Aquatic vehicle

Details Aquatic vehicle Aquatic vehicle

1999-08-16

2000-10-24

Morano, S. Joseph

Buoys, rafts, and aquatic devices

Buoy

Inflatable

114347, 114363, B63H 1620, B63B 3500, B63B 1700

Patent

active

061358355

ABSTRACT:
The invention is directed to a peddle powered aquatic vehicle with a propeller driven by pedal cranks, a flywheel, and water-cooled belt drive transmission, the vehicle hull including T-bar steering handles, a saddle seat and lateral outriggers to enable a passenger to ride the vehicle like a bicycle on water. The aquatic vehicle has a buoyant hull with a central longitudinal body with the saddle seat allowing a passenger to be supported in a startling position. To provide lateral stability two elongate outriggers are disposed laterally from the central hull body with outrigger arms connecting the body to the outriggers. A manual steering mechanism is attached to the hull for steering by the passenger; preferably in the form of a T-bar journaled to the hull connected with cords to a rear mounted rudder. Pedal powered drive means are mounted in the hull for driving a stern mounted propeller. A pair of pedal cranks are journaled for rotation about the transverse axis. A longitudinal drive shaft with a propeller mounted on the rear end is connected to transmission means mounted on the forward end of the shaft for rotating the shaft in response to rotation of the pedal cranks. Within the hull of the vehicle is a hollow sump chamber within which the drive means are housed. Preferably, the transmission includes a fly wheel and drive belt providing gear reduction to a final drive mounted to the longitudinal shaft. The drive belt is twisted 90.degree. between the flywheel and the final drive disc in order to provide very inexpensive gear reduction and transfer of direction from rotation about transverse axis to rotation about the longitudinal shaft axis. The sump is partially flooded with water from a water inlet and the drive mechanism is water cooled as water from the sump is splashed over moving parts. The propeller includes pivotally mounted blades which fold rearwardly to avoid damage when encountering obstacles or when the vehicle is dragged on the beach. Also, the folding of the propeller blades permits gliding of the vehicle on the water surfaces with reduced water resistance.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4676755 (1987-06-01), Yagan
patent: 4795381 (1989-01-01), Willems
patent: 4891024 (1990-01-01), Benjamin
patent: 4943251 (1990-07-01), Lerach et al.
patent: 5217398 (1993-06-01), Meron et al.
patent: 5308268 (1994-05-01), Schmid

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