IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF BOILERS, ENGINES AND PROPELLERS FOR SHIPS AND PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Cortland Herbert Simpson of Bushey in the County of
Herts, Rear Admiral Royal Navy for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE ARRANGEMENT OF BOILERS, ENGINES AND PROPELLERS FOR SHIPS AND
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Cortland Herbert Simpson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th August 1883.
CORTLAND HERBERT SIMPSON of Bushey in the County of Herts, Rear Admiral
Royal Navy. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF BOILERS, ENGINES AND
PROPELLERS FOR SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS AND IN THE
STEERAGE
"
METHOD OF THEIR
The propellers (of which one or more can be used in each vessel) are of the
partially submerged hollow cylindrical drum or barrel type with movable radiating
paddle blades or floats having guide rollers or axles with or without friction rollers
projecting from them into stationary cam grooves formed in the sides or ends of a
casing which contains the barrel. Now according to my invention I place within
this barrel and casing the whole of the engine (which actuates the floats and causes
the revolution of the barrel and as a consequence the propulsion of the vessel) and
also the boilers which supply that engine with steam. This casing has an opening
at the bottom to allow the floats to be projected through it and can be secured to
any part of the bottom of the ship so as to communicate with the external water
and allow the floats to be projected into and act upon the external water below the
ship's bottom but by preference I place this casing (or each of them if more than one
is used) in a circular tank or basin open at the top but closed at the bottom except
where it is intended to project the floats and having at the upper edge a broad flat
rim. A circular well or wells as the case may be open to the water through the
bottom and having the sides carried up above load water line are built into the
ship in a central line with the keel to receive the circular tank which fits accurately
into the well provided for it and in its normal position is suspended therein with
the bottom flush with the bottom of the vessel by the rim resting on the edge of
ת

page_text: the well (or by other means) but is not otherwise necessarily in contact with the
sides of the well and is free to revolve horizontally therein.
My improvements further consist in the method of steering ships propelled as
aforesaid by causing through suitable machinery the aforesaid tank or tanks which
fit into the wells of the vessel to revolve horizontally within those wells and so by 5
the action of the floats upon the water at different angles to steer the ship. This
method of steering may be used alone or in combination with an ordinary rudder.
.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Cortland Herbert Simpson in the Patent Office on the 20th February
1884.
CORTLAND HERBERT SIMPSON of Bushey in the County of Herts, Rear Admiral,
Royal Navy "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF BOILERS ENGINES AND
PROPELLERS FOR SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS AND IN THE METHOD OF THEIR
STEERAGE
"
The propellers (of which one or more can be used in each vessel) are of the
partially submerged hollow cylindrical drum or barrel type with movable radiating
paddle blades or floats having gudgeons or axles fitted with guide blocks or friction
rollers projecting from them into stationary cam grooves formed in the sides or
ends of a casing which contains the aforesaid drain or barrel Now according to
my invention. I place within this drum or barrel (which is arranged within the
said casing) the cylinders and principal parts of the engine (which actuates the
flouts and causes the revolution of the barrel and as a consequence the propulsion
of the vessel), and also the boilers which supply that engine with steam. The
aforesaid easing has an opening at the bottom to allow the floats to be projected
through it and can be placed in any part of the bottom of the ship so as to
communicate through the ships bottom with the external water and allow the floats
to be projected into and act upon the external water below the ships bottom, but
by preference I place this casing (or each of them if more than one is used) with
the engine boiler and propeller connected to and contained therein in a circular
tank or basin open at the top, but closed at the bottom except where it is intended
to project the floats and having at the upper edge a broad flat rim A circular well
or wells as the case may be open to the water through the bottom and having the
sides carried up above load water line (that is to say as regards larger ships, but
for such vessels as torpedo boats I do not necessarily carry the well up so high)
are built into the ship in a central line with the keel to receive the circular tank
which fits accurately into the well provided for it and in its normal position is
suspended therein with the bottom flush with the bottom of the vessel by the rim
resting on the edge of the vessel (or by other means) but is not otherwise necessarily
in contact with the sides of the well and is free to revolve horizontally therein.
My Improvements further consists in the method of steering ships propelled as
aforesaid by causing througli suitable machinery the aforesaid tank or tanks which

page_text: fit into the wells of the vessel, to revolve horizontally within these wells and so by
the action of the floats upon the water at different angles to steer the ship. This
method of steering may be used alone or in combination with an ordinary rudder.
In order that my invention may be more fully understood I will now proceed to
describe the same with the aid of the accompanying drawings which show one
mode of carrying my invention into effect more especially as applied to vessels
of war.
Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view in longitudinal vertical section of the hull of
a ship for example of the hull of a steam. launch or torpedo boat constructed
according to my invention showing two wells Figure 2 is a plan of same vessel at
water line. Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section on a larger scale than the
previous Figures of a portion of a ship or vessel fitted with combined propellers
and steering gear according to my invention. Figure 4 is a vertical cross section
of a ship showing the position and arrangement of boilers and engine Figure 5
shows a detail in fore and aft section through centre of tank and casing on a still
larger scale than any of the foregoing Figures with an arrangement of cam groove..
Similar letters of reference refer to like parts in all the Figures.
A is the tank or basin, B is the casing connected thereto and containing the
drum X in which are arranged the boilers and principal parts of the engine. C
Figure 4 indicates the position of the boilers and D Figures 3, 4 and 5 the cylinder
part of the engine but as I do not limit myself to the use of any particular
construction or class of boiler or engine it is quite unnecessary for the purposes of
this Specification to illustrate or to describe the details of construction of any
such boiler or engine E, E, indicates the opening at the bottom of the casing B,
through which opening the floats F are projected,into the external water below the
ship's bottom; G is the broad flat rim on the upper edge of the tank or basin A
and which is free to revolve round when required upon the top of the well H and
may be fitted with rollers to diminish friction. Spur wheel I on shaft K, bevel
wheels K¹ K shaft L, and steering gear indicated by the letter M show one means
or arrangement whereby the tank A may be revolved in the well H but in this
case as in the case with reference to the engines and boiler as I do not limit my
invention to any particular arrangement for revolving the tank, it is not necessary
for me to describe or to show the parts of the gearing more clearly than I have
done. In the arrangement shown there are two steering wheels. These two
steering wheels are in the centre of the ship and they can be connected and
disconnected, so as to act together or separately, at will. They each act on the
separate shafts L, L, running fore and aft with a bevelled wheel K2 K2 at their
further ends, which are geared to wheels K' which are again geared to the cogged
rim G. of the tanks A before mentioned, which fit into the wells H of the ship, and
thus by working the steering gear M the tanks A can be revolved horizontally in
any direction either separately or together. The cogged wheels I which are
geared into the rims G of the tanks, are of sufficient length perpendicularly to
allow the tanks to rise and fall without becoming ungeared The drum X which
carries the floats F and within which is arranged radially the cylinders N from
which the floats are operated, may be rotated by forcing the floats outwards and
inwards the rollers Y, on the gudgeons W formed on the ends of each float (see
Figure 4) travelling up and down the inclined planes of such a cam groove formed
in the flat sides of the casing B as shown at V. Figure 5 but any other suitable
power or motor capable of being contained on or within the barrel X and casing B
may be adopted without departing from my invention A¹ A¹ are two hollow
sector pieces which fill up spaces at the lower part of the casing unoccupied by the
barrel,
The tank A may be of the form shown here, but in some cases I carry it up
.straight above the water line instead of enlarging it as here shown.
The boilers C are fixed to the trunnions T T¹ Figure 4 and are fixed through
the outer trunnions T¹ which are firmly secured to the side walls of the casing B.
The engines with their floats F revolve on and round the entire trunnions T T.

page_text: The steam is conveyed from the boilers to the engines by way of the central
trunnion T
Figure 6 is an outline vertical cross section showing another arrangement
according to which the casing containing the engine boilers and propellor fixed
directly to the bottom of the ship and without the tank A. and consequently without
the wells in the ship and the system of steering.
I prefer to build the ship with both ends alike, that is having two bows and a
middle part.
The floats may be prevented from being projected down the cam when the ship
is under sail, and the steam shut off from the cylinders in any convenient manner..
Though I have found it necessary to state roughly the principal details of my
plan, in order to explain it fully it is not contended that these details must
necessarily be followed in every instance.
Ships fitted with two propellers in revolving tanks according to my invention
will have a manoeuvring power superior to that of any other system. By it a ship
can be sent, from full speed ahead to full speed astern by a few turns of the
wheels, without stopping the engines, or having any communication with the
engine room. She can be kept stationary whilst both engines are going at full
speed, by a few turns with one wheel. She can be steered with the greatest
nicety and ease from within a few degrees to being revolved on her centre with
great power and rapidity.
She can be steered equally well when going ahead or astern, can rain either way,
and has no rudder or propeller that can be fouled, or injured in action.
She can also be steered to any point of the compass without turning or altering
the direction of her head. The advantage of this power in enabling a ship to
keep her guns bearing on an object when advancing towards it, or retreating from
it, and in numerous other instances, must be obvious and I believe has never.
hitherto been attained by any other plan,
When under sail alone and the floats not projected, there will practically be
little more to interfere with the ship's passage through the water, than in an
ordinary sailing ship but unless a removable sailing rudder is fitted (which I think
quite unnecessary) she will have to be steered by the projecting ends of the
casings, below the ship's bottom, being moved by the steering wheels to the
requisite angle with the ships course
The mode of propulsion will give a greater speed than any other for the
following reasons.
The floats, from the size, act when projected upon a very large column of water,
at a great depth and undisturbed by the passage of the ship in a practically direct
line with the keel, and consequently the slip will be small, and the whole of the
reaction due to the resistance of the water to the fonts, is effective for propulsion.
But great as is the advantage that this method of propulsion will have, over the
screw, in this respect it is small, as compared with the advantage to be derived
from the evident fact that where two propellors are used the action of the floats
of the foremost propellor must tend to draw the water from under the bows of the
ship; and reduce materially the wavo formed by her forward progress whilst the
stream of water sot in motion sternwards by the floats of both propellers will
obviously tend to heap the water up under her run, thus materially reducing if not
entirely doing away with the retarding effect upon the ships progress caused by
the slow supply of water to take her place as she moves forward. In fact, with
this method of propulsion, the ship will bo.always sliding down the face of a wave
instead of being forced up the back of a wave as is the case with vessels propelled
by the screw. And there is another point of great importance in favor of my
plan as compared with the screw, namely the friction of the water upon tho
propellers.
As regards economy of space, a very large amount of space is saved.
There is another point of great importance vis: that the time and cost at
present involved in fitting and building engines and boilers into the ship, and still

page_text: more so when boilers have to be removed, and new ones fitted in, is entirely saved.
By that part of my invention according to which I arrange the casing which
contains boiler engine and propeller in one or more tanks which are suspended
within the wells of the ship and it is obvious that if these tanks were arranged
so that they could be disconnected from their rims or at some other suitable point
that would enable them (with their casing, boiler, engine and propeller) to be
lowered through the bottom of the well clear of the ship. The only preparation
required, is to disconnect the funnels at their base, and to close the hollow shafts
or trunnions T Figure 4 which support the boilers so as to prevent the water
entering the boilers and barrel through them. And it is equally easy and
practicable to hoist new tanks with their engines and boilers, up through the wells
into their places.
Thus supposing a certain number of spare tanks with their engines and boilers,
for each class of ship, are kept ready for launching at our principal dockyards, an
iron-clad, or any class of vessel might arrive at any of these ports with disabled
engines or boilers and in 48 hours would probably be able to put to sea again, with
new ones. Of course a large vessel such as a 60 feet beam ironclad would
require a considerable depth of water to enable her to lower engines eto, clear of
her bottom some 12 or 14 fathoms and this would entail a long journey for the
tanks etc, to and from the shore unless special docks were provided for the purpose
but there is little practical difficulty in this length of journey for the whole of the
machinery tanks, engine boilers and casing together would float in an upright
position and could be easily towed. For small vessels, such as torpedo boats, their
tank entire with engines etc, could be hoisted in or out by the vessel to which they
are attached.
It will I think be evident that there is no probability of injury to the propellers
in deep water the floats cannot be struck by shot or fouled in action and there is.
no rudder to be injured neither can the safety of the ship be endangered through
any accident to the propellers or machinery.
As to the injury to boilers and engines from shot penetrating the ships side (that
is to say in case of war vessels) the boilers and engines are almost wholly below
the water-line and all parts that are above the water are necessarily within the
armoured part of the ship besides which they are additionally protected by the
wells tanks and cases and also from their position the destruction of one
propeller with its engine etc from whatever cause, will not interfere the least with
the action of the other.
As regards merchant vessels in which only one propeller in general would be
used, the casing containing it might be secured to the bottom of the vessel, the
opening of the casing coinciding with an opening in the bottom of the vessel so
as to allow the floats to act on the external water below the bottom of the ship
instead of placing the said casing in a circular tank fitted into a well. For such
vessels the ordinary rudder steering would be employ.
It has been stated that in certain cases the engines and boilers are fitted inside
tanks which are placed in the wells of the ship with their rims resting on the edge
of the wells so that these tanks are nowhere rigidly connected to the ship and
consequently anything like the blow or push on the projecting ends of the casing
that would take place from the ship running on shore would cause the tanks to
slide up in the well without injury to the floats though fully projected until they
disappeared entirely within the well. The force of the push or blow required to
cause the tanks to rise up in their wells depends of course upon the weight with
which they rest upon the edge of the wells If it is deliberately determined to
proceed into shoal water in order to get near a fort or pass through a shoal passage
for example the tanks can be raised in their wells by means of hydraulic pumps to
any extent short of the floats being completely withdrawn within the wells the
speed of the vessel being of course reduced by the reaction of the water acted
upon by the floats on the sides of the wells in proportion to the height the tank
is raised within the well, It may be concluded then that the liability of injury

page_text: to the propeller from taking the ground is small and that when required a vessel
fitted with these propellors can manoeuvre with safety in much shoalar water than
a similar vessel fitted with the screw.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner thọ
same is to be performed I declare that it has heretofore been proposed by myself
and patented by me the 20th July 1865 N° 1890 to employ a hollow cylinder fitted
with propellors and revolving in a casing and on the 19th November 1866 N° 3032
I described in a provisional specification a somewhat similar invention I therefore
make no broad claim to any such invention per se but I claim as my
"Improvements in the arrangement of boilers and engines and propellers for ships
and other vessels and in the method of their steerago.
First Arranging or combining the boilers with the cylinders and principal
parts of the Engines and propeller floats all in one and the samo drum which is
arranged inside a casing which is open below and communicating with the external
water through the bottom of the ship and which may or may not be placed
in a tank which fits into a well in the ship all substantially as and for the purposes
set forth:
Second-In a ship or vessel having one or more wells in each of which is
placed a tank and casing open below; a drum containing the boiler or boilers and
the principal parts of the engine the boiler or boilers being secured to central
trunnions and the cylinders being arranged radially and to revolve with the drum
and so as to project and withdraw radial floats which serve to propel the vessel, all
substantially as set forth.
Third: The method of steering ships by causing the tank or tanks A to revolve
horizontally and so to change the angle or angles at which the floats act on the
water whereby the direction of the ship may be changed all substantially as set
forth.
Fourth: The construction and arrangement of the tank and casing containing
the drum with the boilers propeller and motor so that the tank or part of same
with the casing may be readily withdrawn or inserted substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Cortland Herbert Simpson liave hereunto set
my hand and seal this Fifteenth day of February in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
OH SIMPSON
OH SIMPSON
(1.S.)