Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~195~
GLOVE ARRANGEMENT FOR WATER SKIING
This invention relates to a glove arrangement for
water skiing, and more particularly, to a water ski glove that
is arxanged to give the water skier a hand hold on the familiar
water ski tow rope crossbar handle that avoids fatiyue in the
skier's hands and forearms, loss of grip of the handle in high
pull out situations, and the hand callousing problems that are
CC nl y experienced by those who actively pursue the sport.
The sport of water skiing, which continues to become
increasingly popular for bo~h the once in a while participant,
and the advanced skier, in being performed involves the use of
a sui~able speedboat (for instance a powered inboard or outboard)
that is equipped with a suitable water ski tow rope mount, and a
tow rope of appropriate length equipped at its trailing end wi~h
a crossbar type handle which the water skier in practlcing the
sport grasps with his hands to be pulled by the power boat over
the surface of a body of water, preferably under calm conditi~ns,
so tha~ the skier, who is equipped with either pair of water
skies r or is equipped with a single Slalom ski, can ski behind
the boat under the pulllng action of the tow rope. The ability
and experience of the skier, of course, have a lot to do with
the type of skiing activity the skier does or performs, and this
may range from the beginner endeavoring to stand up and ride on
a paix of skies, to the professional who slaloms, barefoots,
jumps, etc. competitively and/or teaches such activities.
A common problem to water skiers regardless of their
expe~ience and regularity of participation in the sport is the
muscle fatigue that water skiers experience in their hands and
~g5i~(~3
forearms, due to the water skier having to hand grip the tow
rope crossbar type handle and hang on against the pulling forces
being transmitted to his hands and arms through his fingers and
hands, with the muscles of the hands and forearms being h.ighly
stressed under the pulling action involved, both by the need to
~ightly hang on to the handle crossbars to prevent its rélease,
and take advantage of the pulling thrusts being applied to the
water skier so that the skier can utilize same to move as desired
across the water. Should the skier engage in such more advanced
water skiing activities as barefooting, jumping, Slalom course
traversing, trick skiing, and the like, the s-tress on the skier's
hands can not only be excessively fatiguing, but the loss of the
handle (handle snapsJ fre~uently results in a sudden sometimes
embarrassing and always exasperating, termination of a good
performance. Furthermore, those who ski regularly heretofore
have developed calloused hands, with the problem oftentimes
having been so acute.tha-t taping of the hands is practiced to
try to minimi ze the problem.
A principal object of this invention is to provide a
device whereby the water skier can establish through his hand
grip on the tow rope crossbar handle a structural purchase and
force transmitting connection to his wrists that permits the
pulling thrust of the tow crossbar handle to be applied to the
skeletal structure of the skier's arms by way of his wrists in
bypassing relation to the muscles of his hands and forearms,
whereby muscle fatigue in the skier's hands and forearms is
avoided.
2.
58~
~ nother p:r:Lnc:Lpa:L ohject of the :Lnventlon
is to provide by way oE a glove construction -that is
specifically arranged for water skiers, which permits
the water skier, by mere:L~ appropriately positioning
his fingers relative to the tow rope crossbar handle,
to establish a firm stress avoiding s-tructural pur-
chase between himself and -the crossbar handle that is
effectively and simply maintained while a water ski
run the skier is experiencing progresses, and regard-
less of whether the skier is simply being pulled alongthe water beginner fashion on two skies, or is perfvrm-
ing more advanced activities such as ~lalom course
traverse, jumping, barefoot, and the like/ which pur-
chase is effectively released in the same manner at the
skier's option.
Another important object of the invention is
to provide by way of a water ski glove arrangement an
implement for the water skier to effectively couple him-
self to the tow rope crossbar handle that avoids the
common water skier hand callousing problem, and not
by way of providing a cover for the skier's hands, but
rather by way oE preventing -the skier to establish a
structural purchase between the tow rope crossbar handle
and the skeletal structure of the skier's arms, that is
readily and safely maintained as desired or needed, and
released on the same basis by the skier appropriately
positioning his ingers relative to the tow rope cross-
bar handle.
Briefly stated, the present invention relates
to a water ski glove and comprises the improvement where-
in: the glove has fixed thereto and extending between
the glove finger portion and the wrist portion on the
palm side thereof a palm side strapping that extends
longitudinally of the glove, the palm side strapping
-- 3 --
vt~/rl~
having a protuberant rib ex-tendiny crosswise of the
glove palm side and transversely of the glove finger
portion, the rib being located adjacent the first
finger joint area of the glove finger portion, the
rib projecting outwardly of the palm side strapping,
a wrist strapping anchored to the wrist end o~ the
palm side strapping, and means for securing the wrist
strapping in close fit-ting relation about the glove
wrist portion when the water skier has inser-ted his
hand in the glove.
The water skier before skiing applies a pair
of such gloves to his hands in the usual manner for a
hand glove, with the arrangement being such th~t, as
indicated, when the gloves are properly fitted to the
skier and the skier's hands are fully received in same,
the indicated rib is located just below the first joint
of the skier's index finger on each hand. With the
v~cl/r~
51~3
glove ~o fitted, and the wrist strappings of each glove firmly
wrapped about the wrist portions o~ the respective gloves and
a~chored in place, the water skier in grasping the tow rope
handle crossbar in the usual manner, which is by way of arcing
his gloved fingers about the hand on one side of same and
applying his thumbs on the other side of same, an over center
type hand hold purchase on the tow rope crossbar handle it is
established which is maintained by the water skier merely continuing
to hold his fingers arced about the handle crossbar he is
grasping, but free of also having to hang onto the crossbar
against the pull of the tow rope. During the water ski run
under the pulling action of the power boat involved, the pulling
thrusts of the tow rope are applied to the crossbar and thence
to the glove rib of each hand of the skier, and through the palm
side and wrist strapping of the skier's gloves to the skier's
wrists and arm skeletal structure to the exclusion of the muscles
of his hands and forearms.
On the other hand, release of the indicated purchase
is effected by the water skier merely s~raightening out his
fingers to release the over center type hand hold purchase he
has had on the tow rope handle crossbar, which effects immediate
release of the tow rope handle.
Other objects, uses, and advantages will be obvious or
heco ? apparent from a consideration of the following detailed
description and the application drawings, in which like reference
numerals indicate like drawings throughout the several views.
In the drawings~
5.
~51~
Figures 1 and 2 are, respectively, ~op plan views of a
pair of water ski gloves arranged in accordance with the invention,
taken from the palm side of same, with Figure 1 illustrating the
left hand glove and Figure 2 illus~ra~ing the right hand glove;
Figure lA is a ragmental bottom plan view illustrating
the free end portion of the glove wrist strapping of Figure l;
Figure 3 diagrammatically illustrates in a top plan
view the manner in which water skiers commonly grip a common
form of water ski tow rope crossbar handle, with the water
skier's hands in qu~stion having the gloves of Figures 1 and 2
applied thereto in accordance with the invention,
Figure 4 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken
substantially along line 4--4 of Figure 3;
F~ure 5 is a diagrammatic sectional view taken
substantially along line 5--5 of Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a diagrammatic perspective view illus~
trating the basic functioning of the Applicant's glove strapping
and rib therefor in serving as a structural purchase with the
tow rope handle crossbar and pulling force transmitting medium
being the glove strapping to.the water skier's wrist and thus
his arm skeletal structure;.
Figure 7 is a fragmental perspective view on an
enlarged scale illustrating the glove palm side strapping that
is at the finger portions of the glove, and suggesting the
details of one form of rib forming arrangement therefor;
Fi~ure 8 is a.view similar to that of Figure 1 illustrating
a modified form of the invention; and
6.
~95S~103
~ igure 9 is a view similar to that of Figure 4 illustrating
a further modification of th~ invention.
However, it is to be distinctly understood that the
specific drawiny illustrations that are provided have been
supplied primarily to comply with the requirements of the Patent
Laws, and that the invention is susceptible of modifications and
variations ~hat will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and
which are in~ended to be covered by the appended claims.
GEN:E:RAI. DESCRIPTION
The sport of water skiing has become widely known, and
especially to those who frequent lake oriented and situated
resorts, summer homes, camps, and the likeO While water skiing
is, ge~erally speaking, an individualistic sport, in order to
perform water skiing the individual requires to have a~ailable a
power speed boat, such as a Chris Craft* Starcraf~, or a Century*,
insofar as power boats are concerned, or one of the many available
so-called outboard power boat models available which have a
requisite horsepower to bring the water skier to his feet in the
water and pull him about the waters of the lake or the like.
The power boat employed has to be suitably equipped with a
conyentional type of tow rope mount, the leading end of which is
connected thereto, and the trailing end of same is commonly
bifurcated at its end portioh to define a pair of forked end
p~rtions that are made fast to opposite ends of the familiar
crossbar type handle that is grasped by the water skier. The
power boat is ordinarily operated by the boat driver, and common
safety regulations require that the boat also include at least
one observer to watch the water skier and act as the go between
* a trade mark
;- 7.
between the water 4kier and the driver, depending on the needs
of the particular water ski run being experienced.
To start the run, the water skier equips himself with
a pair of water ski6~, and in an appropriate start position at
dock side, after applying the usual life preserver, grasps a tow
rope crossbar type handle. The water skier may be at rest in an
appropriate position in the water awaiting pull up by the power
boat when it starts, or he may be standing on a pier or dock for
a so-called jump start when the power boat ge~s under way. In
any event, the forward movement of the boat as it accelerates
and comes up to speed brings the water skier in water skiing
pOSition on the water in which he is leaning rearwardly and his
skies may be inclined upwardly somewha~, against the water in a
forward direction, as the pulling thrusts of the tow rope handle
are applied to the water skier's body to move him through the
water. Where the water skier is a beginner or novice, the ski
run involved ordinarily i5 concerned with pulling the water
skier behind the boat's wake at a relatively slow speed. More
advanced s-kiers will ride the wake on either side of the boat at
twenty miles per hour or more, and eventually learn to operate
the well-known Slalom ski.
Expert skiers, on the other hand, will have learned
the Yarîous water ski skills that are concerned with such things
as barefooting (which involves no skies at all), Slalom course
travexsing for fun and competition, which involves a single
specially built ski on which the water skier balances in performing
his movements, and jumping, which involves the use of two skies
for iumping off an elevated ramp, not to mention trick skiing of
8.
S1~3
various types, and the like. In most instances, the water skier
receives his forward movement thrust by hand gripping the conventiona.
and standard tow rope crossbar handle. Thus, the coupling that
the water skier makes at the ~ow rope crossbar handle is critical
and, except for some special water ski performances, where, for
instance, the tow rope handle may be held between the skier's
legs, all encompassing to water ski sport participants, and this
is what the present invention is directed to.
Referrlng now specifically to the drawings, xeference
n~meral 10 of Figure 3 indicates a pair of water ski gloves 12
and 14 that are arranged in accordance with the present invention,
and that have been applied respectively to the left and right
arms 16 and 18 of a water skier, and specifically to the hands
o~ the water skier's said arms (which hands are not specifically
shown as they are ~overed by the gloves 12 and 14, respectively)~
The water skier with the pair of gloves 10 applied to his hands,
in getting set for this water ski run, and during his water ski
run, grasps the rope tow cross~ar handle 20 in the familiar
water ski handle ~rip manner indicated in Figure 3, where one
hand is shown applied over the top of the handle 20 and th~
other hand is shown applied under the underside of the handle
20. In another common yripping manner, both hands are applied
oYer the top of the handle, but this is immaterial to the practice
of the present invention.
Conventional crossbar handles 20, of which one familiar
form is illustrated, comprises crossbar 22 that may be covered
with a hard foam rubber, or may be a simple riyid plastic tube,
gr a solid wooden bar, to the ends of which are applied suitable
9.
03
caps 24 and 26 that have apertures aligned with apertures in the
handle bar ends for tying application of the ends 28 and 30 of
the respective terminal portions 32 and 34 of tow rope 36 which
merge in a conventional manner with the main tow rope body (not
~hown) that is suitably connected to the power boat being employed.
In accordance with the present invention, the gloves
12 and 14 may comprise suitable hand co~ers 40 and 42, which are
of the same construction except, of course, they are for the
~kier's left and right hands respectively; each comprises a palm
portion 44, a back portion 46, thumb portion 48, wrist portion
50 which in effect forms the skirt 51 of the respective gloves
and extends about the palm and back sides of the glove as well
as the glove marginal sides in the area of the wrist portion, as
is conYentional with most gloves that extend over ~he wearer's
wrists.
~ he hand covers 40 and 42 also include the usual
multiple finger portions 52, 54, 56, and 58, in which the user's
index fingers, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger,
are respectively received when the gloves have been put on by
the u~er.
Of course, hand covers 40 and 42 are to be available
in different sizes as required to properly fit the user's hands
~ith close fitting gloYes~ which will depend on thé size of the
wearer's hands. The hand cover 40 provided by the glove 12 and
the hand cover 42 provided by the glove 14 are proportioned to
closely fit the user's hands and have the wrist portion 50
extend well beyond the user's wrists appropriately for the
practice of the invention, which may be on the order of one to
tWo inches.
10 .
51~
The hand covers 40 and 42, as such, may be made in any
conventional manner from any suitable flexible fabric materials
or ~heir e~uivalent, of suitable non-shrinking, and wear and
deterioration resistant characteristics~
In accordance with the invention, the gloves 12 and 14
each have applied to the palm side 60 of same a length o palm
side strapping 62, that may be in the form of ~ylon or canvas
webbing or the like, which extends lengthwise of the palm side
16 of the glove and more or less in parallelism to the finger
portions of the glove hand covers 40 and 42 (when same are laid
out flat, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2), from the glove cover
finger portion to and across the glove cover wrist portion S0.
The strapping 62 is secured to the glove by suitable stitching~
such as stitching 64 and 66 applied along its respective side
edges 68 and 70, respectively, that extend between its ends 72
and 74O Adjacent the ends 72 the strapping 62 is formed to
define protuberant rectilinear rib 80 that, as indicated by
Figures 1, 2 and 7, is upst~n~ i ng with regard to thP top or
exposed side 82 of ætrapping 62. Rib 80 is oriented to extend
sùbstantially transversely of the strapping 62 and crosswise of
the glove finger portions, and for best results the water skier
when properly fitted with the gloves 12 and 14 finds the rib 80
just below the first joint of his index finger, which would thus
be just below the first index finger joint location of the
~inger portion 52 of the gloves 12 and l4.
Further in accordance with the invention, the respective
~loves 12 and 14 each include a wrist strapping 90 that may be
formed from the same materials as strapping 62 and has its end
11 . .
~S1~3
92 anchored to the end 74 of strapping 62 as by employing
suitable s~itching; in the illustrated embodiments, the end 92
of thè wrist strapping 90 underlies the end 74 of the palm side
~trapping 62, and these two parts are stitched together and to
the cover that forms the respective gloves 12 and 14~
~ The wrist strapping 92, in accordance with the invention
is proportioned in length so that it may be wrapped firmly
about the user's forearm adjacent his wrist, when the glove is
applied to the user's hands, and about the glove wrist portion
50, so that its end 94 may be brought around his wrist and
applied in overlying relation to the end 74 of the palm side
strapping 62.
Further in accordance with the invention, the strapping
end 74 has applied to the top or exposed side 82 of strapping
74, as by employing a suitable adhesive or stitching, or both,
a strapping component 96, while the.back side 98 of the wrist
strapping 90, as distinguished from its front side 100, has a
similar strapping component 102 applied thereto in the same
manner, and thus as by employing a suitable adhesive. The
stripping componen-ts 96 and 102 preferably are in the form of
the self gripping nylon product of the hook and loop system that
i~ made by American Velcro Corporation sold under the trademark
VELCRO. In the embodiments illustrated, the stripping 96 has
the loop section of the Velcro product while the stripping 102
is the hook section of the Velcro products, but, of course, the
positioning of these components can be reversed. In the embodiments
illustrated, the front side 100 of the wrist strapping 90 also
has a short section 104 of stripping that is comparable to the
12.
~s~
stXipping 96, for locking relation with the stripping 102 in the
event that for a particular applica~ion of the gloves 12 and 14
the end 94 of strapping 90 should substantially overlap the
stripping 96. Similarly, the stripping 102 may be extended
toward the end 92 of the strapping 90 as may seem ~o be necessary
or de~irable.
In use, as already indicated, the water skier in
preparing to water ski applies a pair of gloves 10 to his
hands, which, of course, involves slipping his left hand into
the glove 12 and his right hand into the glove 14 in the usual
manner for close fitting gloves, so that the user's fingers and
thumb are fully received in the finger and thumb portions of the
respective gloves and the glove wrist portions 50 extend below
the wrists, respectively, of the user an amount in the range
indicated.
In this connection, the gloves 12 and 14 may be
supplied, for instance, in small, medium, and large sizes to
accommodate the various sizes of hands of water ski participants
to be fitted, although, of course, the gloves can be specially
fitted to any particular person as needed. In any event, it is
desirable that the protuberant ridge for properly fitted gloves
12 and 14 be disposed adjacent to and just below the first joint
of the user's index finger, and thus adjacent to and below the
corresponding joint area of the glove index finger portions 52.
As the individual gloves 12 and 14 are applied, part
of the glove application involves the user grasping the end 94
of wrist strapping 9~, pulling it around the back of his wrist
and around and over the top of the stripping 96 (or stripping 96
13.
J
~g~;1!3~3
and 104 as the cAse may be), while pulling the strapping 90 from
its end 94 in firm binding relation with one's wrist, and pressing
the strippings 102 and 96 ~or 96 and 104) into fi.rm interengaging
and locking relation, that is characteristic of the Velcro
product described.
Both gloves 12 and 14 are applied in -this manner, with
the strappings 90 of gloves 12 and 14 being handled in the right
hand and left hand manner in effecting the connection of wrist
strapping end 94 to palm side strapping end 74.
. The user now has the gloves 12 and 14 applied thereto
so that his hands are covered as indicated in Figures 3, 4 and
5.
Assuming that the user is ready to water ski, as by
having applied his water skis and life preserver, and is ready
to make his water ski run, the user grasps a tow rope handle bar
in one of the normal grip manners that have been indicated, for
instance the normal grip manner indicated in Figure 3. As
indicated in Figure 3, this may involve the gloved fingers of
the left hand being arced over the bar 22 from one side ~hereof .
and th~ gloved fingers of the right hand being arced over the
handle 22 from the other side there, or vice versa, depending on
the fit that seems appropriate to the user. Also, the finger
gloves of both hands may be arced over the same side of the
handle 22. In any event, -the user's thumbs are comfor-tably
disposed in opposed~ normal gripping relation to the gloved
fingers of the respective hands of the user.
In any event, as indicated in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the
water skier in arcing his fingers over against the handl.e bar
14.
9351!~3
22, in normal bax hand gripping relation thereto disposes the
rib 80 of the respective gloves 12 and 14 in an over center
position relative to side of the bar 22 from which the gloved
fingers are applied, and the position of the water skier holding
the rope tow handle bar 32. As long as the wa~er skier maintai.ns
his gloved fingers in this arced manner, the rib 80 remains in
this over centered position; since rib 80 is fixedly connected
to the palm side strapping 62, and wrist strapping 90 is fixed
to the end 74 of strapping 62 and is firmly applied about the
water skiex~s wrists insofar as the respective gloves 12 and 14
are concernedl a structural purchase is established by the rib
80 in association with the handle cross bar 22/ which purchase
includes the strappings 62 and 90, whereby, when the power boats
pulllng forces are applied to tow rope 36, the handle bar 22 is
socketed behind t;he rib 80 as long as the water skier maintains
his fingers in the arced position illustrated in Figures 3 - S
a~d the pull forces are thus transmitted to and through strapping
62 to the strapping gO, and thence ~o the water skier's wris~s,
of his respective hands, with the forces being diagrammatically
illustrated by the arrows shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6.
Thus, the basic pulling forces applied to the crossbar
handle 22, represented by arrow 105, are subdivided for each of
the skier's hands, as indicated by reference numeral 105 of
Fi~ure 6, and are transmitted to the rib 80, and these subdivided
pull forces are transmitted through rib 8.0 to palm side strapping
6~, as represented by arrows 106, which transmits such pulling
forces to the wrist strapping 90 at its end 42 as represented by
arrows 107, which distributes such pulling forces about the
skier's wrists, as represented by arrows 1.08.
15.
1195B03i
In this connection, the water skier's hand in the
showing of Figure 6 is shown in outline only, as is the handle
bar 22, to better illustrate the cooperating nature o the rib
80, the strapping 62, and the strapping 90 (the glove 12 in the
showing of Figure 6 also being assumed to be part of the outline
that defines the user's hand in the showing of Figure 6).
The result is that the pull forces applied to the
handle crossbar 22 and thence to the rib 80 and strappings 62
and 90, of the respective gloves 12 and 14, are applied to the
skeletal structure of the water skier's arms, by way of application
to and about his wrists, in bypassing relation to the muscles of
the water skier's hands and forearms. This is to be distinguished
from conventional practices whereby a water skier not having the
benefit of the Applicant's invention has to use the muscles of
his hands and forearms to strongly grasp the handle bar 22 to
ayoid the handle bar ~eing pulled from his grasp as well as to
provide the coupling whereby the pull forces of ~he tow rope are
transmitted to the water skier through his hands, which thus
must be maintained in a vice like gripping relation with the
handle bar 22.
The tow rope pulling action that is applied to a water
skier by the practice of the invention, through the s~ructural
purchase represented by the Applicant's thrust connection equipped
gloves 12 and 14 is maintained, against the pulling action of
the tow rope, so long as the water skier ma.intains his gloved
f~ngers in the arced relation of Figures 3 - 6. For this
purpose no great amount of hand gripping pressure needs to be
applied to the handle crossbar 22.as it is only necessary that
16.
5~
the protuberant rib 80 be maintained in the over centered position
indicated in Figures 4 and 5 to keep the handle 22 in the socketed
rela~ion there illustrated relative to the rib 80 and the water
skier's arced fingers.
On the other hand, when a water skier desires to
release the handle crossbar 22, it is only necessary for the
water skier to straighten out his fingers so that the rib 80
loses its over centered position r~lative to the bar 22 and the
bar 22 pulls or drops free of the water skier's hands.
The result is that when the water skier is using the
~loves of this invention for his water ski run, muscle fatigue
in his hands and forearms is eliminated, thereby overcoming the
discouraging early tiring problem that the recreational and
occasional water skier have heretofor had, and correspondingly
relieving debilitating muscle fatigue for the advanced and
competitive water skier.
Furthermore, the socketed relation that the handle
crossbar 22 has with respect to the rib 80 and the user's
fingers when the water skier is qrasping the handle bar 22, and
the transmittal of the pu'ling forces involved, to the water
skier's skeletal arm structure about his wrists, instead of
throu~h his fingers and hands eliminates the problem of high
stress application to the water skier's hands and loss of grip
on the tow rope handle (handle snaps) that can occur unexpectedly
in high pull situations. This is a significant benefit to the
advanced and competitive water skier.
~ oreover, the practice of the invention eliminates the
problem of calloused hands since the abrasion effPct on the hands
17.
-
S~3
ls practically eliminated, not because the hands are gloved, but
because the force transmittal from the tow rope handle bar 22 is
via the rib 80 and strappings 62 and 90 to the water skier's arm
skeletal struc~ure by application of same, in bypassed relation
to the user^s hands, namely his fingers, palm, and thumb.
SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION
As indicated, the coverings 40 and 42 of the respective
~loves 12 and 14 may be of any suitable type and material.
WhîIe the multiple and full finger glove configuration illustrated
i5 preferred for sports such as water skiing, the glove employed
could also be of the type in which a single finger portion
receivec all fingers of the user's hand, so long as the ri~ 80
is located as indicated with respect to the first joint of the
index finger.
The strappings 62 and 90 may be of any suitable type,
such as the nylon or canvas webbing suggested; water resistant
leather and plastic strapping of suitable tension strength and
flexibility would also be satisfactory.
In the embodiments of Figures l - 7, the palm side
strapping 52 is proportioned width wise to be affixed to the
finger por~ions 52, 54 and 56 of the respective gloves. While
the strapping 62 can be proportioned to be affixed to all four
finger portions including the finger portion 58, this involves
additional material that is no~ ordinarily necessary since ~he
~ib 80 as provided by the strapping 62 having the proportioning
indicated very well serves the purpose.
The rib 80 as a general rule may be formed in any
8uitable m~nnerl Figure 7 illustrating one embodiment in which
18.
51~3
a plastic dowel 110 forms the core or the rib, with the s~rapping
62 being tucked or looped to define pocket 115 in which dowel
11~ is disposed in close fitting relation thereto and the
strapping 62 stitched in place thereabout where indicated at 112
in such a manner such that the dowel 110 is tightly held within
the 114. In this arrangement the dowel 110 is con-tinuous in
length for the width of the strapping 62 and in the embodiment
illustrated, the rib 80 including dowel 110 has a cross-
sectional diameter approximating one cen-timeter in dimension.
Ribs 80 on the order of this size will be found to fully serve
the purposes described herein.
The strippings 96, 102 and 104 are of the the familiar
Velcro product type hook and loop system abric construction.
An adhesive suitable for affixing the strippings 96, 102 and 104
in place is Barge* all purpose cement available at Barge Cement
Division, Pierce & Stevens Chemical Corp. of suffalo~ New York.
The rib 80 as a matter of practice may be formed in
any manner that will provide the protuberant or projecting,
rid~e or rib like, rec~ilinear configuration illustrated,
which, of course, should be located with the orientation relative
to the strapping 62 and index finger first joint that has been
specified and should be relatively firm or a~ least semi-rigid
in nature, as distinguished from heing soft and pliable. The
dowel 110 is preferably formed from a hard or rigid plastic or
metallic material that may be resilient, but should be corrosion
free or resistant because of the water rela-ted use to which the
invention i5 to be put. Thus, the dowel 110 may be formed from
~rd wood, a suitable rubber compound or a suitable plastic,
* a trade mark
19 .
o
~9~8~3
such as ABS or a polyurethane or polyethylene. The pocket 115
in which the dowel 110 is received should be in close fitting
xelation to the dowel, and of course a suitable adhesive may be
employed to bond the dowel in place. Pocket 115 can be formed
by the strapping in any suitable manner, such as the loop or
tuck 114 that is illustra~ed which, of course, could involve the
terminal end 120 of the strapping end 72 being turned underneath
the strap 62 or cut off entirely so long as the pocket 115
securely holds the dowel ll0.
In the glove arrangement of Figures 1 - 7 the end 92 of
the strapping 90 is a~fixed to the glove under the end 74 of the
strapping 62 (in the positioning shown in Figures l and 2 , but,
of co~rse, this relation of parts could be reversed as desired,
with the stripping 96 then being applied on the top surface 100
of the strapping 90.
In the pair of gloves lO illustrated, the wrist
strappings 90 project from the little finger side of the glove,
and this arrangement is preferred because it is easy for the
water skier to manipulate the strapping 90 by winding it around
his wrists first outwardly from the palm side of same around the
back of the wrist and then over against the stripping 96 or 96
and lOÇ at the front or palm side of the wrist. However, the
strappin~s 90 could be applied so as to extend from the thumb
sides of the gloves, in which case the wrapping of the strapping
90 about the individual's wrists would be reversed.
In the glove I2A shown in Figure 8, the strapping 62A
at its end 72A is subdivided in alignment with the respective
glove finger portions 52, 54 and 56 to define strapping sections
20.
5~3
130 that are shaped as shown in Figure 7 to define a pocket 115A
housing a dowel section 110A, with the pockets 115A and dowel
s~ctions llOA having a length in proportion to the width of the
respective sections 130. The strapping sections 130 are each
individually stitched to the respective finger portions 52, 54
and 56, as at 131, in addition to the stitching 68, 70 and 72 so
as to firmly anchor them to the glove finger portions in question,
and when the water skier wears the gloves 12A, the resulting rib
80A will be made up of the aligned rib sections 132, whereby the
rib 80A will be disposed with the same orientation relative to
the glove 12A that rib 80 has with respect to the glove 12. Of
course, gloye 12A will have a right hand glove mate arranged in
the same manner so that the water skier will have a pair of
gloves comparable to glove 12A to wear for water skiing purposes,
with the same results being provided as have been hereindescribed
before.
The remaining components of the glove 12A are the same
as previously described, as indicated by corresponding reference
numerals.
In the embodiment of Figure 9, the glove 14 of Figures
1 ~ 7 is shown being used in conjunction with a modified tow
rope handle bar 22A, which in accordance with the invention is
formed with recess 140 in which the rib 80 (or 80A) is lodged
when the water skier grasps the tow rope handle for water skiing
purposes. The recess 140 is concave in shape and roughly semicylin-
drical to conform to the configuration of the rib 80 (or 80A) in
roughly complementary reiation thereto. In carrying out this ver-
sion o~ the invention, the tow rope handle cross bar 22A requires a
21..
~L~5~3
second recess 140 located on the left hand side of same approximately
where indicated by the presence o~ the rib 80 in Figure 5 so
that the water skier's left hand rib 80 is socketed into such
second recess.
- It will be apparent that in the embodiment of the
invention illustrated by Figure 9, i.n addition to the over
centered positioning of the ribs 80 (or 80A) of ~he water skier's
gloyes, an added purchase securement to the modified cross bar
22A is provided by reason of the lodging of the respective ribs
80 (or 80A) in the indicated recesses 140.
- 0 course, whexe the water skier prefers to grasp the
handle bar 22A with both hands over the same side of the crossbar
22A, then the recess 140 could extend the full length of the
area of the crossbar 220A, longitudinally thereof, that would be
gripped by the water skier. It wiil also be apparent that the
tow rope handle crossbars 22~ may have the recesses 140 extending
the length of same for both the locations shown in Figure 9 and
Suggested by Figure 5, to accommodate both manners of gripping
the tow rope handle crossbar.
It will therefore be seen that the invention provides
a water ski tow rope handle crossbar gripping implement whereby
the water skier establishes a structural purchase between the
water skiing tow rope cross handle bar and skeletal structure of
the skier's arms, by way of a coupling in which the water skier,
by merely holding his fingers in the normal arced positioning
lightly engaging the cross bar in question, to dispose the glove
ribs in the over centered positions illustrated in the drawings,
with the pull thrust forces involved being transmitted throuyh
22.
~L95803
the glove palm side and wrist ~trappings and to the skeletal
structure of the water skier's arms, about his wrists, in bypassing
relation to the water skier's hand and forearm muscles.
The result is that fatigue in the water skier's hands
and forearms is eliminated, as is the here-tofore ever present
problem of handle snaps in high pull situations and the problem
of having to provide taping or the like to avoid calloused
handsO
On the other hand, when the wa-ter skier wishes to
release the tow rope handle he merely straightens out his
flngers relative to the handle crossbar, and of course this can
be instantly done by merely appropriately flexing his fingers,
with the result that the coupling involved is automatically and
completely released. This is important when the skier falls or
senses he should immediately discon-tinue his run.
- The di;fference between skiing employing a conventional
hand gripping of the water ski handle crossbar (for instance,
without any gloves, or in any event gloves that are free of the
strapping 62 and 90, and the ribs 80 and 80A of this invention,
and, for instance, skiing with the same tow rope handle employing
gloves 12 and 14 will be abundantly apparent in making the
following test7
On the ground, a length of tow rope bearing a handle
bar 22 has the other end of the rope tied to a fixed object that
will not move, such as a tree. The individual then grasping the
crossbar handle 22 with his bare hands and pulling with all his
weigh~ will find that the harder one pulls the more tension the
individual feels in his hands and forearms. When, for instance,
23.
~19S~(~3
a pair 60 of gloves 12 and 14 are applied to the individual's
hands in the m~ner illustrated in the drawings, and the individual
pulls with all his weight on the tow rope, it will be found that
all of the pull is applied to and about his wrists through the
wrist strappings 30; if the individual relaxes his hand while
maintaining the positioning shown in Figures 4 and 5 relative to
the handle crossbar 22, the individual will find that he can
still effortlessly hold onto the handle bar 22. But by straightening
his flngers, the coupling between the individual's gloved hands
and the tow rope crossbar handle séparates and the handle will
~reely release from the hands.
The foregoing description and the drawings are given
merely to explain and illustrate the invention, and the invention
is not to be limited thereto, except insofar as the appended
claims are so limited, since those skilled in the art who have
the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications
and variations therein without departing from the scope of the
invention.
24.
