Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
20b9b05
Specifications
This invention relates to a human powered boat which en-
ables any type of bicycle to be used to steer and convert
pedal motion into a screw propeller motion while the bicycle
is being supported on a frame attached to two inflatable
pontoons.
Prior art on human powered boats which use pedal motion
dates back to the development of the bicycle. Most of the
prior art devices described a boat and a pedal drive as an
integral device. Although this concept has demonstrated its
value as a recreational product over the years, it has
always been unduly bulky and heavy, often requiring roof
top or trailer when being transported over land. S. R. Perry
(#73413, 15 October 1901, Canada) described a pedal boat
which clearly showed a bicycle attached to the boat. How-
ever the support structure was cumbersome and he used paddle
wheels for propulsion.
In a book entitled "Curious Boating Inventions," by Joachim
Schult, 1971 (translated from german), two prior art are
shown which recognize some of the problems of this type of
invention. Leopold Fuksa (#863312, 27 November 1952, Germany)
disclosed a boat which he claimed was collapsible and trans-
portable on the bicycle. Two inflatable pontoons were kept
upright by internal posts secured to cross-members. The
bicycle was supported in the air by four rigid stays attached
to the cross-members, though they could not possibly have
prevented much lateral and logitudinal movement of the bi-
cycle. A cogwheel attached to the front sprocket drove an
angled propeller on a long, angled propeller shaft. Steering
was provided by dual cable linkages from a yoke on the front
forks to a rudder between the pontoons at the back. Alfred
and Otto Zacke (#822358, 11 October 1951, Germany) disclosed
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an invention which would not have been transportable on the
bicycle, but tied in effectively with the bicycle's mechanics.
Two hollow floats with internal longitudinal tubes were
secured with cross frame members. Two rigid stays held the
bicycle upright, although their location would have caused
interference with the heels of the user's feet. The rear
wheel drove a friction disc (roller) from which a bevel gear
set mounted on one side transmitted the rotation to a forward
angled propeller shaft. Although their method of power take-
off was good, their propeller shaft configuration was entirely
inadequate. The front wheel was held in a wheel holder which
pivoted in line with the bearing races on the front forks and
a front rudder was secured below. Conceptually, this method
of steering would have worked, but its functionality at low
speeds would have been limited.
Later in the 1980s, J. Jones (#4789365, 6 Dec. 1988, U.S.A.)
Y. Watanabe (#4395237, 26 July 1983, U.S.A.), E. Zeitler
(#4493657, 15 Jan. 1985, U.S.A.) and R. Garcia (#1242114, 4
Oct. 1983, Canada) proposed devices which relate to this
invention. All of the devices, save for Garcia's required an
excessively bulky frame structure and hulls, prohibiting them
from being transported on the bicycle. Garcia used paddles
on the rear wheel to provide propulsion and retractable floats
which could be lowered when the bicycle was in water; an
interesting concept which unfortunately would result in both
the user and the bicycle being soaked during use. Jones used
a flex drive from each end of a drive roller to two counter-
rotating propellers. However, the rear wheel would not track
well in the concave roller he proposed as it would tend to
ride up the sides of the roller. He overcame this by pro-
viding a rigid support frame for the bicycle.
Many of the prior art provided steering mechanisms at the
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rear of the boat, either by rudder or by rotation of the pro-
peller shaft housing. A rudder inherently causes drag when
turned and its effect is dependant on the speed of the water
past it. For the slow movement of human powered boats, the
rotation of a rear mounted propeller shaft housing is sub-
' stantially more effective than either a front or rear mounted
rudder. A keel or centerboard improves tracking in cross-
winds and induces a moment orb a boat when the rudder or
propeller shaft housing is turned. Some prior art recognized
this by incorporating a keel or centerboard in their designs.
None of the prior art provided any method of braking, should
the user wish to quickly reduce his/her forward speed.
None of the prior art provided a means to reverse the pro-
pulsion and a means to minimize damage to the rudder or pro-
peller from submerged rocks or logs.
A feature of this invention is the collapsible frame and
inflatable pontoons which allows the entire boat to be stowed
in a sack secured to the bicycle rack. This feature allows
the user to bicycle to a lake or river, assemble and inflate
the boat and mount the bicycle on it, pedal across the lake
and then disassemble the boat and restow it. The invention
is environmentally friendly, because unlike virtually every
other type of boat, it does not have to be transported by car.
A feature of this invention is the stressed pontoons and
frame which minimizes the weight and number of components to
keep the bicycle afloat and in a fixed position. The frame
which supports the bicycle is secured inward of the center-
lines of both pontoons. To stop the outward roll, a series
of stays extend from the bottom of the pontoons back to cen-
tral points on the frame. When loaded, the frame is held
together laterally and the pontoons remain in a fixed posi-
tion. To prevent the pontoons from rolling inward, as would
occur when the boat is put on the water, a series of smaller
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stays extending from the top of the pontoons back to some
points on the frame eliminate such inward roll.
In selecting a suitable overall width and length of the
frame, the operation of the front swivel and rear drive
mechanisms need to be understood. The width of the frame and
in essence the spacing between the two pontoons is the mini-
mum necessary to provide a comfortable sense of balance for
the user, particularly when getting on and off the bicycle.
The length of the frame, however, effects the operation of
the front swivel and the rear drive mechanism.
A feature fo this invention is the steering connection to
. the front wheel of the bicycle, comprising a wheel holder,
hinging swivel, wheel lock and optional forward rudder. The
forward rudder is of sufficient size to be effective as both
a rudder to aid in steering and as a centerboard to reduce
cross-wind drift. The front forks angle forward on the bi-
cycle, so that when the wheel is turned left or right on
land, the wheel base extends slightly and the wheel rolls
inward in the direction of the turn. At a 90° turn, the bi-
cycle is at its maximum wheel base. The forward rake of the
forks keeps the bicycle steering forward when moving forward.
The stationary pivot point of the front wheel is, therefore,
at the maximum wheel base and is off the ground, when the
wheel is turned other than at 90°. Regardless of any curve
in the forks, the pivot point aligns with the center of the
fork's two bearing races. Only with straight forks would the
front axle also align. To provide for the 3-axis movement of
the front wheel, it is held in a wheel holder at the pivot
point which is connected to the hinging swivel or, essen-
tially, a universal joint. What ultimately keeps the wheel
holder always in line with the bearing races is a wheel lock.
This is easily achieved by clamping the front brake with a C-
clamp or by some other means. With a fixed wheel base, rigid
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stays can be attached to the bicycle to keep it upright.
The wheel lock greatly enhances the boat's overall rigidity.
Before discussing the features of the rear propulsion, an
understanding of the bicycle's drive and transmission is
necessary. Modern racing and mountain bicycles have a series
of gear ratios which allow the user a variety of torque
versus speed possibilities for varying terrain and level of
fitness. To understand the effect of the bicycle's trans-
mission, consider an average cyclist on a racing bicycle
travelling at 30 km/hr. The 680 mm diameter wheels would
turn at 4 rps. In top gear, the ratio might be 52 to 13 or
4 to 1. So, the pedal crank rotates at a modest rate of 1
rps. Consider now the same 680 mm wheel turning a 68 mm
roller at the same rate. The roller would turn at 40 rps or
2400 rpm. Assuming a direct transmission to a 10 cm pitch
propeller, this would provide a theoretical speed of 14.6
km/hr. With drag', the actual speed is about 4 km/hr. Thus,
the roller size, gear ratios between propeller and roller,
and the propeller pitch provide further possibilities for
torque versus speed variations. Outboard motors do not have
multiple speeds, and we accept that their designers have pro-
vided propellers and gear ratios suitable for each horsepower
rating. Humans, as we well know, are not as predictable as
combustion engines for energy output. So, gear ratios on
the bicycle are important to the variety of boats users.
A bicycle tire will grip any surface contacting its curved
profile. Although one might expect it to track in a V-shaped
groove, it will in fact tend to ride up the inclined sur-
faces. Thus, the main contact surface of the drive roller
should be flat. If the drive roller has vertical walls of
sufficient height at both ends and provides some clearance
from the width of the tire, the tire will remain on the
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roller. The dilemma of how to transmit power to a propeller
shaft a 90° to the drive roller has been the basis for
considerable thought on this invention. If a bevel gear is
substituted for the vertical wall at the end, a miter gear
could transmit the power at 90°. In order to keep the bevel
~ gear as vertical as possible, a gear ratio of 3 or 4 to 1
would be required. A variation on this theme would be to
have a miter roller on the propeller shaft contacting a
steeply angled surface at one end of the drive roller. Fric-
tional force is dependent on contact force, and under wet
conditions, slippage is bound to occur.
A more suitable method to transmit power from the drive
roller to the propeller shaft is by using two axially aligned
rollers. Both rollers are hollowed out to provide room for
miter year set to turn inside and are attached to a live
shaft. One roller is fitted with on of the miter gears. The
propeller shaft passes through the gap between the rollers
and the other miter gear attaches to it. Both the roller
shaft and the propeller shaft are rigidly held in bearings.
2U Considering the small amount of power that is being trans-
mitted, the propeller shaft can be relatively thin, resulting
in a small gap between the rollers which would not cause the
tire to jam. This feature results in a very compact and
effective way to transmit the rear wheel's rotation to the
propeller shaft. Depending on how the propeller is situated
in relation to the rollers, a second propeller shaft driven
from an intermediate set of gears, universal joint or flex
drive may be needed. If the rear wheel should happen to jump
off the rollers, the resulting situation could be disastrous.
30 Thus, stationary guides extending up from the outer ends of
both rollers could be provided. Alternatively, a rigid stay
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from the bicycle frame near the crank shaft to the boat frame
reduce the likelihood of this situation occurring and could
also be used to adjust the amount of contact force between
the rear wheel and the rollers.
The position of the drive rollers in relation to the rear
wheel's axle is important to consider. It would appear that
the best position is somewhat ahead of the axle, thereby
minimizing the length of the frame and keeping a constant
longitudinal compressive force on it to help hold the axial
members together. Consideration must be given to the best
position of the frame members on the pontoons and thus, the
longitudinal angle of the rigid support stays in relation to
the bicycle. Also, sufficient contact force must be main-
tamed on the roller for it to function. If the front brake
lock were to fail, the bicycle would tend to move backwards.
If positioned far enough behind the rear axle, the rollers
can resist backward movement. Forward movement of the bicycle
is prevented by sufficient forward rake on the front stays
and by the front wheel holder itself. Pins could hold the
axial members together so they are detachable when stowed.
Although the boat is quite maneuverable, a reverse drive
could have merit in some situations, such as when the user
is docking the boat. As an accessory, this feature is a
simple modification of the rear drive assembly. To drive the
propeller in a forward rotation, a miter gear is secured on
one roller which produces the correct forward rotation of the
propeller. Engaging the miter gear on the propeller shaft
. with a miter gear on the other roller would drive the pro-
peller in reverse. One way to shift between the forward and
reverse miter gears is accomplished by laterally sliding the
bracket which supports the roller shaft. Brake cables fitted
to either end of the bracket provide a simple link to a
shifting lever conveniently mounted for the user.
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Further features of this invention are the methods of
steering, tracking and braking. The primary steering method
is by rotating the propeller shaft housing. The front wheel
holder and swivel are "cross-linked" to the housing via two
pull-pull linkages. Where the housing rotates, a bearing
surface must support it. Otherwise, the load of the housing
and propeller on the vertical shaft's bearings will induce a
torque on the steering mechanism. An optional foward rudder
can be fitted below the front swivel to further enhance the
steering, and when turned sideways, will effectively brake
the speed of the boat. An optional centerboard or keel is
an effective aid to enhance tracking and steering.
Other accessory features of this invention are the hinging
joints of the rear drive assembly and optional forward rudder
and centerboard to minimize the damage to these components
from submerged rocks or logs. A simple spring-loaded hinge
would be adequate on the forward rudder post and centerboard
holder. On the vertical propeller shaft housing, a spring-
loaded hinge can also be provided and on the shaft itself,
some form of flex drive which accommodates the hinging shaft
housing can be used.
While a forward rudder and centerboard or keel have been
mentioned as methods to enhance tracking and steering, fur-
ther fins and the propeller shaft housing or keels anywhere
on the boat are part of the embodiment of this invention.
This invention so far has enabled a bicycle to be used to
propel and steer a collapsible boat. As a human powered
boat, this is not an ideal design for performance in speed
or maneuverability. The inefficiency of having to transmit
steering through a bicycle wheel is limiting. The effect
of the rear wheel as a flywheel is valuable, but could be
improved upon. Ultimately, the rear wheel could have teeth
to mesh with teeth on the drive rollers to eliminate any
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slippage between the two components. A hull design which
would provide high maneuverablity would look much like the
present day sail- or surfboard. With stays securing the
bicycle frame to the hull, the user could bank the boat
while turning. A forward rudder could look like a dagger-
board. To provide for the case where jumping is being
performed off a rigid jump in the water, a hinging and
rotating rear drive assembly and a non-steering, but hinging
daggerboard would provide for this situation. Mounting the
rear drive assembly at the rear of the hull would prevent
the propeller from hitting the bottom of the hull when
hinged, even when turned at an angle.
Many of the racing power boats now use a tunnel hull
design. Two shallow V planning hulls, a wing foil connecting
them and an aerodynamic body around the user could be used
to enhance the speed of the boat. These performance enhanced
boats are part of the embodiment of this invention.
Providing equipment specific to the needs of the handi-
capped has become a significant aspect of any design in the
past 10 years. A no-hands steering system could be incor-
porated by providing cable linkages between the rudder post
or shaft housing and the seat on the bicycle. Such no-hands
steering might also be useful for someone needing their hands
free for other activities, such as a type of "water hockey."
These adaptations are included in the embodiment of this
invention.
Fig. 1 shows the plan view of the boat.
Fig. 2 shows the side view of the boat with all the starboard
components removed and an outline of a bicycle in position.
Fig. 3 shows a section view of the port pontoon near the bow
with appropriate frame members.
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Fig. 4 shows the front view of the front swivel with optional
forward rudder installed.
Fig. 5 shows the side view of the front swivel with optional
forward rudder installed.
Fig. 6 shows the front view of the rear drive assembly.
Fig. 7 shows the side view of the rear drive assembly.
Fig. 8 shows the front view of the reverse mechanism for the
rear drive assembly and balloon detail shown in side view.
Fig. 9 shows the side view of the shifter for the reverse
mechanism.
Fig. 10 shows the side view of the hinging propeller shaft
housing for the rear drive assembly.
Fig. 11 shows the side view of the hinging rudder post for
the forward rudder.
Fig. 12 shows the side view of a speed boat.
Fig. 13 shows the front view of a speed boat.
Fig. 14 shows the side view of a mono-hull boat.
Fig. 15 shows the front view of the stationary guides on the
rear drive assembly.
Fig. 16 shows the side view of the steering connections to
the seat post.
Fig. 17 show the front view of the guide rollers on the rear
drive assembly.
In Fig. l, floatation is provided by the port and starboard
inflatable pontoons, 1 and 2 respectively. Typically with
inflatable boats, the pontoons are submerged from about 1/4
to 1/3 of their depth. Inflatable bow and stern sections
would increase the overall floatation while enhancing the
rigidity of the boat, but for the most part are an unneces-
sary additional weight and cost in fabric. The pontoons are
equipped with suitable air valves (not shown).
The frame components, consisting of items 3 through 15
(only the port components are numbered), are a series of
tubes, fittings and pins. This allows the frame to be dis-
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assembled into short pieces when being stowed. Both the
bicycle, which is positioned along the centerline, and the
rigid stays from the frame to the bicycle have been removed.
Tubes 6 and 13, along with respective T-connectors 5 and 12,
are permanently secured to adjacent tubes whereas others are
temporarily held with quick release pins. Items 16 through
19 are parts of the lower stays which counteract the rotation
of the pontoons when loaded, which Fig. 3 shows in detail.
In Fig. 2, the position of the bicycle in relation to the
frame members is shown. The length of the axial frame mem-
hers is such that the front wheel's axle is ahead of the rear
drive assembly. A means to provide small adjustments in the
length of the axial frame members to ensure correct posi-
tinning of the bicycle is part of the embodiment of this
invention. The user's weight distribution on the bicycle
affects how the pontoons sit on the water; the user's weight
tends to be naturally distributed more on the rear wheel. As
will become more clear from Fig. 3, adjustment in the length
of stays 17 and 19 can alter the "freeboard" of the frame.
The port and starboard front stays, consisting of components
20, 21 and 22 (port components are numbered), are attached
far enough back on the cross-bar of the bicycle to permit the
front wheel to turn 90° in both directions. The user's
shins would not normally contact them in use. The port and
starboard rear stays 23 (port component is numbered), angling
from tube 11 to the rear axle, provide additional stability.
'the stays minimize the flexural stress on the frame. However,
frictional contact between the rear wheel and the drive
roller is dependant on loading. The best option is to provide
a short, rigid stay from a point on the bicycle frame just
behind the crank shaft (the short bar where the kick-stand or
mud guard is secured is ideal) to a sliding fitting on tube 9.
11
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By sliding the lower end of the stay along tube 9, the load
on the drive rollers can be changed. The fitting on tube 9
can then be secured in place where desired. This feature is
part of the embodiment of this invention. The front wheel
lock 24 clamps the front wheel brake to ensure that the
stationary pivot point is maintained. The forward rudder 39,
steering linkage 40, lower gear housing 58 and propeller 65
are all explained in more detail in subsequent figures.
In Fig. 3, the effect of the lower stay 17 is clearer.
When loaded, the pontoon 1 would roll outward if not held by
stay 17. One end of stay 17 is looped around fitting 3. The
other end loops around rod 16 which is in turn held in a
sleeve at the bottom of pontoon 1. Rod 16 essentially
distributes the pin-point loading of the stay 17. Making
stay 17 adjustable to change the freeboard of the frame is
part of the embodiment of this invention. Upper stay 25 will
counteract the inward rotation of the pontoon 1 when it is
not loaded, a useful feature when putting the boat on the
water. Hinging fitting 26 is representative of how stays 20
and 23 (see Fig. 2) join to tube 4.
In Fig. 4, the front wheel would sit in wheel holder 27 and
wheel clamp 28 would press on the inside of the rim to hold
it in place. Clamp 28 pivots on stud 29 and hooks around
stud 30 where it is tightened down by nut 31 and wing nut 32.
A wheel holder which is adjustable in width to accommodate
various wheel widths is part of the embodiment of this inven-
tion. The components of the hinging swivel are shown; spider
33, pin 34, swivel 35 and pin 36. A thrust washer and journal
bearing (both not shown) between swivel 35 and fitting 14
12
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could aid in reducing the friction between these components.
Front tiller 37, part of the steering control to the
rear
drive assembly, is attached to the bottom of swivel
35. The
optional forward rudder 39 is shown with its rudder
post
fitting inside swivel 35. Screw 38 holds both the rudder
39
and front tiller 37 in place.
Fig. 5 shows the same essential compon~n~tW: of the
front
swivel assembly as in Fig. 4, but in side view. In
use,
wheel holder 27 would be tilting backward slightly.
A
large space is provided below spider 33 so that it
can tilt
90 to either side when being stowed. With no forward
rudder
39 installed, fitting 14 can be permanently attached
to tube
7 (see Fig. 1) to eliminate a further assembly step
by the
user while maintaining a compact size when stowed.
Linkage
40 loops around the front tiller 37, crossing on its
way back
to the rear drive assembly, thereby providing a pull-pull
linkage with the proper coordination. At least one
side of
linkage 40 would have to be fitted with a detachable
clip in
order to permit the central frame members to come apart
at
fitting 8 (see Fig. 1). Linkage 40 should also be adjustable
on both sides to correct for any loss of coordination
on
either side.
In Fig. 6, the rear wheel rides between the adjustable
collars 44 and 45 on roller 41 and roller 42. The height
of the two collars 44 and 45 is sufficient to keep
the wheel
on the rollers 41 and 42 under normal conditions. The
gap
between rollers 41 and 42 provides just enough clearance
for
the upper propeller shaft 52 and is small enough to
not cause
the wheel to jam in it. Both rollers 41 and 42 are
connected
to roller shaft 43, and drive roller 41 is also fitted
with
miter gear 50. Miter gear 50 drives miter gear 51 which
is
connected to the upper propeller shaft 52. Both rollers
41
and 42 are hollowed out to accomodate the miter gears
50 and
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51. Roller shaft 43 rides on flanged ball bearings 46 and
47 which in turn are supported by bracket 48. Bracket 48 is
secured to adapter 49 which in turn is secured to fitting 15.
Shaft housing 55 turns freely inside fitting 15 just under
adapter 49. Miter gear 57 is connected to the bottom end of
upper propeller shaft 52 which turns in journal bearing 56.
Both journal bearing 56 and gear housing 58 are secured to
shaft housing 55. Rear tiller 59 is also secured to shaft
housing 55 just below fitting 15. To eliminate any thrust
load on miter gear 57 due to the weight of the entire lower
end of the drive assembly, a thrust bearing 60 is attached to
the top of shaft housing 55. Thrust bearing 60 turns freely
inside adapter 49 and is grooved at machine screws 61 (one
numbered) to hold a split collar (not shown) which positions
thrust bearing 60 in place.
In Fig. 7, the lower miter gears 57 and 62 are visible.
The lower propeller shaft 63 connects miter gear 62 to pro-
peller 65. Shaft 63 is supported in journal bearing 64 which
is attached to gear housing 58. The miter gears 57 and 62
could be replaced by a double universal joint or flex drive,
both being part of the embodiment of this invention. Linkage
40 wraps around and is secured to the back of rear tiller 59.
Figs. 8 and 9 depict the components of the reverse mecha-
nism. Roller 42 is fitted with miter gear 68 which, when
engaged with miter gear 51, will turn shaft 52 in reverse.
To engage miter gear 68, bracket 48 is shifted sideways on
bracket support 66. Bracket 48 is slotted around bearing 54
to accommodate this small lateral movement. Bracket support
66, when viewed from the side, looks much like a furniture
dovetail (see balloon) and is attached to fitting 15.
Secured to the front and back edges of bracket 48 are slides
67 (only one shown) which fit snugly against the beveled
front and back surfaces of bracket support 66, thus firmly
14
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positioning bracket 48. The necessarily wider gap between
rollers 41 and 42 may dictate a minimum tire width so that
the tire does not jam in the gap. The actual movement of
bracket 48 is provided by two brake cable assemblies on
opposite ends of bracket 48 and comprising items 69 through
72. Cable fittings 69 and 71 thread into bracket support 66,
securing one end of cables 70 and 72 respectively. The other
end of cables 70 and 72 are connected to shifter 77 with
screw 78. Cable fittings 74 and 75 are threaded into the
shifter mount 76, which can be conveniently attached on the
bicycle frame, here depicted on the diagonal bar. An op-
tional spring 73 aids in returning bracket 48 automatically
to the forward position when shifter 77 is released. One
dilemma which is apparent when engaging miter gears in this
manner is the tendancy for them to strip, if rammed into each
other while they are turning. This can be simply overcome by
having the user first brake the rotation of the rear wheel
with the rear wheel's brake before shifting gears.
A rigidly held propeller and rudder would be damaged, if
they hit a submerged rock or log. The best device to over-
come this would allow the rudder and propeller to still be
partially operational when retracted and to recover its
normal position as soon after the impact as possible. Figs.
10 and 11 detail flexible couplings for the rear drive
assembly and the foward rudder respectively. Upper propel-
ler shaft 52 ends at the bottom of fitting 15 and is posi-
tinned there by ball bearing 84 along with adapter 85. Upper
shaft housing 83 ends at the modified rear tiller 79. The
back end of tiller 79 forms a hinge with adapter 80 using pin
81. Spring 82 keeps the hinge normally closed. Middle pro-
peller shaft 86 turns in ball bearing 87 which in turn is
held in adapter 80. Shaft housing 89 is also secured to
adapter 80. Spring 88 is the flexible coupling between
shafts 52 and 86, and also aids in keeping the hinge normally
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closed. Other types of a flex drive are part of the embodi-
ment of this invention. The spring 88 would also provide
some give when the propeller strikes a rock. By maintaining
torque on the propeller shafts at all times, the trust of
the propeller 65 will aid in returning the shaft housing 89
to the vertical position. ~f the rear drive assembly has
both a reverse mechanism and a hinging shaft housing, the
propeller would simply jump out of the water when the reverse
mechanism is engaged. To overcome this dilemma, a shear pin
(not shown) could be used to pin the front of adapter 80 to
tiller 79.
In Fig. 11, a similar hinge is shown using many of the same
components as in Fig. 10, but adapted to the forward rudder.
Items 90 through 93 are identical to items 79 through 82
respectively. The post of rudder 39 is secured in adapter
91. A shear pin (not shown), fitted in a similar location
to the one discussed for Fig. 10 would eliminate any play in
the rudder caused by the hinge.
Figs. 4 through 11 have shown the front swivel and rear
drive assemblies in the basic design and in modified forms
to overcome specific deficiencies. The combination of one
or all of the modifications to the two assemblies is part of
the embodiment of this invention.
In Figs. 12 and 13, the layout of the rear dirve and front
swivel is essentially the same as in Figs 1 and 2. However,
some significant modifications are shown which would enhance
the speed of the boat. Here, no attempt is made to provide
a collapsible boat. Rigid shallow V planing hulls 94 and 95
are used instead ofthe inflatable pontoons. Cross members
96 and 97 support the bicycle and drive and swivel assemb-
lies. In addition, a wing foil 98, which provides lift and
makes use of ground effects, spans between the two hulls 94
and 95. Hulls 94 and 95 are lifted up in the water and drag
;;g 16
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is reduced. Shroud 99 around the bicycle frame and
the user
further reduces drag. Drag is lessened on the streamlined
shaft housing 100 and steering is achieved by small
movements
in the lower housing. The upper and lower propeller
shafts
can be joined with a universal joint. The rear wheel
could
be enhanced as a flywheel with wheel covers to reduce
drag on
the spokes. A single shaft connects the handle bars
to the
front swivel, the latter being reduced to a universal
joint.
One further method of enhancing speed is through the
use of
hydrofoils. The ground effects of the tunnel hull design
would enable the boat to rise up sooner on the hydrofoils.
These adaptations are part of the embodiment of this
invention.
Fig. 14 depicts a hull which is typical of surf- or
sail-
boards. Hulls of this nature are well suited for high
speed
maneuverability, and they plane well at low speeds.
A surf-
boarder is able to "carve" a turn by tilting the board
while
redistributing his/her weight correctly. The rear fin
keeps
the stern from skidding out on the turns. On a sailboard,
the daggerboard helps the board track in cross-winds
and pro-
vides a pivot point for the hull, similar to a sail
boat.
Thus, the surf- or sailboard is the hull which allows
the
boat to perform most closely to a bicycle on land and
would
enable the user to perform stunts on water. Boards
which do
not provide sufficient flotation for the user when
stationary,
known as "sinkers," are the most maneuverable. Thus,
board
101 can be a variety of shapes and sizes, depending
on the
performance sought. Forward rudder 102 has a high aspect
ratio to maintain it effectiveness when the board is
listing
to one side. The front swivel has also been reduced
to a
universal joint in this design, with the handle bars
being
linked by shaft directly to it. The rear drive assembly
is
shown ahead of the rear wheel's axle, which would further
enhance the maneuverability of the board, although
any posi-
17
X069605
tion is part of the embodiment of this invention. The shaft
housing 103 is shaped like a fin to provide the same essen-
tial function as on the surf- or sailboard. To ensure that
the board "banks" with the bicycle frame, stays 104 (only one
shown) fix the frame to the board. As discussed previously,
a board suitable for jumping maneuvers off a rigid jump can
include hinging components. It would be difficult to permit
the forward rudder to retract into the board at all angles.
Thus, the forward rudder would be reduced to a hinging dag-
gerboard and both steering and propulsion would come from the
hinging rear drive assembly located at the rear of the board.
The advantage of using the rear wheel to drive the rear
drive assembly is in the flywheel effect and in the wheel
ratio. With the rear wheel and drive rollers prone to get-
ting wet in such an exposed configuration, the friction
between the two surfaces is bound to be diminished. Both the
rear wheel and drive roller can be cogged to ensure ideal
traction under such adverse conditions. In Fig. 15, rollers
41 and 42 are shown cogged.
In Fig. 15, a partial view of the parts for the rear drive
assembly is shown along with guides 105 and 107 attached to
bracket 48 by screws (not shown). Ribs 106 and 108 stiffen
their repsective guides. As previously mentioned, if the
rear wheel were to jump outside either of the two collars
44 or 45, a considerable forward thrust would suddenly be
put on the front whee~holder and the user's well-being would
be jeopordized. There is a limit to the practical height of
collars 44 and 45. Stays are one method to keep the wheel
on the rollers. The guides are a simple safety measure to
ensure that the rear wheel will tend to slide back onto the
rollers 41 and 42.
Finally, in Fig. 16, a method to control the steering of
either the forward rudder and/or rear drive from the bicycle
18
2069605
seat post is depicted. This feature would enable the user
to steer the boat without his hands. Seat post 109 turns
freely in the bicycle frame. Collar 112 is secured to the
seat post 109 and turns on thrust bearing 111 which is in
turn supported by adapter 110. Dual cables 113 and cable
fittings 114 (only one of each shown) are fastened to collar
112 with screw 115. The cables 113 connect to the tillers on
the rear drive assembly and/or front swivel. To make the
seat generally want to stay straight, there is a slight off-
perpendicular angle on the collar 112 and adapter 110. A
torsion spring could also aid in returning the seat to the
straight position. Although the bicycle frame shown has a
horizontal cross-bar extending from the seat to the front
forks, neither the front handle bars nor forks are necessary
when the steering is controlled from the seat. This "uni-
cycle" design is part of the embodiment of this invention.
In Fig. 17, an alternative method to guide the bicycle's
rear wheel on rollers 41 and 42 from that depicted in Fig. 6
with collars 44 and 45 is detailed. Guide rollers 116 and
121 position the rear wheel by rolling against the side walls
of the tire. Considering the left guide roller alone, it
comprises of the guide roller 116, shoulder bolt 117, bearing
118 and lock nuts 119 and 120. The right guide roller
comprises of similar parts to that of the left guide roller,
respectively 121 through 125. Both guide rollers can be
adjusted inward and outward on bracket 48 to accommodate
different widths of tires. The guide rollers are able to
accommodate tire widths greater than the width of the two
rollers 41 and 42, unlike the collars 44 and 45 in Fig. 6.
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