IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING AND STEERING SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS THEREFOR.
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Washington Whinyates, of Liverpool, in
the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROPELLING AND STEERING SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS, AND IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS THEREFOR.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Washington
Whinyates at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 16th May 1872.
I, JOHN WASHINGTON WHINYATES, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING AND STEERING SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS, AND IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS THEREFOR," to be as follows:-
My improvements in propelling and steering ships and other vessels
refer to propellers which are direct acting, and they possess increased
efficiency as compared with propellers heretofore used, they are appli-
cable to any shaped vessel, they can be economically fitted, are durable,
and are easily repaired.

page_text: According to one arrangement I fit a metal frame to each side of the
ship, preferably quadrangular in shape, the side or end frames of the
quadrangular frame extending downwards to such a depth as it is con-
sidered advisable for the propellers to descend, or according to the size
of the ship or vessel. At each end of the top part of the aforesaid
frame there are toothed or notched wheels, or wheels carrying pro-
jections mounted on shafts to be driven by any suitable motive power.
Round or over the wheels aforesaid endless chains are caused to travel,
and which extend all round the quadrangular frame before mentioned,
the size and strength of the chains being regulated according to the
size of the ship or vessel and other circumstances. At each end of the
lower part of this frame and preferably immediately below the toothed
or notched wheels I apply angular wheels or pieces of metal or frames
made of an angular, preferably triangular, shape, which are mounted
on axles and free to revolve thereon or therewith. The endless chains
pass round these angular wheels, which wheels form a very essential
feature in the Invention as will be presently more clearly described.
The propellers which may be floats or other approved propellers are
attached to the endless chains which are driven by the two or more
wheels before-mentioned. These wheels are nearly or entirely out of
water (according as the ship is loaded), the chains with the propellers
attached are driven down vertically into the water till they reach the
angular wheels at the bottom, which, having the sides corresponding to
the size of the links of the chain, are thus caused or enabled by the
construction or shape of the angular wheels to turn at right angles
from a vertical to a horizontal position, and so to continue until reaching
the angular wheel or wheels on the other end of the frame, thus making
a direct straight stroke in the water at the lowest part of the vessel, and
obtaining a direct action on the water from one angular wheel to the
other. As soon as the chains with the propellers arrive at the other
angular wheel or wheels at the other end of the frame the propellers
are again suddenly brought to a vertical position from the horizontal
position which they had just occupied, and continue to rise in a vertical
position as they had descended on the other side of the frame, until
they reach the driving wheel above, and so on continuously.
Sometimes the chains may pass over angular wheels at the top as well

page_text: According to another arrangement I place endless chains fitted with
propellers and angular wheels in the manner before described in the
centre of a ship or vessel, in which case apertures must be formed in
the ship for the endless chains with propellers to pass through. This
arrangement may be used alone or in combination with the arrange-
ments first described at each side of the ship or vessel. By working one
set of the propellers on one side of the ship and not the other the vessel
may be steered, or by working one set forwards and the other backwards
the vessel is turned.
Provision is made for raising the frames and for hoisting them entirely
or partially out of water when the propellers are not required for use,
or in the event of the engines breaking down, or other circumstances
unforeseen or otherwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Washington Whinyates in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 16th November 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WASHINGTON WHINYATES, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Washington Whinyates, Her special
licence that I, the said John Washington Whinyates, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Washington Whinyates, 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 PROPELLING AND STEERING
SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS THEREFOR,” upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Washington
Whinyates, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing

page_text: under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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
¹mmediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Washington Whinyates, 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 accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, that
is to say:-
My improvements in propelling and steering ships and other vessels
refer to propellers which are direct acting, and they possess increased
efficiency as compared with propellers heretofore used, they are appli-
cable to any shaped vessel, they can be economically fitted, are durable,
and are easily repaired.
According to one arrangement I fit a metal frame to each side of the
ship, preferably quadrangular in shape, the side or end frames of the
quadrangular frame extending downwards to such a depth as it is con-
sidered advisable for the propellers to descend, or according to the size
of the ship or vessel. At each end of the top part of the aforesaid frame
there are toothed or notched wheels, or wheels carrying projections
mounted on shafts to be driven by any suitable motive power. Round
or over the wheels aforesaid endless chains are caused to travel, and
which extend all round the quadrangular frame before-mentioned, the
size and strength of the chains being regulated according to the size of
the ship or vessel and other circumstances. At each end of the lower
part of this frame and preferably immediately below the toothed or
notched wheels I apply angular wheels or pieces of metal or frames
made of an angular, preferably triangular, shape, which are mounted on
axles and free to revolve therein or therewith. The endless chains pass
round these angular wheels, which wheels form a very essential feature
in the Invention, as will be presently more clearly described.
The propellers which may be floats or other approved propellers are
attached to the endless chains which are driven by the two or more
wheels before-mentioned.

page_text: Figure 1 of the accompaning Drawings is a side elevation of so much.
of apparatus or machinery constructed according to my Invention as
will be necessary to illustrate one method of carrying the same into
effect; Figure 2 is an end view of the same. a, a, is the frame at the
side of the ship or vessel, round or between which the propellers are
driven. In the Drawing I have shewn the frames broken off, but when
in action the arrangement is such that these frames are lowered down
to the required depth on each side of the ship, and there rest on cross
bars or supports to which they are secured by bolts or otherwise; b, b,
are struts or stays linked or jointed to the frame a, a, at or near the
lower part thereof; c is a rod or bar for retaining and supporting the
struts 6, b, at their upper ends. By this arrangement the frames a, a,
can be hoisted up or raised, bringing with them the struts b, b, and
propellers; d, d, are toothed or notched wheels keyed to shafts e, e,
which receive motion from any prime mover; f.f, are endless chains
passing at top over the wheels d, d, then descending at each end thereof,
and passing round angular wheels or receiving journals g, g, at bottom;
h, h, are the floats or propellers connected to the endless chains f‚ƒ.
Figure 3 is a detached view of one of these angular wheels or re-
ceiving journals; it is so constructed that when the endless chain bears
against one of its surfaces, say the surface i, the chain f maintains the
propellers attached thereto in a vertical position, but as soon as the chain
with a propeller passes the angle between the surface i and the surface k,
the propeller is immediately brought into a horizontal position, as clearly
seen in Figure 1.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Motion being communi-
cated to the wheels d, d, or to one of them, the chains ƒ, f, and
propellers h, h, are set in motion. The wheels d, d, are then nearly
or entirely out of water (according as the ship is loaded), the chains ƒ, ƒ,
with the propellers h, h, attached are driven down into the water till
they reach the angular wheels or receiving journals g, g, at bottom,
which, having the sides corresponding to the size of the links of the
chains, are caused or enabled by their construction or shape as before
described to turn the propellers at right angles from a vertical to a
horizontal position, and so to continue until reaching the angular wheel
or wheels on the other end of the frame, thus causing the propellers to
make a direct straight stroke in the water and to obtain a direct action
in the water from one angular wheel to the other. As soon as the

page_text: chains with the propellers arrive at the other angular wheel or wheels
at the other end of the frame the propellers are again suddenly brought
to a vertical position from the horizontal position which they had just
occupied, and continue to rise in a vertical position as they had de-
scended on the other side of the frame, until they reach the driving
wheel above, and so on continuously.
According to another arrangement I place endless chains fitted with
propellers and angular wheels in the manner before described in the
centre of a ship or vessel, in which case apertures must be formed in the
ship for the endless chains with propellers to pass through. This
arrangement may be used alone or in combination with the arrange-
ments first described at each side of the ship or vessel. By working one
set of the propellers on one side of the ship and not the other the vessel
may be steered, or by working one set forwards and the other backwards
the vessel is turned.
Figure 4 is a view in plan of a vessel fitted with propellers according
to my Invention, where the said propellers are placed in the centre of
the ship or vessel, or within the hull as well as at the sides, or they may
be applied within the hull only. With propellers applied in this manner
I am able to construct vessels of exceedingly light draft of water, and
consequently particularly suitable for use in canals and other places
where waters are shallow. An additional advantage obtained by placing
the propellers within the hull is that the side wash of the water generally
so objectionable in paddle and screw boats is almost entirely prevented.
In this Figure I also shew at the bow and stern of the same vessel the
position or positions of my apparatus or machinery arranged in a more
compact manner, and more suitable for steering purposes than the
arrangements just described.
Figure 5 shews in section, and Figure 6 in plan, sufficient of this
arrangement to illustrate its construction and action. k is a fixed
cylinder inserted in or built up with the ship or vessel, having a flange
or bearing at its lower end; 1, l, are rollers or supports resting on the
flange; m is a loose or movable cylinder inserted in the fixed cylinder k
and free to turn therein; n is a roller or guide or rollers or guides
between the fixed cylinders k and the movable cylinder m; o, o, are
teeth or cogs fitted to the upper end of the movable cylinder m; p is a
bevil wheel gearing into the teeth o, o, on a shaft q, which has motion

page_text: communicated to it by the steering wheel r, thus by turning the wheel "
rotary motion is also given to the movable cylinder m; d, d, are toothed
or notched wheels; f.f, are endless chains; and h, h, the propellers; all
corresponding with those before described and driven in a similar
manner; & is a partition to prevent water rising into the vessel; thus
it will be understood that the propellers being placed in the movable
cylinder consequently move therewith, therefore as the propellers revolve
and drive the ship forwards or backwards, as the case may be, the blades
may at the same time be turned to any desired angle, and the vessel
thereby steered.
Although I have shewn and described at Figure 4 a vessel fitted with
machinery or apparatus as just described at both the bow and stern of
such vessel, still I wish it to be understood that such apparatus may
be fitted at both ends or at one end only, or in fact at any other part of
the ship or vessel found convenient, without in any way departing from
this my Invention.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I do not
limit myself to the precise arrangement or arrangements herein-before
described, provided always the essential features of the Invention are
maintained, but I claim,-
First. The construction and application of frames capable of being
raised and lowered, substantially in the manner herein-before described
for carrying or supporting endless chains with propellers used for driving
ships or other vessels, substantially in manner herein-before described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The particular construction and action of what I call angle
wheels or angular bearings for causing the position of the propellers to
be immediately changed from a horizontal to a vertical position and vice
versa, substantially as herein-before described.
Third. The application of propellers or apparatus, constructed and
arranged in the manner before described, within the hull of a ship
or vessel, or at the sides, or at one, or at both ends, all substantially as
described.
Fourth. The particular construction, arrangement, and action of
apparatus for propelling and steering ships and other vessels, sub-

page_text: stantially as herein-before described. and illustrated with particular
reference to Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Washington Whinyates, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of November,
in the year of our. Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
•
Witness,
EDW. GRIFFITH BREWER,
89, Chancery Lane.
JOHN W. WHINYATES. (L.S.)