Abstract:
A water craft that is made in three units which are connected together. The dimensions of the units can be varied to carry different size users. A motor that forces air through a tube is mounted in one of the units and air passageways lead from the motor to another unit. The water craft has two different steering mechanisms and exterior fins to control the craft.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates, in general, to water craft, and, in particular, to a personal water craft with a variety of propulsion units that adapt it to swimming pools or larger bodies of water. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to a water craft that is made in three units which are connected together. The dimensions of the units can be varied to carry different size users. A motor that forces air through a tube is mounted in one of the units and air passageways lead from the motor to another unit. The water craft has two different steering mechanisms and exterior fins to control the craft. 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved watercraft that can carry different size users. 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved watercraft that can be propelled by a variety of mechanisms.  
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved watercraft that is naturally buoyant. 
   These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description, when taken in connection with the annexed drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the front portion of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the back portion of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the middle portion of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a partial view of the adjustment feature of the front portion of the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
   Referring now to the drawings in greater detail,  FIG. 1  shows the watercraft of the present invention. The watercraft has a middle section, a back section  19 , and a front section  30 . The watercraft is shaped generally like a J, and a user can sit in the curved section of the J. Each of the three sections are detachable from each other, as will be explained more fully below. The detachability feature will allow different size sections to be assembled with each other to support different size users and/or to support more than one user. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the front section  30  of the watercraft has a foam outer covering to provide flotation and center strength frames  31 ,  38 . The frame  31  has a steering handle  36  connected thereto in any conventional manner. The steering handle  36  will allow the user to move the front of the watercraft right or left during use. A steering fin  34  is secured to the front of the foam body section  30  to help the user steer the craft. The fin  34  can be unitary or integral with the body  30 . The frames  31 ,  38  can be made from any type of material that will serve the intended purpose and has a connector  32  for connecting the frame  38  with the frame member  2  in the center or middle section of the watercraft. The connector  32  can be any conventional detachable connector such as, but not limited to, a threaded ring, a bayonet ring, or a snap fit connector. 
   In addition, the frames  31 ,  38  have adjustment knobs  33 ,  37  to adjust the front portion  30  up and down to accommodate the size of the  user. As shown in  FIG. 5 , frame member  31  has a disk like knob  33  attached at one end. Frame member  38  has a disk like knob  37  attached at one end. The two knobs  33 ,  37  are superimposed and secured together by a threaded fastener passed through apertures  40 , and when the fastener  39  is tightened it will hold the knobs  33 ,  37 , and the frames  31 ,  32 , in any position they are placed in. Therefore, if a user needs more room between the front portion  30  and the rear portion  19 , he/she could loosen the fastener  39  and move frame  31  clockwise as seen in  FIG. 2 . Then by tightening fastener  39 , the frame member could be held in its new position. If a user needs less room between the front portion  30  and the rear portion  19 , he/she could loosen the fastener  39  and move frame  31  counterclockwise as seen in  FIG. 2 . Then by tightening fastener  39 , the frame member could be held in its new position. Since the foam material that makes up front portion  30  is a flexible material, it will accept the relative movement of the frame members  38 ,  31 . 
     FIG. 3  shows the back section of the watercraft which has a foam outer covering  19  for floatation, and a center strength frame  20 , which essentially serve the same purpose as the foam  30  and frame  31  in  FIG. 2 . An air channel or pipe  22  leads from the top of the back section to a motor  25 . The pipe  22  is connected to the motor by a valve  26  which allows air to move only one way through the valve. A motor brace  23  is secured to the frame  23  in any conventional manner. The brace engages against the side of the motor  25  to stabilize and support the motor. If  necessary another brace could be applied to the other side of the motor  25 . A foam motor support  28  is attached to the back, bottom portion of the back section  19 . A mechanical connector  21 , similar to connector  32  on the front section, is used to connect the back section frame  20  to the middle section frame  2 . An air outlet  27  allows air from the motor  25  to be blown into the air pipe or channel  3  on the center section. 
   A DC (battery operated) motor can be used to power the water craft, or a more powerful gas motor can be used, as long as the motor can blow enough air to move the watercraft. 
     FIG. 4  shows the center or middle section of the watercraft. This section has a foam outer covering  1 , similar to  19  and  30 . The center section also has a strength frame  2 , similar to frames  20  and  31 ,  38  and a stabilizing fin  44  similar to fin  34 . Air pipe  3  is connected to outlet  27  by conventional connector  4 . Air pipe  3  is narrow at the top of the middle section and widens at it approaches the bottom or curved part of the middle section. 
   Inside the pipe  3  is a ball  5  which has a diameter larger than the top portion of the pipe, and a diameter smaller than the bottom portion of the pipe. Positioned internally of the pipe  3 , near the bottom of the pipe, is a plurality of bars  9 . The bars make this section of the pipe smaller than the diameter of the ball  5  so the ball will not move all the way down into the pipe  3  and block the outlet port  43 . If water enters the outlet port  43 , the water will force the ball  5  toward the top of the  pipe  3 . When the ball is forced into the smaller portion of the pipe, it will block the pipe and prevent water from reaching the motor  25 . 
   As air is forced down the pipe  3  from the motor  25 , the ball  5  will be forced down until it encounters the bars  9 . The bars  9  will hold the ball in a portion of the pipe  3  that is larger than the diameter of the ball  5 , thereby allowing air to pass around the ball and exit through the outlet port  43  in the outlet module  11 . The air exiting the outlet  43  will propel the watercraft through the water. 
   Attached to the frame member  2  is a foot rest  18  for the user&#39;s feet. The foot rest can be made detachable if desired. Also, the length of the foot rest can be made adjustable to fit different size riders. The foot rest servers the purpose of allowing the user to tuck their legs and feet in a manner that will reduce drag on the watercraft. 
   A compartment  14  is placed between the foot rest  18  and the pipe  3  to receive a battery (not shown) to operate the motor  25 . Conventional electric wires (not shown) would be run between the battery and the motor. In addition, the compartment  14  can receive weights, if necessary, to balance the watercraft. Also, a conventional access door (not shown) would be provided so a user can have access to the compartment, for changing or charging the battery when necessary. Obviously the door would have a seal to keep the compartment water tight.  
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , a control mechanism is attached to the outlet module  11 . This control mechanism is not shown in  FIG. 4  for clarity. A rod  16  is attached to the center section and projects substantially perpendicularly therefrom. The rod has an end section  41  that is curved and has a slot formed to accept the control handle  17 . The control handle has a portion  15  which connects to the outlet module  11  in any conventional manner. By moving the handle  17  to the right side of the slot a user can shift the craft to the right, and by moving the handle  17  to the left side of the slot a user can shift the craft to the left. 
   Although the Seahorse and the method of using the same according to the present invention has been described in the foregoing specification with considerable details, it is to be understood that modifications may be made to the invention which do not exceed the scope of the appended claims and modified forms of the present invention done by others skilled in the art to which the invention pertains will be considered infringements of this invention when those modified forms fall within the claimed scope of this invention.