IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING;
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
TODD, of Kingston upon Hull, in the County of York, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Nineteenth day of September, in the third year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Thomas Todd, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Thomas Todd, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Thomas Todd, my exors, adñiors, or 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, my
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING;" in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso that I, the said Thomas Todd, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Todd, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention, (which is
improvements in paddles for propelling steam vessels,) and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, is particularly described and ascertained
in and by the annexed Drawings and descriptions thereof, as follows,
videlicit:-
Figure 1 is a vertical section on a small scale, across the paddle wheel shaft
of a steam vessel, and shews the constant vertical position of my improved
paddles during the revolution of the paddle wheel. The paddles No. 5 are
just entering the water No. 4, at their deepest immersion, and No. 3 just
leaving the water. The paddles in this Figure are represented as plain three-
fold paddles (see Figure 3). Figure 2 is a perspective view of a three-
rimmed paddle wheel, and shews the constant vertical position of single
paddles as placed in both divisions of the wheel during its revolution.
Figure 3 is another perspective view of a three-rimmed paddle wheel, similar
to Figure 2, shewing the manner of placing any number of paddles on the
arms or spokes and rims of the wheels at present in use, but the number of
such places will of course depend on the number of arms or spokes in the
wheel and other circumstances. Only three sets of the threefold paddles as
placed in onc division of the wheel are shewn in this Figure. N. B.-The
paddles in these three Figures (1, 2, and 3,) are to be considered as my
improved paddles (see Figures 4 and 7), being represented only plain to
prevent confusion; in the Drawing only six places for paddles are represented
for the same reason. The arrows shew the direction of the wheel. Figure 4
is a front view of one form or shape of my improved paddle. It is formed into
zig-zags or angles, as in the Figure, on a large scale, or into a curved shape
(see Figure 7). A, A, is an axle, passing through the centre of the paddle
lengthwise, and securely fixed thereto. The gudgeons A, A, at each end of
the paddle are turned and move in brasses, which are fixed securely to the
arms or spokes and rims of the common paddle wheels at present in use; by
this arrangement very few alterations will be necessary in adopting my
improvements. B, B, shews the top or upper side of the paddle, and C, C,
the bottom or lower side of the same. The side C, C, is weighted, so as to
keep those paddles not immersed in the water during the revolution of the
wheel in a vertical position. Figure 5 is a bird's-eye view, and shews the top
or upper edge B, B, (see Figure 4.) The side E, E, is the head stroke,
propelling the vessel forward, and the side D, D, shews the back stroke,
propelling the vessel astern. Figure 6 is a front view of a plain paddle.
Figure 7 is a bird's-eye view of another form or shape of my improved

page_text: paddle, on a large scale. The same letters refer to the saine parts as in
Figure 5.
It will be seen, on a careful examination of the Drawings and descriptions
hereunto annexed, that my improved paddles are self-adjusting, and do not
require the mechanical aid of any stops, cranks, levers, rods, grooves, eccentric
wheels, pinions, chains, or any other kind of machinery, and that all extra
friction is hereby avoided, also the tail or back-water. This is not the case
with the common paddles at present in use, the said back-water being
universally acknowledged to be a very great drawback on the effective power
of the engine.
My improved paddles, by entering the water vertically, or very nearly so,
will not occasion the tremulous motion common to steam vessels, at present so
injurious to them, and so much complained of by passengers; and by leaving
the water in the same vertical position, the swell of the back water is avoided,
and consequently the great danger to boats, &c. in approaching the steam
vessel under way.
My improved paddles begin their horizontal propelling action at the instant
of their immersion, and continue the same until they leave the water; this is
not the case with the common paddles. With my improved paddles it matters
not how deeply the vessel is loaded; but with the common paddles, the deeper
the vessel and the greater is the weight of back-water to be raised, occasioning
danger to the machinery and loss of speed.
My improved paddles can be readily fixed to the wheels at present in use.
Now, I claim as my Invention the peculiar forms or shapes of my improved
paddles, as well also as the manner in which they act as self-adjusting,
without any mechanical aid of stops, cranks, levers, &c. &c., as before
mentioned. This I also claim as my Invention, and which, to the best of my
knowledge and belief, is entirely new, and never before used or put in practice
in this manner in this kingdom. I make my improved paddles of iron or
wood, or any other proper material, of any size and in any number, according
to the size of the paddle wheels and other circumstances.
I also claim an exclusive right to the manner of fixing two or any greater
number of my improved paddles on all or any of the spokes or arms of the
paddle wheels, as seen in Figure 3.
And I further disclaim being the Inventor of any of the things which it has
been necessary for me to mention and describe, and which are not included in
the above claims by me. I do hereby declare this to be my Specification of
this my Invention, and I do verily believe that this my Specification doth
comply in all respects fully and without reserve or disguise with the proviso

page_text: in the said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent contained, wherefore I
do hereby claim to maintain an exclusive right and privilege to this my said
Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Todd, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of March, One thousand eight
hundred and forty.