Improvements in Paddle Wheels and like Propellers and in the Construction or Adaptation of Ships, Boats, Water-velocipedes, and other Vessels to Receive the said Propellers.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 17th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 18th Jan., 1887.
Improvements in Paddle Wheels and like Propellers and in the
Construction or Adaptation of Ships, Boats, Water-velocipedes,
and other Vessels to Receive the said Propellers.
I JOHN MORTON HALE, of No. 131 Torriano Avenue, Camden Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved construction of paddle wheels and like
propellers whereby the blades or paddles of the same shall enter and pass through the
water at such an angle as to avoid concussion and thereby obtain a smooth action with
good propelling effect and to the construction or adaptation of ships, boats water-
velocipedes and other vessels so as to render them suitable to receive the said
propellers, an arrangement being provided for working or driving the same by manual
power, the said propellers being worked parallel to or in a line with the keel.
In carrying out my invention I form the said paddle wheels and like propellers with
helical or screw like blades or paddles to any approved fixed or varying pitch or
angle.
In some instances the blades or paddles are made or formed without a twist and are
fixed or formed to a suitable angle; they may also be made or formed of a curved
section.
I do not confine myself to any particular shape of blade or paddle nor precise
angle of inclination but it is an essential part and principle of my said invention that
one half the number of the blades or paddles, or thereabout, in each paddle wheel or
propeller shall be formed or fixed at opposite or reverse angles to the other half, and
preferably that they should alternate one inclining to the right and the next inclining to
the left although in some instances they may be arranged in two's or more alternately,
the object in each case being to neutralize the side thrust so that although the said
paddle wheels or propellers are fixed parallel to or in a line with the keel and used
either singly or in pairs there will be no tendency to heeling over or deviation from a
direct course.
Any number of blades or paddles suited to the diameter of the paddle wheel or
propeller may be used but it should be an even number.

page_text: The said blades or paddles may be cast in a piece with a central boss or cast, forged
or formed separately and fixed to a boss, or a wheel may be built up and the blades or
paddles fixed thereto in their respective positions.
Sometimes the said paddle wheels or propellers may be partially made or formed of
wood or material other than metal.
The said improved paddle wheels or propellers are fixed to a suitable shaft or axle
and worked either at the sides or stern or in any other convenient part of the vessel
and I build construct or adapt any ship, boat, water velocipede or other vessel with a
suitable recess, chamber or aperture at or near the stern or in any other convenient
part thereof for the purpose of working the said improved paddle wheels or propellers
therein.
When the paddle wheels and propellers are used at or near the stern I construct the
said ships, boats, water-velocipedes and other vessels with a suitably divided after part
for the purpose of giving a free water way to the same, but when worked at the sides
they are arranged in a similar manner to ordinary paddle wheels, no constructional
alteration then being necessary.
The said improved paddle wheels and propellers may be driven by steam, manual or
other power.
When driven by manual power, foot cranks with suitable driving wheels
or pulleys, and endless chains may be used or a double crank and lever motion, and
sometimes both in conjunction.
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Paddle Wheels and like Propellers, and in the
Construction or Adaptation of Ships, Boats, Water-velocipedes,
and other Vessels to Receive the said Propellers.
I, JOHN MORTON HALE, of No. 131, Torriano Avenue, Camden Road, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved construction of paddle wheels and like
propellers whereby the blades or paddles of the same shall enter and pass through the
water at such an angle as to avoid concussion and thereby obtain a smooth action with
good propelling effect, and to the construction or adaptation of ships, boats, water-
velocipedes, and other vessels so as to render them suitable to receive the said
propellers, an arrangement being provided for working or driving the same by manual
power, the said propellers being worked parallel to or in a line with the keel.
In carrying out my invention I form the said paddle wheels and like propellers with
helical or screw-like blades or paddles to any approved fixed or varying pitch or
angle.
In some instances the blades or paddles are made or formed without a twist and are
fixed or formed to a suitable angle; they may also be made or formed of a curved
section.
I do not confine myself to any particular shape of blade or paddle nor precise angle
of inclination but it is an essential part and principle of my said invention that one
half the number of the blades or paddles or thereabout, in each paddle wheel or
propeller shall be formed or fixed at opposite or reverse angles to the other half, and
preferably that they should alternate, one inclining to the right and the next inclining
to the left, although in some instances they may be arranged in two's or more
alternately, the object in each case being to neutralize the side thrust so that although
the said paddle wheels or propellers are fixed parallel to or in a line with the keel
and used either singly or in pairs there will be no tendency to heeling over or deviation
from a direct course.
Any number of blades or paddles suited to the diameter of the paddle wheel or
propeller may be used but it should be an even number.
The said blades or paddles may be cast in a piece with a central boss or cast, forged
or formed separately and fixed to a boss, or a wheel may be built up, and the blades
or paddles fixed thereto in their respective positions.
Sometimes the said paddle wheels or propellers may be partially made or formed of
wood or material other than metal.
The said improved paddle wheels or propellers are fixed to a suitable shaft or axle
and worked either at the sides or stern or in any other convenient part of the vessel,
and I build, construct or adapt any ship, boat, water velocipede or other vessel with a
suitable recess, chamber or aperture at or near the stern or in any other convenient
part thereof for the purpose of working the said improved paddle wheels or propellers
therein.

page_text: when the paddle wheels and propellers are used at or near the stern 1 construct the
said ships, boats, water-velocipedes and other vessels with a suitably divided after-part
for the purpose of giving a free water-way to the same, but when worked at the sides
they are arranged in a similar manner to ordinary paddle wheels, no constructional
alteration then being necessary.
The said improved paddle wheels and propellers may be driven by steam, manual or
other power. When driven by manual power, foot cranks with suitable driving wheels
or pulleys, and endless chains may be used or a double crank and lever motion, and
sometimes both in conjunction.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describe
the same by reference to the accompanying drawings in which figures 1, 3, 4, and 5
are edge views of paddle wheels or like propellers constructed according to my
invention; figure 2 is a side view of figure 1; figure 6 is a longitudinal section of a
boat or water-velocipede arranged to be worked by one person and illustrating the
manner in which I construct or adapt such a boat in order to apply one of my improved
paddle wheels or propellers thereto to be used at or near the stern; figure 7 is a plan
of figure 6, the top covering of the paddle wheel or propeller being removed; figure 8
is a plan view shewing the boat or water-velocipede arranged to be worked by two
persons; figure 9 is a cross section on line A B of figure 8. Similar letters in all the
figures represent similar or corresponding parts.
Referring to figures 1 and 2, a, and a¹, represent the blades of my improved paddle
wheel or propeller, one half the number of the blades, indicated by the letters a a, being
formed or fixed at opposite or reverse angles to the other half, indicated by a¹, a¹³, as is
clearly illustrated in figure 1. The paddles are here shewn as being carried by spokes b, b,
which are connected at their outer ends by rings c, c, so as to rigidly secure the whole
together; d, is the boss on which the spokes b, are formed or fixed. This propeller
can be used as a paddle.or side wheel but it is equally applicable as a stern propeller
or for twin ships, ferry rafts or boats, torpedo boats, and other purposes, and can be built
up to any desired width and to suit any required horse power by several being placed
on one shaft as indicated in figure 3; figure 4 represents my improved paddle wheel
or like propeller with solid blades placed closer together and arranged in a slightly
modified position; figure 5 illustrates the blades arranged in the positions shewn in
figures 1 and 2 but of a curved section the object of this shape of blade or any
modification of the curve being to throw the water more directly astern.
In figures 6, 7, 8 and 9, e, is the recess, chamber, or aperture which I provide in a
boat or water-velocipede to allow of my improved paddle wheel or propeller being
applied thereto; ff, represent the divided after part with which I provide a boat or
other vessel for the purpose of giving a free water way to the same when the paddle wheels
or propellers are used at or near the stern. In figures 6 and 7 the propeller is shewn
arranged to be worked by foot cranks g, g, chain-wheels h, h, chain wheels or
pullies i, i, chains j, j, and hand levers ₁, j, with connecting or driving rods 1, 1.
Figures 8 and 9 shew the manner in which the sides of the propeller chamber
extended downwards and rearwards to form a double keel m, m, for the protection of
the propeller against fouling when the boat or other vessel is crossing or comes in
contact with any sunken or floating object, and also for the purpose of giving increased
steadiness.
e, are
It will be seen that this improvement is of considerable importance to torpedo boats
and other craft employed in naval warfare, as a protection against injury by booms,
sunken chains and other defensive obstructions.
The blades a, a¹, of the propeller are shewn of a slightly different shape to those
hereinbefore described and illustrated in figures 1 to 5 but their relative positions on
the boss d, are the same.
n, is the rudder line working over pullies o, o'; p, is the rudder; q, q, are seats for
the persons working the propeller.
Figure 8 represents a similar boat fitted with two sets of foot-cranks g, g, and
treadles. It will be seen by the drawings that either means of driving may be
so employed or multiplied as to suit any desired number of operators.

page_text: Although in figures 6, 7, and 9 I have shewn my propeller applied to a manually
propelled boat, it will be obvious that it is equally adapted to be driven by steam or
other power and can be employed in vessels of practically any tonnage, and that it
may be used singly as a protected stern propeller in the manner shewn in figures 6
and 7 of the drawings, or as side wheel propellers in lieu of ordinary paddle wheels,
or as a stern wheel for vessels of shallow draft, or amid-ships as when applied to vessels
of the twin type.
It will be understood by reference to figures 1 to 5 that the angular position of the
propeller blades will add very considerably to the steadiness of a vessel by the large
surface presented as a resistance to the rolling motion. It will also be seen that my
propellers can be run at a very high rate of speed with great smoothness of action, and
that when used as protected stern propellers their central position secures them against
the sudden and unequal strains to which the ordinary screw propeller is subjected by
the rolling of the vessel in a rough sea.
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. A paddle-wheel or like propeller of the kind herein referred to having one half
the number of its blades or paddles formed or fixed at opposite or reverse angles to
the other half substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
2. Providing ships, boats, water-velocipedes, or other vessels with a recess, chamber,
or aperture, such as e, forming a divided afterpart substantially in the manner and for
the purposes herein before described and represented in figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the
accompanying drawings.
3. The manufacture and use of the improved paddle-wheels or propellers herein-
before described and illustrated in the various figures of the accompanying drawings.
4. The improved boat or water-velocipede hereinbefore described and represented in
figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.