US94362A - Improvement in floating velocipedes - Google Patents

Description

V. B. TOWNSEND.

Floating Vlocipede.

Patented Aug. 31, 1869.

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Letters Patent No. 94,362, dated August 31, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN FLOATIN G- VELOClPDES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making pari'. of the same.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known lchat I, V. B. TowNsnND, of Worcester, in the county-of Worcester, and State of Massachusetts, have invented-an Improvement in Propellin g Paddle-Wheel' Boats; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawings which accompany and frm part of this specification, is a description of my invention sucient to enable those skilled in the art to practise it.

The invention relates to mechanism for propelling boats by muscular exertion; the invention consisting primarily', in combining, with a paddle-wheel boat, or with a deck supported upon long pointed hollow cylinders, a paddle-wheel, the oat-s of which extend' from one cylinder to the other, or across the boat, such paddle-wheel being connected to and driven by a footactiated' crank-shaft, forward of which) is a post or tiller, which is connected to, and by being turned, actuates the rudder.

The drawings represent a boat embodying my im-A provement.

A shows the boat in plan.

B is a side elevation, and

C is a` bottom view of it.

a a denote two long, hollow, watertight cylinders, preferably made of sheet-iron, and each terminating at its opposite ends in conical or wedgeshaped points, b.

Upon the tops of these two cylinders rests a deck or platform c, upon the opposite sides of which are bearings, d, for'supporlting the axis e of a paddlewheel, f, which extends across and through the deck, and is coveredby a wheel-house, g.

Each boxV or bearing, d, slides vertically between guides, h, and the axle is hung upon two levers, i, each turning on a fulcrum, k, projecting from the ad jacent guide h, the opposite ends ofeach lever being bolted to an upright, l, in which is a slot, fm, by means of which the two levers may be fixed in position.

By means of the two levers, the paddle-wheel may be raised or lowered, so as to dipmore or less into the water. v

j denotes a cranked shaft, having two pedal-cranks, n n, for the alternate action of the feet of the operator of the boat, who sits upon a stool, o, placed between the shaftj and the wheel-house.

The ends of this shaft are journalled in stationary bearings, p, and near one end of the shaft is a sprocketwheel oi' pulley, q, the teeth of which mesh into and actuate a chain, lr, by. which the shaft j is connected tothe paddle-wheel shaft. y

J ust forward of the crank-shaft j is a tiller-post, s, which, extending through, and having a bearing iu the deck, has at its foot a grooved pulley, t, connected by a chain or band, u, to a grooved pulley-wheel, (u, fixed upon the rudder-post kfw, which extends up through the deck, and carries at its footvthe rudder af.

At the top of the tiller-post are handles, y, and the person sitting upon the stool o, and actuating the crank-shaft with his feet, grasps with his hands the two handles y, andthus readily steers the boat as he propels it by his feet, the `rotation of the. crank communicating movementto the paddle-wheel shaft, and ,the rot-ation of the paddle-wheel effecting the movement of the boat, as will be readily undeistood.

Each blade of the paddle-wheel is preferably composed of a plate, z, of corrugated metal, fastened `to the ends of spokes projecting from a hublor cylinder as seen at C. l l v By this construction it= will `be 'obvious' that the boat may be easily driven forward by muscular human power, the dip of the paddle-blades being regulated in accordance with the weight upon the boat or the speed orvease with which it may be desirable to propelV the boat.

Instead of placing the paddle-wheel midships, it may beat the stern, but I prefer the arrangement shown.

I claim, in combination with a boat or deck, supported upon long, hollow, water-tight cylinders, the paddle-wheel extending across. the boat or through the deck, from cylinder to cylinder, or approximately thereto, such paddle-wheel being connected to and driven by a cranked shaft, placed forward vof the wheelhouse, and having pedatcranks actuated as described, and the rudder being connected to a tiller placed forward of the cranked axle, andY so that its handles are in position to be grasped by the person who drives the axle-cranks with his feet, the combination and arrangement of the mechanism being substantially as shown and described.

Also, in combination with the foregoing, the paddle-wheel shaft', made adjustable as to height, substantially as described.

V. B. TOWNSEND.

lWitnesses:

V. P. Towssnnn, SAMPsoN AUSTIN.

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