Towline and Release System for Water Sports Adjunct Devices

Water skiing by towline drawn from a power boat is a popular sports activity, and diverse modes of skiing are practiced for enjoyment, skill, and exhibition, as is well known. While the common ski activity is on water, as lakes, ponds, etc., such enjoyable and challenging activity may also be undertaken over snow-covered fields or long grassy slopes, and the like.

Increasing interest has developed in the use of towable devices drawn behind the towline for the skier's enjoyment other than the many forms of conventional water skis, boards and the like, as for example inflatable devices such as large annular air tubes, similar to but more rugged than so-called inner tubes used for mere flotation play. These inflatable devices are usually attached to the towline in some manner so as to be drawn thereby, and the skier may seek to "ski" with the tube, or oscillate the tube back and forth, or perform other fun or artistic maneuvers. Such devices are commercially available under trade names as "Hi-Planer Water Ski Tube", "Casad Tube", "Water Bug", "Bump-R-Ride", and others.

Quite generally a towline is fixedly attached to the inflatable device with a separate towline and handle for the skier, with both under tension as the device is drawn through the water or over other surfaces. The towline is necessarily attached to the inflatable device as the same is not of streamline or planiform configuration, and offers considerable resistance to being drawn as compared to skis, knee boards, aqua boards or like sleek devices that are intended for ready planing and speed, as the somewhat ungainly and flexible inflatable device is difficult to accelerate to planing speed, but tends to plow in the water, for example, in the absence of skill and tow power.

As such, if the tow rope is held by the skier and not also connected to the inflatable device, the skier or rider is literally pulled over the front of the tube which is quickly left behind.

Once accelerated to sufficient planing speed, however, the relatively large and somewhat flexible platform afforded by the inner tube is easily gripped by the feed or engaged by other portions of the body, and an amazingly smooth ride is attained at high speed in calm water. This contrast with rigid skis or boards which at higher speeds, by virtue of their rigidity, tend to react quickly to water pressures and bounce harshly, and thus do not serve as stable platforms for activities.

The fixed connection, however, limits the versatility of the inflatable device in that the towline connection obviously precludes foot-controlled spinning of the high speed inner tube, or release of the inner tube so that the rider can undertake barefoot skiing or like skills at higher speeds.

The present invention uniquely provides a towline assembly which includes a lead for a usual handle, a lead for an inflatable, as an inner tube, a latch for releasably connecting the lead to the inflatable device, and an operator for quickly and easily releasing the latch to free the air tube from the towline, whereby the skier may control the air tube directly with his feet or take other positions thereon, or even step from the air tube to barefoot ski, as well of course, to stop altogether.

The release means is foot-actuated both for convenience and safety, whereby the operator does not have to remove his grip from the handle or undertake a stooped or unsafe bent over position to manipulate the connection.

As a consequence, the inflatable device now provides not only a versatile and grippable platform, but also may be detached from the towline while in use for further maneuvers during planing, as spinning, as a body support while seated, prone or nearly so, or for ready step off for foot skiing, for example.

The invention will be better understood from reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention as associated with an an inflatable device as an air tube;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view indicating release of the latch on the line to the air tube; and,

FIGS. 3-7 inclusive are illustrative of diverse usage of the invention in the performance of tricks and skillful handling.

Referring to the drawings, there is seen in FIG. 1 at 10 the towline and release device of the invention. The towline includes the usual lead 12 forwardly to the towing craft with conventional attachment thereto, while extending rearwardly is the rearward portion 14 thereof which branches into three leads 16, 18, and 20. The branched leads may be provided in any well known manner as by split braiding, lashing, or preformed division of polymeric line. Leads 16, 18 are conventional and connect in usual manner to a tow handle 22 at either end thereof.

Lead 20 extends for connection to an inflatable device, such as an annular air tube 24 having a tow strap 26 secured therearound with a connecting ring 28 thereon of conventional "D" form. To this end, the lead 20 is formed or provided with an eye 30 to which a latch plate 32 is connected by means of an aperture therein. Latch plate 32 includes a keeper hook 34 pivotally mounted thereto at 36 in known manner and having a terminal tongue 38 cooperating with a slot 40 in the latch plate 32.

Thus, in connecting the latch plate 32 and lead 20 to the air tube 24, slot 40 is placed around the D-ring 28 and the keeper hook 34 manually swung to the closed FIG. 1 position with hook terminal tongue 38 trapping the ring 28 in the slot, whereby the air tube may be towed upon draw on the line 12. Diverse means, as friction mounting of the keeper hook 34 on pivot 36, or a spring-pressed detent 42 cooperating with a recess in the hook 34, or comparable means well known in the art serve to keep the hook in closed position until forcibly pivoted to the open position of FIG. 2, thereby permitting towing of the air tube 24, as in FIG. 3, for example.

As indicated, it is a feature of the invention to have the air tube tow lead 20 readily disconnectable so as to free the air tube for diverse tricks and enjoyable maneuvers by the skier or rider, whether on or off the tube, as seen in FIGS. 4-7, for example.

To that end, the rearward portion 14 of the towline has a bulbous foot-operated actuator member 44 loosely slidable thereon with the towline extending through a bore in member 44. The member 44 may be blow-molded or otherwise formed of plastic, for example, and initially slid onto the towline at the forward portion 12 thereof, and the towline is then knotted as at 46 to enlarge the diameter thereof sufficiently so as to prevent the member 44 from sliding or moving too far forwardly. Member 44 is provided with an ear 48 having an eye therethrough which receives a length of line 48, the other end of which is connected to the distal end of latch hook 34.

Accordingly, in use, when the air tube 24 is suitably planing or otherwise at a satisfactory speed for the rider or skier, he or she whether standing or sitting on the air tube 24, may extend a foot F forwardly to push bulbous member 44 toward know 46 and thereby sufficiently tension latch connector line 48 to overcome the friction or spring-closed position of latch hook 34 and pivot the same forwardly as seen in FIG. 2, thereby permitting the tube D-ring 28 to be freed from the towline system. It will be seen that this act is performed while the rider may keep both hands on the towline handles 22 and without dangerous bending or stooping at high speed on the planing air tube 24, whereby the rider may leave the air tube to barefoot ski forward or backward as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, or remain on the freed air tube in sitting or rearward prone positions as seen in FIGS. 4 or 7. Other activities are known and may be practiced and effected with the freed air tube, as causing the air tube to spin or revolve under the feet, or be oscillated as the skier is pulled along by the towline, and so forth.