IMPROVEMENTS IN PADDLE WHEELS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International Patent
Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PADDLE WHEELS." — A¨ com-
munication from abroad by William F. Knowlton and Marshall
McComb, both of St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States of America.
-
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 11th May 1870, pursuant to the 9th Section of
the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton
Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PADDLE WHEELS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my

page_text: executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent. for the
same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has been communicated
to me from abroad by William F. Knowlton and Marshall McComb,
both of St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification under my hand and seal
fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, making
part of this Specification :-
The object of this Invention is the construction of a paddle wheel in
such manner that the blades shall always present their edge to the
water until they reach that arc of the circle described by the wheel in
its revolutions which is parallel to the surface of the water; by this
means a saving is effected of nearly all of the power that in the present
system is required both to force the blades down to one end of this arc
and carry them up from the other end.
The nature of the said Invention consists in securing to the axle of
the wheel a series of radial arms on both sides of the blades. In boxes
secured on the outer ends of these arms the axle of the blades has its
bearing. On one end of these axles is fastened a small cog wheel which
meshes in and gears with a large cog wheel secured to the main shaft.
As the wheel is revolved it carries with it the large cog wheel, which in
turn revolves the small cog wheels attached to the axle of the blades.
These blades are so arranged that by means of the cog wheels they will :
always preserve a vertical position.

page_text: blades. On the outer ends of these radial arms are secured metallic
bearing plates or boxes a in which work the axles B of the blades B'.
On the near end of these axles B, and in the proper relation to the
position of the blades B' on the outside of the radial arms A³, are secured
small cog wheels c, one on each axle. These cog wheels c gear with a
large cog wheel O which is permanently secured to the main shaft A.
The blades B¹ are convex on both sides, as clearly shown in Figure 2,
and have on each end a metallic brace or holder b. These blades may
be constructed as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 4, wherein the axle B
is a nearly square bar of metal equal in thickness to the paddle blade in
its middle, so that when the sections or wings D³ of the blade are fitted
to the axle B they shall present a smooth and uniform surface. These
sections D¹ are held in their place by means of the sliding adjustable
braces or holders D and thumb screws d. The radial arms A¹ may be
made taper and convex, as clearly shown in Figure 5, to enable them
the more easily to cut the water in their passage through it. These
arms A' may also be caused to pass through a slotted wheel or rim A³,
which will act as a stay or brace for the same.
It will be observed that the blades B' do not revolve on their own
axis, but are so arranged that in the revolution of the cog wheel C
by means of the cogs c they will always preserve a vertical position,
and, as it were, cut the water both in their downward and upward
movements.
In the Drawing it will also be observed that the device is represented
as being worked by a system of cog gearing. All cogs may however
be dispensed with, except those on the large wheel C and the small
wheels c, and the device operated by friction. The axle of the main
wheel C, and also those of the small cog wheels c, should rest in
adjustable boxes.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I claim,-
First. The shaft A, blades B', cog wheels C, c, and arms A', with or
without the slotted wheel or rim A³, when the whole is so constructed.
and arranged as to form a paddle wheel in which the blades shall always
preserve a vertical position, substantially as described.

page_text: Second. The blade B', when the same is formed of the axle B, wings D¹,
adjustable braces D, and thumb screws d, the whole being constructed
and arranged substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of May, in the year of 5
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
J. TEARE,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Southampton-Buildings,
London.