IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHODS OF APPLYING MOTIVE POWER, IN COMBINATION WITH APPARATUS AND MACHINERY, TO CERTAIN PURPOSES IN PROPELLING, AND APPLICABLE TO RAILWAYS, TO SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS AFLOAT
Year: 1843

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
PINKUS, late of No. 1, Duke Street, Portland Place, in the County of
Middlesex, but now of No. 14, Berners Street, Oxford Street, in the said
County of Middlesex, Esquire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, in and
by Her Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Thirteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thou-
sand eight hundred and forty-three, and in the seventh year of Her reign, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, did give and grant unto me, the said Henry
Pinkus, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said Henry Pinkus, my executors, administrators, and assigns, and every of
them, by myself and themselves, or by my and their deputy or deputies, servants
or agents, or such others as I, Henry Pinkus, my executors, administrators,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term of years therein unexpired, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also the Colonies and Plantations
abroad, my Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHODS OF APPLYING MOTIVE
POWER, IN COMBINATION WITH APPARATUS AND MACHINERY, TO CERTAIN PURPOSES IN
PROPELLING, AND APPLICABLE TO RAILWAYS, TO SHIPS OR OTHER VESSELS AFLOAT;" in
which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Henry
Pinkus, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to
describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in Her said

page_text: Majesty's High Court of Chancery in England within six calendar months.
next and immediately after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in
and by the same, reference thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Henry Pinkus, do hereby declare that my Invention of "Improvements in
the methods of applying motive power, in combination with apparatus and
machinery, to certain purposes in propelling, and applicable to railways, to
ships or other vessels afloat," consists particularly in improvements or varied
applications of the principles proposed for propelling vessels on canals and
rivers specified in my former Patent granted by Her said Majesty to me, the
said Henry Pinkus, dated the Twenty-fourth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty, wherein is described methods
of propelling vessels by means of a continuous line of rail, laid on sleepers or
piles, and extended on and along the margins of rivers or the towing paths of
canals, as a means of impelling, by a combination with engines, apparatus, and
machinery contained in the said vessels, and connected with the said extended
rail, that is to say:-
My improvements consist in the methods of impelling ships and other
vessels on or through canals and rivers in manner herein specified and exem-
plified, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings marked A, B, C,
D, E, F, G, and numbered from No. 1 to No. 7 inclusive, and to the letters
and figures thereon written. Now, in order to prepare a line of canal or
river for the adoption of the improved and varied methods herein described, I
lay down and extend a continuous line of timber or other suitable sleepers,
A, A, A, Figure 5, Drawing No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, if of timber, about nine inches
square by from twenty to forty feet in length. These I lay end to end, and
embed the same in the ground surface to the depth of eight inches in a trench
made for that purpose, or at the water's edge of the canal or river, so as to
form a marginal facing to the canal, and preserve the banks of it from the
washing or ripple of the water. Where a line of rail is required for con-
venience or extent of transit on both sides of a canal or river, and there is a
towing path only on one side, or a shelving bank, piles b, Figure 1, Draw-
ing No. 4, of round timber, nine.inches diameter, may be driven, about
ten feet apart, at the water's edge, to the depth of four or five feet, according
to the nature of the soil, and cut off at about one foot above the surface of the
water. On the piles longitudinal sleepers may be laid and fastened in any
convenient manner. On and along the said sleepers a continuous line of
parallel iron rails C, C, C, Figure 3, Drawings Nos. 1, 4, 6, must be laid and

page_text: bolted in the usual way thereto. These sleepers and rail should be continued
under all the bridges, however low, of the canal, and also through tunnels when
they occur; but in tunnels it may be convenient to support the rails by
brackets attached on and along the sides thereof. In order to sustain the
sleepers and rail firmly to the banks of a canal or river, timber transoms or
iron ties may be necessary to prevent them from working out by the drag or
action of the impelling machinery. For this purpose I attach round wrought
iron rods D, D, D, Figure 3, Drawing No. 1, 4, 6, five-eighths of an inch
diameter, and five feet long, terminated by a ring a, a, a, a, at one end, and a
screw-nut and washer b, b, b, b, at the other. The rod is passed through a
hole made in the sleepers. The rod is laid under the surface level of the
ground, at an angle, and a stake c, c, c, c, is driven through the ring of the tye.
These ties may be placed ten or fifteen feet apart, according to the nature of
the soil or the size or weight of the sleepers. The rail so laid forms the
impelling medium on a line of canal or river. The propelling apparatus and
machinery to be connected with the rail applied as aforesaid I vary and apply
by three different modifications suited to various kinds of transit; that is to
say, the first and second herein described method for the transit of mer-
chandize in heavily laden vessels and lower degree of speed, and the third
herein described method for passenger transit and a high degree of velocity.
The motive power or prime mover to be used in these modified applications
may be that of steam or any other force, and either generated in the vessels to
be propelled or in any impelling tug or tow boat, or may be generated on and
along the banks of the canal or river, and transferred to such vessels in order
to put the impelling machinery into action in the usual common or well-
known manner. The motive force herein applied to exemplify this system is
that of steam power applied as follows:-In a canal boat or river vessel A,
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, Drawing No. 1, I erect an ordinary high-pressure steam
and boiler, similar to the engines and boilers used on railways, having tubular
boilers and horizontal cylinders, in preference to the other common kinds of
condensing engines and boilers, which, however, may also be used.
Figure 1A, Drawing No. 1, is a plan of the vessel, engine, machinery, and
apparatus, together with the line of sleepers and rail aforesaid, laid along the
banks of a canal or river, and the propelling arms and hands attached thereto.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the boat, and elevation of the engines,
boiler, and machinery. Figure 3 is a cross section of the vessel, and elevation
of the boiler, engines, and machinery. Figure 4 is an elevation of the vessel,
and a part of the engines and machinery.

page_text: a, a, a, a, in all the Figures, is the foundation of the boiler, engines, and
machinery, made into one frame, and of a length and breadth to support the
whole, and the better to obviate vibratory action on the level; b, b, b, b, is the
boiler with the funnel and steam chambers, having all other usual apparatus
and connections; c, c, c, c, are the engine frames and horizontal cylinders,
having all other usual apparatus and connections; d, d, d, d, are the cranks
with which are united the connecting rods and piston rods with the other
common apparatus appertaining to steam engines. From the first mover, so
or in
any other convenient manner applied, I lead off to and establish other
mechanical motions, thence transfer the motive force to the shore, and connect
it with the continuous rail aforesaid, which forms an impelling medium for
vessels without action on the water, for that purpose, to which end I construct, on
one side of the vessel, (the impelling side, or on both sides, so as to use either,
if a rail be laid on both sides of a canal or river,) horizontal guide frames or
slides of cast iron e, e, e, e, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, with guides or friction guide
rollers g, g, g, g, forming a guide carriage C, C, with four rollers, having
flanges on the inner sides of the slides. The four rollers are connected by
parrallel wrought-iron straps H, H, to which the roller pins are attached on
the inner sides. The rollers revolve on the pins. The straps are kept
parallel by strong pins K, K, K, K, having brass collars bearing against the
inner sides of the straps. The pins K are of wrought iron, say three inches
diameter, having a nich in the middle, between the rollers, for the attachment
of the connecting rods, which are keyed on to them. The pins turn in the
straps H, and are kept by the brass collars and nich, and have an enlarged
part or tongue, say five inches wide by two inches thick, through which is a
pin-hole, two inches diameter. Slots B, B, B, B, Figure
through the side of the vessel, to attach the parallel slides.
by strong bolts passing through flat bars of wrought iron l, l,
outside of the vessel, half an inch thick by 4 inches diameter, and having
screw ends and nuts. The inner parallel slides may be supported by
standards m, m, m, m, Figure 2, bolted to the foundation frame. The guide
frames or slides here shewn are six feet in length, and of a width in slot to
suit rollers nine inches diameter. Instead of the rollers, common brass slides
may be used, of any suitable dimensions, or, instead of such guides and rollers
as are herein shewn, common guide rods, with cross heads and eyes, similar
to those shewn in the steam engine in Figure 1 for parallel motion, may be
used, to which the pins k, k, may be attached in any convenient manner.
The guide frames should be placed in the relative situation of the vessel's
length, shewn in the Drawings, or as near to the centre cross section, and
are made in and
These are fixed
Figure 4, on the

page_text: forward of it, as is convenient, in order that the pull on the boat may be
forward of such centre line, and the distance between the two guide frames
to be always greater by about one foot than the length of the guide frame, in
order that the hands on the ends of the impelling arms herein-after described
shall not in their alternating motions come in contact. The guides C, C, I
unite with the first motion of the engine by the connecting rods n, 'n, n, n, one
end of each of which is keyed on to the pins k, k, of the guides, and the other
to the pins of the driving wheels D, D, D, D, one of which is supported by
the end of the crank axle d, d, d, and the other by the end of a straight
shaft
p, supported by standards q, q. On one end of the shaft p is a crank r, r,
and on one end of crank axle is also a crank S, S. These two cranks are united
by a connecting rod t, t, keyed on to each crank. All these, connected, form a
system of gearing for the impelling motions in the vessel; but any other of the
common well-known methods of gearing, suitable for the purpose, may be
applied to unite the first mover with and to produce the alternating motions of
the guides for the purpose herein described. In order now to transfer the
motive power contained in the vessel to and connect it with with the aforesaid
rail on the margin of the canal or river, I construct arms E, E, E, E, Figures 1
and 5, Drawing No. 1, say twenty feet in length, of wrought iron, and of
strength commensurate to the amount of tractive force applied. These may
be formed of one round wrought-iron rod, or, for lightness, a hollow tube, or,
to prevent flexure of the arms, a bundle of smaller tubes, as in Drawing E,
No. 5, laid in contact and tied by metal rings, or a rod of round wood, three
inches diameter in the middle, lessening to two inches at the ends, and the
above length, combined with three or four half-inch iron rods or tubes of the
same length. The rods or tubes may be inlaid in the wooden rods by
grooves made in the latter, and the whole should be combined by metal
rings a, a, a, with eyes z, z, z, z, as shewn at F, Figure 5, Drawing No. 1. The
rods or tubes should be welded together at their ends, so as to form one bar;
and on one end of each arm so formed should be a jaw u, u, u, u, E, No. 5,
having a pin-hole. This jaw fits on to the tongues of the pins K, K, K, K,
of the guide carriage, and both are connected by a loose pin, so as to allow
the other end of the arm to move, and be laid on board, or laid off to the
rail; and the pin k, turning, allows the arm to rise or fall by any motion of
the vessel. On the other ends of the arms E, E, I attach iron hands or instru-
ments G, G, Figure 5, Drawing No. 1, and in plans, elevations, and detached
parts Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Drawing B, No. 2, on a full scale in plan
and sectional end view. These combine the vessel and the mechanical motions
on it with the aforesaid rail, along which the hands move by the arms freely

page_text: guided by the rollers, and alternately grasp the rail to impel the vessel through
the canel or river. The hands G, G, I construct of wrought iron in the
following form and manner, and about the dimensions shewn, reference being
had to the letters, figures, diagrams, and Drawings B, No. 2, in which the
same letters apply to all the figures respectively. And I also construct the
hands in another form and manner, reference being had to the letters, figures,
and diagrams in Drawing C, No. 3, in which the same letters apply to all the
Figures respectively.
In Drawing B, No. 2, Figure 1 is a sectional end view of the aforesaid
sleepers A, A, and rail C, C, with one of the impelling hands G in its proper
position, on and grasping the rail. This instrument is sustained on the rail
by two horizontal rollers a, a, a, a, Figures 1, 2, 7, having flanges that lay
over the upper curved edges of the rail, and whose peripheries conform to the
upper parts of said curved sides. These rollers are connected by a strap b, b,
Figures 1, 3, 6, of the form shewn, and pins c, c, c, c, having screw ends and
nuts. These pins are the centres of motion of the hands. The pins do not
turn, but the rollers revolve on them. The pins have square or hexagonal
shoulders, and the straps have corresponding holes.
Figure 2 is a plan of the hands with the strap off. To each roller is
attached a crank d, d, d, d, leaving a thumb and finger piece e, e, e, e,
Figures 1, 2, 4, 8, made solid with the crank, and conforming to the form of
the edges of the rail, as at f, f, f, f, Figures 1, 2. The crank is strengthened
by a bridge piece 9, 9, 9, which are continued under the rollers, and through
which the pins pass and form a sort of box in which the rollers revolve.
h, h, h, Figures 1, 5, are crank pins, to which one end of each of the arms is
keyed on or otherwise connected.
Another form of impelling hands, referred to and shewn in Drawing C,
No. 3, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, in plans, elevations, and detached parts,
I construct of wrought iron in the following manner:-On the aforesaid rail
the hands are sustained, as aforesaid, by the horizontal rollers a, a, a, a,
Figures 1 and 2, and connected to each by a similar strap b, b, b, Figures 1, 5, 6,
the strap having a solid part d, d, d, d, descending under the rollers to
strengthen them, and having an hexagonal hole, to which a part of the pin, as
at e, Figure 7, conforms to prevent its turning, the other pin being round on its
other parts to allow the rollers to revolve as at f, Figure 7, and being enlarged
as at g, where it connects the crank. The head of the pin of the fellow roller
in Figure 1 is flush with the top side of the strap, which is countersunk in
the pin-hole, having a shoulder conforming thereto, h, h. H, H, H, is a
crank, with a thumb part h, h, solid with it, and a strap k, k, Figures 1, 5,

page_text: passing under the roller to support it. The thumb part conforms to the form
of the rail as at m, m, Figures 1, 3. The crank H has a pin n, n, with a
screw head, Figures 1, 3, to which the end of an arm is connected by keying
or other convenient manner, and kept by a nut.
Another form of impelling hand is shewn at G, Drawing No. 7, in plan,
elevation, and sectional end view, Figures 1, 2, 3, wherein the rail C has on
one part of it a rack a, a, a, a, rolled with and forming part of the railway
bar. The hand G is formed of a wrought-iron metal piece, and is an axle to a
vertical wheel b, having a flange and rolling on the lower part of the railway
bar C on the off side of the railway bar, and supporting a horizontal roller c,
which conforms to the edge of the rail, supported by a pin d, d, having a
screw head and nut, and is square in that part inserted in G, and is round in
that part inserted in the roller c, c, which revolves on it. With the lower part
of the pin d is connected a dog or click e, supported on the pin d by a hinge
joint, as at f, which allows the hand to move forward on the forward motion
of said arms E, and acting in the rack of the rail stops it on the backward
motion of said arms. To each of the said arms E, E, and inserted through
the eyes z, z, z, z, of the rings x, x, x, x, I apply a moveable rod x1, x 1, x 1,
having a bell crank and tappit x2, x 2, as in Figure 1, Drawing A, No. 1,
acting on fixed points 20, 30, 40, 50, on the guide frames. One end of each
of these rods is connected by a lug a 3, x 3, to the hands G, G, in order by
the action of the tappits to open and close the hands.
I further vary and modify the system of impelling vessels herein described,
by dispensing with the solid and inflexible arms which transfer the power from
5 the vessel to the said rail on shore, which modification is suited more par-
ticularly to river navigation and the larger kind of vessels and barges, by
substituting flexible iron-wire ropes, say three quarters of an inch diameter,
and any convenient length, say thirty feet long, as shewn in Drawing F,
No. 6, where one end of one of these ropes is attached to the aforesaid pin k, k,
of the said guide carriages moving in one of said slides or guide frames,
and the other end of it is attached in any convenient manner to either one of
the aforesaid hands that move on and along said rail; and the other similar
rope is likewise attached to the other pin k, k, attached to the guide carriage
moving in the other slide or guide frame, placed on the same side of the said
5 vessel, as shewn in the said Drawing; and the other end of the last-mentioned
ropes is likewise attached to the same hand that the other rope is. Thus, one
end of two of the ropes aforesaid are attached to one hand, and the other ends.
of said two ropes are separately attached to the two separate pins k, k, moving
'in the separate guide frames. But observe the guide carriage that approach

page_text: towards one point in their motions, and then diverge from it, to produce the
alternating actions before described to put the said arms E, E, into alter-
nating action, do not so act when the said ropes are used; but both the
guide carriages move in the same line of direction at the same time. Thus
the two guide carriages are employed to put the two ropes attached to only
one hand to put it into action, so that the forward motion of the two guides
opens the hand, and moves it forward in the line of motion of the vessel, and
the backward motion of the said guides closes the hand to grasp the rail, and
by the tension of the after one of the said ropes pulls the vessel a-head. This
is the action for one hand; but, in order to put two hands into action, each
of which shall pull alternately, that is to say, when one hand is loose, and
moving forward to renew its hold on the said rail, the other is holding on to
the rail, whilst its guides are moving backwards, producing tension on its
ropes, to pull the vessel forward. For the latter purpose four guides and
frames are necessary, to each pair of which a similar arrangement must be
adopted, as above described, and as shewn in Drawing F, No. 6.
The third modification of the aforesaid and herein-described system of
impelling or propelling vessels is more particularly suited to propel boats for
passenger conveyance and to attain high velocity. With this view I apply
the same kind and form of first movers herein-before described, but I dis-
pense with the arms, hands, and ropes, and their connecting motions in the
system already described, and shewn in the several Drawings accompanying
this Specification; but I retain and (make use of the continuous sleepers
and rail herein-before referred to, excepting the form of the rail, which I vary
for convenience, adopting the inverted 1 form, as shewn in plan and sectional
end view in the accompanying Drawings marked D, No. 4, and E, No. 5,
reference being had to the several figures and letters thereon. In this
Drawing also the same letters refer to all the Figures and Diagrams respec-
tively. M, Figure 1, is a sectional end view and elevation of the canal or
river and the vessel and part of its machinery, foreshortened, together with its
impelling apparatus and rail on shore. N, Figure 2, is a plan of the same.
O, Figure 3, is the sleeper and rail on the shore. The first mover is not
shewn in this Drawing, only the second motion and gearing and its connected
and driving machinery. On the aforesaid foundation frame of the engines I
erect bevil gearing a, a, a, Figure 1, 2, supported by standards b, b, b, bolted:
to the foundation. The vertical bevil wheels are connected by plummer
blocks with brass bearings. The horizontal bevil wheel e, e, is supported by
the vertical shaft d, supported also by a metal transom c, c, c, under the deck
of vessel, and resting by its ends on the gunwhale, and having an apperture

page_text: and plummer block g attached to the transum. The shaft d projects about
four feet above the deck of the vessel, and terminates in a curved iron sup-
port h, h, h, Figure 1, 2, and side view in Figure 1, Drawing E, No. 5, of the
form shewn, and which is bolted to the deck and the transum c, c.
On the
vertical shaft d, d, and above the deck, is a horizontal driving wheel k, k, k,
about five feet diameter, having two or more grooves in its periphery, to
admit of cords, say one inch in diameter. In the nave of the driving wheel
are two brass bearings at 1, in which the vertical shaft revolves, and which
allows the driving wheel to revolve with one of the bearings, whilst the
other may be stationary, by having an attachment with apparatus herein-
after described, and the object of which is to admit of the driving wheel
been raised or lowered on the shaft d, d. In order to transfer the motive
power in the vessel to the aforesaid rail on the shore, I construct and
place on the vertical shaft and apparatus P, having a circular motion.
m, m, m, Figures 1, 2, Drawing E, No. 5, is a cast-iron frame, having a
tubular socket or cylindrical pipe cast on it, about an inch larger than the
shaft d, which revolves in this socket, the latter being furnished with brass
collars at top and bottom, bearing on the shaft, and having shoulders n, n, o, o,
through which long bolts p, p, until heads screw ends and nuts q, q, are
inserted through loose holes, in order to suspend the frame and its attach-
ments by the moveable collar, which at the same time allows the frame to
move round the vertical shaft, and the shaft to revolve loosely in the collars.
The lower collars O, O, have bolt holes, through which screw bolts may be passed
to the nave of the driving wheel when it is desirable to raise or lower it for
adjustment on occasions to suit any change in the height of the water in the
canal or river. After any such adjustment, and the wheel is keyed on, the
latter bolts may be removed, in order that the driving wheel may revolve as
usual. To the frame m, m, I fix a circular rack r, r, r, of the quadrant of
a circle, which takes into a covered pinion 8, 8, 8, that moves up and down
on its square axis a small shaft t, t, in Drawing D, No. 4, which is supported
as seen in Figure 1, Drawing E, No. 5. The shaft t, t, is terminated by a
ratchet wheel and lever u, u, u, for giving motion to the rack r, r, and
frame m, m, m. At the top of the curved support h, h, h, is a pulley v, v, v,
suspended by a plummer block. To the pulley the end of a chain w, w, is
fixed. The chain passes over the pulley to the frame to which the other end
is fixed. To the pulley is applied a lever X, X, fixed to its rim, for raising or
lowering the frame by the chain. To the frame m, m, I bolt a wrought-iron
bar X, X, X, X, X, X, having a double flange similar to a parallel railway
bar. The bar is about eighteen feet long, half an inch thick, and six inches

page_text: .
shewn at Figures 1, 2.
wide, having a branch and enlarged part Y, Y, on its end, and of the form
The bar X is sustained by a wrought-iron rod Z, Z,
as shewn is Figures 1,2. The bar at 1, 1, has a slot with a moveable block 2,
from which is suspended an adhesion wheel 8, 3, and pulley 4, 4, fixed
thereto. The block 2 is made moveable, and is moved by a strong. screw-
bolt 5, as shewn in Figures 2, 3, the object of which is to stretch the cords
which put the adhesion wheel and pulley in motion. In the end of the
branch of the bar X, X, which overhangs the rail, is also a slot with a move-
able block 6, from which is suspended a bearing pulley X 1, the block
rounded at one end; and over which end a pitch chain 7, 7, is passed, whose
ends are fixed to points 8, 8, and at the end of a tension rod 10, 10; the
pitch chain, passing also over a pulley 9, placed in a slot of the branch end
of the bar. 10 is a tension rod moveable in the eyes that attach it to the
bar X, X. The middle part of the rod 10 is coiled into a spiral, so to form
and act as a spring to neutralize any shocks on the pressing wheel and
adhesion wheel. The tension rod is terminated by a ratchet wheel 11, 11,
and lever, whose object is to cause pressure on the continuous rail, and
produce adhesion on the impelling wheel 12.
Figure 3, Drawing D, No. 4, is a brake which is made to press against the
rail by a lever acted on by the wire 13, which terminates by the pulley and
lever 14 attached to the bar X, X. To the driving wheel k, k, k, and to
the driving pulley 4, 4, 4, fixed on the impelling adhesion wheel, I apply
flexible rods 15, 15, 15, which are laid in the aforesaid grooves of the driving
wheel and pulleys, as shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, Drawings D, No.4, and E,No.5.
Having described the three several combinations of engines, apparatus, and
machinery, and the construction of the towing rail and sleepers applicable
thereto, I now describe the practical action and mode of working each of the
said variations of the system.
Operation. The firstly-mentioned method of propelling by the inflexible arms:
-The towing rail being laid down, the engines, apparatus, and machinery being
applied and adjusted as aforesaid, reference being had to Drawing A, No. 1,
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and to the enlarged Drawing B, No. 2, Figures 1, 2, and
the motive force being let on to the engines action, action will be given to the
crank d, d, d, d, and motion will be imparted by the driving wheels D, D, D, D,
through the connecting rods n, n, n, n, to the guides C, C, and to the
arms E, E, and hands G, G. The first half-revolution of the crank d, d, will
under a proper adjustment cause the forward driving wheel D to move the
forward guide and arm in the direction of the vessel's line of motion, whilst
the gearing of the after driving wheel D will cause the guide and arm connected

page_text: with it to move in an opposite direction to the end of its stroke, and at the
moment that the latter wheel causes the pin of its connecting rod to pass its
horizontal centre of motion the tappit on the rod x 1 of this after arm E
will strike a point 50 on the guide frame, causing the rod a 1 to move
forward and push open its hand G, so as to allow it to move forward
on the rail C on the ascending motion of the connecting rod, and then
consequent forward movement of its guide in the direction of the vessel's
motion; at the same instant the second half-revolution of the crank will
cause the forward arm E to move, and having attained the extremity
of its forward length of stroke its tappit will strike a point 20 on its
guide frame, causing its rods to move and to push and close the hand to
grasp the rail, whilst the guide and arm moving backwards or towards
the stern of the vessel by the revolution of the driving wheel draws and
impels it forward, or in the line of its direction to the end of its stroke, where
the tappit, again striking another point 30, moves the rod x 1, and opens
the hand for another forward motion of the arm and hand to a point 20,
where it again closes, and so on alternately by the reversed action of the two
driving wheels of both the arms and hands, causing them alternately to
advance towards and recede from one another. The guide frames must, there-
fore, be placed at such a distance apart, and the arms be of such lengths as that
the two hands on their approach shall not come in contact with each other, or
any sharp curves of the canal or river, because, on meeting any curve whose
direction advances towards the vessel, the forward hand will pass over a
segment of the curve quicker than the after hand will, whilst the forward hand
will, on a curve whose direction recedes from the vessel, not advance in the
direct line of motion so rapidly; so in like manner the after hand on the
approach to the same curve advancing towards the vessel will pass quickly, and
on the receding curve advance slowly, whilst at the same time the shoulders
of the arms or guides will continue to perform their full length of stroke;
such an adjustment of the guide frames, therefore, must be made as to avoid.
contact of the hands. The length of stroke of the guides C being given, the
hands on a straight line of rail will make a similar length of motion backwards
in the action of pulling, and their speed backwards must be equal to the speed
of the vessel; but in the forward motion the hands more faster than the
vessel, and consequently make a longer motion on the rail proportionably to the
speed of the vessel.
When the varied method of propelling by the ropes in the secondly-
mentioned variation is applied in lieu of the inflexible arms the action will
be as follows.

page_text: Operation. The engines, apparatus, and machinery in the vessel being
the same, or of a similar kind, the towing rail being in a similar condi-
tion. The action of the first mover will give motion to the driving machi-
nery, and to the guide carriages working in the now four guide frames,
Drawing F, No. 6. The forward driving wheel will give motion to the
guides. The two forward guides and their ropes a and a 1, always in the
same line of direction, whilst the after driving wheel will at the same time
give motion to the two after guides and their ropes a and a 2, in similar lines
of direction, but always alternating with the two former guides and ropes,
so that the hands G, G, alternately advance towards and recede from one
another on the rail. When the forward guides move in the directions
of the vessel's way, the rope a pulls open the forward hand and advances it on
the rail, whilst the rope a 1 is slackened, or allows it to advance, and when
the same guides move backwards the rope al pulls the hand close to grasp
the rail and haul the vessel forward, whilst at the same time the rope a is
slackened, or allows the vessel to move forwards, so in like manner the after
guides give similar action to the ropes a and a 2, and the after hand G, which
alternating with the the forward hand, a continuous pull is on the rail, which
propels the vessel forward. The ropes a and a may be shorter than the
ropes a 1 and a 2. The former may be, say twenty feet long, and the latter,
say thirty feet long, and either may be made longer or shorter by applying to
them eyes through which a pin on the guide pin k, k, may be inserted, or by
any convenient means, so as to regulate the distance of the vessel from the
rail; and in order to neutralize any shock consequent on the sudden closing
of the hands on the rail, a spiral spring of round wire W, W, of adequate
strength, may form part of the ropes a 1 and a 2 as shewn in Drawing F,
No. 6. The hands G, G, may be lifted from the rail in order to permit vessels
moving in an opposite direction, and acting on the same rail, to pass, and may
be replaced by means of a common boat-hook, which may be inserted in an
eye or ring fixed on the hands for that purpose. The hands G, G, have two
extra rollers x 4, x 4, that guide the hands in their forward motion, and prevent
their nipping the rail.
To exemplify the third varied method of impelling vessels with a view to a
high degree of velocity, the action is as follows, reference being had to Draw-
ings D, No. 4, Figures 1, 2, 3, and E, No. 5, Figure 1.
Operation. The motive power aforesaid being applied, and the connecting
rods from the crank axle being keyed on to the pins 2, 2, Figures 1, 2, of the bevil
wheels, the rail aforesaid, or the rail of the form shewn in cross section, Figure 1,
and in plan, Figure 3, or of any other convenient form, being laid down as

page_text: aforesaid, and action being given to the ratchet wheel and lever u, u, u, on the
shaft t, t, t, motion will be imparted to the apparatus P, by the pinion S, S, S,
and rack r, r, r, causing the impelling wheel 3, 3, to move to and touch the
rail, and the bearing wheel or pulley X 1 to move over the rail, and by lifting
the lever X the apparatus P will be lowered, the bearing wheel X1 will thus
be lowered to the position shewn, then action being given to the ratchet and
and lever 11, 11, on the tension rod 10, 10, the bearing pully and the adhe-
sion impelling wheel 3, 3, will be pressed by the pitch chain 7, 7, against the
rail. The motive force being now let on, action will be given to the bevil
wheels a, a, to the vertical shaft d, d, d, to the horizontal driving wheel k, k, k,
and to the flexible cords 15, 15, 15; these will impart motion to the impelling
wheel 3, 3, 8, by the revolutions of the pullers 4, 4, 4, 4. The impelling
wheel 3, 3, and the bearing wheel XI, XI, will by their adhesion on the rail
roll on and along it, drawing the vessel forward with a degree of velocity
proportional to the velocity of the driving wheel k, k. In order to disconnect
the apparatus P from the towing rail, so as to allow vessels moving in an
opposite direction by the same rail to pass, or for any other object, it will be
necessary, first, to move the lever of the ratchet 11, 11, from the bearing wheel,
and so slacken the tension rod 10, 10, and pitch chain 7, 7; the bearing
wheel XI, XI, will not now press against the off side of the rail; then, by
weighing on the lever and pulley X, the apparatus P may be lifted vertically
three or four inches, in order that the bearing wheel XI may clear the top of
the rail; then by moving the lever u, u, on the shaft t, t, motion will be given
to the rack r, r, by the pinion S, S, so the impelling and bearing wheels may
5 be laid on board.
Any of the herein described vessels impelled as aforesaid may be used as a
tug boat for impelling a train of loaded vessels, as well as separately for
passenger traffick.

page_text: Fourthly, I claim the said arms, as herein described.
Fifthly, I claim the said hands and their use as herein described.
Sixthly, I claim the application of the towing rail, sleepers, and piles, when
combined with a canal or river, as herein described.
Seventhly, I claim the combination or union of the same with the impelling
or towing vessel, in which the motive power is transferred to the rail as the
impelling medium, as herein described.
Eighthly, I claim the application of the ropes or flexible cords in lieu of or in
substitution of the said arms, as herein described.
Ninthly, I claim the method and apparatus, herein set forth and shewn, of
the crane and adhesion impelling wheel system, being the thirdly-mentioned
method for quick transit and the attainment of high velocities as herein
described, notwithstanding any mere mechanical contrivances that may be
substituted to effect mere colourable variations.
I claim all these things and modes of action, which, when combined for each
varied method, constitute my said Invention of improvements in the method
of applying motive power in combination with apparatus and machinery to
certain purposes in propelling, and applicable to railways, to ships and other
vessels afloat.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Pinkus, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-four.
H. (L.s.) PINKUS.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twelfth day of January, in the
seventh year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the said Henry 2
Pinkus came before our said Lady the Queen, in Her Chancery, and acknow-
ledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained
and specified, in form above written. And also the Instrument aforesaid
was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made in the fifty-fifth year