US 11,472,526 B1Granted

Oar apparatus having a pivoting oar blade

OwnerWilliam E. Holleyinventor

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Abstract

An oar apparatus configured to remain submerged under water during the power stroke and the return stroke. The oar apparatus has a sheath and a shaft rotationally disposed within the sheath. An oar blade is affixed to the shaft, such that the oar blade is rotational relative to the sheath. The oar blade has a deployed orientation, in which the oar blade is substantially perpendicular to the movement direction of the vessel, and a feathered configuration, in which the oar blade is substantially parallel to the movement direction of the vessel. The oar blade is asymmetrical relative to the center axis of the shaft, such that resistance of the water exerted onto the oar blade creates a first moment urging the oar blade into the deployed orientation during the power stroke and a second moment urging the oar blade into the feathered orientation on the return stroke.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An oarlock configured to operationally couple a self-feathering oar apparatus for manual propulsion of a vessel to the vessel, comprising:

an eyebolt attached to the vessel, the eyebolt having an aperture;
a coupling device passing through the aperture of the eyebolt and at least partially encircling a tubular sheath of the self-feathering oar apparatus thereby coupling the tubular sheath to the eyebolt, wherein the coupling device enables the tubular sheath to pivot in a vertical plane and to translate longitudinally along a center axis thereof relative to the eyebolt;
wherein the self-feathering oar apparatus comprises a shaft rotationally disposed within a lumen of the tubular sheath, the shaft configured to rotate about a center axis thereof within the lumen of the sheath, and wherein an oar blade is affixed to a second end of the shaft;
and
wherein the oarlock creates a pivot point for the tubular sheath of the self-feathering oar apparatus such that the tubular sheath is configured to pivot in the vertical plane responsive to a manual force being applied onto a handle of the self-feathering oar apparatus, whereby the oar blade is configured to transition between a deployed configuration on a power stroke and a feathered configuration on a return stroke, wherein the oar blade is configured to remain submerged under water during the power stroke and the return stroke.

2 more elements

A method of using an oarlock and self-feathering oar apparatus for manual propulsion of a vessel, comprising:

providing an oarlock transversally affixed to an exterior surface of a hull of the vessel;
coupling a sheath of the oarlock to the oarlock using a coupling device, wherein the coupling device enables the tubular sheath to pivot in a vertical plane and to translate longitudinally along a center axis thereof relative to the eyebolt, wherein the sheath has a handle end configured to be grasped by a user and a lumen rotationally receiving a shaft;
applying a first force onto the handle of sheath in a first direction substantially opposite to a direction of travel of the vessel, the first force causing the sheath to pivot in a vertical plane about a pivot point created by the oarlock, wherein water resistance exerted onto an oar blade coupled to the shaft causes the shaft to axially rotate in a first axial direction within the lumen of the sheath, thereby transitioning the oar blade into a deployed orientation;
and
applying a second force onto the handle of sheath in a second direction substantially aligned with a direction of travel of the vessel, the second force causing the sheath to pivot in the vertical plane about the pivot point created by the oarlock, wherein water resistance exerted onto the oar blade causes the shaft to axially rotate in the second axial direction, opposite the first axial direction, within the lumen of the sheath, thereby transitioning the oar blade into a feathered orientation.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.