IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PROPELLING VESSELS
Year: 1851

page_text: BENNET WOODCROFT, of Furnival's Inn, send grecting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria,
by Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing at Westminster the
Thirtieth day of January (One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one),
in the Fourteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Bennet Woodcroft,
my exors, aduiors, and assigns, Her especial license, full power,
sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Bennet Woodcroft,
my exors, adiiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Bennet Woodcroft, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR PROPELLING VESSELS," in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso that I, the said Bennet Woodcroft, shall cause a
particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing

page_text: under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by
the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said Bennet Woodcroft, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention
to consist,-
First,. of improvements. in-the-construction of screw.propeller blades
in combination with other apparatus by which such blades may be
moved through any or through all the degrees of a circle, whereby the
screw may be worked at any pitch, and whereby also an increasing
pitch screw may be made to drive a vessel either forward or backward
by the concave, sides of the blades (when using propellers with in-
creasing pitch, which I prefer), without either stopping or reversing the
motion of the engines.
Second, my Invention consists of improvements in the construction
of screw propeller blades in. combination with other apparatus, by-
which a vessel may be thereby propelled either forward or backward-
or stand still, without either stopping or reversing the motion of the
engine:
Third, my Invention consists of improvements in the construction of
screw propeller blades, in combination with other apparatus, as will
énable such blades to move the vessel forward or backward, or to either
side, or to stand still, without either stopping or reversing the motion,
of the engine, and which improvements will also enable the propeller
to act as a rudder.
And lastly, my Invention also consists in making screw propeller,
blades overlap a part of the stern post, and a part of the rudder post..
or a part of either of them.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
"
In Sheet 1, Figures 1,
Figures 1, and 2, represent parts of the
same propeller
and apparatus in different views, by which the first part of my Invention.
is carried into effect.

page_text: Figures 3, 4, 5, represent parts of the same propeller and apparatus
in different views, by which the second part of my Invention is carried
into effect.
Figures 6, 7, 8, represent parts of the same propeller and apparatus
in different views, by which the third part of my Invention is carried
into effect.
Figures 9, 10, 11, 12, represent parts of the same propeller and
apparatus in different views, by which the first part of
my Invention
may also be carried into effect.
In Sheet 2, Figures 13; 14, 15, represent parts of the same
propeller and apparatus in different views, by which the third part of
my Invention may be carried into effect, except as to making the
propeller act as a rudder; and Figures 16, 17, represent parts of the
same propeller and apparatus, with the stern post and rudder post of a
vessel in different views, by which the last part of my Invention is
carried into effect.
In Figures 1, and 2, a, represents propeller blades having circular
axes, on each of which is fixed a worm wheel b; c, is a Worl
which takes into the teeth of the worin wheel b; d, is a shaft on
which is fixed the worm c, and the pinion e; f, is a spur wheel fixed
on the hollow shaft g, which passes through the stuffing box into the
ship, where it is in gear with wheel work, such as is well known, for
changing the direction of motion to the extent and at the times
required; h, is a boss made in parts, which is recessed for the
worin wheel, the worm c, and the shaft d, to be held by and to turn
in. It will be evident that when the shaft g, is turned round the solid
shaft i, in either direction, the blades of the propeller may be moved to
any required extent in either direction.
In Figures 3, 4, and 5, «, represents propeller blades with a circular
axis passing into a circular opening in the boss, as in Figures 1, and 2;
to each propeller axis is fixed a short crank j, see Figure 4, which
passes into an opening in the boss, in which it works, and by which it
is held in its place. 1, is a ród or link, one end of which is attached
by a joint to the crank j, and the other by a similar joint to the sliding
box m.
This sliding box m, works back or forward on the propeller
shaft, and revolves with it by means of a key way in the box mi,

page_text: sliding on a key fixed to the shaft. 1, is a lever, the lower end of
which is forked, having two studs, one on each end of the forked part;
each of these studs take into opposite sides of the groove round the
box m. o, is a pin or fulcrum attached to the stern of the ship, on
which the lever works. ., is another sliding box constructed and
working like the one last described, which is actuated by the lever
constructed like the lever. . Attached to the box p, are two rods 1,
one of which is best seen in Figure 12.
Each of these rods at the opposite end to the box forces a break s,
by means of a toggle joint or wedge, against the shafts of each of
the propellor. blades, whereby they become fixed to the angle required.
It will be obvious that when the breaks or wedges are withdrawn by
the lever, the propeller blades may by the lever n, be moved into any.
of the positions shown in Figure 4, whilst the engine is in motion, and
the vessel may thereby be moved forward or backward, or remain
stationary.
In Figures 6, 7, and 8, the propeller is formed in all respects
like that, last described in regard to Figures 3, 4, and 5, with this.
exception, that there is an additional sliding box n, and lever n¹;
each of these levers and boxes actuates only one of the propeller
blades; the connecting rod attached to m', works through an opening
in the box m. It will be obvious that if the ship has lost its rudder,
and the screw shaft remains stationary, with the propeller blades in a
vertical position, they may by the levers be so moved as to guide.
the ship. This propeller may also be made to act like the one last
described in reference to Figures 3, 4, and 5; the blades may be fixed
in the same manner; and, in addition, this propeller may be made to.
drive a ship from side to side, by causing each blade to move through
a quarter of a revolution and back again at, each revolution of the
propeller shaft, which action will be more fully explained in regard to
the propeller shown in Figures 13, 14, and 15.
In Figures 9, 10, and 11, the axes of the propellor blades are formed
similar to those in Figures 1, and 2, but instead of a worm wheel there.
is a spur wheel t, fixed on each of them; the sliding boxes of this
propeller are constructed and work like those shewn and described
in reference to Figures 3, 4, and 5, but in place of the connecting

page_text: rods, there are racks u, the teeth of which take into those of the spur
wheel t, and actuate them as before described.
.
In Figures 13, 14, and 15, the propeller and the apparatus in com-
bination therewith is similarly constructed to that shown and described
in relation to Figures 9, 10, and 11, with the exception of the sliding
box v, inside of the vessel, and the rods w, attached to the racks; these
rods are recessed into the driving shaft, and those parts which pass into
the box v, have each a projection upon then carrying a friction bowl a,
which passes into the groove inside the box v. This box , does not
revolve with the shaft, but is capable of being slidden backward or for-
ward only; and when it is required to drive the vessel either forward or
backwards these friction bowls are confined in the groove y, by the
switches, and the angle of the blades is then varied by moving the box
forward or backward; when, however, it is required that the vessel shall
move from one side to the other, this box is made fast, andthe switches
, move the friction bowls a, either into the groove y', or one of
these grooves moving one of the propeller blades broadside on as it
passes over the propeller shaft, whilst it is made to pass edgeway on as:
it passes under the propeller shaft; and the other groove causes each
blade to move edgeway on as it passes over the propeller shaft, and
broadside on as it passes under the shaft, whereby the vessel is moved
to either side. Figure 13, shews a diagram of the form of the
developed on a plane, and the position of the switches, ', and ²,
which govern the direction of the friction bowls.
grooves
Figures 16, and 17, represent à similar propeller to that shewn and
described in relation to Figures 1, and 2, in combination with the stern
and rudder posts of a ship: I would remark that although I prefer to
use propeller blades with increasing pitch, it will be evident-that other
forms of blades may be employed in carrying out my Invention."
Having thus described the nature of my Invention; and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine
myself to the details herein described, so long as the peculiar character
of any part of my Invention be retained. But what I claim is,-
First, the improvements herein described in the construction of screw
propeller blades in combination with other apparatus, by which such
blades may be moved through any or through all the degrees of a circle,

page_text: whereby the screw may be worked at any pitch, and whereby also an
increasing pitch screw may be made to drive a vessel either forward or
backward by the concave sides of the blades when using propellers with
increasing pitch (which I prefer) without either stopping or reversing
the motion of the engine.
Secondly, I claim the improvements herein described in the construc-
tion of screw propeller blades in combination with other apparatus, by
whicli a vessel may thereby be propelled either forward or backward,
or stand still, without either stopping or reversing the motion of the
engine.
Thirdly, I claim the improvements herein described in the construe-
tion of screw propeller blades in combination with other apparatus, as
will enable such blades to move the vessel forward or backward, or to
either side, or to stand still, without either stopping or reversing the
motion of the engine. And I claim also the use of the propeller as a
Fudder, if required.
And lastly, I claim making screw propeller blades overlap a part of
the stern post, and part of the rudder post, or a part of either of them.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bennet Wooderoft, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one.
BENNET (s.) WOODCROFT.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirtieth day of July, in
the
year of our Lord 1851, the aforesaid Bennet Woodcroft came before
our said Lady the Queen, in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and
specified in form above written; and also the Specification aforesaid was
stamped according to the tenor of the statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Thirtieth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-one.