AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PROPELLING VESSELS
Year: 1884

page_text: I EDMUND JOHN WRIGHT CLAYTON of Meersbrook Bank near Sheffield
Accountant do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF PROPELLING VESSELS and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement in
writing that is to say :-
This Invention relates to the novel application and adoption or utilization of
the motion of the hull or body of a ship boat or other floating vessel, as an
automatic or self-acting motive power to be employed in conjunction with one or
more pairs of paddle or side wheels, and with one or more screw or other
propellers, for the purpose of propelling the ship boat or other vessel.
In carrying out my Invention in practice, the ship boat or other vessel is fitted
at any convenient parts of the vessel with one or more pairs of paddle or side
wheels, and also with one or more screw propellers, the paddle or side wheels
being connected with the screw propeller or propellers, either by means of bevilled
cog wheels, or by pulleys and bands or belting, or by cranks and beams, so that
any motion of the hull or body of the vessel imparted to it either by the aid of a
sail or sails, or by the action or motion of the waves, or by the current of the
water, or by the means or appliances hereinafter specified,-will cause the paddle
or side wheels to revolve causing motion to be communicated to the screw propeller
which will impel or propel the vessel and which by its motion will re-act on the
paddle or side wheels and so on continuously.
The paddle or side wheels are so constructed and arranged that the blades will
radiate from the centre, each blade being made in the form of the letter V with
the V section of the blade on the circumference of the wheel, the open side of
the V being towards the bow or forward portion of the ship or vessel.
The boss of the propeller is made as long in the barrel, and the blades of the
propeller as broad as the build or size of the hull of the vessel will allow, the
blades having a pitch of about thirty five degrees from the perpendicular.
The ship or vessel to which this Invention is applied is provided with one or
more circular spring brakes which are fitted and arranged to act upon the paddle
wheel shaft, the brakes are actuated by screws or other equivalent means for the
purpose of graduating or controlling and of retarding or terminating the motion as
may be required.

page_text: In large and ocean-going ships or vessels, in order to give the initial motion to
the hull or body of the vessel when it is stationary, there is provided one or more
ratchet levers which are fitted and arranged to act upon the paddle wheel shaft,
and which will be actuated by what is known as the original patent windlass,
or by other suitable windlass arrangement.
The advantages claimed by the adoption of this Invention are:-That the motion
is entirely self-acting as upon motion being imparted to the hull of the vessel,
motion will be immediately produced in the propelling machinery which will
re-produce motion in the hull, and so on by motion and re-action continuously;
the motion is cumulative, as the motion of the hull and the power produced
thereby will have a continual tendency each to increase the power of the other,
and so on continuously up to that point where the motive power and the resistance
of the water will be in exact equilibrium; the motion will also be perpetual after
being started, as in consequence of the motion and the power being, mutually
re-productive the motion will never cease of itself. Further, this motion (or
application of motive power) is absolutely costless, as after the first cost of the
propelling machinery and appliances no further cost will be required to work it,
excepting the cost of the usual lubricants for the frictional parts; and the adoption
of this system of motive or propelling power will set entirely free for freightage
and other purposes the whole of the spaco and also the displacement occupied or
taken up by boilers and coal and water in a steam vessel.
This application of motive or propelling power can however, if so desired, be
adopted and used either in conjunction with wind or with steam power, or,-as
intended, entirely without either.
(
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be
understood that I do not confine or limit myself to any precise details of my
Invention in carrying the same into effect, because modifications or variations may
be made therein without departing or deviating from the principles or main
features of my Invention; and in conclusion I declare that what I claim is :-
The application and adoption or utilization of the motion of the hull or body of
a ship boat or other floating vessel as an automatic or self-acting motive power
in conjunction with one or more pairs of paddle or similar wheels and with one or
more screw or other propellers, for the purpose of propelling ships boats or other
vessels on water, and substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 20th day of Anot 1001