Improvements in Aquatic Swings or Rockers.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Aquatic Swings or Rockers.
I, JOHN FREDERICK BREDOW, of 204, West Second Street, Davenport, in the
County of Scott, and State of Iowa, United States of America, 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:―
The invention relates to improvements in aquatic swings or rockers.
The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of aquatic
swings or rockers and to provide a simple and inexpensive one, adapted to be
easily rocked from side to side with but little effort on the part of the occupants,
and to arrange it so that the water will act as a soft cushioned lubricant, and will
not be materially disturbed by the motion of the hull. Another object of the
invention is to enable the hull to rise and fall according to the load it may carry
and also to accommodate itself to the rise and fall of the water, caused by the ebb
and flow of the tide, should the hull be supported in water affected by the tide.
The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrange-
ment of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying
drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.
In the drawings:--
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an aquatic swing or rocker constructed in
accordance with this invention.
Figure 2 is a plan view.
Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view.
Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view.
Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating a modification of the invention.
Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view of the same.
Figures 7 and 8 are detail views illustrating modifications of the means for
connecting the hull with the piles or uprights.
Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the
drawings.
1 designates semi-circular ribs of a hull, which has a rocker-shaped bottom,
and which is provided with transverse beams 2, supported by the ribs and secured:
to the same. The sheathing 3 of the hull is secured to the ribs, and the floor 4 is
secured to and supported by the cross beams 2. Vertical standards 5, which are
firmly secured to the ribs and beams, extend above the floor, and on the upper ends
of these standards, horizontal rods 6 are firmly secured in any suitable manner.
These rods 6 are arranged on the axial center of the hull and form the pivot on
which the hull is adapted to rock or swing. 7 designates a pile or piles, from the
upper end of which extend the spaced guide bars 8, between which the outer end of
one of the rods 6 projects. Another pair of spaced guide bars 8 projects upwardly
from a landing or dock 9, and receives the rod 6 at the other end of the hull. These
guide bars should be of sufficient height to accommodate the rise and fall of the hull
without releasing the rods 6, and they may be connected at their upper ends, if
desired or left open. Instead of a dock or landing, it is obvious that other piles

page_text: may be used to support the guide bars 8 at this end of the hull, or floating docks
may be used instead of piles. The dock and the piles 7. will prevent endwise
movement of the hull and the guide pins will prevent it from moving laterally out
of position.
The hull is provided with tiers of seats 10 on opposite sides, and with hand
rails 11, at each end and along the front of the seats, for the purpose of safety
and a section of the hand rail will be movable at the end of the boat, adjacent to
the dock, for the purpose of affording a passage-way. The upper side edges 12 of
the hull may be curved or otherwise shaped, as desired, to give them ornamental
finish.
In Figure 5 of the drawings is illustrated a modification of the invention, in
which the hull 13 is shaped differently from that before described, the bottom of
the hull having a more pronounced rocker shape. The end portions 14, of the
hull 13, are extended and curved, as shown, to increase the capacity of the hull
and also to serve as stops for limiting the oscillation, of, the same and for preventing
water from entering therein. In this form of the invention, the horizontal pivot.15;.
is disposed transversely of the hull and extends laterally beyond the same, being
connected at its terminals to vertically reciprocating; rods 16, which, télescope into.
tubular uprights 17. The tubular uprights 17, which are supported by braces 18,
may be mounted in any suitable manner, but are preferably arranged at opposite
sides of a body of water 19. The braces 18 are inclined, as shown, and the body of
water 19 is surrounded by a platform 20, which may consist of a floating dock
provided with an opening, or a centrally arranged tank 21, as illustrated in
Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings. The hull is provided with seats arranged
in tiers, as shown, and having hand rails extending across the hull in front of the
seats 22. The hand rails 23 may be supported in any suitable manner, such as by
being secured to the sides of the hull, as shown.
> **
The sides of the hull are connected with the horizontal pivot 15," "by rods 24,
suitably secured to the hull and provided at their upper ends with sleeves or
couplings 25, which receive the pivot and rigidly connect the same with the
rods 24. The ends of the pivot 15 are journaled in suitable sleeves or bearings 26,
of the upper ends of the telescoping or vertically movable rods 16. This construc-
tion permits the hull to oscillate and also to rise and fall.
When the hull is arranged within a tank, as illustrated in Figure 6 of the
accompanying drawings, it is preferably provided at opposite sides with anti-
friction wheels 27, arranged to bear or strike against the sides of the tank; to
prevent the hull from binding should it swing laterally."
2 P
In Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings, the horizontal pivot 28 is journaled
in suitable bearings 29, of rigid uprights or supports 30, and is connected with the
hull by rods 31 and tubular sections 32, in which the rods 31 telescope and are
guided.
1'
L
In Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings, the telescopic guide is arranged at
the end of the transverse pivot, as in Figures 5 and 6, but the tubular section 35
moves vertically on the solid section or rod 34, the arrangement being the reverse
of that shown in Figures 5 and 6.
From the foregoing description, it will be obvious that as the hull is rocker-
shaped and as the pivot pins are at the axial center, the hull may be easily rocked
from side to side with but little effort on the part of the occupants, for the water
will act as a soft cushioned lubricant and will not be materially disturbed by the
motion of the boat, for the displacement of the water will remain unchanged
during the rocking of the hull from side to side. As the horizontal pivot or pivots
have free vertical movement on the guides, the hull will be free to rise and fall
according to the load it may carry and also to accommodate itself to the rise and
fall of the water caused by the ebb and flow of the tide, should the hull be supported
in water affected by the tide.
It is obvious that the device may be placed upon a pond, river, lake, or any
ether

page_text: body of water having sufficient depth to support the hull, and I desire it to be
understood that changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction
may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the
advantages of this invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In an aquatic swing or rocker, the combination of a hull having a rocker-
shaped bottom, a pivot on which the hull swings, and guides to coufine the pivot
against lateral movement, and permit of a free, automatic, vertical movement of
the hull, substantially as described.
2. In an aquatic swing or rocker, the combination of a semi-cylindrical hull,
horizontal pivots around which the hull swings, and guide slots or ways in which
the respective pivots are confined and adapted to have adjustment relative thereto
in a substantially vertical direction, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. In an aquatic swing or rocker, the combination of a semi-cylindrical hull,
pivot pins firmly secured thereto on the axial center of the hull, and fixed guides
between which the pins are confined to have vertical movement, substantially as
described.
4. In an aquatic swing or rocker, the combination of a semi-cylindrical hull,
vertical standards secured thereto at each end, rods firmly secured to the upper
ends of said standards on the axial center of the hull, and fixed guides between
which the pins are confined to have free vertical movement, substantially as
described.
5. In an aquatic swing or rocker, the combination of a semi-cylindrical hull,
pivot pins firmly secured thereto on the axial center of the hull, fixed guides
between which the pins are confined to have free vertical movement, and a series
of seats on opposite sides of the hull, substantially as described.
6. In an aquatic swing or rocker, the combination of a semi-cylindrical hull,
pivot pins firmly secured thereto on the axial center of the hull, fixed guides
between which the pins are confined to have free vertical movement, tiers of seats
on opposite sides of the hull, and hand rails at each end of the hull and along the
front of the seats, substantially as described.
Doted this 14th day of Fahmim 1808
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.