Improvements in Propelling Mechanism for Boats.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 18th Jan., 1890
Improvements in Propelling Mechanism for Boats.
I, BENJAMIN KENOYER, of Huron, in the County. of Fresno, and State of California
United States of America, gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to he particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
My invention relates to improvements in propelling mechanism for boats, and it
consists in peculiarities of construction fully described hereinafter and pointed out in
the claims.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a boat provided with my propelling device.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the paddle box showing a modification of the driving
appliances for the same.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section of Fig. 1.
The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective device by means of
which the loss of power met with in the paddle-wheel in common use may be entirely
avoided. In this form of propulsion the buckets come in contact with the water-line
at an angle or flatwise, and as they are forced therein their motion tends as much to
lift the boat out of the water as to move her forward until the revolution of the
wheel has brought the paddles perpendicular to the water-line when their propelling
tendency is greatest, this lattor, however, diminishing from that point as the angle of
the paddles with the water-line returns, forcing them to lift a considerable volume
of water and thereby retard the boat. This loss of power is of course increased the
more loaded the boat is-that is, just at the moment that more power is needed.
In my improved device this material defect is entirely avoided. To this end my
paddles are mounted in the paddle-hox so as to be in a constantly-perpendicular
position whether entering or leaving the water. I may use a series of paddles so
mounted that one or more may always be at "full-stroke."
Each paddle works on a pair of double-crank shafts journaled in the sides of the
paddle-box and all of the paddles on one side are connected through suitable pinions
or belting with each other and with the source of power.
As shown in the accompanying drawings, A, is the paddle-box in both sides of
which are provided suitable bearings a a for the double-crank shafts B B. These
shafts are provided on their inner wrists with toothed pinions b, b, and all of these
pinions are connected together through the idlers b₁ b, and so as to receive the same
motion from the source of power with which either of the said crank-shafts may be
connected through the pulley B³ and belt b³.
For small boats run by hand power a fly wheel or hand crank may be used as shown
at b. The paddles C, are mounted each on a pair of the perpendicularly-opposite
crank-shafts B B' as shown.
In Fig. 2. the pinions b b are replaced by sprocket-wheels 6, 64, and the idlers 6' 61
are dispensed with, the connection being effected between the several wheels through
the chain belt b³.
As can be easily seen from the above description, and as shown by the drawings,
the paddles CC, at whatever point of their motion they may be are constantly kept
in a perpendicular position, and, as they can be mounted so as to reach nearly to
the keel of the boat, the force with which they will act against the water will be
constantly the same as that which is applied to them.
This is very desirable especially in sailing against the current in rapid streams,
when, owing to defects of the paddle-wheel system, considerably more power than is
necessary has to be used against the current, which runs the swifter at the surface.

page_text: In case of my propeller on the contrary, the action of the paddles being principally
against the deeper and more solid portion of the stream, no waste of power will occur,
and boats will be enabled through it to go up swift currents that cannot be navigated
at all now unless by haulage by cable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a propelling-mechanism for boats, the vertical paddles C, in combination with
the vertically-opposite shafts B B¹, pinions upon similar ends of each shaft, and the
intermediate idlers 61, connecting the pinions 6 and paddle-box A, substantially as
shown and for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination with the paddle box A, of the horizontal series of crank-shafts B¹
and the superimposed and vertically-opposite series B, a paddle C journaled on each
vertical pair of cranks, and pinions & mounted on similar ends of the cranks and idle
pinions 6 alternating with and connecting the pinions b of the lower series, and similar
pinions b¹ connecting each the vertically-opposite pair of pinions b, substantially as
specified.
Dated this i8th day of December 1889.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents