US1773210A - Hydro-sporting machine - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 19, 1930. w. c. WALLACE 1,773,210

HYDRO SPORTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1928 2 Sheets-Shee 1 INVENTORY W. C. WALLACE HYDRO SPORTING MACHINE Aug. 19, 1930.

Filed Jan. 21, 1928 2 Sheets-Shee FIEIE.

' I VENTOR Patented Aug. 19, 1930 unirsn erases! PATENT OFFICE,

WILLIAM CHARLES WALLACE, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI HYDRO-SPOBTING- MACHINE Application filed January 21, 1928. Serial No. 248,464.

This invention relates to a submersible sporting vessel, which I term a hydro-spor ing machine, designed especially for the use of bathers at bathing beaches and the like.

The object of my invention is to provide a vessel. in which the bather may sit and propel him or herself over the surface of the water, and dive to a greater or less extent be neath the surface of the water.

A further object is to provide a buoyant vessel which is unsinkable and uncapsizable, and which will afford exercise, amusement and enjoyment with complete safety.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the vessel.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on line A of Figure Figure 8 is a top plan view of the vessel.

Figure 4 is a transverse section on line 13-13 of Figure 1.

In carrying my invention into practice I provide a submersible boat comprising a body or hull 1, which may be of any suitable form, preferably of the form as shown. This boat body is preferably constructed of sheet metal throughout, but may be made of any other suitable material or materials.

The front and rear or bow and stern ends of the body 1, are separated in a manner to form a central portion thereof by vertical transverse partitions 2 and. 3, and being open at the bottom allowing the water to be in the center portion thereof, thus the bather is sit ting in water at all times. The bow and stern ends are rendered buoyant by means of wa ter-tight tanks 4 and 5 arranged in a manner and size to cause the body 1, to float partly submerged to a oepth indicated by the water line when loaded. The center of gravity and buoyancy are so arranged as to prevent any liability of the craft capsizing under ordinary conditions of service.

The central portion of the body 1 is former to provide a well or cockpit 6 the side walls of this well. or cockpit are cut away as shown at 7. The well or cockpit 6 is also open at its bottom shown at 8 to allow the water to nor mally rise therein to the water line. level,

giving the occupant the benefit of flow of water.

The boat as shown is designed to receive a sin le occupant, though may be made to carry two or more occupants, who sit within the cockpit 1, with the lower port-ion of his or her body submerged in the water and manually propels the boat by means of suitable propelling mechanism hereinafter described. A

water proof seat or saddle 9 for use of the occupant is shown and carried by a post 10 fitted for longitudinal and vertical adjust ment 11, clamping nuts 12 01 the like being pro Med for securing the seat in the desired position. The bather occupying the seat 9 propels the craft through the medium of pedal cranks 13 carried by a crank shaft 14 journaled in bearings upon hanger brackets 15, to which shaft is fixed a spiral gear 16 meshing with a spiral worm pinion 17 upon the forward end ofa longitudinal shaft 18. The brackets 15 depend beneath the well or cockpit 6 and held laterally by diagonal braces 19, suitably fixed to the hull, the shaft 18 also being provided with bearingscarrying a screw propeller 20 a U-shaped guard or shield 21 secured to thehanger brackets 15,

which guard encloses the drive gearing and prevents the clothes or limbs of the occupant from coming in contact therewith and becoming damaged or injured. It will be understood that the lower portion of thebody of the operator will be submerged and that by application of foot power to the drive gearing described the propeller will be operated to drive the craft forward.

Fixed to the sides of the stern end of the body 1 are stationary water-tight tanks 22 which act as stabilizersto normally maintain the horizontal trim and stability of the craft. Arranged at the sides of the bow portion of the body 1 are diving planes 23 which are normally disposed in a horizontal plane and operate in conjunction with the tanks 22 keeping the vessel longitudinally and laterally balanced. The said planes 23 are mounted upon the opposite ends of a transverse shaft 2 L extending through the wire rpe 28 passing along the sides of the body 1 through guide pulleys 29 and 30 and having its internradiate* portion wound a number of times around a drum 31. The drum 81 is journaled for rotation at 32 and held from longitudinal movement in a bracket 33 sup or-ted by the forward end of the body 1, an extended through said drum is a control shaft 34 provided with a hand wheel 35. The hand wheel 35 is arranged so as to be conveniently grasped and manipuby the o erator, and the shaft 34 is splined or feat ered' to slide longitudinally inde dent of the drum 31 and to connect the rum therewith for rotation in either directiom whereby the rudder 26 may be adjusted for steering the vessel. Fixed to the shaft 34 is an annularly grooved collar 36 engaged by the forked or upper end 37 of the rocker arm 25, whereby, through forward and backward sliding movements of the shaft 34, the planes 23 may be tilted for diving and ascending actions, as will be readily understood.

The craft is particularly intended for use by bat-hers at bathing beaches, for the purpose of aquatic s on, exercise and amusement, and it wil be understood that the bather may propel the craft about the surface of the water at will, and may also, by tilting the plane's 23, dive-to a greater or less extent beneath the surface of the water. As the operator drives the pedals, the craft will move forward on an even keel until the 81121110328 are tilted. She then goes down at e we to an extent determined by the angleof inclination and the speed of the The moment the operator slackens spee'd or stops pedaling, the craft comes back to its ,normal osition at even keel, as the buoyancy is en ciently great to keep the craft afloat at all times, except when she is forced under-by the planes. A type of sport machineembodymg the 'hydroplane diving princl le, is thus provided which offers every desire element of absolute safety, sport, exercise and amusement.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claimisubmersible hydro-sport boat C0111- a hull having a central bottomless coclrpi said hull enclosing bow and stern air tanks, lateral stabilizing air tanks spaced from after part of said hull on each side thereof, and manual propelling means for boat.

2.1 sport boat as in claim 1 wherein the ing rudder.

WM. C. WALLACE.

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