Improved Equilibrium or Anti-capsizing Devices.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 20th July, 1893-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Equilibrium or Anti-capsizing Devices.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM ZIMER, of 99, Mortimer Road, Dalston, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention to be as follows:-
This invention has special reference to the application to boats and the like
propelled and managed by treadle or by combined hand and foot operated
mechanism, of improved arrangements of anti-capsizing devices designed to
preserve the equilibrium of the operator propelling, steering or otherwise managing
the boat, and operated by the instinctive movement to support himself of the operator
on his feeling any tendency to lose his balance, and rendered effective in attaining
such object by the external buoyancy or support brought in operation by their
being more or less immersed in or borne on the water supporting the boat, so
enabling the operator to maintain or recover his equilibrium.
The improved devices may, however, be applied in conjunction with other means
of propulsion, or may also be applied independently of any means for propelling or
managing the boat, and may be operated by any occupant of the boat.
The devices may also be applied to balloons or the like supported by the air, and
may then be effective in presenting inclined planes to the resistance of the air for
the purpose of the invention; or they may be applied to locomotive or stationary
apparatus supported in a balancing position by terra-firma or by anything supported
thereby in such position, and may then be effective in operating directly against
such support or the air for the purpose of the invention.
The invention consists mainly in a development of that for which Letters Patent
No. 6815 of 1890, were granted to me, the main difference being that in lieu of
applying the opposite anti-capsizing devices (herein, for convenience, termed
floats,") independently of each other as described in the Specification of such
Patent, I so connect the same as to cause them to co-act in such a manner that the
floats of the one side will move in an opposite direction to the floats of the
other side.
In carrying out the invention, I movably attach to the boat or other balanced frame
on which the operator stands, sits or otherwise rests, at each side thereof, one or
more floats and connect the opposite floats directly or indirectly so as to cause them
to co-act as one, in the manner hereinbefore referred to, on the operator instinctively
operating the handle bar of the propelling mechanism, or its equivalent, in
such a manner as to bring them into action on his feeling any tendency to lose
his balance.
Similarly connected floats may also be employed for preserving the equilibrium
of an operator in preventing him from falling backwards or forwards; and such
devices may also be employed for the like purposes in relation to the operator
losing his balance sideways or backwards or forwards with respect to one and the
same frame, for instance a boat, by having two side floats and two end floats, also
respectively adapted to lessen rolling and pitching.
In lieu of acting by displacement or by pressure, the devices may operate by
shifting weight or as shifting weights.
Dated this 21st day of October 1892
DAY, DAVIES, & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Equilibrium or Anti-capsizing" Devices.
I. FREDERICK WILLIAM ZIMER, of 99 Mortimer Road, De Beauvoir Town,
in the County of London, Engineerrdo 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 has special reference to the application to boats and the like
propelled by treadlermechanism; of improved arrangements of anti-capsizing devices
designed to preserve the equilibrium of the operator propelling, steering or other-
wise managing the boat and operated by the instinctive movement to support
himself of the operator on his feeling any tendency to lose his balance, and rendered
effective in attaining such object by the external buoyancy or support brought in
operation by their being more or less immersed in or borne on the water supporting
the boat, so enabling the operator to maintain or recover his equilibrium.
The improved devices may, however be applied in conjunction with other
means of propulsion or may also be applied independently of. any means for
propelling or managing the boat and may be operated by any occupant of
the boat.
The device may also be applied to balloons or the like supported by the air and
may then be effective in presenting inclined planes to the resistance of the air for
the purpose of the invention; or they may be applied to locomotive or stationary
apparatus supported in a balancing position by terra firma or by anything supported
thereby in such position and may then be effective in operating directly against
such support or the air for the purpose of the invention.
The invention consists mainly in the development of that for which Letters Patent
No. 6815 of 1890 were granted to me the main difference being that in lieu of
applying the opposite anti-capsizing devices (herein, for convenience, termed
"floats") independently, of each other as described in the Specification of such
Patent, I so connect the same as to cause them to co-act in such a manner that the
floats of the one side will move in an opposite direction to the floats of the other
side with respect to the surface of the water.
In carrying out the invention, I movably attach to the boat or other balanced
frame on which the operator stands, sits or otherwise rests at each side thereof, a
float (or set of floats) the said floats being connected directly or indirectly with one
another in such a manner as to move in opposite direction to each other with respect
to the surface of the water in the manner hereinbefore referred to on the operator
instinctively operating the handle bar of the propelling mechanism or its equivalent
in such a manner as to bring them into action on his feeling any tendency to lose
his balance.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood; 1 will describe how it
can be carried into practice by reference to the accompanying, drawing which
represents a
Transverse section of a boat, 7, carrying at A & A 1, 2 movable frames 'F' A C
and F, A, D, with floats E & B. The angles of such frames C & D are connected
with each other by means of a cross bar provided with a knuckle joint at each end.
On raising one float, the opposite float is at the same time pushed by the-cross bar in
a downward direction and vice versa.
P is a post firmly, fixed to the boat; with a-head, ly rotating around it. The
head carries a handle bar, 4, on rigid arm 2 & 3. The handle bar or in the case
of..this drawing its supporting frame is connected by chains or other suitable
means, 6, to the ends of the crossbar, C & D, in such a manner as that any move-
ment of the floats turns the handle bar and vice versa.
EH & BH show a position of the floats E & B when the water line W. H is
horizontal the floats are shown here above the water, in their normal or horizontal

page_text: position, but by means of a telescoping cross bar with a number of holes and a bolt
or by means of other convenient devices, the floats can be adjusted more or less
out of or in the water in their normal position, the connecting chain, 6, being made
likewise adjustable. The corresponding position of the operator's hands are denoted
by the letter H placed against them.
A wave or swell approaching the boat will reach one of the floats first, push
it up and consequently the other one down, at the same time turning the handle
bar if held yieldingly. The whole boat is thus generally placed in a proper
balancing position by the action of the waves themselves and the top-heavy
condition of the operator is further instrumental in depressing the float on that
side towards which the boat is inclined to turn over, with the tendency of
keeping the main boat in a vertical position, thus preventing or lessening side
rolling.
ER & BR represent the position of the floats when the boat is on a wave WR,
and the corresponding position of the operator's hands is denoted by the letter R
placed against them.
EL & BL represent the position of the floats when the boat is on a wave W L
and the corresponding position of the operator's hands is denoted by the letter L
placed against them.
The construction may be varied considerably as regards the attachment of
the floats and the connection between them as well as the means of transferring
the power of the operators or occupants to the floats.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
olaim is :-
1. The application to boats and the like of anti-capsizing devices hinged or
movably attached to the sides of the boat and so connected with each other
that the raising of the float on one side of the boat, has the effect of lowering
the float on the other side and vice versa.
2. The application to boats, balanced machines and the like of anti-capsizing
devices as herein before described attached to the sides of the boat and the 'said
devices actuated by the operator for the purpose of retaining or restoring his
equilibrium.
3. The construction of anti-capsizing devices attached to boats and the like
and means of actuating the same as herein before described with reference to
the drawing.
1000