Abstract:
A portable pedal driven propulsion device for a small watercraft in which power from crank operated pedals is transmitted to a pivotally mounted gearbox on the outside of the watercraft adjacent the operator. A longitudinal drive shaft is connected, at one end, to the gear box and, at the other end, to a propeller so that the drive shaft and propeller can be moved selectively between a raised inoperative position and a lowered operative position.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
   This invention relates to a portable propulsion device for use in a small watercraft such as a canoe. More particularly, this invention relates a portable pedal and seat device for driving an outboard propeller pivotally mounted alongside the canoe for movement between an operative position wherein the propeller is in the water and an inoperative position wherein the propeller is out of the water and the propeller drive shaft is in a plane parallel the gunwhale of the canoe. 
   BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   Pedal operated watercraft, such as canoes, are well known in the art and there are numerous patents directed to specific features thereof. Such devices generally comprise a frame structure, with or without a seat, having a pedal crank and sprocket system connected, by way of a chain, to a drive shaft which drives, via a series of gears and pinions, a vertically mounted drive shaft at the stern of the watercraft which in turn drives a propeller mounted on a horizontal axis. Such devices are relatively complex and involve a long gear train which is inherently expensive. The rigidly mounted vertical shaft at the stern to drive the propeller implies that the propeller is at a fixed depth relative to the keel of the watercraft, and it is difficult, if not impossible, for a canoeist to turn around in a relatively unstable canoe to reach the vertically mounted drive shaft at the stern so as to raise the propeller out of the water when not in use or in shallow water. There is a need, therefore, for a simple pedal operated propulsion system in which the propeller can be raised or lowered easily by the canoeist without moving from his seat or even turning to face the rear of the canoe. Preferably, the canoeist should be seated as low as possible in the canoe for stability reasons and the pedal device should incorporate both the seat and the crank mechanism and should be simply placed across the gunwhales of the canoe without needing clamps, bolts or other devices to secure it in place. 
   OBJECT OF INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable crank-operated, propeller driven, propulsion system for use in a canoe or other small watercraft, in which the propeller is mounted on a propeller shaft which can be raised to, or lowered from, a substantially horizontal position parallel to the gunwhale of the canoe to an operative position in which the propeller shaft is at an acute angle relative to the gunwhale and the propeller is at any selected depth in the water. 
   BRIEF STATEMENT OF INVENTION 
   By one aspect of this invention there is provided a portable, pedal driven propulsion device, for use in a watercraft having gunwhales, comprising:
         (a) a substantially quadrilateral frame adapted to be releasably mounted on the gunwhales of said watercraft;   (b) operator seat means mounted on said quadrilateral frame;   (c) pedal crank means mounted forwardly of, and depending from, said quadrilateral frame and operable by an operator sitting on said seat means;   (d) a gear box pivotally mounted, on said quadrilateral frame so as to lie outboard of one of said gunwhales and forward of said operator seat means when in operative position;   (e) means to transmit motive power generated by said pedal crank means to said gear box; and   (f) longitudinal drive shaft means operatively connected at one end thereof to said gear box and, at a second end thereof, to a propeller means;
 
said gear box and drive shaft means being adapted to be pivoted, when mounted on said watercraft, about a horizontal transverse axis so as to raise said propeller means to an inoperable position wherein said drive shaft means is substantially parallel to said one gunwhale, and lower said propeller means to an operative position wherein said drive shaft means is at an acute angle relative to said gunwhale.
       

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric side view of one embodiment of the present invention, mounted on a canoe; 
       FIG. 2  is an oblique isometric front view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is an oblique isometric rear view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a side view, partly in section, of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a front view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 7  is an enlarged detail view of the drive shaft shown in  FIG. 6  in the engaged position; 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged detail view of the drive shaft shown in  FIG. 6 , in the disengaged position; 
       FIG. 9  is an enlarged view of part of  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 10  is an exploded view of  FIG. 9 ; and 
       FIG. 11  is a sectional view of  FIG. 9  taken along line  9 — 9 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   In  FIG. 1  there is shown an isometric side view of one embodiment of the present invention with the drive shaft  2  in the angled, or lowered, position along the side of the canoe  1  upon which the device has been placed and rests on the gunwhales thereof. As seen most clearly in  FIG. 5 , a quadrilateral frame comprising a pair of parallel, longitudinally extending, tubular members  11 , 12  and a pair of parallel, transversely extending members  13 , 14 , rests on the gunwhales  15 , 16  of canoe  1 , immediately behind the central thwart  17  thereof and supports seat  4 , preferably but not essentially adjustably, therebetween. It has been found that clamps, bolts or the like are not required to secure the frame to the canoe, but preferably the ends of transverse members are covered with a non-slip material, such as rubber, to provide additional grip and to reduce slippage. As seen in  FIG. 1 , a canoe operator  3 , seated on seat  4  propels the canoe  1  by means of pedals  5  and cranks  6 , mounted on a tubular member  18  forwardly of the quadrilateral frame on the longitudinal centre line and near the bottom of the canoe. Pedals  5  and cranks  6  are operatively mounted on toothed sprocket  7  which drives endless chain  8 . Chain  8  is operatively connected to rear sprocket  9 , mounted for rotation about a horizontal transverse axis on a lower transverse drive shaft  10 , contained within drive tube  19  which is supported by a tubular member  20  depending from transverse tubular member  13 . The outer end of shaft  10  is supported by bearing  21  and terminates in a sprocket  22  to drive endless chain  23  and sprocket  24 . Sprocket  24  is mounted to one end of a transvers drive shaft  25  which in turn is rotatably mounted in bearing  26  on transverse member  13  at a level slightly above gunwhale  16 . The outboard end of shaft  25  is provided with a hub  27  having a hexagonal axial bore  28  therein. A spring loaded hexagonal shaft  29  is slideably mounted in an axial bore of a drive shaft  30  so that an end  31 A of shaft  29  can releasably engage in bore  28 , as seen in  FIG. 7 . Shaft  30  is rotatably mounted within a tubular housing  31  and axially moveable so as to disengage shaft  29  when required and to align spring-loaded shaft  29  with bore  28  so as to engage therewith, one end of which supports bearing  26  and the other end of which rotatably supports gear box housing  32 . A bevel gear  33 , contained within housing  32 , is splined to a shaft  34 , rotatably supported by bearing  35 , which is in turn axially splined to shaft  30 . Bevel gear  33  operatively engages bevel gear  34 , also contained within housing  32 , axially mounted on an output drive shaft  35 A which is supported by bearings  36 , 37  within housing  32  and connected to a propellor drive shaft  35  and supported by bearing  35 Bcontained within a tubular casing  38 . A cutlass bearing  39  is provided at the lower end of housing  38  to support shaft  35  adjacent a propeller  40 . It will be appreciated that shaft  35  and tubular casing  38  can be moved in a vertical plane by rotating gear box housing  32  and tube  47  secured thereto and extending along a horizontal transverse axis inside housing  31 , so that shaft  35  can be raised to a horizontal, inoperative, position parallel the gunwhale  16  in which propeller  40  is raised out of the water, and lowered to an angled, operative, position as seen in  FIG. 4 , in which the propeller  40  is below the water level. Preferably, housing  38  is supported, intermediate the ends thereof by either a hanger  41  adjustably suspended from transverse member  14  or a pair of hangers  41 ,  42  suspended from transverse member  14 , so as to retain housing  38  in the operative position or the inoperative position as selected by the operator simply by reaching over the side of the canoe and without needing to turn or reach towards the stern of the canoe. 
   As seen in FIGS.  2 , 3 ,  4  and  5 , longitudinal member  12  is somewhat longer than longitudinal member  11  and is angled outwardly towards the stern to support a rudder post housing  43 , vertical rudder post  44  and rudder  45 . A control arm  46  is mounted on rudder post  44 , perpendicular to rudder  45 , and pivotally mounted to a control rod or tiller  47 A for operation by operator  3  to steer the canoe. Preferably but not essentially, rudder  45  is axially aligned with propeller  40 . 
   It will be appreciated that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, the conventional toothed sprockets  7 , 9 , 22  and  24  may, if desired be replaced with similarly conventional smooth pulley wheels with associated ribbed or plain rubber drive belts.