Improvements in the Propulsion of Navigable Vessels, and in Apparatus Employed therefor.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in the Propulsion of Navigable Vessels, and in
Apparatus Employed therefor.
I WILLIAM BARBER of 146 Wellington Road South, Stockport in the County
of Chester, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE PROPULSION OF VESSELS AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
to be as follows:-
""
My invention is specially applicable to propelling "Roller ships or boats," by
which designation I mean a navigable vessel which is supported with its bottom
above the water upon air tight rollers (or floating bodies of any circular form in
vertical section) which rollers whether cylindrical spheroidal or of other form are
caused to revolve by means of suitable machinery, so as not only to support but
also to propel the vessel upon the water.
Whenever the word roller is hereinafter used it has the same meaning as in the
above definition.
Hitherto the principal difficulty in the propelling of roller ships or boats has
been the motive power.
If steam engines are used the weight of the boiler, engine, and fuel is too great
and tends to sink the rollers too deep in the water, and if gas engines are employed,
the bulk of the gas required and the weight of the gas holders and their appliances
have so far made their use impracticable.
To overcome these difficulties is the object of my invention.
In the first place I propose to use gas engines and to store the gas in a com-
pressed state in the interior of the rollers which thus serve as gas holders as well
as buoys and propellers and thereby dispense also with the extra weight of the
gas holders.
Each roller is to be driven by one or two engines and the roller is also made to
serve the purpose of a fly wheel to the engine or engines thereby further reducing
the weight

page_text: What I consider as novel is the special construction and arrangement of the
engines and rollers for the propelling of roller ships or boats substantially as above
described whereby the propulsion of such ships or boats by engines driven by
compressed gas is rendered practicable.
GEORGE DAVIES,
Agent for the Applicant,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.
Apparatus Employed therefor.
WILLIAM BARBER of 146 Wellington Road South, Stockport in the County of
Chester gentleman I do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE PROPULSION OF NAVIGABLE VESSELS and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
My Invention is specially applicable to propelling Roller ships or boats, by
which designation I mean a navigable vessel which is supported with its bottom
above the surface of the water upon buoyant, air-tight rollers, (or floating bodies
of any circular form in vertical section) which buoyant rollers, whether cylindrical,
spheroidal or of other circular form, are caused to revolve by means of suitable
machinery so as to propel the vessel upon the water.
Whenever the word Roller is hereinafter used it has the same meaning as given
in the above definition.
:
I prefer the surface of the Rollers to be quite smooth, and free from floats or
paddles of any kind.
When the vessel is loaded the roller-shaft and its bearings always float above
the surface of the water.
Hitherto the principal difficulty in the propulsion of Roller-ships or boats has
been in the motive power, because of its great weight.
If steam-engines are used the weight of boilers, engines, and fuel is too much,
and sinks the rollers too deep in the water and if gas-engines are used, the bulk
of the gas required, and the weight of gas-holders have, so far, made their use
impracticable.
To overcome these difficulties is the object of my invention,

page_text: In the first place I propose to use gas-engines, and store the gas in a compressed
state in the interior of the Rollers, which Rollers thus serve as gas-holders, as well
as buoys and propellers, and I thereby dispense with the weight of other gas-
holders.
Each Roller is driven by one or two Engines, -or two or more Rollers may be
driven by one engine when advisable to do so.
In order to lighten the load each roller is made to act as a fly-wheel to an engine
or engines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The special construction and arrangement of gas-engines and buoyant-Rollers for
the propelling of Roller-ships or boats substantially as above described, whereby
the rapid propulsion of such navigable vessels is rendered practicable.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Barber, have hereunto set my hand
and seal this twenty-sixth day of October in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty five.