Iμ- PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION, ARRANGEMENT, AND MODE OF APPLYING PADDLE WHEELS FOR PROPELLING BOATS OR OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Garrett Tongue, of the Firm of Tongue and
Birkbeck, Patent Agents and Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "Iμ-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION, ARRANGEMENT, AND MODE OF APPLYING
PADDLE WHEELS FOR PROPELLING BOATS OR OTHER VESSELS."-A commu-.
nication from abroad by Hippolyte Salmon, Engineer, of Paris, in the
Empire of France.
Sealed the 8th August 1865, and dated the 13th February 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Garrett Tongue at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th February 1865.
I, JOHN GARRETT TONGUE, of the Firm of Tongue and Birkbeck, Patent
Agents and Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION, ARRANGEMENT, AND MODE OF APPLYING
PADDLE WHEELS FOR PROPELLING BOATS OR OTHER VESSELS," to be as follows:
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction, arrangement,
and mode of applying paddle wheels for the purpose of propelling boats, ships,
or other floating vessels, being more particularly applicable to boats or packets
for navigating canals or rivers.
Paddle wheels constructed according to this Invention have a number of
compartments formed around their peripheries, the divisions in some cases

page_text: forming fixed paddles, and in others moveable paddles are employed, which
are projected outwards, and withdrawn by suitable cam surfaces arranged so
as to act upon the paddles to project and withdraw them as required to propel
the vessel. One or more of these paddle wheels may be arranged and
mounted so as to revolve on axes in suitable wells or compartments formed in
the interior of the boat or other vessel to be propelled thereby. The under
side of the wheel or wheels project below the bottom in such manner that the
paddles only are in operation on the water below, and entering the compart-
ment in which the wheel revolves. By this arrangement the paddles only act
where the water has the greatest density. Objectionable side paddle wheels
are thus dispensed with, and canals may be navigated at a high speed without
injury to the sides or embankments; the unequal immersion of the paddles in
rough seas is avoided; the propelling power being constantly and equally
maintained. When these paddle wheels have fixed paddles the water is taken
up and carried around in the compartments, thus giving weight and impetus
to the wheel; but when moveable paddles are employed they are withdrawn
between the closed-up compartments formed around the periphery, no water
being taken up thereby. The upper surfaces of the wheels are covered or
cased in. The number and form of the paddles or float boards may be varied,
and the wheels may be driven by one or more steam or other motive power
engines. The projecting portion of the paddles are protected from injury by
longitudinal timbers fixed on each side, or by forming the bottom of the boat
or vessel with hollows on the under side at the parts where the paddles of the
wheels project below the bottom.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Garrett Tongue in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 11th August 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GARRETT TONGUE, of the Firm of Tongue & Birkbeck, Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Garrett Tongue, Her special licence that I, the said John Garrett

page_text: Tongue, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Garrett Tongue, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time 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 THE CONSTRUCTION, ARRANGEMENT, AND MODE OF APPLYING
PADDLE WHEELS FOR PROPELLING BOATS OR OTHER VESSELS," a communication
to me from abroad by Hippolyte Salmon, Engineer, of Paris, in the Empire of
France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Garrett
Tongue, 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 John Garrett Tongue, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction, arrangement,
and mode of applying paddle wheels for the purpose of propelling boats, ships,
or other floating vessels, being more particularly applicable to boats or packets
for navigating canals or rivers at high speeds without injury to their banks.
Paddle wheels constructed according to this Invention have a number of
compartments formed around their peripheries, the divisions in some cases
forming fixed paddles, and in others moveable paddles are employed,
which are projected outwards, and withdrawn by suitable cam surfaces
arranged so as to act upon the paddles to project and withdraw them as
required to propel the vessel. One or more of these paddle wheels may be
arranged and mounted so as to revolve on axes in suitable wells or compart-
ments formed in the interior of the boat or other vessel to be propelled thereby.
The under side of the wheel or wheels projects below the bottom in such manner
that the paddles only are in operation on the water below, and entering the
compartment in which the wheel revolves. By this arrangement the paddles only
act where the water has the greatest density, objectionable side paddle wheels
are thus dispensed with, and canals may be navigated at a high speed without
injury to the sides or embankments. The unequal immersion of the paddles
in rough seas is avoided, the propelling power being constantly and equally

page_text: maintained. When these paddle wheels have fixed paddles, the water is taken
up and carried round in the compartments, thus giving weight and impetus to.
the wheel, but when moveable paddles are employed, they are withdrawn
between the closed up compartments formed around the periphery, no water
being taken up thereby. The upper surfaces of the wheels are covered or cased
in. The number and form of the paddles or float boards may be varied, and
the wheels may be driven by one or more steam or other motive power engines.
The projecting portion of the paddles are protected from injury by longitudinal
timbers fixed on each side, or by forming the bottom of the boat or vessel with
hollows on the under side at the parts where the paddles of the wheels project
below the bottom.
And in order that the Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into practice I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto
The Drawing shows by way of example the side view and sections of a small
passenger boat suitable for being propelled on rivers in the interior of large
cities, or upon canals.
Figure 1 shows a longitudinal elevation of a boat or vessel in the interior of
which is introduced the improved arrangement of propeller wheel constructed
according to this Invention; Figure 2 is a plan of the same; Figure 3 is a
transverse section taken through the axis of the wheel; Figure 4 is another
section taken in front of the boiler.
These Figures represent only one propeller wheel B in the centre of the
vessel driven by two small steam engines at m and m', but it is evident that
two wheels B may be arranged to work with one engine between, and such a
number of wheels may be employed as may be considered most advantageous,
fixed more or less in the after part of the vessel, this Invention consisting in
the arrangement of the paddles of one or several vertical wheels placed in the
interior of the vessel to work through below the bottom of such vessel.
Figures 5 and 6 represent transverse and longitudinal sections of a paddle
wheel B with fixed paddles b. The paddle 6 projects from the compartment A,
acting from the angle or point O, until it arrives at the point or angle P where
it ceases to act. The water which is taken up in the compartments 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, has evidently no further action than as weights to give
impetus to the wheel B. The paddles b in passing the points O and P may
be said to cut a portion of water, and separate it from the stream or canal, and
the three paddles in contact with the body of water then work under the most

page_text: may
useful and effective conditions. The position of the wheel or wheels B be
placed fore, aft, or midships, as may be found most convenient. The number
of paddles employed may be varied according to the nature of the vessel
to which they are applied, and the paddles may be more or less curved if
desired.
Figures 7 and 8 represent transverse and longitudinal sections of a wheel B',
having moveable paddles in which the paddles 6' carry drivers or arms R which
slide in the grooved cam surfaces r, formed in the sides of the case or com-
partment A¹ in which the wheel revolves, the paddle 6' acts in the same manner
as in the wheel with fixed paddles from the point O to the point P, but slides
upon the inclined plane, and at last retreats towards the centre of the wheel
without taking up water around the circumference. The principle upon which
this wheel acts is the same as the one previously described, it turns in a com-
partment or case A¹ acting upon the water from 0 to P, and all the action of the
paddles upon the body of the water is suspended by the effect of the case A¹.
By examining Figures 1, 3, and 4 of the Drawing there will be seen two
longitudinal pieces or false keels Q, which are intended to protect the paddles
b which project from the bottom of the vessel.
In Figure 1 also may be seen blue lines which indicate a depression fore
and aft of the wheel so arranged that the bottom of the boat fore and aft
protects the paddles of the wheel.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Garrett Tongue, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
J. G. TONGUE. (L.B.)