IMPROVEMENTS IN ROWING GEAR
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Thomas Hughes, of the Firm of Hughes
and Son, Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, for the
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN ROWING GEAR."-A communication
from abroad by William Lyman, of Middlefield, in the County of
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Thomas
Hughes at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 10th November 1875.
I, EDWARD THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son,
Patent Agents, 123, Chancery Lane, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROWING GEAR," a
communication to me from abroad by William Lyman, of Middlefield,
in the County of Middlesex, Connecticut, United States of America, to
be as follows:-

page_text: for the purpose of rowing, the object being to row a boat in the same
direction toward which the oarsman is facing. And the Invention
consists in constructing the oar in two parts, the one part forming
the handle jointed by a ball or universal joint to the gunwale, and the
other or oar part jointed in like manner to the gunwale forward, and
the two parts united by a connecting rod hinged to the handle inside
the joint, and to the oar outside the joint, so that the oar moves in the
same direction as the handle, as more fully herein-after described.
In the Drawing is shown a plan view or diagram of the improved gear.
A represents the gunwale of a boat, or that part to which the rowlock
is usually attached; B is the handle portion of the oȧr, which is of the
usual length from the rowlock inward. The outer end is hinged to the
boat by a ball or universal joint C, so that the oarsman taking hold of
the handle may move the handle forward and back, and in the path
substantially the same as a common oar. D is the oar proper, its upper
or inner end hinged to the boat by a ball or other universal joint E
forward of the joint C of the handle part; F is a connecting rod jointed
to the handle part at a inside the joint C, and to the oar part outside
the joint E, as at d, the hinge on the two parts being by preference
equidistant from their respective points, so that the movement of the oar
will be the same as that of the handle. The oarsman facing forward
takes the handle B in hand and operates it in the usual manner for
working oars; drawing back the handle draws back the oar, as denoted
in broken lines. The joints a, d, are sufficiently tight, so that lowering
the inner end of the handle will raise the oar, and vice versa, and so that
throughout the movement the oarsman carries the handle the same as
in a common oar. Owing to this arrangement of the joints the leverage
of the handle upon the oar increases from the start to the completion of
the stroke, the oar moving faster as it starts and diminishing gradually
to the close of the stroke.
:

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Thomas Hughes in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th May 1876.
'
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, EDWARD
THOMAS HUGHES, of the Firm of Hughes and Son, Patent Agents, 123,
Chancery Lane, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, Her special
licence that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Thomas
Hughes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROWING GEAR," a communication to me from abroad
by William Lyman, of Middlefield, in the County of Meiddlesex, Con-
necticut, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, do liereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:
This Invention relates to improvements in the arrangement of oars

page_text: direction towards which the oarsman is facing. And the Invention con-
sists in constructing the oar in two parts, the one part forming the
handle jointed by a ball or universal joint to the gunwale, and the other
or oar part jointed in like manner to the gunwale forward, and the two
parts united by a connecting rod hinged to the handle inside the joint,
and to the oar outside the joint, so that the oar moves in the same.
direction as the handle, as more fully herein-after described.
oar.
The Figure on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings a plan view or
diagram of the apparatus, wherein A represents the gunwale of a boat,
or that part to which the rowlock is usually attached; B is the handle
portion of the oar, which is of the usual length from the rowlock inward.
The outer end is hinged to the boat by a ball or universal joint C, so`
that the oarsman taking hold of the handle may move the handle
forward and back, and in the path substantially the same as a common.
D is the oar proper, its upper or inner end hinged to the boat by
a ball or other universal joint E forward of the joint C of the handle.
part. F is a connecting rod jointed to the handle part at a inside
the joint C, and to the oar part outside the joint E, as at d, the hinge.
on the two parts being by preference equidistant from their respective.
joints, so that the movement of the oar will be the same as that of
the handle. The oarsman facing forward takes the handle B in hand
and operates it in the usual manner for working oars; drawing back.
the handle draws back the oar, as denoted in broken lines. The joints
a, d, are sufficiently tight, so that the lowering that the inner end of
the handle will raise the oar, and vice versa, and so that throughout the
movement the oarsman carries the handle the same as in a common oar..
Owing to this arrangement of the joints the leverage of the handle upon
the oar increases from the start to the completion of the stroke, the oar
moving faster as it starts and diminishing gradually to the close of the
stroke.
First. An oar constructed in two parts, each hung to the gunwale,:
and connected one to the other by a jointed connection, whereby the
oarsman is enabled to face the direction in which the boat is propelled.

page_text: handle part inside the gunwale, and to the oar part outside the gunwale,
substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Thomas Hughes, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.