US2763015A - Laminated paddle construction - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 18, 1956 D. v. WEIGAND 2,763,015

LAMINATED PADDLE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 10, 1955v INVENTOR 1 ATTORNEYS BY y gz LAMINATED PADDLE CONSTRUCTION Don V. Weigand, Memphis, Tenn.

Application March 10, 1955, Serial No. 493,502

4 Claims. (Cl. 9-24) The present invention relates in general to paddles and the like, and more particularly to the laminated construction of paddles or oars designed for use with canoes and small boats.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a novel boat paddle or oar construction involving the assembly of a plurality of small components in a manner producing a paddle of light weight which is extremely strong and durable.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel laminated boat paddle construction wherein wooden components are assembled in a manner producing void portions within the interior of the paddle blade for producing a light weight paddle without impairing the strength thereof.

Another object'of the present invention is the provision of a novel laminated boat paddle construction wherein a plurality of layers of wooden or other sheet material are disposed in the blade region of the paddle in a unique manner, producing an extremely strong paddle.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein one preferred embodiment of the invention is specifically shown.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the laminated components of a boat paddle embodying the present invention illustrated in assembled condition prior to shaping of the components to produce a finished paddle.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the components making up the blade portion of the paddle.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a finished paddle made in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical cross section taken along the lines 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical cross section taken along the lines 55 of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical cross section taken along the lines 66 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, a paddle, generally indicated by the reference character 10, is to be formed from a plurality of components, preferably of wooden material, into a conventional paddle form for use with canoes, lifeboats and small boats, and comprises the usual basic paddle components of a blade portion 11, a heel portion 12 and a shank portion 13 extending therebetween. An unfinished blank, indicated by the reference character 14, is formed by assembling a number of wooden components in ad hesively secured relation from which the finished paddle is to be ultimately shaped. The core of the blank 14 comprises an elongated member 15 of rectangular cross section forming the shank 13 of the paddle, the lower end portion 16 of which comprises inwardly tapering opposite lateral surfaces 17 and inwardly tapering front and rear faces 18 extending from a point approximately 8 to 7 2,763,015 Patented Sept. 18, 1956 inches upwardly from the lower end of the member 15. The elongated core member 15, forming the shank portion of the paddle, is preferably formed of hickory or other wood which has an elasticity and strength comparable to that found in conventional wooden paddles. Overlaid over the upper and lower surfaces of the core member 15 are thin veneer strips 19 and 20 which are laminated to the core member to form the shank 13. For artistic reasons, the veneer strips 19 and 20 in the preferred embodiment are of a dark wood while the core member 15 is of a light wood.

At the upper end 21 of the elongated member 15 a pair of short blocks 22 and 23, having a cross section preferably comparable to that of the elongated member15, are disposed alongside the lateral faces of the elongated member 15 and firmly adhered thereto by water-proof glue or other suitable securing means. The upper ends of the blocks 22 and 23 are disposed flush with the upper end of the elongated member 15. A pair of relatively thin rectangular pieces 24 of sheet material overlie the upper and lower faces of the enlarged heel portion 12 formed by the laterally aligned coextensive blocks 22 and 23 and the upper end portion 21 with the uppermost and lateral edges of the pieces 24 terminating at the upper and lateral edges of the enlarged rectangular formation comprising the heel portion 12. The pieces 24 are firmly adhered by water-proof glue or other adhering means to the underlying wooden blocks and elongated member 15.

The blade portion 11 of the paddle is of laminated construction, as is best illustrated in Figure 2. A pair of wedge-shaped elongated wooden strips 25 and 26 of triangular cross section having bases 27 which converge slightly toward the lower end of the paddle are adapted to be disposed with their upper ends aligned with the point at which the inwardly tapering lateral surfaces 17 of the elongated member 15 commence to taper and to be adhered by water-proof glue or other suitable securing means with their bases 27 in intimate contact with the tapered lateral surfaces 17 over the coextensive portions of said lateral surfaces 17 and bases 27. The extent of taper of the lateral surfaces 17 is designed to dispose the bases 27 at the lower ends of the elongated wedgeshaped strips 25 and 26 in abutment with each other. This produces a blade backing portion of substantially diamond-shaped cross section, as shown in Figure 4.

Panels of thin sheet material, as indicated at 28 and 29, which in the preferred embodiment are formed of wood veneer with the grain arranged transverse to the longitudinal axes of the panels 28 and 29, are adhered by waterproof glue or other suitable adhering means in overlying relation to both the upper and lower surfaces of the paddle blade backing portion formed by the wedge- shaped strips 25 and 26 and the tapered front and rear surfaces 18 at the lower portion of the elongated member 15. Rectangular slots 28 and 29 complementary to the portions of the veneer strips 1'9 and 20 projecting below the upper edges of the strips 25 and 26 are formed in the panels 28 and 29 to receive the lower portions of the veneer strips 19 and 20, as is illustrated in Figure 5. As is shown in Figure 4, the transverse dimensions of the panels 28 and 29 are somewhat greater than that of the blade backing portion so that the lateral edges of the panels 28 and 29 project for some distance beyond the apices of the wedge- shaped strips 25 and 26 and such projecting edges of the panels 28 and 29 are likewise adhered together by water-proof glue or the like.

Additional rectangular panels 30 and 31 of sheet material, which in the preferred embodiment are formed of wood veneer, are coextensive with the panels 26 and 29 and are arranged with the grain extending parallel to the wise adhered by waterproof glue or the like to the exposed surfaces of the panels 28 and 29. These panels 30 and 31 are likewise provided with slots 30 and 31' complementary to the slots 28 and 29 to receive the lower portions of the veneer strips 19 and 20. It will be apparent that by this arrangement, the pair of panels of sheet material forming each face of the blade 11 are arranged with the grain of the sheets disposed at right angles to each other to form an extremely strong multisheet covering for each face of the blade. 1

Following assembly of this blank 14 and appropriate curing of the glue, the blade portion 11 of the paddle is finally shaped by cutting the enlarged rectangular formation at the lower end of the paddle along the dotted lines 32 and sanding the cut edges to produce a smooth curved edge for the blade portion 11, and cutting the enlarged rectangular projection at the upper end of the paddle along the dotted lines 33 to form the plane outline of the heel portion 12. It will be understood that the front and rear faces of the heel portion 12 must then be shaped to provide the transverse cylindrical concave formations in the heel portion extending from the outer edges of the pieces of sheet material 24 adjacent the upper end of the heel 12 into the front and rear surfaces of the blocks 22 and 23 and upper portion 21 of the elongated member 15 to shape the heel portion in accordance with the elevation outline of conventional paddle heels.

By this construction, it has been found that a paddle can be produced from wooden materials in readily available sizes which is extremely strong due to the coaction of the many wooden components thereof to distribute and resist undue stresses on particular portions of the paddle, which paddle is, nevertheless, of light weight due to the absence of material between the lower end of the shankforming members 15, 19 and 20 and the lower end of the blade 11, and due further to the fact that light-weight wooden materials may be employed for the veneer panels and the components projecting laterally from the shankforming members 15, 19 and 20, reducing the over-all weight of the paddle below that of a paddle formed from a unitary piece of wooden material of appropriate strength and characteristics required in the shank region of the paddle.

While but one particular embodiment of the invention has been particularly shown and described, it is apparent that various modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art and are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A paddle for canoes and the like comprising an elongated shank member terminating at its lower end in an inwardly. tapering region and being of substantially uniform cross section throughout the remainder of said shank member, a pair of elongated wedge-shaped members disposed in laterally spaced longitudinal alignment with and projecting beyond said shank member with their bases overlapping said inwardly tapering region and secured to opposite lateral surface portions of said inwardly tapering region, and a pair of panels of sheet material secured throughout their area to each other and extending in overlying contacting relation entirely over each pair of correspondingly facing inclined surfaces of said pair of wedgeshaped members.

2. A paddle for canoes and the like comprising an elongated shank member terminating at its lower end in an inwardly tapering region and being of substantially uniform cross section throughout the remainder of said shank member, a pair of elongated Wedge-shaped members disposed in laterally spaced relation in a transverse plane of said shank member with their bases overlapping said inwardly tapering region over a minor portion of the lineal extent of said bases and secured to opposite lateral surface portions of said inwardly tapering region, and a pair of panels of sheet material secured throughout their area to each other and extending in overlying contacting relation entirely over each pair of correspondingly facing inclined surfaces of said pair of wedge-shaped members, each of said panels having a dominant grain axis and the grain axes of the panels of each pair being disposed at right angles to each other.

3. A paddle for canoes and the like comprising an elongated shank member terminating at its lower end in an inwardly tapering region and being of substantially uniform cross section throughout the remainder of said shank member, a pair of elongated wedge-shaped members disposed in laterally spaced relation in a transverse plane of said shank member with their bases overlapping and abutting opposite lateral surface portions of said inwardly tapering region over a minor portion of the lineal extent of said bases, means securing the portions of said wedge-shaped members coextensive with said shank member to said shank member, the ends of said wedge-shaped members remote from said shank member being secured together in abutting relation whereby a void triangular area is formed between said bases and the end of said shank member, the pair of correspondingly facing inclined surfaces of said pair of wedge-shaped members forming oppositely disposed backing faces for a blade for said paddle, and a pair of panels of wood veneer extending entirely over each of said opposite backing faces, means rigidly securing the panels of each pair together and the inner panel of each pair to the adjacent inclined surfaces of said wedge-shaped members, said panels being coextensive with each other and the outermost panel of each pair being disposed with its grain arranged at right angles to the grain of the innermost panel of each pair. a

4. A paddle for canoes and the like comprising an elongated laminated shank member including a core member and veneer strips adhered to a pair of opposite faces thereof, said core member terminating at its lower end in an inwardly tapering region and being of sub stantially uniform cross section throughout the remainder of said shank member, a pair of elongated wedge-shaped members disposed in laterally spaced relation in a transverse plane of said shank member with their bases overlapping and abutting opposite lateral surface portions of said inwardly tapering region over a minor portion of the lineal extent of said bases, means securing the portions of said wedge-shaped members coextensive with said shank member to said shank member, the ends of said wedge-shaped members remote from said shank member being secured together in abutting relation whereby a void triangular area is formed between said bases and the end of said shank member, the pair of correspondingly facing inclined surfaces of said pair of wedge-shaped members forming oppositely disposed backing faces for a blade for said paddle, a pair of panels of wood veneer extending entirely over each of said opposite backing faces, means rigidly securing the panels of each pair together and the inner panel of each pair to the adjacent inclined surfaces of said wedge-shaped members, said panels being coextensive with each other and the outermost panel of each pair being disposed with its grain arranged at right angles to the grain of the innermost panel of each pair, said panels having coextensive recesses therein for accommodating portions of the veneer strips of said shank member, and a pair of laterally projecting block portions disposed in said transverse plane and secured to opposite lateral surface portions of said shank member adjacent the end thereof remote from said inwardly tapering region to form with said shank member an enlarged heel portion extending in coplanar relation with said blade.

(References on following page)

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