IMPROVEMENTS IN PADDLE WHEELS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Charles Scott, of Warner Road, Camberwell,
in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PADDLE WHEELS."
Sealed the 12th June 1855, and dated the 14th December 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Charles Scott
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th December 1854.
I, WILLIAM CHARLES SCOTT, of Warner Road, Camberwell, in the County
of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PADDLE WHEELS" to be as follows:-
My improvements in paddle wheels refer to the form of the paddle boards or
floats, which I so construct as to prevent concussion on entering the water, and
at the same time to present a surface to take sufficient hold of the water and to
prevent water lift. I arrange the floats in pairs, one projecting from each side
of the wheel, and approaching each other in an inclined direction, but leaving a
space between them in the middle of the breadth of the wheel. I form the whole
surface of the floats directly radiating from the centre of the wheel; conse-
quently the inclination before mentioned gives the surface somewhat the form
Their being inclined in opposite directions to each other enables
them to retain their hold of the water, and allows them to enter and leave the
water freely and without concussion. The leaving the water is further facili-
tated by the space between the two parts, which prevents the water lifting, by
allowing that which does not escape at the periphery to pass between the two
parts of the float. In order that the wheel may drive equally well in both

page_text: directions, I apply a duplicate set of float boards, back to back with those
described, and inclined in an opposite direction; these are constructed in
the same manner, and meeting at the water space near the middle of the
wheel, are connected at that radial line, and form additional support for each
other.
My further improvements in paddles consists in making one set of inclined
floats answer the purpose of both sets, before described, that is, to propel
equally well in both directions. For this purpose, I mount the two parts
which act in conjunction on axes, forming radii to the wheel, at the extreme
edge of either float, one on either side of the wheel. These leaves or floats
thus arranged are free to incline themselves according to the direction of
motion of the wheel. The the arms and fittings of the wheel are furnished with
suitable stops, to regulate the proper inclination in both directions. Each pair
are inclined, as before described, in opposite directions, to embrace the water
in the act of propelling, and have space left between them to prevent water
lift, and to permit their freedom of action. The floats in this arrangement
are flat.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Charles Scott in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 14th June 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CHARLES SCOTT, of Warner Road, Camberwell, in the County of Surrey,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Charles Scott, Her special licence that I, the said William
Charles Scott, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Charles Scott, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter 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 Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PADDLE WHEELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Charles Scott, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-

page_text: tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Charles Scott, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings bereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My improvements in paddle wheels refer to the form of the paddle boards
or floats, which I so construct as to prevent concussion on entering the water
and to prevent water lift. I arrange the floats in pairs, one projecting from
each side of the wheel, and approaching each other in an inclined direction,
but leaving a space between them in the middle of the breadth of the wheel.
I form the whole surface of the floats directly radiating from the centre of the
wheel; consequently the inclination before mentioned gives the surface some-
what the form of a screw. Their being inclined in opposite directions to each
other enables them to retain their hold of the water, and allows them to enter
and leave the water freely and without concussion. The leaving the water is
further facilitated by the space between the two parts, which prevents the
water lifting, by allowing that which does not escape at the periphery to pass
between the two parts of the float. In order that the wheel may drive equally
well in both directions, I apply a duplicate set of float boards, back to back
with those described, and inclined in an opposite direction; these are con-
structed in the same manner, and meeting at the water space near the middle
of the breadth of the wheel, are connected at that radial line, and form
additional support for each other.
My further improvements in paddles consists in making one set of inclined
floats answer the purpose of both sets, before described, that is, to propel equally
well in both directions. For this purpose, I mount the two parts which act
in conjunction on axes, forming radii to the wheel, at the extreme edge of
either float, one on either side of the wheel. The leaves or floats thus
arranged are free to incline themselves according to the direction of motion
of the wheel. The arms and fittings of the wheel are furnished with suitable
stops, to regulate the proper inclination in both directions. Each pair are
inclined, as before described, in opposite directions, to embrace the water in
the act of propelling, and have space left between them to prevent water lift,
and to permit their freedom of action. The floats in this arrangement are flat.
Fig. 1 of the Sheet of Drawings annexed represents a side view of a paddle
wheel constructed according to my Invention; Fig. 2, a transverse view, and

page_text: Fig. 3 a transverse section of the same at the rim, showing two of the floats
The shaft A, bearings B, centres C, arms D, and rims E, E, are all of the ordi-
nary construction, and therefore will not require any description; F, F, are the
floats, which I prefer made of plate iron, or other suitable material easily
rendered of the proper form; they are riveted or otherwise secured to the arms
D, D, on either side of the wheel, these arms being disposed at proper dis-
tances for that purpose. A centre rim E' is provided, to which the floats F, F,
are attached, which are further supported by each other, four parts, 1, 2, 3, 4,
all converging to one point, and are therefore a mutual support to each other.
The four floats 1, 2, 3, 4, although thus connected, leave an open space G for
the passage of water to relieve the floats and prevent water lift. The floats
1, 2, are the principal propelling surfaces in one direction, the floats 3, 4,
acting as auxiliaries; while the floats 3, 4, are the principals during propulsion
in the opposite direction, when floats 1, 2, become secondaries. These floats,
although inclined, are so formed that every part of their surface forms a line
radiating from the shaft at right angles thereto, and may, in fact, be said to be
portions or sections of a screw. Instead of uniting the four plates 1, 2, 3, 4,
the space G between them may be left entirely open by simply connecting
1 and 3 to each other, and 1 and 4 in like manner, taking care at the same
time to connect the rims of the wheel by a sufficient number of direct stays;
greater freedom of water way at G will thus be obtained. The floats so
arranged may be further supported by arms and an inner rim, as shown dotted
at H in Fig. 3. Fig. 4 represents a side view of a wheel modified according
to my improvements; and Fig. 5 the same, taken transversely. In this wheel
the blades are individually the same as before described, but differently arranged
with regard to each other, being arranged in pairs, to offer their better propelling
surface, all in the same direction. Fig. 6 represents a side view of a paddle
wheel, having another arrangement of the floats according to my Invention;
Fig. 7 represents the same, transversely to Fig. 6; Fig. 9 shows a pair of floats
as seen looking towards the shaft; Fig. 8, the same in transverse section of the
wheel; and Fig. 10, a single float, and in lateral vertical section of the wheel.
The floats a, a, a, a, are disposed to act in pairs, and so mounted and adjusted
as to present a surface inclined to the impact of the water, which shall be the
same in whichever direction the wheel may be revolving. For this purpose,
the floats a, a, are mounted at one side on joints or axes b, b, moving in bear-
ings fixed to the outer rim E and inner rim I, the axes forming a line radial
to the paddle shaft A. The floats a, a, when striking the water are free to
move on their axes, so as to incline themselves in the proper direction to the
impact with the water. The amount of this movement is limited by stays c, c,

page_text: and d, d, which connect respectively the outer and inner rims. The fitting of
the floats in their axes are sufficiently stiff to prevent them moving by their
own weight, but not so much so as to prevent the concussion of the water
altering their position when the motion of the wheel is reversed; the effect of.
this is, that the floats always bear against and are held up by the pair of stays
c and d immediately behind them, which limits and retains them at the proper
angle of inclination. An open space or water way G is also provided, which
tends to prevent the water from being lifted, and produces great freedom in
entering and also leaving the water, and at the same time offers efficient
propelling surfaces. These floats are by this means caused to present alike
propelling surfaces, whether the wheel be revolving in one direction or in the
other, and therefore equally well calculated for propelling ahead or astern, and
when reversed will simply move from the position shown in Fig. 9 to the
position shown dotted in the same Figure. The floats a, a, are represented
and described as flat surfaces, but which may be formed so that every part
of their surface may be radial to the shaft, such radii being taken at right
angles to the shaft, that is, of the same form as described with reference to
the first-mentioned paddle wheel, each blade being the section of a screw.
If so constructed, the floats a, a, when in the position shown coloured in
Fig. 9, will not be so when in the altered position, shown dotted in the
same Figure. I therefore construct the paddles so that the floats a, a, shall
be in the position shown coloured in that Figure when propelling ahead, and
in the dotted position when propelling astern, thereby obtaining the best
propelling effect when going ahead, but with a slight depreciation of effect
when going astern.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I claim as my
Invention, the construction of paddle wheels for propelling vessels in the manner
herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Charles Scott, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of June, in the year
of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
WILLIAM CHARLES SCOTT. (L.S.)