Slideable Outrigger

1. Field of the Invention:

The invention relates to a rowboat with a fixed rowing seat (or seats), and an outrigger (or outriggers) which move in relation to it in the longitudinal direction of the boat, with a stretcher or stretchers coupled to move rigidly with it.

2. Description of the Prior art:

Rolling outriggers of the prior art (see V. Nolte, "Rudersport" 26/81, pp. 526-527, and "Rudersport" 30/81, pp. 639-642) are characterized by the fact that they are provided individually for each rowing position. This poses the problem for the oarsmen especially when he is a member of a crew, that it takes rather a long time to become accustomed to the proper sequence of movements and, especially, to the pace of the crew.

On outriggers of the prior art, two rollers are always guided in two rollers tracks extending along the walls of the boat. As a result of irregularities in rowing, particularly with unpracticed oarsmen, these rollers can easily tip in their tracks and are thereby unable to roll. On account of this tendency to tip, rolling outriggers of the prior art are not suitable for use in boats where each oarsman pulls one oar with both hands.

An additional disadvantage of rolling outriggers of the prior art consists in the fact that they must be adjusted to fit oarsmen of different sizes.

The object of the invention, therefore, is to design a rowboat of the type described above so that it can be used reliably and easily for rowing all types of rowboats, including multiple-hulled boats.

This object is achieved by means of the characteristics described in claim 1. As described herein, the linear longitudinal movement of the outrigger is guided precisely by a single guide, for example, a rail, by means of elements guided by ball bearings or friction bearings. Since the principle applied here relates to a linearly guided sled, in which the lateral play of the longitudinal guide mechanism is minimized, the invention largely eliminates the danger of tipping. By itself, this characteristic encourages the individual oarsman to perform with more uniform motion.

In another embodiment, two individual slideable outriggers, or even one or more groups of slideable outriggers, can be coupled with one another on a boat so that they move together. The connection apparatus which provides the coupling movement can be designed so that it released easily. On account of the coupling movement, the adjustment of the individual oarsman to the rhythm of the team becomes significantly easier. The connection apparatus can thereby be located either between outboard segments of the slideable outrigger and/or inside the hull of the boat. Both variants achieve the advantage that the oarsmen can easily adjust their couplings in relation to one another to suit changing circumstances.

Particularly on multi-hulled boats, but also on rowboats with two rows of rowing positions, it may be appropriate to couple the slideable outriggers of several rows with one another, or even of groups of positions in different rows with one another. The linear guidance is appropriately realized in the form of a shaft or rail running parallel to the longitudinal axis of the boat, and located inside or outside the hull of the boat. Suspension elements designed as rolling and/or sliding elements are thereby guided along the rail, and the outriggers are attached to or suspended from these suspension elements. Instead of with closed bearings, ball-type bearings or friction bearings, the linear guidance system can also be furnished with roller bearings. The latter are located in a cage surrounding the rail profile of the linear guidance system, so that they can adsorb all horizontal and vertical forces which are exerted via the outrigger on the cage and the rail guidance profile. Play in the guidance system and friction losses are thereby largely prevented.

For proper rowing operation, it is necessary that the outrigger movements always be executed in an essentially horizontal plane. According to another configuration, this is achieved with a simultaneous reduction of the load and simplification of the linear guidance system, as a result of the fact that the support rollers attached to the outrigger are held so that they can move back and forth in the guide rails which run horizontally. On the other hand, it is also possible that the function of the horizontal mounting of the sliding outrigger can also be combined with the linear guide system or the stretcher. The latter is appropriately equipped with rollers, whose movement is guided in corresponding rails.

For adjustment to the movement of the oarsman, in another embodiment, the stretcher is designed so that it can be folded and/or pivoted around an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the boat. Specifically, according to the invention, the feet of the oarsmen can be clamped, for example, by foot clamps, to pivoting plates which are the size of shoes, so that the oarsmen can take advantage of the pivoting motion around the balls of his feet, pulling in his knees and raising his heels, without placing particular loads on the feet, oars or outrigger. When the legs are fully extended, the heels once again make prompt contact with a solid support (heelrest), so that the oarsmen's knees do not sag during the stroke.

For the easier relaxation of the oarsman there can also be provided for use with the coupled slideable outrigger, a pre-stressed spring element, for example, an elastic band or a steel spiral spring. which will allow the outrigger to be pulled into the starting position To capture the outrigger at the end of the leg kick, and to make possible a smooth deceleration, the excursion of the elastic retaining band is overcome by the force of an additional, harder spring.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the oar seat and/or the stretcher can be moved and adjusted so that each oarsman can fully extend his legs. If, for example, the rowing seat is moved along the longitudinal axis of the boat by a determined distance from the normal position, then it is advantageous if, as suggested by the invention, the oarlock on the outrigger can be moved parallel by the same distance. For this purpose, in a refinement of the invention, there is a guide rail on the outrigger so that the oarlock can be moved in it by a maximum distance corresponding to the difference in the length of the legs of the tallest and the shortest oarsman. By means of tightening and locking levers in the vicinity of the oarlock, such an adjustment can easily be made from the rowing position.

To facilitate the attachment and transport, the outriggers, according to the invention, which stretcher and/or linear guidance mechanism, are designed so that they can be easily removed from the boat. In addition, the outrigger can be equipped with joints, for example, hinges, so that it can be folded up.

Specifically on a larger rowboat, such as an eight-oared rowing shell, and when there are extreme differences in height between oarsmen on a team, the invention makes it possible to couple the outriggers for the shorter oarsmen together, and separately, the outriggers for the taller oarsmen with one another. To individually adjust the ratios of inside to outside levers on the oars, there is an oarlock ring with several stages (multiple oarlock ring) on the oar, by means of which the lever ratio can be adjusted so that the shortest oarsmen cover approximately the same stroke over the water as the taller oarsmen, without need to use additional force.

On account of the preferably flat connection of the individual outriggers, all the lateral compression and tensile forces are directed toward one another, so that they largely offset one another. The loads on the bearings and, thus, the stresses on the flexural strength of the profile of the linear guidance system are thereby reduced, so that the outrigger guidance system can be made lighter and cheaper. The use of outriggers coupled to one another in multi-oared racing shells requires fewer ball and roller bearings, which would otherwise have to be installed at each rowing position to achieve a low-friction compensation for the forces interfering with the linear motion.

On a large racing shell, by connecting the individual outrigger surfaces into a single, rigid, overall outrigger surface, it would theoretically be possible to achieve the same minimum bearing requirements as for a single outrigger, which would result in multiple savings. In practice, however, a large outrigger surface of several square meters cannot be reinforced without producing additional disadvantages. Therefore, an additional support bearing installation is more reasonable.

Since the lightweight construction desired for racing shells is also accompanied by certain bowings and torsional weaknesses in the hull of the boat, the precise linear guidance of a single overall outrigger, for example, 6 meters long, cannot be achieved in a manner appropriate to the characteristics of the bearings, for example, for ball bearings, and the straight-line characteristics which would be required.

Since the overall longitudinal displacement of the total outrigger, however, is a maximum of only approximately 60 cm, when ball bearings are used, for example, with integrated compensation for alignment errors, it is not possible, without additional measures, to maintain the specified straightness tolerance between the bearings at the two opposite ends (in the example, approximately 6 m-60 cm). In the area between the two total outrigger end bearings, depending on the characteristics of the outrigger and the boat, either additional linear guidance mechanisms must be omitted, and instead only simple supporting rollers used, or additional intermediate linear bearings. If ball bearings are used on a shaft or aligning shaft pieces, these bearings must be correspondingly flexibly supported, for example, in rubber. The "floating" of the bearings must compensate for static stresses, and must make certain that the load on the bearing does not exceed the allowable values; however, it cannot lead to a condition where the overall outrigger begins to "float".

The claims and the following description indicate additional configurations and advantages of the invention with reference to the drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows an overhead view of a rowboat according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a cross section along Line II--II in FIG. 1 and

FIG. 3 shows a cross section along Line III--III in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the rowboat according to the invention, includes a movable sliding outrigger 1 with outboard lateral surfaces 2, and stretchers 3 always rigidly connected with the sliding outriggers 1. In addition, there is a rowing seat 4, the position of which can be adjusted, and which during rowing remains in a fixed position in relation to the hull 11a of the boat. The rear sliding outrigger, seen in the direction of travel F, is designed as a double outrigger with two lateral surfaces 2 on each side of the boat, which makes it possible to scull instead of rowing with both hands on one oar. In addition, the lateral surfaces 2 are provided with oarlocks 5 on their edges parallel to the direction of travel, which are held so that they can move in guide rails 6. In addition to the guide rails 6, to position the oarlocks 5 in the longitudinal direction of the boat, there is a tightening lever 7 and a corresponding locking lever 8. These two levers are appropriately designed so that the oarsmen can comfortably adjust them from the rowing seats 4. The stretchers 3 can be pivoted or folded around a rod 9 to facilitate movement during rowing.

The stretchers 3 also include another rod 10, which serves as a support for the oarsmen's heels.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, there is a linear guidance system 11 inside the hull 11a of the boat, which essentially consists of an inner, continuous shaft 12, which is surrounded at intervals by steel jackets or steel sleeves 12a, as well as, cage-like suspension elements 13, in which rollers 14, rolling on the steel sleeves 12a, are enclosed. Preferably, the inner shaft 12 is made of plastic, for example, glass-fiber reinforced plastic, and the sleeves or jackets are made of steel, metal, etc. Inner shafts designed in this manner as the core of the linear guidance system 11 provide an elastic compensation for static stresses between the outrigger 1 and the hull 11a of the boat, while the largely deformation-proof metal sleeves or jackets 12a guarantee a precise longitudinal guidance of the sliding outriggers 1. The rollers 14 are mounted in the suspension element 13 so that there is no play.

There are also other rollers 15 mounted on the sliding outriggers 1, and these rollers run in horizontal guide rails 16, which are always located in the peripheral area of the hull 11a of the boat extending in the longitudinal direction. The horizontal guide rails 16 are designed and oriented so that they prevent the rollers 15 from leaving the corresponding horizontal plane.

The coupling of the movements of two or more sliding outriggers 1 can be realized in the present example by means of a flat connection apparatus 17. It can be removed and replaced as required by means of attachment elements 26, indicated by dotted lines.

The suspension elements 13 are attached to the outrigger or outriggers 1 by means of an elastic mounting in a "floating" manner.

FIG. 2 shows a rigid rod 18 connected to move together with the outriggers 1 by means of spot welds 27, for example. An interlock 19, which interrupts the rod 18 at the level of each sliding outrigger, allows the individual sliding outriggers 1 to be uncoupled so that they move independently or together, as required. The rod 18, therefore, represents another possibility for the coupling of individual sliding outriggers 1, or all of them, with one another.

To encourage the relaxation of the oarsman while pulling in his legs into the starting position, the interposition of a soft spring 20 in the rigid rod 18 is appropriate: it encourages the movement of the oarsman into the starting position, thereby stabilizing his rowing rhythm, and can, therefore, encourage harmony during team rowing. When the legs of the oarsmen are sliding into the retracted position, the soft spring 20 is extended and stressed. To guarantee an impact-free braking for the sliding outrigger 1 shortly before the limit retracted position is reached, another hard spring 21 is connected in series with the soft spring 20, as shown in the embodiment, whereby only when the limit retracted position is reached, is it extended by a superimposed steel filament (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 3, the oar can be adjusted to the physical characteristics of the oarsman, because the length ratio of the inner lever 22 of the oar can be varied in relation to the outer lever 23 by means of multi-stage oarlock ring 24 which surrounds the oar grip. To facilitate transport and attachment, finally, there is a folding element 25 designed as a hinge with a bracket. The corresponding folding movement is indicated by the round arrow in FIG. 3.