Kite launching and stabilizing apparatus

Kite launching apparatus including a control line with a portion thereof which is elastic. A portion of a Velcro holding structure is operatively attached to the kite or the control line. A stake is provided for being anchored to the ground. Another portion of the Velcro holding structure is operatively attached to the stake whereby the two portions of Velcro can be connected together. Once the Velcro holding structure portions are connected together the launching structure can be utilized by pulling on the control line to stretch the elastic portion thereof. When enough force has been applied to the Velcro holding structure to cause the two Velcro portions to come apart, the kite is automatically launched because of the pull of the elastic portion of the control line as it returns to its original shape.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The pastime of flying kites has apparently been practiced for centuries. 
While the structures of such kites have developed to the extent that there 
are hundreds of popular types of kites, the methods of flying such kites 
have essentially remained the same. The primary method of launching a kite 
is to have one person holding the kite while another person holds on to 
the control line or string. With a strong wind blowing, the person holding 
the kite would merely guide it straight upwardly while the person on the 
control string would pull to keep the string tight as the kite proceeds 
upwardly into the wind. If there is insufficient wind for such procedure, 
then the person on the control string would run with the string and the 
person holding the kite would guidingly release it, and perhaps even run 
with the kite in the general direction and at the same general speed as 
the person on the control string before releasing it. 
It has proven to be exceedingly difficult, if not impossible at times, to 
launch a kite single handedly; that is, without someone to guide and hold 
the kite. Consequently, there is a need for structures which will readily 
facilitate the launching of a kite by only one person. 
Another traditional problem with kites has been that they sometimes tend to 
take nose dives to the ground or towards the ground due to abrupt changes 
in atmospheric air currents. Various stabilizers such as long tails have 
been used to prevent such events. U.S. Pat. No. 2,451,571 to Marshall also 
shows a dive stabilizer mechanism. But most structures devised to 
stabilize kites have been unduly cumbersome and complicated or too 
expensive to competitively produce. Consequently, there is obviously a 
need for an effective, simple and economical solution to this problem. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Apparatus for launching a kite with a control line attached thereto to be 
held by the person using such kite. At least a portion of such control 
line is constructed of elastic material for stabilizing the flight of the 
kite and aiding in the launch of such kite. A holding device is provided 
for releasably holding the kite in a position to be launched and an anchor 
structure is provided for selectively retaining the holding device with 
respect to the ground. 
An object of the invention is to provide an improvement for kites. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a kite launching apparatus 
for allowing one person to launch and fly a kite without the aid of other 
people. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a kite launching apparatus 
which is adaptable for use with any kite. 
Still another object is to provide an apparatus for facilitating the 
launching of a kite even in the absence of wind currents. 
A still further object of the invention is to provide a dive stabilizer for 
a kite. 
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will 
become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention 
when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate 
identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 
shows a kite 10 constructed in accordance with the present invention. The 
kite 10 is basically of conventional construction with a few additional 
parts. For example, a flat portion 11 is braced in a longitudinal 
direction by a brace 12 (FIG. 2) and in a lateral direction by a brace 13. 
The portion 11 is usually made of plastic and the portions 12 and 13 
normally of wood, but the particular material of construction is not 
critical. 
This particular type of kite 10 is normally referred to as a keel-type of 
kite because of a forwardly extending flap member 14 which is referred to 
as a keel or connection structure. The keel 14 has a reinforced opening or 
junction point 15 therein for reception of a control line 16. This control 
line 16 is tied to the keel 14 normally in a knot. The portion 16a of the 
control line which is shown in FIG. 1 is preferably made of an elastic 
material. This elastic material can be from a few inches in length to 20 
or more feet. The other end 16b of the control line 16, that is on the 
opposite end from the opening 15 would be a conventional kite string. 
Alternatively, the entire control line 16 can be made of string or other 
nonresilient material, but it looses some of the advantages which will be 
referred to below. 
It is also worthwhile to mention that the type of resilient or elastic 
material of the control line 16 is not critical and it could, for example, 
be rubber or a type of elastic material used for making clothing. 
Referring now still more specifically to FIG. 1, it is noted that an anchor 
stake 17 has been driven into the ground 18 and that a first Velcro strip 
19 is attached thereto such as by sewing it into a loop and slipping it 
onto the loop 20 of the stake 17. A complementary piece of Velcro material 
21 is secured to the keel 14 of the kite 10 at the rear thereof as shown 
in FIG. 1. The material 21 can be secured by glue or any other suitable 
means. 
A U-shaped guide structure 22 is also secured to the front and center of 
the kite 10 as is shown in detail in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is not critical 
with regard to how this U-shaped guide member 22 is secured to the kite 
and it can be accomplished by gluing it there, for example. 
In order to utilize the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, the stake 17 with 
the Velcro piece 19 attached thereto is first driven into the ground 18. 
It is to be understood that any other anchoring means, such as a weighted 
object or a belt on a fence post or the like, could be used instead of a 
stake. In any event, the kite 10 is grasped and placed so that the Velcro 
portion 21 on the keel 14 of the kite 10 is pressed against the Velcro 19 
of the stake, for example as shown in FIG. 1. Once this has been done, 
then the control line 16 is grasped and guided into the guiding structure 
22, for example as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. At that point in time the 
person utilizing this launching apparatus would continue to keep the 
tension on the line 16 and he would gradually back away from the kite 10, 
for example directly to the right as shown in FIG. 1, sliding his hand 
down the control line 16 so as to always keep pressure on the control line 
16 as he so moves. Once he is a sufficient distance away, for example 50 
feet, he would then pull on the control line 16 until the elastic portion 
has stretched to a maximum amount. Continued pulling on the control line 
16 will eventually exceed the force required to break the connection 
between the Velcro pieces 19 and 21. Once this occurs, the tension on the 
control line 16 will cause the kite to immediately launch upwardly into 
the air, for example as shown in the initial stage of such launching in 
dashed lines in FIG. 1. 
While this invention will work when the control line 16 is constructed of a 
non-resilient type of material such as ordinary kite string, it performs 
much better if the elastic portion referred to above is utilized. 
Consequently, if the elastic is used, once the Velcro pieces 19 and 21 
separate, the elastic will give a very strong pull on the kite 10 and will 
significantly aid in the launching of the kite. If there is enough wind, 
the lauching of the kite is made easier by launching it into the wind, but 
it is to be understood that a kite can be launched utilizing this 
invention without any wind at all; but, under such conditions it would 
require that the person flying the kite run while holding onto the control 
line 16 once it is launched in order to keep it flying. 
Once the kite is up in the air, the presence of an elastic portion on the 
control line 16 will act as a dive stabilizer. That is, this elastic 
portion will prevent the kite from taking dives because it cushions abrupt 
wind changes, something that does not occur when a non-resilient control 
line is used. 
Referring now to FIG. 4, a second embodiment is shown and illustrates what 
shall be termed a front mount model. A kite 23 is shown; and, this kite 23 
can be referred to as a modified diamond-shaped kite since it resembles a 
diamond, but it is longer at the bottom rather than being completely 
symmetrical. This kite 23 would, of course, have conventional 
perpendicular bracing from corner to corner, but such bracing is not shown 
in detail. A string or connection structure 24 extends from one point 25 
attached to the longitudinal brace, to another point 26 wherein it is tied 
to the longitudinal brace. A material such as paper or plastic 27 serves 
as the means for catching the wind. 
The same type of anchor 17 is shown in FIG. 4 as is shown in FIG. 1, and it 
also has a Velcro strip 19 attached thereto as in the FIG. 1 embodiment. 
The FIG. 4 embodiment, instead of having the Velcro attached directly to 
the kite as in the FIG. 1 embodiment, has the Velcro attached to the 
control line 28 near where the control line 28 contacts and attaches to 
the string 24 at junction point 33. This Velcro strip 29 can be attached 
to the control line 28 in any of several different ways such as by being 
tied thereto or being sewn thereto. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the 
control line 28 is again made of an elastic material, but it could instead 
be made of string 30 for example as shown in FIG. 5 and having a Velcro 
strip 31. 
The launching procedure for the FIG. 4 embodiment is exactly like that of 
the FIG. 1 embodiment once the Velcro 29 is attached to the Velcro 19. 
It is very clear that the two embodiments shown do indeed accomplish the 
objects referred to above. It should also be quite apparent that this 
invention is adaptable to all kinds of kites or other objects or 
projectiles which are launched in a similar fashion. For example, box 
kites, square kites, inflated kites and kites of the shape of fish and 
animals can all be launched by one person by utilizing the principles of 
this invention. 
Also, with respect to the releasable holding device, it is noted that while 
a preferred embodiment using Velcro is disclosed, that other releasable 
holding devices would be included in this invention in its broadest sense. 
For example, a clothes pin of the type being spring biased to a closed 
position attached to an anchor stake could serve as a releasable holding 
device for such a kite launcher of the type disclosed herein. Obviously 
many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in 
light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, 
within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced 
otherwise than as specifically described.