GB1590568A - Creation of Inventions and Patents with Artificial Intelligence

GB1590568A – Flooring for inflatable boats
– Google Patents

GB1590568A – Flooring for inflatable boats
– Google Patents
Flooring for inflatable boats

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Publication number
GB1590568A

GB1590568A
GB20373/78A
GB2037378A
GB1590568A
GB 1590568 A
GB1590568 A
GB 1590568A
GB 20373/78 A
GB20373/78 A
GB 20373/78A
GB 2037378 A
GB2037378 A
GB 2037378A
GB 1590568 A
GB1590568 A
GB 1590568A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
floor
plates
channel
plate
edges
Prior art date
1978-05-18
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)

Expired

Application number
GB20373/78A
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)

Gorden P C

Original Assignee
Gorden P C
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
1978-05-18
Filing date
1978-05-18
Publication date
1981-06-03

1978-05-18
Application filed by Gorden P C
filed
Critical
Gorden P C

1978-05-18
Priority to GB20373/78A
priority
Critical
patent/GB1590568A/en

1981-06-03
Publication of GB1590568A
publication
Critical
patent/GB1590568A/en

Status
Expired
legal-status
Critical
Current

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Classifications

B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING

B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT

B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING

B63B7/00—Collapsible, foldable, inflatable or like vessels

B63B7/06—Collapsible, foldable, inflatable or like vessels having parts of non-rigid material

B63B7/08—Inflatable

B63B7/082—Inflatable having parts of rigid material

Description

(54) FLOORING FOR INFLATABLE BOATS
(71) I, PETER CRONIN GORDON, of
Factory 17, Knowsley Industrial Estate,
Knowsley, Liverpool, a British Subject, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention concerns flooring for inflatable boats.
Inflatable boats generally comprise inflatable tubular sections made from a rubber impregnated fabric and joined together by seams to form when inflated a buoyant Ushaped body. The free ends of the U-shaped body, which form the stern end of the boat, are secured together by way of a transom board and a rubber impregnated fabric sheet is secured between the sides of the U-shaped body, the transom board and the nose of the
U-shaped body, which forms the boat’s bow.
The sheet forms the floor of the boat but as can be appreciated provides little stability to occupants of the boat even on calm water. It is therefore, conventional to fit the boat with rectangular wooden floor plates whose side edges are held in grooves defined between the sheet floor and the U-shaped body and whose side edges may occasionally be connected by channel elements each receiving only adjacent corners of a respective pair of plates. Whilst such a flooring system has the merit of providing a more stable floor than the fabric sheet alone, it may nonetheless flex under heavy seas through lack of rigid support along the sides of the plates and movement of the plates relative to one another may give rise to chafing of and hence damage to the boat fabric.
It is, therefore, an aim of the present invention to provide a more rigid and robust flooring system than that just described for an inflatable boat.
According to the present invention, a flooring system for an inflatable boat comprises a plurality of rectangular floor plates arranged parallel to one another and connected to one another at their adjacent edges by the reception of a respective edge in a channel member at the adjacent edge, and a pair of channel supports extending along and engaging respectively the free opposed edges of all the plates, each channel support having a section with a channel shaped portion and a substantially wedge shaped portion whose wider end merges into the base of the channel shaped portion.
In contrast to the described conventional flooring system, the adjacent edges of the floor plates are held against movement relative to one another by their connection and the channel supports impart a rigidity to the present system not achieved by the above conventional system.
The invention is described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 is a plan view of an inflatable boat fitted with a flooring system embodying the invention;
Fig. 2 is a section through the boat;
Figs. 3a and 3b are plan and fragmentary sectional views of a rectangular floor plate of the flooring system;
Fig. 4 is a fragmented side view of a number of the plates;
Figs. 5a and 5b are side and plan views of a bow plate fitted to the rectangular plates; and
Fig. 6 is a sectional view of an end of a channel support for the rectangular plates.
Referring to Figs. I and 2 there is shown an inflatable boat 10 in its inflated condition, the boat comprising an air filled U-shaped tubular body 12 constructed from a plurality of tubular sections 14 and a pair of frustro conical closure sections 16 as shown. The nose 18 of the U-shaped body 12 forms the bow of the boat and the sections 16 define its stern. Just forward of the two sections 16 a transom board 20 is secured between the two limbs of the body. Fixed about what is hereinafter referred to as the underside of the body 12, and also to the board 20 is a flexible floor 22 defining a watertight well or compartment within the boat. Both the body 12 and the flexible floor 22 are made from rubber impregnated fabric for watertightness and strength.
In order to provide some stability for sailors in the boat a rigid floor 24 is fitted therein above the flexible floor 22. the sides of the floor 24 engaging within grooves 26 defined between the floor 22 and the undersurfaces of the sides of the body 12. A keel 28 extends forwards from the transom board 20 between the two floors 22, 24.
According to the invention, the floor 24 comprises a system of interfitting members which in the present instance includes four rectangular floor plates 30 made from aluminium. Each floor plate 30 comprises a rectangular sheet 32 provided on one face with sets of ridges 34 to give a non-slip surface. At the edges of this same face are secured by argon welding four hollow aluminium bars 36 of square section. These bars 36 frame and strengthen the sheet 32.
In addition, each floor plate 30 has welded along one of its bars 36 a channel member 38 (see Fig. 4). The floor plates 30 are arranged with the channel members 38 at their forward edges, and each channel member snugly receives the bar 36 at the rear edge of the plate in front. The nearmost plate 30 similarly engages within a channel member 40 bolted or screwed to the transom board 20 whilst the foremost plate 30 receives in its channel member 38 a further bar 36 at a rear edge of a bow plate 42.
The bow plate 42 resembles the other plates 30 except in that it is shaped to fit within the bow of the boat and is provided with only one bar 36. Thus the plate 42 instead of being rectangular tapers from its rear edge engaging the respective channel member 38 to a relatively short forward edge.
By virtue of the connection between adjacent plates 30, 42 relative movement between the adjacent edges perpendicular to the general surface of the floor 24, and chafing of the floor 22, is prohibited. To some extent this also promotes stability of the floor 24 as compared with the floor 22. Further rigidity is imparted to the floor 24 by the engagement of the sides of the plates 30 in a pair of channel supports 44, each of which extends along the full length of the floor portion comprising the four plates 30.
Each channel support 44 comprises an aluminium tube whose section has a channel shaped portion 46 defining a channel 48 for the plates 30 and a wedge shaped portion 50.
The wider end of the wedge shaped portion of the section merges into the base of the channel shaped portion as shown in Fig. 2.
The wedge shaped sides of the channel members are so shaped as to fit snugly within the grooves 26 without presenting sharp edges to the floor 22 or body 12. Indeed all the corners presented by the section of the supports 44 are rounded to minimise the possibility of the supports 44 causing damage to the fabric parts of the boat by chafing.
Additionally protective plugs 52 made of rubber or plastics material are fitted into the ends of the supports 44 and these plugs seal the supports so as to prevent internal corrosion. The plugs 52 extend laterally beyond the walls of and have skirts 54 overlapping the ends of the supports 44 to protect the fabric parts of the boat from the relatively sharp ends of the supports.
Shielding of the free edges of the bow plate with a guard is also desirable and this is achieved by sheathing these edges in an extruded length of rubber aluminium or plastics material 56 of generally circular section which contains a slot 58 wherein the edges are secured as by glueing or rivetting.
In order to fix the bow plate relative to the other plates, since the bow plate is not held by the supports 44, two bars 60 are mounted across the connection between the bow plate and the adjacent rectangular plate as shown in Figs. Sa and 5b. These bars 60 are each secured at their ends in a respective pair of brackets 62 welded to the two plates. The bars 60 and brackets 62, however, are not essential and may be omitted in some instances.
Whilst the plates and channel supports have been described as being made of aluminium it will be appreciated that the plates at least could be made instead from other metals resistant to the effects of sea water, or from reinforced plastics materials.
WHAT I CLAIM IS:- 1. A flooring system for an inflatable boat comprising a plurality of rectangular floor plates arranged parallel to one another and connected to one another at their adjacent edges by the reception of a respective edge in a channel member at the adjacent edge, and a pair of channel supports extending along and engaging respectively the free opposed edges of all the plates, each channel support having a section with a channel shaped portion and a substantially wedge shaped portion whose wider end merges into the base of the channel shaped portion.
2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each support is tubular.
3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the ends of each support are sealed with plugs which extend laterally beyond said ends.
4. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the supports are made of aluminium.
5. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each plate comprises a sheet with a non-slip surface, and has four bars secured along the edges of the sheet, each plate having a respective channel member secured to one of said bars.
6. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sheet and the four bars of each plate are made of aluminium, and wherein
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (13)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. sailors in the boat a rigid floor 24 is fitted therein above the flexible floor 22. the sides of the floor 24 engaging within grooves 26 defined between the floor 22 and the undersurfaces of the sides of the body 12. A keel 28 extends forwards from the transom board 20 between the two floors 22, 24. According to the invention, the floor 24 comprises a system of interfitting members which in the present instance includes four rectangular floor plates 30 made from aluminium. Each floor plate 30 comprises a rectangular sheet 32 provided on one face with sets of ridges 34 to give a non-slip surface. At the edges of this same face are secured by argon welding four hollow aluminium bars 36 of square section. These bars 36 frame and strengthen the sheet 32. In addition, each floor plate 30 has welded along one of its bars 36 a channel member 38 (see Fig. 4). The floor plates 30 are arranged with the channel members 38 at their forward edges, and each channel member snugly receives the bar 36 at the rear edge of the plate in front. The nearmost plate 30 similarly engages within a channel member 40 bolted or screwed to the transom board 20 whilst the foremost plate 30 receives in its channel member 38 a further bar 36 at a rear edge of a bow plate 42. The bow plate 42 resembles the other plates 30 except in that it is shaped to fit within the bow of the boat and is provided with only one bar 36. Thus the plate 42 instead of being rectangular tapers from its rear edge engaging the respective channel member 38 to a relatively short forward edge. By virtue of the connection between adjacent plates 30, 42 relative movement between the adjacent edges perpendicular to the general surface of the floor 24, and chafing of the floor 22, is prohibited. To some extent this also promotes stability of the floor 24 as compared with the floor 22. Further rigidity is imparted to the floor 24 by the engagement of the sides of the plates 30 in a pair of channel supports 44, each of which extends along the full length of the floor portion comprising the four plates 30. Each channel support 44 comprises an aluminium tube whose section has a channel shaped portion 46 defining a channel 48 for the plates 30 and a wedge shaped portion 50. The wider end of the wedge shaped portion of the section merges into the base of the channel shaped portion as shown in Fig. 2. The wedge shaped sides of the channel members are so shaped as to fit snugly within the grooves 26 without presenting sharp edges to the floor 22 or body 12. Indeed all the corners presented by the section of the supports 44 are rounded to minimise the possibility of the supports 44 causing damage to the fabric parts of the boat by chafing. Additionally protective plugs 52 made of rubber or plastics material are fitted into the ends of the supports 44 and these plugs seal the supports so as to prevent internal corrosion. The plugs 52 extend laterally beyond the walls of and have skirts 54 overlapping the ends of the supports 44 to protect the fabric parts of the boat from the relatively sharp ends of the supports. Shielding of the free edges of the bow plate with a guard is also desirable and this is achieved by sheathing these edges in an extruded length of rubber aluminium or plastics material 56 of generally circular section which contains a slot 58 wherein the edges are secured as by glueing or rivetting. In order to fix the bow plate relative to the other plates, since the bow plate is not held by the supports 44, two bars 60 are mounted across the connection between the bow plate and the adjacent rectangular plate as shown in Figs. Sa and 5b. These bars 60 are each secured at their ends in a respective pair of brackets 62 welded to the two plates. The bars 60 and brackets 62, however, are not essential and may be omitted in some instances. Whilst the plates and channel supports have been described as being made of aluminium it will be appreciated that the plates at least could be made instead from other metals resistant to the effects of sea water, or from reinforced plastics materials. WHAT I CLAIM IS:-

1. A flooring system for an inflatable boat comprising a plurality of rectangular floor plates arranged parallel to one another and connected to one another at their adjacent edges by the reception of a respective edge in a channel member at the adjacent edge, and a pair of channel supports extending along and engaging respectively the free opposed edges of all the plates, each channel support having a section with a channel shaped portion and a substantially wedge shaped portion whose wider end merges into the base of the channel shaped portion.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each support is tubular.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the ends of each support are sealed with plugs which extend laterally beyond said ends.

4. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the supports are made of aluminium.

5. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each plate comprises a sheet with a non-slip surface, and has four bars secured along the edges of the sheet, each plate having a respective channel member secured to one of said bars.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sheet and the four bars of each plate are made of aluminium, and wherein
the bars are argon welded to the sheet.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a tapered bow plate having a wider edge connected to an edge of one of the floor plates by the reception of one of said edges in a further channel member at the other of said edges.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the remaining edges of the bow plate are provided with a rounded guard.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the guard comprises an extrusion sheathing said remaining edges.

10. A system as claimed in claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein a plurality of rigid bars are secured across said wider edge and said edge connected thereto, to inhibit movement of the bow plate relative to the rectangular floor plates.

11. An inflatable boat fitted with a flooring system as claimed in any preceding claim, the pair of channel supports being received in grooves defined between a floor sheet of the boat and sides of the boat.

12. A flooring system constructed substantially as herein particularly described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

13. An inflatable boat constructed substantially as herein particularly described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

GB20373/78A
1978-05-18
1978-05-18
Flooring for inflatable boats

Expired

GB1590568A
(en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number
Priority Date
Filing Date
Title

GB20373/78A

GB1590568A
(en)

1978-05-18
1978-05-18
Flooring for inflatable boats

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number
Priority Date
Filing Date
Title

GB20373/78A

GB1590568A
(en)

1978-05-18
1978-05-18
Flooring for inflatable boats

Publications (1)

Publication Number
Publication Date

GB1590568A
true

GB1590568A
(en)

1981-06-03

Family
ID=10144880
Family Applications (1)

Application Number
Title
Priority Date
Filing Date

GB20373/78A
Expired

GB1590568A
(en)

1978-05-18
1978-05-18
Flooring for inflatable boats

Country Status (1)

Country
Link

GB
(1)

GB1590568A
(en)

1978

1978-05-18
GB
GB20373/78A
patent/GB1590568A/en
not_active
Expired

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