IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING, AND IN OTHER ROTARY APPARATUSES
Year: 1860

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Buenaventura Stevenson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st June 1860.
I, HENRY BUENAVENTURA STEVENSON, of Alfred Street, Bedford Square, in
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING, AND IN OTHER
ROTARY APPARATUSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements in rotary apparatuses, applicable for
propelling and various other purposes. I propose to employ two wheels at a
suitable distance apart, and arranged so that they may revolve together, their
planes of revolution being parallel to each other, but the wheels are excentric
to one another, that is to say, the centre of one wheel is above or at the side
of, but behind, in an oblique line with that of the other. These wheels.
carry between them plates, boards, vanes, frames, buckets, or vessels' sails, or
other appliances or instruments, according to the object of the apparatus.
each of which such plates, appliances, or instruments is held to or carried by
both wheels at points, which are on each wheel equidistant from the centre of
that wheel, and at the same distance from each other in one wheel as in the
other, those of the first wheel being the same distance from the centre of that
wheel as those of the second wheel from the centre of that second wheel. This
may be conveniently arranged by holding each plate frame or other instrument
or appliance at one angle to the rim of one wheel, and at the diagonally

page_text: opposite angle to the rim of the other wheel, by means of pins, rods, or arms
fixed at the extremity of and at right angles to radial arms of the wheels, and
entering sockets at opposite sides of the plate, and so carrying it; but the
plates, frames, or other appliances are not fixed fast on the wheels, but so
held to them, that though carried with them in their revolution, yet in all
positions of the rotation they, that is, of course, their planes or like sections,
would always be parallel to the same imaginary plane, and never in an angular
direction to one another. Thus, supposing the wheels mounted vertically, then
if their centres were one above the other, the plates would always be vertical;
and if their centres were sidewise (the wheels being mounted vertically) the
plates would always be horizontal whatever the position of revolution. A cap,
casing, or sheath may be so contrived as to subtend or surround a portion of
the periphery, or to cover more or less of the surface of the wheels, and suitable
accessories provided, so that when the plates or instruments pass under such
casing, they may in some instances be kept from the action or from acting on
the water or other fluid in which they are working; or in other instances the
casing may compose a chamber or chambers to receive or hold steam, water,
or other fluid to act on the plates or instruments. Rotatory motion may be
communicated to the wheels by a driving shaft or suitable contrivance, so that
the plates or instruments which they carry may act for propelling and for
various other purposes; on the other hand, water, steam, or other motive
agent may act on the plates, sails, or other instruments or appliances, and
impart motion to the wheels to be transmitted therefrom in any suitable
manner for various useful purposes. Thus, for example, suppose the appa-
ratus applied for propelling the wheels may be rotated by a driving shaft, and
carry, arranged as described, plates, blades, paddles, or floats; or they may
carry frames, each fitted with a number of vertical or other plates, blades, or
arms; and the cap or casing and its appendages may be so arranged as to
cover the wheels more or less, so that they may be more or less submerged.
For varying direction of motion the vessel or body to be moved may be
provided with such rotatory apparatuses arranged in suitable positions to move
it in the, required direction.
For raising water and other bodies buckets or suitable trays or vessels may
be employed, carried by and between the wheels in manner before described.
Cams may be employed to vary the position of or open or close moveable
plates or parts held in the frames or appliances between the wheels. For
elevating balloons or aerial vessels, plates, or vanes may be exposed to the
action of the air at a portion of the revolution, a casing covering the wheels
at one side.

page_text: For driving mills by wind, sails or vanes may be carried by and between
the wheels, as described.
For water wheels water may enter and impinge on the plates or appliances
in certain cases, as for overshot wheels, a casing composing a chamber or
chambers with inlet and outlet may be employed.
For rotary engines the wheels may be enclosed or surrounded with a
casing to form a chamber or chambers, and steam, air, explosive gases, or
fluids admitted therein to act upon the plates, diaphragms, or appliances
carried by and between the wheels, as described, and will thus move them and
the wheels, the motion being suitably transmitted.
For traction engines plates, bars, or suitable instruments carried by and
between the wheels, as described, are consecutively presented to the ground or
surface on which the engine is to travel to accommodate them to uneven
surfaces; they may consist of plates or sheets of india-rubber, or other resilient
material, mounted on frames. It is needless in this Provisional Specification
to enter into further detail as to the applications of apparatuses constructed
on this principle.