Improvements in Mechanism for the Manual Propulsion and Steering of Small Craft.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Aug., 1895-Accented, 19th Oct.,
1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICA LION.
Improvements in Mechanism for the Manual Propulsion and Steering
of Small Craft.
We, DAVID DAWSON SERVICE of Woodside Crescent High Street, Dumbarton,
Engineer, and JAMES FRENCH SERVICE of 5 Anfield Place, Dennistoun, Glasgow,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This invention relates to the manual propulsion of small craft, especially pleasure
boats, and its object is to provide a small and compact propelling device which can
be readily fitted to the stern of the boat or unshipped therefrom. The device is
arranged to be driven by the hands.
And in order that our said invention may be properly understood we have
hereunto appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, whereon
Fig. 1 shows in section the stern of a boat with our device fitted thereto.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a back view of the device.
Referring to the drawings whereon the same reference letters wherever repeated
indicate the same parts.
The propelling device consists of a propeller a fitted on the outer end of a short
shaft 6 carried in bearings in the frame c. On this shaft b is a small sprocket
wheel e which is driven by a chain f from a large sprocket wheel a carried on the
crank shaft which is capable of revolving easily in the bearings i, i, of the frame c.
h is the driving crank handle of the shaft h.
The frame c, which is, preferably, cast all in one piece, is made with the rear-
wardly projecting triangular part c¹ at its lower end for carrying the propeller a,
and with the upwardly extending arms c³ c², for carrying the bearings,, of the
shaft h. By making the frame in this manner not only is the propeller carried
well astern of the boat, but weight is reduced and the whole device rendered
compact and portable.
The frame is provided with pintles, j, which can be readily shipped into the
rudder eyes k, k, of the stern post of the boat. These pintles are, or may be, made
adjustable on the frame c so as to be readily adapted to fit the eyes k, k¹, of
different boats and the adjustment may be effected, as shown, by means of a plate
made in one with each pintle and a loose plate l', both these plates being capable
of being clamped together and gripped to the frame by means of bolts and nuts m.
A screw clamping adjustment may however be used if desired.
The propeller a is very simple in construction and consists of two metal plates o, p,
cut to the desired shape and secured on the shaft 6 by means of screw nuts, q'.
Each of these plates is shaped and bent so as to form two blades, as shown.
The boat is propelled by merely turning the handle /¹.
As the device, when propelling, can be turned from side to side, it is not
necessary to use a rudder in conjunction with it. If, however, a rudder is desired
the frame will require to be extended in order to carry it.
If desired the propeller a may be driven by means of a band or rope and grooved
pulleys instead of the chain and chain wheels.
In some cases bevel gearing may be substituted for the chain gear.
The different bearings may be ball bearings.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
consider novel and desire to claim is :-
1. The construction, or general arrangement and combination of parts, of the
device for the manual propulsion of small craft, substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown on the drawings annexed.
Dated this 26th day of August 1895.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.