US999971A - Hydroplane. - Google Patents

Description

11. EGKLBY.

HYDEOPLANB.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6, 1910'.

999,971, 1 Patented Aug. 8,1911.

Inventor Ralph Ecg.

'UNTT RALPH ECKLEY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

HYDROPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, ion.

Application filed June 3, 1910. Serial No. 565,249.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, RALPH EoKLnY, a citizen of the United States, resident of Los Angeles, county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hydroplanes, and the object of the invention is to pro duce a hydroplane of simple construction having improved propelling means, and having great buoyancy.

In its general construction the hydroplane comprises a central body or hull which is supported above the water on fieX- ible planes mounted at each side of the hull and driven in a rearward direction in the water in order to advance the hull.

In the drawing which forms a part of the annexed specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hydroplane constructed according to my invention, certain parts being broken away and shown in section. Fig. 2 is a plan of the hydroplane shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and showing certain details of the construction.

Referring more particularly to the parts at represents the hull of the hydroplane which is of elongated form, having a pointed bow 5 and a pointed stern 6. To the stern post 7 a rudder 8 is attached as shown, having a tiller 9 which projects forwardly in the usual manner.

Near the bottom 10 of the hull I provide a plurality of transverse shafts 11; said shafts being mounted in suitable bearings 12 as shown. These shafts project a con siderable distance on each side of the hull and carry rollers 18 which are rigidly at tached to the shafts. The outer ends of the shafts are mounted in bearing frames 14:, which are formed of inclined bars as inclicated in Fig. 1. To the lower parts of these bearing frames 14, bolsters 15 are attached; these bolsters are of substantially triangular form in cross section and extend transversely under the rollers 13, the upper sides of the bolsters presenting concave faces 16 which lie adjacent to the curved faces of the rollers as shown in Fig. 1. The inner ends of these bolsters are connected by horizontal braces or cross bars 17 which extend under the hull as shown in Fig. 3.

I have illustrated four of the shafts 11,

each shaft carrying a pair of rollers, said rollers being disposed respectively at each side of the hull. These rollers are all substantially of the same diameter and on the rollers are supported two endless belts or flexible hydroplanes 18. The two end shafts are provided with sprocket wheels 19 which are connected by sprocket chains 20 with similar sprocket wheelsQl, mounted on the intermediate shafts, and the intermediate shafts are connected by sprocket chains 22, which run over sprocket wheels 23 attached rigidly to the intermediate shafts as shown. These chains and sprocket wheels are all mounted between the hull and the corresponding rollers.

WVithin the hull and near the middle point thereof it provide a motor or engine 2 having a shaft 25 which is connected by universal couplings 26 with a stub shaft 27 having a bevel gear 28 which meshes with a bevel gear 29 on the rearmost of the shafts 11. In order to provide clearance for the gears 28 and 29 which lie very close to the bottom 10, I provide a pocket or recess 80 in the bottom as indicated most clearly in Fig. 2. The rollers 13 are hollow and air tight, giving them great buoyancy in the water and the bolsters 15 are similarly constructed for the same purpose. The bolsters 15 present fiat lower faces 31 which lie against the upper side of the lower run of the belts so as to receive the upward pressure of the water on the under side of the belt as will be readily understood.

At the points where the shafts 11 pass through the frames 14: hubs 32 are provided which form bearings and beyond these hubs, collars 33 are rigidly attached to the shafts so as to hold the frames in position.

In the operation of the hydroplane the flexible belts are driven in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 1, that is the lower runs of the belt move in a rearward direction. These belts being driven at a high speed the hydroplane will advance and be borne up on the surface of the water, on account of the large area that the belts present and on account of the buoyancy of the rollers and the bolsters.

What I claim is 1. A hydroplane having a centrally dis posed body with a plurality of transverse shafts mounted in said body projecting from the sides thereof, rollers mounted on said shafts, with their faces nearly touching, belts running over said rollers in a direction parallel to the longitudinal. axis of said body, transversely disposed bolsters mounted on the under sides of said rollers bridging the space between the lower faces thereof and lying over the lower runs of said belt, and means for driving said shafts.

2. A hydroplane having a centrally disposed body, a plurality of transversely disposed shafts projecting laterally at the sides of said body, rollers mounted on said shafts, belts running over said rollers in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said body, frames mounted on the outer ends of the said shafts and forming bearings therefor, bolsters attached to said frames, disposed under and between said rollers and disposed over the lower runs of said belts, and means for driving said shafts.

A hydroplane having a centrally disposed body, a plurality of transversely disposed shafts rotatably mounted in said body, hollow air tight rollers mounted on said shafts, with their faces near together, belts mounted on said rollers and moving in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said body, hollow air tight bolsters disposed under said rollers bridging the space between the same and above the lower runs of said belts, sprocket wheels carried by said shafts between said rollers and said body, sprocket chains running over said sprocket shafts and adapted to drive said shafts in unison and means for driving said shafts.

4. A hydroplane having a centrally disposed body, transversely disposed shafts rotatably mounted in said body, and projecting laterally at the sides thereof, rollers mounted on said shafts, frames adjacent to the outer ends of said rollers forming bearings for said shafts, belts running over said rollers in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said body, bolsters disposed under said rollers between said rollers having their outer ends attached to said frames, bars connecting the inner ends of said. bolsters under said body, sprocket wheels mounted on said shafts adjacent to said body, sprocket chains connecting said sprocket wheels and means for driving said shafts.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 28th day of May, 1910.

RALPH ECKLE Y.

Witnesses:

F. D. AMMEN, .EDMUND A. STRAUsn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

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