ANIMAL RESOURCES AND FISHERIES OF UNITED STATES. 1'57 



Apparatus accessory to rigging fishing-vessels. 



Rowlocks. 



Almost any one (even if he has never rowed a boat) with an hour's 

 practice can use these front view oars well; it being much easier to leara 

 to use a pair of these oars than a pair of the back view oars." (William 

 Lynian.) 



28292. Frederick D. Graves's improved noiseless rowlock. Fred. D. Graves, 



Boston, Mass. 



"The object of this invention is to improve the construction and opera- 

 tion of the class of rowlocks in such manner as, first, to insure the proper 

 inclination of the blade of the oar, and prevent the liability of its catch- 

 ing the water when feathering in recovering, as well as to insure the 

 proper position of the blade of the oar when making the stroke ; secondly, 

 to enable the outer end of the oar to be raised when it is being feathered, 

 in order to prevent its contact with the water in rough weather. My 

 improved rowlock, which is composed of an inclosing ring located on a 

 pintle, and an inner ring inclosed by the ring and adapted to be partially 

 rotated therein ; the inside of the inclosing ring is provided with a groove 

 which extends almost around it, its continuity being broken only by a 

 stop. The pintle of the rowlock is inserted in a socket attached to the 

 gunwale of the boat, the pintle and rowlock being adapted to turn freely 

 in the socket. From the foregoing it will readily be seen that an oar 

 pivoted in the inner ring is adapted to be partially rotated, in addition to 

 its oscillating movements, so that when its stroke is completed it can be 

 turned, so as to feather the blade in the recover stroke. The stop and 

 shoulders of the inner ring are arranged in such mutual relation that the 

 shoulder abuts against the stop, in feathering the oar, before the blade be- 

 comes horizontal in cross-section, so that the cross-section of the oar is 

 necessarily inclined downward from its forward to its rear edge during 

 the feathering stroke, this inclination of the blade preventing its forward 

 edge from engaging with the water and overturning the rower, or, in 

 other words, causing him to "catch a crab." This limitation of the oar 

 in its rotation prevents awkward accidents in feathering, and enables an 

 unskilled person to row with a considerable degree of certainty." (F. D. 

 Graves. ) 



25098-9. Galvanized-iron patent swivel rowlock. Wilcox, Crittenden & 



[Co., Middletown, Conn. 



25095. Galvauized-iron patent swivel rowlock. " " 

 25097. Galvanized-iron patent swivel rowlock. 



25096. Galvanized-iron patent swivel rowlock. 

 25073-4-5. Polished brass patent swivel rowlock. " 



25102-3. Galvanized socket rowlock. " " 



25111. Countersunk rowlock. Used on Ohio River flat-boats. Wilcox, Crit- 

 tenden & Co., Middletown, Conn. 



29459. Rowlock. Newport and Providence River style. Wilcox, Critteu- 



[den & Co., Middletown, Conn. 



25087. North Paver pattern rowlock. " " 



25089. East River pattern rowlock. " " 



29319. Socket-joint rowlock. Frederick A. Gower, Providence, R. I. 



"The socket-joint rowlock is intended to increase the speed and improve 

 the convenience of racing boats. Its advantages have proved so easily 

 apparent to oarsmen that there is little need of detailing its strong points, 

 but the following are among its leading features : 



