Modern paddlewheels

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by Guest, Dec 23, 2003.

  1. tom kane
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    tom kane Senior Member

    As there are many designs and Patents held on paddle wheels can you explain briefly where your patent is different from other paddle wheels and what your claims are regarding a new and novel idea or new invention.
    You must have had to explain this to your Patent Attorney and satisfy the Patent Office that you have a new idea or process to receive a Patent.
     
  2. portacruise
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    portacruise Senior Member

    Please correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding of the patent office/attny role is mostly to see that a very similar device has not been patented before/assign numbers/keep records. I believe there is no merit requirement, and no proof must be demonstrated, other than some form of creativity that departs from the obvious or commonplace.

    No offense is meant in any way, as I have no expertise in paddle wheels, and this particular wheel may be a unique breakthrough that the world has been waiting for......

    Porta
     
  3. Stumble
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    Stumble Senior Member

    Pretty much true Portacruise, at least in theory, in practice the patent office is so overloaded they just do a cursory review and allow it. the real test of a patent comes when someone else seeks to enforce a competing patent in a law suit down the road. Just remember currently there are something like 1000 patent filings a year for each examiner, they don't really have the time to do much review.
     
  4. tinhorn
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    tinhorn Senior Member

    This is the second high-speed-rotation paddle drive I've seen. I agree that the more appropriate term is Radial Surface Drive, leaving the old-fashioned "paddlewheel" to describe the low-speed devices of yore. *sniff*

    It appears that the articulation on your invention is in overall depth control, not feathering of the individual paddles. Which leads me to my next outburst:

    It doesn't appear to be that overwhelming a process to articulate the floats on an old-school paddleboat, and the improved performance (up to 20%, as I recall) combined with the increased comfort level (from less slapping as the floats enter the water) seem to be worth the extra effort and expense. Feathering the paddles on a high-speed device such as Nolen's WOULD be kind of a nightmare.
     
  5. tom kane
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    tom kane Senior Member

    To have Patent Letters assigned someone is going to have to explain to the Patent Office where your invention claims lie and where it is different to other existing paddle wheels. If you do not know that you should take steps to find out otherwise you may not even have an invention.That term invention is little understood is clear.I am just interested and trying to be helpful.
    uspto.gov/patents
    Claim or Claims
    The claim or claims must particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or inventors REGARD AS THE INVENTION.the claims define the scope of the protection of the patent.Whether the patent will be granted is determined in a large measure,by the scope of the claims.
     
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2012
  6. Nolen
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    Nolen New Member

    @Porta cruise and Stumble
    Yes, gentlemen you are correct. A patent is merely a legal tool and does not prove merit.
    It’s nothing more than a formal method to register (by date), a description of an idea or concept. I believe, the free market is the ultimate judge of value and merit.

    @ Kane
    Within my patent as registered, there are 20 formal claims (if memory serves). The patent is free to read online I believe, and it provides a thorough description, although somewhat lengthy.
    Briefly however, our goal was to design a radial surface drive (RSD), which was; simple to manufacture, versatile (perhaps two or three sizes covering a HP range of 140-800 Hp, by changing blade size/profile, and cam profile), good aftermarket potential (i.e. post manufacturer; blades cams, sprockets, rudders, etc.), and handled well.
    This lead to a unique cam, blade configuration (which is not similar to prior art) and dual aft rudders which at this point may seem crude.
    As you may have already determined, the assembly/configuration (the whole) is the patent, not a specific feature/s. This is true for the majority of utility patents I think.

    @Tinhorn
    We’re still working with the full-scale proto-type, If all goes according to design, It shouldn’t require any more attention of the pilot than a stern drive with trim tabs, perhaps less. Currently, I located the only hydraulic switch on the throttle lever exactly like a trim tab control (see below). Same switch for cam adjustment and drive elevation, a lever between the legs switches a 4-way hydraulic valve to select which cylinders the switch controls. I haven’t tested it on plane. More testing is scheduled this July.


    Cheers
    -Nolen
     

    Attached Files:

  7. tom kane
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    tom kane Senior Member

    Thank`s Nolen that should be interesting reading however I would need to have the Title of the Invention or the patent number allocated to find and read the Claims. Granted patents are published by Provisional Patents are not

    There are many people browsing the Internet just looking for breaches of Patent and copy-write and others looking to gain from Public disclosures made by inventors who have not protected their invention properly.
     
  8. Nolen
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    Nolen New Member

    @Kane
    The title is "Marine Radial Surface Drive", US Patent No, 6,814,636 B2. It's a granted patent, you shouldn't have any trouble locating it.
    I have high confidence in it's quality, much effort was allocated to the prior art search and it was granted at a time when the US patent office had a very low allowance rate (almost the lowest in it's history, fewer than 60% of the applications at that time, 2004, were allowed). In addition, we proved concept (to ourselves) ahead of the application and were able to include important features into the claims. All R&D was performed in strict accordance to disclosure rules, and no press release was made until after the patent was granted. As you know, there seem to be many utility patents that are pure concept with no actual testing or development.
    Much of the time since the patent was issued was simply development on possible relating patents, and then the bad economy destroyed recreational boating as a business. Hopefully it’ll improve soon, but I’m not holding my breath. In the meantime, I’ll get the full-scale proto-type back in the water with a larger engine very soon.
    -Nolen
     
  9. tom kane
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    tom kane Senior Member

    Thank you very much for the info, you have no idea how relieved and excited I am to see your care. I understand your set backs. You have made my Easter break.
     
  10. PlaningWheel
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    PlaningWheel Junior Member

    Last edited: Apr 14, 2012
  11. Amphib Industry
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    Amphib Industry New Member

    Reply to Nolen Cool Paddlewheel!


    Hi Nolen,

    I think you might be interested in this paddlewheel boat that was built recently in Tasmania it appears.

    The craft seems to have a similar trim control for the paddlewheel. But the wheel is impractically huge! It has a big diameter and span, but a small blade chord. Hopefully yours works just as good as it looks like the span and diameter on your wheel are smaller but the chord might make up for the difference? Post some test videos if you get the chance. We would like to see them and good luck.

    http://www.marinepropulsors.com/smp/files/downloads/smp11/Paper/FA3-1_Harte.pdf
     

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  12. Amphib Industry
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    Amphib Industry New Member

    Tracks Vs. Paddlewheels

    What a wonderful thread. Modern Paddlewheels, love it!

    But why has no one mentioned the Fasttrack Amphibian? This is a vehicle built fairly recently in Texas by the Wernicke family. Renowned ex Bell helicopter engineer Ken Wernicke, his brother, and son created this modern engineering marvel. By George, I'd buy two if I had the money!

    http://www.fasttrackamphibian.com/

    And why have snowmobiles not been mentioned? The IWA (International Watercross Association) has been going for years in the mid-west in the States and they have riding snowmobiles on water down to a fine art.

    http://www.iwausa.org/

    I hope this will promote more discussion and keep the thread alive. A track in this sense is kind of like a squashed, more hydrodynamically efficient paddlewheel.
     
  13. crowsridge
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    crowsridge Senior Member

    Planing Wheels thats pretty cool. Kind of like Shelbys swamp buggy on Ax Men....

    Id like to see that thing go!

    Chris
     
  14. PlaningWheel
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    PlaningWheel Junior Member

    I'm going to try to get it in water in the next 4 weeks or so?
    If it can take the bigger engine without having to reinforce anything I think it will go really well.
     

  15. portacruise
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    portacruise Senior Member

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