IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO THE PRO- PULSION OF SHIPS OR VESSELS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Porter Walker at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th September 1880.
THOMAS PORTER WALKER, of Imperial Chambers, Albert Street, in the Town
and County of Derby. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO THE PRO-
PULSION OF SHIPS OR VESSELS AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
This Invention has for its object the propulsion of ships or vessels at a high
speed with the economical consumption of fuel. It is also intended to provide
means for the ready adjustment or "feather" of the propelling mechanism, and to
afford facilities in reversing the motion of the ship.
It consists in using a large number of small oar-like paddles, which I arrange to
project from the sides of the ship, and to which a reciprocating or sculling motion
imparted from the engines. The paddles are arranged in rows of two, three,
four, five, or even more, each vertical row acting in unison like a wing or one
paddle. Thus the double stroke of each blade can be divided into eight approximate
parts, and each paddle can be arranged approximately one-eighth behind the one
above it. Other periods of division of the strokes can be adopted if desired.
The size of paddle which I generally use is about 3 feet in length and about
9 inches at the broadest part of the blade, graduating narrower towards where it
enters its socket in the ship's side. The top of each paddle, therefore, chases the
one immediately above, keeping however about one foot behind it. Each paddle is
arranged to move in an arc of approximately 90°, and being of small size they may
be driven at a high speed.
I prefer to construct the arrangement for driving each paddle as follows:-
I arrange long rods, or rods coupled at intervals reciprocating in guides and
actuated by any convenient device from the engines for converting circular into
rectilinear motion. Opposite the place where each paddle enters the ship's side I
slut or "bow" the rod or rods, and within this slot or "bow" I pivot a noveable
bearing or socket, preferably swivelling on a lever. To each paddle I attach a ball,
preferably of phosphor-bronze or wear resisting metal, which I arrange to work in
a suitably adjustable slotted socket in the ship's side. Beyond this, on each
paddle shaft, I place or secure another similar but smaller ball arranged to work in
the moveable socket or bearing in the reciprocating rod. The end of each paddle
Drine 017

page_text: carries a slide block working in a semicircular guide. Levers or their equivalent,
project upwards from this slide block, and all the levers in a series can be connected
to a rod or its equivalent operated by a hand wheel or the like, so that by these
levers any amount of "feather" or pitch can be given to the propellor blades, or
they can be reversed without stopping the engines, to drive the ship astern, thus
dispensing with a great deal of the costly valve gear and apparatus therefor now
used in steain ships, as the engines can be arranged to only run in one direction.
The ball and socket joints give easy play in every position. The rows of blades
thus being connected to one reciprocating rod, are all actuated by it. Other forms
of universal joint can be adopted, but I prefer the ball and socket as simplest. I
can arrange the slide blocks to be moved so as to feather the blades at each stroko
automatically.