IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROPELLING AND STEERING OF STEAM SHIPS OR PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION OF OTHER VESSELS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOB
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert William Fraser, Master of Arts, and
Author of "Elements of Physical Science," of the City of Edinburgh,
in the County of Mid-Lothian, North Britain, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROPELLING AND STEERING OF STEAM SHIPS OR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert William Fraser at
the Office of the Commissioners of. Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th October 1865..
I, ROBERT WILLIAM FRASER, Master of Arts, and Author of "Elements of
Physical Science," of the City of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian,.
North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROPELLING AND STEERING OF STEAM SHIPS OF OTHER
VESSELS, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOB," to be as
follows, that is to say :-
This Invention consists mainly in new and improved forms, or constructions
of direct-acting propellers for the propelling of steam ships and other vessels
in or through water, and in the construction and arrangement of the machinery

page_text: and motive-power engines for actuating or driving the same; the same
improvements (to a considerable extent) being constructed for and capable
of being used at pleasure for propelling such vessels backwards, and also for
steering or turning them round laterally to "port" or "starboard," and which
Invention the Inventor believes possesses many advantages over the machinery
now in use for the like purposes, particularly for propelling and regulating
the course of steam ships in shallow seas, estuaries, lakes, harbours, and
rivers, and therefore if adopted in practice, would be of great public
advantage.
One modification of this Invention (which is more particularly suited for
the small class of steam ships used in river traffic, but susceptible of being
worked out in other ways and under other modifications for other classes of
vessels), a description of which the Inventor thinks will sufficiently provisionally
specify the Invention, consists in having two rectangular flat plates or boards
for the propellers, placed by preference one on each side of a rectangular
opening formed in the lower part of the keel of a steam boat or ship, near
to or in the "stern post," and a few feet in advance of or nearer to the prow
than the rudder, which is in the usual position at the very stern. Each of
these propellers is jointed near its centre in or at two horizontal lines or
axes some little distance apart, to the outer ends of two round rods or
_shafts one by preference larger and hollow, and the other one smaller and
passing through it, and working or moving longitudinally for a short distance
within it, the large one carrying and actuating the propeller, while the small
one tilts and "feathers" it at the reversing or ends of its stroke to and fro.
The two strong rods which carry and actuate the propellers are each attached
at their inner ends directly to the piston rod of a single or double acting
horizontal steam cylinder (these either working as two single engines or as
coupled by a horizontal beam or lever as preferred), which impart the
necessary longitudinal reciprocating motion to each rod in its bearings parallel
to the keel of the ship, and out through a water-tight stuffing box at the
stern, where on its outer overhanging end it carries or has fixed on it a
horizontal and transverse bow or cross-head, the two extremities of which are
hinged or jointed to the propeller, so that it may either be in a fixed vertical
position or plane at right angles to the keel and direction of motion when
propelling the ship, or be "feathered" or folded down to a horizontal position
or plane for or during the back or reactionary stroke of the propeller, or when
it is not required or in use, so as to present little or no resistance in the
direction of the ship's motion. The light or inner rod for feathering,
swivelling, or tilting the propeller on its carrying and swivelling hinges works

page_text: in a frictional bearing near the inner end, and at the outer end through a
water-tight stuffing box, both formed in the hollow actuating rod or shaft.
The end of this feathering outside the stuffing box is attached by a short
continuation piece or joint link te or at a position on the propeller some little
distance from or above the axis on which it swivels, so that a very little
longitudinal motion of the rod outwards or inwards puts the propeller in the
vertical or horizontal position proper for the forcing or reactionary stroke or
motion of the same respectively. This slight motion of the rod is. obtained,
when the vessel is being propelled in a forward direction, by a projection or
catch on it near its inner end, which comes in contact with two fixed or
stationary stops a short distance before the propeller and its actuating rod or
shaft has reached the end of its outward and inward stroke, so as to feather
or draw down the propeller to the horizontal position in readiness for the
inward or reactionary stroke, or so as to push it up to the vertical position for
the outward forcing or propelling stroke, all respectively. When the propeller
is used for backing or propelling the vessel in a backward direction, a break
action or "friction clutch" is brought into action; so as to act upon or embrace
the small rod and move it and the propeller at the extreme end of the stroke
(in the reverse direction to that described for the forward action), or so as to
"feather" the propeller for the outward stroke, and put it at right angles to
the direction of motion for the inward stroke, and also retain them in both
positions throughout the strokes so long as the friction "clutch" or break. is
kept in action, and which is done by a simple arrangement of rods and levers,
so as to be convenient to and under the control of the person steering or
commanding the ship. on deck, and as there is a break arrangement for
each propeller, both can be made to "back" at the same time, or one can be
made to "back while the other is propelling forward, so as to steer the ship
round much faster to "port" or " starboard," and in a less curve or distance
than by the use of the helm or rudder only. The same notion and mechanism
which brings the friction break or "backing" into action may be made to
withdraw or take the fixed stops (for producing the "feathering " for. the
forward motion of the ship) out of action or range of the catch on the inner
end of the "feathering" rod. This backing and steering is thus all done
without stopping or interfering with the motive-power engines. Or otherwise,
in some cases, for "backing" the driving rod might be made to disengage
from its prime mover, and the tilting rod be connected to it for or during the
time of backing, by a hand lever arrangement and a driving clutch or cross-
head common to both rods, which would by its movement at pleasure engage
or disengage either rod so as to make the carrying rod the "feathering one
"

page_text: and produce the reverse turing of the propeller at the end of the strokes .for
backing, and vice versa.
These improvements are susceptible of many modifications besides those
herein-before described, which will at once occur to the practical marine
engineer, but which would all come within and form part of this Invention,
such as the number of the propellers employed, and their position on the
ship, which might be one, three, or four, and they might be placed in the
vertical line of the Keel, and at the stem or prow of the ship, or under the
"quarters" also each propeller might be carried and hinged to, a. compound
cross-head attached to and actuated by two or more rods passing out through
stuffing boxes, and might be "feathered" or tilted by one or other number
of rods attached together by a cross-head, and moved as one or simultaneously,
either each passing out through stuffing boxes in the sides or walls of the
ship, or in the outer ends of the actuating shafts as before described. And
the propeller might be tilted and "feathered" on a vertical or angular axis or
binge instead of a horizontal one as described, so that its broad or flat surface
was kept at right angles to the direction of motion while propelling, and
parallel to it so as to present its edge or thickness only to the resistance of
the water in the reverse or reacting stroke of the propeller; while the pro-
peller itself, instead of being formed of one broad flat plate or board may be
formed of several narrow plates or boards, and stepped a few inches in
different planes, but all parallel to each other (in the same manner as the
fixed flaps of many of the common paddle wheels, for the purpose of more
easily getting free of the "back water "), so as to present the same direct
surface when at right angles to the propelling motion, but so as to admit of
the easy escape of the "back water" through the narrow openings between
the boards, which must be displaced in turning and "feathering the
propeller at the ends of the stroke.
"
The inner ends of the actuating rods or shafts of each propeller (or their
cross-heads when there are more rods than one) might be worked by con-
necting rods from the crank shaft of any ordinary steam engine instead of
being connected direct to the piston rods of cylinders as described in the first
modification.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert William Fraser in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd April 1866.
.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
WILLIAM FRASER, Master of Arts, and Author of "Elements of Physical
Science," of the City of Edinburgh, in the County of Mid Lothian, North
Britain, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her reign,
'did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Robert William Fraser, Her special licence that I, the said Robert William
Fraser, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Robert William Fraser, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all timës
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 PROPELLING AND STEERING OF STEAM SHIPS OR OTHER
VESSELB, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREFOв;" upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert William Fraser, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, 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 Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and inmediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert William Fraser, 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 in writing, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked' thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention consists mainly in new and improved forms and con
structions of direct-acting propellers for propelling steam vessels either
backwards or forwards, and for steering or turning them to port or starboard,
and also in the construction and arrangement of the machinery.and.motive-
power engines for driving or actuating such propellers.
And I consider that my Invention in all cases in which high rate of
speed is not required possesses several advantages over the means at present

page_text: in use for like purposes for several reasons, namely, the simplicity of the
machinery, and consequently the diminished risk of dislocation or breakage;
the saving of the power wasted by friction when there is a multiplicity of
moving parts; and the economy of fuel arising from the direct application of
the steam power to its object, that of moving the vessel.
I am of opinion that my Invention is applicable both to the larger and
smaller class of steam vessels, but that it is specially adapted to such as navi-
gate shallow seas, estuaries, lakes, rivers, and harbours, and such as are
empleyed as tugs, and that it is extremely well suited where auxiliary power
is required in vessels making long voyages and partly using their sails. For
these and other reasons I consider my Invention likely to prove of great public
utility. Under one modification I employ one or more rectangular or circular
flat boards or plates as the propellers, each hinged or jointed to a cross-head
attached by a reciprocating driving shaft (passing out through a stuffing box
by preference at the stern of the vessel) to the piston rod of the motive-power
engine, cach board or plate being driven outwards for the propelling stroke,
and feathered or tilted down to a horizontal position when drawn back towards
the vessels. The process of feathering I accomplish in each propeller by a
rod either passing through the driving shaft longitudinally in a channel made
to receive it, and which rod is jointed to the propeller at a point a little dis-
tant from the plane in which the propeller itself is hinged to the cross-head,
or by a rod which does not penetrate the driving shaft, but is separate from it
and attached to a crank placed either at the centre or near the upper edge of
the propeller, or attached and hinged to the cross-head itself. The shaft which
actuates each propeller is attached at its inner extremity, directly to the
piston rod of a single or double-acting steam cylinder (these either working
as two singlo engines or as coupled by a horizontal beam or lever as preferred),
so as to receive together with the feathering rods the requisite longitudinal
reciprocating motion. The driving-shaft and the feathering rods pass through
stuffing boxes into the water, and if the feathering rods are made to pass
through the driving shaft they have each a stuffing box at the outer extremity
of the shaft. I have two distinct modes by which, each feathering rod of the
propeller is made to perform its work; the one method is more particularly
applicable in the case in which the feathering rod passes through the driving
shaft as already mentioned, the other method is employed when the feathering
rod does not pass through, but is separate from the driving shaft. By each o
the two methods one and the same purpose is effected, namely, the elevation
or depression of the propellers. for driving the vessel.backwards,or, forwards a
may be desired, or for turning the vessel to port or starboard, or, steering it.

page_text: and in both instances the mechanism for these purposes is placed under the
control of the steersman or commander, who, without. appealing. to the
engineer, and without reversing or stopping the engines, can reverse or alter
the action of the propellers. The first of the two methods. which gives ." a
negative or stop motion to the feathering rod of the propeller, in relation to
the driving shaft, so as to turn it to the vertical and horizontal position,. is as
follows: The inner end of the feathering rod which projects from the inner
extremity of the shaft comes in contact at the end of each stroke with a fixed
stop (each stop is furnished with a spring or buffer to prevent the concussion)
by which its further movement is checked, and consequently it either pushes
up to a vertical or pulls down to a horizontal position the propeller to which
it is hinged; and if the opposite movement be required for backing the vessel,.
a friction clutch is brought into operation by means of a lever or screw wheel.
within the reach of the steersman. This clutch presses upon the feathering
rod, and causes it, when the outward stroke is made by the driving shaft, to
hold down the propeller in a horizontal position during the whole stroke, and
if the pressure be continued the feathering rod forces the propeller into an
upright or vertical position for the inward stroke, so as to back the vessel.
Either of the propellers may thus be made to act while the other is driving
forwards, and thus the vessel may be steered or turned round. By the second
method (suited to the case in which the feathering rod is separate from the
driving shaft) a different kind of mechanism is employed, so as to give a
positive motion to the feathering rod for raising it to the vertical position
and drawing it down to the horizontal position. The cylinder is furnished
with three pistons, the middle one, to which the piston rod is attached in the
usual manner, and one piston on each side of the middle piston; the two
additional pistons are attached to each other at an invariable distance by two
rols which pass through the main or driving piston; one or other of these
pistons must always be from the main piston a distance equal exactly to the
space moved over by the crank attached to the propeller; the rods which
unite the two pistons as already stated are continued and pass out through
stuffing boxes on the lid (or at the bottom of the cylinder as preferred) and
are attached to a cross-head, and thence pass to the crank or cranks, which
they are to act upon. Let it be supposed that an outward stroke has been
made with the propeller in a vertical position; at the termination of this
stroke the lowest piston, with the feathering rod attached to it, is at the end
of the cylinder, and the steam is admitted beneath the lowest piston; it imme
diately moves through the space between it and the main piston, pulling.down
the propeller to a horizontal position, and as soon as it touches the main

page_text: piston it drives it to the other end of the cylinder; this stroke being com-
pleted the upper piston arrives at the opposite end of the cylinder, having à
similar space between it and the main piston; on the admission of steam as
before it moves forward and pushes up the propeller, and then drives the main
piston to the other end for the propelling stroke; the opposite action for
backing or steering is obtained by a simple reversing machanical contrivance,
and to obviate any concussion when the pistons come in contact in the
cylinder there are valves in each of the two additional pistons which admit a
small portion of steam between their surfaces.
And in order that my said Invention, and the best manner of performing
the same which I am at present aware of may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed to describe the several illustrative Figures upon the Sheet of
Drawings which I have hereunto appended for that purpose, the same refer-
ence letters and numerals indicating the same or corresponding parts in all
the Figures.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the back or "after" part of a
steam vessel as fitted with and illustrative of one modification and arrange-
ment of the improved propelling mechanism, and the actuating motive-power
steam engines, for propelling and to some extent steering the said vessel, all
in accordance with my said Invention; Figure 2 is a transverse section of the
same taken on the line 1, 1, in Figure 1; Figure 8 is an end view of the
same, showing the floats of the propellers in elevation and position correspond-
ing to Figure 1; and Figure 4 is 'a plan of the same, but showing the two
propellers at half stroke, and the "port" one as in the act of pushing or pro-
pelling the vessel forwards, and the "starboard" one as pulling or propelling
backwards, as indicated
by the arrows, which would tend to turn the head of
the vessel round to the "starboard" or right side much faster and in a less
-distance or curve than by 'the use of the rudder alone; Figures 5 and 6 are a
longitudinal vertical section and plan respectively of the after part of a steam
vessel shown as fitted with another modification or arrangement of my
improved propelling and steering mechanism, and the motive-power engines
for actuating the same, and constructed in accordance with my said Inven-
tion; and Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of the important working parts of
the same modification corresponding to Figure 5, but to a larger scale to
show the arrangement and action of the mechanism for feathering the floats
of the propellers, so that the vessel will be either propelled forwards or back-
wards, or turned to the one side or the other by hand without stoping the
direct action of the propelling mechanism or motive-power engines. In the
'modification shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, two propellers are employed

page_text: similar in all respects, the two flat plates or floats A and A¹ of which are
placed one on each side of the "dead wood" or deep part of the keel B,
having by preference the opening B₁ formed in it near the stern and
rudder, which is in the usual position at the extreme end of the vessel.
The float A is hinged on an axis somewhat above the horizontal centre
line on one side by joints formed on two cross bars to the two open arms
of the cross-head C, so as to be capable of folding to the horizontal or
vertical position shown at A and A' respectively in Figure 1 and 3, and
the cross-head C is firmly secured by an eye or boss to the extreme end of
the large hollow reciprocating driving shaft D working out through a
water-tight stuffing box in the stern part of the vessel. In or through the
centre of the shaft D, which gives the actual propelling action to the
float A, is fitted the lighter rod or shaft E, having a short lateral motion
imparted to it for feathering or turning the float A to the vertical or hori-
zontal position at the ends of the outward or inward stroke of the propeller
proper, which may be considered as composed of and included in those three
main parts A, D, and E, with their connecting cross-head C and hinged joints
and links. The feathering rod E extends some distance beyond the open
ends of the shaft D, where water-tight stuffing boxes are fitted, and at the
outer end it is jointed by the short continuation links e to a joint formed on
the central cross bar of the float A, at a point or axial line considerably
higher or nearer the top edge of the float than the axis of the joint on which
it swivels in the arms of the cross-head C, and so as to form, as it were, a
short crank a, b, between the axial joints of the shafts D and E, e, to the
float A, which swivels on the centre a, according to the position and motion
given to these shafts in relation to each other, and the whole travel of the
rod E within the shaft D is the distance necessary to turn the crank a, b, the
quarter of a circle. The inner ends of the driving shafts D and D1 of the
starboard and port propellers are each rigidly attached by the two side rods F
to the piston rods of the starboard and port double-acting horizontal steam
cylinders or engines G and G', which are by preference coupled to each other
by the beam or lever Hand short connecting rods H¹, so as to regulate the
speed and momentum of the moving parts of both the engines and propellers.
during their propelling and reactionary strokes. I propose also to regulate
the difference of power required for the action and reaction of these pro-
pellers, and also to regulate the reversing of the engines at the end of their
strokes by any of the most eligable arrangements of valve gearing or
mechanism now in use for working the valves of the direct-acting steam
cylinders of blowing and pumping engines and steam hammers in which the

page_text: power required is also irregular, and as I have made no improvement in this
part of the motive-power engines I have not thought it necessary to show the
mechanism for actuating the steam valves, but I may state that a motion for
working the weighted or spring levers and cataracts of the valves may be
taken from a tapet or tapet rod attached to the cross-heads F" of the piston
rods, and when slide valves are employed they can be made of the equilibrium
class, or worked by small steam pistons which would be quick in their action
and easily regulated by their small valves. The inner ends of the feathering
rods E and E' extend along between the open side links F and F', and are
steadied and work through the break bearings I and I', which are secured
to the extreme free end of the strong oak spring and stop buffer beam J,
firmly secured by a strong buckle, bracket, and bolts to the sole plates and
flooring frames of the engine room of the vessel. Two projecting stops Eu
and E are firmly cottered to the inner end of the rods E and E¹, one on
each side of the fixed stop or buffer beam J, and project down so as to come
in contact with the sides of the beam J a short distance before the propelling
shaft D has reached the end of its outward stroke.
The action of each propeller is as follows:-When propelling the vessel
in the forward direction, and the starboard engine G and shaft D have come
near the end of their outward stroke, the inner buffer arm E" comes in contact
with the inner side of the spring stop beam J, and stops the further progress
of the feathering rod E which holds or draws the float A at the upper joint b,
while the hinge a is still carried or pushed outwards to the extremity of its
stroke by the propelling shaft D, so as to tilt or feather the float A down to
the horizontal position with its edge in the direction of motion for the inward
reactionary stroke, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. At the same time the star-
board propeller was being feathered at the extreme outward stroke the shaft D¹
of the port propeller was reaching the extremity of its inner stroke it brought
the outer stop buffer E of the feathering rod E' into contact with the outer
side of the stop beam J, so as to stop the further progress of the top edge of the
float A, while the propelling shaft D' in completing its inward stroke drew in
the lower part of the float A¹ so as to swivel or bring it to a vertical position
at right angles to the direction of motion, in readiness for the outward
propelling stroke, as also shown in Figures 1 and 3. When used for backing
the vessel the action of the propellers is reversed by the powerful action of
the friction clutches or break blocks I and I, which are in two halves and
embrace the feathering rods E and E¹, with any desired pressure or friction by
the break levers K, K', and screw rods L and L', having two convenient
hand wheels M, M', for the steersman on deck, shown particularly in Figure 2..

page_text: The rods E and E' being thus held tight against the power and direction of
motion of the driving shafts D and D₁ respectively, cause the floats A and A'
to be held down during the outward stroke and turned up to the vertical
position at the extreme outward stroke by the first motion of the driving
shaft in the inward direction, and retained in that position during the
remainder of the stroke until reaching the extreme inward stroke, when the
first motion outwards of the driving shafts D and D₁ in the outward direction
pushes the floats A and A' to the horizontal position during the remainder of
the outward stroke. For steering to starboard the starboard propeller only
is made to back by screwing on the break I by the hand wheel M on
deck, while the port propeller is left to propell in the forward. direction as
shown and indicated by the arrows in Figure 4; and for steering to port the
port propeller only would be made to back while. the starboard one was left to.
propel in the forward direction, and thus backing and steering of the vessel
could be done by the steerman simply turning the hand wheels M and M' on
deck, without stoping or backing the motive-power engines as required by
the propelling mechanism now in use. In some cases, when one cylinder and
propeller only were backing, as G and A are shown in Figure 4, and the
effective stroke and reactionary or feathering stroke of both engines and
propellers were taking place simultaneously, an automatic motion might be
taken from the break rods by the T (or other equivalent) lever mechanism as
shown in red lines at N in Figure 2, to shift the steam valve mechanism or
tapet surfaces, when such are used, so that the tapet or other positive motion
taken from the cross-head F" for working the steam valves would shut the
steam off sooner from the inner end (as G) of the cylinder, and admit it
longer to the outer end (as G³) for the outward and inward stroke respectively
of the engine being propelled backwards for the time being. The pendant
end N of the T-lever, from which the automatic motion would be taken is
shown dotted in the two positions which it would assume when the break
rods L and L' were drawn up to back the propellers of each engine. In
place of using the two moving stops E", E, and one fixed stop J for
retarding the motion of each feathering rod E, one moving stop may be
employed with two fixed stops with buffers attached to them to lessen the con-
cussion and tilt the floats smoothly.
:
In the arrangements shown in Figures 5, 6, and 7, two propelling
floats A, A', are employed, each hinged by the eyes a of the two small
cranks a, b, formed by preference in one piece with the strengthening bars of
the float to the two laterally-projecting arnis of the cross head C, rigidly
attached to the extreme outer end of the driving shaft D, working out through

page_text: a water-tight stuffing box in the vertical centre line of the deep keel or "dead
wood" at B, near the stern post by preference, working and guided in the
slot B¹ formed therein. The two propelling surfaces or floats are forced out
and drawn in on each side of the said deep central keel B under the "stern
quarters" (Figures 5 and 6) by the single driveing shaft D directly attached
to the piston rod of the main piston g of the double-acting steam cylinder or
motive-power engine G, fitted with the two additional pistons h and h¹ for
working the feathering rods E and E' of the propellers, one on each side
of the piston 9, and rigidly attached at a fixed distance apart to the two
piston rods i, i, which pass out through stuffing boxes at the inner end G
of the cylinder, and are attached to the cross-head working in the guides P.
In some cases, however, these piston rods i, i, might be made to pass out at the
outer end G³ of the cylinder. The pistons hand h¹ are fitted with small spring
valves, the stems of which come in contact with the piston g so as to open the
valves and admit a small portion of steam between the pistons just before coming
in contact.so as to prevent their concussion; and the moving distance between
either of the pistons h and h¹ from the piston 9 is equal to the motion required
by the feathering rods E, E', in relation to the propelling shaft D in turning
the floats A, A¹, round 90° up or down, or to that of the cords b, b, and d
of the arcs b, 62, b, and d, b³, d, formed by by the pin joints 6 and d respectively
of the cranks a, b, and R, d, in feathering or turning the floats from the
vertical to the horizontal position, as shown in Figure 7, or vice versa from
the horizontal to the vertical position. To the free ends of the cross head O
two long side rods Q and Q₁are jointed, and brought back along each side of
the cylinder G to the cross head R, fixed to and carried by preference on the
strong coupling piece D³, uniting the propelling shaft D to the main. piston
rod g', where the rods Q, Q', are coupled by either the top or bottom "gnbs"
fand formed in the large open eyes of their free ends to crank pins d'or d' of
the upper and lower arms of the duplex levers or wipers Sand S₁ all respectively
(according as the feathering is required for propelling backwards or forwards,
or forwards herein-after more fully explained), which oscillate on the free
ends of the cross-head R so as to give the lateral motion communicated to
them from the pistons h, h', to the tilting or feathering rods. E and E¹ (in
this modification made separate from the driving shaft D), passing direct
from the joints b of the cranks a, b, of each float through stuffing boxes in the
stern of the vessel, and having their inner ends attached, to the pins d of the
"wipers "S and S', through or by the short links E. In some cases hori-
zontal guides might be fixed close behind the wipers, as indicated by the red
lines at Pin Figure 6, so as to steady the inner ends of the rods E, E', by
.

page_text: the joint pins E³, and the free end of the cross-head R made to slide in
them.
In propelling the vessel in a forward direction the action of the engine
and propellers would be as follows:-Let it be supposed that they have com-
pleted an outward effective stroke with the floats A and A' in a vertical
position, and the pistons at their extreme stroke nearest the outer end G³ of
the cylinder, as shown in Figures 5, 6, and 7; in this position the steam is
admitted at the port j, which pushes the piston close up to the main
piston g (and drives the piston h¹ in advance of the piston.g, a distance equal
to that which was at first between h and 9, and by the cross head draws
the connecting rods Q, Q, so as to turn the two wipers S and S¹ by the
pins d, which by the rods E and E pull the float A and A' down to the
horizontal position, feathered, ready for the inward stroke of the propeller, alt
as indicated in this position by the red lines in Figure 7. The continued
pressure of steam behind the piston h drives the main piston g and piston h¹
to the extreme end of their stroke at the other end G* of the cylinder, where
the steam is admitted at the port behind the piston h³, so as to push it close
up to the piston g, and by the piston rods i, eross-head O, connecting rods
Q, Q', and wipers S, S¹, and feathering rods E, E¹, press or raiso the floats
A and A up to the vertical position by turning them on the hinged joint.a
of the cross-head C by the positive force of the steam and motion of the
feathering rods E and E¹ before the propelling action of the piston g and
driving shaft D begins, and the continued pressure of the steam behind the
piston h forces the piston g before it to the outer end G of the cylinder, and
again completes the outward effective stroke of the propelling shaft D with
the floats A and A¹ in the vertical position throughout, when the floats are
again feathered for the reactionary or inward stroke as before described which
completes the action of every double stroke of the propeller when propelling
the vessel forwards. When it is required to back either one or both of the
propellers so as to propel the ship, in a backward direction or steer it
round faster to port or starboard than with the rudder alone, either or both
of the reversing mechanical arrangements can be brought into action at
pleasure by the steersman on deck. The action of this reversing mechanism
for backing, which is fitted alike to each propeller A and A', placed
intermediately between the feathering rod E and the feathering pistons of
the engine for actuating them consists in raising the free "gab" end of
the connecting rod Q to the position shown in red lines in Figure 5 by
turning down the band lever T placed on deck, which by the rod T' raises
the horizontal link U attached to its lower end, carrying the rod Q by the

page_text: lateral pin V working in the parallel guide of the link U, so as to bring the
gab f into gear with the pin d' of the lower. arm of the duplex lever or wiper
S, which reverses the action of the feathering rod E attached to the pin d'
of the upper arm of the wiper, and causes the pistons h and h¹ in this dis-
position of the parts to push up the float A to the vertical position at the
extreme outward stroke; so as to propel in the backward direction when the
piston g is performing its inward stroke from G³ to G³, and so as to feather
or. draw down the float A to the horizontal position when the propeller and
pistons are at their extreme inward stroko in readiness for the outward
reactionary stroke, and by turning the hand lever T back to the position
indicated by the black lines in Figure 5, the gab f will again be locked into
the pin d, when the vessel will then be propelled in a forward direction, all
without stoping or interfering with the motive-power engines. But the
engine or engines, when coupled direct to the propellers as shown in the
Drawings, might in some cases when desired be reversed by the wiper
shafts or other valve gearing used for starting and stopping them. by hand
in the usual manner, so that any number of short strokes might be given
to them and the propellers while the steam valves were being so worked
or reversed by the hand of the engineer, which might in some cases or
circumstances be of advantages in backing and steering the vessel fitted
with these improved propellers and engines. Instead of using the lower pin d'
and two gabs f and f¹ in this reversing mechanism a fixed pin in the end
of the rod worked in a slot formed in the web or face of the wiper S
may be employed (somewhat like the link motion commonly used for
reversing steam engines), and when long runs were to be made without
requiring to reverse the propellers, the cross-head R might be made to slide
loose on the part D2 of the driving shaft D, and keys used with hand levers
or screws for fixing the wipers S and S¹ to the cross-head R, which in this
case would simply slide to and fro at D', and not requires the wipers S and S¹ to
be tilted at the end of every stroke of the propellers. Instead of making the
float A of a flat rectangular form as shown in the Drawings, they might also
be made round or ovel, or with the propelling surfaces slightly convex, or
curved in the form of a hollow segment; or otherwise they might be made
of several narrow-boards stepped in different parallel planes on each side of
their strengthening cross bars, with a slight space between them in the direc-
tion of their edges or thicknesses, but overlaping each other a short distance
in the direction of their width, so as to facilitate the escape of the "back
water" in feathering or tilting, and yet present a complete surface when pro-
plling; and in place of the axis of the joints a and b of the floats being set

page_text: in a horizontal position, they might be set in a transverse, angular, or vertical
position, but always at right angles or nearly so to their driving shafts, so
that they shall be at right angles to the direction of motion, when turned for
and during the propelling stroke, and parallel to it, when feathered during
the reactionary or reverse stroke. Each float A might be carried and
actuated by two or more driving shafts D, connected to one cross-bead or
motive-power engine, so as to work simultaneously out through stuffing boxes
in the walls of the vessel, and have two or more feathering rods similarly
connected inside the vessel so as also to be worked simultaneously by the
reversing and tilting mechanism. The number of these propelers employed
in one vessel might be one, two, or more, and their position might be
varied from that shown in the Drawings; for example, one might be placed
in the vertical line of the keel at the stem or stern, or one on each side of
the bows, or at any or all of these ports, as well as at those parts herein-
before described and shown in the Drawings, and they may be so coupled to
their motive-power engines as to work out and in simultaneously with each
other, or alternately, or intermittingly, as desired.
T
In the arrangement shown in Figures 5, 6, and 7, two cylinders might also
be employed as in the first modification, one for each propeller in a line with the
driving shaft D, which would in this case be solid and have the feathering rod
passing out through a stuffing box in the stern of the vessel a little higher
and in the same vertical line as the propelling shaft, and the two engines
might be coupled at the inner end by a crank shaft and connecting rods from
the centre of the cross-bead O to two cranks on it, so that the engines would
propel simultaneously or alternately. The motive-power engine or engines
for actuating these improved propellers may each be made single acting
instead of double acting, and worked as coupled or as single engines, and
when desired they may be coupled by crank shafts in place of beams or levers,
as shown in Figure 4, and each propeller or pair of propellers may be worked
simultaneously or alternately from cranks on the said shafts or not as desired;
in either case, whether these crank shafts are only used for coupling the
engines and reversing them at their extreme strokes, or also for transmitting
the power through them to the propelling shafts, the steam valves of the
engine could be worked by eccentrices on their crank shafts in the usual
manner.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be performed, I may state that I do not restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion
to describe and delineate, as many variations may be made therefrom without

page_text: departing from the main or essential features of my said Invention, neither do
I claim the form or arrangement of many of the working parts of the propell-.
ing mechanism by themselves which I have thought it necessary to delineate
and refer to for the purpose of making my Invention properly understood,.
except in combination with the new or improved parts and arrangements of
mechanism forming the essential features of my Invention; but what I
consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited. Letters Patent is,
First, the general arrangement and construction of machinery or apparatus
for the propelling and steering of steam ships or other vessels, substantially in
the improved manner herein described and shown in the accompanying
Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Second, the constructing and use of direct-acting reciprocating propellers
for propelling and steering steam ships or other vessels used at right angles to.
the direction of motion during the forcing or propelling stroke, and parallel to
it during the reverse or reactionary stroke, with or having the improved
mechanism fitted thereto for tilting and feathering the floats at the ends of the
strokes, substantially as berein described and shown in the accompanying
Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Third, the arrangement and construction of direct-acting steam engines
for actuating or feathering direct-acting propellers, substantially in the
improved manner herein, described and shown in the accompanying Drawings,
or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert William Fraser, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this the Thirtieth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
ADD
ROBERT W. FRASER, M.A. (..)