An Improved Method of and Means for Propelling Ships and other Vessels.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 1st Feb., 1896-Accepted, 2nd May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of and Means for Propelling Ships and
other Vessels.
I, JOHN PURSELL 13 Bernard Street, Leith, Heritable Property Owner, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the propulsion of vessels through water or air, and is
applicable whether the vessel is propelled by means of steam, or electricity, or
compressed air, or springs, or weights and has for its object the attainment of
increased speed with the same expenditure of energy, or which may be more
desirable in some cases, the attainment of the same speed, with a less expenditure
of energy.
I attain this object in the following manner.
I construct an apparatus or combination of canals or tubes, the one end of which
carries the water or other medium in which the vessel is floating into contact with
the ram, piston, screw propeller or other mechanism being a part of or driven by
the engines. The other end of this apparatus or combination of canals or tubes is
bent or turned round so as to face in the direction in which the vessel is required
to go or in a direction approximately near thereto. The apparatus or combination
of canals or tubes being always so placed that the water contained therein and
nearest to the engines shall be thrust by the engines in a direction opposite to the
direction in which the vessel is required to go, the other end or mouth of the
apparatus or combination of canals or tubes shall be so placed and so shaped that
the water contained in it may receive as much as is possible, or as much as is
desired, of the pressure due to the motion of the vessel in the water in which it.
floats.
Doted this Thirtieth day of April 1895
QUALI LEIE DIBUITIVATION
An Improved Method of and Means for Propelling Ships and
other Vessels.
JOHN PURSELL 13 Bernard Street Leith Heritable Property Owner 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 the propulsion of vessels through water or air, and is
applicable whether the vessel is propelled by means of steam, or electricity, or
compressed air, or springs, or weights and has for its object the attainment of
increased speed, with the same expenditure of energy, or which may be more
desirable in some cases, the attainment of the same speed with a less expenditure
of energy.
I attain this object in the following manner.
I construct an apparatus or combination of canals or tubes, the one end of which
carries the water or other medium in which the vessel is floating, into contact with

page_text: the ram, piston, screw propeller or other mechanism being a part of or driven by
the engines.
The other end of this apparatus or combination of canals or tubes is bent, or
turned round so as to face in the direction in which the vessel is required to go, or
in a direction approximately near thereto. The apparatus or combination of canals
or tubes being always so placed, that the water contained therein and nearest to
the engines, shall be thrust by the engines in a direction opposite to the direction
in which the vessel is required to go. The other end or mouth of the apparatus
or combination of canals or tubes shall be so placed and so shaped that the water
contained in it may receive, as much as is possible, or as much as is desired, of the
pressure due to the motion of the vessel in the water in which it floats.
Fig. 1 represents a bent tube or caual the end C of which brings the water in
which the vessel is floating into contact with the piston or other mechanism driven
by the engines. The end D is open to the sea.
Fig. 2 represents a modification and combination of t vo tubes or canals similar
to that illustrated in Fig. 1.
The canal shown in section is marked C. A. D.
The other parts marked form no part of the invention, and may or may nɔt be
necessary for the working of the machine as a whole.
His a valve to be opened (shown in the drawing as shut) when it is desired to
move the vessel backwards, and when that is desired a valve placed at H would
be shut, (shown in the drawing as open) the water from the sea would then find
access through the port B to the side of the piston nearest the engines.
E is a piston rod connected with the engines.
F is a moveable piston.
M and G are outlets for water.
I is a fixing plate.
K and L are air valves.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the cylinders shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a side view of one of the canals.
Fig. 5 represents another modification and combination of two tubes or canals
similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1. In this case the end marked D' is open to the
sea, and when the vessel is required to move forward, the water is admitted to the
side of the piston nearest the end of the cylinder through which the piston rol E
is passing, the end in view being to thrust the water contained in the cylinder in a
direction contrary to that in which the vessel is required to go, and as a can-pent
result thereof to propel the vessel in the required direction.
One such canal or tube as that represented in Fig. 1 may be used for propelling
a vessel, and the cross section of any such tube or canal may be circular, oval,
square or of any other desired shape. The bend A Fig. 1 may be either
rectangular, semicircular or of other shape.
Fig. 6 represents a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 5.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
To be able to utilize by means of a bent canal or tube, similar to that repre-
sented in Fig. 1, the opposing force of the water to the forward motion of the
vessel, in supplying a resisting force to the thrust of the engines when engaged in
propelling the vessel; and I claim as my invention a canal constructed as repre-
sented in Fig. 1, and placed as already described.
Dated this Thirty-first day of January 1896.
JOHN PURSELL.