OBJECT CARRYING APPARATUS

APPAREIL DE TRANSPORT D'OBJETS

English Abstract

Apparatus for assisting a person to carry an
object, for example a canoe, in which a yoke is provided
of concave shape to fit around the back or neck of the
person without substantial pressure thereon, and having a
springy blade portion at each end with a shoulder pad at
the free end of each blade portion.

Claims

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The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:-
1. Carrying apparatus for assisting a person to
carry an object comprising a yoke of concave shape to fit
around the back or neck of said person without substantial
pressure thereon, a springy blade portion attached
substantially at each end of said yoke extending from
approximately the respective end of said yoke and of a
length such that, in use, a free end of each blade portion
protrudes beyond a respective shoulder of said person, and
a shoulder pad at the free end of each springy blade
portion, to rest, in use, on the shoulder area of said
person, the object thus being capable of transport on the
shoulders of said person without substantial injury to the
person.
2. Canoe carrying apparatus comprising a yoke of
concave shape to fit around the back or neck of a canoeist
without substantial pressure thereon, a springy blade
portion attached substantially at each end of said yoke
extending from approximately the respective end of said
yoke and of a length such that, in use, a free end of each
blade portion protrudes beyond a respective shoulder of
said canoeist, and a shoulder pad at the free end of each
springy blade portion to rest, in use, on the shoulder
area of said canoeist, the canoe thus being capable of
portage without substantial injury to the canoeist.
3. Carrying apparatus according to claim 1 or
claim 2 wherein each springy blade portion is provided
with a shim to cause the respective shoulder pad to be set
at an angle to match the shoulder of the respective person
or canoeist.
4. Carrying apparatus according to any one of
claims 1 to 3 wherein each springy blade portion is
adjustable in effective length between at least two
positions.

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5. Carrying apparatus according to claim 4
wherein two pairs of holes are provided in each blade
portion, spaced apart from each along the length of the
blade portion, a pair of corresponding holes in the
respective end of said yoke for fastening the blade
portion to the yoke and a plate on each blade portion to
provide, in use, additional strength.

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6. Each and every novel feature or novel
combination of features herein disclosed.

Description

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OBJECT CARRYING APPARATUS
This invention relates to apparatus for carrying
objects.
The invention relates particularly to apparatus for
carrying a canoe from one place to another, for example
when the canoe has to be carried from one body of water to
another, to traverse a waterfall or rapids, or to travel
overland between lakes. This is sometimes referred to as
'portaging'.
Canoe carriers with wheels can be used on roads
etc. close to home but these are of no use in the
wilderness. Previously the center bar of the canoe has
been modified to cover a larger area of the shoulders so
that the weight of the canoe will be spread out evenly on
the neck and shoulders of the person carrying the canoe.
Extra padding for the center bar of the canoe is sometimes
provided.
It is an object of the present invention to provide
carrying apparatus to facilitate the carrying of objects,
such as a canoe, which is more convenient than with
previous apparatus.
Accordingly, from one aspect there is provided
carrying apparatus for assisting a person to carry an
object comprising a yoke of concave shape to fit around
the back or neck of said person without substantial
pressure thereon, a springy blade portion attached
substantially at each end of said yoke extending from
approximately the respective end of said yoke and of a
length such that, in use, a free end of each blade portion
protrudes beyond a respective shoulder of said person, and
a shoulder pad at the free end of each spring blade
portion, to rest, in use, on the shoulder area of said
person, the object thus being capable of transport on the
shoulders of said person without substantial injury to the
person.

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From another aspect of the invention there is
provided canoe carrying apparatus comprising a yoke of
concave shape to fit around the back or neck of a canoeist
without substantial pressure thereon, a springy blade
portion attached substantially at each end of said yoke
extending from approximately the respective end of said
yoke and of a length such that, in use, a free end of each
blade portion protrudes beyond a respective shoulder of
said canoeist, and a shoulder pad at the free end of each
springy blade portion to rest, in use, on the shoulder
area of said canoeist, the canoe thus being capable of
portage without substantial injury to the canoeist.
An embodiment of the invention will now be
described, by way of example, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view from the side and
rear of a canoeist using carrying apparatus according to
this embodiment and showing the apparatus from above;
Figure 2 is a front view of a canoeist using the
carrying apparatus of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the carrying
apparatus of Figure 1 to show details thereof;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a flexible blade
portion;
Figure 5 is a side view of the carrying apparatus
to show its operation during use; and
Figure 6 is a diagrammatic representation of an
adjustable flexible blade portion.
Referring to the figures, the carrying apparatus
comprises a yoke 2 in the form of a wood bar which, at its
ends, attaches to the gunnel of a canoe 4.
Adjacent each end of the yoke 2 there is affixed a
respective flexible springy blade portion 6 or 8 made of
wood and fastened to the yoke 2 by bolts 10. At its free
end each blade portion 6 is provided with an angle shim 12
as more clearly seen in Figure 4.

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A shoulder pad portion 14 is also fastened to each
blade portion 6,8 and due to the angle shims 12, each
shoulder portion is at an angle to the longitudinal length
of yoke 2 so that, when carrying a canoe, the apparatus
can rest more comfortably on the shoulder area of a
canoeist 3 during portage of a canoe.
The spring action of the blade portion 6,8 is
illustrated in Figure 5, each blade portion, in use,
moving between the illustrated solid line and broken line
positions.
The carrying apparatus may be custom cut and fitted
for different sizes of canoe. A length of up to 40" for
the yoke seems to be quite feasible. In one constructed
embodiment the yoke was 36 inches long, each spring arm
was 10 inches long and each shoulder pad portion was 10
inches long, 4'h" wide and 1~/z inches deep. It was made of
close cell rubber foam. It was found that yellow birch
wood and oak were suitable for making the yoke 2. Number
1 grade, knot free, birch was preferred.
An adjustable blade portion is shown in Figure 6.
The adjustment is possible due to the provision of two
pairs of pre-drilled holes 20 and 22 which are drilled
through the blade portion. The yoke 2 has two pairs of
holes drilled through it and the blade portion 6 can be
moved lengthwise and fastened by bolts or other means. A
plate 24 is provided on the surface of blade portion 6 to
give further strength. Holes 20 would be used for lighter
canoes and holes 22 for heavier canoes. The plate 24 is
moved between the holes 20 and 22 depending on whether the
canoeist is carrying a lighter or heavier canoe.
In Figure 6, a bolt and wing nut arrangement 26 is
shown for attaching the shoulder pad 14 to the respective
blade portion 6 or 8.

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In use, the opposite ends of the yoke 2 are
attached to the gunnel of the canoe 4. The canoeist 3 can
then carry the canoe as shown in Figures 2 and 3 with the
shoulder pads 14 resting on the shoulders and the weight
of the canoe evenly distributed on the shoulders. As will
be seen, the pads 14 are at an angle and fit to the slope
of the shoulders, pushing on the thick muscular part of
the canoeist's shoulders whilst substantially avoiding
sensitive nerves. This considerably adds to the comfort
of the canoeist 3. With proper use the yoke 2 does not
touch the canoeist's neck or back.
The spring effect of the blade portions 6,8 absorbs
the impact of the canoe 4 as the canoeist walks with the
canoe during a portage.
As explained above, the shims 12 on the blade
portions 6, 8 cause the pad portions 14 to be set at an
angle which matches the slope of the shoulder of the
canoeist 3. The more the blade portions 6,8 spring under
the weight of the canoe 4 the more the shoulder pads 14
are pushed against the shoulders where the muscles are
thick so that the sensitive nerves closer to the neck are
avoided.
As the spring action of the blade portions 6,8
causes them to go up and down, the pressure on the
shoulders of the canoeist 3 is also changing its point of
application. As the canoe 4 moves down its weight pushes
inside against the shoulders and as the canoe 4 springs
back up its weight is transferred to the top of the
shoulders thus avoiding the crushing effect of a constant
isolated steady pressure.
The bar or yoke 2 is designed so that it does not
touch the neck or back of the canoeist 3. The two blade
portions 6, 8 can be attached under the respective end of
the yoke 2 to thus improve the spring effect and the

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shoulder pad portions 14 protrude slightly above the yoke
2 whereby they will not interfere with the handling of the
canoe.
From the above, it will be seen that the advantages
of the described carrying apparatus are the spring
absorbing action, the shoulder pads are set at an angle to
fit the slope of the shoulders of a canoeist, the place of
application of the pressure on the canoeist changes during
walking due to the spring action of the blade portions
6,8, and the pads are set lower than on a traditional yoke.
It will be appreciated that embodiments of the
invention may be made for carrying other objects other
than canoes.
It wi 11 be readi ly apparent to a person ski l led in
the art that a number of variations and modifications can
be made without departing from the true spirit of the
invention which will now be pointed out in the appended
claims.

Representative Drawing