Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1886
Complete Left, 4th Mar., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 5th Apr., 1887.
I, HENRY JOHN MARSHALL, of Linslade, in the County of Buckingham, Traffic
Inspector, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improved means for the propulsion or stoppage of steam
and other ships. It is applicable also for the purposes of steering, and can be adapted
to all craft irrespective of size.
It dispenses with paddle wheels and their crank shafts, with screws, as well as, to
some extent, with the ordinary steering gears.
In carrying this invention into effect, I provide one or more single acting cylinders
on each side of the vessel, fixed at any suitable point on the hull in the run of the
vessel, having one end open and pointing aft. The pistons of these cylinders are
fitted water-tight, and are connected as directly as practicable with the steam, or
other, power of the vessel. These cylinders, or at least their open ends, are placed
as low as practicable in the water for the purpose of getting at as dense a body of
water as possible for the motor power of the vessel to work against, as well as of
keeping the cylinder mouths always submerged; and it is the thrust of their pistons
against the water that furnishes the effective propelling energy.
Similar cylinders are provided with their open ends pointing forwards, for the
purpose of stopping or going astern.
These cylinders are preferably fixed to the hull in such a way as not to present any
resisting surfaces to the water when the vessel is going ahead.
The above described sets of cylinders can be coupled as may be desired, the engine
power on one side of the vessel being, however, independent of that on the other.
For steering purposes, one or more of the cylinders for going astern is set to work
in combination or not with the ordinary steering gear.
Dated this 4th day of June 1886.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improved Means for the Propulsion or Stoppage of Steam and other
Ships.
1, HENRY JOHN MARSHALL, of Linslade, in the County of Buckingham, Traffic
Inspector, 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
This invention relates to an improved method of propelling, reversing and steering
vessels and boats, floating or submerged, and consists in combining with any suitable
motor, animal or manual power, or other type of prime mover, a set or series of
pistons fixed at a proper level beneath the water and communicating therewith through
the open ends of their cylinders, which pistons are severally conveniently aligned
with their respective prime movers.
I attain the objects of my invention by means of the mechanisms illustrated in the
accompanying figures which are given as illustrations of my invention generally and
not as definite illustrations of the only application of which it is capable.
In carrying my invention into effect I use two types of cylinders and pistons, one
pointing aft, the other pointing forward. The former typo constitute the propellers;
and the latter, the repellers of my system. Their combined and co-related action
effects the steering.
Fig. 1 is a plan of a vessel fitted with my invention. A, A are a pair of stern pro-
pellers worked by their own engine B, to the pistons of which the pistons a, a of the
propellers are coupled direct by means of the piston rods a¹.
At each inward stroke of a piston a, the water follows it into its cylinder A, from
which it would be ejected by the return stroke of the piston, if it were not for the
resistance of the volume of water outside the vessel. Inasmuch as the piston there-
fore cannot displace the water, its energy is expended upon the vessel of which it
forms an integral part, and the vessel is moved forwards accordingly.
In the figure, I show a pair of propellers working alternately. I wish it to be
distinctly understood that I may employ any number arranged in equal capacities on
each side of the centre line of the vessel.
A duplex and connected arrangement of propellers might be found advantageous
as the outward thrust of the one would be materially assisted by the return stroke of
the other owing to the pressure derived from the depth at which it would be working
below the surface of the water.
I prefer that the propellers should be placed as low as possible in the vessel although

page_text: it is not necessary to the success of my invention that the open mouths a² of the pro-
peller cylinders should be aligned with the motor cylinders, inasmuch as the propeller.
cylinders may be fixed in any convenient level and communication kept up with the
outer volume of water by serpentine or bent pipes. Of course it is obviously
preferable that the mouth of the propeller and the propeller should be on a common
level.
The engines may be fixed closer to the propeller than they are shewn in the figure.
In fact one feature, involving a great practical advantage, is that the adoption of my
invention almost necessary abolishes the familiar long screw shaft with all the
attendant risks and expenses.
Watertight bulkheads may be constructed to enclose the space occupied by the
propeller cylinders, or other equivalent devices may be adopted to isolate the space
occupied by the propellers from the hold, or to close the mouths of the propellers
whenever such closure might be required for any purpose.
C, are a complimentary number of repellers, that is, reversing propellers,
constructed throughout in the same principles as the propellers described above.
The steering of a vessel fitted with my invention is effected by working the port
propellers and the starboard repellers, together or vice versâ.
1 shew another position in which the propellers may be fixed, E E being their
complementary repellers.
The propeller and repeller cylinders illustrated herewith are shewn of a circular
cross section, but this shape may be varied as may be required. For instance, in the
case of a shallow draft vessel, the section may be rectangular and wider than deep, or
oval. By this means great effect would be produced with more compact construction
than if circular cylinders were employed.
Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate the application of my invention to rowing boats.
F is a propeller, while G is its complementary repeller. The steering of a rowing
boat may be effected either by a rudder, or by a pair of propellers and a pair of
repellers, the cylinders of each pair being respectively aligned right and left of the
centre line of the boat.
H, Hare the thwarts; and I, I, the hand levers by which the propeller pistons are
worked. Each lever is connected by suitable mechanism J to its respective propeller
piston and is fitted with a suitable clutch gear for coupling it with a repeller piston
so that for the purpose of steering the continued actuation of say a port propeller
would be combined to such an extent as might be necessary with the actuation of a
starboard repeller.
Or the clutch gear may be of a type permitting of the levers being disconnected
from the propellers and connected with the repellers, with power of gearing with part
only of the propelling power.
My invention is not confined to any particular type of mechanical device for
communicating the motion of the levers (the number of which may be varied) I to
the pistons.
The advantages of my invention may be summarised as follows.
The financial losses and vexatious delays arising from the breaking of screw
propeller shafts and propellers, or partial or total loss of propeller blades would
cease.
The annoyance and occasional mishaps arising from the lift of a vessel taking the
propeller blades out or partially out of the water, and so causing the engines to race
would be averted.
The piston propellers would possess the great advantage of working in a solid
body of water as against screw propellers or paddle wheels working in broken water
and in an unfavourable current set up by the motion of the vessel.
By having the piston propellers and repellers on either side working independently
of those on the reverse side, a vessel could be kept on any desired course in the event
of a break-down of the steering gear or rudder occurring.
Therefore, vessels could be constructed without the usual steering arrangements,

page_text: so that there would be absolutely nothing outside the outer skin of the vessel exposed
to damage.
Should it be necessary to suddenly alter a vessel's course, it could be effectually
done by working the propellers and repellers on opposite sides.
Many collisions would thus be avoided oweing to the greater control over a vessel,
and a higher rate of speed could be maintained than is now-in certain atmospheric
conditions or in crowded waters-considered prudent.
It will, therefore, be seen that the enormous power of the engines would be available
for stopping a vessel or altering its course, a most essential condition, seeing the pre-
vailing tendency to construct vessels with an ever increasing go-ahead speed but with
no corresponding stopping power.
By the adoption of this invention, a vessel would be able to make better headway
against an adverse tide owing to the condition of the water in the cylinders enabling
the piston propellers to exert an efficient thrust because the water has followed them
up into the cylinder.
It is probable that a far higher rate of speed would be attained by the use of this
invention with a decreased consumption of motive power, and consequently less
stokehold and labour. This in turn would mean additional accommodation for
passenger traffic or stowage room for cargo, and in the case of war ships greater
coal supply.
Ships of war could by the use of piston propellers and repellers be far more casily
manoeuvred than they are now, and the fear of such vessels having their screw pro-
pellers or steering arrangements disabled by accident or an enemy's missiles would not
exist. Such vessels also when cruising under sail would not have to drag a screw
propeller or propellers through the water.
The use of piston propellers and repellers would be found of special advantage to
torpedo and submarine boats or similar craft. These boats could be directed straight
at an enemy's ship discharge their torpedo or other missile and be propelled back on
the same course without having to expose a broadside to a possible return attack.
Such boats would probably perform well if constructed without steering apparatus
or rudder.
Additional security and confidence in the use of submarine boats would be obtained
by having the means of propelling or repelling such by manual labour in the event
of any mishap taking place to their normal motive power arrangements, or in the
event of the supply of such power (compressed air, electricity; or other means),
becoming exhausted.
The adaption of this invention to rowing boats would give very great advantages.
A rower would be looking in the direction in which his boat was travelling, an
advantage which cannot be over estimated.
There would be no oars to ship or unship or lose or break. More especially would
the benefit of this arrangement be obtained to avoid collisions with other boats as the
piston propellers or repellers could be used up to the last moment whereas oars owing
to the close proximity of the opposing boats must be withdrawn.
The risks in rowing arising from the blade of an oar missing the water or its too
deep immersion would be avoided and many lives saved.
The arrangement of piston propellers would be found of great service to lifeboats
when manoeuvring to get alongside wrecks or in analogous circumstances.
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 :-
1. The combination of a pair or pairs of propellers or repellers aligned right and
left of the centre line of the vessels with engines the pistons of which are fixed upon
the piston rods of their respective propellers or repellers substantially as above
described with reference to the accompanying figure 1.
2. The combination of engine cylinder, propeller or repeller cylinder, one piston
rod common to both and a serpentine or bent pipes connecting the propeller or repeller

page_text: cylinders with the outer volume of water substantially as described with reference to
the accompanying figure 1.
3. The combination of hand lever, propeller, and a line of connecting gear by which
the motion of the lever is communicated to the propeller substantially as described
with reference to the accompanying figures 2 and 3.
4. The combination of hand lever propeller a line of connecting gear thereto a
repeller and a line of connecting gear from the lever to the same, and a clutch gearing
for disconnecting either the propeller or repeller and connecting either with the lever
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying figures, 2 and 3.
1007
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Patent Agents,
22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.