Novel Method of Propelling Mechanical Toy Boats or Pleasure Skiffs.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 11th May, 1898-Accepted, 19th Nov., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Novel Method of Propelling Mechanical Toy Boats or Pleasure
Skiffs.
I, CLIFFORD ROBERT STEPHEN JOHN HALLÉ, Lecturer, of 8, Abingdon Villas,
Kensington, London, 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 nature of this invention is to imitate by mechanical means the action of
a man rowing with oars so that the boat is propelled through the water by oars
exactly in the same manner as by an oarsman or by a crew of men.
The means
by which this is accomplished are as follows.
Two flanged or grooved or sprocket wheels are fixed (as shown Fig. I in
accompanying drawing A A) in the stern of the boat. These wheels are con-
nected by an endless band or chain B. Upon one of the links of the chain, or
upon the band, a pin F is fixed (Fig. 2 shows the manner of fixing the pin on
the chain M being the link, F the pin, C the end of the bar perforated by the
pin F&P a nut keeping the bar C in place).
CC is a long bar perforated at the end so as to pass loosely onto the pin F.
At the other end a ring E is fixed, which slides loosely along the bent bar H.
KK are pillars fastened into the bar CC, these pillars have shoulders at the
top & have nuts screwed on to the top of the part above the shoulders.
The whole mechanism is screwed down nearly at the bottom of the boat. D is
the box containing the machinery for driving the sprocket wheels AA, this may
be clock work, or electricity or steam or any other motive power. The oars are
passed over pins instead of rowlocks & the handles of the oars are perforated
& passed on to the small part of the pillars KK & then the nuts are screwed
down over them. The drawing represents the mechanism for one man sculling.
If two or more oars are used, then the pillars on the bar are farther apart &
there is a pair of sprocket wheels with an endless chain at either end of the
bar CC & the bar CC is perforated for pins FF at each end. In order that
the sculls or oars may have sufficient play slits are cut in them where the row-
lock pin passes through them so that they may slide easily along the pin. In
toys, dolls or dummies are fixed on seats at sufficient distance from the oars, the
upper part of the doll being able to bend easily backwards & forwards & the arms
being loosely attached to the trunk. The hands are tied to the handles of the
oars sufficiently loosely to allow of the necessary twisting. When one doll is
sculling the bar CC passes through the lower part of the body, which is split open
for that purpose, when two or more dolls are rowing they are seated alternately
on either side of the bar CC.
When the sprocket wheels are caused to revolve, the pin F of course revolves
with the chain & pushes the bar CC along in a forward direction when the pin
is on the upper side of the chain. When the pin goes round the wheel the
bar drops with it & then travels back at a lower level, rising again at the other
end. This motion is of course communicated to the handles of the oars that are

page_text: on the pillars KK & reproduces exactly the motion of a man rowing, the dolls
being forced backwards & forwards as the handle of the oars move.
Feathering may be accomplished by substituting rings for pins at the row-
locks & at the tops of the pillars KK & by having a small pin jutting out from the
under side of the oar on a loose hinge near the row-lock; this pin catches on a
projection as the oar travels back & passes it loosely when the oar is in the water.
In the case of pleasure skiffs the dummies or dolls would probably be dispensed
with & the oars would be hooked on to the pillars when wanted & unhooked & laid
along the side of the boat when not wanted, the sprocket wheels would be driven
by electricity or a small oil or steam engine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion & in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
The application of endless bands or chains moving a long bar as described
above to the purpose of propelling toy boats or pleasure skiffs by means of oars
which are fastened to the said bar.