IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING AND. STEERING SHIPS OR VESSELS."
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Cooke, of Howe Villa, Richmond, in the County
of York, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
PROPELLING AND. STEERING SHIPS OR VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Cooke at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st March 1882.
JOHN COOKE of Howe Villa Richmond in the County of York.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING AND STEERING SHIPS OR VESSELS."
One object of my Invention is the construction of apparatus and appliances by
which water may be ejected with great force astera a vessel in a number of com-
paratively small streams so as to increase the superficial area of the stream and
the extent of the surface in contact with the water into which it is ejected. In
one form of the apparatus I employ a screw having a large helical thread or blade
encircling a central shaft. Around this screw is arranged a cylindrical casing
extending from its front to a little beyond its rear end. Into the projecting rear
part of this casing I insert and attach to each other and to the casing a number of
concentric circular tapering partitions so arranged that they divide the cross
sectional area of the outlet into a number of annular orifices tapering from the full
area at their front edges to a considerably smaller total area at their rear outlets.
The screw when caused to revolve drives water in a strong stream rearwards and
the partitions divide the main stream and cause it to be ejected with increased
force through the annular orifices in a number of small streams which expend
their reactive force in the annular spaces at the rear.
The propulsive force of the screw may be increased by forming on its thread
projecting ribs which are recurved and deepened towards the circumference. These
ribs are abrupt in their forward faces but slope off backwards to the general surface
of the screw thread.
A casing partitioned as above described may be applied to an ordinary screw
propeller so as to direct the rearward current from it with greater force and in
better direction,

page_text: When a screw is provided with ribs as above described, the partitioning of the
casing into separate channels may be dispensed with.
When, instead of a screw, a centrifugal or other pump is employed to create the
current, I partition its outlet in a manner similar to that which I have described
with reference to the casing of the screw, dividing it either into annular or
rectangular orifices according as the outlet itself is circular or rectangular.
In order to aid in steering the vessel I provide two outlets one on each side of
the rudder each directed somewhat towards it, and I provide a valve by which
either outlet can be more or less closed, the stream from the other being then
directed against the rudder. Or the two outlets may be supplied by separate
screws or pumps, either of which can be stopped while the other continues to
work.
Instead of employing a centrifugal pump of ordinary construction I prefer to
make it of light structure with the after part of the casing entirely open and
introduce in the opening fixed blades so curved as to direct astern the currents of
ejected water, so that the pressure on these blades may aid in the propulsion of the
vessel. Orifices may also be made in the casing at various places, these orifices
being directed so that the issuing streams may aid in propulsion. Two or more
such pumps may be employed on each side of the aft run of the vessel.
When it is desired to provide for moving the vessel astern, I arrange at the bow
apparatus similar to that at the stern, and two outlets may be arranged at the bow
directed obliquely forwards so that either being more or less closed the other will
assist in steering the vessel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Cooke in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th August
1882.
"
IMPROVEMENTS
JOHN COOKE of Howe Villa Richmond in the County of York.
IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING AND STEERING SHIPS OR VESSELS."
In carrying out my Invention various kinds of apparatus may be employed for
imparting motion to water, and for projecting it so as to obtain from it as great a
propulsive power as possible. In one arrangement, I use a centrifugal pump in
conjunction with apparatus for dividing the stream produced into two or more
streams, and for utilising the same for propelling, and steering. The centrifugal
pumps may be placed either in the after part of the vessel or in the after run
outside. Fig 1 is a side view, and Fig 2 a plan of a centrifugal pump placed in
the lower after part of the vessel. a are the supply pipes for drawing water
through protecting grids at the side of the vessel, 6 the discharge pipe which
expands to a larger size at the end in round form or square with corners rounded,
this expanded part being divided by one or more partitions and having attached to
its after outside part, another tube or pipe f, of dimensions sufficiently large to
admit between it and the pipe to which it is attached an induced current, or
stream of water, as shewn to an enlarged scale in the sectional plan Fig 3 and side
view Fig 4 and in modified forms in Figs 5, 6, 7 and 8. When the discharge
pipe b is circular the steering is effected by a rudder attached to the after end of
the central partition. When the pipe is square or oblong, the steering may be by
rudder or by a sluices cat the sides of the pipe as shewn in Figs 3 and 4 or by
the two combined. d Fig 3 is the central partition dividing the stream, e the
rudder post. The outlet may be divided by several partitions d' as shewn in
Fig 5 in which case currents may be induced only at the sides f¹ƒ¹.
When the discharge pipe is circular as shewn in Figs 6 and 7, the central
partition d a plan of which is shewn at Fig 8 is made to project beyond the pipe
and serves to attach the pipef for induced current and to hold the rudder post.
Fig. 9 is a side view and Fig 10 a plan shewing a centrifugal pump placed in a
recess at the side of the vessel in the after run bottom of the vessel. The water
enters by the central orifices of the pump on the one side direct, and on the other
side by a recessed channel g and it is discharged from the large end of the volute.
For the purpose of backing a valve h may be fitted in the casing so that when it
is turned into the dotted position the discharge is sent forwards by a recessed
channel K. A centrifugal pump may be placed horizontally under the bilge of the
vessel as shewn in Fig 11, the vertical shaft being supported on thrust bearings.
Fig 12 is a front view and Fig 13 a side view with part of the casing removed
shewing a three bladed propeller working in a cylinder to the inside of which are
fixed behind the propeller flanges projecting about one sixth of the diameter of
the casing towards its centre. The parts of the flanges nearest to the centre of
the casing are slightly curved forward towards the current produced by the
propeller and slanting from rear to front in the same direction, so as to send the
water impinging on them more directly astern. The casing in its front part is
cylindrical and tapers slightly at the rear. The boss is barrel shaped extending as
far back as the casing tapering towards front and rear, its greatest diameter being
about one fourth of the diameter of the cylinder.

page_text: For moving a vessel astern, propelling apparatus may be arranged at the fore
part of the vessel like that at the stern.
In witness whereof I the said John Cooke have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Tenth day of August in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty-two.