Improved Means and Appliances for Propulsion of Water Cycles and other Vessels.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Appliances for Propulsion of Water Cycles
and other Vessels.
I, JOHN FORREST WALTERS, of 123 Edgware Road, London, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved means and appliances for propulsion of water
cycles and other vessels.
To carry my said invention into practice, I connect two axles by cranks to a rod
or rods from which a float or blade is affixed, I cause rotation of the axles by chain
or other gear operable by pedal or other power.
The connecting rod or rods of the two cranks move with a circular parallel
motion so that the blade or float enters, passes through, and leaves the water in a
vertical condition.
One of the above sets of appliances is fitted for each side of a vessel, and may be
driven singly or in combined order. If combined the axles can be geared by an
intermediate wheel, but chains like cycle chains can be adapted and be worked by
a single pair of pedals, or by double pedals in tandem.
If the boat be of sufficient width, a greater number of pedals can be arranged so
that several persons male and female can enjoy the pleasure of working the pedals,
or they may be hand levers, for propulsion purposes.
I intend to fix each blade or float to the forward crank of each pair and fit a
stay from the back of the float to the second or after crank.
The float need not be set thwartwise but at an angle which would give a
movement through the water like that of a canoe paddle.
Dated this 14th day of October 1895.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said John Forrest Walters.
Improved Means and Appliances for Propulsion of Water Cycles
and other Vessels.
I, JOHN FORREST WALTERS, of 123 Edgware Road, Loudon, Engineer, 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:-
This invention relates to improved means and appliances for propulsion of water
cycles and other vessels.
To carry my said invention into practice and as shown in the annexed drawings
Figure 1 skeleton elevation, I connect two axles A, A¹, by cranks B, B', to a rod
or rods C, C', from which floats or blades D, D', depend, I cause rotation of the
axles by chain E or other gear operable by pedal or other power acting on the
chain wheel F.

page_text: The connecting rods Cof the two cranks B, B, move with a circular parallel
motion so that the blades or floats D, D', enter, pass through, and leave the water
in a vertical condition.
One of the above sets of appliances is fitted for each side of a vessel G and may
be driven singly or in combined order. If combined, the axles can be geared by
an intermediate wheel, but chains like cycle chains can be adapted and be worked
by a singlo pair of pedals, or by double pedals in tandem, as in the side elevation
Figure 2.
If the boat be of sufficient width, a greater number of pedals can be arranged,
so that several persons malo and female can enjoy the pleasure of working the
pedals, or they may be hand lerere, for propulsion purposes.
I may fix a blade or float to the forward crank only of each pair, as at Figure 3,
and arrange for the rod ends C to slide in a stay H.
The font need not be set thwartwise but at an angle which would give n
movement through the water like that of a canoe paddle.
I have referred to the sets of floats being on each side of a boat but they can be
fitted between two bonts which may be cigar shaped pontoons, as at Figure 4,
which are braced together by stays and ties 1, I, to the posts J, J, which
support the seats K, K, whether for one or for more persone, other stays L, L,
being arranged for the tubes M, M. of the steering rods N, N, by which the
rudder is operated from the handle bars Q.
If desired, the floats D, D', may have the pedals R affixed, the buoyancy of the
boat serving to protect the feet of the persons while working the boat.
Knowing water cycles have been used prior to the date of my application,
I desire to limit myself to the arrangements shown in the drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what I
claim is :-
The arrangements of the several parts constituting the operating mechanism of
a water cycle and in which the propeller blades always move vertically in entering,
passing through, and when leaving the water, as herein described.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said John Forrest Walters.