IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING, STEERING, AND REGULATING VESSELS
Year: 1853

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Peter Madden at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th February 1853.
(Void by reason of notice to proceed not having been given within
the time prescribed by the Act.)
I, PETER MADDEN, of Kingstown,near Dublin, Architect, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PROPELLING, STEERING, AND REGULATING VESSELS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, in the first place, in adapting and applying
to vessels one or more pairs of cylinders or recesses at the stern,
which is made wide enough in its transverse section to admit them;
the cylinders or recesses being open at the outer end, containing
each an air-tight piston, behind which pistons a chamber or
chambers are placed, in which vacuum is established by means of
air pumps suitably connected with and worked by the prime
mover, which may be an engine wrought by steam or other motive
power. The pistons are made to. act alternately upon, and are alter-
nately acted upon by, the water at the stern of the vessel, the piston
rods being connected to the two ends of a beam working upon a pivot
The force of the one piston rushing into vacuity is communicated
to the other striking outwards against the water, and thus consi-

page_text: derable assistance is given to the working and effect of the steam or
other prime mover. The connection between the two piston rods
within the vessel may be otherwise formed, for instance, by the
substitution of a wheel with pinion and cog gear, working in con-
junction with the piston rods. The application of the steam power
may be made to one or both arms of the beam, or in other
any
manner that may be found suitable for conveying alternate action.
To these pistons working in the cylinders a horizontal-shaft may be
connected extending into the water, and bearing at the outer end
paddles or plates, so constructed as to be capable of yielding to the
pressure of the water, and closing in their non-propelling course,
and opening so as to strike against and resist the water in the pro-
pelling course. Similar closing and expanding propellers may be
carried forward and project into the water at each side of the second
stem or cut water of the vessel hereafter to be explained. Ropes
extend fore and aft to another beam, or other connecting medium
placed within the lowermost bows. The shafts .of, the forward
closing and expanding propellers are attached each to an arm of
the forward beam, and connected therewith in parallel, motion; but
the vessel may be propelled by the pistons. working in the cylinders
or recesses, with or without the addition of the above described
expanding and closing propellers, or any of them. In order to admit
of the application of the forward propellers, it is intended that the
line of the keel shall be broken in the longitudinal section, so that
the foremost part of the vessel shall not extend so deep, into the
water, thereby making the vessel to consist of an upper, and lower
stem and bows, one much more forward than the other. The
forward propellers are intended to act at each side of the lowermost
beams and under the fore foot of the vessel. And whereas the
vessel might be subjected to too much oscillation from not carrying
her full depth forward; a vertical frame work is extended between
the upper and lower lines of keels, with pannels hinged at top,
thereby strengthening the vessel, to which pannels side clamps or
stops are affixed, which maintain them in a vertical position while
the vessel is on her forward course, but which clamps can be raised

page_text: on either side by a connecting rod extending vertically into the
vessel so as to allow the pannels to swing to either side so as to
ease the vessel when putting about.
In order to facilitate the steering of the vessel, there is a rudder
placed on each side of the same at the stern. These rudders are
likewise so constructed between double stern posts, and fitted so as
to be capable of answering the purpose of presenting a considerable
amount of resisting surface on both sides of their axes or pivots to
the water, when required, for the purpose of stopping the progress of
the vessel. The resisting surface is also increased by means of a
flap or gate, let down transversely behind the rudders. This flap
or gate, when acting in conjunction with one of the rudders only,
gives a material aid in quickly turning the vessel. The accessories
are indispensable adjuncts to the proper working and turning a
vessel fitted with the propellers and apparatus described.
Other recesses, with pistons, vacuum chambers, and the other par-
ticulars described, may be placed within the bows of the undermost
stem amid ships, and suitably connected with the prime mover,
so as to be used for backing the vessel by reverse action; the stern
pistons being thrown out of gear with the prime mover, when the
foremost apparatus is employed.