Improvements in the Propulsion of Boats.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 14th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 14th Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Propulsion of Boats.
I, ADOLPHE JULIEN RICHARD, of 81, Rue Compoise à Saint Denis, (Departe-
ment de la Seine), Paris, in the Republic of France, Machinist, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the propulsion of boats for navigating
shallow waters.
To this end I provide below the boat an inclined channel adapted to receive
propellor plates fixed to an endless chain by screws or other suitable means, which
chain is carried and rotated by two toothed wheels to which rotary motion is
imparted directly from the engine by means of cranks.
Below and above between the said wheels I employ a strong plate of glass fitted
into grooves, which plates serve to carry and maintain the said chains in a straight
line, the lower one preventing also more or less the water entering the chamber
thus formed between the two plates.
The movement of the propellor described is as follows:-
After the said wheels are set in motion the chain is moved in the same direction
causing its plate to dip into the water and thus propel the boat forward. The
water lifted by the plates is discharged into a spout to prevent obstruction in the
aforesaid chamber by the water. In order to propel the boat backwards it is
necessary to reverse the rotation of the aforesaid wheels and thus cause the plates
to move astern. In this case the water, lifted by the said plates, is discharged into
a chamber having a bridge, from whence it leaves through two inclined tube3 which
have their exit at the stern of the boat.
The upper portion of the said wheels, chain and chamber between the latter
is inclosed by a casing which may be opened to permit of repairs and lubrication.
In order to prevent foreign matters, such as wood and the like, entering the
aforesaid chamber, I furnish the same with a metal grid which is continued by
a plate.
Dated this 29th day of December 1892.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Propulsion of Boats.
I, ADOLPHE JULIEN RICHARD, of 81, Compoise a Saint Denis, (Departement
de la Seine), Paris, in the Republic of France, Machinist, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in the propulsion of boats for navigating
shallow waters and consists in providing such boats with a new form of propellor
having plates moving below the boat in a line perfectly rectilineal to the longitudinal
axis of the boat.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood I have caused to
be appended hereunto one sheet of drawings marked with letters of reference
indicating like parts in the various figures.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the propellor consisting of two wheels carrying
an endless steel belt furnished with plates.

page_text: Fig. 3 is a plan of the said belt to which are fixed the said plates.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the said belt.
Fig. 5 a cross section at line X-X Fig. 1, showing the position of the glass
plates.
Fig. 6 is a cross section of the back part of the boat at line Y-Y of Fig. 1,
showing the propellor wheel, with steel belt and its plates.
Fig. 7 is a cross section of the boat at line Z-Z of Fig. 1.
Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of the propellor having two wheels carrying a flat
chain furnished with plates.
Fig. 9 is an end view of the wheel bearing, adapted to take up the slack of the
chain.
Figs. 10 & 11 are respectively a side view and a plan of the chain furnished with
plates.
In carrying out my invention the form of boat best adapted for my invention is
shown in Figs. 6 & 7, and which will carry a moderate weight and has a light
draught. In the bottom of the boat I form an inclined channel a extending-along-
the whole length thereof in which-move-the-propellor plates 6 fixed to an endless
chain e by screws or other suitable means, which chain is carried and rotated by
two toothed wheels d to which rotary motion is imparted directly from the engine
by means of cranks.
Below and above between the wheels d I employ a strong plate of glass e fitted
into grooves e¹, which plates serve to carry and maintain the said chains in a straight
line, the lower one preventing also more or less the water entering the chamber k
thus formed between the two plates.
The movement of the propellor described is as follows:-
After the wheels d are set in motion, as indicated by the arrow, the chain is
moved in the same direction causing its plate b to dip into the water and thus
propel the boat forward. The water lifted by the plates is discharged into a
spout to pevent obstruction in the chamber k by the water.
In order to propel
the boat backwards it is necessary to reverse the rotation of the wheels d and thus
cause the plates to move astern. In this case the water lifted by the said plates
is discharged into a chamber g, Fig. 8, having a bridge h from whence it leaves
through two inclined tubes i which have their exit; at the stern of the boat.
The upper portion of the wheels d, chain and chamber between the latter is.
inclosed by a casing k which may be opened to permit of repairs and lubrication as
may be required.
In order to prevent foreign matters, such as wood and the like entering the
aforesaid channel a, I furnish the same with a metal grid m which is continued by
a plate n.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim, is-
e
A propellor for boats, having a rectilineal movement and guided by plates
characterised by the employment of two toothed wheels d engaging with and
rotating an endless chain upon which are arranged a number of plates or flat
boards adapted to move in a channel a and rejecting the water in its forward
movement through a spout f towards the back of the boat and when moving
backwards through a chamber g having a bridge h communicating with incline tubes
having their exit at j at the back of the boat, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
Dated this 13th dox of Santambo, 1802
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester, Agents to Applicant.