitable material whose edges 27 are overlapped on twine or cord 28 and secured by gluing or other means. The cord 28 of each wing is engaged in notches 29 in the upper ends of the rearmost frame members 10 and in notches 30 in the lower ends of these frame members. The chords 28 of the wings 26 are brought under tension by a transverse frame member 31, the cord 28 of each wing lying in a notch 32 in each end of the transverse frame member 31. The transverse frame member 31 is attached to the rearmost frame members 10 by small rubber bands 32a, the bands being looped in notches 32b in the said frame members 10 and over the said transverse frame member 31, in the manner shown in Figure 1.

A flying bridle 33 has one end attached adjacent the upper end of the foremost frame member 10 and its opposite end attached to the same frame member adjacent its lower end. A line 34 is attached to the bridle 33 for flying the kite.

In Figure 4 is shown a modified example of the resilient connection between the socalled brace members and the parallel frame members of the kite. In this form of the invention, a parallel frame member is identified by reference numeral 35 and has pressed therein a wire staple 36, one leg of which is clenched on the inner face of the frame member while the companion leg 37 of the staple extends perpendicularly to the frame member. A strip of relatively thin but stiff material 38, such as fiber, lies flush against and in parallelism with the inner surface of the frame member 35 and has notched ends 39. A brace member 40 abuts the reinforcing strip 38 and has an axial hole in its end to receive the leg 37 of the stapl'e 36. An endless rubber band 41 embraces the frame member 35 at points spaced from each side of the staple 36 and the leads of the rubber band are brought together and pressed into the notch at each end of the reinforcingstrip: 38;,thenee, the leads-10f" the band-continue downwardlynand 'are engaged in-notches 42 in each side-of the bracemember 40: In thismanner, the points. in the frame members 35 vulnerable to fracture under certain'conditions: are reir'rforcedv by the .strips 38?:withou1: sacrificing .anyzofthe resiliency-afforded by the. connections 'Manifestly, the, construction as shown and described is: capable. of some modification-and such modification asmay beconstrued to :fall within the scope and meaning ;of the'appended claims isjalso consid'ered'tobe within the spirit and'intent; of the invention;

What. is claimed is;

1. In a kite frame construction,a-plurality of parallel frame members of-equal ilengths spaced apart" intrian- "-gularrelationship, each ofi-"said frame members having; a

"pair of' spaced apartylate'ral'uslots adjacent, each of its (is, a substantially T shapevd interconnectingassembly fOI'JSaId frame membersadjacenti their upper and lower endszjeachsaid assembly comprisinga first brace member having opposed 'lateral slots spaced from each end thereof, a, pin in each end of said first bracemember'entering holes in two. off'said frame members-unidway" between the slots ofeachpair of slots therein, and ansecond brace member havingopposed lateral. slots spaced-from each endthereof, a pin in each end of said secondbrac'emember, one pin. thereof 1 entering ahole in the'midsection of said first" brace member -midway between the slots therein, the other of said, pins entering-a hole in the remainder: of said frame members'midway between the slots of each pair of slots therein, and an elastic band means engaged in each pair of slots of each of said frame membersland the sdots of a brace member at its point of connection with said frame member to yieldingly hold said pins against dislocation with respect to said holes.

2. In a kite frame, a, series of parallel frame members of equal lengths, a-pair of correlated brace members detachably connected topsaid, frame members at points spaced fromeach end of said frame members, said brace members each comprisinga pair of sticks disposed in T-shape, each having notched sides adjacent each end, -apin protruding from each end. of each stick adapted to enter a hole spaced from the end of each frame member, said frame'members each having notches therein on each side of said hole, a rubber band engaged in the notches in each of said frame members, and held under tension in the notches in said brace member to urge said brace member into-yielding juxtaposition with said frame member;

Re'ferenees-Citeddn the file of this patent- UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,180,224 Ayling Apr. 18, 1916 1,222,791 Perkins Apr. 17, 1917 1,546,099 Myers July 14, 1925 1,908,325 DeHaven May 9', 1933 1,912,808 Watson June 6, 1933 2,386,762 Wheelwr-ight Oct. 16, 1945 2,422,804 Schroeder June 24, 1947 2,483,614 Benson Oct. 4, 1949 2,558,980 Pi'nkham July 3, 1951

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