An Improved Water Velocipede.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 1st May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Feb., 1890-Accepted, 1st May, 1890
J
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Water Velocipede.
1, EDOUARD FRANÇOIS BOUB, L.R C.P.L., M.R.C.S., L.S.A. of University Hospital,
London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists of a suitably devised apparatus propelled by a suitably placed
screw or screws worked, through suitable connections, by the feet of one or more
persons; & steered by the pivotting action of one of the elements composing the
buoyant portion of the apparatus, or else if suitable, by a rudder.
To obtain the buoyancy, I use 3 or more torpedo or suitably shaped buoys of
suitable size & material. These buoys I suitably connect by suitable connections of
suitable shape, size, & material, suitably arching over the water. On one or more
of these connections (backbone), suitable for the purpose, I suitably affix one or
more sets of working gear consisting of suitable fork, pedals, saddle & steering
handles. The revolutions of the axle which is revolved by the working of the pedals,
13 suitably transmitted to the screw or screws (propellers), by means of a series of
suitable bevelled cogged-wheels & shafts or axles set cach shaft or axle at a suitable
angle with the other-inside the 2 arms of the fork, inside or alongside & outside
it if suitable-the suitable inter-buoy connection (backbone) suitably hollowed out, &
inside the suitable buoy. The setting of those shafts or axles & bevelled cogged
wheels to be such as not to interfere with the pivotting action (horizontally) of the
buoy on the backbone; the pivotting action being secured by suitable coupling of
buoy & backbone. The steering is to be effected by the pivotting action of the
buoy this to be brought about by suitable connection between the buoy & the
steering handles.
;
If suitable, the machine to be steered by a suitable rudder. If suitable, a suitable
net to be suitably stretched between the buoys, under the arching, or otherwise, of
the connections (backbone), with or without the addition of one or more hammocks.
If suitable, the machine to have suitable appliances so as to be propelled-conjointly
with the feet--by one or more sails If suitable,-to minimise the danger of collision
✓ one portion of the fore part of the buoy or buoys to be made to enter into the
interior of the buoy, by a telescopic or other suitable arrangement, so that in running
into an other machine or boat it would not be the point, but a truncated cone that
would bear the full weight of the apparatus; in ordinary working the point is to be
kept in stu by means of suitable spring or springs.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Water Velooipede.
'I, EDOUARD FRANCOIS BOUR, L.R.CP.L., M.R.C.S., LS.A. formerly of University
Hospital, London, now of 5 Glenthorne Road, Surbiton, in the County of Surrey,
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 consists in an improved water velocipede or vehicle adapted to
float upon the water and be propelled by the occupants or some of them through
pedal-gear.
The improved velocipede comprises three torpedo shaped floats placed with regard
to each other as to the angles of a triangle, two of these floats being fixed parallel
to each other and the third float pivoted to act as a rudder and provided at one end
027

page_text: with a screw-propeller the shaft of which is driven through mitre gear from an
upright shaft passing along the axis about which the movable float is adapted to
revolve, said upright shaft being driven by similar gear from a horizontal_shaft
within or alongside of the backbone or frame which takes the place of the backbone,
the horizontal shaft being also driven by mitre gear from one or more pedal crank
shafts according to the number of occupants, who provide power for driving the
velocipede.
The pivoted float will be preferably the leading float the two fixed parallel floats
will then be the trailing floats. More than three floats may be employed provided
they are arranged substantially to fulfil the same functions as the three floats above
mentioned. The leading float is pivoted at the front end of the backbone the rear
end of the backbone being supported on an arched frame connecting the trailing floats.
The drivers seats are elevated on upright posts on the backbone and the handle bar
or bars are connected to move the steering float in any convenient manner.
In the improved velocipede the three floats or their points of connection with the
frame are connected by a triangular netting, webbing or grating or by a frame
supporting a netting webbing, or grating, forming a triangular floor for the vehicle, a
mast may be stepped forward on the frame to carry a sail if needed and hammocks may
be slung on the frame for affording rest to the occupants. The point of the leading
float may be made resilient for instance by causing the fore part to slide in a suitable
guide in the interior of the float in a telescopic manner it being held in its
normal position by a spring so that in the event of a collision occuring by running the
water velocipede into any boat or other object, injury may not be sustained from or
by the point of the float. The accompanying drawing illustrates the method of con-
structing the improved machine Fig. being a side elevation partly in section and
Fig 2 a plan view.
A A are the two parallel trailing floats connected by the arch B fastened to and
resting on them above or near their respective centres of flotation in any suitable
manner such as that shown. The centre of the arch B carried fixed rigidly to it the
back bone or equivalent frame C the front end of which is provided with the
depending bracket and socket D in which is supported the vertical tube E fastened
above the centre of flotation of the driving and steering float F. The screw pro-
peller G is placed at the rear end of the float F, the shaft of the propeller passing
through a suitable stuffing box in the end of the float and also if desired through
a ball bearing behind said stuffing box and extending along the length of the
latter to near the centre where it is provided with the bevelled wheel H gearing
with the larger bevelled wheel J on the vertical shaft K which extends upwards
through the centre of the tube E and carries the bevelled wheel L gearing with
the bevelled wheel M on the end of the shaft N which extends within the back
bone or frame as far as the foremost treadle crank shaft. On the shaft K is the fly
wheel to act as a governor to regulate the uniform rotation of the propeller. The
shaft N terminates in a bevelled wheel P gearing with the bevelled wheel Qon
the foremost treadle crank shaft R, the bevelled wheel Q also gears with a bevelled
wheel S on the shaft N' which is in continuation of the shaft N and carries near
the second treadle crank shaft R¹ the bevelled wheel P¹ gearing with the bevelled
wheel Q on said shaft R', and if there are more than two crank shafts similar
gear connects the bevelled wheel Q with the third crank shaft and so on until
the last crank shaft is included. It will be seen that the shafts N and N¹
rotate in opposite directions so that the bevelled wheels QQ' must gear with their
respective wheels P P on opposite sides. To provide space in the backbone for
this gear, the latter may be made of portions of steel tubing the ends of which
pass into plates S₁ S¹ S¹ S¹, extending outward from the backbone and bored for
the passage of four or more parallel smaller tubes TTTT as shown. These joints
should be made perfectly rigid. The bearings for the crank axles will then be
placed between the two tubes on each side. The backbone may also be made of
two parallel tubes braced together and the shaft or shafts passed along between
them. The seats or saddles Ü are supported in any manner usual with velocipedes

page_text: on L bars in the pillars V fixed on the backbone. The forward steering handle W
is connected to the upper end of the rod W¹ pivoted in the manner shown to the
pillar W. The lower end of the rod W₁ is forked and the two ends of the fork
are respectively connected by rods W' to a yoke W* fixed on a pillar depending
from the backbone the ends of said yoke W' being connected by rods W' with
the yoke We fixed on the upright tube E of the steering float. The second handle
bar X may be made and connected for steering in like manner or it may simply
be fastened to the back of the pillar, which supports the seat in front of it. The
handle bars may be made adjustable telescopically. Y is a short pillar with suitable
attachments for holding the mast Y¹. Z are two upright pillars projecting from
the ends of the arch and adapted each for holding one end of a hammock, the other
end of which is upheld by a suitable attachment on or near the front end of the back-
bone such as ring Y' on the pillar Y.
The method of constructing the frame and driving gear and the material employed
therefor will not differ from the method and materials usually employed in manu-
facturing velocipedes.
The bearings may be plain or "ball" bearings as desired. The floats may be made
of thin sheet steel, wood or of other flotative material. F¹ is the telescopic sliding
end of the float F. F" is the guiding sleeve therefor. F' the spring holding the end
projected.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1). A water velocipede having three or more torpedo-shaped or equivalent floats
arranged substantially as set forth with propeller and driving gear in one or more of
said floats substantially as illustrated and described.
2). A water velocipede having a pivoted leading float and two or more fixed
trailing floats, shaped and connected by a backbone or framing substantially as set
forth, a screw propeller at the end of the leading float and gear for operating said
propeller and for steering the velocipede substantially as set forth.
3). A water velocipede substantially as described having pillars and attachments for
slinging hammocks thereon substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4). A water velocipede having three torpedo shaped floats arranged and connected
as at the apices of a triangle substantially as set forth and a triangular netting
webbing or grating slung or supported on a frame between said floats to serve as a
flooring substantially as described.
5). In a water velocipede, a leading float having a resilient fore part telescopically
sliding therein and held projected by a spring substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
Dated this 1st day of February 1890.
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant.