Improvements in Apparatus for Propelling Boats and the like, and for Preventing them from Capsizing.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 21st July, 1892-Accepted, 27th Aug., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Propelling Boats and the like, and
for Preventing them from Capsizing.
We ALFRED GROUNSELL Engineer 9 The Strait Lincoln WILLIAM FRANCIS
BRIGGS Fitter 26 Cross Street Lincoln and WILLIAM THOMAS WEST Publican,
of Portland Street Lincoln do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for propelling boats and the
like and for preventing them from capsizing.
For this purpose we provide at each side of the boat, propelling blades working
on joints or hinges on a sheet, plate or frame hereinafter referred to as the frame
that may be made vertically adjustable and is adapted to be worked longitudinally
with a to and fro movement, the blades closing against the frame when the latter is
moved in the forward direction, but opening to catch the water, so as to impart
movement to the boat, when drawn in the opposite direction. Suitable stops are
provided to limit the movement of the blades, so that when open they shall project
from the frame at a suitable angle for effectively acting on the water.
The frame at its upper part carries a guide or roller path of inverted trough-like
form which rests upon rollers working on straight bars or girders situated one at
each side of connecting or suspending pieces by which the guide or roller path and
the frame are secured together.
The frame immediately below the blades may be provided with horizontal pro-
jecting plates which serve to give steadiness to the boat and may also be used to
support the aforesaid stops. At its lower part the frame may also be provided
with a hollow or tubular portion open at both ends and which may advantageously
be of a form in transverse section resembling a triangle having two of its sides
slightly concave. Hinged propelling blades may also be fitted in this tubular
portion.
The blades may be constructed of sheet metal or may consist of canvas or the
like carried by suitable frames.
Dated this 26th do of Cantambor 1901
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.Č., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Propelling Boats and the like, and
for Preventing them from Capsizing.
We, ALFRED GROUNSELL of 9 The Strait, Lincoln in the County of Lincoln,
Engine Smith, WILLIAM FRANCIS BRIGGS of 26 Cross Street Lincoln aforesaid,
Fitter, and WILLIAM THOMAS WEST, of Portland Street, Lincoln, aforesaid
Publican, 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 improvements in apparatus for propelling boats and the
like and for preventing them from cansizing.

page_text: According thereto we provide at each side of the boat, propelling blades
working on joints or hinges on a sheet, plate or frame, hereinafter referred to as
the frame, that may be made vertically adjustable and is adapted to be worked
longitudinally with a to and fro movement, the blades closing against the frame
when the latter is moved in the forward direction, but opening to catch the
water, so as to impart movement to the boat, when drawn in the opposite direction.
Suitable stops are provided to limit the movement of the blades, so that when open
they shall project from the frame at a suitable angle for effectively acting on the
water.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 shews one form of apparatus constructed according to this invention, and
Figs. 2 and 3 are detail views to a larger scale, hereinafter referred to.
A, A, are the propelling blades secured by joints or hinges B B to the part G
of the frame C. The said blades are slightly bellied or bulged, as shown, to enable
them to act more effectively on the water.
DD are the stops which serve to limit the opening movement of the blades.
To prevent these stops fouling the blades when the latter close against the frame,
as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 recesses A¹ are formed in the edges of the
said blades, these recesses corresponding in position with the said stops.
The frame C is formed with sliding collars E working on a rod or bar F
secured outside the boat and forming a guide for the frame. G is a hollow vessel
or float which serves to buoy up the apparatus and so ease the working of the
same. His a handle by which the apparatus can be worked to and fro.
This handle may conveniently be of the form shown in longitudinal section in
Fig. 3.
For a small boat two sets of apparatus as shown, may be arranged on each side.
By working these at different rates steering can be effected without using the
rudder. The floats G serve also to prevent capsizing. To the same end two boats
may be connected side by side.
It will be understood that with such apparatus the boat can be propelled in the
direction which the occupant faces and not necessarily in the reverse direction as
usual when oars are employed as the propelling medium.
According to another arrangement the frame may carry at its upper part a
guide or roller path of inverted trough-like form, resting upon rollers, working
on straight bars, or girders situated one at each side of connecting or
suspending pieces by which the guide or roller path and the frame are secured
together.
The frame immediately below the blades may in this modification be provided
with horizontal projecting plates which serve to give steadiness to the boat and
may also be used to support the stops. At its lower part the frame may also be
provided with a hollow or tubular portion open at both ends and which may
advantageously be of a form in transverse section resembling a triangle having two
of its sides slightly concave. Hinged propelling blades may also be fitted in this
tubular portion.
In both the arrangements above described the blades instead of being wholly
constructed of sheet metal may consist of canvas or the like carried by suitable
frames.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :--
1. Apparatus for propelling boats and the like comprising propelling blades
working on joints or hinges on a frame, and suitable stops to limit the movement
of the blades substantially as described.
2. The improvements in apparatus for propelling boats and the like and for

page_text: preventing them from capsizing substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of July 1892.
ALFRED GROUNSELL,
By L. W., per F. B.
W. F. BRIGGS,
By L. W., per F. B.
T. W. WEST,
By L. W., per F. B.