Improvements in Feathering Paddle Wheels for Boats.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1891
Improvements in Feathering Paddle Wheels for Boats.
A communication from abroad by FRANK EMIL PIRRUNG, and HUBERT AUGUST
PIRRUNG, both of St. Paul, in the State of Minnesota, United States of
America, Contractors, and GEORGE EDWARD TORINUS of St. Paul, aforesaid,
Lumber Dealer.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M. E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both.
in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,.
Civil Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements' in feathering paddle wheels for boats,
its object being to provide a paddle wheel carried upon a shaft extending through
the wheel and journalled in bearings at each end of the wheel, and fitted at each
end with a crank for a connecting rod; and to arrange feathering wheels at both
ends of the paddle wheel connected to the paddles, so as to hold them at all times.
in a vertical position.
To this end the invention consists in the construction and combination hereinafter
described and particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings forming part of this Specification,
Figure 1 is an elevation of the improved paddle wheel showing the arrangement
of the driving shaft and the feathering wheels, and
Figure 2, is a detail cross section of the eccentric bearing for one of the
feathering wheels, taken on line X-X of Figure 1 and looking toward the paddle
wheel, showing the relative position of the eccentric and driving shaft, the hub
of the paddle wheel being shown by dotted lines.
In the drawings, 2 represents the driving shaft of the paddle wheel journalled in
suitable supports 4 at either end of the wheel, and having cranks 6 and crank pin 8
at both ends for the connecting rods, as ordinarily constructed and arranged.
Rigidly secured upon the shaft 2 intermediate of its bearings is the paddle wheel 10,
having the hubs 11, and the paddles 12 journalled in the rim of each end of the
wheel. Between the paddle wheel and each support 4, is a fixed eccentric or pivot
post, secured to the support 14 through which the shaft 2 passes and in which it may
be journalled. Upon this eccentric is journalled the hub 16 of the feathering
wheel 18 which is of the same diameter as the paddle wheel. This feathering
wheel may be provided, if desired, with anti-friction rollers 20, to diminish the
friction between its hub and the eccentric 14. Pivotally connected to the periphery
of the feathering wheel are the links or arms 22, of the same number as the paddles 12,
and rigidly connected at their other ends respectively to them. It will thus
be seen that as the shaft 2 is rotated carrying the paddle wheel with it, the arms 22,
connecting the paddles with the feathering wheels, cause the feathering wheels to
rotate synchronously with the paddle wheel, and serve also to hold the paddles at
all points in their rotation with the paddle wheel at the same angle. By this
improved construction, the driving shaft of the paddle wheel has firm support at
each end of the paddle wheel, and the position of the paddles is controlled by
feathering wheels at each end, thereby constituting a strong, simple and durable
apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
:-
1. In a feathering paddle wheel, the combination with suitable supports, of a

page_text: shaft passing through and journalled in said supports, a paddle wheel carried by
said shaft and arranged between said supports, fixed eccentrics upon the inner
side of said supports, through which the driving shaft passes and having a common
axis parallel with said driving shaft, a feathering wheel of the same diameter as the
paddle wheel journalled on each of said eccentrics, and bars or links pivotally
connected at one end to the rim of the feathering wheel and rigidly connected at
the other end to the paddles of the paddle wheel, substantially as described.
2. The combination with suitable fixed supports, of pivot or journal posts upon
the adjacent sides of said support having a common horizontal axis, a driving shaft
journalled in said supports and passing through said posts eccentric therewith, a
paddle wheel carried by said shaft arranged between said posts, paddles journalled
upon said wheel, feathering wheels journalled upon said posts, and bars rigidly
connected to said paddles and pivotally connected to said feathering wheels, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. The combination with the supports 4, of the driving shaft 2 passing through
said supports, fixed eccentrics 14 upon the adjacent sides of said supports through
which said shaft passes, cranks and crank pins upon the ends of said shaft, the
paddle wheel 10 carried by said shaft intermediate of said supports, the paddles 12
journalled in said wheel, the feathering wheels 18 of equal diameter with the paddle
wheel journalled upon said eccentrics and the arms 22 journalled upon said
feathering wheels and rigidly connected to said paddles, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
Dated this 19th day of February 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.