IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF PROPELLING SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS."
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Cooke, of Willington, in the County of Dur-
ham, Mining Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
METHOD OF PROPELLING SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Cooke at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th February 1862.
I, JOHN COOKE, of Willington, in the County of Durham, Mining Engineer,
5 do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE METHOD OF PROPELLING SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improved methods of arranging screw
and other propellers, whereby a high rate of speod is attained with a com-
paratively small expenditure of power. The principle involved and intended
to be carried into practice for securing these results is the pressing or forcing
the water to the sides of the ship or vessel to be propelled. This object is
effected by placing screw or other propellers at certain distances from each
other in the rear of the midship section, by the revolution or action of which
the water is pressed or forced into the "run" of the ship or vessel. In
some cases screw or other propellers may be also used advantageously if
placed in advance of the midship section. The screws or propellers are
arranged at the proper angles for effecting the purpose before mentioned,
and supported by suitable bearings on the exterior of the hull opposite to

page_text: each other, and are driven by a shaft extending along the vessel in the
ordinary way, and actuating the whole system of screws or propellers by
means of suitable gearing, or small separate engines may be employed for
each screw or propeller, or for each pair of screws or propellers. It is not
however essential that the screws or propellers should be in connection with
a shaft as last described, for they may be driven by any means suitable for
such purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Cooko in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th August 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
COOKE, of Willington, in the County of Durham, Mining Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said John Cooke, Her special licence that I, the said John
Cooke, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Cooke, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exer-
cise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
METHOD OF PROPELLING SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Cooke, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Cooke, do hereby declaro
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
My said Invention consists of certain improved methods of arranging screw

page_text: and other propellers, whereby a bigh rate of speed may be attained with a
comparatively small expenditure of power, such results being effected by
pressing or forcing the water to the sides of the ship or vessel to be propelled.
For these purposes I employ either screw propellers of any of the known
kinds, or any other propellers which may be adapted for the purposes of
my Invention, which does not consists in the form, but in the arrangement.
and disposition of the propellers with regard to the hull of the vessel. In
order that the water may be pressed or forced into the "run" of the ship
or vessel, meaning thereby all that part of the vessel which tapers towards
the stern, I place the screws or other propellers at certain convenient
distances from each other in the rear of the midship section, the same being
arranged at such angles as to effect the purpose before mentioned and being
supported when necessary by bearings on the exterior of the hull. The
screws or propellers are thus placed on each side of the hull opposite or
nearly opposite to each other, and are driven by a shaft extending along the
ship or vessel in the ordinary way, and actuating the whole system of screws
or propellers by means of suitable gearing such as is well known to and under-
stood by mechanists as being adapted for such purposes, or small separate
engines may be employed for each screw or propeller, or for each pair of screws
or propellers. I do not, however, wish to limit myself to the use of the con-
necting shaft or of separate engines, as any mode of driving or actuating the
screws or propellors may be employed which may be deemed expedient or
advantageous. The screws or propellers are to be placed at such distances
and in such numbers as may be considered necessary with regard to the
tonnage and construction of the ship or vessel. Upon the screws or pro-
pellers being actuated, the water will be pressed or forced towards the sides
of the ship or vessel and into the "run" thereof, the effect being that great
buoyancy will be given thereto, and a very high rate of speed attained as
compared with the power employed.
I have hitherto described only the adaptation and use of screws or
propellers placed in the rear of the midship section, but in some cases screws
or propellers placed in advance thereof may be advantageously employed; for
instance, when the speed of the ship or vessel exceeds that for which the
shape of the bows is adapted, a wave is formed from each side of the
vessel, such wave having the waste force accumulated in it. By placing
screws or propellers so that they may revolve or be actuated in advance of
the midship section, the last mentioned wave may be checked and its pro-
gression prevented, the force being by this means continually saved. In
some cases also a screw or propeller placed at the stern of the ship or vessel

page_text: may be advantageously employed in conjunction with the other screws or
propellers. In these last mentioned arrangements, as also with relation to
the other arrangements of the screws or propellers herein mentioned, the
gearing and machinery for actuating the same are well known and under-
stood, and therefore need not be more particularly referred to or described
by me.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which it is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion that what
I consider to be novel and original and therefore claim as my Invention,
are the several arrangements of screws or propellers for propelling ships
and other vessels as herein-before substantially described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Cooke, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.