IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROPULSION OF SHIPS, VESSELS, AND BOATS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Pickering, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PROPULSION OF SHIPS, VESSELS, AND BOATS."
Sealed the 23rd July 1869, and dated the 29th January 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Pickering at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th January 1869.
I, JOHN PICKERING, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE PROPULSION OF SHIPS, VESSELS, AND BOATS," to be as
follows, that is to say :-
This Invention, which relates to an improved mode of propelling ships,
vessels, and boats, consists in the employment of apparatus known as
an injector or ejector for producing the propelling action in lieu of
using a steam engine or other motive mechanism for actuating pro-
pellers.
According to the present Invention the injectors or ejectors are placed
in the lower part of the ship, vessel, or boat, one or more of such

page_text: instruments being used as required.
The throat or throats of the
injectors or ejectors is or are securely fastened to the stern part of
the skin of the ship, vessel, or boat, in which one or more openings are
formed to correspond with the throat or throats of the injectors or ejectors.
Steam is admitted through the instrument as in the injectors or ejectors
at present in use, and water is drawn in through the suction pipe, which
also has an opening through the side or skin of the ship, vessel, or boat,
and the jet of water issuing from the instrument at the stern acting
against the water in which the ship, vessel, or boat floats causes the
propulsion of the ship, vessel, or boat forward. By applying one or
more similar instruments to the forward end of the ship, vessel, or boat
it may be "backed" or propelled backwards.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John, Pickering in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th July 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
PICKERING, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said John Pickering, Her special
license that I, the said John Pickering, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Pickering, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE PROPULSION OF SHIPS, VESSELS, AND BOATS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Pickering, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the

page_text: Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Pickering, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention, which relates to an improved mode of propelling
ships, vessels, and boats, consists in the employment of apparatus known
as an injector or ejector for producing the propelling action in lieu of
using a steam engine or other motive mechanism for actuating pro-
pellers.
According to the present Invention the injectors or ejectors are placed
in the lower part of the ship, vessel, or boat, one or more of such
instruments being used as required. The throat or throats of the injectors
or ejectors is or are securely fastened to the stern part of the skin of the
ship, vessel, or boat, in which one or more openings are formed to
correspond with the throat or throats of the injectors or ejectors,
Steam is admitted through the instrument as in the injectors or ejectors
at present in use, and water is drawn in through the suction pipe, which
also has an opening through the side or skin of the ship, vessel, or boat,
and the jet of water issuing from the apparatus at the stern acting
against the water in which the ship, vessel, or boat floats causes the
propulsion of the ship, vessel, or boat forward. By applying one or
more similar apparatus to the forward end of the ship, vessel, or boat
it may be "backed" or propelled backwards.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood,
I now proceed more particularly to specify the system, mode, or manner
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, reference being had for the sake of more complete elucidation to
the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say :-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a vessel representing one mode
under which my Invention is applied and showing the boiler connections
and ejectors or injectors employed in its propulsion; Figure 2 is a
transverse section of the same showing the ejectors or injectors and boiler,
and also the requisite connections for the supply of water and steam.

page_text: In Figure 1, A is the hull of a vessel; B, the boiler in which is
generated the steam for the supply of the ejectors or injectors;
and C, O, are the ejectors or injectors, the relative positions of
which, as also the arrangement of their connections, may be more
clearly understood by referring to Figure 2. D is a pipe attached
to the boiler to receive the steam and convey it by means of
the two branches E, E', into the ejectors or injectors C, C', therein to
be employed for the purposes herein-before mentioned. Upon the steam
pipe D a valve F is placed whereby the supply of steam to the ejectors
or injectors may be regulated as circumstances may render necessary.
G, G, are two sets of pipes provided for the supply of water to the
ejectors or injectors extending in the arrangement of the apparatus, as
shown, through the bow of the vessel, and from thence communicating
with the ejectors or injectors, from which when the apparatus' are in
operation the water is forcibly ejected through openings in the stern of
the vessel, and acting violently against the water in which the vessel
floats causes the propulsion of the vessel forward. In place of using
water alone as the propelling fluid, the chimney may be wholly or partly
closed, and the gases from the fuel together with other waste products of
combustion discharged through the injectors or ejectors, in which case
the passage of water therethrough may be wholly or partly suppressed,
or atmospheric air may be forced through the injectors or ejectors, and
being discharged against the water effects the propulsion of the vessel,
and in lieu of using steam as the impelling fluid compressed air may be
used to inject or eject either water alope or the products of combustion
alone or in admixture with water. In place of using a pair of injectors
or ejectors, as shown, one or any other number may be employed, but
two are preferred as offering advantages in steering and turning the
vessel round in the water.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
system, mode, or manner in or under which the same is or may be
used or practically carried into effect, I wish to observe in conclusion
that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein-before set forth,
as variations may be made therefrom without deviating from the
principles or main features of my Invention; but what I do consider
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by
the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The propelling of ships, vessels, or boats by means of injectors
or ejectors, as herein-before described, or any mere modification thereof.

page_text: Second. The utilizing of the waste gases and products of combustion
as well as atmospheric air for the propulsion of ships, vessels, or boats,
substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Pickering, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of July, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
JOHN PICKERING. (L.S.)