Improved Apparatus for Propelling Boats, Canoes, and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 15th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 27th Jan., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Propelling Boats, Canoes, and the like.
I, EDWIN AUGUSTUS MCLACHLAN, of 55 Brighton Road, Stoke Newington,
in the County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a propelling apparatus which may be
attached or detached from an ordinary skiff boat or canoe in a few minutes without
the necessity of altering the vessel to which it is attached.
Now according to this invention I provide a suitable frame to receive the
propeller the shaft of which rotates in bearings formed in the said frame to this
frame are attached two hooks or pins which drop into the eyes at the stern of
boats and canoes which receive the ordinary rudder pivots.
A yoke or tiller is also attached to the frame by means of which the frame and
propeller may be used for steering purposes in place of the ordinary rudder. Or
I may secure the frame to the boat or canoe by means of screws, pins, or other
fastenings and pivot the rudder to the end of the frame. The propeller may be a
paddle or paddles, screw propeller, or a paddle wheel or wheels and caused to
rotate by means of an electric motor actuated by storage or primary batteries, the
motor and batteries being situated in the boat.
I transmit the motion of the motor to the propeller by means of suitable gearing
or linkwork, or the motor may be coupled direct to the propeller.
Dated this 15th day of March 1893.
FREDK. WALKER,
11, Furnival Street, Holborn, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Propelling Boats, Canoes, and the like.
I, EDWIN AUGUSTUS MCLACHLAN, of 55 Brighton Road, Stoke Newington,
in the County of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide a propelling apparatus which may be
attached to or detached from an ordinary skiff boat or canoe in a few minutes
without the necessity of altering the vessel to which it is attached.
Now according to this invention I provide a suitable frame to receive the
propeller the shaft of which rotates in bearings formed in the said frame to this
frame are attached hooks or pins which drop into the eyes at the stern of boats
and canoes which receive the ordinary rudder pivots.
I secure the frame to the boat or canoe by means of screws pins or other
fastenings and pivot the rudder to the end of the frame. The propeller may be a
paddle or paddles screw propeller or a paddle wheel or wheels, and caused to
rotate by means of an electric motor actuated by storage or primary batteries
situated in the boat.
I transmit the motion of the motor to the propeller by means of suitable gearing
or linl work or the motor may be coupled direct to the propeller by means of
flexible shafting, or other suitable means.

page_text: And in order that my said invention may be fully understood I will proceed to
explain the same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :-
Figure represents elevation of an apparatus constructed according to this
invention with motor attached suitable for an ordinary rowing boat or skiff.
Figure 2 represents an apparatus suitable for attaching to boats or canoes the
motor being fixed in the boat.
Figure 3 represents plan of same shewing apparatus attached to a canoe.
Figure 4 represents my invention adapted as an auxiliary screw for sailing
vessels.
The same letters denote the same parts in all the figures.
C
a is a frame constructed of wood or metal having hooks or pintles bc attached
thereto to engage with the eyes or sockets at the stern of the vessel which receive
the rudder pintles.
The distance between the pintles b c may be varied to suit different boats by
making a slot in the upper pintle b as shewn in Figure 1 and securing the same to
the frame a by set screws passing through the said slots or I may firmly attach the
pintles to the frame and pass over the lower pintle c an L shaped bracket d (shewn
in Figure 1) which bracket is secured to the frame by set screws passing through a
slot or slots in the said bracket the weight of the apparatus being sustained by the
short leg of the said bracket.
ee are eyes attached to the frame to receive the rudder pintles ff. g is the
rudder the propeller i the propeller shaft rotating in bearings j k the bearing k
being the ordinary thrust bearing.
In Figure 1 is a base plate of either wood or metal secured to the frame a and
to this base is attached an electric motor m to the armature of which is connected a
vertical shaft rotating in suitable bearings attached to the frame a whereof one
only o is shewn. p is a bevel wheel secured to the shaft n gearing with a bevel
wheel secured to the propeller shaft i.
The armature may be formed on the shaft n or the armature shaft may be
attached thereto by any suitable coupling.
The motor may be covered with a suitable casing secured to the base to exclude
dust and damp.
The frame a may be secured to the boat by stay rods or hooks or buffer
springs may be secured thereto to keep the frame a steady and in line with the
keel.
In Figure 2 the propeller is connected to the motor which is situated in the boat
by means of a flexible shaft s rotating in a tube t to prevent fouling. The tube t
may be secured to the bearing with a watertight joint and be filled with oil to
lubricate the thrust block k.
The motors are preferably driven by storage batteries placed under the seats or
in any other convenient part of the boat or canoe.
The type of apparatus shewn at Figure 2 is particularly applicable to canoes
where the weight of the motor if attached to the frame a would be detrimental to
the trim of the craft.
The modified form of the apparatus shewn at Figure 4 is particularly adapted
for use on larger vessels the shaft n being supported in bearings o o'.
n' is a collar to bear the weight of the shaft n. The shaft n may be driven by
an electric motor attached to the frame a as in Figure 1 or from a motor attached
to the vessel or by a messenger chain from a steam engine or winch on deck the
said chain passing round a sprocket pulley u. Or the said shaft may be driven by
an oil or naptha motor.
If desired the screw propeller h may be arranged to be raised out of the water
when not in use.
It will be seen that my invention can be applied to existing boats canoes and
other vessels, without any alteration of the said vessels being required all that is
necessary is to unship the rudder and drop iny apparatus into its place and ship
the rudder at the stern end of the frame a.

page_text: 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 :-
I. In an apparatus for propelling boats canoes and the like the combination of a
frame having hooks or pintles attached thereto to drop into the rudder eyes with a
propeller rotating in bearings attached to the said frame all substantially as herein-
before specified.
II. In an apparatus for propelling boats canoes and the like as hereinbefore
described the combination of a frame having a propeller rotating in bearings
attached thereto with an electric motor secured to the said frame the whole adapted
to be attached to the stern of a vessel in the place of the ordinary rudder all
substantially as hereinbefore specified.
III. The modified form of the apparatus substantially as described and shewn at
Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
IV. The combination of a frame a with a propeller i rotating in bearings attached
to the said frame and rotated by means of a flexible shaft attached to a motor in
the vessel substantially as described and shewn at Figure 2 of the accompanying
drawings.
1
1000
FREDK. WALKER,
11, Furnival Street, Holborn, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.