Watercycle for wet rider

Abstract

A watercycle having substantially do-nut shape float mounted onto a frame or chassis member, and a rider's seat adjustable vertically and horizontally. Adjusting the seat to its highest level will cause a seated rider to submerge up to the hip, and adjusting it to its lowest level will cause said rider to submerge up to the chest. The seat is likewise adjustable forward and backward for convenient foot-reach to the pedals.

What I claim is:  
     
         1 . A watercycle of the type described wherein portion of the body of a rider, below the head, is underwater comprising: 
 (a) a chassis member including a pair of substantially parallel runners for resting said watercycle on a solid surface and having on the front ends thereof upwardly bent portion and being connected together by a transverse member, and a pair of elevated, substantially parallel portions with front ends bent downwardly and connecting said runners immediately behind said upwardly bent portions, and the rear ends of said elevated portions bent downwardly and connecting the rear ends of said runners;    (b) A generally do-nut shape highly buoyant float member suitably mounted onto said elevated portions of said chassis member;    (c) Plurality of arches connected transversely apart along the intermediate portion of said pair of runners;    (d) twin beam disposed longitudinally horizontally between said pair of runners and pair of elevated portions, said twin beam for supporting a rider's seat, steering column and rudder pintle thereof;    (e) steering means including first and second pulleys fixedly attached respectively to the lower portions of said steering column and said rudder pintle, and further including a third pulley disposed rotatably underneath said twin beam between said first and second pulleys;    (f) means to translate rotation from handlebar to rudder, said means including hitching an actuating cord having its front portion between the first and third pulleys hitched in parallel pattern, and the rear portion of said cord between the second and third pulleys hitched in figure “8” pattern, whereby, when the handlebar is rotated in one direction, the rudder will rotate in the opposite direction and thus provide the desired heading for the watercraft;    (g) propulsion means including plurality of propellers, and a pedal unit having shafts on either sides, extended outwardly and rotatably supported intermediate said downwardly bent front ends of said pair of elevated portion of the chassis member;    
     
     
         2 . The watercycle of  claim 1  wherein the propellers are each connected directly to said outwardly extended shafts of said pedal unit.  
     
     
         3 . The watercycle of  claim 2  including an L-shape channel having first and second ports defining a water stream passage therewithin, said L-shape channel being positioned such that said propeller is within the periphery of said first port and the second port directed towards the rear of the watercycle whereby, when the pedal unit is manipulated for forward movement, water enters the first port and exits on the second port and thus the water stream produced effectuates a forward movement of the watercycle.  
     
     
         4 . The watercycle of  claim 1  further including propeller means having rigid shaft mounted suitably rotatably about the sides rear portion of the watercycle at an elevation intermediate said runners and said elevated members, said propeller means include: 
 (a) integral coupling jaws at the outboard end of said extended shaft of said pedal unit;  
 (b) flexible shaft means having an adapter connected on its front end, said adapter having jaws comparable to and adapted to mate with said jaws at the end of said extended shaft, and the rear end of the flexible shaft being connected to an insert block portion of a torque limiting clutch, said torque limiting clutch adapted to slip when torque beyond the capability of said flexible shaft is applied.  
 
     
     
         5 . The watercycle of claims  1  and  4  wherein said flexible shaft is encased with steel tubing.  
     
     
         6 . The watercycle of claims  1  and  5  wherein the propellers are enclosed with wire mesh, for protection of said propellers and safety of personnel.  
     
     
         7 . The watercycle of claims  3  and  6  wherein the rider's seat is adjustable vertically for desired submergence of a rider, and horizontally for convenient foot-reach to the pedals.  
     
     
         8 . The watercycle of  claim 7  wherein the float includes a first concave portion underneath the front end and a second concave portion underneath the rear end.  
     
     
         9 . The watercycle of  claim 8  wherein the float includes integral buoyant compensators underneath outboard said front and rear concaves.