US3362033A

US3362033A - Oars

Info

Publication number: US3362033A
Application number: US536225A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fred W Fee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-01-20
Filing date: 1966-01-20
Publication date: 1968-01-09
Anticipated expiration: 1985-01-09

Description

F. W. FEE

Jan. 9, 1968 OARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 20, 1966 INVENTOR. flea-"0 14 FEE 96%; S QQQM F. W. FEE

Jan. 9, 1968 OAR S 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 20, 1966 [N VEN TOR F250 IV. 555 9M5 Zxw United States Patent Ofiice 3,362,933 Patented Jan. 9, 1968 3,362,033 OARS Fred W. Fee, P.0. Box 141, Hamilton, Ind. 46742 Filed Jan. 20, 1966, Ser. No. 536,225 Claims. (Cl. 9-24) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A non-circular telescopic oar is disclosed which has hollow full length telescoping oar sections and a hollow paddle formed fast about and containing full length the innermost oar section, the hollow interior of the latter closed off from the hollow interior of the former whereby the same can be made air tight and buoyant. The outermost oar section contains on its free end a hollow hand grip for carrying a supply of Navy dye marker in said oar.

My invention relates to improvements in oars.

Its principal object is the provision of a truly practical and operative oar which is telescopic for stowage and for work.

Such object of the invention and its advantages will become apparent during the course of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of my improved oar in its extended work position;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of said oar in its stowed position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of said oar in its stowed position;

FIGS. 4 and 11 are horizontal sectional views of the structure of FIG. 1 taken, respectively, along the lines 44 and 11-11 thereof;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the structure of FIG. 2 taken along the line 55 thereof;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are vertical sectional views of the structure of FIG. 5 taken, respectively, along the lines 66 and 7-7 thereof; 7

FIGS. 8 and 9 are vertical sectional views of the structure of FIG. 1 taken, respectively, along the lines 8-8 and 9-9 thereof;

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view of the structure of FIG 9. taken along the line Ill-10 thereof; and

FIG. 12 is a horizontal sectional view of the structure of FIG. 1 as viewed along the line 12-12 thereof.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, 15 designates a blade or paddle section which comprises a hollow member 16 of rectangular annular cross-section which is covered over its length by paddle members 18 welded or otherwise affixed to the member 16 and to each other around the perimeter of the relatively broad and thin blade formed by the confronting members 18. Their smooth external surfaces present low friction streamlined faces to the water. For purposes which will be mentioned later the member 16 has diagonally disposed apertures 19 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 5) formed in its wider opposite walls near its lower end and apertures 21 (FIG. 11) in the same walls near its upper end.

An intermediate section of my improved oar is designated 25. It comprises a member 26 of rectangular annular cross-section which telescopes within the member 16. Inwardly of the inner end of the member 26 diagonally disposed depressions 28 are formed in wider opposite walls. Similar depressions 30 are formed and similarly disposed inwardly of the outer end of the member 26. Leaf spring latches 31 are formed on the outside of the member 26 and located within the depressions 28. Each latch 31 comprises a leaf spring member 32 which is riveted at one end and carries a button 33 at its free end. The spring member 32 is bent inwardly from each of its opposite ends so that the button 33 is biased laterally outwardly of the member 26. The two buttons 33 releasably engage the apertures 19 in the member 16 in the stowed position of my oar and similarly engage the apertures 21 in the same member 16 in the extended work position of said oar. The apertures 19 are formed with a taper as shown (FIG. 6) so that they cam the buttons 33 out of them when the member 26 is pulled from its stowed position out of the member 16 into its work position. The apertures 21 are formed with similar tapers (FIG. 9) so that they cam the buttons 33 out of them when the member 26 is pushed from its work position into its stowed position into the member 16. Leaf spring latches 34 of the same construction as that described for the spring latches 31 are also formed on the inside of the member 26 near the inner end thereof and diagonally disposed oppositely of the depressions 28. Similar spring latches 35 are also formed on the inside of the member 26 near the outer end thereof and diagonally disposed oppositely of the depressions 30.

A handle section of my improved oar is designated 37 and comprises a member 38 of rectangular annular crosssection which telescopes within the member 26 since the outside dimensions of the member 38 substantially coincide with the efiective inside dimensions of the member 26 on account of the

depressions

28 and 30 formed therein. The outer end of the member 38 has a hand grip 40 secured thereto which is preferably hollow, as at 41, for carrying a supply of Navy dye marker which is a well-known dye substance for marking the surface of water in an emergency to make it visible from aircraft. The inner end of the member 38 has diagonally disposed apertures 43 (FIGS. 6 and 8) formed in its wider opposite walls near its inner or lower end which apertures 43 are tapered for releasably engaging the buttons on the

leaf spring latches

34 and 35, respectively, in the stowed and extended work positions for the handle section 37.

In use of my improved oar the handle section 37 is drawn out of the intermediate section 25, as far as it goes in which position the buttons on the spring latches 35 are engaged in the apertures 43 in the member 38 which engagement secures the relative axial positions of the two

members

38 and 26 in the extended work position of my oar. A small amount of axial force may be required to be exerted on the member 38 to cam the buttons on the spring latches 34 out of the apertures 43. Relative axial rotation in respect to the two

members

38 and 26 is impossible in this position of my oar in view of the rectangular engagement between them which effects full rotational rigidity in spite of the offsets to the outside dimension of the member 26 caused by the depressions 28 in the member 26. The intermediate section 25 is similarly drawn out of the paddle section 15 as far as it goes which corresponds to engagement of the buttons on the spring latches 31 in the apertures 21 which secures the relative axial position of my oar. Relative axial rotation in respect to the two

members

26 and 16 is likewise impossible in this position of my oar since the same rectangular engagement is realized by virtue of the offsets to the inside dimensions of the member 26 caused by the depressions 30. A small amount of axial force may similarly be necessary to commence the withdrawal of the intermediate section 25 from the paddle section 15 which force must be exerted on the handle section 37 to cam the buttons on the spring latches 31 out of the apertures 19. My improved oar in its extended work position is adequately secure against relative axial movement between the several sections thereof and is fully rigid against relative axial rotation which is most important since the reaction forces from rowing tend to cause such rotation.

When it is desired to stow my improved oar the handle section 37 is pushed into the intermediate section 25. A small amount of force may be required to cam the buttons on the spring latches 35 out of the apertures 43. The limit of travel of the handle section 37 into the intermediate section 25 is determined by the engagement of the buttons on the spring latches 34 with the apertures 43. The intermediate section 25 is then pushed into the paddle section 15. Similarly a small amount of force may be required to cam the buttons on the spring latches 31 out of the apertures 21. The limit of travel of the intermediate section 25 into the paddle section is determined by the engagement of the buttons on the spring latches 31 with the apertures 19. A plate 17 (FIGS. 6 and 7) covers the lower end of the member 16 to serve as an added stop for both the intermediate section 25 and the handle section 37 in their inward travel in respect to the paddle section 15. The plate 17 also serves to close off the bottom of the hollow interior of the paddle section 16 from the hollow interior of the paddle formed by the paddle members 18. Thus the hollow paddle can be made air t ght and therefore bouyant. In this telescoped stowed position of my oar the several sections are adequately secure against relative axial movement and they present a length axially equal substantially to that of the paddle section. For stowage purposes the smooth external surfaces of the members 18 prevent catching the oar on other gear and if the latter is piled upon the oar there is no danger of breaking the same since its strength is at a maximum due to the substantially full reception within the paddle section of the intermediate and handle sections.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by my invention improvements in oars in which the object hereinabove set forth together with many thoroughly practical advantages has been successfully achieved. While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described it is to be understood that variations and changes may be resorted to without departing from the ambit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A full length telescopic oar having a hand grip Which is comprised of a hollow paddle and of hollow oar sections which are full length telescopic into said paddle to said hand grip and extendable for stowage and for work, respectively, one of said sections being an intermediate hollow handle section, another of said sections being an end hollow handle section carrying on its free end said hand grip, still another of said sections being a hollow paddle section, said handle sections telescopically full length engageable in said paddle section, and said hollow paddle formed fast about and containing full length said paddle section, the hollow interior of said paddle section being closed off from the hollow interior of said paddle whereby the latter can be made air tight and bouyant, and means to lock said sections against being pulled apart axially in the extended Work positions of the oar.

2. A telescopic oar as claimed in claim 1 in which said paddle is formed by confronting paddle members which extend laterally and axially of said paddle section to form a thin and broad blade for rowing.

3. A telescopic oar which is comprised of oar sections which are substantially full length telescopic and extendable for stowage and for work, respectively, one of said sections being a hollow handle section, the other of said sections being a hollow paddle section, the handle section telescopically full length engageable in said paddle section, and a hollow paddle formed fast about and containing full length said paddle section, the hollow interior of said paddle section being closed off from the hollow interior of said paddle whereby the latter can be made air tight and bouyant, and means to lock said sections against being pulled apart axially in the extended work position of the oar, and in which said sections are non-circular in cross-section.

4. A telescopic oar as claimed in claim 3 in which said handle section is an intermediate section and further comprising another oar section which is an end hollow handle section telescopically full length en-gageable in said intermediate section.

5. A telescopic oar as claimed in claim 4 comprising a hollow hand grip on the free end of said end handle section for carrying a supply of Navy dye marker in said oar.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,801,014 4/1931 Lange et al 287-58 X 2,343,726 3/ 1944 Witt 924 2,353,662 7/ 1944 Goldman 924 2,711,547 6/ 1955 Bliven 924 3,044,410 7/ 1962 Edmundson 924 X 3,091,781 4/1963 Wisbrod 924 FOREIGN PATENTS 336,101 4/ 1921 Germany.

FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner.

P. E. SAUBERER, Assistant Examiner,