US2245401A - Propulsion device - Google Patents

Description

June 10, 1941. w HOOKER 1 2,245,401

PROPULSION DEVICE Filed Feb. 7, 1939 r 2 Sheets-Sheet l w fsyiz INVENTOR l William [ifloo/i'er M W BY ATTO RN EYS June 10, 1941 w H HOOKER 2,245,401"

PROPULSION DEVICE Filed Feb. 7, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "n": 1 r W;

INVENTOR WITNESSES 2%? hz'llzdm 1y Hooker n-l'a-h J mimim BY l 1| 5 I 2/ E ATTORNEYS Patented June 10, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PROPULSION DEVICE William H. Hooker, Phoenix, Ariz.

Application February 7, 1939, Serial No. 254,995

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in propulsion devices and has particular reference to the propulsion of bodies adapted to float on Water such as floats, surf boards, catamarans, aqua-planes, and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient device in the nature of a fioatable support on which a swimmer or nonswimmer may rest his body and be properly buoyed up in the water and provided with means whereby he may with ease and safety propel the float and himself through the water either forward or backward at will.

A further object is to provide a simple and durable construction wherein the body will be maintained at all times in recumbent safe floating position without any likelihood to dip or sway under the surface of the water.

A still further object is to provide a construction which can be economically and durably manufactured to achieve the above objects.

Further and more specific objects, features, and advantages will more clearly appear from a consideration of the specification hereinafter when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification and which illustrate one or more forms of the invention which are preferred and which it may assume in practical application.

Broadly considered, and in general terms, the invention may briefly be considered as comprising a support such as a plank, surf-board, aquaplane or the like, on which are mounted front and rear buoyancy elements combined with a set of propellers or paddles at the front adapted to be operated by the operator reclining on the sup port.

Preferably in one form the rear buoyancy device is adapted to embrace the body of the operator and extends laterally of the support on each side to provide means to prevent the body from slipping off thesupport in a sidewise direction. The front buoyancy member is provided to form a head rest and to supply the needed front buoyancy to balance the support longituas to adjust the aggregate level and position of the device with regard to the particular body to be disposed thereon as the operator may be a light or heavy person.

The invention in one or more preferred forms is illustrated in the drawings herewith of which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the entire unit;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a similar section taken on the line 4-4 of Fi 2;

Fig. 5 is a similar section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged partial plan view of the mounting for the propellers;

Fig. '7 is a vertical cross section taken on the line l'! of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the adjustable clamping bar for the front buoyancy element;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a partial elevation of a modified form of means to clamp the front buoyancy element in position;

Fig. 11 is a cross section taken on the line ll-ll of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a modified form of means to clamp the rear buoyancy members to the support;

Fig. 13 is a cross section taken on the line |3l3 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a partial sectional elevation of a modified form of mounting for the propellers;

Fig. 15 is a partial cross section showing a modified manner of connecting the rear buoyancy elementto the support; and

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of still further means to clamp the buoyancy element to the support in the manner shown in Fig. 15.

As shown in the drawings, the invention in its preferred forms comprises a support 20, which in the form shown is like a long plank or a surfboard, adapted to float on the water. To the rear of this support is connected an inflatable memher or buoyancy member such as 21 in the form of an inner tube, and to the front thereof is connected another buoyancy member 22 in the form also of an inner tube. At the very front of the support is disposed a pair of propellers such as 23.

In regard to the buoyancy member 2!, it is attached to the support 20 in the manner shown in Figs. 1,2 and 3. The buoyancy member 2| is shown as an inflatable tube with a portion disposed under the bottom of the support 20 which is clamped against the bottom thereof by means of a clamping plate held in place by any suitable means. This plate clamps the tube 2| so that the tube can be inflated by means of a filling nipple 25 adjusted to a suitable angle, whereby it will not rub the rider. By having the portion 2 of the tube 2! clamped in position, it will be observed that the remainder of the tube is free to move and is adapted to be swung up in practical use into the position shown in Fig. 2 so that it will receive and embrace the body of the person, swimmer or non-swimmer, which is resting on the support 20 facing forward and with the head of the person adapted if desired to rest on the forward buoyancy element indicated by the numeral 22. The larger size of the rear buoyancy element 2| and its disposition at the rear of the support it, especially while embracing the body resting on the support 25, will tend to counteract and prevent any tendency of the body to roll sidewise oif the board due to the buoyant effect of the outer edges of the element 2| in the water at each side of the support at the rear thereof. Thisis important since it is well known how difiicult it is not to roll sidewise off a plank or board when trying to lie on it in the water. As the lower portion of the tube 2| passes beneath the support it extends through cutaway portions thereof, as shown at 27 in Figs. 1 and 3.

In regard to the forward buoyancy element 22, this is also an inflatable tubular member with the inflating nipple 28, but it is of smaller size than the tube 21. The forward end of the support 2? is provided with a longitudinal slot 29 into which the free ends of the element 22 project at least slightly and are then clamped in this position and their open ends closed by means of clam-ping bar 3a which can be adjusted in any position along the slot 29 by means of adjustable bolts 3|. From the rear of the clamping bar 30 there extends a flexible strip 32 which acts to support the rear portion of the tube element 22 when inflated and is provided with a small aperture to receive the nipple 28 and thus tends to hold the tube in proper position as well. This tube element 22 acts as a buoyancy front member, and being adjustable its position when adjusted determines its buoyancy effect with respect to the whole support 20, and especially with respect to the buoyancy efiect of the tube 2!. It will thus be apparent that the position of these two tubes determines the buoyant position of the support and the body resting thereon, and the weight and position of the body on the support determines the degree to which the buoyancy elements are adjusted in one position or another.

At the front of the support 28 there is disposed a cap plate 3 1 connected by a bolt 35 to the front of the support 20, this bolt riding in slot 29 and therefore capable of being adjusted as well in the slot 2t to determine the position of propellers which are connected to the cap plate. These propellers are preferably in pairs in the form of paddles or blades 36 preferably normally disposed in a vertical plane and having stems 3? at their inner ends in turn connected to spring strips 38 of predetermined resiliency. As shown in Figs. 6 and '7 particularly, the cap plate is provided with spaced metal plates 3% and M, between which the inner ends of spring strips 38 are disposed. Screws ifi pass through the plates 33 and M and the ends of the strips 38. A wing nut 42 is disposed on the upper end of the bolt 35. The strips 38 may be freely swung around the axes of the screws ib and thus the paddles may be moved forward and backward to propel the support 20 either forward or backward as the case may be. The resiliency of the strips 38 will permit the paddles to be moved or dipped downward from the normal position shown in Fig. 2, so that they may be immersed in the water at the proper portion of the stroke of propulsion. Thus it will be seen that the propellers are normally held in this upward position out of the water until they are definitely immersed in it by the operator. The cap plate 34 also has an inner slot 43 to receive the end of the clamping bar 38 so that either or both the cap plate and the clamping bar may be separately or jointly adjusted at the same or different times.

In this form of the invention, the operator, whether he swims or not, can lie on the support 20 after passing his body through the tube or buoyancy element 2! and then flat along the support with his head resting on the buoyancy element 22 if desired. Then reaching forward he will grasp the stems 3'! preferably and operate the paddles to propel the device. Since the paddles are separately pivoted, they may be moved independently of each other to enable the operator to effect a variety of manipulations with them.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 9, the support 44 has pairs of upright pins 45 fixed thereon over which are stretched the buoyancy elements which are in the form of tubes 46 and &1. When these tubes are inflated they are drawn tightly over the pins thus making them securely fixed to the support. This form is also provided with paddles as before, but the manner of mounting them may be as shown in Fig. 14. Here the paddles are as before connected to stems and spring strips which are in turn held between spaced plates, but in this form the lower plate, such as 41, has a threaded dependent head to thread on to the upper end of the tube 53, the lower end of which is threaded into a boss 49 bolted to the support or board 44. The action in this case of the paddles is as before. In this form both the front and rear buoyancy members extend well beyond the support laterally to exert lateral stabilizing effects to keep the board and the operator from rolling when in the water.

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 10 and 11 is shown a modified manner in which the front element may be clamped at its free ends. In this case the free ends are extended down between plates 50 spaced apart and pulled together by bolts 55. Between the free ends intermediate the plates 58 is a curved rod 52 against which the free ends of the tube are pressed to insure tight closing of the open ends to permit effective inflation of the tube.

In Figs. 12 and 13 is shown a modified form of construction by which the rear tube may be connected to the support. Here the tube is not nipped or clamped tight but may be used or placed on the board in inflated form and surrounded by a flexible strip 53 having suitable adjustable fastening means 54. This strip passes around eyes 55 fixed to the board and thus holds the tube in position.

In Figs. 15 and 16 another method for such fastening is shown, in which the tube is laid on the board and over it extends a fiat strip 55 having oppositely disposed hooks 51 at each end which hook around the sides of the board and thus hold the tube in position.

While the invention has been describedin detail and with respect to a present preferred form thereof, it is not to be limited to such details and forms since many changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest aspects. Hence it is desired to cover any and all forms and modifications of the invention which may come within the language or scope of any one or more of the appended claims.

I claim:

' 1. In combination, a floating support, a pair of paddles, a resilient strip rigidly connected to each of said paddles, and a retaining screw extending through each of said strips at the end opposite said paddles for pivotally mounting the respective strips, said screws being carried by said support adjacent the front end thereof, said resilient strips functioning normally to hold the paddles in a predetermined position out of the liquid in which the support floats while permitting an upward and downward movement and a rotary movement around said screws.

2. In combination, a flat plank of approximately the same length as a human body, a pair of paddles independently pivoted to one end of the plank, a pair of flat resilient metal members positioned to hold the paddles normally in a predetermined position out of the liquid in which the plank floats, said metal members at one end being respectively secured to said paddles and at the opposite ends pivotally secured to the front part of said plank so as to swing in a horizontal plane, and buoyancy elements at each end of the plank, one of said elements extending laterally of the support to prevent lateral rolling.

3. In combination, a floating support, a pair of paddles, resilient means secured at one end to said paddles and functioning to normally hold the paddles out of the liquid in which the support floats, means for adjusting the position of said paddles to agree with the arm length of the rider, said adjusting means including a cap plate slidable longitudinally of the support and a bolt extending through said support near the front end for clamping the cap plate in various adjusted positions, said bolt also loosely extending through the ends of said resilient means opposite that secured to said paddles and acting to pivotally connect said resilient means to said support so that they may freely swing horizontally around the bolt, buoyancy means disposed I at each end of said support, and means to adjust the position of the buoyancy means adjacent the paddles forwardly and rearwardly of the support, the other buoyancy means being flexible and substantially circular and positioned near the rear of said support and adapted to embrace the body of the rider when the device is in use, said second buoyancy means extending laterally of the support to prevent sidewise rolling.

4. A device of the character described including a flat floating support tapering from approximately the center toward both ends, said support having a notch in each side near the center and a centrally positioned longitudinally extending slot at the front end portion, an endless inflatable tube encircling said support and extending through said notch and across the bottom of the support, a clamp carried by said support for clamping that part of the inflatable tube to the support which extends across the bottom thereof, a second inflatable tube having a pair of ends extending into said slot, a second clamp carried by said support for pressing portions of said second tube against the side walls of said slot, a plurality of bolts extending through said support for causing said second clamp to function, and hand actuated propelling means secured to the front end of said support.

5. In combination, a floating support many times longer than it is wide, a pair of paddles, a flat resilient member secured to each of said paddles and independently horizontally pivotally connected to one end of said support functioning to hold the paddles normally in a predetermined position out of the liquid in which said support floats while permitting a rotary movement thereof, a buoyancy element at the front end of the support for normally holding the pivoted end of .said resilient members out of the liquid and supporting said support and a buoyancy element connected to the support centrally thereof and extending to the rear of the support, said rear buoyancy element also extending laterally of the support to prevent lateral rolling, said rear buoyancy element being circular and adapted to encircle the body of the operator when the device is in use.

6. In combination, a floating support, a pair of paddles, resilient strips connected at one end to said paddles and extending axially therefrom, each of said strips having an aperture in its free end, a single bolt extending through the apertures in both of said strips and part of said support for pivotally connecting the paddles to the support so that they may swing horizontally, said strips flexing vertically, said strips acting to normally hold the paddles in a predetermined position out of the liquid in which the support floats, an inflatable tube connected to the front end of the support and acting to hold said bolt and associated parts out of said liquid and a second inflatable tube secured to said support substantially centrally of the support and extending rearwardly and laterally of the support to prevent rolling thereof.

'7. In combination, a substantially flat floating support, a pair of paddles disposed at one end of the support, a pair of flat spring strips connected at one end to the paddles and at the other end provided with apertures and a single bolt extending through the apertures in both of said strips and through part of said support for independently connecting the strips to the support, said bolt being positioned to permit said strips to swing horizontally while the spring strips are adapted to flex vertically, said spring strips being positioned to normally hold the paddles in an upward position.

8. In combination, a floating support, a pair of paddles, a flat spring connected at one end to each of said paddles, means for pivotally connecting the other end of said flat springs to said support near the front of the support so as to independently swing horizontally, said flat springs being positioned to normally hold the paddles out of the liquid in which the support floats, a buoyancy member disposed at each end of said support, and means for adjusting the position of the buoyancy member adjacent the paddles, the last-mentioned buoyancy member acting to normally so keep the front of said support in respect to said liquid as to normally maintain said paddles out of the liquid.

9. In combination, a floating support, a pair of paddles, resilient means secured at one end to said paddles and independently pivotally secured to the support at the other end near the front of the support to resiliently hold the paddles normally out of the liquid in which the support floats, front and rear lbuoyancy means, disposed flexible and substantially circular and adapted to encircle the body of the operator and to support the body of the operator and the rear part of the support, said rear buoyancy means extend- 5 ing laterally of the support for preventing sidewise rolling of the support.

WILLIAM H. HOOKER.

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