Pedal operated watercraft
OwnerJack T. Gregoryinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The watercraft has a catamaran hull system with parallel rear pontoons pivoted for side to side oscillation from the trailing end of front pontoons. A rigid frame interconnects the front portions, and back support post is pivoted to both the frame and to linkage interconnecting the rear pontoons, so that the operator can lean to either side to pivot the back support post and turn the boat in the direction he is leaning. Bicycle pedals rotatably carried on the front of the operator support frame, drive a propeller to propel the boat, and the foot pedaling action may be augmented by lines secured to the pedals so the operator can pull each pedal manually on return.
Claims20
A watercraft comprising:
- a hull system;
- rudder means pivotally mounted on said hull system;
- an operator support frame mounted on said hull system;
- a seat carried on said support frame;
- a tiller linkage connected to operate said rudder means;
- means for propelling said watercraft;
- pedal means for driving said propelling means;
- and
- means for operating said tiller linkage without use of the hands or the arms, comprising:
- an upright back support post pivotally carried on said support frame just aft of said seat;
- said back support post being pivoted to said tiller linkage so that said tiller linkage is operated by the operator leaning from side to side.
A water craft comprising:
- a pair of parallel front pontoons;
- a pair of parallel rear pontoons;
- hinge means connecting said rear pontoons to said front pontoons for horizontal articulation thereon;
- an operator support frame including a rear cross bar interconnecting said front pontoons;
- a steering rod interconnecting said rear pontoons at a different elevation than said rear cross bar;
- an upright back support post pivoted to said rear cross bar and to said steering rod so that pivotal movement of said back support post in opposite lateral directions will reciprocate said steering rod;
- and
- means for propelling said pontoons through a body of water.
A watercraft comprising:
- a pair of parallel front pontoons;
- a pair of parallel rear pontoons;
- hinge means connecting said rear pontoons to said front pontoons for horizontal articulation thereon;
- an operator support frame including front and rear cross bars interconnecting said front pontoons;
- a steering rod interconnecting said rear pontoons;
- means for reciprocating said steering rod;
- a pair of fore and aft bars secured between said front and rear cross bars;
- a pilot seat mounted between said fore and aft bars near the rear thereof;
- a pair of pedals rotatably mounted on said frame forward of said pilot seat;
- rotary drive means on said frame driven by said pedals;
- a propeller shaft depending from, and driven by, said drive means;
- and
- a propeller on the lower end of said propeller shaft.
A watercraft comprising:
- a hull system including a pair of parallel front pontoons and
- a pair of parallel rear pontoons hingedly connected to said front pontoons to form rudder means;
- an operator support frame mounted on said hull system;
- a tiller linkage connected to operate said rudder means;
- means for propelling said watercraft;
- pedal means for driving said propelling means;
- and
- means for operating said tiller linkage without use of the hands or the arms.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.