The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-06
AIR BLAST PROPELLER.
Important Invention Patented by Mr.
A. A. Graham of This City.


Mr.. A. A. Graham, claim agent of
the Rock Island in this city. has been
allowed a patent on a new method of
marine propulsion which will probably
bring him into prominence as an in
ventOr and result in material financial
gain.
The invention consists in employing
an air blast for propeIling vessels and
the advantage of the method rest in the
small amount of fuel necessary and
utility of the propeIling power in steer
ing.
In his letter of specification filed in
the patent office, Mr.. Graham says:
In carrying out my invention 1 en-
plOy a series of fans for generating an
air blast the fans being rotated at diff
ferent speeds, as a blast thus generated
will be of great force and pressure
that is, the air will become more and
more compressed as it travels outward
thus causing a more solid impact with
the water. In the example of my i'm
provement there are four fans, arrang-
ed in a row, one rearward of another
and all discharging into an air duct
which communicates with a passage
way leading through the stern of the
vessel The stern of the vessel is shown
as curved rearward and upward, and
the passageway is located just above
the keel, so that the air blast will
strike the water near the bottom of the
vessel and by its expansion and pres
sure against the stern of the vessel
I have shown the fans as arranged in
the lower portion of the vessels hull
but it is obvious that, if desired, they
may be placed on deck.
The several fans are rotated at diff
ferent speeds by band connections with
a cone or step pulley which is driven,
preferably, from an electric motor.
In the outer end of the duct is ar
ranged a vertically sliding gate that
may be operated from the deck or pilot
house of vessel by means of a chain.
This gate is designed to be closed when
the vessel is in port or at anchor to pro-
vent the entrance of water. I also pro-
vide a vertically swinging gate for the
end of the duct. This gate is counter
balanced or poised, so as to swing open
easily under the air blast pressure
when the fans are in operation and to
automatically close should the air
blast cease through some accidental or
other cause and thus prevent the en-
trance of water to the duct.
The passageway is divided 1ongitud-
inally by a vertically arranged swing
ing partition. This partition is pivoted
on a post, SO that it may be swung
transversely of the paSSageway in order
to direct a greater amount OF air blast
to one side or the other to steer the
vessel.
This partition, therefore, serves as .
rudder, and as it is wholly within the
passage there is no danger of its be-
ing broken by coming in contact with
floating objects, and, further, as it does
not drag in the water it does not Of
fer any resistance to the movement of
the vessel. The partition may be de-
f1ected from the pilot house by means
of chains or connections, engaging with
arms extended from the pintle of the
partition.
Hinged to the upper wall of the pas
sage at opposite sides of the partition
are defiector plates, each comprising
tend from these plates to the pilot
house, and when these plates are in
their upper position the air from the
fans will force the vessel forward, but
when said plates are lowered, as indi-
Gated in dotted lines, the air will be
detected forward beneath the vessel
and thus move the vessel backward.
Mr. Graham will at once take steps
to push his invention.