IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO PROPELLING VESSELS, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Allen Baker, of Kingston, in the County Frontenac,
in the Province of Ontario, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
APPERTAINING TO PROPELLING VESSELS, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR." A
communication from abroad from Benjamin Barton Brewer, of Sacramento,
California.
Sealed the 14th January 1879, and dated the 17th July 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Allen Baker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th July 1878.
JOSEPH ALLEN BAKER, of Kingston, in the County Frontenac, in the Province
of Ontario. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO PROPELLING VESSELS,
AND APPARATUS THEREFOR." (A communication from abroad from Benjamin
Barton Brewer, of Sacramento, California.)
This Invention relates to that class of propelling mechanism in which the vessel
is propelled by jets of fluid re-acting against the body of water in which she is
immersed or floats. It consists in placing one or more (preferably two) pumps at
one end of the vessel, worked by one or a pair of engines directly behind them.
In the case of reciprocating engines and pumps one rod is preferably used to carry
the engine and pump pistons. Rotary pumps may however be used if desired. The
pumps take their water from apertures in the vessel's bottom fitted with clack or
similar valves. From the pumps proceed four lateral curved pipes, two (one on
each side) pointing ahead, the other pair similarly astern.
Each pair of pipes on one side of the vessel are preferably connected at their
junction with the pump, and a single valve therefore can be inade to control both
the "ahead" and "astern" jet on each side, though a separate valve for each pipe
can be fitted.
At the stern I place a nozzle of preferably the same shape as the nozzle of a
"Root" or similar blower, and connected to the pumps so as to eject a jet directly

page_text: astern. This nozzle is so mounted that it can be swung laterally to aid in directing
the vessel, the steering wheel or other gear operating it.
<<
The vessel can be driven ahead by directing the impelling fluid through the
swinging nozzle," and through the two "ahead" pipes. To reverse the course
these are all closed, and the "astern" jets come into operation, forcing the vessel
astern.
"
By working one lateral jet on one side " ahead," and the other on the other side
astern," the vessel can be turned, and the combined employment of the "swinging
nozzle" considerably aids the evolution.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Allen Baker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th
January 1879.
JOSEPH ALLEN BAKER, of Kingston, in the County of Frontenac, in the Province
of Ontario. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO PROPELLING VESSELS, AND
APPARATUS THEREFOR." (A communication from abroad by Benjamin Barton
Brewer, of Sacramento, California.)
This Invention relates to that class of propelling performed by drawing
water in the vessel from one direction, and forcibly ejecting it in the direction
opposite to the course in which the vessel is to be propelled.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
Fig. 1 shews a side elevation of part of a vessel with side cut away, showing the
parts embodying my Invention.
Fig. 2 shows a plan of the same Invention, with bottom cut away so as to present
the parts relating to the Invention.
Fig. 3 shows a detail view of the nozzle.
Fig. 4, another of the valve apparatus hereafter described.
In Figs. 1 and 2 are shown pumps P and engines E for working said pumps.
Connected to the pumps are the pipes a, b, b', e, e¹, through which the water is
forced by the pumps, the force of which propells the vessel. In Fig. 1 these are not
all shown. In this device I use a reciprocating pump, or two of them, put side by
side, each being worked directly by the engines E by having the one piston rod
used for both pump and engine.
I do not claim any particular form of pump or engine, for if desired a rotary
pump may be used in the place of the one shown. In this case the pumps are
double acting, and take the water through the bottom of the vessel through the
openings and pipes m and n, said pipes being provided with suitable valves to
admit the water into the pumps and prevent the same from being forced back again
in the same direction.

page_text: What I consider as the principal part of the Invention is the arrangement of and
manner of constructing the pipes through which the water is pumped, and the
method of directing and controlling the course of the water.
Fig. 1 shows the pipe openings m and n, through which the water passes in
entering the pumps; these are the inlet or receiving pipes; the ejecting pipes,
through which the water is expelled, are a, fixed near the stern of the vessel, and
the pipes b, b, and e, e', which are located on the sides and near the bottom of the
vessel.
The pipes b, b¹, are used to eject the water through and out in a sternward
direction for the purpose of propelling the vessel forward, and the pipes e, e¹, are
used to eject the water through in a forward direction for the purpose of propelling
the vessel backward or sternward, the propelling power in both cases being the
force of the water ejected re-acting on the vessel, and propelling it in a direction
opposite to the course of the water; and as pipes b' and e are placed on each sido
of the vessel alike, it is seen that by forcing the water ahead through e on one side,
and to the sternward through 61 on the opposite side, the force of the water would
act in opposite directions, causing the vessel to turn around, and by directing the
water through the proper pipes the vessel can be turned in either way desired.
By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen the pipes b, 61, pointing sternward, and
pipes e, el, pointing forward. At the junction of said pipes are valves k, which are
worked by rods which lead to and are under the control of the pilot, the same as
the rudder, if used, and the pipe tiller T. By turning the valve rods the valves /;
are changed, so that the water ejected by the pumps can be directed through either
the pipes b, b', or e, e¹, for the purpose before stated.
In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 is shown the pipe a, the same being branched and connected
to both of the pumps so that the rear stroke of each pump will force water through
its respective branch and through the pipe and out of the nozzle a.
;
Fig. 1 shows the pipe a, consisting of the pipe proper D, running out at the stern
of the vessel, said pipe being provided with a taper-ended nozzle a', and connected
to the main pipe by means of the turning joint o, which enables the nozzle a to bo
turned in any direction on a horizontal plane by means of the post and tiller T.
Fig. 2 shows the pipe a.in dotted lines turned in different directions.
Fig. 3 shows a detail of the pipe D and nozzle a with the turning, joint that
connects the two together; the arrow shows the course of the water. X is a
tension bolt, and B is a brace, both of which are employed to secure the nozzle a
and pipe D together, and still allow the end a to be freely turned by means of the
post T, the same as shewn in Fig. 2.
The object of the turning nozzle a being to change the direction of the water
ejected by the pump, so that as the propelling effect of the water ejected will be in
a direction opposite to the direction of the water ejected, it stands to reason that
by turning the direction of the nozzle a¹ the course of the vessel can be changed or
controlled accordingly.
'
It will be seen that the side pipe b' and e¹, combined with the pumps and engines,
make a propelling device independent of pipe a, and that the jointed pipe D, a¹,
also makes in combination with the pump or pumps and engines a propelling and
steering device independent of the side pipes and e', or that both together make
a compound device for the same purpose. Both or either of these devices may be
used as an auxiliary propelling and steering device in combination with a screw or
paddle steamer, or as an auxiliary propelling device for a sailing vessel.
I will now proceed more particularly to describe and shew how I prefer to arrange
the pumps so that they can be used for pumping water for extinguishing fires and
similar purposes, as well as for propelling and directing the vessel. This makes the
mechanism of the vessel very convenient if a fire breaks out to extinguish the same,
or to use her as means of putting out fire in vessels or objects in her immediate
vicinity.
Above the pumps I prefer to mount an air vessel C provided with an ejecting.

page_text: piper; this air vessel is provided with branch pipes o, o¹, u, u¹, connecting the
pump chambers I with it.
In Fig. 4 is shown a detail section through o; one of these pipes I is the chamber.
It will be seen that I fit a double or angle valve V on a spindle f passing through a
stuffing box, as shown, so that when the valve is shut down, as shown, the water
instead of passing through the pipe D to propel the vessel passes through pipe o to
clack or similar valves Z to the air chamber and connecting pipe. Of course for
working both the pipes o and u the valves V are adjusted the same so as to let the
water sucked by the pumps m and check valves g¹ pass to the air chamber c instead
of going to the ejecting pipes.
To propell the vessel the valves V are shut against the pipes proceeding to the
air chamber.
Instead of single valves, as shown, each pipe may be provided with a separate
valve.
What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,―
1st. The combination of the reciprocating or other form of pumps, with the four
pipes b, b¹, e, e', used for propelling the vessel forward, backward, or turning the
same by means of the pumps, forcibly ejecting water through said pipes, and
directing the water by means of the valves k, l, substantially as and for the purposes
above set forth.
2. The combination of the water pipe D, a', provided with a horizontal turning
joint O and turning post T, connected to the nozzle end of the pipe a, so as to point
the nozzle a' and water passing through the same in any direction on a horizontal
plane, the same being connected with the stern of a vessel, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
3. The combination of the pipes b, b¹, and e, e', and D, and nozzle a³, brace B,
bolt x, joint O, and pumps P and engines E, with the hull of a vessel, substantially
as and for the purposes above set forth.
4. The general arrangement and combination of apparatus for propelling and
steering vessels, substantially as described and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Allen Baker, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
1879.
JOSEPH ALLEN BAKER. (L.S.)
Witness,
E. GARDNER COLTON,
Patent Agent,
Of Wm. P. Thompson & Co.,
323, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
and
6, Lord Street,
Liverpool.