Man and wind powered aquatic vehicle

An aquatic vehicle comprising a body having a front, a rear, a bottom and opposite sides and containing a pilot, said body including a frame composed of a multiplicity of frame members and coupling means for coupling the frame members together end to end so that some of the frame members form a pair of spaced-apart mirror-image frame side sections and others of the frame members constitute cross members which connect the side sections together at corresponding points around the perimeters of said side sections;

• a seat supported by said body adjacent to the bottom thereof;
• a pair of front sheaves rotatable mounted to opposite sides of the body near the front of the body;
• a pair of rear sheaves rotatable mounted to opposite sides of the body near the rear of the body;
• a first flotation track engaged around and extending between the front and rear sheaves on one side of the body;
• a second flotation track engaged around and extending between the front and rear sheaves on the other side of the body each said flotation track including an endless band engaged around a front sheave and a rear sheave, a multiplicity of buoyant flotation treads and connecting means for connecting the treads to the band at spaced apart locations therealong to form upper and lower series of flotation treads extending between the associated front and rear sheaves;
• drive means mounted to said body for producing an output torque, and
• coupling means for coupling said torque to at least one of the sheaves on each side of said body so as to advance said tracks in order to propel the vehicle.

An aquatic vehicle comprising

• a body having a front a rear, a bottom and opposite sides and for containing a pilot;
• a seat supported by said body adjacent to the bottom thereof;
• a pair of front sheaves rotatable mounted to opposite sides of the body near the front of the body;
• a pair of rear sheaves rotatable mounted to opposite sides of the body near the rear of the body, each sheave comprising a pair of circular rims each rim having a peripheral groove, a series of crossbars connected between said rims so that said rims are collinear, said crossbars being spaced an equal distance apart around said rims, a hub having opposite sides and being situated between said rims, and a multiplicity of spokes connecting the opposite sides of said hub to said rims so that said crossbars are maintained under compression and said spokes are maintained in tension to preserve the circularity of said rims;
• a first flotation track engaged around and extending between the front and rear sheaves on one side of the body;
• a second flotation track engaged around and extending between the front and rear sheaves on the other side of the body, each said flotation track including an endless band engaged around a front sheave and a rear sheave, a multiplicity of buoyant flotation treads and connecting means for connecting the treads to the band at spaced apart locations therealong to form upper and lower series of flotation treads extending between the associated front and rear sheaves;
• drive means mounted to said body for producing an output torque;
• and
• coupling means for coupling said torque to at least one of the sheaves on each side of said body so as to advance said tracks in order to propel the vehicle.

An aquatic vehicle comprising

• a tubular frame having a front, rear, a bottom and opposite sides and defining an enclosure;
• seat means mounted to the frame within the enclosure for supporting a pilot;
• an endless flotation track mounted to each side of the frame, each flotation track being movable along a circulation path;
• drive means supported by said frame for moving each flotation track along the corresponding circulation path;
• an elongated mast having an upper end, a lower end and a longitudinal axis extending between said ends;
• a sail attached to said mast;
• means for movably mounting the mast to the frame so that the mast has a cone-shape locus of motion around an erect position wherein the mast extends up more or less perpendicular to the bottom of the frame, and
• fixing means for selectively fixing the position of the mast within said locus of motion.

A flotation track for an aquatic vehicle comprising

• a pair of sheaves,
• means for rotatably mounting said sheaves in spaced-apart relation, each sheave including a pair of circular rims, each rim having a peripheral groove, a series of crossbars connected between said rims so that said rims are collinear, said crossbars being spaced an equal distance apart around said rims, a hub having opposite sides and being situated between said rims, and a multiplicity of spokes connecting the opposite sides of said hub to said rims so that said crossbars are maintained in compression and said spokes are maintained in tension to preserve the circularity of said rims,
• a first endless non-extensible cable engaged in the grooves of corresponding first rims of said pair of sheaves,
• a second endless non-extensible cable engaged in the grooves of corresponding second rims of said pair of sheaves,
• a multiplicity of buoyant flotation treads, and
• means for connecting said treads to said first and second cables at corresponding spaced-apart locations along said first and second cables so as to form an endless series of spaced-apart flotation treads which advance around said pair of sheaves when said pair of sheaves is rotated.

An aquatic vehicle comprising

• a body having a front, a rear, a bottom and opposite sides and for containing a pilot;
• a pair of front sheaves rotatably mounted to opposite sides of the body near the front of the body;
• a pair of rear sheaves rotatably mounted to opposite sides of the body near the rear of the body;
• a first flotation track engaged around and extending between the front and rear sheaves on one side of the body;
• a second flotation track engaged around and extending between the front and rear sheaves on the other side of the body, each said flotation track including an endless band engaged around a front and rear sheave, a multiplicity of buoyant flotation treads and connecting means for connecting the treads to the band at spaced apart locations therealong to form upper and lower series of flotation treads extending between the associated front and rear sheaves;
• drive means mounted to said body for producing an output torque;
• coupling means for coupling said torque to at least one of the sheaves on each side of said body so as to advance said tracks in order to propel the vehicle;
• a mast;
• mounting means for movably mounting the mast to the body so that the mast has a cone-shaped locus of motion around an erect position wherein the mast extends up more or less perpendicular to the bottom of the body, and
• means for selectively fixing the position of the mast within the locus of motion.

An aquatic vehicle comprising

• a body having a front, a rear, a bottom and opposite sides and for containing a pilot, said body including a frame composed of a multiplicity of frame members and coupling means for coupling the frame members together end to end so that some of the frame members form a pair of spaced-apart mirror-image frame side sections and others of the frame members constitute cross members which connect the side sections together at corresponding points around the perimeters of the side sections and a flexible skin covering the frame side sections and cross members to minimize aerodynamic drag on the vehicle and to protectively enclose the pilot thereof;
• a pair of front sheaves rotatably mounted to opposite sides of the body near the front of the body;
• a pair of rear sheaves rotatably mounted to opposite sides of the body near the rear of the body;
• a first flotation track engaged around and extending between the front and rear sheaves on one side of the body;
• a second flotation track engaged around and extending around between the front and rear sheaves on the other side of the body, each said flotation track including an endless band engaged around a front and rear sheave, a multiplicity of buoyant flotation treads and connecting means for connecting the treads to the band at spaced apart locations therealong to form upper and lower series of flotation treads extending between the associated front and rear sheaves;
• drive means mounted to said body for producing an output torque, and
• coupling means for coupling said torque to at least one of the sheaves on each side of said body so as to advance said tracks in order to propel the vehicle.

An aquatic vehicle comprising

• a body having a front, a rear, a bottom and opposite sides and for containing a pilot;
• a pair of front sheaves rotatably mounted to opposite sides of the body near the front of the body;
• a pair of rear sheaves rotatably mounted to opposite sides of the body near the rear of the body, each sheave including a pair of similar circular rims each rim having a peripheral groove, a series of crossbars connected between said rims so that said rims are collinear, said crossbars being spaced an equal distance apart around said rims, a hub having opposite sides and a multiplicity of spokes connecting the opposite sides of said hub to said rims so that said spokes are maintained in tension to preserve the circularity of said rims;
• a first flotation track engaged around and extending between the front and rear sheaves on one side of the body;
• a second flotation track engaged around and extending between the front and rear sheaves on the other side of the body, each flotation track including an endless band engaged around a front and rear sheave and being composed of a pair of laterally spaced apart endless cables engaged in the grooves of the pair of rims comprising each sheave about which that band is engaged, a multiplicity of buoyant flotation treads and connecting means for connecting the treads to the band at spaced apart locations therealong to form upper and lower series of flotation treads extending between the associated front and rear sheaves, each flotation tread comprising a flotation body connected by a said connecting means to the pair of cables comprising the endless band associated with that tread, and a driving rib which projects from said body and is shaped and arranged to engage in the spaces between the crossbars of the sheaves engaged by the endless band associated with that tread when the corresponding flotation track is advanced;
• drive means mounted to said body for producing an output torque, and
• coupling means for coupling said torque to at least one of the sheaves on each side of said body so as to advance said tracks in order to propel the vehicle.

An aquatic vehicle comprising

• a body having a front, a rear, a bottom and opposite sides and for containing a pilot, said body including a seat adjacent to the bottom of said body;
• a pair of front sheaves rotatably mounted to opposite sides of the body near the front of the body;
• a pair of rear sheaves rotatably mounted to opposite sides of the body near the rear of the body;
• a first flotation track engaged around and extending between the front and rear sheaves on one side of the body;
• a second flotation track engaged around and extending between the front and rear sheaves on the other side of the body, each said flotation track including an endless band engaged around a front and rear sheave, a multiplicity of buoyant flotation treads and connecting means for connecting the treads to the band at spaced apart locations therealong to form upper and lower series of flotation treads extending between the associated front and rear sheaves;
• drive means mounted to said body for producing an output torque, said drive means including a pedal crank and crank mounting means for mounting the pedal crank to said body in front of said seat, and
• coupling means including a chain drive for coupling said output torque from said pedal crank to at least one of the sheaves on each side of said body so as to advance said tracks in order to propel the vehicle.

A flotation track for an aquatic vehicle comprising

• a pair of sheaves;
• means for rotatably mounting said sheaves in spaced-apart relation, each sheave including a pair of circular rims, each rim having a peripheral groove, a series of similar crossbars connected between said rims so that said rims are collinear, said crossbars being spaced in equal distance apart around said rims, a hub having opposite sides, and a multiplicity of spokes connecting the opposite sides of said hub to said rims so that said spokes are maintained in tension to preserve the circularity of said rims;
• a first endless non-extensible cable engaged in the grooves of corresponding first rims of the front and rear sheaves;
• a second endless non-extensible cable engaged in the grooves in corresponding second rims of the front and rear sheaves;
• a multiplicity of buoyant flotation treads, each flotation tread comprising a flotation body and a longitudinal driving rib which projects from said body between said pair of cables and is shaped and arranged to engage in the spaces between the crossbars of said sheaves, and
• means for connecting said treads to said first and second cables at corresponding spaced-apart locations along said first and second cables so as to form an endless series of spaced-apart flotation treads which advance around said pair of sheaves when said sheaves are rotated.

An aquatic vehicle comprising

• a body having a front, a rear, a bottom and opposite sides and for containing a pilot;
• a seat supported by said body adjacent to the bottom thereof;
• a pair of front sheaves rotatably mounted to opposite sides of the body near the front of the body;
• a pair of rear sheaves rotatably mounted to opposite sides of the body near the rear of the body,
• a first flotation track engaged around and extending between the front and rear sheaves on one side of the body;
• a second flotation track engaged around and extending between the front and rear sheaves on the other side of the body each said flotation track including an endless band engaged around a front sheave and a rear sheave, a multiplicity of buoyant flotation treads and connecting means for connecting the treads to the band at spaced apart locations therealong to form upper and lower series of flotation treads extending between the associated front and rear sheaves, said connecting means including a bridle engaged around each tread and means for securing each bridle to the associated band;
• drive means mounted to said body for producing an output torque, and
• coupling means for coupling said torque to at least one of the sheaves on each side of said body so as to advance said tracks in order to propel the vehicle.

An aquatic vehicle comprising

• a flotation body having opposite sides;
• seating means in the body for supporting a pilot;
• an elongated mast having an upper end, a lower end and a longitudinal axis extending between said ends;
• mounting means for movably mounting the mast to the body so that the mast has a cone-shape locus of motion around an erect position wherein the mast extends up more or less perpendicular to the body, said mounting means including a socket fixed to said body and a ball mounted to said mast above the lower end thereof, said ball being swivally received in said socket, and
• fixing means attached to the mast below said ball for selectively fixing the position of the mast within said locus of motion.

An aquatic vehicle comprising

• a flotation body having opposite sides;
• seating means in the body for supporting a pilot;
• an elongated mast having an upper end, a lower end and a longitudinal axis extending between said ends;
• mounting means for movably mounting the mast to the body so that the mast has a cone-shaped locus of motion around an erect position wherein the mast extends more or less perpendicular to the body;
• fixing means for selectively fixing the position of the mast within said locus of motion;
• a halyard extending within the mast;
• a releasable halyard clutch mounted inside the mast at the top thereof and engaging said halyard, and
• releasing means connected to the halyard clutch for releasing the clutching action of the halyard clutch so that the halyard can be moved along within the mast.

An aquatic vehicle comprising

• a flotation body;
• seating means in the body for supporting a pilot;
• an elongated mast having an upper end and a lower end;
• mounting means including a gimbal for mounting the mast to the body so that the mast can be swung between an erect position wherein the mast extends up more or less perpendicular to the body and a stowed position wherein the mast is more or less parallel to the body, and
• fixing means for fixing the mast in said erect position.

A flotation sheave for an aquatic vehicle comprising

• a pair of circular rims, each rim having a peripheral groove;
• a series of cross bars connected between said rims so that said rims are collinear, said crossbars being spaced an equal distance apart around said rims;
• a hub having opposite sides and being situated between said rims, and
• a multiplicity of spokes connecting the opposite sides of said hub to said rims so that said crossbars are maintained in compression and said spokes are maintained in tension to preserve the circularity of said sheave.

An aquatic vehicle comprising

• a body having a front, a rear, a bottom and opposite sides and for supporting a load;
• a pair of moveable flotation tracks mounted to opposite sides of the body, each flotation track including
• a pair of sheaves, each sheave including a pair of circular rims, a series of crossbars connected between said rims so that said rims are collinear, a hub having opposite sides and being situated between said rims, and
• a multiplicity of spokes connecting the opposite sides of said hub to said rims so that said crossbars are maintained under compression and said spokes are maintained to tension to preserve the circularity of said rims,
• an endless band engaged around said sheaves, and
• a multiplicity of buoyant flotation treads secured to said band at spaced apart locations therealong to form upper and lower series of flotation treads, the lower series of flotation treads of each track extending below the body and having a buoyancy such that they float the vehicle so that the body and the load are supported above the water with the vehicle's center of gravity being close to the bottom of the vehicle, and
• drive means in said body for selectively moving either or both of said tracks.