rexresearch.comFOR ten years, Arthur D. Hill, Jr., a California commercial
fisherman,
has been observing and studying how the vibrating tails of fish enable
them to dart through the water at great speeds. He also noted that
birds,
with their flapping wings, were still more efficient in flight than the
most modern of airplanes with fixed wings. Puzzling out the principles
involved, Hill determined to combine the methods of bird and fish, and
he has finally developed an odd fishtail drive for Propelling model
airplanes,
and boats ranging from toy craft up to vessels thirty-five feet in
length.
On tiny boats having a single rudder, Hill’s fishtail mechanism is
vibrated
back and forth by means of an ordinary door-bell buzzer, powered by two
dry-cell batteries. By reversing the rudder, the flutterings cause the
craft to move backward. Dry-cell batteries also power the vibrating
wings
of Hill’s model airplane, shown in the photograph above. When suspended
from the ceiling on a string, the little ship whirls around a circular
course, its wings whirring so rapidly that they become invisible. For
rowboat
and canoe use, the inventor connects his fishtail propellers to
handles,
which the operator pumps up and down. This is said to drive the boat
forward
three feet for every foot the power device moves. On small toy boats
and
planes, such as shown in the accompanying illustrations, the fishtail
drives
are made of wood and silk, while for the larger craft airplane linen
covered
with creosote is used.
Publication date: 1939-09-19
Inventor(s): HILL JR ARTHUR DEMPSEY
Applicant(s): ROLAND C HILL
Classification: - international: A63H23/04;
A63H23/00 - European: A63H23/04
This invention relates to improvements in propelling mechanism
and has particular reference to a propelling mechanism for a toy boat.
The principal object of this mechanism is to provide means for
propelling a toy boat through the water with a minimum amount of power
with a simple mechanism, and at the same time having the boat present
the appeaance common to boats.
Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of
the following description.
In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and
in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout
the same,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation
of my boat;
Fig. 2 is a top plan view
thereof;
Fig. 3 is a modified form of
my boat;
Fig. 4 is a side elevation
of the propeller per se;
Fig. 5, 6, and 7 are similar
views showing modified forms; and
Fig. 8 is a cross sectional
view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5.
The ordinary toy boat is propelled by a clock work propeller which
is very inefficient and requires a large spring, whic is hard to wind,
if the boat is to run for any length of time.
I have, therefore, devised a simple mechanism whereby a small
battery will operate an ordinary electromagnet buzzer mechanism for a
considerable period of time, the clapper of which buzzer is extended so
as to vibrate a propeller within the water.
In the accompanying drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration
is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5
designates the hull of the boat having cabin spaces, as shown at
A and B. Within the cabin spaces I prefer to mount my mechanism
which consists of a battery 6 and an electromagnet vibrator 7. This
vibrator is connected to the battery in the customary manner, and a
switch is shown at 8. The armature or clapper 9 is extended
outside of the cabin B and bent downwardly to form a curved section 11
beneath the water line. A member 12 seves to hold the upper end of a
flexible flap 13.
In the modified form shown in Fig. 3, I have shown the smae
construction, with the exception that I provide two clappers so that I
have two propellers 15.
The result of this construction is that when the clapper vibrates
back and forth, as indicate by arrows, the flexible portion 13
will belly first to one side and then to the other, as illustrated in
Fig. 8, thus producing a vibrating or propulsive force. The pendulum
spring action of the clapper makes possible the use of a comparatively
small amount of power and saves energy.
[ N.B. -- Or : The
Milkovic Two-Stage Oscillator... Ed.
]
The construction of the propellers is shown in Figs, 5, 6, and 7 is substantially the same in that they consist of a supporting rod and flexible members secured thereto. The rods will have a subtantially sharp leading edge and the flexible members will have a thin tapering following edge.
The modified forms shown in Figs 6 and 7 provide means for
increasing or decreasing the amount of sag in the flexible member 13 so
that the pendulum action may be governed at will. The amount of
sagginess of the flexible member 13 is regulates by adjusting the
length of the turnbuckle arm positioned above thesupport member pivoted
to the clapper arm 9, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. In Fig. 7 extra
pivoted support arms are provided to be used with larger propellers so
as tom provide a more sensitive action without undue strain upon the
dlexible portion of said proellers.
It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown
and described is tobe taken as a preferred example of the same and that
various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement
of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the
invention or the scope of the subjoined claims. for isntance, my
invnetion can be used wioth large boats as well as small and can be
adapted for use with airplanes and gliders, using a subtantially
similar type of propeller, although obviosuly designed to meet
aerodynamic requirements...
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