How the First Modern Water Slide Was Designed
A 1960 patent for a water-based amusement structure featuring a sloped surface and a water supply system to create a sliding experience.
Original patent title: “Aquatic play equipment”
A 1960 patent for a water-based amusement structure featuring a sloped surface and a water supply system to create a sliding experience. Granted to Individual in 1961 with 41 forward citations, and it is now in the public domain.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a structure designed for aquatic recreation, specifically a slide that uses a continuous flow of water to reduce friction for a person sliding down. The design includes a ramp or chute surface with a water distribution system at the top that ensures the entire sliding path remains lubricated. By maintaining a thin film of water, the device allows a user to glide from an elevated position into a pool or landing area at the bottom.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover dry slides that rely on rollers or friction-reducing materials instead of water.
- Does not cover closed-tube or enclosed tunnel slide designs.
- Does not cover complex multi-loop or high-speed thrill ride engineering.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The invention cleverly recognized that water could serve as both a lubricant to increase speed and a safety mechanism to prevent friction burns during the descent.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Public swimming pool slides
Early backyard water slides
Basic amusement park water chutes
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent represents an early formalization of the water slide as a commercial amusement device. It laid the groundwork for the modern water park industry by defining the basic mechanical interaction between a human body, a sloped surface, and a fluid lubricant.
Filed
September 2, 1960
Granted
May 2, 1961
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies like WhiteWater West and ProSlide Technology have evolved these basic concepts into massive, multi-story water park attractions. These firms now focus on safety, structural integrity, and high-capacity throughput.
Market impact
This patent helped transition water slides from improvised backyard setups to standardized, safe, and commercially viable attractions for municipal pools and amusement parks. It effectively established the technical category of water-lubricated amusement equipment.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a structure designed for aquatic recreation, specifically a slide that uses a continuous flow of water to reduce friction for a person sliding down. The design includes a ramp or chute surface with a water distribution system at the top that ensures the entire sliding path remains lubricated. By maintaining a thin film of water, the device allows a user to glide from an elevated position into a pool or landing area at the bottom.
The clever bit
The invention cleverly recognized that water could serve as both a lubricant to increase speed and a safety mechanism to prevent friction burns during the descent.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover dry slides that rely on rollers or friction-reducing materials instead of water.
- Does not cover closed-tube or enclosed tunnel slide designs.
- Does not cover complex multi-loop or high-speed thrill ride engineering.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
Patent enters public domain
This patent is in the public domain
See the Freedom to Build guide — what is free to use, what is not, and how to cite this patent.
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
32/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$20K – $63K
Midpoint $40K · expired or expiring · industry ×2.2
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Carrier, R. D. (1961). How the First Modern Water Slide Was Designed (U.S. Patent No. 2,982,547). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2982547/slip-n-slide-carrier
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How the First Modern Water Slide Was Designed cover?
A 1960 patent for a water-based amusement structure featuring a sloped surface and a water supply system to create a sliding experience.
Who owns patent US 2982547?
Individual owns this patent, granted in 1961.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 2982547 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 41 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent represents an early formalization of the water slide as a commercial amusement device. It laid the groundwork for the modern water park industry by defining the basic mechanical interaction between a human body, a sloped surface, and a fluid lubricant.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover dry slides that rely on rollers or friction-reducing materials instead of water.
Same assignee
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