CERTAIN IN- PROVEMENTS IN OARS FOR IMPELLING BOATS, AS ALSO IN THE ROWLOCKS IN IN WHICH THEY WORK
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Bowen Barnes, of Summer Lane, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, and John Loach, Japanner, of Caroline
Street, Birmingham, as aforesaid, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IN-
PROVEMENTS IN OARS FOR IMPELLING BOATS, AS ALSO IN THE ROWLOCKS IN
IN WHICH THEY WORK."
Sealed the 28th February 1860, and dated the 30th August 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Bowen Barnes and
John Loach at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 30th August 1859.
We, JOHN BOWEN BARNES, of Summer Lane, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, and JOHN LOACH, Japanner, of Caroline Street, Birmingham, as
aforesaid, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN OARS FOR IMPELLING BOATS, AS ALSO IN THE ROWLOCKS IN WHICH
THEY WORK," to be as follows (that is to say):-
The object of our Invention is to enable rowers to impel boats in the direction
in which they sit, and to be thus enabled to avoid all obstacles or dangers
ahead. We do this by constructing our rowlocks either on the gimble principle
or by vertical slots in the sides of the rowlocks, the use of which will be here-
after seen. Our oars are formed of two parts fitted into metallic sockets,
which sockets are segmented and are toothed and geared together by being
held between two plates, pins being fastened or rivetted through the
outer plates, and through the centre of the segmented sockets. To the inner
end of one of the segmental sockets the handle piece of the oar is fastened,

page_text: and to the other socket that part of the oar that dips in the water is
secured. On the edges of the plates that secure the segments, and at right
angles to the oar when its inner and outer part is in a straight direction, two
strong pins are fixed; these pins work in the vertical grooves or slots of the
rowlock before referred to, and by which means the slightest downward or
upward pressure or movement of the hand on the handle of the oar, the outer
part is made to rise from or dip into the water, and by pulling the handle of
the oar back in the direction from the prow to the stern of the boat (the rower
being at the time sitting with his face towards the prow), a stroke will be taken
which will impel the boat forward, for by the segmental connection of the two
parts it is evident that while the handle of the oar is pulled towards the stern,
the outer part is also moved in the same direction. Thus the oar at the
beginning and ending of a stroke forms opposite acute angles from the outward
extremity of the oar to the surface of its segmental socket, and from the surface
of the corresponding socket to its inner or handle end, the parts never being in
a direct line with each other, but at the time it is in the middle of its stroke or
the act of carrying the oar forward for the stroke. In some instances we apply
a metallic blade so fitted to the outward end of the oar that it shall take an
inclination over the surface of the water when it is carried forward that shall
offer the least resistance, but the moment the backward action takes place it
adapts itself to the necessary position for holding itself in the water until the
stroke is completed. By these arrangements boating for pleasure, exercise,
or otherwise will be rendered safe, and every opportunity afforded for scientifix
rowing, while the unskilled will find great assistance from the self-feathering
oar last described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Bowen Barnes and John Loach in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 29th February 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
BOWEN BARNES, of Summer Lane, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
and JOHN LOACH, Japanner, of Caroline Street, Birmingham, as aforesaid,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,

page_text: the said John Bowen Barnes and John Loach, Her special license that we,
the said John Bowen Barnes and John Loach, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Bowen Barnes and John Loach;
our executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend;
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN OARS
FOR IMPELLING BOATS, AS ALSO IN THE ROWLOCKS IN WHICH THEY WORK," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said John Bowen Barnes and John:
Loach, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, should:
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in.
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Bowen Barnes and John Loach,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained.
in and by the following statement, that is to say) :-
The object of our Invention is to enable rowers to impel boats in the direction
in which they sit during the time of rowing, or, in other words, instead of the
rower sitting with his back to the prow of the boat, so as to be impelling his
boat in direct opposition to the line of his sight, we purpose for him to sit
with his face towards the head or prow of his boat, and to impel the boat in
the same direction, by which means he will be able to direct its course and
avoid danger. And we effect this, first, by constructing our rowlock by form-
ing in the gunwale of the boat slots or grooves for the axes of the oars (as will·
be hereafter seen) to work in, or by iron supports for the same purpose, or the
rowlock may be constructed upon what may be termed the gimble principle,
so as to admit of the oar being properly feathered in entering and leaving the
water. And, secondly, our oars are formed in two parts fitted with suitable
sockets or shanks in connection with segmental toothed wheels, which are
geared together and secured by pins to an outer case or box, on which case or
box the axes before referred to are formed that rest in the rowlocks, thus freely
admitting the oar to be raised from or dipped into the water as required by the
elevation or depression of the hand, and by the segmented toothed connectors.
The act of carrying the handle part of the oar forward with the body to take a
stroke causes the outer portion of the oar (extending from the gunwale of the
boat) to move in the same direction, and which being now dipped into the.

page_text: water by the elevation of the hand, the stroke is made in every respect identical as
to position, power, action of the body and hand, in the same way in which the
work of rowing is now performed, and the stroke being finished, the outer end
of the oar is elevated from the water and again carried forward as before; but
in this system of rowing the axes of the metallic joint of the oar working in
the vertical slots of the rowlocks produces steadiness and ease, and renders the
act of rowing more certain and pleasant, as the oar at all times is in its true
position for work, thereby avoiding the possibility (from its blade being presented
to the water at a false angle) of the blade suddenly rising out of the water
and causing the rower to fall backward in the boat, to the danger of himself
and others that he may have with him; and by the steady and secure action
of the oar it imparts a commanding ease and force to the muscular exertion
of the rower, which enables him to impol a boat (on our system) much faster
than can be done by the most skilful on the old plan. The oar itself may be
formed of thin sheet iron bent into a tubular form for strength at the parts
forming the handle, and where they are united to the segmental joints, but the
part forming the blade of the oar may be hammered or beaten into a flat or
concave form, as taste or fancy may direct, or these portions may be formed of
wood in the ordinary way. And in some instances we purpose applying a
metallic blade so fitted to the outer end of the oar that it shall take an inclina-
tion over the surface of the water when being carried forward for the
commencement of a stroke that it shall offer less resistance to the atmosphere,
but the moment it is dipped into the water and the backward action commences,
it shall adapt itself to the right position for its work or passage through the
water, until the stroke is completed; thus, by the fixed rowlocks and our
construction of oars, the exercise or business of rowing will be rendered more
safe and effective, while to the scientific rower the gimble rowlocks, with our
improved systen of rowing, will enable him to turn to good account every
opportunity for the skilful handling of his oars, for decreasing resistance and
applying force, the true principle by which speed can be given to floating bodies.
But as our Invention will be best understood by referring to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, we will proceed to describe the same, reference being had
to the various figures and letters marked thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
A, A, Fig. 1, represents a top view of an oar in a horizontal position, con-
structed or made according to our Patent; the blade of the oar being broken
off for convenience of space, the oar is resting in its rowlocks B, B, ready for
usc. and the rowlock is represented as applied to the edge or gunwale of the

page_text: These
boat C, C, broken off as unimportant. D is the top of a metallic box, on the
sides of which the axes E, E, are formed or applied for resting in the slots of
the rowlocks as here shown, and which may be retained in their position by
the wire pins a, a, or in any other suitable way. F, F, are the vertical pins
which pass through the top and bottom of the box D, and forms the axis for
the segmental cog wheels (here shown in dotted lines) to work on.
segmental cog wheels are formed with pins or shanks for securely uniting
them to the parts A and A', which may be made of wood in the ordinary way,
or of suitable metallic tubes; but we recommend for strength iron, brazed at
the joint, and made taper for lightness and convenience, and which tubes may.
be made of a round or of an oval form, the poles of the oval being at right
angles with the impelling surface of the blade on account of being better.
adapted for resisting the strain during the operation of rowing; and if
preferred (as being more agreeable) the part b may be of wood, turned or
otherwise shaped, and fixed into the tubular part A'. With this description,
and the part D having only a vertical action on its axis to allow the oar to be
dipped or raised from the water by the elevation or depression of the inner
end b, it will be readily seen that by carrying the inner end of the oar in the
direction of the arrow, and from this part working on the fulcrum or pin F',
the outer end or blade part of the oar will be carried forward in the like
manner by its working on the fulcrum F, from the cogs of the segmental
wheels being geared together. The leverage obtained from the fulcrum F¹ to
the handle will always be the same from the box D, working on its axes in
the rowlocks. The steadiness and certainty of the action thus obtained will
impart confidence and controul to the rower, not only enabling him to row in
the direction in which he sits, but by allowing the blade of the oar to lay close
to the boat at the end of a stroke enables him to avoid collision or fouling with
others rowing near him; and in case of accident the oar being fixed to the boat
will be found a great assistance to sustain one or more that may be holding on
to the one or other of them. Fig. 2 is an edge view of Figure One, showing the
gunwale of the boat in section, and the outer part of the oar depressed for
entering the water. And in this view we show the pins F and F¹, held in
their position by wire cotters, as at c, c. G, G, Fig. 3, represents the
side of a boat, and H, H, the rowlocks, between which the plate I is secured
by pins or axes marked J, J. A flat view of this part is exhibited detached at
Fig. 4, and in its centre a hole is formed marked M, for the purpose of
receiving a pin, cast or formed on the under side of the box, as at D, Figure
One, which box is here shown in an end view marked K, K, as also the pin
extending down below the plate I, and which pin is marked L; and Fig. 5

page_text: represents a bottom view of this part, showing the pin L, corresponding in form
to the hole M in Figure Four; and Fig. 6 represents a section of the side or
gunwale of the boat marked G, a side view of the box K, and rowlock H, and
a part end view of the plate I, with its axis J; but the pin on the under side
of the box K is represented in dotted lines. The segmental wheels, with their
straps or pins for uniting them to the handle and blade are removed for con-
venience of space, but the pins on which the segmental wheels work are
here drawn marked N, N. Fig. 7 also represents a side view of the part of
the gunwale of a boat marked P, P, and Q, Q, the rowlocks between which the
semicircular part R is placed, which works on pins or axes at S, S. T, T, is
an end view of a box as at D, Figure One, and on its bottom (midway between
the axes on which the segmental wheels work, a circular plate is formed, its
lower edge being represented in dotted lines. This edge works in a circular
groove formed on the top side of the part R, so that when placed as here
represented it holds the oar in the rowlock securely for its work, yet admitting
of its being freely dipped in and out of the water, at the same time affording
the rower an opportunity to feather his oar, from the part U, U, partially
revolving in the part R, thus imparting to the oar the double or gimble action,
not only riding vertically in the rowlocks, but also to move freely longitudinally
independent of the compound action of the handle and blade in the process of
rowing. Fig. 8 is a side view of the box T, T, and edge view of the part U, U,
and midway section of the part R, in which the part U works. Fig. 9 repre-
sents the outer end of an oar with a feathering blade attached, drawn to a
smaller scale for convenience of space. V is the shaft, which may be either of
wood or metallic tube, as before described. The extreme end of this part is
fitted with a long iron axis marked W, which for lightness we prefer also to be
tubular. This part is secured by a kind of collar or ferule marked X, to which
is secured two radial pins or stops marked e, f. The blade Y is formed of
sheet iron or steel, beat or hammered to the proper shape, with a fin or rib on
its back or top edge, as here shown, for the purpose of imparting strength.
The part of this blade for uniting it to the shaft V is forged in such a way that
it is connected to a circular collar g, and thus united the blade when pulled
through the water will be held in its position and prevented from turning by
the pin f, but when out of the water and carried forward for the next stroke,
the blade, instead of presenting itself broad face, will fall into an oblique
position so as to offer less resistance to the atmosphere, and be stopped by
the pin e, as will be seen by referring to Fig. 10, which is a section of
Figure Nine taken through the dotted lines h, h, showing the top strap of the
blade resting against the pin f. Fig. 11 is the same section representing the

page_text: lower part of the strap of the blade as stopped by the pin e, thus indicating
the two positions of the blade, the former as going through the water, and
the latter as in moving over it; and Fig. 12 represents a section of the blade
Y and axis W, as taken through the dotted lines k, k, and in the same position
as represented at Figures Nine and Ten. At the top edge of the blade, wher
the fin is represented, we purpose in some instances fastening on a hollow tube
of gutta percha or other suitable material for the purpose of producing a
buoyancy at the outer end of the oar, which may in some instances be
preferred.
Having now described the nature of our Invention and the best means
according to our present experience by which the same may carried into
effect, we wish it understood that we do not purpose confining ourselves to
the proportions or details herein described and exhibited, as the whole may be
varied without departing from the general character of our Invention; but
what we claim and wish protected by these our in part recited Letters Patent
is,
First, the general construction of oars as herein described and exhibited,
with their several parts and rowlocks, by which, in the act of rowing, the outer
part or blade shall move forward or backward in the same direction in which
the inner or handle part may be moved, by which means the rower will be
enabled to sit in the direction in which he may wish to impel his boat.
Secondly, the application to oars of a feathering blade as described and
exhibited at Figures Nine, Ten, Eleven, and Twelve of the Drawings hereunto
annexed.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Bowen Barnes and John
Loach, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-second day
of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty
JOHN BOWEN BARNES. (L.S.)
JOHN LOACH.
(L.S.)
Witness,
ISAAC B. SAVAGE,
Clerk to James S. Cockings, Patent Agent,
Birmingham.