AN IMPROVED SCREW PROPELLER FOR SHIPS OR VESSELS, AND IMPROVED MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING THE SAME
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Lister, of Haydon Bridge, in the County
of Northumberland, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
SCREW PROPELLER FOR SHIPS OR VESSELS, AND IMPROVED MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR MAKING THE SAME."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Lister at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th March 1873.
I, ROBERT LISTER, of Haydon Bridge, in the County of Northumber-
land, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED SCREW PROPELLER FOR SHIPS OR VESSELS, AND IMPROVED MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR MAKING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the construction, arrangement, and appli-
cation to ships or vessels of improved longitudinal screw propellers, and
also to improved machinery or apparatus for making such propellers.

page_text: In carrying the first part of the Invention into effect I place and
arrange open ended tubes either inside or outside, and at any suitable
distance below the water line of the vessel, and running longitudinally
central from end to end or at the rear or front part, or other shorter
parts thereof, or at the bottom or sides of the vessel. The provision of
these tubes dispenses with the costly necessity of ballasting a vessel to
which they are applied; and it may be remarked that it is intended to
apply them for that purpose to sailing vessels. Within (or partly
within) the said tube or tubes (and partly naked) I arrange a longi-
tudinal screw or screws of any required pitch, and of the construction
hereafter described. According to this arrangement the pitching of the
vessel is counterbalanced as the tube (or tubes) and screw (or screws)
keep hold of the water at every motion thereof. The screws have a
similar hold on the water and propelling power either way in which
they may be driven, and enable the vessel to be run (besides at a higher
speed than usual) with the additional provision of a rudder at each end,
either way without the necessity of turning, which will greatly facilitate
the propelling or transition of vessels on narrow rivers.
In some modifications the above application allows of the vessel being
constructed to run immersed, or nearly so, under the water, for use
especially as a gun boat; and in other modifications thereof the vessel
may be made double, that is, two ships may be longitudinally attached
together. The engine and boiler for actuating the improved propelling
means can be placed either in the stern or centre of the vessel actuating
the same in the usual way.
The improved machinery for making the improved longitudinal
screws or propellers consists mainly of sliding uprights placed in a frame
which move towards each other, as the plate of which the screw is made
is bent or twisted to the required shape, by two circular chucks working
in the same, and receiving motion in opposite directions from gearing
actuated by handles or steam power. The uprights are guided by rods
passing through suitable guide pieces. After the plate has been twisted,
and the improved propeller formed by these means, it may (if required)
be provided with blades as in screw propellers of the usual con-
struction.

page_text: SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said Robert
Lister in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th October 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
LISTER, of Haydon Bridge, in the County of Northumberland, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors
give and grant unto me, the said Robert Lister, Her special
licence that I, the said Robert Lister, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Lister, 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, exercise
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
SCREW PROPELLER FOR SHIPS OR VESSELS, AND IMPROVED MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS FOR MAKING THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Robert Lister, 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 on or before
the Fourteenth day of October One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Lister, do hereby declare
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 in writing, and on reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
This Invention, which relates to the construction, arrangement, and
application to ships or vessels of improved longitudinal screw propellers,
and to machinery or apparatus for making the same, is illustrated on
the accompanying Drawings in Figures 1 to 10.

page_text: In carrying the first part of the Invention into effect I place and
arrange open ended tubes 1, either inside or outside, and at any suitable
distance below the water line of the vessel 2, and running longitudinally
centrally from end to end (Figure 2), or at the rear (Figure 1) or front
parts, or other shorter parts thereof, or at the bottom (Figures 1 and 2)
or sides of the vessel. The provision of these tubes dispenses with the
costly necessity of ballasting a vessel to which they are applied; and it
may be remarked that it is intended to apply them for that purpose to
sailing vessels. Within the said tube or tubes (Figure 2) or partly
within the same and partly naked (Figure 1) I arrange a longitudinal
single or double screw or screws 3 of any required pitch (Figures 3
to 6), and of the construction hereafter described. According to this
arrangement the pitching of the vessel is counterbalanced as the tube 1
(or tubes) and screw 3 (or screws) keep hold of the water at every
motion thereof. The screws have a similar hold on the water and pro-
pelling power either way in which they may be driven, and enable the
vessel to be run (besides at a higher speed than usual) with the addi-
tional provision of a rudder 4 at each end, Figure 2, either way without
the necessity of turning, which will greatly facilitate the propelling or
transition of vessels on narrow rivers.
In some modifications the above application allows of the vessel being
constructed to run immersed, or nearly so, under the water, for use
especially as a gun boat; and in other modifications thereof the vessel
may be made double, that is, two ships may be longitudinally attached
together. The engine and boiler 5 for actuating the improved propelling
means can be placed either in the stern or centre of the vessel (Figures 1
and 2) actuating the same in the usual way.
The machinery (see Figures 7 to 10) for making the improved pro-
pellers consists mainly of sliding uprights 6, working in a frame 7, and
which move toward each other as the plate 8 of which the propeller is
made is bent or twisted to the required shape by two circular chucks 9
(Figures 8) working in the same, and receiving motion in opposite
directions from gearing 10 actuated by handles 11 or steam power. The
uprights 6 are guided by rods 12 passing through suitable guide
pieces 13.
After the plate 8 has been twisted, and the improved propeller formed
thereof by the above means, it may (if required) be provided with
blades as in screw propellers of the usual construction.

page_text: Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
"An Improved Screw Propeller for Ships or Vessels, and Improved
Machinery or Apparatus for Making the same," together with the
manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as my Inven-
tion, the construction, arrangement, and application of the improved
screw propellers, and the machinery for making the same, substantially
as and for the purposes above described, and as illustrated on the
accompanying Drawings, and the application of the tubes 1 to sailing
vessels in order to dispense with the costly necessity of ballasting
them.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Lister, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.