EP0538964A1

EP0538964A1 - Rowing boat and footrest for use therein

Info

Publication number: EP0538964A1
Application number: EP92203297A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bob Van Schaik
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-10-25
Filing date: 1992-10-26
Publication date: 1993-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 2012-10-26
Also published as: DE69200239D1; DE9214399U1; NL9101798A; CA2089350A1; DE69200239T2; EP0538964B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a rowing boat (1) provided with at least one bench seat (2) displaceable in lengthwise direction of the boat and a footrest (4) placed opposite the bench seat (2), which footrest (4) is pivotable about a lying shaft (5) arranged in transverse direction in the boat (1) and has clamping means (6) for fastening footwear (7) thereto. The pivot shaft (5) can be arranged adjustably in the boat (1). The clamping means (6) can take the form of a toe-clip or of a rotating dish binding.

Description

The present invention relates to a rowing boat provided with at least one bench seat displaceable in lengthwise direction of the boat and a footrest placed opposite the bench seat, in addition to a footrest for use in such a boat.
In rowing, and particularly in competition rowing, it is of great importance that a rower can push properly with his feet against a part of the boat when performing his stroke movement so that he can develop the most powerful possible stroke. To this end the point against which the rower pushes off, the so-called pressure point, must preferably remain stationary. Most rowing boats are therefore provided with a fixed footrest.
A significant drawback hereof is that such a fixed footrest does not allow any natural movement of the feet and ankle joints, whereby an optimal stroke movement cannot be performed.
Footrests are also known which are arranged pivotally in the rowing boat, but with these footrests the movement of the foot is left wholly free so that the pressure point is not fixed, whereby less force than desired can be exerted.
The present invention therefore has for its object to provide a rowing boat with footrest as described above wherein the mentioned drawbacks do not occur. This is achieved according to the invention in that the footrest is pivotable about a lying shaft arranged in transverse direction in the boat and has means for fastening footwear thereto.
The footwear fastening means are preferably formed by clamping means. The fastening of footwear onto the footrest when stepping into the boat is hereby greatly simplified, while clamping means can moreover be quickly released in the case the boat turns over and/or sinks, which furthers the safety of the rower.
The clamping means can take the form of so-called toe-clips (known from the sport of cycling) or rotating dish bindings (known from the sport of skiing). The invention can thus be realized at small cost using components obtainable on a large scale.
When the pivot shaft is arranged adjustably in the boat, any user of the boat can adapt the position of the pressure point to his individual stroke movement.
The footrest is preferably embodied in divided form and the footrest parts are pivotable independently of each other. Small irregularities in the stroke movement can thus be corrected.
When the pivot shaft is in divided form and the shaft parts are adjustable independently of each other, differences in the leg length of an individual rower can also be corrected. This is important for instance when the boat is used for rowing for rehabilitation purposes.
The invention is elucidated hereinbelow in the light of two embodiments, wherein reference is made to the annexed drawing in which corresponding components are designated with corresponding reference numerals, and in which:

fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a (schematically shown) rowing boat with footrest according to the invention,
fig. 2 is a perspective detail view of the footrest shown in fig. 1,
fig. 3 is a partly broken away detail view along the arrow III in fig. 2, and
fig. 4 is a partly broken away view of an alternative embodiment of the footrest according to the invention.

A rowing boat 1 (fig. 1) comprises at least one bench seat 2 for a rower 3 displaceable in longitudinal direction of the boat 1. Placed at some distance opposite the bench seat 2 is a footrest 4 which is pivotable about a lying shaft 5 arranged transversely in the boat 1. The footrest 4 comprises means 6 (not shown here) for fastening thereto footwear 7 of the rower 3.
The pivot shaft 5 is fixed to a carriage 8 (fig. 2) which is received slidably in a rail 9. The carriage 8 can be fixed on the rail 9 by means of clamping bolts 10 (fig. 3). The rail 9 forms together with a cross beam 11 fixed thereto a stiff T-piece, whereof the extremities 12, 13 and 14 are each received slidably in rails 15, 16 and 17 and which can be fixed using clamping bolts 18. The pivot shaft 5 and the footrest 4 connected thereto can thus be adjusted into any position desired by the rower 3.
The footrest 4 takes a divided form and both footrest parts 19 are arranged for pivoting independently of each other on their common pivot shaft 5. Irregularities in the stroke of the rower 3 can hereby be absorbed and corrected.
The pivot shaft 5 can itself also take a divided form (fig. 2 and 3) and the shaft parts 20 can be arranged for displacement independently of each other on the carriage 8. The shaft parts 20 can for instance each have a thickened outer end 21 which is rotatably received in a sleeve 22 welded on the carriage 8 and which can be fixed in a determined angular position by means of a clamping bolt 23. Length differences in both legs 24 of the rower 3 can for instance be hereby compensated.
The fastening means 6 for the footwear 7 of the rower 3 can be formed by clamping means. Compared with other fastening methods clamping of the footwear 7 has the advantage of great ease of operation when stepping in and of increased safety in the case of turning over and/or sinking of the boat 1. The clamping means 6 may for instance take the form of rotating dish bindings (fig. 2), as known from the sport of skiing, or of toe-clips (fig. 4) as known from the sport of cycling.

Claims

Rowing boat provided with at least one bench seat displaceable in lengthwise direction of the boat and a footrest placed opposite the bench seat, which footrest is pivotable about a lying shaft arranged in transverse direction in the boat and has means for fastening footwear thereto.
Rowing boat as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the footwear fastening means are formed by clamping means.
Rowing boat as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the clamping means take the form of a so-called toe-clip.
Rowing boat as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the clamping means take the form of a so-called rotating dish binding.
Rowing boat as claimed in one or more of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the pivot shaft is arranged adjustably in the boat.
Rowing boat as claimed in one or more of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the footrest is embodied in divided form and the footrest parts are pivotable independently of each other.
Rowing boat as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the pivot shaft takes a divided form and the shaft parts are adjustable independently of each other.
Footrest intended for use in a rowing boat as claimed in one or more of the foregoing claims.