Improvements in Electrical Propulsion of Barges and Boats on Canals and Rivers.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 29th July, 1898-Accepted, 3rd Sept.,
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Propulsion of Barges and Boats on Canals
and Rivers.
We, HENRY WILLIAM HANDCOCK, ALFRED HERBERT DYKES, Engineers, both of
5, Victoria Street, Westminster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improved methods of propulsion of canal or river barges
by means of electricity by which any barge or boat can be quickly converted into
a self propelling vessel, and restored to its original condition again on leaving
the canal to enter others where the ordinary methods of traction still prevail.
For this purpose we make up a special rudder which, on the barge entering the
canal can be shipped in the place of the ordinary one. This rudder has part of
the blade cut away to take a propeller screw of suitable size and pitch, and on a
bracket or extension of the tiller above the water line we mount an electro motor
contained in a suitable watertight case. This motor drives by means of a chain,
rope or belt on to an outer ring surrounding the propeller blades; a comparatively
large, slow moving propeller being most suitable for this kind of work. In some
cases however we gear down by means of spur or other suitable reducing gear close
to the motor, and in this case the drive can be on to a pulley fixed on the pro-
peller shaft.
We also sometimes mount the motor vertically, and connect it, preferably by
means of a flexible spring coupling, to a vertical shaft carrying at its end a bevel
gear working into another bevel wheel on the propeller spindle.
The propeller blades may revolve within a ring or short cylinder which prevents
them from damage by contact with floating or other bodies.
In another form of our apparatus we dispense with the rudder, so called, and
simply mount on a backward extension of the tiller, which dips into the water a
metal cylinder having its axis in line with the direction of the tiller. In this
cylinder a propeller is mounted and driven by a flexible shaft or other approved
gearing by means of a motor mounted on the tiller. We thus replace the ordinary
rudder method of steering which necessarily wastes a certain amount of power by a
system which applies the propulsive force of the screw, not along a line in the
direction of the keel always, but in the line of the tiller head; thus doing away
with the blade of the rudder under water and utilizing our power to the best advan-
tage.
In most cases the starting and controlling switch is mounted on the inboard
end of the tiller and is shipped and unshipped with the rudder and screw as part
of one whole.
The current is supplied to the motor by means of an overhead line similar to that
used for tramways. A cast-iron socket is screwed to the stern of the barge and
into it is dropped an upright rod carrying at the top a swivelling trolley pole and
wheel of the ordinary pattern. Instead of the revolving trolley wheel a rubbing
shoe, rod or other contact device may be employed. The return path of the current

page_text: is either by means of a second trolley wheel and overhead line, or else the current
is led to earth through the iron plates of which the rudder is composed or else by
means of special earth plates or chains depending from the barge into the canal.
For instance we sometimes trail a length of flexible metallic conductor from the
barge on to the bed of the canal.
To facilitate the escape of the current to earth we sometimes find it advisable
to increase the saline or alkaline matter in the water either by pumping in sea
water or by directly adding salt or an alkali. The conductivity can also be
increased by adding a suitable acid, but we consider other methods preferable.
We are aware that motors in combination with rudders have been used before
when driven by means of batteries, but our invention is for the combination of a
motor and propeller, with or without an ordinary rudder, mounted up complete so
as to be easily detachable, and in combination with an overhead electric trolley
line. We sometimes where we have a double line of barges work the overhead
line on the "three wire" system.
Dated this 27th day of September 1897
HENRY WILLIAM HANDCOCK.
ALFRED HERBERT DYKES.
Improvements in Electrical Propulsion of Barges and Boats on Canals
and Rivers.
We, HENRY WILLIAM HANDCOCK. and ALFRED HERBERT DYKES, both of
5, Victoria Street, in the County of London, Civil Engineers, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention relates to the propulsion of canal or river barges by electricity
and has for its chief object to provide means whereby an ordinary barge or other
boat can be quickly converted into a self propelling one, and as quickly restored
to its original condition on leaving the canal to enter other waterways where the
ordinary methods of traction still prevail.
According to our invention we provide a specially constructed rudder or similar
device which is furnished with a propeller or propellers and with an electro-motor
geared therewith, the electric energy for driving the motor being obtained from
overhead or similarly arranged conductors by a trolley pole or other appropriate
means that can be readily connected electrically with the barge. The said rudder
⚫ or similar device serves as a combined steering and propelling contrivance and is
constructed in such a manner that, on the barge entering the canal where the over-
head conductors are provided, the said contrivance with all its parts can be taken
as a whole and be substituted for the ordinary rudder.
In order that our said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect we will proceed to describe the same more fully with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which :-
-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the stern portion of a barge provided with one
form of our combined steering and propelling device.
Figures 2 and 3 are similar views shewing other forms of the said device.
A is the barge, B our substituted rudder or similar device, C the propeller,
D the electro-motor, E the overhead line or conductor and F the trolley pole for
conveying the electricity from said conductor to the barge.
In the construction illustrated by Figure 1 the rudder B has a portion of its

page_text: blade removed at 6 to receive the propeller which may be of any suitable size and
pitch and which is carried by a shaft 6 mounted in bearings on the rudder blade.
On a bracket or extension 63 on the rudder-blade, above the water line, we mount
the electro-motor D which is preferably contained in a suitable water-tight case d.
This motor has its shaft coupled by means of a driving chain, rope or belt d¹ to
a driving ring surrounding and connected with the periphery of the propeller
blades; a comparatively large, slow moving propeller being most suitable for our
purpose. In some cases however we employ suitable speed reducing gear close to
the motor, and then we prefer to transmit the rotary motion of the motor to a
pulley on the propeller shaft.
G is a starting and controlling switch which is preferably mounted on the
inboard end of the tiller and is adapted to be shipped and unshipped with the
rudder and propeller as part of our combined steering and propelling contrivance.
The electric current is supplied to the motor from the overhead line or con-
ductor E through the trolley pole F which is adapted to enter a metal socket at
the stern of the barge, the said socket being placed in electrical connection with
the switch G in any suitable manner. The upper end of the said pole F has a
trolley wheel for other convenient contact device for taking the current from the
conductor. The return path of the current is by means of a second trolley wheel
and overhead line. We sometimes, where we have a double line of barges, work
the overhead line on the "three wire" system.
In the construction illustrated in Figure 2 we have shewn the motor shaft
arranged vertically, and connected, by means of a spring coupling ³, to a vertical
shaft carrying at its lower end a bevel wheel gearing with another bevel
wheel d on the propeller shaft. This spring coupling enables the bevel wheels
to always remain in proper gear with each other regardless of any. vibration of
the motor.
The propeller blades may revolve within a ring or short cylinder which acts as
a guard to prevent their being damages by contact with floating or other bodies
and also ensures the wash being directed straight astern.
In the form of our contrivance illustrated in Figure 3 we dispense with the rudder
blade shewn in the previous figures and simply employ a backward extension
on the tiller 63 which extension is furnished at its end below the water level with
a metal cylinder 65 having its axis in line with the direction of the tiller. Within
this cylinder the propeller is mounted on a shaft revolving in bearings 66 carried
by radial arms extending inwardly from the periphery of the said cylinder. The
said shaft is driven by a flexible shaft 6 or other appropriate gearing from tho
motor I mounted on the tiller. By this arrangement we are enabled to replace
the ordinary rudder method of steering, which necessarily wastes a certain amount
of power, by a system which applies the propulsive force of the screw not always
along a line in the direction of the barge-keel, but along the line of the tiller, thus
dispensing with the blade of the rudder and utilizing our motive power to the
best advantage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we would state that
we are aware it has before been proposed to combine electro-motors and propellers
with rudders for the purpose of propelling barges by electricity but in such cases
the electric energy has been obtained from batteries carried by the barge; and
to such an arrangement we make no claim, but what we do claim is:-
1. The use with an overhead or similar electric trolley system for water-ways
of a combined steering and propelling contrivance which is constructed substan-
tially as herein before described so as to be readily substituted temporarily for
the rudder of a barge or boat for the purpose specified.
2. The combination with a barge or boat of a contact device for taking electric
current from overhead conductors and of a propelling contrivance mounted on the
barge or boat substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

page_text: 3. The combination with the propeller of a ring or short cylinder substantially
as described and for the purpose specified.
4. A combined steering and propelling contrivance comprising a rudder, an
electro-motor, a propeller, and a switch substantially as described with reference
to the accompanying drawings and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 29th day of July 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.