Improvements in and relating to Water-Cycles or Water Velocipedes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Feb., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Water-Cycles or Water
Velocipedes.
I, JOHN MORTON HALE of 131 Torriano Avenue, Camden Road in the county of
Middlesex, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in the construction of what are known as
water-cycles or water velocipedes the object of the invention being to obtain increased
speed and also to render such cycles safe from capsizing when the rider or driver
is sitting in an elevated position.
In carrying out my invention I use a boat preferably of narrow beam and of a
form well suited for speed and in conjunction therewith I employ adjustable side
floats or water tight chambers for the purpose of counteracting any tendency to
rolling.
The floats are in some cases under the control of the rider and may then be
used for steering purposes in lieu of the ordinary rudder but I sometimes use
balancing levers for the purpose of steadying and steering without moving the floats
when high speed is a primary object.
By these means I produce a water cycle or floating structure which is analogous
to a bicycle in the important respect that while it is in rapid motion the rider is
enabled to keep his equilibrium on a narrow base and from an upright position use
his propelling power to the greatest advantage.
In cases where the floats are not required to be under the control of the rider
during the progress of the vessel they are so attached that they may be raised or
lowered to suit the draught before starting and be temporarily fixed in such a
position as will not cause any unnecessary drag on the water:
For the purpose of propulsion I may use any suitable propeller but preferably I
construct a propeller or propellers with tapering blades, paddles, or floats; the front
or entering part of the blades, paddles or floats is made to assume a more or less
obtuse conical convex pyramidical or wedge shape, being sometimes curved from the
point to their widest diameter the after part being so diminished and shaped as to
ensure their leaving the water with smoothness of action, the object of this form of
blade being to present sufficient sectional area for propelling the cycle or floating
structure ithout causing concussion, churning, or eddying motion which so retards
speed.
The said blades, paddles, or floats may be fixed or attached to or formed on a
suitable wheel or frame in their respective positions and may in some instances be
made hollow and buoyant.
The said propellers are fixed to a suitable shaft or axle and worked either at the
sides or stern or in any other convenient part of the boat, water-cycle, or other
floating structure, and may be driven by hand or foot power either direct or by
means of transmitting gear.
00
1000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Water-Cycles or Water
Velocipedes.
I, JOHN MORTON HALE, of 131, Torriano Avenue, Camden Road, in the county of
Middlesex, 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in the construction of what are known as
water-cycles or water velocipedes, the object of the invention being to obtain
increased speed and also to render such cycles safe from capsizing when the rider or
driver is sitting in an elevated position.
In carrying out my invention I use a boat preferably of narrow beam and of a form
well suited for speed and in conjunction therewith I employ adjustable side floats or
water tight chambers for the purpose of counteracting any tendency to rolling.
The floats are under the control of the rider and may in some cases be used for
steering purposes in lieu of the ordinary rudder but I sometimes use balancing
levers for the purpose of steadying and steering without moving the floats when
high speed is a primary object.
By these means I produce a water-cycle or floating structure which is analogous
to a bicycle in the important respect that while it is in rapid motion, the rider is
enabled to keep his equilibrium on a narrow base, and from an upright position use
his propelling power to the greatest advantage.
For the purpose of propulsion I may use any suitable propeller but preferably I
construct a propeller or propellers with tapering blades, paddles or floats; the front
or entering part of the blades, paddles or floats is made of a more or less obtuse
conical, pyramidical or wedge shape, being sometimes curved from the point to their
widest diameter, the after part being so diminished and shaped as to ensure their
leaving the water with smoothness of action, the object of this form of blade being
to present sufficient sectional area for propelling the cycle or floating structure
without causing concussion, churning, or eddying motion which so retards speed.
The said blades, paddles or floats may be fixed or attached to or formed on a
suitable wheel or frame in their respective positions and may in some instances be
made hollow and buoyant.
The said propellers are fixed to a suitable shaft or axle and worked either at the
sides or stern or in any other convenient part of the boat, water-cycle or other
floating structure, and may be driven by hand or foot power either direct or by means
of transmitting gear.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it
can be carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a water-cycle constructed with
adjustable side floats according to my invention, and
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same, but with the propelling mechanism
removed, and shewing the water-cycle provided with my tapering-paddle-propellers
and one of my steadying and steering levers.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of part of the cycle further illustrating the application
of the said lever.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of one of the propellers, and
Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 are elevations of modified forms of paddles or floats for the
same.
a, figures 1, 2 and 3, is the boat which I prefer to employ for the purpose of my
invention, the said boat being made with a narrow beam and, as shewn in Figure 1, with
the midship portion deeper than the ends so that this portion shall be immersed to a
greater depth than the fore and after parts, thereby lowering the centre of gravity

page_text: and enabling the driver's seat to be fitted in a lower position than it could
be in a straight keeled boat and generally increasing the stability of the
structure.
b, b are the pedals, c, c and d, d are the chain wheels and e, e the chains by means
of which the paddle-wheel shaft f of the cycle is driven; 9, 9 are the seats and
h, i purchase handles for the drivers, the rear handles i serving also, through the
medium of the tiller lines j and rudder k, to steer the cycle, the said mechanism and
other parts being fitted to the boat and constructed in any suitable manner.
1, 1, figures 1 and 2, are the side floats or water tight chambers which I employ for
the purpose of counteracting any tendency the boat may have to roll. The floats are
suspended at o, o by means of links m, m, m, m from the sponsons m', m¹.
A lever s
is fixed to a rocking shaft n having its bearings on the framework of the cycle and
levers s', s fixed on the shaft n and links o¹ serve to connect the said levers with the
floats. The shaft n is operated so as to raise the floats / by means of a hand lever q
pivotted at and situated within easy reach of one of the drivers and connected by a
rod to the lever s. By moving the lever q the floats / can at any time be raised and
lowered by the said driver and it is obvious that by arranging the floats 1, 1 to work
independently of one another by means of two levers such as q under the control
of the rider they can be used for steering purposes in lieu of the rudder k.
t, figures 2 and 3, is one of the balancing levers which I sometimes use for the
purpose of steadying and steering without moving the floats 1, 1. Each of the levers t
is provided at its outer end with a small float u and its inner end is rigidly attached
to an inclined barv working in bearings w and x on the paddle box p.
The upper
end of the bar v is formed into a handle y adapted to move over an inclined
segment z.
With this arrangement by operating the handle y the float end of the lever t
can be brought inboard when required for the purpose of clearing passing craft and
running alongside.
6, 61, figures 2 and 4, are the propellers or paddle wheels which I prefer to employ
for the propulsion of my improved water-cycle without causing concussion, or a
churning or eddying motion, the paddles or floats c¹, c', c', c' being of a double conical
shape as shewn clearly in figure 4.
Or the said paddles or floats may have their after parts of semi-circular
shape as shown in figure 5, to ensure their leaving the water with smoothness of
action. Or, as shown in Figure 6, they may be curved from the point to the part of
widest diameter and have their after parts of semi-circular shape. Or they may be
of wedge shape as shewn in side and plan views at figures 7 and 8 respectively.
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.) The construction and application to a water-cycle or water velocipede of
adjustable side floats or water-tight chambers adapted to be raised and lowered
as required substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
(2.) In a water-cycle or water velocipede, the use in combination with adjustable
side floats or water-tight chambers, such as 1, 1, of balancing levers which can be
employed when required for steadying and steering the cycle and which can be moved
inboard when desired, substantially as hereinbefore described.
(3.) The use for the propulsion of water-cycles, of propellers constructed with
tapering blades, paddles or floats, the front or entering part of the blades, paddles or
floats being of a conical, pyramidical or wedge shape substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in figures 2 to 8 of the accompanying drawing.
(4.) A water-cycle consisting of a boat provided with adjustable side floats or
water tight chambers and made with its midship portion deeper than the ends, sub-
stantially as, and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated in figure 1 of
the accompanying drawing.

page_text: (5.) The improved water-cycle or water velocipede herein before described with
reference to the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 22nd day of February 1890.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.