US3281875A

US3281875A - Sculling oar assembly

Info

Publication number: US3281875A
Application number: US391397A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hubert G Solomon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-08-24
Filing date: 1964-08-24
Publication date: 1966-11-01
Anticipated expiration: 1983-11-01

Description

Nov. 1, 1966 H. G. SOLOMON SCULLING OAR ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 24, 1964 INVENTOR.

HUBERT G, SOLOMON ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,281,875 SCULLKNG OAR ASSEMBLY Hubert G. Solomon, 9717 Halsey Road, .lacksonville, Fla. Filed Aug. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 391,397 5 Claims. (Cl. 926) This invention relates to sculling oars and more particularly to a novel and improved means for mounting a sculling oar on a boat.

Various types of sculling oar assemblies have been proposed for propelling small boats. One such device is shown in Patent No. 2,507,469 issued May 9, 1950. While such prior devices may prove to be satisfactory from the standpoint that they will propel a boat, they also have certain disadvantages. For example, sculling oars are often used on a boat also provided with an outboard motor. The outboard motor may be used to move the boat substantial distances between given areas, while the sculling oar is used to move the boat short distances about one given area. Unless the sculling oar is unshipped while the boat is being propelled by the motor, the oar may be damaged. In prior sculling devices, it has been diflicult to ship and unship the car thus detracting from the ease of use of the devices. Further, for various reasons, it is desirable to be able to vary the vertical position of the oar relative to the support means mounting the same on the boat. For example, sculling oars are often mounted on the transom of a boat. Inasmuch as transoms vary in height from one boat to another, and it is desirable to be able to use the assembly on a variety of boats, it is desirable, if not necessary, to be able to adjust the vertical position of the oar to accommodate the oar to various transom heights.

Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide a novel and improved sculling oar assembly wherein the oar may be more easily shipped and unshipped without detaching from the boat the means for supporting the oar on the boat.

It is another object of this invention to provide a sculling oar assembly in which the oar may be mounted in a selected one of a plurality of vertically spaced positions relative to the means for mounting the oar on a boat.

The objects of the invention are achieved in a sculling oar assembly comprising a socket adapted to be supported on a boat outboard of the transom or gunwale of the boat. The socket has an opening longitudinally through which extends the loom of an oar. The loom is rotatably supported on the socket by a ring telescopically received in the socket. The oar is pivotally mounted on the ring for movement about a selected one of a plurality of axes extending laterally of the loom. The socket is provided with a slot extending longitudinally through the socket and laterally through the socket intersecting at one end with the socket opening receiving the loom of the oar. The ring and socket are separable by moving the ring axially of the socket, and the loom is laterally movable through the slot in the socket, whereby the oar may be readily shipped and unshipped.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a sculling oar assembly constructed in accordance with the present in- Vention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top view, partly in section, of the sculling oar assembly of FIG. 1; and

"ice

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 2.

With reference to the drawing, a sculling oar assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention comprises a socket or base member 10 which in the preferred embodiment comprises a generally cylindrical member 12. The member 12 is provided at its lower end with a radially inwardly extending lip or flange 14. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the flange 14 and the cross-section of the cylindrical member 12 are generally C-shaped to provide the socket with a slot 13 extending longitudinally therethrough. The slot 13 also communicates between the exterior of the socket and the opening through the socket defined by the inner diameter of the cylindrical member 12 and flange 14. As can be seen from the drawing, the slot 13 extends less than about the axis of the cylindrical member 12. Coaxially and telescopically received within the opening in the socket 10 is a ring 16. The ring is supported vertically on the flange 14 which forms a shoulder on the socket facing axially upwardly ofthe cylindrical member 12. The ring 16 is freely insertable within and withdrawable from the socket by moving the ring axially of the opening in the socket. The ring 16 preferably closely fits within the cylindrical member 12 while at the same time the ring is supported on the socket for rotation of the ring 16 about the axis of the opening in the socket.

Extending in radially inwardly spaced relation to and axially through the ring 16 and the opening in the socket 10 is the loom 18 of an oar. The oar has a handle 20 at one end of the loom and a blade 22 carried at the lower end of the loom. The upper end of the blade is pivotally mounted on the loom as by a hinge 23 for movement about an axis extending laterally of the loom. Suitable means are provided to prevent movement of the blade in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 beyond a position wherein the loom and blade lie in generally parallel planes. Also, it is preferable to provide leaf springs 24 or the like on the loom and engaged with the blade to bias the blade toward the position wherein it extends parallel to the loom.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention the loom is provided with a plurality of openings 26 extending laterally through the loom and spaced apart longitudinally thereof. The loom is pivotally mounted on the ring 16 by means of a pin or pivot member 28 which is receivable in each of the openings 26. The pin 18 is inserted through a selected one of the openings 26 in the loom and is engaged in a pair of diametrically opposed aligned openings in the ring. The oar is thus pivotable relative to the ring about an axis extending laterally of the loom and at right angles to the axis of the opening in the socket 10 about which the ring is rotatable.

Extending from the socket 10 are a pair of parallel arms 30. The arms 30 are rigidly connected at one end to the socket. The other ends of the arms are juxtaposed with the ends of a second pair of parallel arms 32. The other ends of the arms 32 are rigidly connected to a C- clamp or the like 34 which, as clearly shown in FIG. 1, provides a means for detachably mounting the socket 10 on the transom or side of a boat. The overlapped ends of the

arms

30, 32 are provided with aligned openings in which is received the shank of a thumbscrew 36. The thumbscrew has a shoulder bearing upon the side of arm 32 opposite the arm 30. The shank of the thumbscrew is rotatably received in the opening in the arm 32 which is smooth walled and is threadably engaged in the opening in the arm 30. Accordingly, the thumbscrew and open ings in the arms provide means pivotally connecting the ends of the

arms

30, 32 whereby the arm 30 may be tilted relative to the arm 32. At the same time the thumbscrew provides means for clamping or locking the arms in adjusted position.

In use the device is mounted on either the transom or gunwale of the boat by means of the clamp 34. They arms 30 are adjusted so that the socket is lying generally parallel to the surface of the water or perhaps is inclined upwardly so as to face somewhat toward the portion of the boat on which the device is mounted. The ring 16 is placed over the oar and the pin or pintle 28 is inserted into one of the side openings in the ring. The pin 28 is extended through a selected one of the openings 26 in the loom 18 of the oar and into the other side opening in the ring 16. The pintle may fit in any of the openings 26 thus permitting adjustment of the spacing of the blade 22 from the socket to accommodate the device to the height of the transom or gunwale of the particular boat on which the device is mounted. After the ring has been mounted on the loom 18, the oar is positioned with the ring 16 above the socket 10 and the loom is'then laterally moved through the slot 13 in the socket to position the loom centrally of the socket and position the ring concentrically of the socket. The oar is then lowered to seat the ring 16 in the socket 10. As will be apparent from the foregoing, the loom 18 has a width over at least a portion of its length which is less than the width of the slot 13 in the socket so that the loom may be passed freely through the slot.

The operator may then propel the boat merely by manipulating the handle 20 of the oar in a generally forward and rearward direction relative to the boat. When it is desired to turn the boat the rotatable mounting of the ring 16 in the socket permits the blade of the oar to be inclined toward one of the other sides of the boat whereupon pivoting of the oar about the axis of the pintle 28 will effect a change in direction of movement of the boat. When it is desired to unship the oar the oar is merely lifted to separate the ring 16 and socket 10 and the 100m laterally moved through the slot 13 in the socket whereupon the oar may be lifted aboard the boat.

The socket of the preferred embodiment has been shown as comprising a generally C-shaped side wall 12 and bottom flange 14 both of which provide uninterrupted bearing surfaces except for the slot through which the loom is moved. However, either or both of the members could be fabricated so as to comprise a plurality of parti-cylindrical or arcuate members spaced apart about the axis of the socket. F or example the flange 14 instead of being C-shaped could be a series of tabs or the like extending radially inwardly from the underside of the parti-cylindrical member 12 and spaced about the axis thereof. Correspondingly, lateral bearing support for the ring 16 could be provided by plurality of parti-cylindrical members extending upwardly from the flange 14 and spaced angularly about the axis of the socket.

Therefore while only a certain preferred embodiment of this invention has been shown and described by way of illustration, it will be apparent that many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and it is, therefore, desired that it be understood that it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed as new and what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a sculling oar assembly an oar having a loom, means for supporting the oar on a boat for movement of the oar about a pair of mutually perpendicular axes comprising a pair of axially separable telescopically arranged members, said loom extending through and being carried by the inner one of said pair of members, the outer member of said pair being provided with a slot extending laterally thereof and longitudinally therethrough and having a width sufficient to permit passage of said loom therethrough, whereby the oar may be unshipped by moving the oar axially of said pair of members to separate the same and then laterally moving the loom through said slot without disassembling said loom from said inner one of said pair of members.

2. In a sculling oar assembly, an oar having a loom, means for supporting the ear on a boat comprising a socket having an opening through which said loom extends in radially inwardly spaced relation, a ring disposed over said loom and telescopically and rotatably received in said socket, and cooperable means on the ring and loom pivotally mounting the oar for movement about an axis extending laterally of the loom, said socket being provided with a slot extending therethrough in the direction of the axis of said opening and extending from said opening laterally of the socket to communicate outwardly thereof, at least a portion of said loom having a width less than the width of said slot whereby the oar may be unshipped by axially separating said ring and socket and then laterally moving the loom through said slot without disassembling said loom from said ring.

3. In a sculling oar assembly, an oar having a loom, means for supporting the oar on a boat comprising a socket having an opening through which said loom extends in radially inwardly spaced relation, a ring disposed over said loom and telescopically and rot-atably received in said socket, and adjustable cooperable means on the ring and loom for pivotally mounting the oar on the ring for movement about a selected one of a plurality of axes extending laterally of said loom and spaced apart longitudinally thereof, said ring and socket being axially separable, said socket being provided with a slot extending therethrough in the direction of the axis of said opening and extending from said opening laterally of the socket to communicate outwardly thereof, at least a portion of said loom havign a width less than the width of said slot whereby the oar may be unshipped by axially separating said ring and socket and then laterally moving the loom through said slot without disassembling said loom from said ring.

4. In a sculling oar assembly, a socket having an opening extending therethrough, means for mounting the socket on a boat with the socket disposed outboard of the boat, a ring telescopically and rotatably received in said socket, an oar having a loom extending through said ring in radially inwardly spaced relation, said ring having a pair of diametrically opposed aligned openings, said loom having a plurality of openings extending laterally therethrough and spaced apart longitudinally thereof, and pivot pin extending through a selected one of said openings in the loom and engaged at its ends in said openings in the ring, said socket being provided with a slot extending therethrough in the direction of the axis of said opening in the socket and communicating at one end with said opening and at the other end outwardly of said socket, at least a portion of said loom having a width less than that of said slot, whereby the oar may be unshipped by moving the same in a direction longitudinally of the axis of said opening in the socket to separate said ring and socket and then laterally moving the loom through said slot in the socket without removal of said pivot pin from said ring openings and said selected one of said openings in said loom.

5. In a sculling oar assembly, an oar having a loom, a ring disposed about said loom, means pivotally connecting the ring and the loom for movement of the loom relative to the ring about an axis extending laterally of the loom, a socket in which said ring is telescopically receivable and supported, said socket having an opening through which said loom extends in radially inwardly spaced relation, said socket further being provided with a slot extending generally laterally of said opening and through the socket member, said loom being laterally movable through said slot, and means for mounting said socket on a boat with the socket disposed outboard of the boat including a support member having means for releasably securing the same to a boat and including means for tilt- .5 6 ing said socket and locking the same in a selected one :of 985,049 2/1911 Mel'bye 9-26 a plurality of tilted positions. 2,507,469 5/ 1950 Hanson 9-26 X 2,548,407 4/ 1951 Tabbert 924 X References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

27 220 4 1 3 Bond 9 26 ALFRED E. CORRIGAN, Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A SCULLING OAR ASSEMBLY AN OAR HAVING A LOOM, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE OAR ON A BOAT FOR MOVEMENT OF THE OAR ABOUT A PAIR OF MUTUALLY PERPENDICULAR AXES COMPRISING A PAIR OF AXIALLY SEPARABLE TELESCOPICALLY ARRANGED MEMBERS, SAID LOOM EXTENDING THROUGH AND BEING CARRIED BY THE INNER ONE OF SAID PAIR OF MEMBERS, THE OUTER MEMBER OF SAID PAIR OF BEING PROVIDED WITH A SLOT EXTENDING LATERALLY THEREOF AND LONGITUDINALLY THERETHROUGH AND HAVING A WIDTH SUFFICIENT TO PERMIT PASSAGE OF SAID LOOM THERETHROUGH, WHEREBY THE OAR MAY BE UNSHIPPED BY MOVING THE OAR AXIALLY OF SAID PAIR OF MEMBERS TO SEPARATE THE SAME AND THEN LATERALLY MOVING THE LOOM THROUGH SAID SLOT WITHOUT DISASSEMBLING SAID LOOM FROM SAID INNER ONE OF SAID PAIR OF MEMBERS.