CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PROPELLING VESSELS ON WATER, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLI- CABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1831

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Sir JAMES
CALEB ANDERSON, of Buttevant Castle, in the County of Cork, Baronet,,
send greeting.
WHEREAS I did by petition represent unto His most Excellent Majesty.
King William the Fourth that I had invented "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR PROPELLING VESSELS ON WATER, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLI-
CABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES," and His said Majesty being willing to encourage all
useful inventions, did issue His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great
Britain, bearing date at Westminster, the Second day of August, in the first
year of His reign, whereby His said Majesty did, for Himself, His heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said James Caleb Anderson,
His especial licence that I, the said James Caleb Anderson, my exors,
admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Caleb Anderson,
my exors, adñiors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the said Invention; in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said James
Caleb Anderson, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and

page_text: in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be
inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and
by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Caleb Anderson, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, is described and ascertained
in the manner following, and by the Drawings hereunto annexed.
My Invention of "Improved Machinery for propelling Vessels in Water," con-
sists in an improved paddle wheel, and in certain combinations of mechanism, by
which I apply human labor as the motive force for propelling vessels, whether
the said vessels be provided with paddle wheels of my improved construction or
with any other apparatus that may be employed to perform a similar office in
the water. My said paddle wheel consists in a new modification of the
mechanism proposed by Mr. Robertson Buchanan, in which two excentric
circles revolving in parallel planes are united to each other at their peripheries,
producing thereby a parallelism in the floats. By my modification I obviate
the objections that have been made to Mr. Buchanan's plan, besides obtaining
the important advantage to sailing vessels of enabling their crews to raise the
floats with great facility out of the water, in order that they may not impede
the sailing during favourable winds; and when the axis of the propelling wheel
is raised to a level with the axis of the guide wheel, my floats take positions
parallel with the horizon, so that in heavy seas the waves are received upon
the edges of the floats. At Fig. 1 in the accompanying (or annexed) Drawings,
is a side elevation of my improved paddle wheel; and at Fig. 2 is added an
edge view or elevation of the same, the letters in both Figures, which are
similar, having reference to corresponding parts. a is the main revolving
axis, made fast to the centre plate 6 of the guide c, c, c; d, d, d, d, d, are the
floats of an angular form in their horizontal section, strongly attached at their
upper extremities by joints to the guide wheel at e, e, e, e, e, and at their lower
ends by similar joints f,f,f,f,f, to the propelling wheel g, g, g, whose axis h
turns in the plummer block i, i. By this arrangement it is evident that when
rotation as given to the guide wheel the same motion is communicated by the
floats to the propelling wheel, and that the floats must always act in lines
parallel to each other, and the distance between the axes of the wheels being
the uniform length of the floats, the required depth of the floats is thus easily
determined. I have made my floats very narrow. By their angular figure
they present wedge-formed surfaces to the water in the direction of the course
of the vessel, with the view of lessening the impediment arising from the

page_text: angular motion of the floats. And I find that by giving the paddles such a
velocity of rotation as will cause them during the times of immersion and
emersion to move through a horizontal space equal to the space moved through
by the vessel propelled, that no appreciable loss of power is sustained. The
floats are joined to the wheels at their opposite corners (in a diagonal direction),
and they are strengthened by bars fixed across them horizontally on their
hollow sides, as seen in Fig. 2. At k, k, is a double railway formed of two
semicircular wrought iron bars, which are to be strongly fastened by any
convenient means to the side of the vessel, or to an abutment projecting from the
vessel. The plummer block i is supported upon the railway, to which it is
made fast by a pin l, when the paddle wheel is in use, and when it is required
to take the paddles out of the water, the propelling wheel is drawn upwards
upon the railway by the following means:-The lower part of the plummer
block i is flanged so as to embrace the two sides of the railway, as best seen in
Fig. 2; at m, m, there are transverse bolts, which connect the opposite flanges
of the plummer block, and which receive the end links of two chains n, o;
these chains respectively pass between the two bars of the railway and round
the barrels p, q, which are fixed in the axes of the toothed wheels r, s; the
latter are geered into two pinions t, u, having on their axes the winches or
cranks v, v, and w, w. If force be applied to the winches v, v, the pinion t
will actuate the wheel r, and wind the chain n on to the barrel p, the chain
dragging the plummer block i, and the propelling wheel with it, up the
railway, as shown by dots at x, x, x, which is not quite its highest elevation.
The use of two crane apparatuses, as already referred to, is for steadying and
controlling the action of the other, and for fixing the propelling wheel at
any point on the railway on either side of it. It is obvious that the
railway may be lengthened, and the geer be more elevated to raise the
wheel to any required height.
My claims to invention in the foregoing apparatus consists separately in the
form of the paddles, and in the manner shown in the Drawing of connecting
them to the wheels, and to the railway and apparatus for changing the position
of the paddles according to circumstances.
I also claim the whole apparatus in its combined state, as described,
although I do not confine myself to the employment of any peculiar kind of
motive force to my improved paddle wheel. I proceed to explain several
efficient modes of applying human labor to the propelling of ships and other
vessels on water; aud I select for that purpose the apparatus described merely
as a convenient example, to show the application of my mechanism. The
accompanying (or annexed) Drawing, Fig. 3, is intended to represent at

page_text: a, a, a, a, a portion of the side of a ship or other vessel; b, b, b, my improved
paddle, c, c, its railway; and d, d, d, d, the crane movements, as before
'described. On the axis motion of the paddle wheel I fix a drum or drums e, e,
or one or more chain wheels, to which I communicate the motive force by
endless bands or chains J, f. I fix vertically in a convenient situation four or
more spars, two or which only can be seen in the Drawing at g, g, and
these I connect by other spars h, h, h, fixed horizontally near to the tops of
the upright spars, so as to form, in the manner delineated, or by any other
means that may be more convenient, a rectangular or other shaped framing,
adapted to receive and sustain two or more pairs of chain wheels or drums, as
sketched at i, i. The axes of these drums are mounted with toothed wheels,
so that power applied to either will drive both. To the deck I fix a corre-
sponding series of drums or chain wheels and toothed wheels k, k, to those
described aloft. I connect the lower series of drums, &c., to the upper by
two or more pairs of pitched chains 1, 1, 1, 1; and in suitable apertures formed
in these chains I fix horizontally a series of staves, at about one foot distance
between each, producing thereby an endless chain ladder, on which men are to
step or climb in the manner that sailors ascend the shrouds of a ship, and by
the force of their gravity cause the drums to turn round and communicate
their motion and power by the connecting chain f, f, and the drum or drums
e, e, to the paddle wheel. The chain ladders are represented as too much
inclined, and the upright spars may be advantageously brought much nearer
together. This apparatus may obviously be variously modified. The spare
chain cables of the lightest description might be made available for the ladders,
and the cost of the apparatus be rendered of trifling amount, when the great
effective force which might thus be applied by the crew of a ship to get her out
of a difficult position is considered. I propose to use the apparatus also as a
convenient agent for loading and unloading ships, and in the various operations
of working them, especially where a great and quick accumulation of
power is
desirable. By arrangements similar to that which is expressed in the Drawing,
the whole equipage may be taken down and stowed away in a few moments.
I will now proceed to explain another simple arrangement of mechanism for
the application of the force of men, and by that species of muscular action
which writers on mechanics have deemed the most advantageous, which is that
of rowing; but by my method of performing this action, the resulting effect is
greater than by that of rowing in the ordinary mode, as the wrists are relieved,
owing to there being no change of motion out of the horizontal line. The mecha-
nism I employ for this purpose I have introduced into the sketch marked Fig. 3,
where it is shown connected with the geer of the chain ladders, and employed

page_text: as an auxiliary force to work the paddle wheel. At m, m, is represented by
dots two toothed wheels, which are supposed to be inside the vessel, between
decks; the axis of these wheels are mounted with cranks n, n, which may be
situated either inside or outside of the vessel, and these receive their motion
from two rods o, o, which connect them to the antifriction rollers p, p, that
reciprocate in accurately formed guiding grooves q, q, in a similar manner to
the connecting rods of steam engines. The pivots of the rollers p, p, are
connected at right angles to an horizontal rod r, r, r, of any required length,
and there being a similar apparatus on the opposite side of the vessel, "the
horizontal rods on each side are connected by a series of transverse bars (duly
framed together to prevent their springing) which the men lay hold of and
move horizontally to and fro; the long horizontal rods r, r, are kept straight
and steady by a series of antifriction rollers s, s, s, which revolve in framed
guides in the interior of the vessel. This arrangement admits of a very large
number of men exerting themselves simultaneously, in a most efficacious
manner, to produce a powerful effect. To the modes of applying human labor
already described, I have combined a third, that of the crank, which is
represented also in Fig. 3, where t, t, exhibits two toothed wheels actuated by
cranks u, u, and v, v, at right angles, which are supposed to extend across the
vessel, and to be connected there to similar geer. This common mode of
applying human power I claim only when combined with the modes previously
described; and those two modes, namely, the endless chain ladders, and my
arrangement for producing the alternating or rowing action, I claim, as
described, both in their seperate and in their combined states, for the purpose
of propelling vessels on water, and also their application to certain other
purposes, in conformity with the title of my Patent, which I will now proceed
to describe, with reference to the accompanying Figures, marked 4, 5, 6, 7.
Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of a drag or power carriage, in which the
mechanism I have described as applied to the propulsion of vessels on water
by human labor is employed by similar means to propel a carriage on land.
a, a, a, a, is the frame of the carriage, mounted upon springs, and having a
steering apparatus at b, b; c, c, c, c, are seats for the workers, or men employed
(the seats being adapted in this example for three men each), who take hold of
similar transverse bars to those before described in Fig. 3, (which are attached
to the antifriction rollers d, d,) and move them to and fro in the manner of
rowing, which motion is communicated by the rods e, e, to the cranks f,f, fixed on
the axis of the spur wheel g. This wheel communicates its motion to an interme-
diate shaft at h, on which is mounted together spur wheel i, which geers into a

page_text: third spur wheel k, fixed on the axletree of the bind running wheels 1, 1, and thus
propels the carriage on its road. By reference to Fig. 5, which affords an end
view of the machinery of the carriage, it will be seen that the intermediate
shaft h, and the axletree m carry two sets of geer, respectively marked n, o,
and p, q, in addition to those described as in action in Fig. 4, for the pur-
pose of changing the velocity of motion of the carriage according to circum-
stances; these changes of geer are provided with clutch boxes and levers in the
usual manner for engaging and disengaging them. I place also on the floor
r, r, (shewn at Fig. 5,) four or more men to work the crank or winch motion
8, s, and the axis of this movement carrying a spur wheel t, which geers into
the wheels previously described (and shewn by Fig. 4. in connection) com-
municates the power applied to the cranks s, s, to the running wheels. In
order to obtain an increase of power, I, in some cases, add a second tier of
workers above those already described, in the manner sketched in the Drawing
Fig. 4, by dots, wherein u, u, represents two antifriction rollers, carrying
similar apparatus, and which is to be worked in a similar manner to the
before described; the force thus applied for propulsion being communicated by
rods v, v, to extra cranks placed in the shaft of the spur wheel t, it is com-
municated therefrom to the running wheels. Fig. 6 gives a side elevation, and
Fig. 7 an end elevation of another carriage, containing another combination of
mechanism. The rowing apparatus a, a, a, is of the same construction as in
the former described Figures, and to it is connected by spur geer at b, b, a chain
ladder apparatus at c, c, c, c, similar in principle to that described in Fig. 3 for
propelling vessels, but which is exhibited more in detail in Fig. 7. d, e, and
f, g, show two changes of geer, which are to be provided and worked in the
same manner as those described in Figures 4 and 5. In some cases, instead
of toothed wheels, I employ chains passing round pulleys of different diameters
for changing the motions, by which means I materially lessen the weight of the
carriage by dispensing with the intermediate shaft h, shewn in Figures 4 and 5.
The said pulleys I place on the crank shaft, and on the axletree of the
carriage. My improved paddle wheel described may also be advantageously
used as a fixed water wheel for driving machinery on land.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Caleb Anderson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of February, One thousand
eight hundred and thirty-two.
JAMES CALEB (L.S.) ANDERSON.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Second day of February, in the
year of our Lord 1832, the aforesaid Sir James Caleb Anderson, Baronet,
came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.