The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-12
In THREE DAYS.
A New Vessel to Cross the Atlantic in
That Time.

A New Vessel to Cross the Atlantic in
That Time.
The latest design of the many steamers
that have been designed in miniature to
cross the Atlantic in three days is now on
exhibition in the shape of a working
model. The inventor is Richard Painton,
and he is confident he has the vessel that
will do the business. The idea of the new
model Is that of the centipede-lots of legs
on each side, and the more legs the better,
says the Washington Post.
This is only one idea, however. For the
stern propeller the inventor has new
notion. The wheels are only three bladed,
and one OF them is set on each shaft, about
two diameters APP art. The blades are set
so that the blades of the rear propeller
cover the space between the blades of the
one IN 'front.' of it. Thus, the inventor
claims, with less friction than is developed
by four-bloded propeller, he gets all the
advantage of six blades, and if the ship
pitches sidewise, so that two blades come
out of the water, there are three blades
still at working angle under the surface.
He also claims that even should the ship
pitch forward, so as to throw the two pro-
pellers on the end of the shaft out of the
water, the extra propeller on each shaft
would still remain submerged and prevent
the machinery from running away.
The idea of the two three-bladed propel-
lers set on the same shaft, Mr.. Painton
says, can be applied to any vessel with Or
binary machinery, and he is now negotiat-
ing with Chief Engineer Melville to try the
experiment on some Government vessel.
Mr.. Painton was anxious to get the new
double propellers tried on the Gushing,
but, as that vessel is to be sent south in
short while she could not be spared. He
SAYS however, that he is prepared TO spend
$4,000 if necessary to put the propellers on
one of the larger vessels as soon as the
Navy Department shall designate the
craft they are willingto have experimental
with.
But the vessel whose model is on exhibit
ton is a much more radical departure.
In addition to the double propellers on the
shafts at the stern there is a corresponding
pair at the bows, which, the inventor says,
will not only add to the speed, but will
steady the vessel in rough weather. Be-
sides these two sets there are four side sets
of propellers, four on each side, and con-
neoted through the hull like old-fashioned
paddle wheels. Instead OF being the old
duck-foot type of wheel, however, they are
regular screw propellers, to work under
water. Their shaft is set at right angles to
the keel of the vessel, but by the peculiar
cut of the propeller blades and their pecu-
liar pitch, they drive the vessel forward.
With steam connections it would be i'm
possible to operate all of these complicated
sets of propellers, and the inventor uses
his main engine merely to generate elec-
tricity, and applies this to separate motor
to operate each of the eight shafts. The
shafts themselves are wound to form the
armatures that revolve in gigantic mag
netic field, and the inventor says he can, if
necessary, develop 100000 horsepower for
single vessel.
The working model now on exhibition
in this city is II feet 9 inches long, and is
to be taken to Philadelphia in few days
and supplied with electric motors to give
it a practical test in the water.