A NEW APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING BOATS ON CANALS, RIVERS, AND LAKES OF MODERATE DEPTH
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robertson, of the City of Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Mechanicián, for the Invention of "A NEW
APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING BOATS ON CANALS, RIVERS, AND LAKES OF
MODERATE DEPTH."
Sealed the 15th July 1859, and dated the 28th January 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robertson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th January 1859.
I, WILLIAM ROBERTSON, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "A NEW APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING BOATS ON CANALS, RIVERS, AND LAKES
OF MODERATE DEPTH," to be as follows:-
An endless chain of suitable length is passed over a series of pulleys, so
fixed and arranged upon the boat to be propelled as to be capable of being at
once supported and moved forwards or backwards by them; two of them being
so placed, one at each end, as to carry the chain banging loosely over them,
and reaching the bottom, and lying on it the entire length of the boat.
The action is as follows:-Power is applied to these pullies, or as many of
them as may be necessary, so as to impart continuous motion to the chain, but
as the portion lying upon the bottom will refuse to move until considerable
force is applied, that is to say, a force corresponding to the weight of the
chain, so will the boat have a tendency to move in the direction of the strain,

page_text: while each part of the chain removed by the above action from the bottom
will be replaced from the part of it falling from the opposite end, so that the
resistance obtained from the chain lying on the bottom will be continuous, and
according to the velocity with which the chain is taken up and replaced, will
be the motion of the boat backwards or forwards.
Instead of one such chain, two may be employed, one at either side, and in
this case the chain may be suspended from, and passed over the pullies so as
to be clear of the sides of the boat. Any number of chains indeed may be
employed.
In case of canals, rivers, or lakes of variable depth and nature of bottom,
one or more of the pullies may be made adjustable, so that the chain may be
lengthened or shortened at pleasure, or as the condition of the depth or the
nature of the bottom may seem to require. The adjustable pulley will also
regulate the length of chain immerged to the depth the boat will sink from the
amount of load. The chain may also be made with loose or fixed projections,
so as to be capable of taking hold of the bottom, and thereby offering a
greater resistance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Robertson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st July 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERTSON, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Me-
chanician, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Robertson, Her special licence that I, the said William
Robertson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Robertson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW
APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING BOATS ON CANALS, RIVERS, AND LAKES OF MODERATE
DEPTH," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Robertson,

page_text: my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robertson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement (that is to say):-
The nature of my said Invention consists in the application of an endless
chain or of endless chains passing over pullies, so fixed and arranged upon the
boat to be propelled as to be capable of being supported and moved forward
or backwards by them, and the chain or chains being of such a length that
they reach to and lie upon the bottom of the canal, river, or lake to be
navigated.
But in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily: carried
into effect, I will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a boat with the chain propeller attached;
Figure 2 is a plan of the same; Figure 3 is a sectional elevation. of the same;
shewing more particularly the connection of the pullies around which the
propelling chains pass with the motive power. In these three Figures the
same letters refer to the same or corresponding parts in. each of the Figures in
which they occur. Figure 4 represents a variety of forms in which the chain
may be made and provided with anchor teeth, together with the pullies
adapted to their reception, each form of chain and pulley being distinguished
by special letters of reference.
In these Drawings, in the first three Figures, the shaft a is connected with
the engine; on it are fastened the double grooved pullies d, d, one at each side
of the boat B. The grooves in the pullies d, d, next the side of the boat B
receive the endless chains C, C, from the series of carrier pullies f, f, one of
which is placed on either side as near to the stern as possible, while the others
are equally distributed along the sides of the boat.. The groove in the pullies d
passes the chain C to the adjustable pullies g, from which it is passed over the
second or outside groove in the pullies d, d; from thence it is dropped. into
the water, and reaches the bottom of the canal, river, or lake for nearly, the
entire length of the, boat; in rising from the bottom it is passed over the series
of pullies f,f, above referred to. Power being applied to the shaft a, motion

page_text: is imparted through the pullies d, d, to the chains C, C, in the direction of
the arrows, which are thereby moyed over the pullies f, f, and lifted from the
bottom of the river, and the weight of the chains being adjusted to the boat
to be propelled, the lifting of the chains continuously propels the boat forwards.
The advantage of this mode of propulsion is, that it approximates more nearly
than any other to pulling against a fixed point, and occasions very little more
surge in the water than would be excited by passing the boat through it. The
adjustable pullies g, 9, around which the chain C passes as above described,
are regulated at will by block and tackle j, which is attached at one end to
the moveable frame h, in which the pulley g is placed, and at the other is
fastened to any convenient part of the boat B. By this adjustable pulley the
chain may be brought more or less on deck at will, and regulated to the depth
of water or the sinking of the vessel in the water when loaded. The position
which this adjustable pulley occupies may be varied as well as the method of
adjustment, the method shewn in the Drawings being adapted to a common
chain passing over a plain grooved pulley; but if chains having anchor teeth
or notched pullies should be used, the position shewn in the Drawings would
not be suitable, but the whole apparatus as shewn may be removed to the
stern, and connected with the carrier pulley f, or any other position which
circumstances may determine, the position or modification of the apparatus
that may be necessary being easily determined by a competent mechanic.
In Figure 4, which represents a variety of forms of chains and pullies, the
chain k, shewn on the pulley 1, is furnished at equal intervals with washer teeth
fastened on the chain, their distances from each other being adapted to the
notches in the pulley. These are of such frequency as to anchor the chain,
and being circular will take hold of the bottom in every position of the chain.
The chain o, shewn on the pulley p, is furnished on each link with an anchor
tooth on each side, by which the chain may be anchored. These teeth are
made with the link and form part of it. The chain so made is capable of
being worked as shewn by a common grooved pulley p. The chain m, shewn
on the pulley n, is flat, and so equally pitched as to be suitable for being
drawn over the pulley n, by means of the teeth thereon. This chain may
also be furnished with anchor teeth, as shewn in the Drawing. The position
of the tooth in this chain may also be varied according to the views or circum-
stances of the mechanic adopting it.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I claim the use of an endless chain or
chains acting on the bottom, however modified, for propelling boats on canals,
rivers, and lakes of moderate depth.

page_text: Also the application to such chain or chains, whether common, flat, or
pitched, of adjustable or fixed teeth, by which it or they may be anchored
or prevented from slipping.
Also the application of an adjustable pulley, by which the chain may be
accommodated to the depth of the river, canal, or lake, or the depth to which
the boat is sunk by the load.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robertson, have hereunto set
my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
accommodated to the depth of the river, canal, or lake, or the depth to which
the boat is sunk by the load.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robertson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
WILLIAM ROBERTSON. (L.S.)