US3430603A - Steering apparatus for a swamp boat - Google Patents

Description

March 4, 1969 s. M. PARISH 3,430,503

STEERING APPARATUS FOR A SWAMP BOAT Filed Feb. 6, 1967 Jam/rue Par/JV? LVVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,430,603 STEERING APPARATUS FOR A SWAMP BOAT Sammie M. Parish, Box 1576, Orange, Tex. 77630 Filed Feb. 6, 1967, Ser. No. 614,328 US. Cl. 11535 6 Claims Int. Cl. B63h 25/42 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In boats adapted to operate in swamps and marshes, the preferred steering apparatus comprising a tiller connected to the propeller and drive shaft by a bushing for arcuately moving on a guide the propeller and shaft while imparting power to the propeller through a universal joint in the shaft and further including means permitting the propeller and drive shaft to swing upwardly to ride over obstacles in the swamp.

Related applications Applicant has no presently pending related applications.

Summary 0 problem and invention Mud boats are normally used in swamps and other cluttered bodies of water by surveyors, field maintenace crews of the petroleum industry, fishermen, sportsmen, and others. Operation of a waterborne vehicle in swampy areas such as those found near the Louisiana Gulf Coast have graphically illuminated the deficiencies of swamp boats of the prior art. A swamp is defined for purposes of the present invention as an area which is basically Water covered and which includes substantial plant growth, occasional gels of sand and other particulated matter, solid debris such as logs, sand bars, or the like. In times past, air buggies built on a fiat bottom boat have been propelled through swampy areas by means of a rather large air moving device which actually blows the boat along. Certain problems are inherent in such apparatus, not the least of which is noise and danger associated with a device which is essentially an aircraft engine and propeller on a small boat. Likewise, large tires have been placed on amphibious or semiamphibious vehicles, and this, too, has been found generally limited in success. Since those skilled in the art will appreciate the problems of movement in and about a swamp and more particularly the irregularities of water, soil and debris to be encountered in a swamp, which include matted grassy areas, occasional solid objects, sand bars and extensive plant life therein, the present invention is summarized as providing steering apparatus for a swamp boat having an inboard engine driving a mud screw or prop on a drive shaft incorporating a universal joint, a tiller arm for rotating the mud screw in an arc of approximately 180, means associated with the mud screw permitting the mud screw and associated drive shaft to kick upwardly on riding over the solid object, and means located above the mud screw tending to force the mud screw into the swampy morass to continue delivery of motive power to the mud boat. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved steering device for a mud boat which does not include a rudder subject to fouling by the debris in the swamp, with steering accomplished by the prop.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved steering device for a mud boat which moves the mud screw to the left or right to steer the vessel and yet which permits the mud screw to ride upwardly out of the swamp and over an obstacle.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved steering device for a swamp ve- "Ice hicle in which means are provided which tend to maintain the mud screw below the surface of the swamp.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved steering device for a swamp vehicle including a pivot for the tiller vertically aligned with pivotal means in the drive column with the mud prop being rotated on an arcuate path to change direction of movement of the boat.

Yet another object of the present invention is to. provide a new and improved steering device for a swamp boat for riding the mud prop over an obstacle including means for diverting the prop upwardly and for also pivoting the steering apparatus therewith, said steering apparatus pivoting at any angle of turn of the boat.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved boat steering apparatus for a swamp boat having a universal joint in the drive shaft which is vertically aligned with a semicircular steering guide with the mud prop carried by the steering guide to any desired angle on movement of the tiller.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from a consideration of the included specification and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the steering apparatus of the present invention attached to the rear of a flat bottom boat;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the present apparatus with the mud propeller omitted for purposes of clarity; and,

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus of the present invention which illustrates additional details of the invention and the boat.

In the drawings, attention is first directed to FIG. 1 of the present invention which illustrates the rearward portions of a boat 10. The boat 10 is a conventional flat bottom boat of any desired length and preferably includes an inboard power plant connected to a drive shaft indicated in dotted line at 11 which extends through the transom 10a to connect with a universal joint 12. The universal joint connects to an additioal drive shaft 13. The drive shaft 13 extends though a slip bushing 14 carried by the present invention immediately forward of the mud screw 15 on the shaft 13. The mud screw 15 is a conventional device available in known commercial channels and is locked on the shaft 13 by a lock nut 16 or other appropriate means. Motive power is applied to the shaft 11 by the motor (not shown) and is communicated to the universal joint 12 and the shaft 13 to rotate the mud prop 15 and propel the swamp vehicle 10 forwardly in the desired manner. The universal joint 12 permits deflection of the prop 15 to the right or left, and upwardly and downwardly in steering the boat 10.

The steering apparatus 20 incorporates a tiller or steering arm 22 which extends forwardly and above the transom 10a of the boat and includes a forwardly extending handle 24 which is adapted to be held in the hand of the operator of the boat 10. The steering arm or tiller is bent downwardly at 25 at an angle of approximately 30 to 45 as shown in FIG. 1 and connects to a sleeve 26 which is best illustrated in FIG. 3. Referring briefly to FIG. 3, it will be noted that the sleeve 26 is arcuate in shape for following movement on a steering guide member 28 of semicircular construction for rotation of the mud prop 15 in a manner to steer the boat 10. Rotation of the steering apparatus should not be confused with the rotational movement of the mud prop 15 as driven 'by the shaft 13 for propelling the boat.

Considering FIG. 3 further, it will be noted that the steering guide 28 accommodates approximately of arc and is terminated at 28a and 28b by connection to fittings joined to the transom 10a of the boat. More particularly, U-shaped brackets 30 and 31 are mounted on the transom a and are pin-connected to the steering guide 28 by means of the pins 32 and 33. The pins 32 and 33 pass through appropriate holes or openings in the parallel arms of the mounting brackets 30 and 31 and fit loosely in holes in the steering guide 28 to permit rotation of the steering guide 28 about the pins which define an axis of movement as shown in FIG. 1, and as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. In further particular, the pins 32 and 33 are held on the brackets 30 and 31 by means of cotter pins.

Returning again to FIG. 1, it will be noted that an upright member is secured to the lower edge of the tiller 22. More particularly, a bracket 36 is joined to the lower side of the tiller at the angularly inclined portion of the tiller 22 and is connected to a horizontal cross bar 37 best shown in FIG. 2. The connection of the tiller to the cross bar 37 is by means of a pivotal axis comprising a vertically positioned bolt and lock nut indicated at 39. The bolt extends through the bracket 36 for rotation in an appropriate opening and carries a head below the cross member 37 for securing the bolt 39 in position. It will be appreciated that the cross member 37 is conventional U-shape channeling which is inverted in the preferred embodiment as best illustrated in FIG. 2. The pivotal connection permits the tiller to rotate to an angle that is noncoincident with the center line of the boat 10 as will be appreciated in viewing FIG. 3. While the tiller is free to a position at an angle with respect to the center line, the cross bar member 37 remains fixed since it is connected at opposite ends 37a and 37b to the steering guide 28. The upright extensions 37a and 37b which are perpendicular to the main portion of the cross bar 37 are joined to the steering guide by welding or other suitable means in the manner shown in FIG. 3. The upright member 37a and 37]) are preferably centered for rotation about the pins 32 and 33 connected to the steering guide 28.

In viewing the drawings, it will be noted that the tiller means 22 moves in a plane preferably coincident with the center line of the boat 10 steers the boat straight when not turned to the right or left.'The bushing 26 previously described as being at the lower end of the tiller 22 is joined to a vertically extending reinforcing gusset 44 in FIG. 1. The gusset is butt welded to an anticavitation plate 45 which is approximately coincident with the upper extent of the bushing 26 as illustrated in FIG. 2. The plate 44 includes an opening vertically aligned with the axis of rotation of the bushing 26 about the steering guide 28. The vertically aligned hole receives a pin 47 securing a clevis 48 carried on the slip bushing 14 for movement of the mud prop upwardly as will be described.

The cavitation plate 45 carried above the prop reduces air-water turbulence at the face of the blades to increase the push of the blades against the water and thereby increase the speed of the boat 10. The plate 45 remains above the prop 15 at all times during movement of the steering means to the left or right. The prop 15 is maintained in the water 18 by the weight of the apparatus for steering the boat which tendency is overcome only on encountering a solid obstacle which causes the prop 15 to ride over the obstacle.

While the foregoing has described various elements comprising the steering apparatus of the present invention, certain points should be noted concerning the alignment thereof. In the first instance, it is customary to presume that the drive shaft 11 from the inboard motor is located on the center line of the boat 10 as indicated in FIG. 3. Moreover, the central alignment is duplicated by location of the tiller 22 above the drive shaft 13 and also coincident with the center line of the boat as illustrated in FIG. 3. As viewed in FIG. 3, a center of rotation for the mud screw 15 is coincident with the upright bolt 39 carried below the tiller 22 as was previously noted whereby the tiller arm also rotates about the same point. Also, the center of rotation defined by the bolt 39 is vertically coincident with the center of the arcuate steering guide 28 which enables the tiller 22, the drive shaft 13 and connective apparatus between the two, including the bushing 26, the flange 44 and the clevis 48 to rotate in unison about a vertical axis determined by the bolt 39. That is to say, the view of FIG. 1 illustrates vertical alignment of the universal joint 12 in the power drive column and the axis of rotation 39 provided for the tiller and the steering apparatus 20.

Operation of the device of the present invention will be presently detailed. The present invention installed on the boat 10 is adapted to be used in swamps and marshy areas wherein solid debris such as hidden logs might be obstacles to conventional boats. Consider the boat 10 during forward motion at a rate of speed of perhaps ten or twelve knots per hour. Since the fiat bottom draws little water and is able to pass over solid obstacles such as a fallen tree, the steering apparatus 20 of the present invention also enables the mud prop 15 to ride over the solid obstacle and yet retains it in the marsh to provide forward movement to the boat 10. As the boat passes over the obstacle, the obstacle is brought to bear against the drive shaft 13 and the mud screw 15 which are below the surface of the water 18. At this juncture, it will be noted that the mud screw 15 is specially constructed to have a minimum angle of attack which permits the screw to slide off an obstacle without cutting into the obstacle. Of great significance to the present invention is the fact that the steering means 20 rotates a portion of the drive column means about the universal joint 12 to lift the drive shaft 13 and the mud screw 15 from the muddy water 18 to a point sufficient to clear the obstacle. In like manner, the apparatus of the present invention rotates the steering guide 28 about the pivot points determined by the bolts 32 and 33 as will be appreciated in viewing FIG. 1. The steering guide 28 rotates upwardly at the urging of the slip bushing 14 when the drive shaft is bumped or otherwise pushed upwardly. The upward movement of the slip bushing 14 also imparts rotation to the tiller arm 22 about an axis extending through the pins 32 and 33. The steering means 20 of the present invention is lifted with the power drive means to protect both means from damage by running over a submerged obstacle. As will be understood, the steering apparatus 20 is also protected from damage since it yields to the extent necessary by rising out of the water sufficiently to pass over the obstacle.

Two movements of the steering means have been described above. One movement involves steering the boat 10 by directing the propeller and drive shaft to the left or right of the center line as viewed in FIG. 3. The other movement involves upward rotation of the steering means 20 to ride over an obstacle. Compound movements are possible when an obstacle is encountered during a turn. In other words, if the boat 10 is negotiating a turn in response to the steering apparatus 20 of the present invention, the device is still able to lift the mud screw 15 from the liquid 18 to the extent necessary to ride over and disengage the obstacles in the liquid. Again, considering compound movements, no interference with rotation about the vertical axis 39 during a turn of the boat 10 is noted when the steering means 20 is rotated about the pivot pins 32 and 33 to ride over an obstacle.

As will be appreciated, the foregoing has been directed to the preferred embodiment of the present invention and to this extent, has been limited to the embodiment disclosed in the drawings. However, the present invention can be varied in many details, and can be sized to cooperate with a boat of selected length and width.

What is claimed is:

1. Steering apparatus for use on a boat having a power plant for urging the boat through swampy waters, comprising:

(a) a propeller connected to the power plant by drive shaft means for urging the boat forwardly in response to operation of the power plant;

(b) means connecting said propeller to said drive shaft means for positioning said propeller angularly with respect to its forward direction of movement;

(c) steering means carried on the boat, and including (1) steering guide means for describing the path of movement of said propeller;

(2) follower means limited in movement by said steering guide means; and,

(3) means connecting said follower means to said propeller and said drive shaft means for positioning said propeller for urging the boat in a direction determined by said follower means;

(d) said steering means further including (1) an arcuate member having a center coinciding vertically with said connecting means;

(2) a slip bushing on said drive shaft means for moving said drive shaft means while it rotates; and,

(3) pivotal connective means betwen said bushing and said follower means;

(e) and wherein said follower means is a sleeve placed on said arcuate member and slidable therealong in response to movements by a tiller means for steering the boat.

2. The invention of claim 1 including anticavitation means carried by said connecting means and above said propeller.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said propeller is a mud screw.

4. Apparatus for use on a boat having a power plant for urging the boat through swampy waters and over obstacles such as logs, sand bars and the like, comprising:

(a) a propeller connected to the power plant by drive shaft means for urging the boat forwardly in response to operation of the power plant;

(b) means connecting said propeller to said drive shaft means for elevating and lowering said propeller relative to the surface of the swamp;

(0) means for steering the boat by positioning said propeller angularly with respect to the boat, said means being positioned above said propeller and connected for movement upwardly or downwardly;

(d) arcuate steering guide means located above said propeller means;

(e) pivotal connective means securing said steering means to the boat;

(f) said pivotal connective means securing said arcuate steering guide means to the boat;

(g) said pivotal connective means moving said steering means upwardly and downwardly in conjunction with movement upwardly and downwardly of said propeller and said drive shaft means to maintain steering control over the boat when the boat rides over an obstacle;

(h) tiller means slidable and rotatively connected to said arcuate steering guide means;

(i) vertically aligned pivot means for rotation of said tiller means coincident with rotation of said connecting means;

(j) support means connected to said vertically aligned pivot means and having an axis of rotation for rotating said support means on rotation upwardly or downwardly of said arcuate steering guide means; and,

(k) said tiller means rotating in response to movement upwardly or downwardly of said propeller in riding over an obstacle.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said connecting means comprises a universal joint.

6. The invention of claim 4 including anticavitation means carried on steering means for movement right or left to maintain placement above said propeller.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 172,367 1/1876 Allyn 1l5-35 1,028,333 6/1912 Desenberg et a1. -35 2,415,183 2/1947 Law 11535 TRYGVE M. BLIX, Primary Examiner.

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