Propulsion device for water craft

Claim 2

A manually-operated propulsion device for use on a water craft and including a boom adapted to be mounted on the craft with an outboard end disposed rearwardly of the craft; means for reciprocating the boom in a sculling action; a pivot shaft mounted adjacent the outboard end of the boom; a blade secured to the pivot shaft and operable to propel the craft as the boom is reciprocated; means operatively connected to the pivot shaft for selectively orienting the blade with respect to the boom to steer the craft while the boom is reciprocated; the last-mentioned means including laterally and oppositely-extending arms secured to the pivot shaft adjacent the outboard end of the boom, and control cables attached to said arms to selectively rotate the pivot shaft; stop means on the boom for engaging said oppositely-extending arms to limit the rotation of the pivot shaft and hence the orientation of the blade with respect to the boom; the boom being hollow and having ingress openings for the cables inboard of the location of the stop means; and a portion of the length of the cables being disposed inside the hollow boom.

Claim 3

A manually-operated propulsion device for use on water craft comprising, in combination: a frame; means for mounting the frame on a water craft; a seat carried by the frame; a swingable boom pivotally mounted on the frame via a drive yoke and extending rearwardly of the water craft; manually-operable means associated with the boom to enable the boom to be swung back and forth by an operator seated in the seat; the manually-operable means including a laterally-extending drive bar pivotally mounted on the frame forwardly of the seat, and a cable attached to the drive bar and extending from each end thereof to the drive yoke, so that reciprocation of the drive bar reciprocates the drive yoke and swings the boom; an upright shaft pivotally mounted adjacent the outboard end of the boom; a blade secured to the shaft and disposed in a generally upright plane to propel the water craft in a sculling action as the boom is swung; and means selectively operable by the operator and operatively connected to the rotatable shaft for orienting the blade with respect to the boom to steer the water craft while the boom is swung back and forth including control cables operatively connected to the pivot shaft to selectively rotate the same; the boom being hollow and having ingress openings for the cables adjacent its outboard end; and a portion of the length of the cables being disposed inside the hollow boom.

Claim 4

A manually-operated propulsion device for use on water craft comprising, in combination: a frame; means for mounting the frame on a water craft; a seat carried by the frame; a swingable boom pivotally mounted on the frame via a drive yoke and extending rearwardly of the water craft; manually-operable means associated with the boom to enable the boom to be swung back and forth by an operator seated in the seat; the manually-operable means including a laterally-extending drive bar pivotally mounted on the frame forwardly of the seat, and a cable attached to the drive bar and extending from each end thereof to the drive yoke, so that reciprocation of the drive bar reciprocates the drive yoke and swings the boom; an upright shaft pivotally mounted adjacent the outboard end of the boom; a blade secured to the shaft and disposed in a generally upright plane to propel the water craft in a sculling action as the boom is swung; and means selectively operable by the operator and operatively connected to the rotatable shaft for orienting the blade with respect to the boom to steer the water craft while the boom is swung back and forth including control cables operatively connected to the pivot shaft to selectively rotate the same; the boom being hollow and having ingress openings for the cables adjacent its outboard end; and a portion of the length of the cables being disposed inside the hollow boom.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 2 including a single clamp on the yoke for holding the cables from the drive bar.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 2 wherein the means for orienting the blade with respect to the boom includes control lever means on the frame forwardly of the seat for manipulation by an operator; and wherein the cables egress from the boom at the inboard end thereof, extend along the underside of the frame, and are attached to said control lever means.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 4 wherein the means for orienting the blade with respect to the boom includes laterally and oppositely-extending arms secured to the pivot shaft adjacent the outboard end of the boom; and including a stop on the boom for engaging said oppositely-extending arms to limit the rotation of the pivot shaft and hence the orientation of the blade.

Claim 8

A manually-operated propulsion device for use on water craft comprising, in combination: a frame including a longitudinal member having fore and aft ends, and a cross member at each end; means on the cross members for mounting the frame on a water craft; a seat mounted intermediate the ends of the longitudinal member; sculling apparatus including a rearwardly-extending boom, a blade carried by the outboard end of the boom, and means for pivotally mounting the boom on the frame, said last-mentioned means including a drive yoke secured to the boom and having portions extending laterally thereof; a laterally-extending drive bar pivotally mounted adjacent the fore end of the longitudinal member; means connecting the drive bar to the drive yoke to reciprocate the latter as the drive bar is reciprocated to swing the sculling apparatus generally equal amounts on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the water craft; and means for selectively changing the position of the blade with respect to the boom and holding the blade at said changed position during the sculling to effect steering of the craft during the sculling operation.

Claim 9

A manually-operated propulsion device for use on water craft comprising, in combination: a frame including a longitudinal member having fore and aft ends, and a cross member at each end; means on the cross members for mounting the frame on a water craft; a seat mounted intermediate the ends of the longitudinal member; sculling apparatus including a rearwardly-extending boom, a blade carried by the outboard end of the boom, and means for pivotally mounting the boom on the frame, said last-mentioned means including a drive yoke secured to the boom and having portions extending laterally thereof; a laterally-extending drive bar pivotally mounted adjacent the fore end of the longitudinal member; means connecting the drive bar to the drive yoke to reciprocate the latter as the drive bar is reciprocated to swing the sculling apparatus generally equal amounts on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the water craft; and means for selectively changing the position of the blade with respect to the boom and holding the blade at said changed position during the sculling to effect steering of the craft during the sculling operation.

Claim 10

A manually-operated propulsion device for use on a water craft and including a boom adapted to be mounted on the craft with an outboard end disposed rearwardly of the craft; means for reciprocating the boom in a sculling action generally equal amounts on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the water craft; a pivot shaft mounted adjacent the outboard end of the boom; a blade secured to the pivot shaft and operable to propel the craft as the boom is reciprocated; and means operatively connected to the pivot shaft for selectively orienting the blade with respect to the boom and holding the blade at said oriented position to steer the craft while the boom is reciprocated.

Claim 11

A manually-operated propulsion device for use on a water craft and including a boom adapted to be mounted on the craft with an outboard end disposed rearwardly of the craft; means for reciprocating the boom in a sculling action generally equal amounts on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the water craft; a pivot shaft mounted adjacent the outboard end of the boom; a blade secured to the pivot shaft and operable to propel the craft as the boom is reciprocated; and means operatively connected to the pivot shaft for selectively orienting the blade with respect to the boom and holding the blade at said oriented position to steer the craft while the boom is reciprocated.

Claim 12

A propulsion device for water craft as set forth in claim 7 wherein the last-mentioned means includes laterally and oppositely-extending arms secured to the pivot shaft adjacent the outboard end of the boom, and control cables attached to said arms to selectively rotate the pivot shaft.

Claim 13

A propulsion device for waTer craft as set forth in claim 8 including stop means on the boom for engaging said oppositely-extending arms to limit the rotation of the pivot shaft and hence the orientation of the blade with respect to the boom.

Claim 14

A propulsion device for water craft as set forth in claim 9 wherein the boom is hollow and has ingress openings for the cables inboard of the location of the stop means, and a portion of the length of the cables are disposed inside the hollow boom.

Claim 15

A manually-operated propulsion device for use on a water craft and including: a boom adapted to be mounted on the craft with an outboard end disposed rearwardly of the craft; means for reciprocating the boom in a sculling action; a pivot shaft mounted adjacent the outboard end of the boom; a blade secured to the pivot shaft and operable to propel the craft as the boom is reciprocated; means for operating the blade in one of two modes, the first mode in which the blade is free to swing to opposite sides of the boom during the sculling action, and the second in which the blade is held in a preselected position on either side of the boom to effect steering of the craft while the boom is reciprocated.

Claim 16

A manually-operated propulsion device for use on a water craft and including: a boom adapted to be mounted on the craft with an outboard end disposed rearwardly of the craft; means for reciprocating the boom in a sculling action; a pivot shaft mounted adjacent the outboard end of the boom; a blade secured to the pivot shaft and operable to propel the craft as the boom is reciprocated; means for operating the blade in one of two modes, the first mode in which the blade is free to swing to opposite sides of the boom during the sculling action, and the second in which the blade is held in a preselected position on either side of the boom to effect steering of the craft while the boom is reciprocated.