Improvements in Propellers for Air-ships and other Vessels.
Year: 1895

page_text: Improvements in Propellers for Air-ships and other Vessels.
A communication to me from BENEDICT KESSLER, of Reinerz, in the Empire of
Germany.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the Firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 65 and 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, 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, and accompanying drawings, that is to say :-
This invention has for its object a novel form of vanes or propellers, and
apparatus connected with them, to be used for supporting and propelling air-ships,
and for propelling vessels through the water. The improved apparatus differs
from that heretofore used, in that the propeller during one part of its revolution is
in an operative position, whilst during the remaining part it is inoperative.
In the accompanying drawings, which are in illustration of the invention,
Figures 1 to 7 shew the new or improved apparatus applied to an air-ship, whilst
Figures 8 to 11 shew it applied to a boat.
Figures 1 and 2 illustrate, in side view and transverse section respectively, the
improved apparatus applied to an air-ship. Figure 3 is a section through the
line xx, Figure 2, and Figure 4 a section through the line y-y, Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the working of the arrangement shewn in
Figures 3 and 4; and Figures 6 and 7 illustrate in vertical section and plan
respectively a detail of these figures.
Figure 8 is a complete plan, and Figure 9 a similar plan with the ends broken
off, of the propelling apparatus (applied to a ship or boat) for moving forward and
backward respectively. Figure 10 is a transverse section, and Figure 11 a
longitudinal section through the driving apparatus.
In the method of construction illustrated in Figures 1 to 7, the air-ship is shewn
provided on each side with a shaft a, Figures 1 and 2, round which a number of
tubes are fitted. These tubes are kept in their proper position concentric with
the shaft a by means of rings or collars c fitted between them (Figure 3). The
tubes bare provided with radial projections d, Figures 3 and 4, which serve as
bearings in which the shafts e of the blades or vanes f fit and turn.
Each of the shafts c has fitted upon its inner end, inside the tube b, a triangular
plate or lever g, see Figures 6 and 7, and these plates or levers are acted upon by
two cams h, h¹, upon a hollow cylinder i fixed upon the central shaft a Figures 3
and 4, as shewn in Figure 5, which represents for this purpose a development of
the surface of the hollow cylinder i, so that the triangular plate or lever g can be
seen in its different positions.
9
The two equal sides of the triangle which the plate or lever forms in plan,
are marked 1 and 2, and it will be seen that the shaft e is fixed near the obtuse
angle of the triangle. The front ends (as shewn by the direction of the arrow k,
Figure 5) of the cams h, ', which are arranged on opposite sides alternately,
round the hollow cylinder i, are rounded on their inner sides, so that the following
is the course of their action upon the plates or levers g.
When the point h' of the cam reaches the side 1 of the lever 9, (or position I,
Figure 5,) the latter is turned round to the left, until this side is parallel to the
inner side of the cam h.

page_text: This of course causes a similar révolution of the shaft' e through 90° to
position I. Without any further revolution the lever à passes along the inner
ide of the cam.h, until its alternate side 2 comes in contact with the front end h
of the second cam h', (position III).
In passing to the last position (Figure IV), the lever is turned back
through 90° to the right, coming therefore to its original position.
The vanef, which is connected to the shaft of the lever g, is also of course,
simultaneously turned through an angle of 90° backward and forward. If, for
example, it corresponds to the position I, Figure 5, it occupies the position shewn
on the upper part of Figure 3, whilst in the positions II and III, Figure 5, of the
lever.g, it-is in the position shewn in the lower part of Figure 3, the surface of
the vane or blade being in one case parallel with the shaft a, and in the other case,
at right angles to the latter.
In Figure 4, four axles for the vanes or blades are shewn, perpendicular to the
shaft a; and in Figure 3 two such groups of vanes fare shewn carried by the same
tube b, whilst the hollow cylinder i carries two pairs of the cams, h. The
inner edges of the vanes frest, in the working position of the vanes, against
radial arms on the tube b.
These arms are also provided with subsidiary arms m, parallel with the shaft a
and' having bearings m² at their ends, in which the axles e of the vanes are
supported and turned!
The tube is driven by means of endless bands n Figure 3, having holes n' in
which pins o' on the tube b enter.
In Figure 1, each of the shafts a, Figures 1 and 2, is shewn provided with six
pairs of vanes or blades f. The driving shaft p is shewn provided with six'
driving pullies q, round each of which pass two endless driving.bands r, Figure 2:
Whilst both of these sets of apparatus are provided with horizontal driving
shafts for the purpose of raising the air-ship, the sets of vanes being arranged
laterally above each side of the car G, so that the vanes turning to the right are
on the right side and those to the left on the left side, the shaft a' at the front
end of the ship is vertical, and the driving of the air-ship is effected by its vanes
in 'the following manner. This vertical shaft a' carried by the attachments L, is
not fixed, like the horizontal shaft a, but is moveable by means of the berilled toothed
wheels t, t. The toothed wheel'tis fixed upon an inclined axle u which can be
turned by the hand'lever v.
Through the latter and a fixed stop w, a pin w¹ can be inserted, to hold the lever
in the required position.
It is evident that by thus altering the position of the cams which regulate the
angle of the vanes driven by the upright tube b, the front of the air-ship can be
directed one side or the other.
The upright tube 6 carried in the bearings L, is driven by the bevilled
wheels 6, 7, and an endless band'8.
At the rear end of the air-ship, is arranged a rudder 2, upon a vertical
axis 1
It' is operated by means of the bevilled wheels 3, 4, and a hand wheel.
The modified form of construction shewn in Figures 8 to 11 differs from that
already described; in that the hollow cylinder is omitted. This omission is
rendered possible, as the shaft a is itself provided with the cams h, h. Moreover,
the radial projections d on the tube b are also omitted, and in their place are used
wedge-shaped blocks 10' (Figures 10 and 11) fitted round the tube' and held
together by a' ring 9.
The shaft a revolves in bearings 11 attached to the ship's sides 13 by stays 12,
such a 'shaft being arranged upon each side. Figure 8 shews the operation of the
blades, when their effective action is doing the part of: the- revolution-furthest
from the ship's side, and Figure 9 when they are acting, when nearest to the ship.
By this arrangement of apparatus it is possible, whilst the same direction of
revolution is maintained, to change the direction in which the ship is moving.

page_text: For this purpose the shaft a, and cams, are turned round through 180 degrees by
means of the handle 14 and bevilled wheels 15 and 16, (Figure 11). The
retention of the shaft a in the required position is effected by means of a disc 17
and holding pin 18.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. Apparatus for driving ships or vessels through the air, or through water,
consisting of vanes or blades the axles e of which turn in radial bearings in a
tube revolving upon a fixed shaft a, Figures 3 and 4, and have at their inner
ends triangular levers 9 operated on by cams h, h', and an axle a Figures 3 and 4,
(or hollow wedge-shaped blocks Figures 10 and 11), all so arranged that by the
contact of the side 1 of the lever g against the cam h the vanes are turned through
an angle of 90° in one direction, whilst by the contact of the side 2 of the lever g
against the cam h¹ they are turned back in the opposite direction through the same
angle, as illustrated in Figure 5, the vanes therefore being in effective operation
through a part of their revolution, substantially as described and illustrated.
2. In combination with the method of construction of the vanes or blades and
parts connected with them, described in Claim 1, the shaft a¹ operated by toothed
wheels t, t', and the shaft u and handle v, as shewn in Figure 1, (or the toothed
wheels 15, 16, and the handle 14 as shewn in Figure 11), for the purpose of
altering the angular position of the cams by which the blades or vanes f are
operated, and of so varying the direction of the driving fan, substantially as
described and illustrated."
Dated this 4th do of Anul 1905
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.