AU2005201154A1 - Small boat rowing mechanism - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority Related Art: Name of Applicant: Roger Lin Actual Inventor(s): Roger Lin Address for Service and Correspondence: PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA Invention Title: SMALL BOAT ROWING MECHANISM Our Ref: 740865 POF Code: 1106/471890 The following statement is a.full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): -1- 6OOeq SMALL BOAT ROWING MECHANISM FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a mechanism for rowing a small boat rowboat), more particularly to a rowboat comprising a body having two oars at both sides thereof, each oar including one end within the body to form as a handle grip for continuously rotating the same relative to bow and stern of the body, and transferring force to caudal fins at the other end of the oars to push water out of and toward the body repeatedly and convert the water resistance into the backward thrust for propelling the rowboat quickly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION People are more or less familiar with boats or ships. Boat or ship is a watercraft and can float due to buoyancy. Also, a boat or ship can be propelled by the backward thrust of water. As such, a boat or ship must be equipped with a power source or by rowing in order to overcome water resistance. Modern ships are powered by engines. For example, steam ships, motor vessels, or nuclear powered ships are well known. In another aspect, life quality is pursued by more and more people as technology advancement and the rapid economic growth throughout the world. This, in turn, causes leisure and travel industry to boom. Not only sightseeing of scenic spots is popular but also water activities are becoming popular. For example, a type of manually propelled small boat can be seen on lakes in many scenic spots for fulfilling the leisure needs of people. Such type of boat can be a boat powered by oars rowboats), wind, or sails. Generally, most people can enjoy the rowing of such rowboats.

Oars are designed to push a rowboat forward or backward, or change direction thereof. Hard oars are particularly suitable for small boats. Such oars 1A are typically made of steel, wood, or plastic steel. In rowing, a user places a portion of a hard oar into water and then rotates the oar to propel the boat by the backward thrust of water in which the hard surface of the oar paddles through water. As a result, a successful rowing is made. An oar lock in the shape of ring or Y is mounted on an upper edge at one side of a boat for anchoring an oar because the oar is relatively heavy. Next, row the boat to push the boat forward by the backward thrust of water. A user may hold and rotate the oar to propel the boat at the other side of the boat where no oar lock is provided. It is understood that rowing is a labor intensive activity and it can be seen as a challenge to the strength of a rower. Typically, one or more propellers each having a plurality of blades are equipped in an engine powered boat no human power involved). However, high power engine and associated equipment are costly. As such, such type of boat is relatively high in its cost.

A well designed boat is critical to the fast forward movement thereof by taking advantage of the most of the backward thrust of water irrespective of the boat being powered by human power or engine. However, the manufacturing cost of such type of boat is very high and the manufacturing of such boat may take a relatively long period of time. In brief, it is not economical. Thus, in view of the booming of water activities it is desirable to provide a new and improved mechanism for rowing a rowboat in a labor saving, economical manner such that the boat can move fast in the water in order to keep up with the trend as well as overcome the inadequacies of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the description in the background section, it is understood that a type of small boat powered by oars rowboat) is very popular among ordinary people due to the booming of water activities. Also, such rowboats are high in the manufacturing cost and they require a long manufacturing time due to the disadvantageous structure thereof. Hence, it is not economical.

Advantageously, after considerable research and experimentation, a mechanism for rowing a small boat rowboat) in a labor saving and convenient manner according to the present invention has been devised so as to overcome the above drawbacks of the prior art.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a rowboat comprising a body having a sunken space for enabling a user to sit; two oars at both sides of the body, each oar including one end within the body to form as a handle grip for being adapted to enable the user to hold and continuously rotate the same relative to bow and stern of the body, the other end extended out of the body and substantially parallel to the stern of the body to form a joint, and a force transfer mechanism in an intermediate portion of the oar externally of either side of the body and proximate thereto; and a caudal fin including a forward connector connecting to the joint at the other end of the oar, the caudal fin being substantially disposed parallel to a lengthwise direction of the body and spaced by a distance. In response to continuously rotating the handle grips relative to the bow and the stern of the body, the force transfer mechanisms are adapted to transfer force to the caudal fins at the other end of the oars such that the caudal fins are able to push water out of the body and push water toward the body repeatedly by converting the water resistance into the backward thrust of water for propelling the rowboat quickly. By utilizing this rowboat, the following advantages can be obtained. These advantages include simple components, cost effective design, labor saving rowing, easy direction control, new in its type, and significant contribution to the advancement of the art.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rowboat incorporating a first preferred embodiment of rowing mechanism oar) according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a rowboat incorporating a second preferred embodiment of rowing mechanism oar) according to the invention; and FIGS. 3 and 4 are top views of the boat shown in FIG. 1 respectively, where the oars are being rotated by a user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a rowing mechanism according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention mounted in a small boat rowboat) 10. A user 20 sits in a sunken space of the boat 10. The boat 10 is equipped with two oars 11 at its both sides. The oar 11 is bent to form an end handle grip 12 above the boat 10. The user 20 may hold and continuously rotate the handle grips 12 the oars 11) relative to bow and stern of the boat 10. A joint 13 is formed at the other end of the oar 11 externally of the boat 10 and toward the stern. The joint 13 is adapted to neatly connect to a forward connector 15 of a caudal fin 14. The caudal fin 14 is substantially disposed parallel to the lengthwise direction of the boat 10 and is spaced by a distance in its mounted position. A force transfer mechanism 16 is provided in an intermediate portion of the oar 11 externally of either side of the boat 10 and proximate thereto. In response to continuously rotating the handle grips 12 relative to bow and stern of the boat 10, the force transfer mechanisms 16 are adapted to transfer force to the caudal fins 14 at the other ends of the oars 11 such that the caudal fins 14 are able to push water out of the boat 10 and push water toward the boat repeatedly.

Referring to FIG. 1 again, in the first preferred embodiment either the rear caudal fin 14 is formed of hard material and the forward connector 15 is formed of flexible material or the rear caudal fin 14 is formed of flexible material and the forward connector 15 is formed of hard material. In either case in response to submerging the rear caudal fins 14 in water and continuously rotating the oars 11 to cause the caudal fins 14 to push water out of the boat 10 and push water toward the boat 10 repeatedly the caudal fins 14 and the connectors whether implemented as hard and flexible ones or flexible and hard ones respectively, are adapted to propel the boat 10 quickly by converting the water resistance into the backward thrust of water. Also, the caudal fins 14 and the connectors 15, whether implemented as hard and flexible ones or flexible and hard ones respectively, are adapted to enable the user 20 to hold and rotate the handle grips 12 in a convenient and labor saving manner.

Referring to FIG. 1 again, in the first preferred embodiment the force transfer mechanism 16 is implemented as a shaft having one end fixedly connected to the body of the boat 10 and an internal bearing 161. The provision of bearing 161 is adapted to enable the user 20 to hold and continuously rotate the handle grips 12 at one ends of the oars 11 the handle grips 12 move toward the bow and move toward the stern alternatively) in a more smooth and labor saving manner.

Referring to FIG. 1 again, in the first preferred embodiment at least one bracket 111 is provided between the handle grip 12 and the joint 13 of the oar 11. The provision of at least one bracket 111 aims at increasing the structural strength of the oar 11 such that the oar 11 is able to overcome the strong water resistance caused by pushing water out of the boat 10 and pushing water toward the boat 10 in rowing. Further, the rear portion of the oar 11 at either side of the boat 10 is disposed slightly outwardly relative to the stern.

Referring to FIG. 2, a second preferred embodiment of rowing mechanism the oar) according to the invention is shown. In detail, the force transfer mechanism 16 of the oar 11 is implemented as a gear assembly including a toothed bar 162 and at least one gear 163 (one is shown) meshed therewith in which the toothed bar 162 is oriented along an upper edge of either side of the boat 10 having both ends extended toward the bow and the stern respectively) proximate the handle grip 12. A shaft of the gear 163 is extended to connect the other end of the oar 11. By configuring as above the mesh engagement of the toothed bar 162 and the gear 163), in response to continuously rotating the handle grips 12 relative to bow and stern of the boat the force transfer mechanism 16 is adapted to transfer force to the caudal fin 14 at the other end of the oar 11 such that the caudal fin 14 is able to push water out of the boat 10 and push water toward the boat 10 repeatedly.

In the second preferred embodiment as stated above, either the rear caudal fin 14 is formed of hard material and the forward connector 15 is formed of flexible material or the rear caudal fin 14 is formed of flexible material and the forward connector 15 is formed of hard material. In either case the boat 10 can be propelled quickly and the rowing by holding and continuously rotating the handle grips 12 by the user 20 can be done in a convenient and labor saving manner. Moreover, referring to FIG. 2 at least one bracket 111 is provided between the handle grip 12 and the joint 13 of the oar 11. The provision of at least one bracket 111 aims at increasing the structural strength of the oar 11 such that the oar 11 is able to overcome the strong water resistance caused by pushing water out of the boat 10 and pushing water toward the boat 10 in rowing. Further, the rear portion of the oar 11 at either side of the boat 10 is disposed slightly outwardly relative to the stern.

By configuring as above, it is clear that in either implementation of the force transfer mechanism 16 of the oar 11 in response to the user 20 holding and continuously rotating the handle grips 12 with respect to the bow and the stern of the boat 10 the caudal fins 14 at the other ends of the boat 10 are able to push water out of the boat 10 and push water toward the boat 10 repeatedly as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Moreover, the caudal fins 14 and the connectors whether implemented as hard and flexible ones or flexible and hard ones respectively, are adapted to propel the boat 10 quickly by converting the water resistance into the backward thrust of water.

In brief, the rowboat of the invention has the following advantages. Simple components. Cost effective design. A user 20 is able to row a boat 10 and control the same in a simple, labor saving rotation motion of oars 11. Most importantly, the rowboat is new in its type and contributes significantly to the advancement of the art.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.

Claims (7)

1. A rowboat comprising: a body having a sunken space for enabling a user to sit; two oars at both sides of the body, each oar including one end within the body to form as a handle grip for being adapted to enable the user to hold and continuously rotate the same relative to bow and stern of the body, the other end extended out of the body and substantially parallel to the stern of the body to form a joint, and a force transfer mechanism in an intermediate portion of the oar externally of either side of the body and proximate thereto; and a caudal fin including a forward connector connecting to the joint at the other end of the oar, the caudal fin being substantially disposed parallel to a lengthwise direction of the body and spaced by a distance wherein in response to continuously rotating the handle grips relative to the bow and the stern of the body, the force transfer mechanisms are adapted to transfer force to the caudal fins at the other end of the oars such that the caudal fins are able to push water out of the body and push water toward the body repeatedly.

2. The rowboat of claim 1, wherein the force transfer mechanism is a shaft including one end fixedly connected to the body and an internal bearing, the bearing being adapted to enable the continuously rotating handle grips at one ends of the oars to move toward the bow and the stern alternatively.

3. The rowboat of claim 1, wherein the force transfer mechanism is a gear assembly including a toothed bar disposed along either side of the body proximate the handle grip to have its both ends extended toward the bow and the stern of the body, and at least one gear meshed with the toothed bar, the gear being connected to the intermediate portion of the oar such that the mesh engagement of the toothed bar and the at least one gear is adapted to, in response to continuously rotating the handle grips relative to the bow and the i stern of the body cause the force transfer mechanism to transfer force to the caudal fins at the other ends of the oars for pushing water out of the body and pushing water toward the body repeatedly.

4. The rowboat of claim 1, wherein the caudal fins are formed of hard material and the forward connectors are formed of flexible material such that in response to continuously rotating the oars the caudal fins and the forward connectors are adapted to propel the rowboat quickly by converting the water resistance into the backward thrust of water, and enable the user to hold and rotate the handle grips in a convenient and labor saving manner.

5. The rowboat of claim 1, wherein the caudal fins are formed of flexible material and the forward connectors are formed of hard material such that in response to continuously rotating the oars the caudal fins and the forward connectors are adapted to propel the rowboat quickly by converting the water resistance into the backward thrust of water, and enable the user to hold and rotate the handle grips in a convenient and labor saving manner.

6. The rowboat of claim 1, wherein each oar further comprises at least one bracket between the handle grip and the joint for increasing structural strength thereof.

7. The rowboat of claim 1, wherein a rear portion of the oar at either side of the body is disposed slightly outwardly relative to the stern of the body. DATED: 16 March 2005 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: ROGER LIN