IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Clarke, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County.
of Middlesex, and of Grange Hill, Jamaica, Clerk, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS."
Sealed the 22nd November 1867, and dated the 4th July 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Clarke at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th July 1867.
I, HENRY CLARKE, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, and
of Grange Hill, Jamaica, Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS," to be as
follows:-
My improvements in apparatus for the propulsion of vessels relate to
apparatus for propelling by its action in the atmosphere instead of acting in
the water as ordinary propellers. For this purpose I provide what I term a
rotary sail or sails, being oblique vanes or sections of screws mounted on a
horizontal axis, such vanes or surfaces I construct of a series of radial arms
extending from said axis in such manner that canvas or other pliant material
when stretched thereon will present a surface which when the axis is rotated
will act in the manner of a screw on the air and so produce an end thrust on
the shaft, and consequently propel the vessel. The radial arms are tied by a
helical bar at the circumference, and it may be at intermediate points between
that and the axis in order to impart the necessary strength and bearing for
the sails. This support for the sails may consist of other light open frame-

page_text: work, but in all cases should approximate to the form of a screw propeller
blade. The canvas or other pliaut sail material can be spread or reefed and
furled at pleasure, and so provide for the requirements desired, that is to say,
the propulsion of or a quiescent state of the vessel. The rotary sail may consist
of a single screw propelling surface only or may consist of several blades, which
I prefer, either arranged in the same general plane across the vessel or disposed
one in the rear of the other, but radially differing in position and occupying
the circumference of the axis or shaft. Rotary sails to propel vessels on water
by their action on the atmosphere must necessarily present great surface, I
therefore mount the propeller shaft or axis in suitable bearings at some con-
siderable height above the deck or gunwale of the vessel, and provide means
to communicate steam power thereto, as will be readily understood, and to
communicate the thrust of the propeller shaft to effect the propulsion of the
vessel of which it will be unnecessary herein to give further detail.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Clarke in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th January 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
CLARKE, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, and of Grange
Hill, Jamaica, Clerk, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Henry Clarke, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Clarke,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Henry Clarke, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to tiine and at all times thereafter
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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Henry Clarke, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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

page_text: 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 Henry Clarke, 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, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
My improvements in apparatus for the propulsion of vessels relate to
apparatus for propelling by its action in the atmosphere instead of acting in
the water as ordinary propellers. For this purpose I provide what I term a
rotating sail or sails, being oblique vanes or sections of screws mounted on a
horizontal axis, such vanes or surfaces I construct of a series of radial arms
extending from said axis in such manner that canvas or other pliant material
when stretched thereon will present a surface which when the axis is rotated
will act in the manner of a screw on the air and so produce an end thrust on
the shaft and consequently propel the vessel. The radial arms are tied by a
helical bar at the circumference, and it may be at intermediate points between
that and the axis in order to impart the necessary strength and bearing for
the sails. This support for the sails may consist of other light open frame-
work, but in all cases should approximate to the form of a screw propeller
blade. The canvas or other pliant sail material can be spread or reefed and
furled at pleasure, and so provide for the requirements desired, that is to say,
the propulsion of or a quiescent state of the vessel. The rotary sail may consist
of a single screw propelling surface only, or may consist of several blades, which
I prefer, either arranged in the same general plane across the vessel, or be
disposed one in the rear of the other, but radially differing in position and
occupying the circumference of the axis or shaft. Rotary sails to propel
vessels in water by their action on the atmosphere must necessarily present
great surface, I therefore mount the propeller shaft or axis in suitable
bearings at some considerable height above the deck or gunwale of the
vessel, and provide means to communicate steam power thereto, as will be
readily understood, and to commmunicate the thrust of the propeller shaft to
effect the propulsion of the vessel of which it will be unnecessary herein to
give further detail.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing shows a side elevation, and Figure 2
an end elevation of one arrangement of my improved apparatus for propelling
vessels.

page_text: A, A, is an iron or other framework fixed on the deck of the vessel, on which
framing is mounted parallel with the longitudinal axis of the vessel a hori-
zontal shaft B carried in suitable bearings a, a, and provided near one end with
propelling blades c, c, each constructed of radial arms b, b, extending from
said axis B at distances apart in the manner shown, so as to form an oblique
segmental framework similar in form to that of a screw propeller blade; the
arms bare tied by a helical bar c at the circumference, and also at d and other
intermediate points if desired, so as to impart the necessary strength and
bearing for the covering forming the propelling surface, the whole being
mounted at a sufficient height above the deck to allow of passing under while
in motion. The sail consists of canvas or other pliant material e, e, stretched
on the arms b and connected round the edges and also to the several arms by
means of lashings or lanyards f, the sail surface being provided with suitable
eyelets g for the purpose. In this manner oblique vanes or propelling surfaces
are obtained for acting on the atmosphere in the manner of a screw, whereby
to propel the vessel. Motion is transmitted to the horizontal shaft B carrying
the propellers C by means of bevil gearing h, and upright shaft i driven by the
engine, or in any other suitable manner. The canvas surface e, e, spread on
the framing b, c, d, is reefed or furled and spread by the aid of the lanyards f
according to requirements.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the improved apparatus herein
described, and one example of which is shown in the accompanying Drawing
for propelling vessels by means of one or more screw surfaces acting on the
atmosphere, arranged and operating substantially in the manner described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Clarke, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
HENRY CLARKE. (L.S.)