US3376589A - Oar guard - Google Patents

Description

April 1968 c. P. CHALCROFT 3,376,589

OAR GUARD Filed Sept. 20, 1966 FIG, Q.

IN V EN TOR. 09464 55 P. (vs 44650 7;

United States Patent Ofiice 3,376,580 Patented Apr. 9, 1968 3,376,589 OAR GUARD Charles P. Chalcroft, 815 25th Ave. W., Eugene, Oreg. 97405 Filed Sept. 20, 1966, Ser. No. 580,750 2 Claims. (Cl. 926) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An oar guard for use in conjunction with an oar and an oarlock, the guard having a flexible body portion with its mid-portion engaged with the oarlock and its extremities engaging the oar on opposite sides of the oar lock to exert a balanced force thereon in the direction of the oarlock.

This invention pertains to means for securing a cylindrical element to an annular element, or the like, and more particularly to an improved means for the operative association of an oar or similar boat propulsion means and an oar lock.

Among the important objects and advantages of this invention are the provision of a novel component in the nature of an oar guard, functioning to maintain a selected connection between an oar and an oarlock, one which prevents the oar from unintentionally falling from the oarlock, reduces noise in rowing, and prevents twisting of the oar during rowing.

It has been previously proposed to effect a noise reduction in rowing by the expedient of connecting an oar to an oarlock with a sleeve of sound-deadening material positioned about the oar. This constituted an improvement over the simple oar-oarlock connection theretofore in use, but was difiicult to install and replace, and made removal of the oar quite diflicult. The present invention provides a means for a secure connection between an oar and oarlock which is unlikely to be inadvertently disconnected, but is susceptible of replacement or removal without difficulty.

Another objective of importance concerns the provision of an elongated device connected to an oarlock intermediate its ends and connected to an oar at its ends on opposite sides of the oarlock, the device being of resilient form, whereby the ends evert inward force on the oar on opposite sides of the oarlock to maintain it in place,

but permit deflection for maximum convenience and.

efliciency in rowing.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following specification, when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspectiev view showing an oar guard of this invention in a typical environment of use;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged top plan View of an oarlock and oar constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the oar guard disassociated from the oarlock and oar; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in more detail and initially to FIGURE 3, a preferred form of the oar guard hereof is therein shown in top plan as it appears prior to installation on an oar and oarlock. The guard 10 is formed of a resilient or semi-flexible material of suitable durability to withstand vigorous use as encountered in rowing, examples being rubber, belting, plastic, spring metal, and the like. The guard 10 comprises a main body portion 12 having ends 14, 16, sides 18, 20 and upper and lower faces 22 and 24, respectively. The ends 14 and 16 delineate the extremities of end portions 14, 16, and for purposes of description, the device may be said to include a central portion 25 intermediate said end portions.

At a location substantially central of the ends 14 and 16 and within said central portion 25, an oarlock shaft opening 26 is formed in the body portion and extends therethrough from face to face. A pair of enlarged oar openings 28 and 30 are formed in the end portions of the body portion at substantially equidistantly spaced positions on either side of the opening 26. Each of the openings 26, 28 and 30 have substantially aligned centers, and as appears in more detail below, the oar openings are adapted for disposition in such manner that their centers are substantially perpendicular to the center of the opening 26.

The guard 10 is used in combination with an oar lock 32 comprising a shaft 34 having a depth controlling boss 36 intermediate its ends, and having a yoke 38 (annular or otherwise shaped to engage an oar) at its upper end. In normal use of the oarlock in the absence of the invention device, the oar 40 is extended through the yoke 38 and is loosely held therein, being allowed to slide freely.

The present invention contemplates the extension of the shaft 34 of the oarlock 32 through the opening 26, and the extension of the oar 40 through the openings 28 and 30 and through the yoke 38. The oarlock shaft 34 is then positioned in the opening provided therefor in the side of the boat, thereby clamping the guard between the oarlock and the boat. In such position, as shown in FIGURE 4, the oar is substantially isolated from probable contact with the side of the boat during rowing, and is protected from falling from the oarlock by virtue of its frictional contact with the guard 10. The end portions of the guard exert a constant downward force on the oar on opposite sides of the yoke, thus maintaining the oar in a constant, balanced location and status.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that the invention combines a guard with an oarlock and oar in such manner as to reduce noise and to secure the oar in desired position without interference with its normal rowing function. It is further possible to select the relative inward extension of the oar and to control its position during non-use by the position of such extension.

Having described and illustrated an embodiment of this invention in some detail, it will be understood that this description and illustration have been oifered only by way of example, and that the invention is to be limited in scope only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination, with an oarlock and oar for a boat having a side with an oarlock opening therein, the oarlock including a shaft and a yoke with the oar extended through the yoke, and the shaft being mounted in the oarlock opening for pivotal movement and for vertical sliding movement, of an oar guard comprising:

a body portion formed of resilient material;

the body portion having end portions and a central portion;

the central portion having an opening therein, the oarlock shaft extending through said opening whereby the body portion is disposed between the side of the boat and the yoke; and

the end portions of the oar guard body portion engaging the oar on opposite sides of the yoke to resiliently support the oar in a selected position with References Cited respect the Yoke- UNITED STATES PATENTS 2. The combination of claim 1, wherein: 2 446 282 8/1948 H t 484 th b d to d to are u wardl curved; r

y en pm 1 p y 5 2,520,558 8/1950 Norman 9-26 each of said end portions has an opening formed 2'602172 7/1952 Messman therein, the oar being extended through said last- 21861822 1/1959 Downs 2,987,736 6/1961 Wolff 9-26 named openings and yoke whereby the end portions engage the oar and maintain it normally in a preset position, permitting deflection therefrom in a 10 FERGUS MIDDLETON Prlmary Exammer rowing operation. I. PITTENGER, Assistant Examiner.

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