An Improved Bow-facing Oar.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 14th Mar., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Bow-facing Oar.
I, WILLIAM HENRY MUNNS, of Victoria Chambers, 55 and 56, Chancery Lane,
in the County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion (a communication to me from abroad by Joseph Stewart, of Bluff City,
Tennessee, U.S.A., Inventor,) to be as follows:
My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in bow facing oars,
the object thereof being to provide an oar which will allow the oarsman to sit
facing the bow, and my invention consists in providing an oar made up of two
sections jointed to each other, said jointed sections working above a pivot-plate
secured to a vertical portion, which takes the place of the oar-lock, said portion
being bifurcated and provided with a removable cross-pin for limiting the angle of
the bed-plate and oar, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and specifically
pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention,
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing my improvement applied to a boat.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the gunwale of the boat in cross-section, with
my improvement applied thereto.
any
A refers to a plate which is secured to the gunwale of the boat in suitable
manner, preferably in the style usually employed for connecting the ordinary thole-
pins thereto. This plate A has upwardly projecting members a a which are
provided with a series of vertical perforations, the upper perforations being at the
centre of the upwardly projecting members, and through the same pass a transverse
pin for securing the plate B pivotally thereto. The perforations a² are located a
little to one side of the centre of the vertical members of the plate A, and through
the same passes a pin c against which the under side of the plate B will abut, to
properly limit the inclination of the plate and oar sections. A series of these
perforations are provided so that the transverse pin, against which the plate B
abuts on the cominencement of the stroke, can be adjusted to permit the attachment
to be advantageously used in boats having different heights of gunwales, or when a
boat is loaded, this pin preventing the oar-blade being submerged too deep, or more
than necessary in the water.
The plate is pivoted to one side of its centre between the members of the
support A, the pivot-pin being provided at one end with a head, and at the opposite
end with an opening for the passage of means for locking the same in position, as a
padlock, to prevent the oar and attachment being removed from the boat by
unauthorized parties. Of course when such locking means are provided the
support A will be bolted to the gunwale, so that it cannot be readily removed.
Above the plate B are located two castings D and E, which are jointed or hinged
to each other, the adjacent portions of which fit snugly together, one section being
provided with a tongue, while the other has a slot, within which the tongue fits, a
pintle being used for securing the parts. The section or casting D is secured to the
pivot-plate 13 by a bolt d, which bolt, if desirable, can be arranged to be adjustable
within the perforation d², so as to vary the length of the stroke. The outer end
of this casting D has a socket within which a wooden handle is fitted and
secured.
The castings E is provided near its centre with an oblong vertical slot E',
through which passes a vertical bolt or pin rigidly secured to the plate B. This
pin is of less diameter than the slot, so that it will work easily therein. The oar-
blade, or lower section of the oar, is secured in a socket in the end of this
casting.
In the hereinbefore described device. the oarsman is enabled to sit facing the bow

page_text: of the boat, and row in the usual manner, and is prevented from dipping the oar too
deep in the water by the under side of the plate B contacting with the cross-pin.
When the cross-pin is removed and the handle of the oar released, the oar and
plate B may swing so as to be almost parallel with the side of the boat. The outer
end of the plate B striking against the beveled face of the support A throws the
handle of the oar in such a position that it will not interfere with the movement of
the oarsman within the boat.
This device is especially adapted to be applied to hunting-boats, skiffs, yawls, and
pleasure-boats.
I am aware that prior to the filing of my application it has been proposed to
provide a jointed rowing oar, one of the parts of which is pivoted to a plate, while
the blade section is provided with a slot, as is shown in the United States Patents
issued to S. W. Francis, dated October 22nd, 1867, or the Patent to B. F. Bennett,
dated March 2nd, 1886; and I do not therefore claim a jointed bow-facing oar,
broadly.
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
claim is
1. In a jointed rowing-oar, the castings or parts D and E connected to each other
by a hinged joint, the blade portion E having a slot, through which passes a pin
secured to the bed-plate, said slot being located beyond the pivot portion of the oar,
the section D, having two or more perforations, and a pin for securing said sections
to the plate B, said section being provided with a handle, while the opposite section
carries a blade, the bed-plate having a plain upper surface and pivoted to a support,
substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a how facing-oar, consisting of two sections hinged to each other, said
sections carrying the handle and blade, a plate having a transverse pivot-pin, by
means of which it is secured between the bifurcated portion's having one or more
perforations, through which a pin is passed for limiting the inclination of the plate B,
substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.
3. The combination, with a bow-facing-oar, constructed substantially as shown,
and a plate or support A having vertical members, with a series of perforations,
through which passes a removable pin or bolt, the upper portion of said plate
between the members thereof being beveled, substantially as shown.
4. The combination, with the jointed oar, sections, one of which is provided with
a slot, through which passes a pin, the adjacent section to which it is hinged being
pivotally connected to a plate by a pin, the outer ends of said sections being
provided with sockets, so that the handle and blade can be movably connected
thereto, and the pivot-plate B having a flat upper surface above which the sections D
and E move, a transverse pivot-bolt located to one side of the centre of the
plate B, said bolt being-provided with means for locking the same to the vertical
members of the support A, substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 7th day of February 1891
W. H. MUNNS.