IMPROVEMENTS IN OARS AND IN THE MODES OF ACTUATING THEM
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Emmanuel. Denis Farcot, of No. 56, Rue de
Sablonville, at Neuilly, near Paris, France, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OARS AND IN THE MODES OF ACTUATING
THEM."
Sealed the 14th July 1865, and dated the 19th January 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Emmanuel Denis Farcot
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th January 1865.
I, EMMANUEL DENIS FARCOT, of No. 56, Rue de Sablonville, at Neuilly,
near Paris, France, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OARS AND IN THE MODES' OF ACTUATING THEMм,"
to be as follows:-
These improvements relate to oars or skulls for propelling boats, skullers,
or other craft or vessels, and to novel modes of actuating them, and they con-
sist in the first part in giving to the paddle or blade of the oar, or part
intended to immerge and act in the water, certain shapes and arrangements,
affording greater propelling efficiency and lightness than with the oars hitherto
in use; for this purpose the said paddle or blade, instead of having as was
hitherto the case its axis situated in one line with the axis of the shank or
stock of the oar or skull, deviates from this line at an angle of from 160 to

page_text: 179 degrees either in the vertical or in the horizontal plane, or in both, for
the purpose of permitting a quicker immersion of a larger portion of the said
paddle, which latter, instead of presenting as hitherto a flat or slightly convex
surface on both sides, is made more or less concave on the side intended to
press against the water. I also intend to make use of oars or skulls, the
paddle of which is formed of a suitable light frame fixed to the end of the
shank or stock, which frame is to serve for holding suitably stretched a piece
of strong canvass, a sheet of india-rubber or other suitable light resisting
material or web of sufficient size to offer the required resistance to the water.
The second part of my Invention relates to certain improved modes of
causing the motive power to act on the oar or skull in such manner that if
these latter are to be worked by manual power, the rower, instead of being
seated with his back turned towards the direction in which the boat or other
craft is to be propelled, has his face turned in that direction; for this purpose,
instead of causing the oar or skull, as was hitherto the case, to be worked
immediately by the hand of the rower, and as a lever of the 1st class, viz.,
with the fulcrum situated between the working power and the resistance, this
working power in my Invention is applied to the stock of the oar by means of
a special moveable handle or handles, and in such manner that the oar forms
a lever of the 3rd class, viz., the working power acting between the fulcrum
and the resistance, the upper end of the oar being connected by a swivel hook
and eye, a ball-and-socket joint, or other suitable means to a vertical standard
securely fixed in the boat or other craft to be propelled so as to allow by the
effect of the above said handle cause the oar or skull to assume a more or
less oblique position in the water, be suitably turned, swung forward or back-
ward, and raised out of the water or be immersed therein, according as
required for causing the boat or other craft to advance or recede and turn in
any required direction; by means of the said handle or handles several
rowers or other motive power may be applied to the same oar, whilst for
counterbalancing the weight of the oar this latter towards the middle of its
length is suspended at the lower end of a worm or other suitable spring, the
other end of which is fixed to the top of the standard; or the weight of the
oar might be counterbalanced by means of a spring pressing against from
underneath, or by providing the oar with one or more friction rollers, by
means of which the oar may be moved forward and backward over a rail
fixed on the side or plank of the boat.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Emmanuel Denis Farcot in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 19th July 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EMMANUEL
DENIS FARCOT, of No. 56, Rue de Sablonville, at Neuilly, near Paris, France,
Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Emmanuel Denis Farcot, Her special licence that I, the said
Emmanuel Denis Farcot, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Emmanuel Denis Farcot, my executors, administrators,
and 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN OARS AND IN THE MODES OF ACTUATING THEM,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Emmanuel Denis
Farcot, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their 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 I, the said Emmanuel Denis Farcot, 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:-
These improvements relate to oars or skulls for propelling boats, skullers,
or other light craft or vessels, and to novel modes of actuating the said oars or
skulls, and they consist in the first part on giving to the paddle or blade of the
oar, viz., that part intended to immerge and act in the water, certain improved
shapes and arrangements, affording greater propelling efficiency and lightness
than with the oars hitherto in use; for this purpose the said paddle or blade,
instead of having as hitherto its axis situated in one line with the axis of the
shank or stock of the oar or skull, deviates from that line at an angle of from
160 to 179 degrees either in the vertical or in the horizontal plane, or in both,

page_text: for the purpose of permitting a quicker immersing of a larger portion of the
said paddle, which latter, instead of presenting as hitherto a flat or slightly
convex surface on both sides, may be made more or less concave on the side
intended to press against the water.
I also intend to construct oars or skulls
the paddle of which is formed of a suitable light frame fixed to the end of the
stock or shank of the oar, which frame is to serve for holding suitably stretched
a piece of stout canvass, a sheet of india-rubber, or other suitably light
resisting material or web of sufficient size and strength for offering the
required resistance to the water.
The second part of my Invention relates to certain improved modes of
causing the motive power to act on the oars or skulls in such manner that if
these latter are to be worked by manual power, the rower, instead of as
hitherto facing the stern of the boat, that is to say, being seated with his back
turned towards the direction in which the boat or other craft is to be propelled,
is in my Invention facing the said direction, that is to say, looking towards the
stem, prow, or fore part of the boat, so as to be enabled of better guiding this
latter; for this purpose instead of causing the oar or skull to be worked, as
hitherto, immediately by the hand of the rower, and as a lever of the 1st class,
viz., with the fulcrum situated between the working power and the resistance,
this working power in my Invention is applied to the stock or shank of the oar
by means of a special moveable rowing handle or handles, and in such manner
that the oar being suspended with its free end from a small mast or standard
forms a lever of the 3rd class, viz., with the working power acting between
the fulcrum and the resistance, the upper end of the oar being connected by a
swivel hook and eye, a ball-and-socket joint, or other suitable means to the
said standard, the latter being securely fixed in the boat so as to allow by the
effect of the above said rowing handle to cause the oar or skull of assuming a
more or less oblique position in the water, be suitably turned, swung forward
or backward, and raised out of the water or be immersed therein according as
required for causing the boat or other craft to advance or recede and turn in
any required direction; by means of the said handle or handles several rowers
or other motive power may be applied simultaneously to the same oar, whilst
for counterbalancing the weight of the oar this latter towards the middle of
its length is suspended to the lower end of a worm or other suitable spring,
the other end of which is fixed to the top of the above-mentioned standard or
mast; or the weight of the oar may be counterbalanced by means of a spring
pressing against from underneath, or by providing the oar with one or more
friction rollers, by means of which the same may be moved forward and
backward over a rail fixed on the side or plank of the boat.

page_text: In order to make the Invention more fully understood I will now enter in the
details thereof, thereby referring to the Figures of the annexed Drawings, in
which the same letters relate to corresponding parts, several of which latter are
shown as partly cut off.
The Invention relates to oars or skulls for propelling boats, skullers, skiffs,
cutters, gigs, ships' boats, race boats, or other similar light craft, and the same
consists, 1ly, in a novel construction of the blade or paddle of the oar, viz., in
the manner as shewn respectively in front and top view in the Figs. 1 & 2,
and in sectial view in Fig. 3 over the line X, Y, of Fig. 1. The blade or
paddle A instead of having its axis situated in one line with that of the stock
or shank B, as was hitherto the case in oars, deviates therefrom so as to form
an obtuse angle therewith, as shown by the dotted red lines x, y, z; by this
method on lowering the oar in the water the blade will at once offer a larger
surface immersed therein than with an ordinary oar; the blade may be either
straight or slightly concave, a rib a and ties b serving for increasing its
strength. Fig. 4 shows another arrangement of my improved oars; in this
arrangement the axis of the paddle forms the continuation of the stock B, to
which are fixed two metal cross pieces a¹ & a², the ends of which are connected
by thin metal girders or wires ¹ & b² so as to make the parts a¹, b¹, a², b²,
form a light frame over which is sewn or otherwise fixed a piece of stout
canvass, a sheet of india-rubber, thin strips of wood or other light resisting
material, so that the entire forms the paddle of the oar; Fig. 4 is a sectional
view over the line X, Y¹, of Fig. 4. In the arrangement represented in
Fig. 5 and sectional views Figs. 5 & 5 (respectively over the lines X², Y²,
and X, Y, of Fig. 5) the cross pieces a³ & a are fixed to the stock in
opposite directions, whereas in the arrangement represented in Fig. 6 they
are situated in the same direction.
It will be readily understood that various other modifications might be made
based on the same principles of construction above indicated, viz., having the
paddle of the oar form either partly or entirely a separate part fixed to the
stock at an angle varying from 160° to 179°, and covered with any suitable
light resisting material.
The second part of my Invention relates to a novel mode of actuating the
oars or skulls of boats, skullers, or other similar light craft, viz., in such mode
that the rower instead of, as was hitherto the case, being seated facing the
stern of the boat, and turning his back to the bow, is seated in the contrary
position, so as constantly to have a look over the track which the boat is to
follow, and no more be obliged of turning his head round for that purpose.
In order to obtain this result, the oars or skulls are connected with their

page_text: upper end to a short mast or standard, and kept in proper equilibrium, and
actuated by the rower by means of a special moveable rowing handle in the
manner as shown respectively in cross and longitudinal elevation and in plan
views in the Figs. 7, 8, & 9, the Figs. 10 & 11 showing separate views of the
rowing handle, viz., in Fig. 11 this latter in the position the same assumes
when the rower is by means of the rowing handle pulling on the oar immersed
in the water, and in Fig. 10 when pushing forward the oar whilst this latter
is raised out of the water. C represents the oar (the lower portion of the
stock and the blade of which are not represented) suspended by means of a
spring E to a small mast or vertical standard D; the spring is connected to
a vertical spindle or, bolt G turning in two brackets 9¹ & 9 encircling the
standard D, and which, by thumb screws or other suitable means, may be
fixed more or less high on this latter. The mast D may be situated either in
the middle part of the boat, as shown in Fig. 7, or fixed to the side part of
the boat, as shown by dotted lines in the said Fige, or the same might be
replaced by a sort of outrigging, as shown in Fig. 16. By means of the
spring E the oar when left freely suspended must be kept with the paddle at
a few inches above the surface of the water, so as to require only a slight
exertion on the part of the rower to immerse the paddle in or afterwards lift
out of the water. It will be observed that in consequence of the arrange-
ment and size of the spring E its tension will vary within but very small
limits so as to make the working of the oar extremely easy in any required
position. The spring E is connected to the oar by a metal rod or some chain
links ending in an oval-shaped ring taking into a double hook I, securely
fixed to a metal brace or collar J encircling the oar, which arrangement will
allow of when required, by raising the oar sufficiently high, disengage this
latter from the hook I, and from another I' provided at the upper end of the
vertical bolt or spindle G, and thus free the oar from the standard D and
the spring E, the upper end of the oar being connected to the standard D by
means of a swivel bolt i entering and turning freely in a metal socket / inserted
and fixed in this end of the oar; the said bolt or swivel i turns on a pin jat
the lower end of the vertical bolt G. This arrangement allows the oar of
turning freely on the swivel i and in the suspending hook I. The collar J
also serves for pulling the oar in the horizontal direction by means of the
moveable or rowing handle L, shown separately in the Figs. 10 & 11 respec-
tively in the pushing and pulling effects of the said handle on the oar. The
collar J is provided with a thumb screw f for allowing to set the collar in any
required position in respect to the suspending rod H, and for imparting more
or less strain to the spring E, and so as to regulate with any required degree

page_text: of precision the position of equilibrium of the oar and the height at which the
same is when left free kept above the level of the water; consequently by
merely untightening the screw f the collar J may be turned more or less far
round the stock of the oar, or set more or less high thereon, so as to limit
exactly the angular position to be assumed by the paddle when immersed in'
the water. The rowing handle L is provided with a holdfast or real handle l
connected to the free end of a rod M or strong metal tube, the other end of
which is connected to the collar J by a double link or universal joint K, K', so
as to allow the tube or rod M and the oar to turn in any required direction ;'
the rod M is to offer sufficient rigidity for allowing the rower by means of its
handle to manoeuvre the oar. The link or spindle k turns in bearings fixed
to the collar J, and its upper end is connected to the rod or tube M by a few
chain links or a double lever m, m', or any other similar arrangement of suffi-*
cient flexibility and strength for allowing the oar to assume freely the required*
positions. This arrangement might, of course, be considerably modified in'
various manners, but I prefer to use a long rod m, one end of which is linked'
to the short rod m', and the other end to a small collar n, to be fixed at the
required distance on the tube or rod M; the short link or rod m¹ is connected
to & hook m² fixed to the lower end of the spindle k; the holdfast or handle/
turns freely round the lower end of the rod M in the manner as shown in
the Figs. 10 & 11. It will further be evident that the holdfast being con-
nected to the collar J of the oar by the rod M, and by those m & m¹ the
angular positions of the oar will be limited by the respective positions or
lengths of stroke of these rods; the position of the rods m & m¹ might, if
preferred, be regulated by means of a set screw or other similar arrangement
for allowing the rower of, if he should think fit, increasing the length of the
said rods m & m', and thus regulate the angular position to be assumed in
the water by the paddle of the oar; the collar J in that case may be fixed in
its position on the oar, or, as shown in Fig. 7, the spring E might be pro-'
vided with a set screw p, or with a few chain links q, for allowing the lowering
or the lifting of the oar without varying the position of the collar J. Fig. 11
shows the position to be assumed by the oar and the various parts of the
rowing handle when the oar having its paddle immersed, the rower, in order'
to cause the boat to advance, pulls on the oar in the direction shown by the
arrow Z, whereas Fig. 10 represents the position of the various parts when
the paddle having been lifted out of the water the oar is moved in the direction"
contrary to that of Fig. 11, or brought in the position for being again
immersed. It will be remarked that in this Figs. 10 the flat sides of the
paddle are nearly horizontal, so as to allow the paddle of gliding over 'the'

page_text: surface of the water without finding any resistance on the part of this latter,
which for very light craft, such as skiffs for instance, serves the rower for
keeping the skiff in proper equipoise. In the arrangement shown in the Figs..
10 & 11 the flat sides of the paddle are allowed to assume the required degree
of inclined position during the return motion of the oar towards the stem of
the boat, and raise out of the water with the least possible resistance, because
of the spindle or joint k being situated above the central part of the propelling
surface of the oar; this latter will be allowed during the return motion to
assume the required inclined position by the resisting effect of the water, in
about a manner similar to that by which a weathercock is acted upon and
set in position by the wind. In order, however, properly to regulate the
degree of incline or angular position to be assumed by the paddle as well in
as out of the water, a flat metal bow or sort of quadrant O is rivetted by a
cramp or other suitable means to the collar J, the ends of which bow press
on the stock of the oar, whilst the shape of the bow is such as always to press
with its flat sides against the rod M of the rowing handle in the various
positions of this latter. The standard or mast D, from which the entire
apparatus is suspended, may be situated either in the middle of the boat, or be
fixed to the sides thereof, or in any other suitable position according to the
construction of the craft to which the arrangement is to be applied, and the
description of oar or skull to be made use of. The holdfast or handle which
the rower takes hold of for rowing turns freely round the lower end of the
rod M so as to allow to the hand of the rower of assuming the most favourable
positions for rowing; the said handle may be arranged for being taken hold
of simultaneously by the two hands of the rower, as shown in Fig. 11, or to be
worked by one hand only, as in Fig. 10.
The Figs. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, & 18 represent the apparatus applied to
boats worked by several rowers simultaneously. In case the breadth of the
banks allows of two rowers being seated on each of them, and each of the
rowers work one oar, each of the rowers manoeuvring in a symetrical manner
in respect to the axis of the boat, so as to exert the full amount of power
whilst guiding the boat by means of his oar, the rudder will become superfluous,
or the rudder might be worked by the feet of the rower seated sternmost, for
which purpose the rudder ought to be connected by proper gearing or any
other suitable means to a pedal under the direct command of the feet of this
sternmost rower. In boats the oars of which are worked in the hitherto
accustomed manner, and particularly in those in which each rower is seated on
its own bank, it generally occurs that the efforts of one rower are not exactly
equilibrated by those of the remainder of the rowers, so as to cause the boat

page_text: from deviating from the required direction; hitherto the rudder was made use
of for compensating this difference in the efforts, whereas by working the oars
by means of my method, the rowers being seated in sight of the track to be
followed, each rower may easily regulate his efforts so as to compensate those
of his companions. In the arrangement represented in Fig. 14 each of the
six oars P1, P2, P3, P4, P, & P is worked by one rower, whereas P' & Pe
are two skulls or smaller oars to be worked by the seventh rower, who con-
sequently at the same time he is replacing the man at the rudder adds his
efforts to those of the other rowers, if wished as has been mentioned above,
this seventh rower might by means of his feet actuate a rudder, though this
latter may entirely be dispensed with.
Fig. 13 shows a cross sectional view of the arrangement, represented in
longitudinal elevation view in Fig. 12, and in plan view in Fig. 14; in this
arrangement the masts or standards at which the rowing apparatus are sus-
pended are situated in the axial line of the boat, each mast supporting one
rowing apparatus. The masts or standards are kept fixed by iron cross
stays r, fixed to each side of the boat, the stays being provided in the middle
of their length with a sockets (see Fig. 9), or with a stirrup t or tie for the
mast or standard to be entered in; the lower end of this latter ought to be
square and made to fit in a corresponding socket, fixed to the bottom of the
boat. Instead of having these suspending standards fixed in the middle of
the boat, the same might be fixed to the sides of this latter, or the boat be
provided with suitable, iron outrigging in the manner as represented for a
small yawl in the Figs. 17, 18, & 16 respectively in side elevation, plan
view, and cross sectional view, which outrigging in that case replaces the
suspending standards.
It will be understood that the principal object of the above-described
arrangements is for effectuating the forward motion of the craft, viz, in
the direction from stern to stem. Similar arrangements, however, might be
made use of for, effectuating the backward motion of the boat or other craft,
but it is preferable in that case to use the oar in the ordinary manner, viz.,
without the aid of the rowing handle; for this purpose a hook R allows of
suspending therein the rowing handle, so as to allow of working at once the
oar in the ordinary hitherto accustomed manner, viz., without using the rowing
handle.
Having thus described and particularly ascertained the nature of my In-
vention, and the manner in which the same is, or may be put into effect, I
wish it to be understood that I do not intend to restrict myself to the precise
details of the apparatus or arrangements above described, or of the various

page_text: parts thereof, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating
from the main features or principles of the Invention ; but what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
lly, constructing the oars or skulls for propelling boats, skullers, or other
light craft or vessels with the axis of the blade or paddle of the oar deviating
from that of the stock or shank, in the manner and for the purposes
described.
2ly, constructing the said blade or paddle of a suitable frame covered
with stout canvass, a sheet of india-rubber, or other suitable light resisting
material, in the manner and for the purposes described.
3ly, suspending the oar or skull to a suitable mast or standard by means of
a suitable spring or springs for keeping the same in proper equipoise, and pro-
viding the oar with a suitable moveable rowing handle or apparatus for allowing
of working the oar whilst the rower is seated in a contrary direction to that
hitherto accustomed for rowing, viz., with his face turned towards the stem
and his back towards the stern of the boat, so as to allow the rower better to
perceive the track the boat is to follow.
4ly, the general arrangement and combination of parts of the above-
described apparatus for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Emmanuel Denis Farcot, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
A. G. BRADE.
EMAL DIS. FARCOT. (L.S.)