A Mechanical Appliance for Propelling and Steering Vessels
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1897
Complate Spanification Loft 1ot Fah 1808 Accented 10th Mar
1808
A Mechanical Appliance for Propelling and Steering Vessels.
I, RUDOLF COUNT WESTPHALEN, of 33, Rennweg, Vienna III, in the Austrian
Empire, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to a contrivance for propelling vessels the object being
to provide a paddling appliance, which does not act by successive strokes but
continuously.
When
According to my invention, the propeller is formed of a horizontal shaft arranged
crosswise to the desired direction of advance, and having secured to it a plain
flat disc, which is inclined at a given angle to the axis of the shaft, and the lower
portion of which, about one third of the total height, dips into the water.
the shaft revolves in the same direction as that of an ordinary paddle wheel, there
is continually an oblique, plane surface moving backwards in the water, whereby
the propelling force is created without stirring up the water.
For steering purposes, the shaft having secured to it the disc inclined thereto,
is so journalled in the stern of the vessel that the disc, having its centre placed in
the plane of symmetry of the vessel, can be placed in a horizontal or a vertical
position when a straight course is desired. For turning to the right or to the
left, the shaft is partially rotated in either direction, the effect of which is that the
disc assumes a laterally inclined position.
מו. תגיד
11907
A Mechanical Appliance for Propelling and Steering Vessels.
I, RUDOLF COUNT WESTPHALEN, of 33A, Rennweg, Vienna III, in the Empire of
Austria, Gentleman, 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:―
This invention relates to a contrivance for propelling vessels, and has for its
object to provide a paddling appliance, which does not act by successive strokes
but continuously, and which may also be used instead of the ordinary rudder.
According to my invention, the propeller is formed of a horizontal shaft arranged
transversely to the desired direction of motion, and having secured to it a plane

page_text: flat disc, which is inclined at a given angle to the axis of the shaft, and the lower
portion of which, about one third of the total height, dips into the water.
For steering purposes, the shaft with the inclined disc is so journalled in the
stern of the vessel that the disc, having its centre placed in the plane of symmetry
of the vessel, can be placed in a horizontal or a vertical position when a straight
course is desired. For steering the vessel to the right or to the left, the shaft is
partially rotated in either direction, so as to cause the disc to assume a laterally
inclined position.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe by reference to
the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which:--
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of my propeller showing eight successive
positions of the same during one complete revolution;
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation; and
Figure 3 is a part plan view of an oil-motor boat provided with the propeller:
Figures 4 and 5 are respectively a side and rear end elevation of the boat showing
the use of the propeller for steering purposes.
Referring to Figure 1 it will be seen that the plane circular disc b, secured to
the shaft a in an inclined position, when the said shaft a revolves in the direction
indicated by the arrow, first presents its left hand surface to the water as illus-
trated by the positions II, III and IV. When it has passed position V, that is
to say, when the shaft has revolved through 180° the disc b cuts the water in the
direction of its plane, and then presents its right hand surface to the water as
shown in the positions VI, VII and VIII. In all the positions of the disc shewn
except position V, the portion of the disc dipping into the water advances towards
the observer, so as to generate a continuous propelling force, which acts without
shocks.
The dotted line shews that the lowest points, for the time being, of the disc a
describe an undulating line. For this reason, a vessel having a propeller of this
kind fitted to its stern would be caused to move in a similar manner; I prefer,
however, to have two oppositely inclined discs working simultaneously as illus-
trated in Figures 2 and 3.
In these figures, the shaft a, which is arranged transversely to the boat and at
the centre thereof, can be driven in either direction by the oil engine c and the
reversing geard of well known construction. Both ends of the shaft a carry
plane circular discs b inclined in opposite directions.
In the stern of the vessel, a shaft a¹ is journalled in such an inclined position,
that the plane circular disc b¹ fixed to the said shaft and making a given angle
with the same, is, when vertical, in the plane of symmetry of the boat. By
partially rotating the shaft in either direction, the disc b¹ can be brought into
positions corresponding to the positions IV and VI or III and VII of Figure 1,
when the pressure of the water acting on the surface of the disc will cause the
boat to turn to the right or to the left.
As above stated the arrangement may also be such that the disc is placed
horizontally for steering a straight course. In this case, the shaft a making an
acute angle with the disc, would be placed in the plane of symmetry of the
boat.
It will be readily understood that the disc, or b¹, need not be of circular
shape; in some cases I prefer to shape it so as to have all joints on its circum-
ference at an equal distance from the axis of rotation.
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. In a propeller for vessels, the combination with a shaft arranged transversely
to the desired direction of motion, of a plane flat disc secured at an inclination to
the said shaft, substantially as described.
2 In a propeller for vessels, the combination with a shaft, arranged transversely

page_text: to the desired direction of motion, of an even number of plane flat discs, so secured
to the said shaft that half the number of discs are inclined thereto in one direction
and the other half in the opposite direction, substantially as, and for the purpose,
described.
3. The combination with a vessel, of a shaft having secured to it a plane flat
disc making an acute angle with the said shaft, which is so journalled in the stern
of the vessel that the disc has its centre in the plane of symmetry of the vessel
and can be given a horizontal or vertical position, substantially as described.
Dated the 1st day of February 1898.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.