AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR SCULLING BOATS ON WATER
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas, Jones, Edwards of 45 Stamford Street in the
Borough of Southwark in the County of Surrey-for an invention of AN
IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR SCULLING BOATS ON WATER."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Jones Edwards at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st August 1882.
THOMAS JONES EDWARDS of Southwark in the County of Surrey
IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR SCULLING BOATS ON WATER
"
"AN
The objects attained by my improved mode of sculling are that the sculler shall
sit and scull with his face to the bow of the boat, shall see the direction the boat
is going, and shall avoid all risk of fouling, and of being run into by steam or
other crafts and drowned, shall exert more power, and have greater endurance in
sculling, and at the sametime retain the ordinary movements of the body;--
In the apparatus which I employ I construct outriggers formed in the manner
hereafter described-I fix stanchions one on each side of a racing boat or skiff
immediately beyond the forward reach of the sculler, and I fix two other stanchions
one at each side of the boat at a point or points behind the rearward part of the
body of the sculler-these stanchions are to incline outwards and to rise upwards
to such a distance and height as shall be found convenient for the sculler, on the
top of the aforesaid stanchions are fixed rails or rods one on each side of the boat,
from the forward stanchions to the aftward stanchions each rail or rod being
parallel to the side of the boat and the aforesaid rails or rods are continued
beyond the stanchions for some distance and are firmly fastened to the sides of the
boat to act as stays to the outriggers. On the horizontal rails of the outriggers and
in the middle part thereof are fixed small rowlocks acting swivel wise, in these small
rowlocks are fixed the handle ends of ordinary sculls, and the sculls cross one
another inside the boat the blade ends passing between the top horizontal rails of
the outriggers and the gunwales of the boat into the water

page_text: To the sculls at about one third of their lengths from the ends fixed to the
rowlocks, and where the sculler grasps the sculls, slings or braces are attached, these
slings or braces are made of web or web and catgut combined, or leather, or leather
and catgut combined or any other suitable material, the slings or braces are
formed of a piece of web, or leather across the back of the sculler firmly stitched
to looped shoulder pieces for the arms to pass through and prolonged to the
lengths of the arms and attached to the sculls as aforesaid,-The sculler sitting on
a fixed or sliding seat with his face to the bow of the boat having his slings or
braces on he attaches the ends to and grasps the sculls at the same points, the said
points are at about one third of the length of the sculls from the handle ends fixed
in the rowlocks as aforesaid and pulls towards himself the same as in ordinary
sculling but with greatly increase power, and the boat goes ahead swiftly.
In the ordinary method of sculling the fulcrum of the sculls are at the rowlocks
and at a distance of a fourth part of their lengths from the handle ends, the radii
can only be three fourths of the length of the sculls, consequently the arc
described by the blades of the sculls is proportionately acute-whereas in my
system and using (as I do) sculls of exactly the same description and length, as
before mentioned, the fulcrum being at the extreme end of the sculls the arc
described by the blades is considerably flatter, and approximates more closely to
the theoretical and true condition of what should be the position of the blades of
the sculls in sculling

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Jones Edwards in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th January 1883.
THOMAS JONES EDWARDS of the Borough of Southwark in the County of Surrey,
"AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR SCULLING BOATS ON WATER "
.31
The objects attained by my improved mode of sculling or rowing are that the
scullers or rowers shall sit and scull or row with the face to the bow of the boat
shall'see the direction the boat is going and shall avoid all risk of fouling and of
being run into by steam or other crafts and be drowned shall exert more power
and have greater endurance in sculling or rowing and at the sametime during the
progress of the boat the hands of the scullers or rowers and the propelling blades
of the sculls or oars shall during the strokes of the sculls or oars maintain
approximately and practically a straight line parallel to the gunwales of the boat
although the scullers or rowers retain the ordinary movements of the body-See
the aforesaid two sheets of drawings lettered respectively A. and B. Sheet
lettered A. contains Figs. 1. and 2. being a plan and a side elevation of a part of
a boat showing the arrangements of the outriggers and Fig. 3. a front view of a
part of a boat also showing the arrangements of the outriggers with a man sculling
or rowing on the aforesaid mode and Figs. 4. and 5. show the slings or braces
Sheet lettered B. contains Figs. 6. 7. and 8. being a plan side elevation and a front
view of a part of a boat and sculls or oars showing the aforesaid outriggers in a
modified form Fig. 9. shows another mode of plying the ordinary sculls or oars
by the aid of my outriggers and Fig. 10. is a full size view looking endwise at
the loom end of the sculls showing the stops to prevent the sculls becoming
unshipped from the rowlocks-In all these views like letters denote the same
parts.
WO
*****
00
In the apparatus which I employ I construct outriggers formed in the manner.
hereafter described and shown on Sheet lettered A. Figs. 1. 2. and 3. "I fix
stanchions b. b. b. b. one on each side of a racing boat skiff or any other kind of boat
or boats immediately beyond the forward reach of the sculler and I fix two other
stanchions one on each side of the boat at a point or points behind the aftward part
of the body of the sculler these stanchions are to incline outwards and to rise
upwards to such a distance as shall be convenient for the sculler or rower. On the
top of the stanchions rails or rods c. c. c. c. are fixed one on each side of the boat
from the forward stanchions to the aftward stanchions each rail or rod being
parallel to the sides of the boat and aforesaid rails or rods are continued beyond
the stanchions some distance and firmly fastened to the sides of the boat d. a. to
act as stays e. e. e. e. to the outriggers the outriggers can be made of wood or round
iron rods but preferably of steel iron or brass tubing on the horizontal rails c. c. c. c.
of the outriggers are fixed small rowlocks d. d. acting swivel wise in the small row-
locks the loom ends of ordinary sculls or oars f. f. work crossing one another inside
the boat and the blade ends of the said ordinary sculls or oars passing beneath and
between the horizontal rails of the outriggers and the gunwales of the boat enter
the water on the side thereof opposite to that on which the loom ends of the sculls
or oars work in the rowlocks-Figs. 6. 7. and 8. on sheet lettered B. show modified
outriggers-Here are but two upright stanchions g. g fixed one on each side of a
racing boat skiff or any other kind of a boat or boats immediately beyond the
1,1

page_text: forward reach of the sculler having stays k. k. extending forward and fastened to
the sides of the boat a. a. and the tie rod i. across from one stanchion to the other
the horizontal rails or rods c. c. c. c. shown on Figs 1. and 2. Sheet lettered A. are
in this modification shown on sheet lettered B. Figs. 6. 7. and 8. formed into
brackets h. h. swinging more or less on the stanchions g. g. inboard and out
having the small rowlocks . l. fixed to the brackets whereby the hands of the
scullers and the blades of the sculls do during the act of sculling or rowing pass to
and fro parallel to the sides of the boat as aforesaid-To the sculls at about one
third of their length from the loom ends of the sculls or oars and at the points
where the sculler grasps the sculls Slings or Braces Figs. 4. and 5. on sheet
lettered A. are attached by Hooks or Loops these slings or braces are made of web
or web and catgut combined or of. leather or leather and catgut combined or of
any other suitable material these slings or braces are formed of one or more back
pieces shown on sheet A. Fig. 4. lettered m. m. passing across the back of the sculler
or rower and are firmly stitched to the looped shoulder pieces for the arms to pass
through and prolonged to the length of the arms n. n. n. n. and attached to the
sculls or oars by the hooks or loops o. o. o. o. Fig. 5. on the same sheet shows
another form of slings or braces whereby the back pieces m. m. are crossed passing
over the shoulders and beneath the armpits and prolonged to the length of the
arms. n. n. n. n. and attached by the hooks or loops. o. o. o. o. as aforesaid The
sculler or rower sitting on a fixed or sliding seat with his face bow-way having his
slings or braces on he attaches the aforesaid hooks or loops to and grasps the sculls
at the same points the said points being at about one third of the length of the
sculls from the loom ends that work in the rowlocks and shown on the plans and
pulls towards himself the same as in ordinary sculling or rowing but with greatly
increased power and endurance with the exception however that whereas in the
ordinary mode of sculling or rowing the hands and the sculls where grasped are
raised when the blade is in the water and lowered when out of it in mine they are
reversed that is the hands and the sculls where grasped are lowered when the blade
is in the water and raised when out of it on the return stroke.
Fig. 9. on sheet lettered B. shows another mode of plying the ordinary sculls or
oars by the aid of my outriggers letters. p. p. are the loom ends of the ordinary
sculls or oars which enter the rowlocks. q. q. from the outside r. r. is a boom reaching
across the boat and attached at each end to the sculls at about one third of their
lengths from the rowlocks by elbow bolts one limb passing through the sculls and
the other passing through the ends of the boom aforesaid the sculls and the boom
move both swivel wise horizontally and vertically on these elbow bolts whereby the
sculler grasping the boom as shown on plan can scull and feather as in the
ordinary mode.
·
Fig. 10. on sheet B. is a full size view looking endwise at the loom end of the
sculls showing the Stops to prevent the sculls becoming unshipped, from the row-
locks letters s. s. show the end of a scull t a metal catch screwed on the side of a
scull and u. a turn-button which secures the sculls in the rowlocks and by
turning the turn-button around over the catch t. the sculls can be unshipped
instantaneously.
Having now described and ascertained in this specification and shown on the
accompanying drawings the nature of my said Invention and its application to
racing boats skiffs or any other kind of boat with one or more scullers or rowers
in such manner that boat builders would be enabled to carry the same into effect I
would have it understood that I do not confine myself to shape proportion nor
exact arrangement described and shown so long as the leading features are retained
what I do claim is
Firstly The Improved mode of and apparatus for sculling Boats on Water
described and ascertained in this specification and shown by the illustrative
drawings on the accompanying plans whereby the scullers or rowers shall sit and
scull or row with the face to the bow of the boat shall see the direction the boat is

page_text: going and avoid danger and shall exert more power and have greater endurance in
sculling or rowing
Secondly: The outriggers described and ascertained in this specification and
shown on the plans as an improved mode of an apparatus whereby the sculls or
oars pass beneath and between those parts of the outriggers that support the row-
locks and the gunwales of the boat thus enabling the scullers or rowers to face the
bow of the boat during the operation of Sculling or Rowing
Thirdly-The Slings or Braces described and ascertained in in this specification
and shown on the plans as an improved mode of an apparatus whereby the scullers
or rowers are enabled to scull or row with greatly increased power and endurance
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Jones Edwards have hereunto set my
hand and Seal this eighth day of January in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
In the presence of
DAVID EDWARDS
Schoolmaster
Graystoke Place
City
THOMAS JONES EDWARDS (L.S.)