US2434700A - Motor flat - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 2@, 1948. P. M. KECKLEY MOTOR FLOAT Filed Aug. 16, 1946 Patented Jan. 20, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOTOR FLOAT Paul M. Kcckley, Wardensville, W. Va.

Application August 16, 1946, Serial No. 691,091

Claims.

This invention relates generally to self-propelled watercraft, and more particularly to a motor-driven, portable float especially adapted for use in connection with water floats, sports, and other uses at swimming resorts, on which the operator rides by straddling the float behind the controls, which are located in the fore part of the float, the primary object of the invention being the provision of a float of this character 'in which the entire operating mechanism, including the motor and the propeller are enclosed in a compartment at the bow of the float, excepting the rudder, which is located at the stern of the float.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of a float of the character set forth above consisting of a single water-tight hull whose bow portion is formed to a greater depth than the intermediate and stem portions in order to supply the additional buoyancy required to support the motor or engine, its full tank, the propeller mechanism, and most of the weight of the operator, the said hull being preferably made of die-stamped aluminum, or other light weight material, with a view to portability, so that the float can be readily carried in or upon an ordinary automobile.

Other important objects and advantageous features of this invention will be apparent from the following description and the drawings appended thereto, wherein for purposes of illustration only, a presently preferred but non-limiting embodiment of the invention is set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view, showing in dotted lines the battery and accessory cases, and the rudder and its control cables.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, showing certain parts in dotted lines, and broken away to show the engine and propeller and valve mechanism.

Figure 3 is a front end elevation.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are transverse vertical sections taken on the lines ii, 55, and 6-B, re-

spectively, of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral 1' generally designates the single hull of the float, preferably of diestamped aluminum or other similarly adequate inexpensive light weight material, so that a float of a length of about five feet can be readily lifted into and out of an ordinary automobile and carried about, in fully equipped condition.

The hull 7 comprises side walls which include the straight rearwardly converging portions 0 terminating at their rear ends at the overhanging,

2 relatively shallow, transversely curved stern 9, the upper edges of the side wall portions 8, as shown in Figure 2, being straight and horizontal, and the lower edges generally parallel to the upper edges, except for the declining triangular depending portions H0.

The hull side walls further include the deeper forward portions II, a portion of whose upper edges are continuous with the upper edges of the portions 8 with their lower edges dropped substantially below the lower edges of the portions 8, while still being mainly parallel thereto.

The forward part of the side wall portions H, as indicated in Figures 3 and 4, are somewhat downwardly convergent with the upper edges thereof curved at 2 to merge into the pearshaped dome l3. The dome l3, forming a portion of the top Wall of the hull I, constitutes the top of the engine and propeller compartment, and curves rearwardly and downwardly to merge into the forward end of the generally horizontal deck 14 which is attached to the upper edges of the hull side walls 8 and forms the top of the hull.

As shown in Figure l, the forward hull side wall portions H are concaved at I5 on both sides of the hull l to accommodate the legs of the operator when straddling the hull 1 in the ordinary position of use of the float and seated on a suitable arcuate pad or cushion l5 secured in place on the deck i l. Another and larger lounging pad or cushion ll may be secured along the remainder of the deck IE to the rear of the cushion IB for use also to accommodate transient passengers.

As indicated in Figure 2, the forward ends of the side walls 8 terminate at the sides of a rearwardly declining punt nose 18 positioned below the dome i3, and the hull bottom I9 is secured between and follows the contours of the lower edges of the various portions of the hull side walls 8.

A rudder 2B is located under the stern portion 9 and has a steering post 2| projecting upwardly into the hull l and equipped with a cross-head 22 to the arms of which are secured the two flights of a steering cable 23, which are confined between forward pulleys 24 and under pulleys 25 and connected with a steering post 25 mounted in brackets 2? secured to the hull within therear part of the dome I3 and having a steering wheel 22 thereabove. A battery compartment 29 and an accessory compartment 30 located in sideby-side relation immediately rearwardly of the cushion it are secured to the hull top or deck 3 M with the rudder cables 23 passing therebetween.

Extending substantially the entire length of the hull l is the water tube 3! which runs parallelly along and is secured to the upset bottom portion 32 and opens at its rear end and in alignment with the rudder 20, a debris screen 33 being located therein as indicated in Figure 2. The water tube 3! runs forwardly from the bottom portion 32 through the deeper forward part of the hull in spaced relation to the related bottom portion 33, as far asthe point 34, where the water tube has an upwardly and diametrically enlarged propeller chamber 35 which opens at its forward side in a water intake nozzle 36, which is on a plane slightly above the bottom of the water. tube 3| and of slightly larger diameter, with a debris screen 31 closing its forward end. where it opens through the upper part of the punt nose is, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Water cut-off valves 38 and 39, pivoted across the forward part of the water pipe 3i and the water intake nozzle 35, respectively, are operatively connected by a rod All, with a cable 4| connected to the valve 3% and extending upwardly and rearwardly beneath the dome l3 and provided with a handle G2 near the steering wheel,

whereby the valves may be closed against the tension of an opening spring 43 to prevent water interference with the propeller 45 when starting the engine 45.

The screw-propeller M is located in the propeller chamber 35 on a horizontal shaft 46 journaled in a hull bracket on the rear of the chamber 35 and having a sprocket chain connection 41 with the shaft of a suitable light weight engine- 45 mounted beneath the dome 13 above and to the rear of the propeller 44', with a fuel tank 48 secured to the dome 13 above the engine. The engine 45 is supported by brackets 49 secured to the side walls 8 of the hull 1, as shown in Figure 3.

As indicated in Figures 4, and 6, the hull! can have at the points designated slight variations in hull bottom and hull top or deck contours from those hereinabove described, at which points are located and secured to the hull side walls 8 and top I A and bottom 32 the cross-braces 5!), 5i and 52, respectively, with which the water tube 3! is also connected, the openings 54 in the cross-braces lightening their weight.

Suitable operating controls (not shown) for the engine 45 may be provided in any adequate convenient and conventional form.

I claim:

1. A portable motor float comprising a single light weight closed hull comprising a shallow draft rear portion and a relatively deep draft forward or bow portion, said forward or bow portion including a dome rising above said rear portion and a lower part depending below said rear portion, a central water tube extending substantially the length of said hull rearwardly along the bottom of said rear shallow draft portion and forwardly through said deep draft bow portion to a point in spaced relation to the prow of said how portion in upwardly spaced relation with the bottom of said bow portion, a propeller cham her in said bow portion into which the forward end of said water tube opens, a water intake nozzle in said bow portion opening at its rear end into said propeller chamber, a screw propeller mounted in said propeller chamber, and an engine mounted in said bow portion beneath said dome and drivingly connected to said propeller.

2. A portable motor float comprising a single light weight closed hull comprising a shallow draft rear portion and a relatively deep draft forward or bow portion, said forward or bow portion including a dome rising above said rear portion and a lower part depending below said rear portion, a central water tube extending sub stantially the length of said hull rearwardly along the bottom of said rear shallow draft portion and forwardly through said deep draft bow portion to a point in spaced relation to the prow of said bow portion in upwardly spaced relation with the bottom of said bow portion, a propeller chamber in said bow portion into which the forward end of said water tube opens, a water intak nozzle in said bow portion opening at its rear end into said propeller chamber, a screw pro peller mounted in said propeller chamber, and an engine mounted in said bow portion beneath said dome and drivingly connected to said propeller, said engine being positioned above and to the rear of said propeller.

3. A portable motor float comprising a single light weight closed hull comprising a shallow draft rear portion and a relatively deep draft forward or bow portion, said forward or bow portion including a dome rising above said rear portion and a lower part depending below said rear portion, a central water tube extending substantially the length of said hull rearwardly along the bottom of said rear shallow draft portion and forwardly through said deep draft bow portion to a point in spaced relation to the prow of said bow portion in upwardly spaced relation with the bottom of said bow portion, a propeller chamber in said bow portion into which the forward end of said water tube opens, a water intake nozzle in said bow portion opening at its rear end into said propeller chamber, a screw propeller mounted in said propeller chamber, and an engine mounted in said bow portion beneath said dome and drivingly connected to said propeller, said engine being positioned above and to the rear of said propeller, said engine having a fuel tank thereabove and mounted in said dome.

4. A portable motor float comprising a single light weight closed hull comprising a shallow draft rear portion and a relatively deep draft forward or bow portion, said forward or bow portion including a dome rising above said rear portion and a lower part depending below said rear portion, a central water tube extending substantially the length of said hull rearwardly along the bottom of said rear shallow draft portion and forwardly through said deep draft bow portion to a point in spaced relation to the prow of said bow portion in upwardly spaced relation with the bottom of said how portion, a propeller chamber in said how portion into which the iorward end of said water tube opens, a water intake nozzle in said bow portion opening at its rear end into said propeller chamber, a screw propeller mounted in said propeller chamber, and an engine mounted in said bow portion beneath said dome and drivingly connected to said propeller, and a vertical axis rudder on the stern of said rear hull portion, control cables leading forwardly therefrom through said hull, and a steering wheel mounted on said dome for operating said cables.

5. A portable motor float comprising a single light weight closed hull comprising a shallow draft rear portion and a relatively deep draft forward or bow portion, said forward or bow portion including a dome rising above said rear por- '5 tion and a lower part depending below said rear portion, a central water tube extending substantially the length of said hull rearwardly along the bottom of said rear shallow draft portion and forwardly through said deep draft bow portion to a point in spaced relation to the prow of said bow portion in upwardly spaced relation with the bottom of said bow portion, a, propeller chamber in said bow portion into which the forward end of said water tube opens, a water intake nozzle in said bow portion opening at its rear end into said propeller chamber, a screw propeller mounted in said propeller chamber, and an engine mounted in said bow portion beneath said dome and drivingly connected to said propeller, said hull being provided on its top with an operators seat cushion located in the forward part of said rear hull portion immediately to the rear of said dome, and the side Walls of said hull being curvedly indented alongside said cushion to accommodate the legs of the operator in straddling the hull while seated on said cushion.

PAUL M. KECKLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 441,965 Owen Dec. 2,1890 1,259,201 Barringer Mar. 12,1918 2,094,136 Strawn Sept. 28,1937 15 2,379,834 Sharp July 3, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 791,996 France Oct. 7,1935

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