Patent Document

This application is a Continuation-in-Part of Ser. No. 10/392,811 filed Mar. 21, 2003, now abandoned. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to small leisure equipment in the water and more particularly to a watercycle wherein portion of the body of a rider, below the head, is underwater. The novel watercycle includes propellers for propulsion and is moved by working pedals. The propeller units can swivel sidewise and thus it can also be utilized to steer the watercycle. 
   THE PRIOR ART 
   The background art seems to have a distant relevance to the present invention. In fact there&#39;s no known prior art watercycle that includes a seat that&#39;s adjustable horizontally in order for riders of different sizes to conveniently reach the pedals with the feet. Also, there&#39;s no prior art watercycle with a seat that&#39;s adjustable vertically to make it possible for a rider to obtain a desired body submergence when the watercycle is floated in the water. 
   Prior art watercycle assemblies including float, seat, pedals and propellers are disclosed by Helm, U.S. Pat. No. 1,610,778; Fowler, U.S. Pat. No. 2,752,617 and Ambrose, U.S. Pat. No. 2,983,245 are all meant for a rider to get wet while having leisure in the water. These watercycles mentioned above don&#39;t have vertically and horizontally adjustable seat respectively for desired submergence depth and for the right distance of the feet to the pedals. No runner is provided to give protection of the equipment on the ground or on the beach. Holden, U.S. Pat. No. 5,081,947 disclosed a boat assembly with “dry seat”, no runner nor sort of protection for the propeller and rudder is provided while on the ground.  
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a watercycle that will keep a rider in wet condition. 
   Another object is to provide a rider the choice of how much of the lower body is submerged by adjusting the seat closer to or further below the water surface when the watercycle is floated. 
   Yet another object is to provide a safety vehicle for a non-swimmer who desires to have leisure or simply cooling off in deeper water. 
   Still another object is to provide a relatively slow-moving fun ride watercraft suitable in a tight and crowded environment. 
   Another added object is to provide a medical equipment for one needing hydrotherapeutic treatment. 
   The invention is directed to small craft and more particularly to a watercycle wherein a seated rider is within the hold of a substantially do-nut shape, bottomless float, and wherein the lower portion of the body is underwater. The watercycle includes an adjustable seat so it can be moved closer to or further below the waterline for selective submergence between the hip and chest areas of a rider. The seat is likewise adjustable forward and backward for convenient reach to the pedals. 
   The basic concept of the invention is to provide bathers, especially youth and children, with slow-moving fun ride. The watercycle is best used in calm and protected waters like for example, in a swimming pool, beach resort and waterpark. 
   In accordance with the primary aspect of the invention, the watercycle of the type includes a hollow, bottomless float mounted and secured onto a chassis or frame having a pair of runners for resting on the ground, and an elevated portion for attaching the float. Located about centrally parallel between the runners and the elevated portions is a twin beam for supporting the seat and steering mechanisms. 
   In the embodiment, the propeller units are each located between the runner and the elevated portions in the proximity of the downwardly bent rear end of the elevated  portion. Each propeller unit is linked with the pedal unit by respective gearbox, main propeller shaft and a universal joint. 

   
     THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective, in exploded view, of the chassis or frame and the float of the watercycle. 
       FIG. 2  is a top view of the watercycle, with the float shown in broken line. 
       FIG. 3  shows the right side elevational view of the watercycle shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a right elevational view of the watercycle taken substantially along line  44  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic, in top view, of the steering mechanism for translating rotation from handlebar to steerable propeller units. 
       FIG. 6  is a seat adjusting mechanism taken along line  6 — 6  of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 7  shows the inside, top view, of the right-side gearbox unit employed with the present invention, numeral “7” of  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged drawing of the C-frame and associated parts, indicated by numeral “8” of  FIG. 3 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring now to the drawings in greater detail,  FIG. 1  shows in exploded view a chassis or frame  12  and a float  14  employed in the novel watercycle. The float  14  is generally do-nut shape, made of expanded or cellular plastic and provided with protective skin to shield from damage which may be caused by weather, rough handling or impact with hard objects. Inflatable rubber or plastic or any other selected from highly buoyant material may also be used. Underneath the front end of the float  14  is a longitudinally oriented concave portion  16  to provide sufficient room for the knees of a pedaling rider  18  like for example when the seat  20  is at higher and/or forward adjustments.  
   An underside bulge  22  rearward of the float is provided. The bulge is adapted to displace additional volume of water in the rear portion and thereby become a buoyant booster for that portion of the watercycle wherein more weight is anticipated. Channels  24  (not shown) are provided in the region of the underside bulge  22  to accommodate the elevated members  26  of the frame when mounting the float. 
   The frame  12  shown in  FIG. 1  includes two generally parallel runners  28  with front ends  30  bent diagonally upwardly and joined together by a transverse member  32 , for resting the watercycle on solid surface. Two generally parallel elevated members  26  are provided for suitably mounting the float thereto. The front ends  36  are bent downwardly, each connecting a respective runner  28  immediately after the upwardly bent portion  30 . The rear ends  38  of the elevated members  26  are likewise bent downwardly and each connecting a respective rear end of the runners. The frame  12  is preferably of metal tubing, closed-end in order to provide strength and added buoyancy. 
   A horizontal twin beam  40  is provided about midway between the runners  28  and the elevated members  26 , for supporting the handlebar column  42 , rider&#39;s seat  20 , plurality of pulleys  44 ,  46  and  48  therealong underneath and a swivel arm  50  for the steerable propeller units  52 - a  and  52 - b . A front arch  54  and a rear arch  56  are welded transversely apart at their ends along the length of the runners. The front arch  54 , with an upstanding riser  58  welded on top, supports the twin beam on its forward end. The rear portion of the twin beam  40  is welded crosswise underneath the upper portion of the rear arch  56 , for support. 
   Upper and lower plates  60  and  62  respectively are fixedly attached opposed the front end of the twin beam adapted to support a handlebar column  42 . A bushing or plain bearing  43  is affixed tight through the holes  64  and  66  (not shown) on the plates  60  and  62  for rotatably mounting the handlebar column  42 . A retainer collar  68  is secured to the handlebar column immediately above the plain bearing  43  to keep the handlebar column from sliding down. At a convenient distance above the collar  68  is a rather loose sleeve  70  with support braces  72  as shown, provide strength to the steering column. On the rear  end of the twin beam  40  is welded with another pair of opposed upper and lower plates  74  and  76 . A plain bearing  78  is likewise affixed tight through openings  80  and  82  (not shown) on plates  74  and  76  for rotatably mounting the shaft portion  84  of swivel arm  50 . Fixedly attached to the bottom end of the handlebar column  42  ( FIG. 4 ) is a front or first pulley  44 , and at about mid-portion of the swivel arm shaft  84  is also attached with a rear or second pulley  46 . A center or third pulley  48  is rotatably mounted underside a plate  88  welded underneath the twin beam. 
     FIG. 5  shows in schematic an operative hitching of an endless actuating cord  90  onto the pulleys  44 ,  46  and  48  for translating steering movement from handlebar to the steerable propeller units  52 - a  and  52 - b . The cord&#39;s front segment  92 , between the front and center pulleys  44  and  48 , are hitched in parallel, while the cord&#39;s rear portion  94 , between the center and rear pulleys  48  and  46  respectively are crossed in figure “8” pattern. Thus, when the handlebar, and hence the front pulley  44 , is rotated in one direction for example, the rear pulleys  46  including the shafted swivel arm  50  will rotate in the opposite direction, as shown. 
   The rider&#39;s seat  20  is rigidly affixed atop a threaded seat post  96  and is adjustable vertically for desired submergence of a seated rider. Likewise, the seat is adjustable horizontally for convenient foot-reach to the pedals  98 . A mechanism for adjusting the seat vertically and/or horizontally is shown in  FIG. 6 , taken along line  6 — 6  of  FIG. 4 . The seat post  96  is threadably mounted to cooperating nut  100  connected fixed to a slidable base plate  102  that straddles along the twin beam  40 . A clamping plate  104  with large center opening is loosely positioned below the twin beam and being supported by flanges  106  of the guide portion  108  of the base plate  102 . A spacer  110  with large center opening is welded to the underneath of the clamping plate  104 . A wing nut  112  is threadably connected to the lower portion of the seat post  96  below spacer  110 . 
   To adjust the seat  20  either vertically or horizontally, or both, is to first loosen the wing nut  112  until the clamping plate  104  drop down fully to about one-eight inch and thereby loosen its grip against the underside of the twin beam  40 . The slidable base plate   102  (and thus the seat post) is then moved forward or backward for convenient pedalling distance to the pedals  98 . And, to adjust the seat vertically, the seat, and thus the seat post, is appropriately rotated until the right height for desired submergence of the rider is obtained. Finally, the wing nut  112  is tightened to secure the seat from wobbling. 
   Shown better in  FIG. 1  is a pedal unit  114  which includes a jointer  116  and cranks  118  with outwardly extending shafts  120  (see  FIG. 7 ) on either ends and having a common axis, is utilized with this concept. The extended shafts  120  include coupling jaws  122  for connection with corresponding jaws  124  on an input shaft  126  located in a gearbox unit  128 . The coupled extended shafts  120  of the pedal unit and the input shafts  126  of the gearbox unit  128  is journalled in plain bearing  129 . The gearbox unit  128  is suitably mounted onto a support bracket  130  welded to the intermediate of the downwardly bent front ends  36  of the elevated member of the frame  12 . 
   The gearbox unit  128 , shown in  FIG. 7 , is adapted to transform a relatively low rpm input from the pedal unit  114  into much higher rpm output for the propeller units  52 - a  
and  52 - b . It includes a gear train utilizing a pair of spur gears  132 - a  and  132 - b  and a pair of bevel gears  134 - a  and  134 - b , with respective ratios. Other gearing combinations familiar in the art of gearbox designed may also be used. 
   Conventional design propeller is employed to propel the watercycle of the present invention. One propeller unit is shown mounted on each side, however, any other setup may be incorporated. The front end of a main propulsion shaft  136  is connected, by use of coupling jaws  138 , to corresponding jaws  140  on the output shaft  142  of the gearbox unit  128 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 7 . A universal joint  144  each interpose the propeller units  52 - a  and  52 - b  and the propulsion shafts  136 , seen better in  FIGS. 3 and 5 . 
   An upright post  146  ( FIG. 3 ) is connected in any suitable means, on its top and bottom ends, to lugs  148  and  150  welded intermediate the elevated member  26  and the runner  28  respectively. A plain bearings  152  is positioned about mid-point of the post  146  for rotatably supporting the propeller main shaft  136  on its rear portion thereof.  Extended pivotal arms  154  and  156 , each with upright pivot pin  158  and  160 , are attached rigidly to post  146 . 
   In  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  8  is shown a C-frame  162  provided to support the propeller unit  52 . The C-frame is swivelable such that the supported propeller unit can swing sidewise to a certain extent. The vertical leg  164  of the C-frame is fitted with bearing  166  to rotatably support the rear end of the propeller unit. On the ends of the upper and lower horizontal legs  168  and  170  of the C-frame are lugs  172  and  174  with openings (not shown) for receiving pivotal pins  158  and  160 . The universal joint  144  and the pivotal pins  158  and  160  are aligned perfectly vertically, as viewed in  FIGS. 3 and 8 . 
   Shown in  FIG. 5 , lugs  176 - a  and  176 - b  are welded horizontally inwardly to the vertical leg  164  of the C-frame in the vicinity of bearing  166 , (see also  FIG. 3 ). Lugs  176 - a  
and  176 - b  have each an opening  178 - a  and  176 - b  of size on their free ends. The swivel arm  50 , located between propeller units  52 - a  and  52 - b , includes adjacent openings  180 - a  
and  180 - b  on its free end. Links rods  182 - a  and  182 - b  have on their respective end portions a bend of about 90-degrees. The outboard bent end  183 - a  (not shown) of link rod  182 - a  is inserted through opening  178 - a , while its inboard bent end  183 - b  (not shown) is inserted through opening  180 - a . Similarly, the outboard bent end  184 - a  (not shown) of link rod  182 - b  is inserted through opening  178 - b , while its inboard bent end  184 - b  (not shown) is inserted through opening  180 - b . It is evident therefore that any steering movement initiated on the handlebar is imparted onto the interlinked propeller units  52 - a  
and  52 - b.    
   To better understand the steering operation of the watercycle, when a pedalling rider wants to steer to the right for example, the handlebar  186  is rotated clockwise as shown by dotted lines in  FIG. 5 . With the operative hitching arrangement of pulleys  44 ,  46 , and  48  and including the cord  90  as has been earlier discussed, the swivel arm shaft  188  will rotate counter-clockwise and will cause the swivel arm  50  and including the interlinked swivelable or steerable propellers  52 - a  and  52 - b  to assume their new positions shown by dotted lines. Hence, the rear end of the forwarding watercycle tends to swing to  the left side and thereby will cause the forward end of the craft an apparent turn to the right. Oppositely, to steer the watercycle to the left for example, the operation is a complete reversal of the above example just discussed. 
   The embodiment having been described, changes in shape and form may be incorporated by those skilled in the art and such may be within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claim herein appended.

Technology Category: 7