A FLOATABLE DEVICE

Abstract: A floatable device, such as a fisherman's float tube, includes a buoyant body (2), a seat (6) adjacent an opening (4) through which a user's legs may pass and a strap (16) to extend between the user's legs. The strap has a releasable connector including a first coupling member (20) and a second coupling member (22), each with apertures therein into which the shaft of a weighted pin (24) may be inserted. The pin (24) is so weighted that it is held in place when the device floats upright by gravity alone and automatically falls out when the device is inverted, again by gravity alone, to release the connector.

Description: This invention relates to a floatable device such as a fisherman's flotation device. Fishermen sometimes sit in a flotation device which is generally constructed of a pneumatic, toroidally shaped tube having a flexible seat extending over part of the central opening, the fisherman passing his legs through the remainder of the opening. A strap generally extends from the front of the seat and passes between the legs of the user and is releasably connected to the tube. The means by which the strap is connected is of critical importance because the straps must be rapidly disconnected should the tube accidentally overturn, to prevent the drowning of the fisherman. Previous types of such connecting means have required manual action by the fisherman to release the connector and thereby unhook the seat. This requirement for manual action by the fisherman can result in a dangerous, even fatal, situation when the overturned fisherman panics or is otherwise unable to manipulate the connector. According to the present invention there is provided a floatable device comprising a buoyant body having a seat adjacent an opening through which the legs of a user may pass and a strap to extend between the legs of the user when sitting on the seat and a connector for releasably connecting the strap to the buoyant body, the connector including a first coupling member attached to the strap or to the buoyant body and a second coupling member attached to the buoyant body or to the strap respectively, the first and second coupling members having a first aperture and a second aperture therein, respectively, and a weighted pin insertable in said first and second apertures for releasably securing said first coupling member to said second coupling member, when said coupling members are positioned adjacent one another with said apertures aligned, the mass of the pin being sufficient to retain said pin in said apertures by gravity alone, when said device is floating in an upright position and sufficient to disengage said pin from said aperture by gravity alone, when said device is inverted thereby to release said coupling members. Such a floatation device does not require any manipulation by a user for the user to be released therefrom, because the pin automatically falls out, thus disconnecting the connector which normally holds the strap in place. In order that the present invention will more readily be understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of floatable device including one form of automatically disconnecting safety connector of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in Fig.1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, taken along line 3-3, of a portion of the device of Fig.1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig.1; Figs.5 and 6 are side and end views of one form of first coupling member of the present invention; Figs.7 and 8 are side and end views of one form of second coupling member of the present invention; Figs.9, 10 and 11 are a top plan, a bottom plan and a side view, respectively, of the pin of the present invention; Fig.12 is a view of the device of Fig.1, shown in an overturned position; Fig.13 is a plan view of a second embodiment of floatable device according to the present invention; Fig.14 is a side view of the device of Fig.13; and Fig.15 is a sectional view taken along line 15-15 of Fig.13. The floatable device shown in Figs.1-11 includes a fisherman's float in the form of a pneumatic tube 2 having a toroidal shape in which a central opening 4 is defined. The pneumatic tube 2 is of an ordinary construction for being filled with air or the like to make it buoyant in water. Associated with the tube 2 is a seat for holding a user within the central opening 4 of the tube 2, the seat including a seat section 6 made of a flexible material. The section 6 is fastened relative to the tube 2 by three fixed retaining straps 8, 10, 12, each of which has one end sewn to a portion of the seat section 6 and another end sewn to a cover 14 which has the tube 2 retained therein by means of a zipper or other suitable fastener. The straps 8,10, 12 are spaced around the tube 2 and attached to respective spaced portions of the seat section 6. The seat has a fourth strap 16 which has one end sewn or otherwise fixed to the seat section 6, to extend from the front part thereof. The other end of the strap 16 is free so that it can receive a part of the connector, for connecting it to a retaining strap 18 sewn to the cover 14 in spaced relation to the straps 8, 10, 12. By having the strap 16 and the strap 18 releasably connectible by the connector, access to and from the seat is made easier. The connector includes two coupling members 20, 22 and a weighted pin means 24 for releasably securing the coupling members 20, 22 together. The first coupling member 20 includes a rectangular rigid metallic plate 26 having a circular aperture 28 near the centre and a rectangular slot near one end, both extending through the entire thickness of the plate 26. The free end of the strap 16 is inserted through the slot 30 and doubled back and then sewn to itself as illustrated in the drawings. The second coupling member 22 has a bifurcated body with spaced parallel rectangular rigid metallic plate members 32 and 34 integrally connected at one end by a web portion 36, to define therebetween a gap 38 having a width greater than the thickness of the plate member 26. Aligned apertures 40, 42 extend through the entire thicknesses of plate members 32, 34, and are positioned to register with the aperture 28 of the plate member 26 when the latter is inserted in the gap 38. The free end of the strap 18 can be threaded through a slot 44, in the web portion 36 and then doubled back upon itself and sewn thereto to secure the coupling member 22. The coupling members 20, 22 can be held together by a weighted pin 24 which includes a cylindrical main body 46 having a first mass. The main body 46 has an outer diameter which is greater than the diameters of the apertures 40, 42 so that it will not pass through these apertures. Extending from the main body 46 is a straight cylindrical shaft portion 48, the outer diameter of which is slightly less than the diameters of the apertures 28, 40, 42, so that the shaft 48 can be received therein. The shaft 48 has a head portion 49. The shaft 48 has a second mass which is related to the mass and weight of the main body 46, so that the pin 24 is held by gravity in the apertures 28, 40, 42 when the shaft 48 is disposed therein and the tube 2 is in an upright position and so that the pin 24 is automatically pulled by gravity, thereby removing the shaft 48 from the apertures 28, 40, 42, as soon as the tube 2 is overturned from its upright position. In the preferred embodiment the mass of the shaft 48 is less than the mass of the main body 46. So that the pin means 24 will not be lost when the tube 2 is overturned, it also includes a retainer chain 50 having one end connected through the loop defined by the doubled-back strap 18 adjacent the slot 44 and having another end secured to the top of the main body 46, eg by a screw 51 threadedly connected in a hole 47 formed in the main body 46. In operation, the connector apparatus is used to retain the coupling members 20, 22 in a connected relationship when the tube 2 is maintained in an upright position, which position is illustrated in Fig. 1. To assume this position, the user enters the central opening 4 of the tube 2 and pulls the strap 16 between his legs. He inserts the plate member 26 into the gap 38 of the bifurcated body of the coupling member 22. The apertures 28, 40, 42 are aligned and the shaft 48 of the pin 24 is inserted into these aligned apertures from above as viewed in Fig. 1. Gravity holds the pin 24 in this position as long as the tube 2 is maintained in its upright position. Should the tube 2 become overturned to a position such as is illustrated in Fig 12, gravity and the masses of the main body 46 and shaft 48 create a force which automatically moves the pin 24 out of the apertures 28, 40, 42. This extraction is facilitated by the smooth surface and smaller diameter of the cylindrically shaped shaft 48. When the shaft 48 is extracted, the coupling member 20 separates from the coupling member 22 whereby the straps 16, 18 are separated to allow the user to escape the overturned tube 2. A second embodiment of a floatable device shown in Figs 13-15 is substantially the same as the first, like parts being indicated by like reference numerals; however, the second embodiment has retaining straps 52, 54, 56, 58 which are buckled about the tube 2 by buckles 60, 62, 64, 66, respectively, rather than being sewn to a cover as in the first embodiment. The construction of the connector means and its operation with respect to this second embodiment are the same as with respect to the first embodiment.

Claims: 1. A floatable device comprising a buoyant body (2) having a seat (6) adjacent an opening (4) through which the legs of a user may pass and a strap (16) to extend between the legs of the user when sitting on the seat and a connector for releasably connecting the strap (6) to the buoyant body (2), characterised in that the connector includes a first coupling member (20) attached to the strap (16) or to the buoyant body (6) and a second coupling member (22) attached to the buoyant body (6) or to the strap (16) respectively, the first and second coupling members having a first aperture (28) and a second aperture (40, 42) therein, respectively, and a weighted pin (24) insertable in said first and second apertures for releasably securing said first coupling member (20) to said second coupling member (22), when said coupling members are positioned adjacent one another with said apertures aligned and in that the mass of the pin (24) is sufficient to retain said pin in said apertures by gravity alone, when said device is floating in an upright position and sufficient to disengage said pin from said aperture by gravity alone, when said device is inverted thereby to release said coupling members. 2. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that said pin (24) includes a head portion (46, 49) which is larger in diameter than said first and second apertures and has a first mass and a cylindrical shaft portion which has a diameter less than that of said first and second apertures and has a second mass which is less than said first mass. 3. A device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said pin includes a retainer (50) for retaining the body portion on said floatable device, while allowing said pin to move freely into and out of said apertures. 4. A device according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the first coupling member (20) includes a first rigid plate (26) having said first aperture therein, in that said second coupling member (22) includes a bifurcated body having spaced, substantially parallel rigid plates (32, 34) defining a gap (38) therebetween of a width to accommodate the thickness of said first rigid plate (26). 5. A device according to any preceding Claim, characterised in that the strap (16) includes a first part connected to the seat (6) and to one of the coupling members and a second part (18) connected to the buoyant body and to the other coupling member and in that the second part (18) includes a buckle (66) for releasable clamping it to the buoyant body.

Inventors: WOOD, JOHN AARON VIRGIL
Applicants: WOOD, JOHN AARON VIRGIL
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B63B35
IPC codes: B63B35, A01K97, B63C9