IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PROPELLING VESSELS."
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Frederick Terry, of Sheffield, in the County
of York, Accountant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR PROPELLING VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Frederick Terry
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
. the 8th October 1862...
I, CHARLES FREDERICK TERRY, of Sheffield, in the County of York,
Accountant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR PROPELLING VESSELS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the combination of water cylinders and pistons
driven by a suitable engine or engines with water channels leading from the
cylinders to channels at the bottom of the vessel, parallel with the keel and
valves, closed against the admission of water into the cylinders by the forward
movement of the piston, and opened to its admission by the pressure of water
on the return movement thereof, also with valves or taps for opening the
communication between the water cylinders and the channels for propelling
forwards or backwards respectively, such last-mentioned valves or taps being
under ready control by means of levers and suitable mechanism for working
them as required. The water cylinders are fixed in or about the centre of the
length of the vessel, on each side of the keel, with the valves for admitting the
water at such parts of the cylinders as will cause the water driven forwards by
the action of the pistons to pass along the channels, which are respectively

page_text: brought into communication with those at the bottom of the vessel by the
opening of their respective taps or valves. By this arrangement of the parts
the motion of the vessel can be regulated by means of the mechanism for
opening and closing the said taps or valves. There are also valves for closing
the open ends of the cylinders against the admission of water when it is
intended to dispense with the use of the propelling machinery above
described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Frederick Terry in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th April 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
FREDERICK TERRY, of Sheffield, in the County of York, Accountant, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reigu did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Charles Frederick Terry, Her special license that I, the said Charles
Frederick Terry, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Charles Frederick Terry, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PROPELLING VESSELS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said 'Charles Frederick "Terry, by 'an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, 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 Charles Frederick Terry, 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 Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-

page_text: My Invention of "Improvements in Machinery for Propelling Vessels
consists in the combination of water cylinders and pistons, or a revolving
screw, driven by a suitable engine or engines, with water channels leading
from the cylinders or the tube containing the screw to channels at the lower.
part of the vessel, parallel with the keel, and valves or taps for opening the com
munication between the water cylinders or the tube containing the screw, and
the last-mentioned channels for propelling-forwards or backwards respectively,
such valves or taps being under ready control by means of suitable mechanism
for working them as required. The water cylinders or the tube and screw are
fixed in or about the centre of the length of the vessel, on each side of the
keel, with the valves for admitting the water at such parts of the cylinders, or
in such positions with relation to the said tube as will cause the water driven
forwards by the action of the pistons or of the screw to pass along the chanuels
leading respectively to the stem or stern of the vessel, by the opening of their
respective taps or valves. By this arrangement of the parts the motion of the
vessel can be regulated by means of the mechanism for opening and closing.
the said taps or valves. There are also valves for closing the channels against
the admission of water when it is intended to dispense with the use of the
propelling machinery above described.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to
describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed, by
reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which is represented an arrange-
ment of the mechanism referred to, which I have found to be the most
convenient for carrying my Invention into effect.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a portion of a vessel with my improve-
ments applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a plan or horizontal view of the mechanism,
and Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the lines C, D, and E, F, of Fig. 1.
G is the main driving shaft to which motive power is applied; H is a
screw fixed on the shaft G, by the revolution of which screw within the tube
I the water will be impelled as required through the channels that are brought
into communication therewith. The tube I within which the screw revolves
is open at one end to the orifices or inlets J, J, for the weter at the bottom of
the vessel on each side of the keel. These orifices or inlets may be closed
when required by means of sluice valves O. O. The table I is open at its
other end to the valve box M, into which the water is forced by the action.
of the screw H. In this valve box there are four outlets or ports P, P,
through which the water may be impelled into the channels leading to either

page_text: pair of 1
end of the vessel and placed on either side of the keel thereof. These outlets
or ports are of equal size, and any two of them' are equal or about equal in
area to the tube I. On each of the facings of these outlets or ports is fitted.
a slide N which I prefer to be of gun metal, such slide having a surface a
little larger than one of the outlets or ports P. And at the back of the same,
are fitted four water channels R, R, equal or about equal in area to the outlets
or ports P, P; two of such channels being on each side of the keel, also two
of them leading to the bows and the other two leading to the stern of the
vessel. By this arrangement of the parts the valve box M forms a centre
reservoir from which the water may be impelled either through the
water channels leading to the stern or through those leading to the
the vessel, or through one of each of such channels as may be required.
S, S, are sluice valves for closing the channels when required. T is
a stop cock on the top of the valve box M, which may be used for the purpose
of washing decks, extinguishing fire, and other uses, for which it may be
convenient to employ a jet of water under pressure. The slides N, N, are
shifted into their required positions over the outlets or ports P, P, by means
of screws W, W, to the ends of which are connected cross heads V, V, in
which the slide valve rods U, U, are inserted, so that by turning either of the
screws W, one of the slides N may be shifted into the position required.
bows of
The working of the mechanism is as follows:-By the revolution of the
screw H, the water entering through the orifices or inlets J, J, will be impelled
into the valve box M, and through such of the outlets or ports P, P, as may
be open. Now for propelling the vessel forwards, it will be necessary to
open the outlets or ports communicating with the two chambers R, R, leading
to the stern of the vessel, and close those leading to the bows, by turning
the screws W, W, as required. But by bringing the slides N, N, so as to
close the outlets or ports communicating with the stern channels, and to open
those communicating with the bow channels, by means of the same
screws W, W, the vessel will be propelled backwards without reversing the
engine, or engine or engines, the water entering at the orifices or inlets
J, J, being driven out through the bow channels instead of through the stern
channels as before.
Also by bringing one of the outlets or ports of one of the bow channels, and
one of those of the stern channels into full communication with the valve
box M, and shutting off the other two, the vessel may be turned as required,
and by causing the slides to cover over half the area of each of the four
outlets or ports P, P, the vessel may be stopped without stopping the engine
or engines.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that I do not claim as of my
Invention any of the parts herein-before described, when considered separately,
but what I do claim as of my Invention, is, the combination of parts by means
of which vessels may be propelled either forwards or backwards, or turned,
steered, or stopped, irrespective of the engine or engines, by opening and
closing, or partially opening valves in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Frederick Terry, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Sixth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
CHARLES FLOCKTON,
3, East Parade,
Sheffield,
Mechanical Engineer.
CHAS. F. TERRY. (L.S.)