US3627240A

US3627240A - Kite

Info

Publication number: US3627240A
Application number: US879104A
Authority: US
Inventors: Julius M Christoffel; Lester F Phillips
Original assignee: Gayla Ind Inc
Current assignee: Gayla Ind Inc
Priority date: 1969-11-24
Filing date: 1969-11-24
Publication date: 1971-12-14
Anticipated expiration: 1988-12-14

Abstract

This invention relates to an improved kite having a steadying and guiding keel, the leading edge of which is so shaped as to prevent the direct transmission of tension forces from the kite string to the leading point of the keel''s attachment to the kite body, thereby making the keel less likely to tear away from the kite body.

Description

United States Patent 1,105,058 7/1914 Bochau FOREIGN PATENTS lagd giil 8 1910 France 244 154 .153 7/l9l2 France 244/153 6,033 ll/l906 GreatBritain 244 153 Primary Examiner-Milton Buchler Assistant Examiner-Paul E. Sauberer Attorneys-J. Vincent Martin, Joe E. Edwards and Jack R.

Springgate ABSTRACT: This invention relates to an improved kite having a steadying and guiding keel, the leading edge of which is so shaped as to prevent the direct transmission of tension forces from the kite string to the leading point of the keels attachment to the kite body, thereby making the keel less likely to tear away from the kite body.

KKTE

SUMMARY This invention relates generally to keel kites. and particularly to a keel kite having an improved form of steadying and guiding keel.

Keel kites as heretofore known in the art have comprised a body portion, rigidifying structural members and a guiding, steadying keel basically triangular in shape and having an eyelet or other means for attaching a flying string. An example of this type of kite is shown in the patent to Green US. Pat. No. 2,785,870 issued Mar. 19, 1957.

A continuing problem with this type of kite has been that the keel tends to tear away from the body portion when the kite is subjected to extra loading due to a gust of wind or a sudden tug on the flying string.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a keel kite which is more durable than those heretofore known,

Another object is to provide such a kite wherein the keel is shaped to more evenly distribute the tension forces which are transmitted by the keel between the flying string and the kite body so as to prevent the keel from separating from the body.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the drawings, the specification and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and wherein like numerals indicate like parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a kite constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the kite of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing an alternate form of keel for the kite ofthe present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a keel kite comprising generally a body portion and a keel II. The kite body 10 is made up ofa polygonal sheet 12 of thin, flexible material such as plastic film, and of structural means for supporting said sheet in its extended flying position. In our preferred form of kite, these structural means are provided as follows: A center stick 13 of some suitable material, such as wood or plastic, is affixed to sheet 12, as by gluing or heat-bonding. The center stick 13 extends approximately the full length of sheet l2 so as to divide sheet 12 into two mirror-image sections. Two

side sticks

14 and 15 are attached to opposite edges of sheet 12, one being on either side of the center stick 13. Two

connectors

16 and 17 are mounted on

side sticks

14 and 15 and are adapted to engage opposite ends of a cross brace 18 which serves to maintain the kite in its extended flying position. The keel 11 which is also formed ofthin, flexible material such as that ofsheet 12, is preferably in the approximate shape of a triangle having its longest side secured to the kite body 10 by suitable means such as gluing or heat-bonding. In the preferred embodiment, the keel l1 isattached to sheet 112 along the centerline of sheet 12 directly below the center stick 13. A reinforced eyelet 19 for attaching a flying string 20 is provided near the free apex of keel II.

As pointed out above, a major problem with keel kites as heretofore known has been a tendency on the part of the keel to tear away from the kite body. Separation of the keel from the body is apparently initiated by a concentration of tension forces at the leading point of the keel attachment to the body. Once this leading point yields, the remainder of the failure will occur rather quickly. The kite of the present invention overcomes this disadvantage by providing a keel so shaped as to more evenly distribute the tension loading and to effectively prevent any concentration of forces at the leading point of the keels attachment to the body, thus: greatly reducing the incidence of keel s separation as a cause of kite failure. The concentration of forces is prevented by making the keel of such a shape that at least a portion of its eading edge is recessed to the rear of an imaginary line extending between the eyelet 19 where the flying string 20 is attached to the foremost point of the keels attachment to the kite body 10. The keel of this shape prevents the direct straight line transmission of tension forces from the kite string to the leading critical point of the keels attachment to the kite body.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the leading edge of the keel 111 is concave in shape, as shown most clearly in FIG. 2, to prevent the action of direct tension forces indicated generally by dotted lines 11b on the leading point 110 of the keels attachment to the body. Some tension forces will, of course, still act on this point, but they will not normally be of such magnitude as to initiate separation of the keel from the body. The trailing edge 11d of keel II is also shown as concave.

An alternate form of the keel i1 is shown in FIG. 3 wherein the leading edge comprises two straight line segments lie and lllf which intersect at an obtuse angle. It can readily be seen that this design also prevents the direct action of tension forces on the leading point 11c. Other designs are, of course, possible within the scope of the appended claims.

Thus it can be seen that the keel kite of the present invention by providing a keel having a recessed heading edge greatly reduces the likelihood of keel failure and is therefore more durable than keel kites heretofore known.

What is claimed is:

1. A kite comprising,

a body having a sheet of flexible :material and structural means for supporting said sheet; and

a polygonal keel secured to said body along one of said keels edges and adapted to extend from said body in a direction parallel to the direction of air flow past said kite,

said keel having a single means for securing a string thereto for flying, and

at least a portion of the leading edge of said keel being recessed to the rear of an imaginary line extending between said string-securing means and the foremost point of said keel s attachment to said body.

2. The kite of claim I wherein at least a portion of the leading edge of said keel is concave.

3. The kite of claim 1 wherein the leading edge of said keel defines two straight lines intersecting at an obtuse angle.

4. A kite according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of both the leading edge and trailing edge of said keel are concave.

5. A kite comprising,

a polygonal sheet of flexible material,

a pair of structural members secured [to said sheet,

a pair of connectors secured to said structural members,

a cross brace adapted to engage said connectors to retain said structural members and said sheet in extended flying position,

a keel of flexible material secured to said sheet along one edge of said keel and adapted to extend therefrom in a direction parallel to the direction of air flow past said kite,

said keel having a single means for securing a string thereto for flying, and

at least a portion of the leading edge of said keel being concave.

t a t! l l'

Claims

1. A kite comprising, a body having a sheet of flexible material and structural means for supporting said sheet; and a polygonal keel secured to said body along one of said keel''s edges and adapted to extend from said body in a direction parallel to the direction of air flow past said kite, said keel having a single means for securing a string thereto for flying, and at least a portion of the leading edge of said keel being recessed to the rear of an imaginary line extending between said string-securing means and the foremost point of said keel''s attachment to said body.

2. The kite of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the leading edge of said keel is concave.

5. A kite comprising, a polygonal sheet of flexible material, a pair of structural members secured to said sheet, a pair of connectors secured to said structural members, a cross brace adapted to engage said connectors to retain said structural members and said sheet in extended flying position, a keel of flexible material secured to said sheet along one edge of said keel and adapted to extend therefrom in a direction parallel to the direction of air flow past said kite, said keel having a single means for securing a string thereto for flying, and at least a portion of the leading eDge of said keel being concave.