IMPROVEMENTS IN METHODS AND MACHINERY FOR OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BOGGETT, of Saint Martin's Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twentieth day of
January, One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine, in the twelfth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Boggett, my exors, adññors, and assigns, Her especial
license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said William
Boggett, my exors, adñors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Boggett, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term
of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in
the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all Her
said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN METHODS AND MACHINERY FOR OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER;" in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said William
Boggett, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Boggett, hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascertained in
and by the present Specification thereof, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
Firstly, my
Invention has relation to the propulsion of vessels in water by
means of paddles, and consists in certain improved arrangements, whereby
the paddles are made to enter. the .water. in an angular position, and to act
during the greater part of their course through the water horizontally, or in the
direct line of the vessel's motion, and whereby, also, the paddles are made
to act altogether, or numbers of them at one and the same time, with the
greatest useful effect of which each is capable.
Figures 1 and 2 are skeleton views of these arrangements, that is to say,
views in which those parts only are shown or indicated which are necessary to a
due comprehension of the system of action adopted. A, A, are a series of shafts
which are fixed transversely in the inside of a vessel, and mounted in suitable
bearings; B, B, are cranks which are attached to the ends of the central
shafts, and connected by joints at their exterior ends to a rod C, which is
common to the whole series of cranks, so that if any one of the shafts A be
moved round, the whole of the shafts and cranks are moved round at the same
time. The prime mover may, therefore, be connected to any one of these
shafts which may be found in practice most convenient; D, D, are cranks
which are attached to the outer ends of the shafts A, A, (which are supposed
to be prolonged through the sides of the vessel,) and jointed to a framework E,
which carries the paddles F, F.
In Figure 2 the cranks and paddles are shewn in three different positions.
The dotted line a, a, marks the depth to which it is proposed the paddles
should be immersed when at work. The paddles are set in an angular position
in the framework E, so as always to enter and emerge from the water edge-
ways, and to present their full sides to the water only when in the act of
propelling. They are hinged to the framework too in such manner that
they shall offer, when acting edgeways, as little direct resistance as may be to
the water, and still further to diminish the percussive force with which they
enter the water, strong pieces of vulcanized caoutchouc (b, b, Figures 3 and 3*,)
are interposed between the backs of the paddles and their respective frame
bearings.
In Figure 3 is shewn a plan, and Figure 3ª an elevation of a paddle, by
which the amount of surface exposed by the paddles to the water in re-entering
will be reduced to a minimum, namely, by making each paddle of two leaves

page_text: connected in the middle by a hinge c, opening in one direction only, so that
the leaves might shut up flat like a book during the return portion of each
revolution, curved bars of metal d, d, being employed to keep the leaves steady.
In the Drawings every two cranks of a side are represented as being connected
to one framework carrying five paddles; but the system admits of many varia-
tions in this respect, and I do not, therefore, confine myself to any particular
numbers. For example, every three cranks of a side may be connected to one
paddle framework, carrying (say) seven paddles, or each crank may have its
own separate framework and paddles.
Figure 4 exhibits a method by which the angle of inclination of the paddles
may be encreased according to the progression of the vessel, and their pull
against the water be thereby proportionally augmented.
Figures 5, 5, 5, 6, 7, and 8, shew different forms of paddles which are
suitable in all respects for the system of action I have described; with this
exception, that they are only adapted to be rigidly connected to their bearings.
Another method of propelling, which is in effect but a modification of the
preceding arrangement, is represented in Figures 9 and 10; Figure 9 being an
elevation, partly in section, and Figure 10 a plan. A, A, are interior trans-
verse shafts, having cranks B, B, and a common connecting rod C, all as in the
plan first herein-before described; K, K, are toothed wheels, which are
attached to the ends of the shafts A, A, each of which wheels works into two
other wheels L, L, one on each side (see Figure 10); M, M, M, M, are
drums or riggers, which are attached in sets of four to the wheels L, L, each
set carrying an endless band or chain N; 0, 0, are joint or socket pieces
affixed to the endless bands N, N; P, P, are the paddle frames, which are
connected to the endless bands or chains N, N, by shafts which take into the
sockets O, O, each frame being connected to four bands or chains, two in front
and the other two behind. Rotary motion being given to the shafts A, A, and
cranks B, B, by any first mover, the like motion is communicated to the
wheels K and L. The wheels L again act on the endless bands or chains N,
and through them on the paddles, but not so as to produce a rotary motion,
because in each set of four drums there are two drums R, R, in the centre, of
a large size, and two end ones of a smaller size, the effect of which arrange-
ment is to cause each endless band 'or chain to describe an oblong figure, with
a gradual rise at both ends from the points x, x, and to make the paddles follow
a similar course. A perfectly horizontal action is thus imparted to the paddles
while passing under the two large drums of each set, and such an angular
direction given to them in their ascent and descent as is least likely to cause
disturbance to the water or concussion to the vessel.

page_text: Figure 10 represents a method which may be adopted in conjunction with
the system proposed in Figures 9 and 10, of making the paddles take a hori-
zontal position in their return stroke, so as to offer less resistance to either the
wind or water. G is a curved guide piece, which is attached to the under side
of the paddle box; H, a roller which turns on a pin in the bar j, and is
connected by a rod K to a crank L, fixed on the axis of the first paddle m¹ of
a series m³, m², m³, m², m³, mounted in one framework as before, and n a rod
by which the whole series of paddles are connected together. As the frame-
work of paddles is drawn through the water the roller H catches against the
guide piece G, and is more and more depressed by it till it reaches the turning
point t, and in proportion as the roller is depressed, the paddles are, by the joint
action of the crank L and connecting rods k and n, thrown out into positions
receding more and more from the perpendicular. But on passing the point t
the roller is freed from the pressure of the guide piece G, and rises again into
its original position, when the paddles return to the angle at which they were
originally set. The driving bands may be of any material of which driving
bands are usually made, but I prefer making them of gutta percha, because of
its not being injuriously affected by wet. Figure 11 is a side view, and
Figure 12 a plan of such a band, with eyelet holes for the reception of the
teeth of the end drums (supposing teeth to be used). Pitch chains may be
substituted for the bands of the kind represented in Figures 13 and 14, or of
any other suitable description. The method of attaching the joint or socket
pieces to the endless bands is shewn on an enlarged scale in Figure 15 (a side
elevation) and Figure 16 (a plan). But for bands of a large size I prefer
employing a joint piece of the description represented in Figures 17 and 18, as
it allows of a much larger quantity of the band being taken up with the joint
piece, and is yet capable of turning easily round the small drums at the end.
To give greater strength to the band where the jointed connection is attached,
and to prevent the rivets from being drawn through the band, I insert into it,
on the under and inside of it, a thin piece of flexible steel of the same width
as the band.
Secondly, my Invention consists of an improved method of restoring to com-
pressed air or other elastic fluid, when employed as a motive power, the heat of
which it has been deprived by such compression, and thereby encreasing its
expansive force. I employ for the purpose the heat generated by the slacking
of lime with water, or by the mixture of concentrated sulphuric acid with
water, or simply that which is evolved from hot water or oil.
Figure 19 is a vertical cross section, and Figure 20 a horizontal section
through the centre of an apparatus suitable for reheating compressed air when

page_text: employed as a motive power. A and B are two circular vessels, the one placed
within the other. The vessel A contains the lime and water (say, about sixty-
eight parts of fresh burned lime in powder to thirty-two parts of water), or the
concentrated sulphuric acid and water, or the hot water or oil. The com-
pressed air is conveyed by a pipe F from the reservoir where it. has been,
collected, into the space c between the outer vessel B and the inner vessel A,
and may be conducted round that space either in a spiral or zigzag or in any
other circuitous direction, whereby the duration of its passage through that
space may be prolonged. As it proceeds it gathers heat from the surfaces
with which it comes in contact. At G the air, after being thus heated, and
consequently expanded, is allowed to pass off to the engine to which it is to
give motion. If slacked lime or hot water is employed to produce the heat,
the vessel A may be of copper; but if sulphuric acid and water are used, the
vessel A must be lined with lead to protect the copper from corrosion. When
hot water or oil is employed, a lamp or charcoal brazier may be kept burning
under the bottom end of the vessel A to keep up the temperature of the liquid
within. Or, instead of adopting the plan before described, the working cylinder
of the compressed air engine may be enclosed in an outer casing or jacket,
divided into two compartments, the outer one containing lime and water, or lime
and sulphuric acid, or hot water or oil.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that the improvements which I
claim are as follows:-
First, I claim the method of causing paddles, when employed for the propul-
sion of vessels, to enter the water in an angular position and to act chiefly in a
horizontal direction, or in the line of the vessel's motion, as before described,
and in numbers (as two, three, or more, at one and the same time, what-
ever may be the form given to such paddles, and whether they are made rigid
or feathering.
Second, I claim the methods of altering the angle of inclination of the
paddles represented in Figures 4 and 10%, and before described.
Third, I claim the modification of the plan first herein-before described and
claimed, represented in Figures 9 and 10, as also before described.
And, fourth, I claim the method of restoring heat to compressed air when
employed as a motive power, as before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Boggett, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.
WILLIAM
(L.S.) BOGGETT.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twentieth day of July, in the
year of our Lord 1849, the aforesaid William Boggett came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thou-
sand eight hundred and forty-nine.