IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS. FOR PROPELLING VESSELS
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his. Petition, on the 9th
October 1865.
I,. WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane,. in the County of Middlesex,.
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said.
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS. FOR PROPELLING VESSELS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to improvement's in apparatus for propelling vessels..
The apparatus consists. of two metal cylinders fitted at the stern of the
vessel, one on either side of the rudder and below the water line. The
dimensions of the cylinders vary according to the size of the vessel, in which
they are placed in a horizontal position. At their front ends 'a leather packing.
is adapted similar to those of hydraulic presses, in order to prevent the escape
of water; two hollow pistons are fitted to slide tightly in the cylinders for the
purpose of continually acting on the water entering therein. The rods of

page_text: these pistons are terminated by two other pistons driven by a double-acting
high-pressure engine. Two discs are fitted water-tight on the outside of the
cylinders, which are operated from the vessel, in order to close said cylinders
when cleaning the apparatus or when not in use.
This Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 of which
shows a sectional elevation on line 1, 2, Fig. 2, of a portion of a vessel having
the improved propelling apparatus applied; Fig. 2 shows an end elevation,
and Fig. 3, plan of same. The same letters serve for the three Figures.
a, stern of the vessel; b, b, openings made on each side of the rudder below
the water line; c, c, cylinders fitted in said openings 6; d, d, pistons of
cylinders c; e, e; piston rods; f, solid wood abutment serving to support the
propelling apparatus and separating it from the other part of the vessel; it
may, however, be dispensed with if desired. The steam engine for driving
this apparatus requires to be placed at the after end of the vessel, consequently
the space it usually occupies may be made available as coal bunkers or cargo
space. The pistons may either be worked simultaneously or independently
as shown at Fig. 8, which latter arrangement possesses great advantage, as a
single-action engine may be used by connecting the piston rods to the ends of
a beam mounted on a pivot in such manner that while one piston is moving in
one direction the other is moving in the opposite direction.
The advantages of this improved propeller over paddle wheels or screws
are, 1st, that increased speed may be attained; 2ndly, a saving in fuel
effected; 3rdly, a saving in the cost of construction; 4thly, the apparatus
occupies but very little room; 5thly, is very simple and of great stability;
6thly, there is an entire absence of resistance to steerage way; 7thly, the
propelling apparatus, from its position, is completely protected from injury by
projectiles, or in case of running ashore, or from icebergs.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Clark,
my executors, .administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said.
William Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS," & communication to me from
abroad by Cléanthe St. Coumbary, Merchant, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin,'
Paris, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, 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 immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent...
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for propelling vessels.
The apparatus consists of two metal cylinders fitted at the stern of the vessel,
one on either side of the rudder and below the water line. The dimensions
of the cylinders vary according to the size of the vessel, in which they are
placed in a longitudinal position. At their front ends a leather packing is
adapted similar to those of hydraulic presses, in order to prevent the escape
of water; two hollow pistons are fitted to slide tightly in the cylinders for
the purpose of continually acting on the water entering therein. The rods
of these pistons are driven by a suitable steam engine. Two discs are fitted
water-tight on the outside of the cylinders, which are operated from the
vessel, in order to close said cylinders when cleaning the apparatus or when
not in use.
This Invention is illustrated in the 'accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 of
which shows a sectional elevation on line 1, 2, Fig. 2, of a portion of
a vessel having the improved propelling apparatus applied; Fig. 2, shows
an end elevation; and Fig. 3, plan of same. The same letters serve for
the three Figures a, stern of the vessel; b, b, openings made on each
".

page_text: side of the rudder below. the water line; c, cylinders fitted in said:
openings bd d; pistons of cylinders ; e, piston rods; f, solid. wood
abutment serving-to support the propelling apparatus and separating it from
the other part of the vessel; it may, however, be dispensed with if desired.
The steam engine for driving this apparatus requires to be placed at the after
end of the vessel, consequently the space it usually occupies may be made
available as coal bunkers or cargo space. The pistons should work indepen-
dently as at Fig. 3, and may, as also the cylinders, be of any suitable form, such
as represented at Fig. 4, which are adapted for acting on a very large-surface,
or they may be of the square form shown at Fig. 5, or otherwise. The pistons
may also be made to move at a higher speed during the return stroke than
when moving forward, or vice versa; this result being attained by suitable
gearing or other mechanism.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,
The propelling apparatus herein-before described and represented in the
Drawings annexed; consisting of two pistons having to-and-fro motion, working
in two cylinders placed horizontally at the stern of the vessel, one on each
side of the rudder and below the water line, the pistons serving to repel the
water entering said cylinders.
I also reserve the right of constructing said pistons and cylinders of any
suitable form, and of rendering the motion of said pistons simultaneous or
independent of each other, as also of imparting greater speed thereto in the
backward movement, or vice versa, by any suitable mechanism, all as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,..
:
.
JAMES DAISE,
58, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLARK. (LS.)