IMPROVEMENTS IN PADDLE WHEELS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Augustus Crooker, of New York, United
States of America, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PADDLE WHEELS."
Sealed the 15th September 1857, and dated the 21st March 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Augustus Crooker
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his l'etition, on the
21st March 1857.
I, MATTHEW AUGUSTUS CROOKER, of New York, United States of America,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PADDLE WHEELS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in a peculiar construction of the arms of a paddle
wheel, and an arrangement of the buckets or floats on the said arms, whereby
the shocks on entering the water are more effectually broken, and the useful
eflect of the float or bucket while immersed is greatly increased.
It has been usual heretofore, in order to do away with the shock as the float
enters the water, to construct the wheel in sections, of which the plane of
division is at a right angle to the axis, and to set the buckets on the one
section midway between the prolongation of the lines of the buckets which
are on the other. As thus arranged, the shocks are multiplied in number,
and divided in intensity in direct ratio, but a float on the one section being
a short distance in advance of one on the other section, so breaks up and
disturbs the water in which the second float is to operate that it does not have
an opportunity to exert its due power.
In my wheel, however, the floats are immersed to varying depths, those on
the one section being generally at a different depth from those on the other.
I construct the wheel with radial arms, and in sections, much in the usual
manner; but instead of making the periphery of the arms to lie in a true

page_text: circle, I strike a portion or segment of a circle, as a termination to the arms, of
one-fourth part of one section of the wheel, and the radius of the circle is to
be greater than the radius of the wheel generally. An additional section of
similar construction is then placed on the same shaft, but in such position that
its longest arms shall come opposite to the shortest arms of the first section,
and whereby the floats of the one will be at their greatest immersion while
those of the other are at the least.
The floats of one of the sections will thus successively pass through the
water at constantly varying depths, while the floats of the other section being
at depths varying generally from those of the first, which are immersed at the
same time, both will be enabled to act against water which is less disturbed
than by the ordinary construction, and hence the slip or loss of effect will also
be less.
I intend to claim the improved method of arranging the buckets or floats of
a paddle wheel when the buckets are to be broken into sections, that is to say,
by arranging each set or section of buckets along four ares which circum-
scribe the periphery, and which arcs are struck with a radius greater than the
semi-diameter of the wheel; each set of buckets when placed upon the shaft
being arranged so that the place where the arcs of the one set meet shall
stand opposite to the center of an arc in the adjoining set, if the wheel be
.composed of but two sections, or, when if more than two sections, shall be
divided proportionally.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Matthew Augustus Crooker in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 21st September 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MATTHEW
AUGUSTUS CROOKER, of New York, United States of America, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Matthew Augustus Crooker, Her special licence that I, the
said Matthew Augustus Crooker, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Matthew Augustus Crooker, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein

page_text: 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 PADDLE WHEELS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Matthew Augustus Crooker,
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 per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Matthew Augustus Crooker, 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 thereof:-
To all whom it may concern, be it known, that I, Matthew A. Crooker, of
New York, County of New York, and State of New York, have invented
certain new and useful improvements in paddle wheels, and I do hereby
declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,
reference being made to the annexed Drawing, making a part of this Speci-
fication, that is to say:-
My Invention consists in a peculiar construction of the arms of a paddle
wheel, and an arrangement of the buckets on the said arms, whereby the
shocks on entering the water are more effectually broken, and the usual effect
of the bucket while immersed is greatly increased.
It has been usual heretofore, in order to do away with the shock as the
float enters the water, to construct the wheel in sections, of which the plane
of division is at a right angle to the axis, and to set the buckets on the one
section midway between the prolongation of the lines of the buckets which are
on the other. As thus arranged, the shocks are multiplied in number, and divided
in intensity in direct ratio, but a float on the one section being a short distance
in advance of one on the other section, so breaks up and disturbs the water in
which the second float is to operate that it does not have an opportunity
to exert its due power. In my wheel, however, the floats are immersed to
varying depths, those on the one section being generally at a different depth
from those on the other.
I construct the wheel with radial arms, and in sections, much in the usual
manner; but instead of making the periphery of the arms to lie in a true circle,
I strike a portion or segment of a circle as a termination to the arms of one-
fourth part of one section of the wheel, and the radius of this circle is to be

page_text: greater than the radius of the wheel generally. In the Drawing annexed it
is shown as nearly double the line (a, a,) bounding the arms of one quadrant of
that section (b) which is nearest the eye, and this is struck from the point (c.)
The other quadrants of the section are laid off in like manner with an equal
radius, and floats or buckets of uniform size are put upon all of the arms.
Proper braces (d) are also put on just within the floats to hold the arms in
place. An additional section of similar construction (e) is then placed on the
.same shaft, but in such position that its longest arms shall come opposite to
the shortest arms of the first section, as shown, and whereby the floats of the
one will be at their greatest immersion while those of the other are at the
least. The floats of one of the sections will thus successively pass through
the water at constantly varying depths, while the floats of the other section
being at depths varying generally from those of the first which are immersed
at the same time, both will be enabled to act against water which is less dis-
turbed than by the ordinary construction, and hence the slip or loss of effect
will also be less.
I claim the improved method of arranging the buckets or floats of a paddle
wheel when the buckets are to be broken into sections, that is to say, by
arranging each set or section of buckets along four arcs which circumscribe
the periphery, and which arcs are struck with a radius greater than the semi-
diameter of the wheel, each set of buckets when placed upon the shaft being
arranged so that the place where the arcs of the one set meet shall stand
opposite to the center of an arc in the adjoining set, if the wheel be composed
of but two sections, or, when of more than two sections, shall be divided
proportionally.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthew Augustus Crooker, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of June, A.D. 1857.
MATTHEW AUGUSTUS CROOKER. (L.S.)
Taken and declared at Her Britannick Majesty's
Consulate at New York, this Sixteenth day of
June, A.D. 1857.
(L.S.)
Before me,
JOSEPH FOWLER,
H. B. M. As Consul,
New York, 16 June 1857.