US2338555A - Forward rowing mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Jan4,1944. J VANDER; MEER 2,338,555

FORWARD RowING ME'cHANIsM Filed May 27, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 4, 1944. l J. VANDER MEER 2,338,555

FORWARD RowING MEcHANIsM Filed May 27, 194:5 2 sheets-sheet 2 @Nunn mw uw Patented Jan. 4, 1944 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to rowing mechanism for the propulsion of boats and particularly such as enables the operator to face forward in the direction of movement, while applying his power to the oars in the form of a pull.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of forward rowing device having one or more of the following features. namely, (l) which is silent in operation and devoid of types of bearings that will become noisy with Wear, (2) which is devo-id of backlash between its cooperating parts, (3) which is sufliciently sturdy to withstand rough usage, (4) which is so arranged that the oars and their operating mechanism can be turned to a position of compactness for storage and for safe withdrawal from overhanging the sides of the boat, which is arranged for ready co-nnection and disconnection of the moving parts to and from the fixed structure of the boat, and/or` (6) which, when attached to the boat, is readily removable but effectively secured against accidental dislodgement therefrom.

A specic embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan showing the manner in which the oars and their operating mechanism may be applied to a boat.

IFig. 2 is a similar view showing the mechanism in the position in which the oars are safely stowed on the deck and the handle bars lie compactly folded alongside the oars.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of one of the operating spindles with certain operating parts shown in section on thel line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively an elevation, partly in section, and a plan of the metal parts of the operating mechanism, the meandering line 4 4 of Fig. 5 indicating generally where the sections of Fig. 4 are taken.

In the form shown in the drawings, there is mounted on the deck of the boat at opposite sides of the operators seat a pair of deck plates I. In the case of a light boat structure, as for example a duck-hunting skiff like the one illustrated at 2 in Figs. l and 2, the deck plates I may be mounted upon reinforcing boards 3 that are fitted upon the deck and extend fore-and-aft a suiiicient distance to carry the strains of the rowing mecha-l housing 4 is generally of cylindrical form and has seated in its closed end a stiff compression spring 1 which urges against the ball 5 a bearing member Shaving a spherically cupped seat for engaging the ball-head 5.

The other end of the housing is closed by a bearing member 9 having a spherical seat fitting the ball 5 and adjustably xed in the housing 4 so that the ball 5 is firmly embraced by the bearing members 8 and 9.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings, the member 9 is shown in the form of a plug having threaded engagement with the walls of the housing 4. The side walls and top of the housing 4 are slotted at I0 to permit of the desired swinging movement of the spindle 6 and the slot is shaped to permit the ball-head 5 to be pulled upwardly out of its socket after the bearing member 9 is backed out of the housing 4 sufficiently far to permit such Withdrawal of the ball-head 5.

The two spindles 6, on the same side of the boat, are connected by a horizontal torque bar I I having long vertical bearings I2 which hold the spindles 6 parallel with each other. These bearings I2 are preferably equipped with antifriction rollers I3 and rest on collars I4 on the spindles. Each of the spindles 6 has a horizontally disposed lever or iitting I5 fast on its upper end. In the form shown the fitting I 5 is threaded on the end portion I6 of the spindle 6 which has a shoulder II against which the fitting I5 bears to lock its threads. The spindle may be further locked by peening its top end I8 or by light brazing as shown in Fig. 4 or by a set screw as shown in Fig. 3.

The lever tting I5 is concave upwardly so as to provide a groove or `channel I9 that partly embraces the shaft of the oar 20 in one case, or the shaft of the handle bar 2l in the other case, and is additionally fastened to its respective shaft by bolts for which apertures 22 and 23 are provided.

Each lever I5 is provided with a short arm 24 that curves to one side and carries an upstanding stud 25 which has a ball-shaped head 26. The studs 25 of the two arms 24 are connected together by a cross link 21. This is made of a rod which has adjustably mounted on its threaded ends a pair of ball-socket bearing members or housings 28 somewhat similar in construction to the deck socket housings 4.

In the form shown, the socket housings 28 are threaded on the threaded ends 29 of the rod of link 21 and are locked in their adjustment by1ok t nuts 30. y

v The ball 26 is here embraced by a fixed bearing,

member Si threaded into the housing 2B and a movable bearing member 32 that is normally urged into contact with the ball by a stiff spring S3. The members 3| and 32 have cooperating cupped seats that embrace the ball 25.

Grease nipples 34 are appropriately located on all bearings to facilitate the greasing of the bearings.

rPhe operation of the device shown will be readily understood from Figures 1 and 2. In Fig.' 1 the parts are shown in their rowing position and in Fig. 2 they are shown in the relative positions which they occupy when the oar is turned to rest on the deck of the boat adjacent its stern. In the position of 2, the oar is turned past its dead center relation to the link 21 and locks the handle against the oar.

In the normal operation of the boat, the operator may be seated on the seat 35 and when he pulls the handles Sii on the handle bars 2| toward him in the direction of the arrow 31, then the levers and their link 21 will cause the oars to swing in the direction of the arrows 38, which will propel the boat in the direction in which the operator is facing, namely, toward the top oi' Fig. l.

The spindles are held rmly in parallelism by the torque bar li and consequently when the handles titl are tilted upwardly, the oar will tilt downwardly into the water and when the handle il@ is depressed, the oar 29 will be lifted from the water due to the rocking of the mechanism on the spindle balls tl.

rlhe rearward limit of movement of the oar and handle bar, as will be understood from Fig. 2, is reached when they lie side by side, as when the oar is stowed within the gunwale boundaries oi the boat or the rowing mechanism is removed from the boat for storage.

it will be noted from Fig. 4 that the bearing housings l are faced in opposite directions, that is, the plug Q of one ci' them is at the forward end and the plug 9 of the other is at the rearward end. Thus, when these two plugs or bearing members are in contact with their respective spindle halls it is impossible, due to the rigid connection provided by the torque bar Il for these spindie balls to pull out of their sockets. Fowever, both of the plugs 9 may be backed off by a screw driver implement (not shown) sufilciently far from the spindle balls 5 so that the balls may be readily pulled out of their sockets to remove the mechanism from the boat. In this position of the plugs 9, the spring-pressed bearing members ll yield sufciently to allow the balls te snap in and out of the sockets, but when the plugs il are returned to their normal position, their relation to the rigid structure of the torque bar and spindles locks the spindles against Withdrawal` Although but one specific embodiment of the invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

l.. A forward rowing device comprising a deck plate, longitudinally spaced ball sockets mounted cn said deck plate, upstanding spindles having ball heads seated in said sockets for rotation and angular movement of said spindles, a torque bar extending horizontally between said spindles and having vertical bearings at its ends for said spindles, a iitting for securing a horizontally' extending oar to one of said spindles, a tting for securing a horizontally extending handle bar to the other said spindle, and a cross link connecting said oar and handle bar for transmitting respectively opposite angular movement from one t0 the other.

2. A forward rowing device comprising a deck plate, longitudinally spaced ball sockets mounted on said deck plate, upstanding spindles having ball heads seated in said sockets for rotation and angular movement of said spindles, a torque bar extending horizontally between said spindles and having vertical bearings at its ends for said spindles, a transversely disposed lever fast on each said spindle, means for securing an oar to one of said levers, mean for securing a handle bar to the other of said levers, said levers having short arms normally on o-pposite sides of their respective spindles, and a cross link connecting said short arms.

3. A forward rowing device comprising a deck plate, longitudinally spaced ball sockets mounted cn said deck plate, upstanding spindles having ball heads seated in said sockets for rotation and angular movement of said spindles, a torque bar extending horizontally between said spindles and having vertical bearings at its ends for said spindles, a fitting for securing a horizontally extending oar to one of said spindles, a tting for securing a horizontally extending handle bar to `the other said spindle, and a cross link connecting said oar and handle bar for transmitting respectively opposite angular movement from one to the other, said ball sockets each comprising a pair of opposed con-cave bearing members, one spring urged toward the other and the other xedly adjustable toward said one.

4. A forward rowing device comprising a deck plate, longitudinally spaced ball sockets mounted on said deck plate, upstanding spindles having ball heads seated in said sockets for rotation and angular movement of said spindles, a torque bar extending horizontally between said spindles and having vertical bearings at its` ends for said spindles, a fitting for securing a horizontally extendingT oar to one of said spindles, a tting for securing a horizontally extending handle bar to the other said spindle, and a cross link connecting said oar and handle bar for transmitting respectively opposite angular movement from one tothe other, said ball sockets each comprising a pair of opposed concave bearing members, one spring urged toward the other and the other xedly adjustable toward said one, said bearing members being respectively alined in the general direction of said torque bar in the plane of said spindles, and said adjustable bearing members being at opposite sides of their respective spindle balls to lock the same against accidental dislodgment from said ball sockets.

5. A forward rowing device comprising a deck plate, longitudinally spaced ball sockets mounted on said deck plate, upstanding spindles having ball heads seated in said sockets for rotation and angular movement of said spindles, a torque bar extending horizontally between said spindles and having vertical bearings at its ends for said spindles, a fitting for securing a horizontally extending oar to one of said spindles, a fitting for Securing a horizontally extending handle bar to the other said spindle, said fittings having arms carrying vertical wrist pins with ball heads, and a cross link connecting said ball heads for transmitting opposite angular movements from said handle bar to said oar.

S. vA forward rowing device comprising a deck plate, longitudinally spaced ball sockets mounted on said deck plate, upstanding spindles having ball heads seated in said sockets for rotation and angular movement of said spindles, a torque bar extending horizontally between said spindles and having vertical bearings at its ends for said spindles, a fitting for securing a horizontally extendin g oar to one of said spindles, a fitting for securing a horizontally extending handle bar to the other said spindle, said fittings having arms l0 carrying vertical wrist pins with ball heads, a cross link connecting said ball heads for transmitting opposite angular movements from said handle bar to said oar, said cross link having bearings for said wrist pin ball heads, each comprising a cylindrical housing having therein a pair of opposed concave bearing members embracing the respective ball head, said bearing members being alined lengthwise of said link, one bearing member of each pair being adjustably Xed in its housing and the other being spring urged toward said one, and the housings on said link being oppositely disposed so that their respective fixed bearing members will be on opposite sides of their respective Wrist pin balls.

JOHN VANDER MEER.

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