A NEW OR IMPROVED SPHERICAL SHIP AND MACHINERY FOR PROPELLING SAME, WHICH MACHINERY IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO LAND LOCOMOTION AND TO MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joseph Ghisi at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th December
1869.
I, JOSEPH GHISI, of Lodi, Italy, Merchant, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED SPHERICAL SHIP AND
MACHINERY FOR PROPELLING SAME, WHICH MACHINERY IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO LAND
LOCOMOTION AND TO MOTIVE-POWER ENGINES," to be as follows:-
My Invention comprises a new and useful system of spherical ship
with circular or rotary steam engine for marine locomotion, and the
modification and application of the said system of circular steam to
engines for land locomotion as well as to stationary engines and every
kind of machine in which the expansive power of steam or of any gas or
vapour is employed as motive power.
The Invention consists in a large floating tube A (Fig. 1, Sheet I. of
the annexed Drawings) connected with a second smaller tube B, inside
of which runs easily on circular rails V (Fig. 2) a locomotive C, which
set in motion within the tube B by its weight alone destroys the

page_text: equilibrium of the large floating cylinder A, and consequently, as the
locomotive runs in the interior of the annular tube B this floating body
is continually actuated by a rotatory motion.
Also in a second contrivance (constituted by the special forms which
may be given to the extreme periphery of these floating cylinders A) in
the shape of a pyramidal crown D, E, F, G, H, I, (Fig. 1), which
turning by the same motion of the locomotive causes the projecting
pyramids to ensure and retain the progress of this floating mass through
the water so that the simple rotatory motion produced as aforesaid by
'the locomotive C is by this second contrivance changed into a translatory
motion or continuous projection.
There is also a third combination which assists the onward motion of
'this vessel, consisting in the two great paddle wheels L Figs. 1 and 2,
this latter Figure shewing horizontally the driving shaft. of the loco-
motive C, on the extremities N of which are two large wheels occupying
the lateral sides of the main cylinder (as may be seen in Fig. 1), the
points O of these two wheels plunging into and opposing resistance to the
sea. The wheels act like propellers, since the resistance encountered at O,
that is, at the centre of the floating mass, or at point P (Fig. 1) precisely
where gravitates the driving wheel Q of the locomotive C, which by
reason of its weight running into the circular plane of the tube B
causes with great advantage to the dynamical power a strong and triple
evolution, which overcoming all resistance under the angles accelerates
the speed of the vessel and enables it to cross the seas with a security
and swiftness always increasing in the same ratio as the dimensions
given to the ship, so that whatever may be the circumference of the
extreme periphery of this floating body it is always compelled to develop
itself on the water and make a progress equal to its own circumference
in the very short time occupied by the locomotive C in making the short
turn in the tube B. It is therefore evident that the advantages above
mentioned increase in proportion to the greater bulk, consequently
gigantic dimensions may if desired be given to these kinds of ships, and
by this new and simple contrivance a powerful and sure means of marine
locomotion is obtained resulting from the simple effect of a balancing
rotatory motion. It is for this reason that in this kind of vessels their
bulk being never prejudicial neither is their variety of form, as in this
case the number of the floats A may be multiplied or diminished, and
they may be arranged in an infinite number of ways. In fact a very

page_text: different structure is exhibited Fig. 7 (Sheet II.). It is composed of
two floats combined longitudinally by means of the frames G, G, in the
centre of which the passengers' cabin is suspended by ropes, and other
ropes D, E, confine it at the sides in F, and however rough the sea the
rolling will never be felt in the great bull, which being thus suspended
will prevent any disagreeable jumping motion being experienced by the
passengers as well as all kinds of shocks and blows resulting from any
collision whatever. Fig. 8 (Sheet II.) shews the framework of the same
system viewed from above. Finally Fig. 9 (Sheet II.) is a photograph
shewing two fore floats followed by a hull, which runs protected by the
wake of water left by the said floats without meeting with any resistance,
and this for the purpose of obtaining a ship of great stowage which
can be moved by any suitable power, but especially by the circular steam
engine expressly invented by me, and which I will now describe. At
the sides of the boiler T (Fig. 2, Sheet I.) is the steam outlet in direct
communication with the centre of the turbines U, U, as may be seen at
Fig. 3, which is a horizontal section showing the whole system of this
steam engine. The steam enters at the centre A, and issuing from the
two orifices B, B, discharges itself into the compartment or cavity of
the first empty circular cylinder D, exerting its expansive force upon the
closed valves E, E, and the pistons G, G, receiving this return pressure
turn at full speed in an opposite direction until arrived at the second
valves L, L, which the pieces N, N, cause to open and shut at once;
the two other valves P, P, situated in the second compartment or second
smaller hollow cylinder then close leaving open the two holes R, R,
and the steam which has just acted in the first compartment passes
through these two holes, enters into the interior of the said second
smaller compartment S, and there with expansive force exerts its power
upon the faces of the two inferior pistons T, T, pushing them in the
direction of the first ones by a true law of compensation in such a
manner that whatever may be the residuum of vapour in the first
compartment D and the effect on the valves L, L, since this follows in
the same direction with the first pistons G, G, it is consequently always
adapted to increase and bring the whole amount of power on the arms
or pistons G, G, T, T, in a rotary motion as their instantaneous
revolutions are thus renewed powerfully, incessantly, and without
friction in the direction indicated by the arrow. When the turbines are
constructed of large dimensions the steam can by a simultaneous action
act if required in a third compartment in such a manner as to always

page_text: preserve in this apparatus the advantage of condensing the whole of the
vapour issuing from the generator.
Reasoning on the many and special advantages to be derived from
this new system apart from its comparatively little cost I will mention
that of its simplicity and lightness resulting from the suppression of
mechanical parts, and that in locomotives the two turbines or tube
wheels may be placed directly at the lateral sides C, C, as may be seen
at Fig. 5 (Sheet I.), Fig. 6 representing a vehicle also having a steam
wheel or turbine at G, G; the same figure also shews a locking arrange-
ment. If it is desired to reverse the rotatory motion it can be effected by
pressing on the escapement lever retaining the detached piece as in
Fig. 4, and leaving the jacket free as at Fig. 3. Further this motion
may be made to work either vertically or horizontally as well as on an
inclined plane, and therefore may be applied to any kind of machinery.