IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING AND STEERING BOATS AND OTHER FLOATING VESSELS to be as follows
Year: 1884

page_text: I EDWARD MANNION of 147 Culford Road De Beauvoir Town in the County
of Middlesex Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING AND STEERING BOATS AND
OTHER FLOATING VESSELS to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for propelling and steering
boats and other sailing vessels on a new and more convenient method than by
ordinary oars, paddle wheels or screws and with increased power. This apparatus.
I call the "Pendulum Propellor."
In carrying out my improvements so as to attach it to an ordinary small boat
I fix a board at the stern of the boat about 4 feet in length and the same width as
the stern of boat forming a kind of deck. Two horizontal bars about six inches
apart and running parallel with keel of boat are firmly fixed to the deck and run
backwards beyond the stern about 5 or 6 feet joined and firmly secured at the end
which bars hang over the water at a height of about 3 feet. These two horizontal
bars are to hold the oar or propeller in its place.
From this deck two small masts are raised at a certain angle backwarda. These
two masts are fixed on deck in joints so that they may be lowered or raised as
required and are so placed that they project upwards and sternwards so that the
tops which would be joined would hang over the horizonal bars about 4 to 5 feet
above them at half their length.
These masts are joined at top and between them and connecting them in a
cylindrical ring or collar of wood metal or other suitable material on opposite
sides of which are two arms which are inserted in the masts in such a manner
that the cylindrical ring can freely move and swing in its sockets.
The oar or paddle is formed from a piece of wood in the shape of an ordinary
oar without its feathering part about 64 feet long and of varying thickness according
to the strength required. A paddle board is attached to one end of this oar about
1 feet wide and 2, 3, or 4 feet long according to size of boat. This paddle is
connected to and hangs from the end of the oar in such a manner that the length
of paddle is transverse to the oar and the width or depth of paddle is on a line
[Price 6d.]

page_text: with the oar when the oar is held perpendicularly and the joint connecting the oar
and paddle enables the paddle to revolve a quarter of a circle in one direction but
not in the opposite direction. Hence if oar and paddle were moved in one direction*
they would act as one piece in a straight line in an opposite direction the paddle
would assume an angle to the oar.
This combined oar and paddle joined in this manner I call "The Pendulum
Propellor."
I fix at about half the height of the pendulum a small wheel grooved round its
circumference. This wheel is firmly fixed by means of a screw but can be unscrewed
and moved up or down the pendulum to suit the speed or force required in the
boat. The paddle end of propellor is then put through the slit between the
horizontal bars and the other end is passed up into the cylindrical ring at top
of masts. A pin is driven in to the end of propellor above the ring to prevent
the propellor slipping back again and also another pin a distance below to
prevent the propellor going too high. The position of these pins may be altered
to suit circumstances.
The pendulum propellor being fixed and hanging or swinging from the masts;
a horizontal light bar or handle is attached to it by two rings in which the
pendulum moves freely round these rings are placed one immediately above the
wheel and one immediately under the wheel, the horizontal bar itself being right
opposite the wheel. This bar may be any length to suit the build of boat length
of stern or other conditions.
This bar connects the propellor with the rowers hand in the boat. At the end
of the bar is a cross bar or handle so fitted that it moves freely round and on this
cross bar is a small wheel corresponding in size to the one on the pendulum and
also grooved round its circumference. An endless cord or chain is fixed round this
wheel and the wheel on the propellor connecting them together. This cord passes
through a few rings along the horizontal bar to keep it in its place.
This bar itself is balanced half way along its length in a light wheel not only to
carry the weight of the bar itself, but to. enable the rower of the boat to raise the
propellor completely out of the water on its return journey after each stroke.
The rower sits in the boat with his face to the prow and takes hold of the
handle or cross bar (another rower may sit beside him and take hold of the other
end of cross bar the horizontal bar connecting the oar being between them) and
presses back the propellor against the water, the side of paddle pressing the water
which is held in straight line with the pendulum and when he has finished his
stroke, he pushes the handle forward and in doing so depresses his end of the
horizontal bar and being balanced on a wheel the other end raises the propellor
out of the water on the return journey.
Independently of this the paddle when drawn back, from its inertia falls into an
obtuse angle with the oar and is drawn back edgeways over the surface of the
water and when the oar is stopped to make once more an opposite movement
the paddle by reason of its inertia and also centrifugál motion imparted to it
jumps into its place in a straight line with the oar and is driven back against the
water as if the paddle and oar were one solid piece.
The raising of the propellor by the hand, and the peculiar movement of paddle
on its return journey precludes the possibility of even a rough sea touching the
paddle at all on its return journey.
Again the rower who holds the handle and propels if he wishes to turn his boat
has only to turn the handle which he holds say a quarter of a circle round and the
wheel on the handle being connected with the wheel on the pendulum-the pro-
pellor is turned round and the paddle strikes the water backwards its transverse
surface pressing the water at an angle of 45 degrees one side or the other as the
rower wishes the boat turned.
Again if the rower wishes to back his boat he has only to turn the handle
completely round and the very opposite motion takes place and the boat is backed

page_text: in an instant. This pendulum can therefore turn the boat either way while the
boat moves forward in the usual manner to back the boat in an instant and while
moving in an opposite direction to turn her although she is moving stern forward.
This improved propellor therefore does the work of a rudder more efficiently
than a rudder and the work of oars more efficiently than oars,
By adding another handle or bar to the first named horizontal bar and letting it
run along the centre of the boat and let 'as many cross handles be fixed as there
are hands in the boat and every individual in boat can aid in rowing.

page_text: I, EDWARD MANNION of 147 Culford Road De Beauvior Town in the County of
Middlesex Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
OTHER FLOATING VESSELS" and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING AND STEERING BOATS AND
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for propelling and steering
boats and other floating vessels on a new and more convenient method than by
ordinary oars, paddle wheels or screws and with increased power. This apparatus
I call the "Pendulum Propellor."
In carrying out my improvements so as to attach it to an ordinary small boat
I fix a board a at the stern of the boat about 4 feet in length and the same width
as the stern of boat forming a kind of deck as represented in the accompanying
drawings.
Two horizontal bars a¹ about six inches apart and running parallel with keel of
boat are firmly fixed to the deck and run backwards beyond the stern about
5 or 6 feet joined and firmly secured at the end which bars hang over the water at
a height of about 3 feet. These two horizontal bars a¹ are to hold the oar or
propellor d in its place.
From this deck two small masts b are raised at a certain angle backwards.
These two masts b are fixed on deck in joints so that they may be lowered or
raised as required and are so placed that they project upwards and sternwards 80
that the tops which would be joined would hang over the horizontal bars a' about
4 to 5 feet above them at half their length.
These masts b are joined at top and between them and connecting them is a
cylindrical ring or collar c of wood metal or other suitable material on opposite
sides of which are two arms c¹ which are inserted in the masts in such a manner
that the cylindrical ring c can freely move and swing in its sockets.
The oar or paddle d is formed from a piece of wood in the shape of an ordinary
oar without its feathering part about 6 feet long and of varying thickness
according to the strength required. A paddle board d' is attached to one end of
this oard about 11 feet wide and 2, 3, or 4 feet long according to size of boat.
This paddle d' is connected to and hangs from the end of the oar d in such a
manner that the length of paddle d¹ is transverse to the oar d and the width or
depth of paddle d¹ is on a line with the oar d when the oar is held perpen-
dicularly and the joint connecting the oar d and paddle d¹ enables the paddle to
revolve a quarter of a circle in one direction but not in the opposite direction.
Hence if oard and paddle d¹ were moved in one direction they would act as one
piece in a straight line in an opposite direction the paddle would assume an
angle to the oar d.
This combined oar and paddle joined in this manner I call "The Pendulum
Propellor."
I fix at about half the height of the pendulum da small wheel e grooved round
its circumference. This wheel e is firmly fixed by means of a screw but can be
-

page_text: unscrewed and moved up or down the pendulum d to suit the speed or force
required in the boat. The paddle end of propellor is then put through the slit
between the horizontal bars a¹ and the other end is passed up into the cylindrical
ring cat top of masts b. A pin is driven in to the end of propellor above the ring o
to prevent the propellor slipping back again and also another pin a distance below
to prevent the propellor going too high. The position of these pins may be
altered to suit circumstances.
The pendulum propellor d being fixed and hanging or swinging from the masts b
a horizontal light bar or handle f is attached to it by two rings g in which the
pendulum moves freely round. These rings g are placed one immediately above
the wheel e and one immediately under the wheel & the horizontal bar f itself being
right opposite the wheel. This bar f may be any length to suit the build of boat
length of stern or other conditions.
This bar connects the propellor with the rowers hand in the boat. At the end
of the bar fis a cross bar or handle f¹ so fitted that it moves freely round and on
this cross bar f¹ is a small wheel h corresponding in size to the one on the
pendulum & and also grooved round its circumference. An endless cord or chain i
is fixed round this wheel and the wheel e on the propellor connecting them
together. This cord i passes through a few rings along the horizontal bar f to
keep it in its place.
This bar fitself is balanced half way along its length in a light wheel ; not only
to carry the weight of the bar itself, but to enable the rower of the boat to raise
the propellor d completely out of the water on its return journey after each stroke.
The rower sits in the boat with bis face to the prow and takes hold of the
handle or cross bar f1 (another rower may sit beside him and take hold of the
other end of cross bar fi the horizontal bar f connecting the oar d being between
them) and presses back the propellor d against the water, the side of paddle
pressing the water which is held in straight line with the pendulum and when he
has finished his stroke, he pushes the handle f' forward and in doing so depresses
his end of the horizontal bar fand being balanced on the wheel j the other end
raises the propellor d out of the water on the return journey.
Independently of this the paddle d when drawn back from its inertia falls into
an obtuse angle with the oar d and is drawn back edgeways over the surface of
the water and when the oar is stopped to make once more an opposite movement
the paddle by reason of its inertia and also centrifugal motion imparted to it.
jumps into its place in a straight line with the oar d and is driven back against
the water as if the paddle and oar were one solid piece.
The raising of the propellor d by the hand and the peculiar movement of paddle
on its return journey precludes the possibility of even a rough sea touching the
paddle at all on its return journey.
Again the rower who holds the handle f¹ and propels if he wishes to turn his
bat has only to turn the handle which he holds say a quarter of a circle round
and the wheel h on the handle f1 being connected with the wheel e on the
pendulum & the propellor is turned round and the paddle d' strikes the water
backwards its transverse surface pressing the water at an angle of 45 degrees one
side or the other as the rower wishes the boat turned.
Again if the rower wishes to back his boat he has only to turn the handle fi
completely round and the very opposite motion takes place and the boat is backed
in an instant. This pendulum d can therefore turn the boat either way while the
boat moves forward in the usual manner to back the boat in an instant and while
moving in an opposite direction to turn her although she is moving stern forward.
This improved propellor therefore does the work of a rudder more efficiently
than a rudder and the work of oars more efficiently than oars.
By adding another handle or bar to the first named horizontal bar f and letting
it run along the centre of the boat and let as many cross handles f¹ be fixed as
there are hands in the boat and every individual in boat can aid in rowing.

page_text: my
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I make
no claim to any of the mechanical parts separately which are well known and in
common use but what I claim is
The improved arrangement and construction of apparatus for propelling and
steering boats and other floating vessels by means of a suspended pendulum
propellor d and paddle d' combined therewith and actuated substantially in the
manner and for the purpose hereinbefore fully described and represented in the
drawings hereto annexed.