Manually Operated Propelling Device

Abstract

A propelling device includes a driving unit disposed in a housing. The driving unit includes first and second bevel gears connected coaxially and respectively to upper and lower ends of a vertical driving shaft, a third bevel gear disposed on and co-rotatable with a transverse driving shaft and meshing with the first bevel gear, and a fourth bevel gear connected fixedly and coaxially to a front end of a longitudinal driving shaft and meshing with the second bevel gear. An impeller is disposed on a rear end of the longitudinal driving shaft extending outside the housing, and is co-rotatable with the longitudinal driving shaft. Two operating crank members are connected fixedly and respectively to opposite ends of the transverse driving shaft, and are co-rotatable with the transverse driving shaft.

1 . A propelling device comprising:
 a housing;   a driving unit disposed in said housing and including
 a vertical driving shaft member extending in a vertical direction and including a vertical driving shaft, and first and second bevel gears connected coaxially and respectively to upper and lower ends of said vertical driving shaft, 
 a transverse driving shaft member including a horizontal transverse driving shaft extending in a transverse direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and having opposite ends that extend outwardly of said housing, and a third bevel gear disposed on and co-rotatable with said transverse driving shaft, and meshing with said first bevel gear, and 
 a longitudinal driving shaft member including a longitudinal driving shaft extending in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the vertical and transverse directions and having opposite front and rear ends, and a fourth bevel gear connected fixedly and coaxially to said front end of said longitudinal driving shaft and meshing with said second bevel gear, said rear end of said longitudinal driving shaft extending outwardly of said housing; 
   an impeller disposed on said rear end of said longitudinal driving shaft and co-rotatable with said longitudinal driving shaft; and   two operating crank members connected fixedly and respectively to said opposite ends of said transverse driving shaft, and co-rotatable with said transverse driving shaft;   whereby, said operating crank members are manually operable so as to rotate about said transverse driving shaft such that said transverse driving shaft and said third bevel gear are co-rotatable with said operating crank members, said vertical driving shaft member being driven to rotate about an axis of said vertical driving shaft as a result of rotation of said third bevel gear, said longitudinal driving shaft member being driven to rotate about an axis of said longitudinal driving shaft as a result of rotation of said second bevel gear, thereby driving rotation of said impeller.   
   
   
       2 . The propelling device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of said operating crank members is L-shaped, and includes a crank having one end connected fixedly to a corresponding one of said ends of said transverse driving shaft, a crank pin connected fixedly to the other end of said crank, and a grip element sleeved rotatably on said crank pin. 
   
   
       3 . The propelling device as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a screen guard connected to said housing for enclosing said impeller therein and for allowing flow of fluid therethrough.