Drive for a pedal powered kayak

Abstract

A pedal powered boat having a drive assembly including an eccentric idler provides adjustment or tension for a chain used as part of the drive assembly to power the boat. A crankshaft assembly and a bevel gear assembly are uniquely combined to produce a smooth pedaling operation for the user. The bevel gear assembly is operable to change the direction of rotation 90 degrees and increasing the speed three times for a net overdrive of six times for creating the speed necessary for a propeller drive.

1 . A pedal powered boat having a drive assembly, said drive assembly comprising,
 a crankshaft assembly, said crank shaft assembly having crank arms and crank pedals,   a chain, said chain connected to a bevel gear assembly and to said crankshaft assembly, said chain tensioned by an eccentric idler, said bevel gear assembly connected to a cassette assembly, said bevel gear assembly operable to change the direction of rotation 90 degrees and increasing the speed three times for a net overdrive of six times for creating the speed necessary for a propeller drive.   
   
   
       2 . The drive assembly as recited in  claim 1 , said drive assembly further comprising an injection-molded glass reinforced urethane housing. 
   
   
       3 . The drive assembly as recited in  claim 1 , said drive assembly further comprising a drive housing with a cover connected by a grooved glue joint entirely encircling said drive housing said glue joint having standoff points around its perimeter for adjustments in size between said housings. 
   
   
       4 . The drive assembly as recited in  claim 1 , said drive assembly further comprising three grooves in housings to allow incremental rotations of said eccentric idler of 2.5 degrees. 
   
   
       5 . The drive assembly as recited in  claim 1 , said drive assembly further comprising a cassette assembly, said cassette assembly held in place in a prop shaft cassette by a prop-nut, said prop-nut threaded onto female threads in said prop-shaft cassette. 
   
   
       6 . The drive assembly as recited in  claim 1 , said drive assembly further comprising a prop-shaft cassette, said prop-shaft cassette including a lip, said lip forcing said/prop-shaft assembly inward to adjust a gear lash. 
   
   
       7 . A pedal powered boat having a drive assembly, said drive assembly comprising,
 a crankshaft assembly, said crank shaft assembly having crank arms and crank pedals,   a chain, said chain connected to a bevel gear assembly and to said crankshaft assembly, said bevel gear assembly connected to a cassette assembly, said bevel gear assembly operable to change the direction of rotation 90 degrees and increasing the speed three times for a net overdrive of six times for creating the speed necessary for a propeller drive, and   eccentric means for tensioning said chain, said eccentric means including a chain idler sprocket and a bearing mounted between two eccentric housings, said idler and said bearing are mounted on a shaft said shaft having an center eccentric with a center of said eccentric housings which rotate in openings, said rotation causing said idler said bearing to move in and out to tension said chain.   
   
   
       8 . The drive assembly as recited in  claim 7 , said drive assembly further comprising an injection-molded glass reinforced urethane housing. 
   
   
       9 . The drive assembly as recited in  claim 7 , said drive assembly further comprising a drive housing with a cover connected by a grooved glue joint entirely encircling said drive housing said glue joint having standoff points around its perimeter for adjustments in size between said housings. 
   
   
       10 . The drive assembly as recited in  claim 7 , said drive assembly further comprising three grooves in housings to allow incremental rotations of said eccentric idler of 2.5 degrees. 
   
   
       11 . The drive assembly as recited in  claim 7 , said drive assembly further comprising a cassette assembly, said cassette assembly held in place in a prop shaft cassette by a prop-nut, said prop-nut threaded onto female threads in said prop-shaft cassette. 
   
   
       13 . The drive assembly as recited in  claim 7 , said drive assembly further comprising a prop-shaft cassette, said prop-shaft cassette including a lip, said lip forcing said/prop-shaft assembly inward to adjust a gear lash. 
   
   
       14 . A pedal powered boat having a drive assembly, said drive assembly comprising,
 a crankshaft assembly, said crank shaft assembly having crank arms and crank pedals,   a chain, said chain connected to a bevel gear assembly and to said crankshaft assembly, said bevel gear assembly connected to a cassette assembly, and   a eccentric means for tensioning said chain, said eccentric means including a chain idler sprocket and a chain idler bearing mounted between two eccentric housings, said idler and said bearing are mounted on a shaft said shaft having an center eccentric with a center of said eccentric housings which rotate in openings, said rotation causing said idler said bearing to move in and out to tension said chain.   
   
   
       15 . The drive assembly as recited in  claim 14 , said drive assembly further comprising an injection-molded glass reinforced urethane housing. 
   
   
       16 . The drive assembly as recited in  claim 14 , said drive assembly further comprising a drive housing with a cover connected by a grooved glue joint entirely encircling said drive housing said glue joint having standoff points around its perimeter for adjustments in size between said housings. 
   
   
       17 . The drive assembly as recited in  claim 14 , said drive assembly further comprising three grooves in housings to allow incremental rotations of said eccentric idler of 2.5 degrees. 
   
   
       18 . The drive assembly as recited in  claim 14 , said drive assembly further comprising a cassette assembly, said cassette assembly held in place in a prop shaft cassette by a prop-nut, said prop-nut threaded onto female threads in said prop-shaft cassette. 
   
   
       19 . The drive assembly as recited in  claim 14 , said drive assembly further comprising a prop-shaft cassette, said prop-shaft cassette including a lip, said lip forcing said/prop-shaft assembly inward to adjust a gear lash.