IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING AND PROPELLING SHIPS AND VESSELS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Beadon, of Creechbarrow, near
Taunton, in the County of Somerset, now of Saint Mary's,
Scilly, Commander in the Royal Navy, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING AND PROPELLING SHIPS AND
VESSELS."
Sealed the 2nd March 1853, and dated the 21st December 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Beadon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 21st December 1852.
I, GEORGE BEADON, of Creechbarrow, near Taunton, in the County
of Somerset, now of St. Mary's, Scilly, Commander in the Royal Navy,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CONSTRUCTING AND PROPELLING SHIPS AND VESSELS" to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object a novel construction of ship or
vessel, together with peculiar means of propelling and steering.
The vessel is to be constructed with an under water bow of a conical
form, to which I apply a screw or such like propeller; and the stern
of the vessel I construct in such manner that the propeller axis and

page_text: part of the vessel may assume an angle to the keel, and admit of the
propeller being used to propel, or propel and steer; and when sailing
the propeller may be simply used as a rudder.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said George Beadon in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 21st June 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
GEORGE BEADON, of Creech-Barrow, near Taunton, in the County of
Somerset, now of Saint Mary's, Scilly, Commander in the Royal
Navy, send greeting.
the
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of December, in
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in
the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said George Beadon, Her
special licence that I, the said George Beadon, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Beadon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTING AND PROPELLING
SHIPS AND VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said George Beadon, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the saine was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office,
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Beadon, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
This Invention has for its object a novel construction of ship or.
vessel, together with peculiar means of propelling and steering.
The vessel is to be constructed with an under water bow of a conical
form, to which I apply a screw or such like propeller; and the stern
of the vessel I construct in such manner that the propeller axis
may assume an angle to the keel, and admit of the propeller being
used to propel, or propel and steer; and when sailing the propeller
may be simply used as a rudder. And, in order that my said In-
vention may be more fully understood and readily carried into effect,
I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, shews a side elevation, partly in section, of a ship or
5 vessel constructed and propelled according to my Invention.
Figure 2, is a plan thereof, also partly in section. Figure 3, is a
stern view; and Figure 4, the section lines, taken at the parts
marked on Figure 1. a, a, is a conical bow, below the water line,
over which is placed a conical propeller b, which receives motion
from a steam engine or other power; d, is the propeller shaft, which
is fixed to the fore part of the conical propeller as shewn, and the
screw or worm of the propeller is fixed or formed thereon; and, by
reason of the peculiar form of the under part of the vessel, combined
with the use of a conical bow and conical propeller, the vessel will
be capable of moving through the water with great speed; far
greater than what can be accomplished by any other form of con-
struction accompanied with other modes of propelling; and this new
form of vessel will be also found capable of sailing with speed. e, e,
is a boat, similarly constructed and propelled; and, in place of having
it suspended to the sides of the vessel or placed on the deck, I have
a stern port, and keep the boat below deck, and launch the same
when required through the stern port. f, is the form of screw stern
propeller, which receives motion from a steam engine, or other power,
by means of its shaft or axis g; and, in order that the stern propeller

page_text: may be also capable of steering as well as propelling, there is a
universal joint at h, and the part of the shaft which passes through
the stern is formed with a curved stuffing box or slide, which renders
the passage of the shaft through the vessel water tight, and yet
admits of the shaft of the propeller moving to and rotating at an
angle to the line of the keel, as will be readily understood by re-
ference to the Drawing; i, is a steering wheel which, by means of the
pinion j, on its axis, and the rack k, acting on the slide in the
stuffing box, will cause the axis of the propeller to be moved to and
fro'; by which movement and the rotation of the propeller the vessel
will be propelled and steered.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that
what I claim is, the mode herein described of constructing and pro-
pelling ships and vessels.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Beadon, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three.
GEORGE BEADON. (L.S.) 9
Witness,
THO' LEMON HALL,
Justice of the Peace
for the Isles of Scilly.