Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Propelling Boats.
Year: 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Propelling
Boats.
I, ROBERT WERNER, of 7 Moritzstrasse, Dresden, Saxony, in the Empire of
Germany, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in.
and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to fit rowing boats, propelled by manual power, in
such a manner that the propellers work compactly and close to the sides of the boat,
and are easily manipulated; and also to enable the rowers to sit with their faces
looking toward the bows.
My invention consists of paddles (preferably rectangular) fitted to the ends of
vibrating rods, the upper ends of the rods being pivotted to horizontal levers, having
balancing weights to counteract the weight of the paddles and rods.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained,
reference is bereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of my invention Fig. 2 is a plan. Fig. 3 is an enlarged
elevation of one of the paddles with the balancing apparatus, and Fig. 4 is a plan
of the same.
a is the hull of the boat, bb bb are four uprights fitted to the sides of the boat, and
extending some distance above the gunwale. These uprights carry horizontal bars c.
dd are vertical vibrating bars to which paddles e e are fixed. The upper ends of the
bars d are hooked to the outer ends of levers f, pivotted at f' to plates h. g is an
adjustable balance weight, which balances the weight of the bar d and paddle board e.
The balance weight g may be adjusted upon the bar f by the set screw g¹.
The plate his adjusted upon the bar c by the set screw i. kk are adjustable pins
to limit the motion of the lever f.
In using my invention the operator sits with his face turned toward the bow of the
boat. If the boat is narrow the operator takes two bars d d (one in each hand) and
causes them to vibrate, as shewn in Fig. 1, raising the paddles e e out of the water
during the forward motion, and lowering them into the water during the backward
motion.

page_text: In some cases two-parallel paddles are worked together by means of a cross bar
connecting the bars d d on each side of the boat, the cross bar being grasped by both
hands; and the number and arrangement of the paddles may be otherwise varied,
according to the form and dimensions of the boat.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim :-
1. The improved method of propelling boats, by means of vibrating paddles e e,
sustained by balanced levers, having adjustable weights g, severally operating
substantially as herein before described and shewn by the drawings.
2. The general construction, combination and arrangement of the several and
respective parts, together forming my invention of improvements in the method of
and in apparatus for propelling boats, substantially as herein before described and
shewn by the drawings.