An Improved Steam Hydraulic Life Boat.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 13th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 19th May, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Steam Hydraulic Life Boat.
I, JOSEPH FLETCHER GREEN, of Blackwall, in the County of Middlesex, a
Member of the Firm of Richard & Henry Green, Shipbuilders, of Blackwall
Yard, London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My improved steam hydraulic life boat is propelled by two centrifugal pumps,
one on the port side, and the other on the starboard side. The fans or revolving
parts of these pumps are fixed upon the crank shaft of a steam engine; the engine
being between the pumps. Two inlet mains serve the two pumps, their mouths are
formed as scoops, and are so arranged in the bottom of the boat as is described in
the Specification of a former Patent granted to me No. 2777 in the year 1889.
On each pump case there are two horizontal and tangential outlet passages one
leading aft and the other forward.
The lower passages which pass direct aft to outlets on either quarter are used as
the water outlets when going ahead, they are fitted with valves which can be closed
from the deck, and they are so closed when it is desired to go astern or to move
laterally. The upper passages from the pump cases each divide into two branches
one passing forward somewhat obliquely to an aperture in the side of the vessel,
and the other branch passing away at right angles to the centre line delivers the
water from the pump at an opening amidships. Each of these branches can be
When the vessel is
closed by a valve manipulated from the deck of the vessel.
going ahead only the aft delivery apertures are left open; when going astern only
the forward apertures; and when the boat is moving sideways as in coming along
side, only one pump is employed and the water is delivered abeam by the aperture
on the reverse side.
One of the pumps is fitted with a bilge suction which by opening a valve can be
brought into use when required as for instance when the vessel is making water,
from being stoved in or otherwise and in order that this bilge suction may operate
more efficiently a throttle valve which can when required be partly closed is
provided on the main suction passage of the pump. Thus the action of pumping
out the vessel will at the same time propel her.
The engine, boilers and pumps are contained in an enclosed engine room in
which by a fan a pressure of air can be maintained.
Dated thie 13th dow of Jule 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Steam Hydraulic Life Boat.
I, JOSEPH FLETCHER GREEN, of Blackwall, in the County of Middlesex, a
Member of the Firm of Richard & Henry Green, Shipbuilders, of Black wall
Yard, London, 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 :-
My improved steam bydraulic life boat is propelled by two centrifugal pumps,
one on the port side, and the other on the starboard side. The fans or.revolving
parts of these pumps are fixed upon the crank shaft of a steam engine; the engine
being between the pumps. Two inlet mains serve the two pumps, their mouths are
077

page_text: formed as scoops, and are so arranged in the bottom of the boat as is described in
the Specification of a former Patent granted to me No. 2777 in the year 1889.
On each pump case there are two horizontal and tangential outlet passages one
leading aft and the other forward.
The lower passages which pass direct aft to outlets on either quarter are used
as the water outlets when going ahead, they are fitted with valves which can
be closed from the deck, and they are so closed when it is desired to go astern or
to move laterally. The upper passages from the pump cases each divide into two
branches one passing forward somewhat obliquely to an aperture in the side of the
vessel, and the other branch passing away at right angles to the centre line delivers
the water from the pump at an opening amidships. Each of these branches can be
closed by a valve manipulated from the deck of the vessel.
When the vessel is
going ahead only the aft delivery apertures are left open; when going astern only
the forward apertures; and when the boat is moving sideways as in coming
alongside, only one pump is employed and the water is delivered abeam by the
aperture on the reverse side.
One of the pumpe is fitted with a bilge suction which by opening a valve can be
brought into use when required as for instance when the vessel is making water,
from being stoved in or otherwise and in order that this bilge suction may operate
more efficiently a throttle valve which can when required be partly closed is
provided on the main suction passage of the pump.
Thus the action of pumping
out the vessel will at the same time propel her.
The engine, boilers and pumps are contained in an enclosed engine room in which
by a fan a pressure of air can be maintained.
In the drawings annexed Figure 1 is a plan, Figure 2 a longitudinal section and
Figure 3 a transverse section of my steam hydraulic life boat.
The boat is about fifty feet long.
.
a a are the sides and ends of the closed engine room. This engine room occupies
so much space in the boat that it gives sufficient floatation even if all other spaces
be flooded. The engine room is supplied with air by a fan 6 which is mounted on a
transverse bulkhead and driven by a donkey engine C. d is the trunk by which the
air enters. e is the boiler, the double expansion engine, g the crank shaft of this
engine. hh are the centrifugal pumps driven by the engine. The shaft 9 has
couplings which admit of either pump being disconnected if it should happen to be
disabled. Each pump has a separate scoop like inlet i. kk are the rearwardly
directed water outlets which are used to propel the vessel forward; at other times
these outlets are closed by throttle valves ll which are worked from outside by
the handles l¹. mm are the outlets which discharge forward the water from the
pumps to propel the boat in a rearward direction; they are provided with valves n n
which may be coupled with the handles so that as the valves / close the valves n
open and vice versa. Or these valves may be worked independently. o o are the
lateral outlets, they are usually kept closed by valves p p but are opened when a
broadside movement is required the outlets m being simultaneously closed by the
same flap valve. 2 is the bilge inlet by which one of the pumps is able to draw
water from the engine room if any should enter. The inlet is connected with the
inlet i but is usually closed by a valve-r; when it is open the flow by the main
inlet may be checked by a throttle valve i¹. s is the condenser of the engine, it is
connected with one of the pumps which supplies it with the water needed for
condensation. t is a fresh water tank for the supply of the boiler.
g
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
1. A life boat propelled by a steam engine driving pumps which deliver water
through either of three outlet passages namely a passage directed astern to move
the boat ahead; a passage directed ahead to move the boat astern and a passage
directed abeam to move the boat laterally.

page_text: 2. A life boat propelled by a steam engine driving a transverse crank shaft upon
which are fixed the moving parts of two centrifugal pumps each of such pumps.
having a scoop inlet passage in the bottom of the boat and outlet passages suitably
directed for propelling and manoeuvring the boat.
3. A life boat propelled by a steam engine driving a transverse crank shaft upon
which are fixed the moving parts of a centrifugal pump and passages provided with
valves and so arranged that the pump can draw water either from the outside or
from the bilge and eject it in such manner as to propel the boat.
4. Steam hydraulic life boats substantially as described and shown in the
drawings.
1
1 100