Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
osC~
This invention relates to an improved foldable
"pirogue"type boat, having a plurality of hingedly
connected elongated bottom and side panels, a connec-
tion between all said panels, and foldable seats
serving for bracing the hull.
In recent years, the demand has increased for
boats which can be easily handled, stored and trans- ~ ~-
ported by their owners, who often reside at some dis-
tance from navigable water. Trailers are used exten-
sively for transpo~ing boats, but both the trailer
and the boat require substantial storage spaces, ` -
which for many urbanites is becoming increasingly dif-
ficult and expensive to provide.
A practical solution for many such persons would
be a collapsible boat which could be folded into a
compact package for storage and transport, and which
would be easily assembled at the water site into a
boat. Several such boats have been developed in at-
tempts to provide such a device. One general type of
~ 20 collapsible boat which has been developed is the fol-
; ding boat, wherein elongated bottom and side panels
of various shapes are connected by flexible hinges.
, Such boats have presented several problems. One
problem is to provide relatively inexpensive structures,
'~ which while relatively light in weight and compact are
sufficiently sturdy to permit the carrying of a heavy
load in rough waters without danger of collapsing or
capsizing. A second problem has been the need to de-
velop a design whereby the smoother movement of the
craft through the water and the maximum stability for
given widths and lengths of the boat are insured.
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I found that these problems may be overcome by
providing a $oldable boat comprising a pair of bottom
panels having a long straight edge on adjacent sides
which provides a joint connected in hinged relation
and extending lonei*udinally and centrally in respect
to the boat. Disposed at opposite sides of the bottom
structure is a pair of side panels, and the contiguous
edges of each bottom and side panels are also connec-
ted in hinged relation. A flexible connection is
provided between the side and the bottom panels at the
stern of the boat. This connection can be maintained
in a taut position by rigid rear members, hinged to the
rear end of the side panels. The boat is provided with
at least two foldable seats, which may serve also as
braces for the sides of the hull. Each seat has an upper
horizontal member, hinged at its front and back edges
to two vertical support members. These members, in
order to contact lengthwise the side panels, have their
outer edges downwardly and inwardly inclined at appro-
ximately the angle of these panels.
A vertical support member has a W-shaped construc-
tion, which allows to the water acting from outside
the hull to bend inwardly and upwardly the bottom pa-
nels. The boat is provided with at least one trans-
verse beam serving to brace supplementarly the hull
in its open position and also to keep together all the
panels, when the boat is folded.
In drawing which illustrate embodiments of the
i nvent i on ,
Figure 1 is a top plan view of the boat,
Figure 2 is an elevation view of the same,
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Figure 3 is a schematic view of the boat, showing
a position taken at an intermediate step of folding or -~
erecting of a boat assembly,
Figure 4 i8 a schematic view of the same illus-
trating the boat assembly in folded position,
Figure 5 i8 a sectional view of the boat taken
along the indicated lines I-I of fig. 1,
Figure 6 shows a cross section through the flexi-
ble hinge which connects two panels together,
Figure 7 is a schematic view of an unfolded
(erected) seat,
Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along the in-
dicated lines II-II of fig. 1 and showing the boat erec-
ted to use in the water,
Figure 9 i8 a similar view ac in fig. 8 illustra-
ting the boat erected, but not in the water,
Figure lO~shows a rear member secured to its ad-
~acent side panel by a clamp,
Figure 11 shows a rear member secured to its ad-
jacent side panel by an U-shaped traverse,
Figure 12 is a perspective view of a latch,
Figure 13 is a top plan view of the stern of the
boat,
Figure 14 is an elevation view of a supporting
plate for seats together with one of its latches,
Fi-gure 15 is sectional view of the fig. 14 taken
along the indicated lines III-III,
Figure 16 is an elevation view of the supporting
plate as shown in fig. 14,
Figure 17 is an elevation view of a guide plate
for the transverse beam,
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Figure 18 is a sectional ~iew o~ the fig. 17 taken
along the indicated lines IV-IV also sho~ing the trans-
verse beam. .
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Referring now to the drawings, 1 and 2 indicatecomplementary bottom panels of a "pirogue" type boat.
Each bottom panel 1 and 2 comprises in the folded con-
dition of the boat a flat ~lexible sheet having a long
straight inner edge 3, a long curved outer edge 4 and
an end short edge 5, formed at approximately right an-
gle to the long straight inner edge 3. These bottom
panels 1 and 2 been formed with the long straight edge
3 on adjacent sides provide a joint 6 extending longi-
~0 tudinally and centrally in respect to the boat. Thebottom panels 1 and 2 are cut flat panels of semi-
rigid and flexible material such as aluminum alloy or
any suitable pliable material and each is provided with
at least one longitudinal stiffening rib 7. A central
inner surface 8 of each bo~tom panel 1 and 2 is coated
low _reflect1vity
with a nonskid and lowe~rflectivity material.
A flexible hinge 9 joining the bottom panels 1
and 2 together is shown in figure 6. This flexible
hinge 9 may be made of rubber or suitable synthetic
plastic and is an extruded or moulded strip having at
each opposite side a substantially U-shaped ~ection
with two limbs 10 and 11 divided by a recess 12. The
width of the recess 12 is about equal to the thickness
of a bottom panel 1 or 2. Consequently, the boat com-
prises a pair of bottom panels 1 and 2 connected to the
keel and keelson to provide a waterproof hinge or fold
line, enabling the panels 1 and 2 to be swung towards
or away from each other with respect to the keel and
keelson.
At points near their forward ends the long curved
outer edges 4 meet almost together, thereby providing
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a pointed bow 13 which reduces resistance, when pro-
ceeding through the water, to a minimum.
Disposed at opposite sides of the bottom struc-
ture of the boat are side panels 14 and 15. These
panels are substantially identical in shape with bottom
panels 1 and 2 in that their upper edges 16 are sligh-
tly straight and their lower edges 17 taper towards the
prow and the stern of the boat to conform exactly to
the taper of the outer edges 4 of the bottom panels 1 --
and 2. The contiguous edges 4 and 17 of the panels 1 --
and 14, respectively 2 and 15 are articulately connec- ~;
ted by flexible hinges 9. --
The side panels 1~ and 15, like the bottom panels
1 and 2, are made preferably from flat panels of ~emi-
rigid and flexible ~aterial such as aluminum alloy and
each is provided with at least one longitudinal stif-
fening rib lô. The vulcanisation of the hinges 9 on
the metallic sides of the bottom and side panels gives
a perfect watertightness and mechanical strength.
In the exemplification of the present invention
a gunwale strip 19 having a substantially hollow squa-
re cross section with a longitudinal one side slot is
pressed on the upper edge 16 of each side panel 14 and
15. These gunwale strips 19 are provided in order to
strengthen the side panels 14 and 15 at their upper
edges 16 and to obtain an attractive finishing to the
craft.
In accordance with the present invention, a flexi-
ble connection 20, which is substantially rectangular
in shape, is provided between the side 14 and 15 and
bottom 1 and 2 panels at the stern of the craft in
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order to facilitate the folding of the boat. Pre-
ferably, one employs a sheet of water-proof material
such as rubber or suitable synthetic plastic for ef- j;
fecting this flexible connection 20, that sheet ex-
tending from top to bottom of the hull and transver- ~`
saly thereof, to entirely close the stern of the craft
when set up.
Hinged as at 21 to the rear end of the side panel
14 is rigid rear member 22 which is of sufficient length
to extend across the rear end of the boat. Hinged as
at 23 to the rear end of the side panel 15 is another
rigid rear member 24 which is also of sufficient length
to extend across the rear end of the boat. The rear
members 22 and 24 when extended are positioned in
lengthwise engagement with each other and provide stif-
fening panel~ for maintaining the flexible connection -
20 in a taut position.
With the boat is in an erected position, the rear
members 22 and 24 are secured together by means of a
suitable U-shaped traverse 25 which is sufficient length
to extend across the rear end of the boat and may be
used as an outboard motor mount. For storage and trans-
porting, the rear members 22 and 24 are adapted to fold
against the side panels 14 and 15, respectively; in this ;
situation one rear member is secured to its adjacent
side panel by the U-shaped traverse 25 (fig. 11),
while the other rear member is secured to its side panel
by a suitable clamp 26 fastened to that side panel.
A flexible hinge 27 of rubber or suitable synthe
tic plastic extends over the forward apex of the poin-
ted bow of the boat and connects the side panels 14 and 15.
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At about the center, the boat is braced in its
open position by at least one transverse beam 28, pre-
ferably U-shaped, the outer ends of which conform to the ~ -
sectional contour of the inside of the boat and firmly
fit through the medium of guide plates 29 against the
inner races of the side panels 14 and 15. For this
purpose, at the points where this transverse beam 28
is po~itioned within the boat, a guide plate 29 is
rigidly secured by rivets or other fastening means on
each Or the side panels 14 and 15. The guide plate
29 has an inturned portion 30 at is upper edge, while
t~ side edges 31 are ~ormed at approximately right
angle to the main surface Or this plate. The trans-
verse beam 28 has its upper ends downwardly bent to
rit in a gap formed between the inner race of a side
panel and the inturned portion Or the guide plate.
The purpose Or the side edges 31 Or the guide plate is
to penetrate within the sides of the transverse beam.
To fit the transverse beam 28 p,ver tlje guide plates
20 29, the boat must be open slightly, i.e. the side panels
14 and 15 must be slightly pushed away Or each other.
The transverse beam 28 is firmly secured against
upward movement by latches 32. Each such latch 32 is
located on a side panel. A latch 32 is operated by
turning it around a pin 33 rixed in the side panel and
it contains a main plate 34 having one portion 35 for-
med at approximately right angle to the main plate 34
and an other portion 36 formed at approximately right
angle to the portion 35. In order to secure the trans-
30 verse beam 28 at opposite sides Or the boat by the lat-
ches 32, the portion 35 abuts &gainst the upper face
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of the transverse beam, while the other portion 36
abuts against one of the side faces of the same beam
28. ;
The latches 32 al~o carries a frowardly projec-
ting tongue 37 with a notch 38. The tongue 37 is
slightly bent in order bb become flexible. When the
tongue 37 is introduced in an aperture or recess, it
must be flattened, in order to permit to the latch to - -
penetrate too. The latch 38 prevents the tongue 36 ..
against coming out. The side edges 31 of the guide
plates 29 and the side faces of the transverse beam
28, opposite the tongue 37, are provided for this pur-
pose with recesses 39 and 40. The transverse beam 28
serves as suppleme~tarily brace for the assembly of
the hull.
It will also be noted that the boat is provided
at least two foldable seats 41, which may serve not ~`
only as seats to support loads, but al~o as braces for
the sides of the hull. Each seat 41 comprises an upper
horizontal member 42, hinged at its front and back ed-
; ges 43 and 44 to two vertical support members 45 and
20 46, whose outer edges 47 downwardly and inwardly in-
clined at approximately the angle of the side panels
14 and 15 of the erected boat. Each vertical support
mem~er 45 Qr~46 provided by a shape of a W by at least
one stiffening rib 48, and by several recesses 49 in
its corners, opposite to the flexible hinges 9. Then
a hull with a W-bottom is accomplished by pD0viding
the vertical support members 45 and 46 at their lower
part by a shape of a W, allowing the water acting
from outside the hull to bend inwardly and upwardly
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090
the bottom panels 1 and 2. In this case the hull ~ ~;
will be provided with two keels which improve the
stability of the boat. The aim of the recesses 49
is to prevent the fl~xible hinges 9 against damage
and to facilitate the vertical support members to con-
form to the contour of the inside of the boat. -~
The upper edges of each horizontal member 42
of a seat 41, are downwardly and inwardly inclined at ~ ~-
approximately the angle of the side panels 14 and 15
of the erected boat for entry into the gap formed
between an upper inturned part 50 of a supporting
plate 50 and the inner surface of a side panel. This
will prevent the seat from moving out of its position
between side panel~ 14 and 15. For each seat 41 is pro-
vided a pair of supporting plabes 51 which are rigidly
secured by rivets or other fa~tening means to the inner
opposite surfaces of the side panels 14 and 15. Each
supporting plate 51 comprises the upper inturned part
50 which ends with an horizontal edge 52. This horizon-
20 tal edge 52 together with two other vertical edges 53,all of the same supporting plate 51 are formed at ap-
pro~imately a right angle to the main surface of this
plate in order to provide an inverted U-shaped guide
for the three members of an erected seat 41.
The seats 41 are firmly secured by the same type
of latches 32 as used for the transverse beam 28.
One each side of a seat one uses two latches 32.
The tongue 37 of each such latch is received in the
supporting plate 51 which therefore presents in one of
30 its two vertical edges 53 an aperture 54. By this ar-
rangement, the seats 41 serve to lock the assembled boat,
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to brace the side panels and, accordingl~, the entire
hull, and to be held securely against disconnection
therefrom.
For convenience in handling, storage or transpor-
tation, the boat panels 1, 2, 14 and 15 are folded 80
that they will form, in section, a W-shaped structure -
with the bottom panels 1 and 2 folded upwardly along
their hinge 9 and the side panels 14 and 15 collapsing
against these bottom panels 1 and 2 to assume positions
parallel thereto. In this case, the folded seats 41 ~-
will be introduced between the panels as shown in fi-
gure.
The same transverse beam 20, which served as a
brace ror the erected boat, will now serve to keep together
the panel~ of the boat ~figure 4.), A strap 55 is used
around the ~olded boat in order to fasten and to secure
the panels in their folded position. A buckle 56 or
other fastening element on the strap 55 may be used to
tighten the strap and rigidly hold the panels together.
; On each outer surface of the side panels 14 and
~ 15, a floater 57 is ~astened.
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