FOR 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.
Hill's fishtail-drive model plane, powered by two flashlight dry cells.
USP # 2,173,415
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 appearance 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, which 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 serves to hold the upper
end of a flexible flap 13.
In the modified form
shown in Fig. 3, I have shown the same 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 substantially 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 regulated by adjusting
the length of the turnbuckle arm positioned above the support
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 to provide a more sensitive
action without undue strain upon the flexible portion of said
propellers.
It is to be
understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and
described is to be 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 instance, my invention can be used with large
boats as well as small and can be adapted for use with
airplanes and gliders, using a substantially similar type of
propeller, although obviously designed to meet aerodynamic
requirements...