Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 19th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 18th May, 1889
JOHN GOUDIE 4 Northgate Street Hartlepool County of Durham late Master
Mariner do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the safer, Cheaper, and faster propelling and
steering of ships or vessels of all sizes from the largest to the smallest both in the
Merchant Service and in the Royal Navy.
The method or means I employ in carrying my invention into practice, consists of
a canal or water course being made in the bottom of the ship, close down at the keel,
open at both ends.
Suppose that for an ordinary sized ship, the size of the Canal was six ft. wide, by
three feet six inches deep, sloped downwards towards the ends of the ship, as shown in
sketches No. 2 and 4, but should be made as straight as possible as any deviation from
the straight line would interfere with the speed of the ship.
In or near the centre of the ship, I place a wheel in an enclosed space called
the Well.
This wheel will be shaped like a Drum, with slits, or apertures, in it, to hold
the blades of the propeller; and as the Drum revolves round, the blades are forced
out at the bottom, and drawn in at the top, as shown in figure No. 1., by eccentric
motion.
I fix an eccentric block to the shaft bearings, at each end of the Drum, and
connect the blades to the eccentric block by means of rods.
The rods would travel on sheaves fixed in the Drum head, marked with a dot;
the Drum propeller would fit close to the top of the well casing, so as to prevent
the water revolving in the well to the detriment of speed, when there was a heavy
pressure on the propeller; the whole force of the propeller would then be to drive
the ship through the water.
The Drum of the propeller would be water-tight.
The number of blades required to the Drum propeller, would not in any case
exceed eight, but in vessels of high speed six, or seven would be sufficient.
I would have the Drum of the propeller to measure about twelve feet diameter,
by six feet in length, the blades to be six feet wide, by three feet six inches deep,
fitted sufficiently close to the sides and bottom of the Canal to allow them to revolve
clear.

page_text: The shaft of the propeller would stand about ten feet above the keel of the
ship, which would allow sufficient height for the engines to stand vertical over the
Cranks.
One paddle in the bottom of the ship would nearly equal two on the surface
outside the ship, as the force can only expend itself in one direction, namely a
straight fore and aft pull.
The ship both loaded and light would always be on an even keel.
Reversing the engines in the ordinary way, would reverse the ships course, and
drive her as fast astern as ahead.
The blade, at, or near, the nether point of the Drum, is the only one that has the
weight; so that the sliding out, and drawing in, of the blades, by the eccentric
motion, would be done without any. great strain on the eccentrics, the blades would
be full out before much weight came on them.
The speed would not depend so much upon the size of the blades, as the number
of revolutions; suppose the Drum, to measure twelve feet diameter, running at the
rate of eighty revolutions per minute, would give twenty-eight nautical miles per
hour, less the resistance.
Again suppose that an eighteen feet Drum was run at one hundred revolutions per
minute, would give fifty-three nautical, or sixty-one English miles per hour, less the
resistance.
These approximate calculations, I think will show greater results than any other
means of propulsion that have hitherto been adopted, and also safer, as there would
be no jerkings or racing of the engine, no matter how high the sea may be.
Valves can be placed in the canal at each end of the well, that can be closed at sea,
or any-where so that the water can be pumped out of the well and the propeller
examined without docking the ship.
The steering portion of this invention, consists of a transverse opening, in or near,
the forepeak of the ship, with the Drum, or other propeller, fixed in it, in a similar
manner to that fixed in the centre of the ship, but much smaller, to run at right angles
to the fore and aft propeller.
By this thwart-ship propeller the ships head can be held on a straight course much
more easily than by the ordinary rudder; or the ships head may be turned round to
any point of the compass, although she may have no headway.
The ordinary rudder would still be maintained.
This method of steering would be a great advantage as it gives the commander
perfect control over his vessel either at sea or in narrow waters.
No. I. of these sketches is meant to show a longitudinal view of the Canal and
Drum propeller.
No. II. is to show the bow of the ship with the transverse propeller.
No. III. is to show a transverse section of the engine-room with Drum propeller
fixed.
No. IV. to show the stern portion of the ship with Canal and open space under the
ships bottom.
The same result that I have already mentioned can be accomplished in another way,
namely, by placing a paddle wheel in the well in place of the Drum propeller, and
feathering the blades by the eccentric motion I have before described.
But I am of opinion that the Drum propeller is the proper appliance.
11
JOHN GOUDIE,
4, Northgate Street, Hartlepool,
In the County of Durham.

page_text: I. JOHN GOUDIE, of 4 Northgate Street, Hartlepool, in the County of Durham,
"late Master Mariner" do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object the safer, cheaper and faster, propelling and steering
of ships or vessels of all sizes.
The method or means I employ in carrying my invention into practice, consists of a
canal or water course being made in the bottom of the ship, close down at the keel,
and open at both ends.
For example an ordinary sized ship, the canal was six feet wide, by three feet six
inches deep, sloped downwards towards the ends of the ship, as shown in the
accompanying drawings; but should be made as straight as possible, as any deviation
from the straight line would interfere with the speed of the ship.
In or near the centre of the ship, I place a wheel in an enclosed space called the well.
This wheel will be shaped like a drum, with slots or apartures, to hold the blades of
the propeller; and as the drum revolves, the blades are forced out at the bottom, and
drawn in at the top, by eccentric motion. I fix an eccentric block to the shaft
bearings, at each end of the drum, and connect the blades to the eccentric block by
means of rods.
The rods would travel on sheeves fixed in the drum head; the drum propeller
would fit close to the top of the well casing, so as to prevent the water revolving in
the well to the detriment of speed, when there was a heavy pressure on the propeller;
the whole force of the propeller would then be to drive the ship through the water.
The drum will be water-tight.
The number of blades required to the drum propeller, would not exceed eight, but
in vessels of high speed, six or seven would be sufficient.
By preferance I make the drum of the propeller, to ineasure about twelve feet
in diameter, by six feet in length, the blades to be six feet wide, by three feet six inches
deep, fitted sufficiently close to the sides and bottom of the canal to allow them to
revolve clear.
The shaft of the propeller would stand about ten feet above the keel of the ship,
which would allow sufficient height for the engines to stand vertical over the cranks.
One paddle in the bottom of the ship would nearly equal two on the surface outside
the ship, as the force can only expend itself in one direction, namely a straight fore
and aft pull. The ship both loaded and light would always be on an even keel.
Reversing the engines in the ordinary way, would reverse the ships course,
drive her as fast astern as ahead.
and

page_text: Ф
The blade at or near the nether point of the drum, is the only one that has the
weight; so that the sliding out, and drawing in of the blades, by the eccentric motion,
would be done without any great strain on the eccentric; the weight of the blades
would cause them to slide out very easy; the blades would be full out before much
weight comes on them.
Valves can be placed in the canal at each end of the well, which can be closed at
sea or anywhere, so that the water can be pumped out of the well to examine the
propeller.
The steering portion of this invention consists of a transverse opening, in or near
the forepeak of the ship with the drum or other propeller, fixed in it, in a similar
manner to that fixed in the centre of the ship, but much smaller, to run at right angles
to the fore and aft propeller.
By this thwart-ship propeller the ships head can be held on a straight course much
more easily than by the ordinary rudder, or the ships head may be turned round to
any point of the compass. although she may have no headway.
And in order that my Invention may be thoroughly understood, I now proceed to
describe the accompanying drawings thereof, reference being had to letters and figures
marked thereon.
Figure 1. represents the propeller fitted to a vessel, A, and the canal B, with steering
portion marked F.
Figure 2. denotes the drum of the propeller, as it would appear before the eccentrics
and blades are fitted to it.
Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the propeller.
The eccentric blocks C, at each end of the drum are fixed to the shaft bearings, the
shaft I running through them; they are fitted with grooves into which the ends
of the eccentric rods are placed; the rods have cross heads with pullies fitted on
them, so as to make them work smoothly and casily in the eccentric groove. The
propeller blades G, are fixed to the eccentric rols, and are held in position by the
eccentric block C as the drum D revolves; so that five of the blades G are drawn in
level with the upper half of the drum.
One blade is shown about half way out; the blade at the nether point of the drum
is full out the third is being drawn in as the drum revolves.
A flat hoop would be fitted round the outer edge of the drum head, outside the
eccentric rods, to strengthen it, and make it secure; and also to enclose the rods, and
keep them in a proper position.
This eccentric gear being continually in water would not be liable to heating by
friction.
The bow of the vessel with the thwart-ship propeller F, and the entrance of the
canal B is placed at this point.
A grating could be placed over the entrance of the canal, to prevent wood, or
other substances, getting into the canal to damage the propeller.
The thwart-ship propeller, would be entirely inside the ship, and fitted in a similar
manner to the fore and aft propeller, only to run at right angles to it in order to steer
the ship or turn her round."
The only part of the ships bows, that would be open, is a space the size and shape
of the propeller blade, at each side close down at the keel.
In order to prevent corroding and fouling, I would coat the canal, drum, etc., with
hot tallow instead of paint; the tallow if properly put on, would not be liable to wash
off, and would act as a lubricant.
Figure 4, represents a section of figure 3.
The shaft I being constructed with cranks J, and the piston rods L fitted to the
same.
The blades G run out by the action of the eccentric rods working on the sheaves H
from the Drum D. The eccentric rods N working on rollers O, inside the
slots of the block C fixed to the shaft bearings I¹. The division A¹ between the
interior of the ship and the well B¹, being intended to entirely enclose the well.
The axis K is to be placed in a bearing or a standard in the usual manner.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
First: The combination of the canal B, and the propeller fixed in the well in any
part of the ship, and worked by the eccentric appliance, and also the thwart-ship
propeller fixed in the bow or stern of the ship for the purpose of steering or turning
her round, substantially as herein described and according to the accompanying
drawings:
Secondly: The combination of the blade G, working in sockets E on sheaves H,
with the fixed ends of the blades working in the groove of the eccentric block C,
and the eccentric rods working on rollers O in the block, substantially as herein
described and according to the accompanying drawings.
Thirdly The combination of the whole of the apparatus for propelling ships or
vessels of any size, substantially as herein described and according to the accompanying
drawings.