Iraproved Apparatus for Manoeuvring Ships.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1896-Accepted, 11th July, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Iraproved Apparatus for Manoeuvring Ships.
I, EDWARD SMETHURST, of 71 Cathedral Square, Christchurch, in the
Provincial District of Canterbury, in the Colony of New Zealand, Commission
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of my 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 means employed for turning ships with rapidity and
consists, in employing one or more screw propellers operating within a tube or
tuunel which is fixed in the bows of the ship and extends from side to side
transversely to the keel.
The screw
or screws are mounted upon a shaft which is capable of being
revolved in either direction by gearing from the maiu engines or separate motive
power within the ship.
The ends of the tube or tunnel are provided with sluice valves or doors operated
by hydraulic rams or other usual means whereby the ends of the tube may be
opened or closed as desired.
The accompanying drawings serve to illustrate my invention.
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic section of the forward part of the vessel, and
Fig. 2, a similar plan view.
The same letters are used to indicate the same parts in both figures.
The tube or tunnel (a) is fixed within the bows of the vessel and extends from
side to side as far forward as practicable and beneath the water line.
The shaft (b) is journalled in supports (c) (d) rivetted within the tunnel and
has fixed upon it the screw propeller (e) which is driven by bevil gearing (f)
(g) the bevil wheel (f) being fixed upon the shaft (6) and the bevil wheel (9)
upon a shaft (h) at right angles to it; which receives its motion from the
engines (i) carried upon beams fixed across the vessel.
The shaft (h) passes through a stuffing box (1) in the side of the tube (a) to
prevent water from passing into the vessel, sluice valves (m) (n) are severally
arranged one at either end of the tube (a) inside the vessel casings (o) (p) being
fixed to the tube to receive the doors of the valves when they are raised and the
ends of the tube open.
The doors of the sluice valves (m) (n) are operated by hydraulic rams (r) (s)
the plungers of which pass through stuffing boxes in the top of the casings in a well
known manner.
One or more man holes are provided in the tube (a) to afford access for cleaning
and repairing purposes.
Having new particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The apparatus for manoeuvring ships substantially as and for the purposes
herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus for manoeuvring ships a tube or tunnel extending from side to side
within the bow of the vessel provided with a screw propeller mounted upon a shaft
journalled within the tube, substantially as specified and illustrated.
3. In combination a tube or tunnel extending from side to side within the bow of
a ship a screw propeller journalled upon a shaft operating within a tube; and

page_text: valves or doors for the purpose of closing the ends of the tubes substantially as
and for the purposes herein described and shown in the drawings.
4. In combination the tube (a) the propeller (e) the shaft (b) driven by the bevil
wheels (f) (g) from the engine (i) substantially as and for the purposes herein
described and shown in the drawings.
Dated this 1st day of June 1896.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.