AU8078698A

AU8078698A - A rudder

Info

Publication number: AU8078698A
Application number: AU80786/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Padraic Costello
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-08-19
Filing date: 1998-08-19
Publication date: 2000-03-09

Description

I L I I II

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority Related Art:

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Name of Applicant: Padraic Costello Actual Inventor(s): Padraic Costello Address for Service: PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA Invention Title: A RUDDER Our Ref 540181 POF Code: 1142/343636 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): -1- 1 "A Rudder" Introduction The present invention relates to a novel construction of rudder and to a method of using the rudder to propel a craft.

5 The present invention is thus directed to rudders of the type having a rudder blade, pivoted by a tiller and means for securing the rudder to a boat. The rudder may be 0 connected to a boat by a gudgeon and pintle, it may be connected by a stern plate with means for attaching the stern plate to the transom or a rudder stock tube pivotally mounted with respect to the stern plate in which is mounted a rudder stock.

It is known to use the rudder of a boat to propel it.

This is often called sculling which is the relatively violent movement of the tiller back and forth to cause the rudder blade to propel the boat forward. This is generally speaking a relatively inefficient way of trying to propel a boat forward and is strictly prohibited for example by the yacht racing rules. However, the general principle of sculling, if it could be achieved efficiently would be an extremely efficient way of propelling a boat.

One of the major problems in rowing a boat is that generally speaking it requires two oars unless one oar is placed across the transom of the boat to scull it.

Another of the problems is that oars can be lost overboard, not alone in adverse weather conditions, but accidentally even under the calmest of conditions.

Further one of the problems with oars is that very often in narrow waterways or where there is heavy vegetation rowing can be extremely difficult. It must also be 2 appreciated that rowing requires some if not considerable skill, particularly in adverse conditions. Oars are heavy and often beyond the strength of many to use.

Further, it would be considerably advantageous that there would always be a means other than for example oars or sails to propel a boat.

The present invention is directed towards providing such *0 means.

*~Statements of Invention o*o* According to the invention there is provided a rudder of the type having a rudder blade pivoted by a tiller and means for mounting the rudder on a boat, characterised in "0 that at least portion of the rudder blade forms a drive fin which is connected to the tiller to allow limited 15 pivotal movement of the drive fin relative to the tiller.

**0 Ideally the rudder blade is of a semi-rigid material such as a plastics material.

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In another embodiment of the invention, the rudder blade has a rigid in-board portion fixed with respect to the tiller forming a steering blade and an outboard portion movable relative to the in-board portion forming the drive fin. The advantage of this is that when the tiller is moved back and forth, there is not just simply movement of the tiller blade with respect to the water in the normal way with a rigid tiller achieving a sculling motion, but there is also the added propulsion achieved by the flexing, as it were, of the drive fin portion of rudder blade with respect to the tiller. This is particularly suitable when a portion of the rudder is of a rigid material. At the same time, when the rudder blade is of 3 part rigid material and of part flexible material, the rudder will still operate effectively under normal conditions as a rudder.

In another embodiment of the invention, the rudder blade is a two-part rudder blade of rigid material the parts being connected together by a friction hinge.

In another embodiment, the rudder blade is of tapered section, having a wide front end forming the steering blade attached to the tiller and a narrow rear end forming 10 a flexible drive fin. Thus advantageously, the front end is rigid enough to form an effective steering blade while ."the rear end forms the flexible drive fin for effective propulsion when required.

In a preferred embodiment, the rudder blade comprises a flexible drive fin having an inner end and an outer end, the inner end being attached to a rigid plate forming the steering blade which is attached to the tiller.

Conveniently, for size adjustment of the rudder blade, S" means may be provided for adjustment of the position of the drive fin on the rigid plate. For example, a number of spaced-apart sets of mounting holes may be provided in the drive fin and the rigid plate for bolting the drive fin in one of a number of positions on the rigid plate to adjust the overall size of the rudder blade as required.

This conveniently allows a single rudder construction to be adapted to accommodate a number of different sized boats.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the inner end of the drive fin is clamped between a pair of spaced-apart rigid plates which are attached to the tiller.

Conveniently, the pair of rigid plates may be formed from 4 a single sheet of metal or the like bent intermediate its ends forming a slot for reception of the drive fin which is secured to the rigid plates in any suitable manner.

In another embodiment, the drive fin is of plastics material incorporating a flexible reinforcing support.

The reinforcing support may, for example, be a metal sheet or mesh. The drive fin may be formed by moulding plastics material about the support or the support may be sandwiched between two panels of plastics material.

In another embodiment, a step is provided on the rudder to ."aid a person entering a boat from the water.

Conveniently, the step comprises a flanged upper edge of the rudder blade.

In another aspect of the invention there is provided an auxiliary rudder blade of flexible material for attachment "to an existing rudder blade. There may also be simple attachment means to allow the auxiliary rudder blade be removably attached to an existing rudder blade. This could allow it to be placed in position only when 20 propulsion is required.

While in the above the device has been described as a rudder, as this is the device that it most clearly resembles, it could be said that it is not strictly speaking a rudder and that if it were of a totally flexible material it would not be able to operate as a rudder. However, it must still have sufficient rigidity to allow the flexing since if it has no rigidity then it would not act to propel a boat. Thus, it will always act partially as a rudder, even if very inefficiently.

It is also envisaged that when, for example, an outboard motor is mounted on the stern of a boat across the transom, a rudder according to the invention could be mounted on the gunwale of the boat and used to propel the boat. It could also be used to propel the boat, for example, in conjunction with a conventional rudder, This auxiliary use, for example as mentioned above with an outboard, would be particularly suitable for angling when drifting.

The important point to appreciate about the present invention is that it can be used partially as a rudder, it S10 can be used in conjunction with a rudder or it can be used o*o* eo solely for propulsion.

Detailed Description of the Invention The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying o drawings in which:- Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a rudder according to the invention in the position of use; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a stern plate forming part of the rudder; Fig. 3 is a side view of the stern plate; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another rudder according to the invention; Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the rudder of Fig.

6 Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of the rudder of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the rudder of Fig. 4; Fig. 8 is a detail elevational view of portion of the rudder of Fig. 4; Fig. 9 is an end elevational view of the rudder portion shown in Fig. 8; 9oo Fig. 10 is a plan view of the rudder portion of Fig.

8; Fig. 11 is a plan view of another rudder according to the invention; and Fig. 12 is a detail perspective view of a rudder according to the invention incorporated in an outboard motor.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Figs. 1 to 3 thereof, there is provided a rudder according to the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 1 comprising generally a stern plate 2 for mounting on the transom of a boat and supporting a tiller stock tube 3 in which is rotatably mounted a tiller stock 4 operable by a tiller handle 5 and carrying at its lower end a rudder blade 6.

The rudder blade 6 comprises inner rigid steel plates welded to the tiller stock 4. By means of bolts 11 a drive fin plate 12 is secured at its inner end between the steel plates 10. The fin plate 12 has a portion of reduced section adjacent its outer edge, provided by cutout portions 13 which terminate in a fish-tail 14. The 7 fin plate 12 is manufactured from a semi-rigid plastics material, that is a material that is stiff but flexible so it will bend as described later.

Referring specifically to Figs. 2 and 3 the stern plate 2 is illustrated and comprises a rear plate 20 carrying a threaded clamp 21 of conventional construction for mounting against the transom of a boat and a front plate 22 bridged by a top plate 23 to form a substantially Ushaped transom engaging mount. Mounted on the top plate 10 23 by a hinge 24 is a tiller stock support plate 25. The front plate 22 carries a pair of spring-loaded plungers 26 engagable within sockets 27 on The tiller stock support plate .9[ The threaded clamp 21 is used to secure the rudder 1 to

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the transom of a boat. The rudder can be used as a normal tiller. If propulsion is required the tiller handle 5 is 92 ~moved relatively rapidly back and forth while gently under BCg. normal operation such as when the boat is being driven by a motor or by sails, the rudder 1 will operate in 20 conventional manner.

However as mentioned above, when it is desired to propel the boat, the handle 5 can be moved back and forth relatively vigorously and this will cause a relative pivotal movement within the rudder blade 6 in that the fin plate 12 will bend back and forth or pivot relative to the inner portion formed by the rigid steel plates 10 and thus provide a propelling movement somewhat similar to sculling or indeed the action of a fish's tail. It will be appreciated that the construction of rudder blade 6 is such that its action will mirror that of a fish's tail.

In operation it will be appreciated that by disengagement of the spring-Loaded plungers 26 that the tiller stock I I I I 8support plate 25 can be hinged upwardly and hence the rudder blade can be pivoted out of the water.

Referring now to Figs. 4 to 10, there is illustrated another rudder 40 according to a second embodiment of the invention. The rudder 40 comprises a rudder blade 41 mounted on a tiller stock 42 which is pivoted by a tiller 43. The tiller stock 42 is rotatably mounted in a pair of bushings 44 or bearings carried on a mounting plate which is engagable with a transom on a boat to mount the 10 rudder 40 on the boat.

*000 The rudder 40 is of two-part construction comprising a flexible drive fin 47 having an inner end 48 and an outer end 49. The inner end 48 is clamped between a pair of rigid metal plates 50 formed from a single piece of metal 15 bent intermediate its ends into a U-shape. An inner end 51 of the metal plate 50 is welded to the tiller stock 42.

Mounting bolts 53 pass through the metal plate 50 and the inner end 48 of the drive fin 47 to secure the drive fin 47 between the metal plates 50. A free outer end of the 20 drive fin 47 has a fish tail configuration 55 as previously described. The flexible drive fin 47 is of plastics material and incorporates a flexible metal reinforcing support plate 57 shown in broken outline in Fig. The tiller 43 has a cranked arm 60 with a handgrip 61 at an inner end of the arm 60. An outer end 62 of the arm is mounted within an associated collar 64 at a top of the tiller stock 42. A locking pin 65 retains the arm 60 in engagement with the collar 64. A chain 67 is mounted between the arm 60 and the collar 64 and serves to retain both the arm 60 and the pin 65 when they are removed from the collar 64. It will be noted that as the tiller arm is cranked, it can be mounted in a number of positions as c 1 1-Il~-*-lli- l -I 9 shown in Fig. 7, either extending to the left as shown in Fig. 7 or to the centre or right as shown in broken outline in Fig. 7.

It will be noted that a step 69 is provided at an upper edge of the plates 50 to assist in getting into a boat from the water.

Referring now to Figs. 8 to 10, there is shown another *.0"rudder 70. Parts similar to those described previously are assigned the same reference numerals. In this case, 9.0.

10 the drive fin 47 has two spaced-apart rows of mounting eoo holes 71, 72 for engagement with the mounting bolts 53 which pass through both the steel plates 50 and the drive fin 47. This allows for adjustment of the length of the *"drive fin 47 to accommodate different sized boats.

00e 0l 9 Referring now to Fig. 11, there is shown another rudder In this case, the rudder 80 is of plastics construction and is of tapered section having a wide front end 81 attached to the tiller stock 42 and forming a stiff steering blade and a narrow rear end 82 forming a flexible 900000 20 drive fin.

Referring to Fig. 12, there is shown another rudder Parts similar to those described previously are assigned the same reference numerals. In this case, the rudder is attached to an outboard motor of which, in the drawing, only a drive shaft assembly bottom portion 91 with propeller 92 is shown. A pair of mounting brackets, namely an upper mounting bracket 93 and a lower mounting bracket 94 are attached to an inner end 51 of the metal plate 50. These mounting brackets 93, 94 extend forward and are secured by mounting bolts 95 on the drive shaft assembly bottom portion 91.

_rr r r I I 1 10 In use, the outboard motor can be operated in usual fashion to propel a boat, the rudder 90 aiding steering of the boat. In effect, the outboard motor forms a tiller stock and tiller for the rudder 90. This arrangement is particularly advantageous for anglers. Usually, if one is drifting a boat during fishing, one must use oars as the motor would be too noisy. However, even oars are relatively noisy whereas the rudder 90 can be used to control the boat in a quiet efficient manner. Also, in 10 the event of engine breakdown, the rudder 90 can be used to propel the boat.

o0.9 Tests to date have shown that the rudder of the invention requires less physical effort for propulsion than with the use of oars. It has the additional advantage that the 15 present invention can be operated with one hand and the 9e? user has the freedom to use the other hand for other tasks such as, for example, fishing, picking up moorings and the like maritime tasks.

9 0*09 An additional advantage of the present invention is that 20 it can be used by either right or left handed users.

A particular advantage of the present invention is that in adverse weather conditions or, for example, in relatively strong current it ensures constant thrust with less physical effort as compared with rowing a boat in that when oars are removed from the water in the return stroke the boat is depending on the imparted motion already provided to the boat to keep it moving.

Another particular advantage of the present invention is that it will be relatively difficult, if not impossible, to lose the rudder overboard since it will at all times be securely clamped in position.

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11 A further advantage of the present invention is that it requires no operator skill while rowing and particularly sculling with a single oar is a very skilful task and becomes particularly so in adverse weather conditions such as heavy chop or high winds.

A further advantage of the present invention is that in areas where there is heavy vegetation or the waterway is particularly narrow the invention will continue to operate where conventional oars would be very difficult if not impossible to use.

A further advantage of the present invention is that since it combines the functions of both propulsion and steering, there is now the need to carry only one piece of equipment ""or to fix one piece of equipment to the boat.

It will be appreciated that while the invention described @0bS above has been described with reference to a removable o* o rudder or tiller assembly for mounting on the transom of a boat that the invention can be readily easily applied to other constructions of tiller or rudder or may simply be Sa 20 a removable add-on device for existing rudders.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail.

Claims

2. A rudder as claimed in claim 1 wherein the drive fin has cut-out portions in a top edge and a bottom edge i0o defining a fish tail shape at an outer free end of the drive fin.
3. A rudder as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the rudder blade has a rigid in-board portion fixed with 9 9. respect to the tiller forming a steering blade and an outboard portion movable relative to the in-board portion forming the drive fin. o e
4. A rudder as claimed in claim 3 where the rudder blade is a two-part rudder blade of rigid material the parts being connected together by a friction hinge.
5. A rudder as claimed in claim 3 wherein the rudder blade is of tapered section, having a wide front end forming a steering blade attached to the tiller and a narrow rear end forming a flexible drive fin.
6. A rudder as claimed in claim 3, wherein the rudder blade comprises a flexible drive fin having an inner end and an outer end, the inner end being attached to a rigid plate forming the steering blade which is attached to the tiller. 13
7. A rudder as claimed in claim 6, wherein the inner end of the drive fin is clamped between a pair of spaced- apart rigid plates which are attached to the tiller.
8. A rudder as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the drive fin is of plastics material incorporating a flexible reinforcing support.
9. A rudder as claimed in claim 8, wherein the flexible .0 reinforcing support is a metal sheet. OS
10. A rudder as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein *ova 10 a step is provided on the rudder. 9@
11. A rudder as claimed in claim 10 wherein the step comprises a flanged upper edge of the rudder blade. o
12. A rudder attachment comprising a rudder blade of 0'05 flexible material having means for attachment to an %goes 15 outboard motor.
13. A rudder attachment comprising an auxiliary rudder blade of flexible material having means for attachment to an existing rudder blade.
14. A rudder attachment as claimed in claim 13 having means to allow the auxiliary rudder blade be removably attached to an existing rudder blade. DATED: 19th August, 1998 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: PADRAIC COSTELLO OCLA 7. td 71^