WORKING THE OARS OR PADDLES OF BOATS, BARGES, SHIP3, AND OTHER KINDS OF NAVIGATING VESSELS
Year: 1819

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
MASON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS I, the said James Mason, did by my petition humbly represent
unto His present most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, that in
consequence of a communication made to me by a certain foreigner residing
abroad, I was in possession of a method of "WORKING THE OARS OR PADDLES OF
BOATS, BARGES, SHIP3, AND OTHER KINDS OF NAVIGATING VESSELS," that the same
was new in this kingdom, and had not been practised therein by any other
person or persons whomsoever, to my knowledge or belief; I therefore most
humbly prayed His said Majesty that he would be graciously pleased to grant
unto me, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, His Royal Letters Patent under the
Great Seal of Ilis United Kingdom, for the sole use, benefit, and advantage
of my said Invention, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, for the term of fourteen years, pursuant to the statute in that case
made and provided; and His said Majesty being willing to give encourage-
ment to all acts an inventions which might be for the public good, was
graciously pleased to condesend to my request; and therefore, by His Royal
Letters Patent, bearing date at Westminster, the Eighth day of May, in the
fifty-ninth year of His reign, of His especial grace, certain knowledge, and
mere motion, did give and grant unto me, the said James Mason, my exors,
adiiors, and assigns, IIis especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said James Mason, my exors, admors, and assigns, and
every of them, by myself and themselves, or by my and their deputy or

page_text: deputies, servants or agents, or such others as I, the said James Mason, my exors,
admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend my said Invention
within that part of His Majesty's said Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
called England, His Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in
such manner as to me, the said James Mason, my exors, adiñiors, and assigns,
or any of them, should.in my or their discretion see meet; and that I, the said
James Mason,, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, should and lawfully might have
and enjoy the whole profit, benefit, commodity, and advantage from time to time
coming, growing, accrueing, and arising by reason of the said Invention for
and during the term of years therein mentioned; to have, hold, exercise, and
enjoy the said licence, powers, privileges, and advantages therein-before granted
or mentioned to be granted unto me, the said James Mason, my exors,
adñiors, and assigns, for and daring the term of fourteen years from the day
of the date of those presents next and immediately ensuing, and fully to
be complete and ended, according to the statute in such case made and
provided; in which said said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that if I, the
said James Mason, should not particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same to
be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, that
then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages whatsoever
thereby granted, should utterly ceasc, determine, and become void, any thing
therein-before contained to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding,
as in and by the said Letters Patent, relation being thereunto had, may
more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Mason, do hereby declare that my said Invention consists of a lever or
barr A, A, in the Plan numbered 1 hereunto annexed, supported by the axis
or pin B at the joint C, resting on the fulcrum bar or spindle D, D, and which
fulcrum bar or spindle, passing perpendicularly through the ring E, terminates
at F, with a pin or pivot, which works in the hole or socket G. The ring E
is united with an iron plate, which is secured with screws to the gunwale or
side of the vessel, or it may be united with a shank or pin, which, passing through
the side of the vessel, is secured on the inside by a nut or bur screwed on the end
of the shank. The lower socket G is united with a like shank or pin, which,
passing through the side of the vessel, is well secured on the inside by a nut or bur

page_text: screwed also on the end of the shank or pin. Or the ring E and the socket G may
be secured to the side of the vessel by connecting them by a plate, and fastening
the plate by screws and pins or otherwise to the side of the vessel. At the
short end of the lever A, A, is a pin or gudgeon I, which serves for the joint of
a connecting bar or upright II, and at the lower end of that bar is another pin
or gudgeon K, which serves for another joint to connect it with the clasp L,
which clasp embraces and is firmly fastened by nails or screws and burs to the
oar M. The oar is further supported and regulated by the clip N, which, being
nailed or secured to the oar M, passes the clasp L, and is attached to the
fulcrum bar D by a pin or gudgeon passing through its cheeks, and forming a
joint at O. The joints C, I, K, and O, may be constructed in any way that
joints of a like description are commonly made by mechanics. I have generally
constructed them as under:-The joints C and I are formed by grooves or jaws
made in the top of the fulcrum bar D, and the top of the connecting bar II, of
sufficient size to allow the insertion of the lever, and room for its action. The
lever itself is flattened on two sides at least, where it passes between the
grooves, and two axes or pins are passed through it, which are rivetted or
otherwise fastened in the sides of the grooves, and on which axes or pins the
lever and connecting bar move at the joints C and I. The joint K is formed by
a groove made in the connecting bar II at K, of sufficient size to receive the
head of the clasp L. The head itself is flattened on the two sides which
pass through the groove, and moves upon a pin or gudgeon passing through
it, and fixed by shoulders and a tightening nut and screw in the sides of
the groove of the connecting bar. The joint O is formed by a groove
made in the head of the clip M, of sufficient size to receive the fulcrum
bar D at O. The fulcrum bar itself is flattened on two sides at least, where
it passes through the grooves, and a pin or gudgeon passes through it, which
is fixed by shoulders and a tightening nut and screw in the sides of the
groove of the clip M. The ring at E is made to open by means of a hinge,
and when closed is secured by a tongue and pin. It may be formed as in the
annexed plan, Number 1, or in any such like manner, for the purpose of opening
and closing. On the fulcrum bar D, and immediately below the ring E, I
attach a collar or projection to prevent the fulcrum bar rising, and the pin or
pivot F being retracted from the socket G, when the apparatus is at work.
The end of the lever A, A, where the power is applied, should be put nearly in
equilibrium with the oar or paddle, allowing the latter a little advantage by
thickening the lever in this part, or weighting it in any other way. The fulcrum
bar D, D, stands perpendicular, and at the requisite distance from the side of the
vessel to allow it to work and turn freely without coming in contact with the

page_text: side, and when the oar is horizontal the connecting bar II is parralel to the
fulcrum bar. The lever A, A, and the oar or paddle, will be worked must
conveniently by placing them on parralel lines. The oar or paddle should be
placed in the clasp L and the clip N edgeways, and may be of any form.
dimensions, or length, according to the moving power, size of the vessel, and
the situation and circumstances in which the vessel is employed. Thus a short
oar or paddle may be used, if thought expedient, when any other power than
manual labour is employed, or where there is little sea room. The different
parts of the apparatus may be made of any shape or form best adapted for the
uses thus the lever may be square, round, or oval; so may also the fulcrum
bar, and the body of the connecting bar; and I have generally made all the
parts round which can be conveniently so formed, and answer the end intended.
The apparatus may be made of iron or any other metal, and should be of the
requisite thickness and strength to resist the force exerted upon the different
parts of it. The material which I recommend for the purpose is the best
wrought iron, except for the oar, which I have generally made of wood; but
this as well as the paddles may be made of iron. The whole of the apparatus as
above described being put together, as shown in the plan Number 1, hereunto
annexed, and being well secured to the sides of the vessel, it is obvious that if
the lever A, A, is raised by the hand or any other power, the extremity of the
oar at M will be depressed, and when in actual use will be submersed. In this
situation, if a progressive and retrogressive motion be then given to the lever, a
propelling power will be communicated to the oars or paddles. The power to
be applied to the extremity of the lever may be the hand, horses, steam, or
wind engines, and one or more oars or paddles may be used on each side of
the vessel. The oars or paddles, when not in use, may be laid alongside the
sides of the vessel by turning the lever in an analogous situation; or, if it be
desired, the oars may be removed from the sides of the vessel by unscrewing
the nuts or burs at the joints K and O, and drawing out the pins; or by
opening the ring E the oar, lever, and other part of the apparatus, except the
ring E and the socket G, may be removed. "Or the lever or bar A, A, and
66
the oar M, in the Drawing No. 1, may be made of one contennious piece of
"metal or wood, or of wood and metal, as in the Drawing No. 2, as may best
suit the circumstances in which it is proposed to be employed, and bent or
"curved about the middle in such a manner as to allow the oar part at P to dip
"into the water when the level part at Q is raised. The joint at R, the fulcrum
"bar or spindle S, the ring T, and the hole or socket U, are constructed as
"described in the Drawing No. 1, as respects the joint C, the fulcrum bar
or spindle D, D, the ring E, and the hole or or socket G in that Drawing."

page_text: This latter part, which I have marked with inserted commas, beginning with
the word "or" and ending with the word "Drawing," I do not claim as an
original invention, having doubts respecting the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Mason, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Sixth day of November, in the sixtieth year of
the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the Grace of
God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King,
Defender of the Faith, and in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and nineteen.
Inrolled the Eighth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and nineteen.