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US 5,374,206 AGranted
Pedal operated watercraft
OwnerJack T. Gregoryinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The improved watercraft of the instant invention includes design advantages such as solidly connected arm drive handles to augment power from the drive pedals; a fully pivoting drive assembly which pivots along with the steering mechanism; an angularly pivotable propeller, pivotable toward the outside pontoon during a turn to assist in turning; a compact structure for transmitting mechanical power from the pedals and the arm drive handles to the propeller; and other design aspects.
Claims16
An improved watercraft comprising:
- a hull system further comprising:
- a first and second pontoon each having a forward section and a rearward section pivotable with respect to said forward section about a generally vertical axis;
- a frame attached between the forward section of said first pontoon and the forward section of said second pontoon;
- means, connected to and extending below said hull system, for propelling said watercraft;
- means for pivoting said rearward sections of said pontoons with respect to said forward sections of said pontoons;
- and
- means for pivoting said means for propelling about a horizontal axis parallel to said first and second pontoons while said watercraft is being propelled by said means for propelling.
4 more elements
An improved watercraft comprising:
- a hull system further comprising:
- at least a first and second pontoon each having an elongate axis, the axes of said first and second pontoons generally parallel to each other;
- a frame attached between said first pontoon and said second pontoon;
- means, connected to and extending below said hull system, for propelling said watercraft;
- means for pivoting said means for propelling about a horizontal axis parallel to the axes of said first and second pontoons while said watercraft is being propelled by said means for propelling;
- wherein said means for propelling further comprises:
- a drive assembly housing, axially pivotally supported by said frame;
- a main shaft, having a first end and a second end, and rotatably supported by said drive assembly housing at the upper end of said drive assembly housing;
- a main drive sprocket fixably supported by and rotatable with said main shaft;
- crank means, connected to said first and second ends of said main shaft, facilitating the turning of said main shaft;
- a pair of pedals, connected to said crank means;
- a propeller shaft having a first end and a second end;
- a propeller attached to said first end of said propeller shaft;
- a bearing assembly, supported by said drive assembly housing near the lower end of said drive assembly housing, rotatably supporting said propeller shaft;
- a propeller shaft sprocket attached to said second end of said propeller shaft;
- and,
- a chain surrounding said propeller shaft sprocket and said main drive sprocket, for transmitting mechanical energy between said propeller shaft sprocket and said main drive sprocket.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.