Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 17th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 8th June, 1889
I, PAUL MOLNAR, of Buda-Pest, in the Kingdom of Hungary, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an improved construction of paddle wheels with feathering
paddles whereby the "slip" is reduced and the effective action of the wheel is
increased.
The invention consists mainly in the employment of a variably adjustable eccentric
device whereby the angle at which the paddles enter the water can be varied according
to circumstances, such as whether the vessel is going upstream or downstream,
whether it is used for towing a greater or less number of barges &c. The invention
consists also in arranging the paddles in sloping positions in the direction of
their length, the successive paddles being made to slope alternately in opposite
directions.
I will proceed to describe the construction of the paddle wheel for the above
purposes with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows
a front view of a paddle wheel Fig. 2 a sectional side view, and Figs. 3 to 18
enlarged details.
It will be seen that an eccentric c is connected by a bracket a a to a lever bcdf
which is made wide at its lower end and tapers up to fat top, and which passes
between guides formed by angle irons e e.
This lever is mounted on a strong pin i as its fulcrum, whose head bears against
an elastic plate k, and which at the same time serves to connect the lever bcdf to
the plate p stiffened by angle irons n and fixed to the beams B B1 carrying the paddle
wheel box. The ring situated between the lever and the plate p, and which is
of an shaped cross section, receives a secure support from the disc o fixed to the
plate p (Fig. 11) and consequently affords a secure support to the lever, to which it is
fixed.

page_text: The movement of the lever b c d f is effected by means of the crank handle/
(Figs. 1 to 3) which rotates a toothed pinion gearing with a toothed rack s. The
axis of the crank and pinion passes through the lever and through the front plate fd
which is fixed thereto by the distance piece 7. After having ascertained the most
advantageous position of the lever, it is secured therein by means of the setting screw r,
which passes through the piece of the front plate, and fits with a coned end into
holes formed in the curved bar v. As shown to an enlarged scale at Fig. 6, the front,
thinner part of the screw is formed without a thread, and passes through an opening
in the small bar to, whereby the screw is prevented from being screwed out too far.
The toothed racks and the bar v are secured together by the countersunk screws Z,
and both are fixed by the bolts m to the uprights E standing on the strong
plates q¹.
.
Fig. 3 shows a front view of the mechanism for moving the lever b c d f carrying
the eccentric; Fig. 4 shows a plan, Fig. 5 a section on line ZZ Fig. 3, Fig. 6 setting
scrow with parts to which it is connected in vertical section, Fig. 9 front view of the
adjustable eccentric device, Fig. 10 a vertical section thereof on line "l¹ Fig. 9,
Fig. 11 horizontal section on line ZZ".
For simultaneously regulating both the paddle wheels by one operator on the
bridge, the arrangement shown at Figs. 12 to 18 is employed. The part d f of the
lever projecting beyond the paddle box (Fig. 1) is in this case connected by a link a
with a screw nut cupon a screw spindle n n', so that by the rotation of the latter
the nut and with it the lever is moved in one direction or the other. The rotation of
the screw spindle is effected from the middle of the bridge by means of a crank
handle carried by the upright E" Figs. 13 and 14, which, by a bevil pinion i¹, rotates
a.bevil wheel fixed on a spindle m carried in brackets N and having fixed on its
ends bevil pinions-gearing with bevil-wheels--fixed on the screw spindles n'. e¹ is
a counter-nut which is connected by screws to the nut c, so that-by-screwing
these up the nuts become jammed on the spindles and prevent their further rotation
after adjustment.
Fig. 12 shows the front view of the above described devices; Fig. 13 a plan thereof,
showing the middle and one end of the bridge. Fig. 14 a side view of the middle
upright E partly in section, with the crank handle and bevil gear, Fig. 15 the front,
view of the latter, Fig. 16 a section on line u" " Fig. 12, and end view of the link
device. The angle iron w¹ Fig. 16 forms a groove in which moves a bar to¹ that is
fitted loose upon the lever bed ƒ Fig. 7 and in moving with the latter, acts as a
guard for preventing the water from splashing up through the slot in which the lever
works.
Fig. 17 shows a section on line 711 in Fig. 12; Fig. 18 a side view of the
bracket N Fig. 13.
"This construction can of course be simplified if the regulation of both wheels
by one person is dispensed with; thus the screw spindles n' may have a crank handle
connected directly to them, as indicated in dotted lines at Fig. 12.
If now the lever bcdf carrying the eccentric be moved from f to g Fig. 1, the
eccentric c will also be moved to the left into the position shown in dotted lines,
whereby the connecting rods s¹ will turn the levers of the paddles on their
axes and will thus bring the paddles into the dotted position.
This adjustment can, according to circumstances, be made to effect an increase
or a decrease of the propelling action of the wheel to the right or to the left.
For the purpose of observing the change of speed of the vessel that is produced
by the adjustment of the paddles as above described, an apparatus is employed such
as is shown in vertical section at Figure 7 and in borizontal section at Figure 8.
This consists of a cylindrical chamber R closed at top and bottom, and provided at
the lower end with a small open tabe n" presented in the direction in which the vessel
is advancing, which chamber is carried by a rod m" projecting down into the water
from the bottom of the vessel, so that the water entering through the tube n" rises in
the chamber to a height proportionate to the speed of the vessel, while compressing
the air contained in the upper part of the chamber.

page_text: The degree of compression thus obtained is then indicated on board by connecting
the chamber by a small tube o¹ with an indicating instrument such as an aneroid
barometer or Decondeun's hydrometer situated on the bridge or other part of the
vessel. Thus in adjusting the eccentric lever as above described, this is moved
until the indicator shows the maximum compression of the air in the chamber and
consequently the maximum attainable speed, in which position the lever is then
secured.
As herein before stated, my invention also consists in placing the paddles in a
longitudinally inclined position, or with the axis Fig. 2 not parallel to the axis
of the paddle wheel, but alternately inclined thereto in contrary directions, as shown
at Figs. 1 and 2. With this arrangement, the lower edges of the paddles do not
strike the water simultaneously along their whole length, but become gradually
immersed from one end to the other, whereby the transmission of the power from
the paddle to the water will be effected in a correspondingly gradual manner, thus
preventing shocks. Also, as the consecutive paddles or not cover each other with
the entire surface in their vertical projection, they act upon a greater mass of
water.
On account of the slanting positions of the paddles, the levers thereof are provided
with paddle arms and " Figs. 1 and 2, of unequal length.
Datol this 98th day of Tul 1000

page_text: Appliances in Connection therewith.
I, PAUL MOLNAR, of Buda Pesth, in the Kingdom of Hungary, 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:-
My invention relates to an improved construction of paddle wheels with
feathering paddles whereby the "slip" is reduced and the effective action of the
wheel.is.increased.
The invention consists mainly-in-the-employment of-a-variably adjustable eccentric
device whereby the angle at which the paddles enter the water can be varied according
to circumstances, such as whether the vessel is going upstream or downstream
whether it is used for towing a greater or less number of barges &c. The
invention consists also in arranging the paddles in sloping positions in the direction of
their length the successive paddles being made to slope alternately in opposite directions.
I will proceed to describe the construction of the paddle wheel for the above
purposes with reference to the drawings accompanying my Provisional Specification
in which Fig. 1 shows a front view of a paddle wheel Fig. 2 a sectional side view and
Figs. 8 to 18 enlarged details.
It will be seen that an eccentric c is connected by a bracket a a to a lever bcd f
which is made wide at its lower end and tapers up to fat top, and which passes
between guides formed by angle irons e e.
This lever is mounted on a strong pin i as its fulcrum, whose head bears against an
elastic plate k, and which at the same time serves to connect the lever b c d f to the
plate p stiffened by angle irons n and fixed to the beams B B carrying the
paddle wheel box. The ring h situated between the lever and the plate p, and
which is of an L shaped cross section, receives a secure support from the disc o
fixed to the plate p (Fig. 11) and consequently affords a secure support to the lever, to
which it is fixed.
The movement of the lever bcd fis effected by means of the crank handle / (Figs. 1
to 3) which rotates a toothed pinion t gearing with a toothed rack s. The axis of the crank
and pinion passes through the lever and through the front plate fd which is fixed thereto
by the distance piece q. After having ascertained the most advantageous position of the
lever, it is secured therein by means of the setting screw r, which passes through
the piece n of the front plate, and fits with a coned end into holes formed in the
curved bar v. As shewn to an enlarged scale at Fig. 6, the front, thinner part of
the screw is formed without a thread, and passes through an opening in the
small bar w, whereby the screw is prevented from being screwed out too far. The
toothed racks and the bar are secured together by the countersunk screws Z,
and both are fixed by the bolts m to the uprights E standing on the strong
plate's g'.

page_text: Fig. 3 shews a front view of the mechanism for moving the lever bcdf carrying
the eccentric; Fig. 4 shews a plan Fig. 5 a section on line Z¹ Z' Fig. 3. Fig. 6 setting.
screw with parts to which it is connected in vertical section. Fig. 9 front view of the.
adjustable eccentric device. Fig. 10 a vertical section thereof on line " " Fig. 9.
Fig. 11 horizontal section on line ZZ".
The
For simultaneously regulating both the paddle wheels by one operator on the
bridge, the arrangement shewn at Figs. 12 to 18 is employed. The part dƒ of'
the lever projecting beyond the paddle box (Fig. 1) is in this case connected by a
link a with a screw nut c¹ upon a screw spindle n' n', so that by the rotation of
the latter the nut and with it the lever is moved in one direction or the other.
rotation of the screw spindle is effected from the middle of the bridge by means of a
crank handle carried by the upright E. Figs. 13 and 14, which by a bevil-pinion,
rotates a bevil wheel fixed on a spindle m³ carried in brackets N and having fixed"
on its ends bevil pinions " gearing with hevil wheels i fixed on the screw spindles n'.
is a counter nut which is connected by screws to the nut c', so that by
screwing these up the nuts become jammed on the spindles and prevent their further;
rotation after adjustment.
Fig. 12 shews the front view of the above described devices, Fig. 13 a plan thereof,
showing the middle and one end of the bridgo. Fig. 14 a side view of the middle
upright E partly in section, with the crank handle and bevil gear. Fig. 15 the
front view of the latter, Fig. 16 a section on line "u" Fig. 12, and end view of the
link device. The angle iron u' Fig. 16 forms a groove in which moves a bar w¹ that
is fitted loose upon the lever bcdf Fig. 7 and in moving with the latter, acts as a
guard for preventing the water from splashing up through the slot in which the lever
works."
Fig. 17 shews a section on line 111 in Fig. 12. Fig. 18 a side view of the
bracket N Fig. 13.
This construction can of course be simplified if the regulation of both wheels
by one person is dispensed with, thus the screw spindles n' may have a crank handle
connected directly to them, as indicated in dotted lines at Fig. 12.
If now the lever b c d f carrying the eccentric be moved from to g Fig. 1 the.
eccentric e will also be moved to the left into the position shown in dotted lines, whereby
the connecting rods s' will turn the levers of the paddles on their axes u¹ and will
thus bring the paddles into the dotted position . This adjustment can
according to circumstances be made to effect an increase or a decrease of the propelling
action of the wheel to the right or to the left.
For the purpose of observing the change of speed of the vessel that is produced by
the adjustinent of the paddles as above described, an apparatus is employed such as
is shewn in vertical section at Fig. 7 and in horizontal section at Fig. 8. This
consists of a cylindrical chamber R closed at top and bottom, and provided at
the lower end with a small open tube n presented in the direction in which
the vessel is advancing which chamber is carried by a rod m" projecting down
into the water from the bottom of the vessel so that the water entering through
the tube n rises in the chamber to a height proportionate to the speed of the vessel
while compressing the air contained in the upper part of the chamber.
The degree of compression thus obtained is then indicated on board by connecting
the chamber of a small tube C with an indicating instrument such as an aneroid
barometer or Decondeuns hydrometer situated on the bridge or other part of the
vessel. Thus in adjusting the eccentric lever as above described, this is moved until
the indicator shows the maximum compression of the air in the chamber and
consequently the maximum attainable speed, in which position the lever is then
secured.
As herein before stated, my invention also consists in placing the paddles in a
longitudinally inclined position, or with the axis Fig. 2 not parallel to the axis
of the paddle wheel, but alternately inclined thereto in contrary directions as shewn
at Figs. 1 and 2. With this arrangement the lower edges of the paddles do not striko
the water simultaneously along their whole length but become gradually immersed
:

page_text: from one end to the other whereby the transmission of the power from the paddle to
the water will be effected in a correspondingly, gradual manner, thus preventing
shocks. Also as the consecutive paddles do not cover each other with the entire surface
in their vertical projection, they act upon a great mass of water. On account of the
slanting positions of the paddles, the levers thereof are provided with paddle arms t¹
and Fig. 1 and 2, of unequal length.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what-I
claim is
1. The herein described improved construction of paddle wheels wherein the angle
at which the paddles enter the water can be varied by means of a lever bcdf
rotatable upon the bolt i, in combination with the ring disc o and eccentric c,
such lever being actuated and secured in position either by toothed rack and
pinion gear or by screw gear, substantially as herein set forth with reference to the
drawings.
2. In combination with the construction of paddle wheels referred to in the
preceding claim, the use of paddles which are alternately inclined in opposite
directions in a longitudinal direction relatively to the axis of rotation, substantially
as and for the purpose herein described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the
drawings.