FLOATING SEAT

SIEGE FLOTTANT

English Abstract

ABSTRACT
"FLOATING SEAT "
Buoyant supports especially for small children must
be very stable. The support of the invention achieves great
stability by having a plurality of buoyant ring-like support
members of different dimensions, each connected to its
adjacent support member and body holding means dependent from
one or more of the support members.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A buoyant chair for supporting a person in water in a
sitting position comprising two or more ring-like inflatable
support members having diameters of different lengths that the
support members can be located concentrically about a central
axis, and spaced at varying distances from the axis according to
their diameters in a plane at right angles to the central axis,
and such that smaller support members are located in said plane
closer to said axis than larger support members, the adjacent
support members being connected to each other at spaced intervals,
whereby downward pressure on part of a support member does not
produce downward pressure on an adjacent part of an adjacent
support member and body holding means comprising a seat hanging
by suspension means connected to at least one of the support
members, said body holding means having openings through which
the legs of the person protrude.
2. A buoyant chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
adjacent support members are connected together at four spaced
positions.
3. A buoyant chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seat
means is connected to the smallest support member by flexible
cord.
4. A buoyant chair as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3,
wherein there are two support members.
5. A buoyant chair as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein
a backrest is provided on the smallest support member.

6. A buoyant chair as claimed ln claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein
said seat means is a seat for supporting a baby in a body of
water such as a swimming pool.

Description

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'I'his invention rela-tes to a floa-tation support for
people. It is par-ticularly useful as a floating sea-t for babies
in a swimming pool.
The b:ig problem with floatation devices for people of all
ages is that they are unstable and any rnovement of an occupant
-toward an edge of the device will tend -to overturn the device.
It is an object of this invention to overcome the
problem of prior floatation devices.
According to the invention, there is provided a buoyant
chair for supporting a person i.n water in a sitting posi-ti.on
comprising two or more ring-like inflatable support members having
diameters of different leng-ths that the support members can be
located concentrically about a central axis, and spaced at varying
distances from the axis according to their diameters in a plane
at right angles to the central axis, and such that smaller
support members are located in said plane closer to said axis
than larger suppor-t members, the adjacent suppor-t members being
connected to each other at spaced intervals, whereby downward
pressure on part of a support member does not produce downward
pressure on an adjacent part of an adjacent suppor-t member and
body holding means comprising a seat hanging by suspension means
connected to at least one of the support members, said body
holding means having openinys through which the legs of the
person protrude.
A preferred embodiment of the inven-tion will now be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view;
Figure 2 is a side view;
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Figure 3 is a plan view;
Fiyure 4 is a rear view;
Figure 5 is a bottom view;
Figure 6 is a sectional view from the front; and
Figure 7 is a plan view of another embodiment.
The floatation suppor-t of the invention in one form
comprises an outer support member 1, an inner support member
2 situated within the area surrounded by -the outer support
member 1 with a space 3 therehe-tween. Spaced connecting
members ~ provide flexible connections between the inner
and outer support members.
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The floatation suppor-t may have a back seat 5. A
form of body support depends from -the inner suppor-t member 2.
In the form shown a seat 6 is supported by flexible cord 7 to
lugs 8 on the inner side of the inner support member 2.
The number of connectlng members 4 may be varied but
best results are obtained with four connectors positioned as
shown in the drawings. With this arrangement any depression
of the inner support member by movement of a person therein
is not directly reflected in the outer riny and stability of
the device as a whole is maintained. It is also envisaged
that the cross~sectional area of the outer support member
could be enlarged near -the connections 4.
The shape and configuration and the number of the
support members 1 and 2 are not important and may be dictated
by such things as ease of manufacture, aesthetic appearance,
comic appearance e~g. duck shape, stability, size of occupant
etc. The more support members there are the safer the support
floatation would be.
Figure 7 shows another embodiment. There is no
restriction on the number of ring-like members and this
embodiment shows three such members 10, 11 and 12 connected
together by spaced connections 13. Valves 14 and seat 15 are
similar to the other embodiments. This embodiment, like the
others, may or may not have a backrest and is shown without
one.
The support members may be made of any suitable
buoyant material such as E.V.A., polyurethane or cork. The
device shown in the drawings comprises inflatable plastic tubing
wlth valves 9 and 14. Such valves would be double acting, i.e.
if the plug is knocked out air does not escape.
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