IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE PROPULSION AND STEERING OF VESSELS OR SHIPS, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gustav Pfannkuche, senior, of Vienna, Austria, and
Gustav Pfannkuche, junior, of 23, Little Queen Street, Westminster, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE PROPULSION AND
STEERING OF VESSELS OR SHIPS, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER USEFUL
PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gustav Pfannkuche, senior,
& Gustav Pfannkuche, junior, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 14th May 1880.
GUSTAV PFANNKUCHE, senior, of Vienna, Austria, and GUSTAV PFANNKUCITE,
junior, of 23, Little Queen Street, Westminster. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR THE PROPULSION AND STEERING OF VESSELS OR SHIPS, ALSO APPLICABLE
FOR OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to the construction of apparatus, which by means of the
direct effect of the expansive powers of exploding gaseous mixtures upon water,
puts columns of water in rapid motion. These columns of water are ejected from
out of the ship's or vessel's hull, and thus by reaction effect the propulsion of the
ship or vessel. The water for the formation of the columns of water is to be taken
either from the outside of the ship or from the inside, thus in case of collision or
leakages acting at the same time as the most powerful pumps possible.
The object is by introduction of this Invention to supersede the present steain
propelling machinery, thereby reducing the costs of the propelling power in the ship
to less than one sixth of the costs of the engines now in use; to abolish the use of
steam boilers and of coals, thereby saving the greatest part of the space now lost
for freight purposes occupied by boilers and fuel stores, and render this space
available for carrying goods or passengers; to provide for the building of coin-
paratively more powerful machinery into a smaller space, thus gaining speed; to
attain greater safety in regard to the working of the ships or vessels, as this improved
apparatus contains very few working parts, and as, if one or more of its composing
parts should break down, the remaining parts will work on independently of the
disabled ones;
and as the water columns can be ejected in every direction the

page_text: steering of the ships or vessels without rudder will be perfect and instantaneous by
changing the direction of the effluent water by means of the discharging orifices or
valves.
་
In carrying the Invention into practice the apparatus is constructed as
follows:-
We take, according to the power desired to be developed by the apparatus, a
number of (2 or 3 or more) vertical cylinders called "explosion cylinders," and
connect the bottom of these cylinders by means of pipes of sufficient diameter with
a suitably proportioned air vessel, from which air vessel a pipe or pipes lead
through the vessel's or ship's hull, and thus connect the apparatus with the water
surrounding the ship.
'
The top of each of the vertical "explosion cylinders" stands through a pipe in
connection with a pump pumping air through some one or other of the inflammable
oils of the hydrocarbon class, and forcing a sufficient part of the resulting gas or
gaseous mixture into the top of the "vertical explosion cylinders." It will be scen
that at this period of the work the "explosion cylinders" are fully charged with
water, except that little space at the top which is filled with the gas. The gas
brought to explosion by electric or other spark empties the cylinders by forcing the
water into the air vessel, and from there, in the shape of a rapidly moving column
of water, out of the ship's or vessel's hull.
The vacuum in the explosion cylinders after the forcing out of the water by the
explosion of the gas again sucks water into the cylinders, either from outside the
ship or vessel, or from inside of the same, and the gas pumps again 'supply
the necessary quantity of gas for the continuous repetition of the process.
The explosion cylinders may be grouped by two or three or more round one air
vessel, thus forming a compact system, and two, or three, or more of these systems
can be fitted into a ship or vessel, according to its size and required performance, thus
allowing of working any chosen number of cylinders, whilst others are out of work
or disabled, or being repaired as may be requisite. The orifices of the ejection pipes
can be turned to any direction, thus steering the ship or vessel whilst propelling it,
and an apparatus like the specified one fitted into ships propelled by some other
power, enables one to steer or turn these ships in any direction at almost a minute's
notice and when not in motion.
The same construction of explosion cylinders and air vessels is equally applicable
for pumping purposes, whether on board ship or otherwise, and for fire engines.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Gustav Pfannkuche, senior, & Gustav Pfannkuche, junior, in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 13th November 1880.
GUSTAV PFANNKUCHE, senior, of Vienna, Austria, and GUSTAV PFANNкUCHE,
junior, of 23, Little Queen Street, Westminster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR THE PROPULSION AND STEERING OF VESSELS OR SHIPS, ALSO APPLICABLE:
TO OTHER USEFUL PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to the construction of apparatus which is the means of
utilising the expansive and working powers of exploding gas or gaseous mixtures,
hereafter described, and heated air for the direct and rapid setting in motion of
columns of water or air which are ejected out from the vessel's hull, and thus by
reaction effect the propulsion of the ship or vessel, which principle, by the way, is
the true and only principle for the moving of bodies in water as well as in air.
The water absorbed by the apparatus for the formation of these columns will
be taken either from the water surrounding the vessel, or that may be contained in
the vessel, in which latter case it is evident that the apparatus will fulfil its
purpose of propelling the vessel, besides acting as the most powerful pumping
machinery for ridding the vessel from water coming in by leakage or other causes,
whilst in case of an outbreak of fire, fire hoses connected to the air vessel of tho
apparatus will throw any quantity of water with great pressure. This adaptability
of the principle upon which this Invention is based directed the application of parts
of this apparatus for pumping machinery and fire engines, and as the apparatus is
able to use air in the same way and for the same purpose as it uses water, either
with or without the assistance of a piston to transmit the power of the exploding
and expanding gaseous mixtures and heated air, it is evident that the apparatus is
able to propel vessels by means of air columns ejected out of the vessel's hull, and
that part of this apparatus is applicable for purposes of air blast, and blowing and
compressing machinery.
This Invention has been made with the object of facilitating navigation in
general, by giving it the means of fitting powerful but simple and cheap propelling
apparatus into vessels, thus avoiding the present steam machinery, which is more
complicated, and therefore costlier, unwieldlier, and more liable to accidents, besides
occupying with its boilers and coal stores almost half of the vessel's tonnage. The
apparatus provided by this Invention is estimated to cost about 1. of the costs
of an equally powerful steam machinery, there being comparatively few working
parts in it, besides which it dispenses altogether with boilers and stokehole, thus
making such space available for loading purposes, whilst the space for coal stores
will be materially reduced, as the raw material for providing the apparatus with
gas or gaseous mixture is in a liquid or semi-liquid state, and by being stored in
wrot iron boxes or tanks will occupy comparatively little space only, whilst the
propelling apparatus itself requires about half the space of that now used for fixing
the steam propeller. Another important object, too, in making this Invention has
been the desire to procure for vessels as great a degree of safety as possible, which
end only could be gained by reducing the working parts of the propelling apparatus
to a minimum, and making the several parts that constitute the whole work
independently of each other, so that in case of the breaking down or destruction of
one or several parts, the remaining ones are able to work on and to still propel the
vessel. The large vessels of the present times, merchantmen as well as men of war,
can scarcely be said to obey their helm, and the still larger vessels of the future, if
built according to the present system, will still be more unwieldy, and still less
able to avoid collisions. For this evil also there is the remedy provided by that
part of this Invention which allows the orifices of the water ejecting pipes to be
-'
"

page_text: directed to every point of the compass, and thereby steer the vessel rapidly whilst
going ahead or going astern; and also to turn it around its own vertical axis
whilst not moving in forward or backward direction, or to move it paralel to
its longitudinal axis.
If this apparatus is fitted into steam ships it will serve for the several purposes
of increasing the propelling power of the vessel, for steering the vessel rapidly and
independently of a rudder, besides being useful as pumping machinery in case of
leakage, and as fire engine in case of an outbreak of fire.
In order that the Invention and its applications may be clearly understood, there
are annexed hereto five Sheets of Drawings, to which reference is made by Figures
and letters in the following particular description:-
:―
On Sheet 1 is shown a cylinder A, which is of gun metal, iron, or of cast steel,
and which is divided into two parts, the upper one of which, marked B, is destined
to receive the charge of the exploding gas or gaseous mixture, whilst the lower
one C becomes filled through valve L with the water that is to be ejected by the
exploded gaseous mixture and to be used for the formation of the water columns.
Now suppose the upper part B of the cylinder A to be charged with the gaseous
mixture, the lower part C to be filled with water, and then the gaseous mixture in
part B be brought to explosion by electric spark or otherwise, the consequences will
be that the water contained in the chamber C is forced by the expansion of the gases
through the valves D and through the sluice cock E into the large air vessel F,
whence under the pressure in the air vessel it finds its way through the orifice H
into the water surrounding the vessel. After the explosion in the explosion
cylinder B and the ejection of the water out of the part C, a vacuum is formed in
the cylinder A, the water again rises into the part C, the part B is again charged
with gaseous mixture and the play of this simple apparatus begins afresh. The water
enters through the pipe I, which can be taken down to the bottom of the ship, or,
better, to the sides or the bows of the vessel, whilst the gas or gaseous mixture makes
its entrance through the channel M. This gas or gaseous mixture is brought into
the cylinder either by being sucked into it by the vacuum following the explosion
of the prior charge or by being pumped into it through the pump N, as shown on
the Drawing. The pump is constructed as a simple air pump, and works under
almost little or no pressure. In the absence of ready made gas we produce the
gaseous mixture for the exploding and expansion process by letting the air pump
suck air through a "carburetter," shown at Fig. 2, Sheet 5, and force the resulting
mixture through the valve P into the cylinder.
The motive power for working the air pump and for opening and shutting the
inlet valve P is supplied by a small gas or other motor of any construction, and
indicated by on Sheet 4. This same motor also works a valve Q, through which
the gaseous refuse of the exploded gaseous mixture escapes at slight pressure; the
arrangement thus described, and the action that takes place in this apparatus as
described, forms the basis upon which the "reaction propeller," as we shall call the
propelling apparatus described in this Specification, is built up, as forming the basis
for the pumping apparatus and fire engine in case water is acted upon by the
exploding and expanding gas; and in case of air being substituted for the water
the "reaction propeller" would remain nearly the same, whilst the pumping
apparatus would turn a blast or blowing apparatus.
For the purpose of having continually a sufficient and equal pressure in the air
vessel, and to thus produce a water column or water columns of uniform quantity
and moving with uniform velocity, it will be necessary to let several of the above
described explosion cylinders discharge into one air vessel, for instance as shown on
Sheet 3, where four explosion cylinders work into one air vessel, or as shown on
Sheet 4, where 6 explosion cylinders (marked A, A, A), are similarly arranged
round one air vessel F, thus forming a complete system or battery. The number of
such systems to be built into a vessel, and the number of explosion cylinders
forming part of one such system, will be determined by the power that has to be
developed by the apparatus.

page_text: As regards the explosion cylinder it may be mentioned that it will be useful to
employ a float marked S, which when the water again rushes into the cylinder
after an explosion will float up with the water and press finally against the edge
of the opening T in the partition wall R, thus always keeping the water from
entering the part B, which is destined for the exploding charge. The valves P
and Q, shown in Fig. 1, Sheet 15, are balanced and close with great certainty and
require only little motion, which is imparted from the lever connected with the
motor that drives the air pump or air pumps.
The only self acting parts of the apparatus are the clack valves D and L. They
are encased in a conical box and can, together with the same, easily be pulled out
and replaced again.
In case of one or several of the explosion cylinders breaking down, or an air
vessel having to be exchanged without. disturbing the proper working of the
remaining parts of the propelling apparatus, it is necessary to separate the same
from each other and the water surrounding the same. For this purpose the sluice
cocks K and E are provided in respect of the explosion cylinders, and a similar
sluice cock E is in connection with the air vessel. The closing of the said sluice
cocks K and E allow of taking the explosion cylinders and the air pumps apper-
taining to them to pieces, without interfering with the working of the other
cylinders.
To close the valve E¹ the following simple process is necessary, and is illustrated
in Sheet 2. The directions are as follows:-Lift the inside part of the air vessel
by undoing the flange W, and then work the lifting mechanism fixed to the ring V.
The air vessel. F rests with its fixed exterior shell upon a conically shaped base X
which is fixed to the bottom of the vessel. Underneath this base X the bottom of
the vessel is perforated, so that the orifice of the interior and movable part of the
air vessel can dip into this conically formed space underneath the base X, thus
putting the air vessel into communication with the water surrounding the vessel,
without impeding the movement of the orifice round the vertical axis of the air
vessel. The water column escapes through this orifice, which is marked H, on
Sheets 1 and 3, and which decline some degrees from the horizontal line to avoid
the projecting of the orifice from the bottom of the vessel.
On Sheet 4 the orifice G is shown as projecting from the vessel's bottom, in
which case the water columns can leave the vessel in a horizontal direction.
Experience must teach which way of the two is the better. By turning these
orifices connected to the interior part of the air vessel, the water columns will be
ejected in any desired direction, and thus steer the vessel without the help of a
rudder. To effect this the said interior part of the air vessel is movable round its
vertical axis, and to the top of the same is keyed a toothed wheel, marked Y, which
receives its motion from the cog wheel Z, as shown on Sheets 3 and 4.
The double stuffing box A procures air and water-tightness, whilst the second
flange W keeps this interior part of the air vessel from rising up. Another stuffing
box is formed lower down by the ring b, shown on Sheets 1 and 2, to procure good
fit and close joint.
This ring b contains at the same time a sufficient number of friction rollers upon
which the interior part of the air vessel rests, thus facilitating the moving of the
same round its axis for the purpose of ejecting the water columns in every desired
direction. Fig. 2 (Sheet 5) shows construction of "carburetter," which is the
apparatus proposed to be used for mixing the air with the fumes of petroleum
or any other oil of the hydro-carbon class. Upon an open vessel C, filled with the oil
to about half its height, is screwed down a lid marked d, to which is cast edgeways
and depending a strip or midfeather winding spirally round the centre of the
vessel, and reaching nearly to the bottom of the vessel C, thus dipping deeply into
the oil; the spiral part being lined with felt, which by capillary action sucks up
the oil. The air pumps N before mentioned pumps the air through the pipe fand
draws it over the oil through the canal formed by the spiral, and after thus
saturating it with oil forces through pipe e the resulting gaseous mixture, through

page_text: the valves and P, into the explosion cylinder. The air may be heated before
being drawn through the "carburetter," which can be placed in any convenient
part of the ship, either as shewn by Sheet 1 or as shewn in Fig. 1, Sheet 5.
In case of water having to be ejected from out of the ship itself, as in case of
leakage or so forth, close the sluice cocks K, shown on Sheets 1 and 2, and open in
their stead the sluice cocks N; the explosion cylinders will then suck the water
from out of the ship's hold, besides propelling the vessel as required, and in case of
an outbreak of fire firehose can be screwed to connectors on the air vessel, and the
whole power of the apparatus can thus, in case of need, be utilized either for
pumping or for fire extinguishing purposes. More powerful apparatus for either
case cannot be devised.
.Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 on Sheet 5 show the principal directions of the ejected water-
columns, for the movements of the vessel, as "stop," with the apparatus still at
work, as shown in Fig. 5; "go ahead," Fig. 6; "go astern," Fig. 7; moving
parallel to own longitudinal axis, Fig. 8; and turning round its centre, as shown
in Fig. 9.
.
Fig. 3, Sheet 5, illustrates construction of this Invention in its application as
pumping machinery. The part A¹ is still reserved for the charge of the gas or
gaseous mixture, whilst B¹ is destined to be fitted with water, in short, to act as
pump barrel without a plunger or piston, the expanding gases acting as such. In
this space set apart for the water moves a float S¹ that presses against the closing
ring R. The gas in the part A¹ is exploded, forces the water out of the cylinder B₁
and through the valve D' into the rising main E¹. After the explosion tho
resulting vacuum sucks water through the valve L', and the play starts afresh.
Connected to the rising main is a cylindrical box, in which is mounted a wheel
formed as a water wheel. This wheel receives its motion through the water current
moving in the rising main, and to steady this motion an air vessel G¹ is connected
with the rising main. The waterwheel just mentioned has to perform four distinct
services, all of which require, nevertheless, but little power. It has firstly to open
and close the valve P', to give escape to the gaseous refuse after the explosion ;
secondly, to work the valve P2 for giving the charge of gaseous mixture access to
the first part A'; thirdly, to drive a small pump, which has to suck air through a
carburetter and pump it into the part A¹; and fourthly, it has to produce an
clectric spark for exploding the gaseous charge. For effecting these four operations
in the proper time the float S', when rising, gives to the lever T¹ an upwards
motion by means of which the shaft K' is turned, which puts into play the 4
operations that have to be performed by the above mentioned waterwheel.
Fig. 4, Sheet 5, illustrates the construction of blowing machinery, which is almost
the same as that of the pumping machinery, air being substituted for the water,
as in the case of the propelling apparatus. A shows the space for the exploding
charge, and B2 the air barrel. The exploded and expanding gases drive the
piston C forwards, and force the air in the air barrel through the valve D2 into the
main pipe E2, to which is connected an air vessel G³ to give the air current
uniformity of motion. The air current drives in this case an air wheel F2, which
works the air cocks Ps, P, and performs the same service respectively as the
waterwheel in the rising main of the pumping machinery. The piston C2 can also
be left out, and the explosion cylinder be made to discharge directly into an air
vessel, from which the compressed air and gases can then be taken for driving other
machinery. The blowing machinery will become air compressing machinery by
simply collecting the air in an air tank and using a proportionally larger quantity
of exploding gaseous mixture in the explosion cylinder.
Having now described the nature and particulars of this Invention, we claim,-
First. The apparatus for propelling vessels by means of water or air columns, as
hereinbefore described and shown respectively on the Drawings, Sheets 1, 2, 3, 4 5,
and its use for steering vessels independently of or auxiliary to any other propelling
power.
Secondly. The application of the said Invention for pumping machinery and fire

page_text: extinguishing purposes, and for air blowing and compressing as herein set forth and
shown by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gastav Pfannkuche, junior, have on behalf
of myself and the said Gustav Pfannkuche, senior, hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Tenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
WALTER A. BARLOW,
Patent Agent & Engineer,
6, St. Paul's Churchyard,
London, E. C.
G. FFANNKUCHE, JUN. (L.S.)