IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREW-PROPELLORS FOR SHIPS AND OTHER NAVIGABLE VESSELS."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Taylor, of Birkenhead, in the County of Chester,
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCREW-PROPELLORS FOR SHIPS AND
OTHER NAVIGABLE VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Taylor at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th December 1881.
JAMES TAYLOR, of Birkenhead, in the County of Chester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SCREW PROPELLERS FOR SHIPS AND OTHER NAVIGABLE VESSELS."
My Invention relates to a novel method of constructing screw propellers for ships
and other navigable vessels, by forming such screw propellers of wrought steel,
wrought iron, or other metal plates as herein described and to a method and device
for securing screw propellers to their shalts.
According to my Invention, I construct a wrought steel, or wrought iron plate,
propeller thus the blades are rolled, forged, or cut, or otherwise shaped from steel,
or wrought iron plates, or forged direct to the required form, pitch and thickness.
The tail ends of the blades are brought round at the boss, so that when all the
blades are grouped together in their final position, they form a square, round, or
other shaped fraine. The tail end of each blade being turned up to lay or ply
on and ineet and butt against the next blade to which it is then bolted, rivetted,
or otherwise attached. The tail end of each blade being thus attached to the
next blade, strengthens it. The frame, or hollow boss thus formed is provided with
through tapped, or screw bolts, and the joints of the blades may be provided with
liners, or covering plates. The attached blades are then set with the boss in sand,
or other metal founders material and the centre, or boss is filled with molten cast
netal producing a solid boss. The liners if used are then removed, the screw
bolts, or their nuts are tightened up, or they may be rivetted, and the tail ends
of the blades are securely fastened by rivets, screw rivets, or screw bolts and the
boss is bored to receive the shaft. Round the outer extremity of the blades I
provide a steel, or wrought iron ring, which I attach to the blades by means of
angle pieces. If desired the blade itself may be turned into an angle, serving as
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page_text: an additional fastening to the ring. In some cases to give additional.surface to the
propeller, I provide intermediate steel, or wrought iron vanes, or fins, which I place
over and between the blades proper. These vanes, or fins may be set at the same
pitch as the blades proper, or at another pitch if deemed advisable. To stiffen the
rings I place additional angles upon the periphery of the ring, extending from the
blades proper to the inner vanes, or fins. These angle pieces may be set at any
suitable pitch and may be mere stiffening pieces, or they may be additional
propelling surfaces.
In constructing the blades, I prefer to first form a matrix block of the exact
pitch of the blades. I then roll, forge, or hammer the plate of steel, or iron to the
form of the matrix block, the same matrix block serving for all blades, vanes, or
fins of the same size and pitch.
Although I have described my new method of constructing propellers with the
addition of the outer ring and its vanes, I would have it understood that the same
method of construction is applicable to propellers without outer rings.
My method of constructing wrought steel plate and wrought iron plate propellers
is likewise applicable to the construction of propellers of cast metal, namely, I cast
the blades from a pattern of one blade, the root of which carries a segment of the
boss, and a turned up tail piece, so that when the blades are in position the
structure is formed in like manner to the before described wrought plate propeller,
with the exception that the boss does not require filling in with cast metal.
To secure the propeller boss to the shaft-by-the-method-according_to_my_
Invention, I bore the propeller boss with a reverse taper from each end to admit
hollow cones which pass over the shaft (which is by preference split bushed) and
take into the reverse tapered holes in the boss. To secure the boss, I provide a
plate shipped onto, or a solid flange on the shaft in front of the boss and a divided
plate shipped onto the shaft at the back of the boss on a turned down part, or
groove at the end of the shaft. The divided plate and the plate, or flange in front
of the boss are connected by bolts, which pass through the boss, by means of which
the whole device is tightened up and secured. A key is provided, passing through
the divided plate into a keyway in the shaft and propeller boss, which key prevents
the propeller from turning on the shaft.
By my Invention propellers can be constructed of much less weight than if made
of cast metal and still retain the same, or sufficient strength accompanied with
elasticity, and the parts admit of being galvanised, or tinned together, and the thin
blades ensure the propeller having a more efficient action than ordinary cast
propellers and they are more easily driven through the water.
The method of attaching the propeller to the shaft affords security, and at the
same time renders the propeller easy of removal.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Taylor in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th June
1882,
JAMES TAYLOR, of Birkenhead in the County of Chester. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SCREW PROPELLERS FOR SHIPS AND OTHER NAVIGABLE VESSELS."
My Invention relates to a novel method of constructing screw propellers for
ships and other navigable vessels by forming such screw propellers of wrought
steel, wrought iron, or other metal plates as herein described and to a method and
device for securing screw propellers to their shafts and the following is a description
of my Invention in such full, clear and exact terms as to enable any one skilled in
the art to which it belongs to make and use the same, reference being had to the
Sheet of Drawings annexed to this Specification and to the letters and figures of
reference marked thereon. The same letters and figures are used to denote the
same, or corresponding parts throughout the various views.

page_text: which is rivetted, or equivalently fastened to the angle piece E and the turned
over end F. In some cases where it is required to give additional surface to the
propeller, I provide intermediate steel, or wrought iron vanes, or fins H, which I
place between the blades A. These vanes, or fins H may be set at the same pitch
as the blades A, or at another pitch, if deemed advisable. To stiffen the ring D, I
place additional angle pieces J upon the periphery of the ring D extending from
the blades A to the inner vanes, or fins H. These angle pieces J may be set at any
suitable pitch and may be mere stuffing pieces, or they may be additional
propelling surfaces.
In constructing the blades A, I prefer to first form a matrix block of the exact
pitch of the blades A, or the vanes, or fins H. I then roll, forge, or hammer a plate
of steel, or iron of the form of the matrix block, the same matrix block serving
for all blades, vanes, or fins of the same size shape and pitch. The blades are then
attached together in the manner shown at Figure 5, or as an alternative they inay
be connected as shown at Figure 6. In this latter case it will be seen that the
blades A are constructed without the tail pieces A' and the tail pieces consist of
independent plates A' which are rivetted to the blades so as to connect them
together and form the boss B as shown at Figure 6 the boss B being filled in with
molten metal and secured by the screw bolts C. If desired the tail pieces may
be of differential lengths as shown at A².
Although I have described my new method of constructing propellers with the
addition of the outer ring D and the vanes H and the angle pieces J, I would have
it understood that the same method of construction is applicable to propellers
without outer rings also my Invention is applicable to propellers other than four
bladed propellers as shown in the Drawings.
My method of constructing wrought steel plate and wrought iron plate
propellers is likewise applicable to the construction of propellers. of cast metal,
namely I cast the blades from a pattern of one blade, the root of which carries a
segment of the boss and a turned up tail piece so that when the blades are in
position, the structure is formed in like manner to the before described wrought
plate propeller with the exception that the boss does not require filling in with
cast metal.
To secure the propeller boss B to the shaft M. by the method according to my
Invention, I bore the propeller boss with a reverse taper at B₁ so as to admit the
hollow cones K K¹, which secure the boss B to the shaft M, which is by preference
provided with the bush m. N is a plate shipped on the shaft M in front of the
propeller boss B. O is a divided plate shipped on the shaft Min front of the
propeller boss B. O is a divided plate shipped on the shaft M at the back of the
propeller on the turn down part M, the divided plate O is connected by the bolts P
and the whole device is secured by the through bolts R which pass through the
propeller boss B and connect the plates N and O together. By these bolts R the
whole device can be tightened up by driving the cones B¹ into the boss. L is a
key which secures the propeller boss B from turning on the shaft M.
By my Invention propellers can be constructed of much less weight than if made
of cast metal and still retain the same, or suflicient strength accompanied with
elasticity and the parts admit of being galvanized, or tinned together and the thin
blades ensure the propeller having a more efficient action than ordinary cast
propellers and they are more easily driven through the water.
The method of attaching the propeller to the shaft affords security and at the
same time renders the propeller easy of removal.
Having now described my Invention and shown how the same may be put into
operation what I claim as secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid is
First. The construction and arrangement of a wrought steel plate, or wrought
iron, or other metal plate propeller substantially as herein described. having a boss
frame, and blades proper, of wrought steel, or wrought iron, or other metal plates,

page_text: and an outer ring with vanes attached thereto as shown in the Drawings hercto
annexed.
Second. The construction and arrangement of the propeller boss of wrought steel
plate, or wrought iron, or other metal plate propellers namely the tailing and
fastening together of the blades at their root and the filling in of cast metal
substantially as herein described and shown in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Third. The construction and arrangement of the device for securing the propeller
to the shaft substantially as herein described and shown in the Drawings hereto
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Taylor have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Twelfth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
JAMES TAYLOR. (LS)