AN IM- PROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Harry Whiteside Cook, of Thurloe Square, in
the County of Middlesex, Barrister, for the Invention of "AN IM-
PROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS."
Sealed the 16th March 1875, and dated the 2nd October 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Harry Whiteside Cook
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
on the 2nd October 1874.
I, HARRY WHITESIDE COOK, of Thurloc Square, in the County of
Middlesex, Barrister, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS," to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists in the utilization of the resistance which a
fluid offers to the passage through it of a solid body, and applies therefore
to ships of all sorts, to projectiles, and as far as the resistance of the air
is concerned to railway trains.

page_text: on increasing also until (if it be going before the wind) the velocity of
the vessel equals that of the wind which drives it.
The other example which I propose to give is that of a fast passenger
steamer designed for, say, transatlantic service. The preferable form
(speaking of the part under water) would in this instance probably be
an equilateral triangle, deep at one side (the front), and tapering to
nothing at the opposite angle, the whole front being covered by one
broad paddle wheel covered above water by a box to protect it from the
waves, and the whole driven by, say, an ordinary screw propeller.
Supposing then the said paddle to be calculated to make n revolutions
per mile and the screw 10 n revolutions, they would be so geared
together that the screw should make 15 revolutions for one of the
paddle. In this way the paddle worked by the resistance of the water
would be always aiding the engines in driving the screw.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Harry Whiteside Cook in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 2nd April 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HARRY
WHITESIDE Cook, of Thurloc Square, in the County of Middlesex,
Barrister, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Harry Whiteside Cook, Her special
license, that I, the said Harry Whiteside Cook, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Harry Whiteside
Cook, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-

page_text: In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn the Invention as adapted
to a vessel provided with an auxiliary screw, Fig. 1 being a side elevation
of the vessel with a part cut away to show a portion of the internal
mechanism; Fig. 2, is an end view of the vessel; Fig. 3 is a sectional
plan view of Fig. 1, one half the vessel being shewn in plan, and the
other half with the deck and upper works removed in order that the
conical body may be more clearly seen.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 are sectional diagrams which represent the
sectional form of the vessel taken at the three lines 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, 6,
respectively in Fig. 1.
In ships the part a, a, Fig. 1, under water may be considered as the
body to be moved, and must be formed accordingly, any convenient
superstructure being added above the water line.
In order to convey a more clear comprehension of the nature of my
present Invention, I will proceed to describe as examples some of the
ways in which it may be applied.
The first and best example to give is that of an ordinary sailing boat.
The shape will be as follows:-Under water a cone a, Fig. 1, from
which a slice has been cut off parallel to the axis, leaving a parabolic
aperture at or a little below the water line. From this aperture spring
the upper works b reaching forward in a point over the base a¹ of the
cone, while the apex or tail a² of the conical body will be made to
support a light continuation of the deck. The face a¹ of the cone a is
covered by a revolving screw fan c calculated to make n revolutions per
mile if it were running in a groove.
The ship is further provided with a screw propeller d pitched to make
three revolutions per mile, while the fan c and screw propeller & are
so geared together, as shewn at c, Fig. 1, that the screw propeller d
shall make not three but four revolutions for one of the fan c. When
more sail is made on the vessel the resistance of the water will cause
the fan c to revolve, and this causes the screw propeller d to revolve at
a pace calculated to drive the vessel faster than it is going. The pace.
will thus be increased, but so also will the force which drives the fan,
so that the momentum of the vessel will go on increasing also until
(if it be going before the wind) the velocity of the vessel equals that of
the wind which drives it.

page_text: transmitted by means of any suitable gearing to an auxiliary propeller
suitably arranged for the purpose, as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Harry Whiteside Cook, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Thirty-first day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
H. WHITESIDE COOK. (L.S.)