IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROPULSION OF VESSELS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Ross Simey, of Sunderland, in the County of
Durham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROPULSION OF VESSELS."
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11
T.1
1072
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Ross Simey at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th July 1876.
CHARLES ROSS SIMEY, of Sunderland, in the County of Durham. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE PROPULSION OF VESSELS."
My Invention relates to the propulsion of vessels by the reaction of one or more
columns of water impelled by one or more jets of steam through a tube or tubes
passing from stem to stern beneath the water line.
I am aware that it has before been proposed to propel vessels by the reaction
of a steam jet, but the jet has always been placed at or near the stern of the
vessel, in consequence of which a great portion of the power has been lost by slip,
whereas by my Invention the whole power of the jet is utilized for propelling
the vessel.
According to my Invention one or more jets of high-pressure steam are introduced
and discharged through one or more nozzles located within a tube passing from
stem to stern of the vessel beneath the water line, the said jet or jets being placed
towards the forward end of the tube, which is open to the water at both ends (or
it might be open at the stern only). One, two, or more of these tubes with a steam
jet or jets therein may be employed. By the action of the jet water is drawn in
at the bow end, and after traversing the whole length of the tube is discharged at
the stern, and by its reaction against the surrounding water propels the ship.
By this arrangement nearly the whole force of the jet is expended in setting in
motion at a slow speed the large body of water contained in the tube, whereby the.
slip or loss of power is reduced to a minimum, whereas in all former attempts the
loss of power has been very great in consequence of the yielding nature of the water
permitting the passage through it of the small column of water (in area only about
equal to the steam jet) at a very high velocity. It is found in practice that when
the speed of the water driven back is about equal to the speed of the ship ahead
the slip is least, and this result I obtain by introducing the steam jet towards the
bow and causing it to act on the large body of water in the tube.
Price G11

page_text: I further propose to admit atmospheric air with the steam jet, and to provide an
arrangement for reversing the motion of the ship by directing the jet forwards instead
of backwards. If it be desired to attain an equal speed astern and ahead the jet
might be located amidships instead of astern. The air may be admitted with the
steam after the manner of a Giffard's injector, for which purpose the pipe from
the boiler terminates before entering the water passage in a nozzle received in the
open mouth of a funnel-shaped tube, through which the air is drawn with the
steam. This tube passes through a stuffing box into the water passage, and is
bent round to form a nozzle from which the jet is projected. The tube is free to
be turned in the stuffing box by means of handle in order to reverse the direction
of the jet.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Charles Ross Simey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th January
1877.
CHARLES ROSS SIMEY, of Sunderland, in the County of Durham.
MENTS IN THE PROPULSION OF VESSELS."
"IMPROVE-
My Invention relates to improvements in the manner of applying the force of
high-pressure steam for the purpose of propelling vessels on the steam jet principle.
In former practice it has been generally found that low-pressure steam is best
for this form of propeller on account of its energy being as nearly as possible all
utilized in driving the vessel; but the large size of boiler requisite to supply
steam at such pressure has generally prevented this plan from being adopted
otherwise than as a scientific toy.
The objection to a small jet of high-pressure steam (to raise which a much
sir aller boiler can be used) is found to arise from the fact that owing to the great
velocity of its issue from the jet pipe or nozzle the jet of steam cuts like a knife
through the water and its greater energy is expended in slip instead of in propulsion.
In order to overcome this objection I propose to effect the propulsion of vessels
by the reaction of a column or columns of water impelled by one or more jets of
high-pressure steam through a tubular passage or passages passing in a fore-and-aft
direction beneath the water line. The said passage or passages may pass externally
along the bottom or through the hull of the vessel, as may be preferred, but should
be wholly beneath the water line and open to the water at each end to allow the
water to flow freely through them. The said passage or passages should extend
from stem to stern of the vessel and should be as large in diameter as the draft of
water will allow. In this or these tubes or passages I introduce a jet pipe or pipes
pointed in the opposite direction to that in which it is desired to propel the vessel,
and placed as near to the front end of the tube as can be arranged in order that
the issuing steami jet during its passage to the far end of the tube may communicate
as nearly as possible its whole force to the body of water within the tubular
passage or passages. By this means I am enabled by the use of high-pressure
steam to set in motion in a backward direction at a speed nearly equal to the
speed of the vessel ahead a large column or columns of water which propel the
vessel by reaction. For reversing the motion of the vessel I can adapt part of
the whole number of tubes for that purpose, or the steam jet pipes may be made
to turn round within the passage so as to point in the reverse direction.
In the annexed Drawing Figure 1 shows a longitudinal elevation, Figure 2 a
plan; and Figure 3 an end view of a vessel fitted with two such passages a, a, with
à nozzle in each. The dotted lines in the tubes (Figure 1) show the diverging
action of the steam.
I further propose to admit atmospheric air with the steam, for which purpose
I would employ the arrangement shown in Figure 4, in which the steam pipe from
the boiler terminates before entering the water passage in a nozzle c, which is

page_text: received in the open mouth of a funnel-shaped tube d, through which the air is
drawn with the steam projected from the nozzle into the said open funnel mouth.
This tube passes through a stuffing box into the water passage a, and is bent
round to form a jet pipe or nozzle b, from which the jet of air and steam is projected
along the water passage.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
or carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that I claim the
method herein described of applying high-pressure steam to the propulsion of
vessels by permitting it to expend its force within a tubular water passage or
passages, as described, through which the water is impelled at the most suitable
speed for propelling the vessel by reaction.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Ross Simey, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord Onc
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness to signature,
S. A. O. RUDOLPHI.
CHAS. R. SIMEY. (L.S.)