Rowing bilge pump

Abstract

A pump that is composed of a bladder ( 1 )( 7 )( 8 ) for pumping fluid by alternately compressing and expanding the bladder. The bladder has at least one input connector ( 2 a ) with a one-way valve ( 3 a ) therein and at least one output connector ( 2 b ) with a one-way valve ( 3 b ) therein, in order to provide one-way flow of fluid through the bladder. The pump (illustrated by “B front view”) is positioned to be acted upon by the driving force of a human foot or foot with shoe pushing down on the bladder ( 5 )( 5 a ) to compress the bladder. Working in conjunction with the bladder, but not necessarily part of the fluid pump, is a fixed surface ( 6 ) to hold the bladder and repel the driving force. The bladder expands by resuming its normal shape after the driving force has been removed. This expansion causes the bladder to re-fill with liquid that is in turn expelled by another cycle of manual force. The device is primarily intended for removing water (bilge) from a recreational rowing boat while leaving the hands free for other tasks.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A pump for pumping a fluid by action of a moving liquid which imposes a repetitive driving force on the pump, the pump comprising: 
 one bladder (connected to a fixed surface);    at least one fluid input connector operably connected to the bladder and having a one-way valve therein to admit fluid into the bladder upon expansion of the bladder; and    at least one fluid output connector operably connected to the bladder and having a one-way valve therein to pass fluid out of the bladder upon compression of the bladder;    the bladder being configured so that repetitive manual driving force (human foot or foot/shoe) causes the bladder to be repetitively expanded and contracted to pump fluid.    
     
     
         2 . The pump of  claim 1  wherein the bladder is formed by a closed receptacle which is expandable and compressible. The receptacle resumes normal shape when the manual driving force is removed. The receptacle is composed of material(s) that will provide the impetus for resuming its normal shape when the manual driving force is removed.  
     
     
         3 . The pump of  claim 1  wherein the manual driving force is human power.  
     
     
         4 . The pump of  claim 1  wherein the manual driving force repetitively compresses the bladder.  
     
     
         5 . The pump of  claim 1  wherein the bladder further comprises fluid input and output means.  
     
     
         6 . The pump of  claim 1  comprising at least one bladder, the bladder being attached to a fixed surface, whereby the bladder is compressed by a human operator.  
     
     
         7 . The pump of  claim 1  wherein a bladder is created by a flexible receptacle, the flexible receptacle being supported by a fixed surface to maintain the bladder in a predetermined location to be acted upon by the manual driving force.  
     
     
         8 . A method of pumping a fluid utilizing a flexible bladder which is flexible enough to collapse in response to a manual driving force, at least one bladder connected to a fixed plate, at least one fluid input connector operably connected to the bladder and having a one-way valve therein to admit fluid into the bladder upon expansion of the bladder and at least one fluid output connector operably connected to the bladder and having a one-way valve therein to pass fluid out of the bladder upon compression of the bladder, the bladder being configured so that repetitive collapse and recovery connected thereto to repetitively be expanded and contracted to pump fluid, the method comprising compressing the bladder with human force and the bladder resuming normal shape with the removal of force thereby deflating and inflating the bladder repetitively to alternately expand and contract the bladder to thereby impose a pumping action on fluid alternately taken into and expelled from the bladder.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the liquid is a body of water  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the driving force is provided by foot action of the operator.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising connecting the pump between the operator and a fixed plate  
     
     
         12 . The pump of  claim 8  wherein the driving force repetitively causes the driving object to operate on the bladder to alternately expand and contract.