IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE TRACTION AND PROPULSION OF SHIPS, BOATS, AND OTHER NAUTICAL VESSELS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Seaville Truss, of Number 53, Gracechurch
Street, in the City of London, and of Number 2, Grove Terrace, Plaistow,
in the County of Essex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE TRACTION AND PROPULSION OF SHIPS, BOATS,
AND OTHER NAUTICAL VESSELS."
Sealed the 20th November 1860, and dated the 26th September 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Seaville Truss at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
September 1860.
I, THOMAS SEAVILLE TRUSS, of Number 53, Gracechurch Street, in the City
of London, and of Number 2, Grove Terrace, Plaistow, in the County of
Essex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE TRACTION AND PROPULSION OF SHIPS, BOATS
AND OTHER NAUTICAL VESSELS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the peculiar formation of wings, shares, scoops,
or cutters, in one or more parts having flat surfaces or surfaces curved longi-
tudinally or diametrically, or both, and in the arrangement and attachment
of the same to a boss, nave, or shaft, or made solid with the same at such an
angle as the speed or power to be attained may require, and having one or
a variety of pitches combined constituting an apparatus for the traction and
propulsion of ships, boats, and other nautical vessels, to be applied at the bow,

page_text: sides, or stern of the same, or at all the parts mentioned, and rotated in the
water by a steam engine or steam engines or other motive power. But such
wings, shares, scoops, or cutters taken singly or together and so formed and
fixed do not form a screw as heretofore used for the traction or propulsion of
ships, boats, or other nautical vessels.
And in order that the nature of my said Invention may be more fully
understood, I will proceed to describe the several Figures on the Sheet of
Drawings hereunto annexed, using the word wing to mean in all cases wing,
share, scoop, or cutter, and the word boss, to mean boss, nave or shaft, that is
to say:-
Figure 1 is a superficial plan of one form of wing of which the apparatus
is constructed and the dotted line "a" thereon I shall call the longitudinal
superficial centre line, and the dotted lines b and c, the diametrical cross section
lines, d to e being the part attached to the boss D, and the line f, from d to e,
I shall call the external line of curvature.
Figure 2 is the side view of an apparatus constructed with one wing, curved
longitudinally and diametrically, and shewing the degree of angle at which the
wing (in this case) is attached to the boss D, from the longitudinal centre
line of the same to the longitudinal superficial centre line of the wing, and
the dotted line g thereon I shall call the longitudinal centre line of the
boss.
Figure 3 is a cross section of Figure 2, taken at the dotted line c, shewing
the diametrical curvature of the wing at that part; and Figure 4 is also a cross
section of Figure 2, taken at the dotted line b, shewing the diametrical form
of the wing at that part.
Figure 5 is an end view of Figure 2, taken at B.
Figure 6 is an end view of Figure 2, taken at C.
N.B. The same letters refer to similar parts in each Figure and in Figures
3, 4, 9, and 10, I have represented the diametrical cross sections by two lines,
but in Figures 40 to 70 inclusive by one line only. The cross sections as
shewn in Figures 71 to 93 inclusive are represented by one line only.
Figure 1, A, the wing. a, the longitudinal superficial centre line; b and c,
cross section lines; d to e is that part of the wing attached to the boss f, the
external line of curvature.
Figure 2, A, the wing. a, the longitudinal superficial centre line; b and c,
cross section lines; d to e, that part of the wing attached to the boss D,
f, the external line of curvature; g, the longitudinal centre line of the
boss D.
Figure 3 is a cross section of Figure 2 taken at c. A, the wing; c, the

page_text: cross section; a to e that part of the wing attached to the boss D; f, the
external line of curvature.
Figure 4 is a cross section of Figure 2 taken at b. A, the wing; b, the
cross section; f, the external line of curvature, and D, the boss.
Figure 5 is an end view of Figure 2 taken at B. A, the wing; f, the
external line of curvature, and D, the boss.
Figure 6 is an end view of Figure 2 taken at C. A, the wing; f, the
external line of curvature; D, the boss.
Figure 7 is the superficial plan of another form of wing; and Figure 8 is
the side view of an apparatus constructed with a single wing of that form;
and Figures 9 and 10 are cross sections of Figure 8, taken at b and c re-
spectively; and Figures 11 and 12 are end views of Figure 8 taken at B and
C respectively.
Figures 13 to 39 inclusive, are a few modifications of the superficial form
of wings.
Figures 40 to 70 inclusive, are a few modifications of the diametrical cross
sections of wings taken at b and c.
Figures 71 to 93 inclusive, are cross sections of apparatus constructed with
two and three wings taken at 6 and c.
Figures 94 to 109 inclusive, are side views of apparatus constructed each
with one wing of various superficial forms, and diametrical cross sections
shewing a few modifications of the degree of angle at which the wings
are attached to the boss and of the longitudinal curvature of the wings.
Figures 110 to 115 inclusive, are side views of apparatus constructed with
one, two, and three wings of various superficial forms and diametrical cross
sections and longitudinal curvature.
Figure 110 is an apparatus constructed with one wing of the superficial
form, as shewn in Figure 13, having a cross section at 6 similar to Figure 4,
and at C similar to Figure 66, and is curved longitudinally similar to
Figure 101.
Figure 111 is an apparatus constructed with two wings of the superficial
form, as shewn in Figure 21, having a cross section at 6 similar to Figure
71, and at c similar to Figure 81, and is curved longitudinally similar to
Figure 98.
Figure 112 is an apparatus constructed with two wings of the superficial
form, as shewn in Figure 16, having a cross section at 6 similar to Figure 71,
and at c similar to Figure 82, and is curved longitudinally similar to
Figure 100.
Figure 113 is an apparatus constructed with three wings of the super-

page_text: ficial form, as shewn in Figure 21, having. a cross section at 6 similar to
Figure 76, and at c similar to Figure 89, and is curved longitudinally similar
to Figure 99.
Figure 114 is an apparatus constructed with two wings of the superficial
form, as shewn in Figure 7, having a cross section at 6 similar to Figure 73,
and a c similar to Figure 87, and is curved longitudinally similar to
Figure 105.
Figure 115 is an apparatus constructed with two wings of the superficial
form, as shewn in Figure 31, having a cross section at 6 similar to Figure 74,
and at c similar to Figure 81, and is curved longitudinally similar to
Figure 103. The dimensions of the apparatus will, of course, vary with the
size of the ship, boat, or other vessel to be propelled.
To manufacture the apparatus of cast metal when the wing is to be
attached to the boss I proceed making a pattern of wood or any other
suitable material to the form and size required, and taking a casting therefrom
I attach it to the boss by any of the usual methods, as by screw bolts and
nuts, keys, or wedges, or in any other suitable manner, and having so made
and attached the wing to the boss the apparatus is completed, as shewn, or I
make the apparatus of wrought and angle iron, or other metal plates rivetted
together, but I do not confine myself to these exact methods of manufacture.
As the degree of angle or pitch at which the wings are attached to, or made
solid with the boss taken from the longitudinal centre line of the same to the
longitudinal superficial centre line of the wings, and as the form and curve
longitudinally or diametrically or both of the wings and their point and length
of attachment to the boss depend upon the speed or power to be attained, and
admit of a variety of modifications, I do not restrict myself to the degree of
angle or pitch at which the wings are to be attached to or made solid with the
boss, nor to the precise superficial form or curve longitudinally, diametrically,
or both, of the wings, nor to the precise point and length of their attachment
to the boss, nor do I restrict myself to the material to be employed in the
manufacture of the apparatus, or to the making of the wings, solid in themselves,
or with the boss.