NAVIGATING OR PROPELLING BOATS OR VESSELS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM HENRY PRESTWICH, photographer, of Denholme Villa, Hornsey Park,
Hornsey, London N. do hereby declare the nature of my invention for NAVIGATING
OR PROPELLING BOATS OR VESSELS to be as follows:-
:
My invention relates to a certain method of applying manual or other power for
the propulsion of small or large boats through the water. This is effected by
revolving oars or blades mounted on the ends of a horizontal shaft, fixed athwart
the boat or vessel, the oars or blades striking the water broadside on in their
downward stroke and so arranged as to feather or turn edgways automatically at
such point in the water as may be desired; if manual power is used I apply the
ordinary cranks or clutches, such as are in use for propelling bicycles and tricycles.
For larger vessels the revolving oars or blades on the ends of the shaft are
driven by steam-engine or other power precisely as an ordinary paddle steamer.

page_text: or Vessels.
I WILLIAM HENRY PRESTWICH of Denholm Villa Hornsey Park, Hornsey,
London, N. in the County of Middlesex, Photographer do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR NAVIGATING OR
PROPELLING BOATS OR VESSELS" and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My Invention relates to a novel and efficacious method of applying manual or
other power for the propulsion of boats or vessels.
In carrying out my Invention I employ a pair of double bladed revolving oars
or paddles mounted on the ends of a horizontally disposed shaft. Said double
bladed oars or paddles are caused by means of the device I employ in accordance
with my Invention and which is hereinafter described, to strike the water broad-
side on, in their downward stroke, and also to "feather or -turn edgewise
automatically at such point in the water as may be desired.
"
In order that my Invention may be the better understood I have appended the
accompanying sheet, of drawings illustrative thereof in the case where manual
power is employed for the propulsion of the boat. Though, as will be readily
understood, for the propulsion of larger vessels the double bladed revolving oars
or paddles, aforesaid would be actuated by means of a steam engine or other
power motor with suitable connections intervening between same and the shaft
aforesaid carrying the oars or paddles similarly as in the case of an ordinary
paddle steamer.
.
J
Referring to the accompanying drawing the same letters of reference are employed
throughout the several views to denote like or corresponding parts in each. Figure 1
is a side elevational view of a boat a provided with the improved apparatus
according to my Invention and Figure 2 a transverse sectional view of same.
Figure 3 is a detailed view to an enlarged scale illustrative of the device or means
herein before referred to, which I employ for the purposes of allowing the revolving
double bladed oars or paddles striking the water broadside on in their downward
stroke, and to "feather or turn edgewise automatically, as above described.
ม
As will be seen on reference to the drawing, the blades b, b¹ at the ends of the
pair of paddles or double oars are fixed in opposite planes; the stem o of each of
said paddles being free to revolve in an enclosing tube d. Attached to each paddle
stem c aforesaid (so as to bear against the enclosing tube d and form a shoulder to
prevent the blades moving in a horizontal plane) are fixed radial arms or wing
pieces in the same relative plane as the blades b, b¹ on each of the paddle
stems c.
The apparatus by the operation of which I am enabled to accomplish the objects
herein before referred to, is disposed at each end of the double cranked driving
shaft provided with a bearing block g having therein the segmental slot j, and
through which bearing block g the said driving shaft f works. Said bearing blocks
may be readily fitted in between the rowlocks of any ordinary boat. Said trans-
verse driving shaft ƒ is in two halves, each half being formed at the point of junction

page_text: in the centre of the boat with a collar and connected by means of a suitable socket
coupling f¹ so as to allow of the pair of paddles on one side of the boat being
worked in the opposite direction to the pair on the other side of the boat, as
hereinafter described.
Referring more particularly to the transverse sectional view Figure 2 and the
detailed view Figure 3; I provide,-for the purpose of giving the necessary
"feather" to the blades b, b,-a double acting reversible cam h fitted at the end
of a short supplementary shaft or spindle i, the length of which latter will be
determinable by the distance between the rowlocks and the radial arms or wing
pieces e aforesaid. The supplementary short shaft or spindle i is fixed to the end
of a spring catch lever k, the said short shaft, spindle or stud i traversing the
segmental slot j in the block g the function of said spring catch lever being that of
engaging by means of the spring catch or stop piece thereof with the holes lat
any part of the radius. Thus, by the manipulation of the lever k I am enable
to reverse the direction of "feathering" and also to "feather" at any desired
portion of the stroke on the cams h being brought in contact with the radial arms
or wing pieces e aforesaid fitted on the paddle stems c, at an earlier or later period
of the stroke, as the case may be. In Figure 1 the dotted lines show at b³ the
blade b¹ to have just "feathered," and at which angle it will remain until the other
blade breaches the same point when the latter will assume the same position or
angle as the blade first mentioned, and so as to ensure that in entering the water
the greatest amount of propelling power is obtained by the blade then presenting
its full surface; whilst on leaving the water, it will, as shewn in Figure 1, turn
edgewise so as to present the least possible amount of resistance.
Reverting to the transverse sectional view Figure 2 and the detailed view
Figure 3, I am also enabled to "backwater" on one side of the boat and to pull on
the other, by the simple operation of reversing one of the cams h and so causing
the two halves of the driving shaft to rotate in opposite directions as herein-
before referred to.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim, is:
First. The double bladed oars or paddles the blades at the ends of each of
which are fixed in opposite planes, and the stems whereof are rotated in an enclosing
tube substantially as herein described and set forth.
Secondly. The means which I adopt for operating the paddles referred to
above, in the manner and for the purposes all substantially as herein described
and set forth and shewn more particularly in the detailed view Figure 3 of the
accompanying sheet of drawings.