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Title: Towable swimmer-controlled aquatic plane device
Claims: What is claimed is: 1. A towable, swimmer-controlled, aquatic plane device comprising: an elongated wing element having substantially symmetrical sections on opposite sides of a transverse centerline; a fin element having sections on opposite sides of a transverse centerline; means for removably attaching said wing element at said centerline thereof to said fin element at said centerline thereof with said symmetrical sections thereof respectively extending substantially vertically above and below said wing element; said means comprises a slot in one of said wing and fin elements extending forwardly from said trailing edge thereof substantially along said centerline thereof, and a slot in the other of said wing and fin elements extending rearwardly from the leading edge thereof substantially along the centerline thereof, the slot in said one of said elements receiving the other element forwardly of the slot in the latter and the slot in the other element receiving said one element rearwardly of the slot in the latter to provide an interfitting connection; said other of said elements having means for attaching a tow rope thereto whereby a pulling force on said other element retains said one element assembled thereto; said fin element sections having an opening therein defining a hand grip portion adapted to be gripped by a swimmer for controlling said device. 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said wing element has a leading edge, said fin element sections respectively having leading edges extending upwardly and downwardly from said wing element leading edge. 3. The device of claim 1 wherein said fin element is generally rectangular. 4. The device of claim 1 wherein said wing element and said fin element respectively have leading and trailing edges, said trailing edge of said fin element being spaced rearwardly from said trailing edge of said wing element. 5. The device of claim 1 wherein said wing element and fin element respectively have leading and trailing edges, said fin element sections being substantially symmetrical and each having an opening provided with edges closely spaced from and parallel with said fin element trailing edge thereby defining said hand grip portions. 6. The device of claim 5 wherein each of said fin element openings has another edge closely spaced from another edge of the respective fin element section thereby to define another hand grip portion. 7. The device of claim 1 wherein said wing element and fin element respectively have leading and trailing edges, said fin element having a bulbous portion adjacent said trailing edge thereof merging into substantially flat opposite sides extending forwardly to said leading edge thereof. 8. The device of claim 1 wherein each of said wing element sections has top and bottom surfaces and an outer tip, each of said tips being inclined upwardly to provide an area of increased dihedral adjacent thereto. 9. The device of claim 1 wherein said wing element and fin element respectively have leading and trailing edges, said tow rope attaching means comprising a tow rope receiving aperture in each of said fin sections rearwardly from said leading edge thereof and adjacent said wing element. 10. The device of claim 1 wherein each wing element section has leading and trailing edges which taper outwardly toward each other to a tip, each wing element section being swept-back. 11. The device of claim 1 wherein said wing element and fin element respectively have leading and trailing edges, the trailing edge of said fin element being substantially straight and vertical with respect to said wing element and spaced rearwardly from the trailing edge thereof, the leading edge of each fin element section being inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the leading edge of said wing element toward the trailing edge of said fin element to define a generally triangular fin section, said fin element opening having portions extending above and below said wing element and edges closely spaced from and parallel with said fin element trailing edge to define hand grip portions, said portions being elongated with the upper-most and lower-most portions being angled forwardly and having transverse edges which provide other hand grip portions, said towing rope attaching means comprising an aperture in each said other element rearwardly of the respective leading edge thereof and adjacent said one element. 12. The device of claim 1 wherein said wing element and fin element respectively have leading and trailing edges, the trailing edge of said fin element being substantially straight and vertical with respect to said wing element and spaced rearwardly from the trailing edge thereof, said fin element being substantially rectangular with the leading edges of said sections thereof extending respectively vertically upwardly and downwardly from the leading edge of said wing element, each said fin element opening having an edge closely spaced from and parallel with said fin element trailing edge to define said hand grip portion, each said fin element opening having another edge closely spaced from the outer edge of the respective fin element section to define another hand grip portion, said towing rope attaching means comprising an aperture in each said fin section adjacent the respective leading edge thereof and adjacent said wing section. 13. The device of claim 11 or claim 12 wherein each said wing section has the leading and trailing edges thereof tapered outwardly toward a tip, each wing element section being swept-back, the tip of each wing element section being inclined upwardly to define an area of increased dihedral adjacent thereto. 14. The device of claim 11 or claim 12 wherein said wing element has top and bottom surfaces, said bottom surface being substantially flat and said top surface being outwardly curved in the transverse direction to form a flat airfoil. 15. The devices of claim 11 or claim 12 wherein said fin element has a bulbous portion adjacent said trailing edge thereof merging into substantially flat opposite sides extending forwardly to said leading edge thereof. 16. The device of claim 1 wherein said wing element and fin element respectively have leading and trailing edges, said fin opening extending from one fin section to the other fin section and having an edge closely spaced from and parallel with the trailing edge of said fin element thereby defining hand grip portions. 17. The device of claim 16 wherein the opposite ends of said fin element opening has another edge closely spaced from another edge of the respective fin element section thereby to define other hand grip portions. Other info: Inventors: Meister, Robert L. (Ft. Wayne, IN, US) Orr, Monte A. (Roswell, NM, US) Application Number: 927545 Filing Date: 1978-07-24 Publication_date: 1980-06-17 Assignee: Meister; Robert L. (Fort Wayne, IN) Primary Class(es): 114/245 114/315 Other Classes: US Patent Ref:
Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Blix, Trygve M. Assistant Examiner: Keen, D. W. Attorney: Gust, Irish, Jeffers & Hoffman |
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