Improvements in the Propulsion of Vessels.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 18th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 17th Mar., 1894
Improvements in the Propulsion of Vessels.
I, WILLIAM HENRY WITTE of 253, Flushing Avenue, Astoria, Long Island
City, in the County of Queens, and State of New York, United States of America,
Florist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in means for propelling marine vessels, and
the object of my invention is to produce an apparatus which is adapted to move
pistons in open-ended pipes extending longitudinally beneath the vessel, so that the
impact of the pistons on the water will cause the vessel to move rapidly ahead and,
furthermore, this arrangement causes the jet or current of water issuing from the
pipes to also act in forcing the vessel ahead.
The vessel which may be of the usual kind or shape has, on its under side and on
opposite sides of its keel, parallel open-ended pipes which are closed on their inner
sides by slide plates which cover the openings between the pipes and the hull of the
vessel and move longitudinally through slideways, the slides being of such length
as to always cover the inner sides of the pipe. The slides are reciprocated by
means of cranks on the engine shaft through connecting rods pivoted to brackets
on the slides, the two slides being moved simultaneously, but in opposite directions.
The steam chests of the cylinders are supplied with steam through pipes which
connect with a steam-valve casing, these being preferably of cylindrical form, and
the casings also connect by means of branch pipes with the main steam pipe, each
casing being provided with a rotary distribution valve having slots or ports on
diagonally opposite sides. The valves are carried by shafts which are journaled
centrally in the casings and are driven by the crank shaft through suitable bevel
gearing. Each slide carries a vertically movable piston, adapted to move through
a slot in the slide plate and of such a size as to completely fill the pipe. Each
piston is adapted to move backward through the pipe and by its impact on the
water to force the vessel ahead, and also eject the water from the pipe so that the
retreating column of water acting on the surrounding body of water also aids in
propelling the vessel ahead. Each piston has an upwardly-extending shank, which
is provided at the top with a cross-head which slides vertically on guide posts
carried by the slide plate and around these posts are coiled spiral springs which
normally raise the cross-head and the piston connected therewith.
In a modified form of apparatus for moving the pistons vertically, each piston is
provided with two cross-heads. Each cross-head slides longitudinally on a guide
rod forming part of a guide frame which has a top-beam parallel with the guide
rod, vertical end pieces connecting the guide rod and top beam and cross-heads at
the end of the frame. The frame is adapted to move up and down with the pistons
which it guides, and it has on the cross-heads depending vertical pistons, sliding in
dash-pots on opposite sides of the slide plate. The guide rod may move up and
down with the piston, but has no end wise movement, consequently the piston when
reciprocated is accurately guided by the rod, both while it is in the pipe and when
it is raised above the pipe. The top beam of each guide frame is provided with a
laterally-extending arn which is rigidly attached to the piston rod of a steam
cylinder, the two cylinders being arranged side by side, so that they have a common
steam chest arranged between them in the usual way. The steam cylinders are
provided with the customary valves to control the steam inlet, which valves have
the usual valve stems extending upwards from the steam chest, and the valve stems

page_text: are connected by rods with a beam which has an upwardly-extending arm pivoted
in the usual manner in a link which is pivotally supported on a rod suspended from
an arm which is moved vertically by a lever, the latter being held in the usual
manner by a quadrant. The opposite ends of the link connect by rods with
eccentrics on the crank shaft. By shifting the position of the link, the strokes of
the pistons in the steam cylinders may be reversed so that either piston will work
first as described.
The steam chest is arranged between the steam cylinders and the pistons are
arranged to move alternately, so that the pistons will be also alternately raised and
depressed. When the mechanism is started, the revolution of the crank shaft
causes the slides to be reciprocated by means of the connecting rods connecting the
slides with the crank shaft, and at each forward movement of the slide, when the
slide reaches the end of its stroke, the piston connected with the piston in the pipe
moves downward so that the latter piston is forced into the pipe at which point the
slide moves back, thus carrying the piston with it and propelling the vessel in the
manner already described. The guide frame will move up and down with each
piston while remaining stationary, so far as endwise movement is concerned, anʼl
thus the piston is moved effectively and without loss of motion.
Instead of using steam mechanism like that described for raising the propelling
pistons the pistons may be alternately and automatically operated by the following
mechanism. Each piston is provided at a point above the slide plate when the
piston is lowered, with oppositely extending arms which are arranged at different
heights and provided with armatures, one extending upward and the other downward
from said arms, the one armature being adapted to move upward into the solenoid
magnet while the other armature is adapted to move downward into a similar
solenoid magnet, these magnets being held at different heights to provide for the
movement of the piston. When the one magnet is energized and the armature
drawn into it, the piston is withdrawn from the pipe, but when the opposite magnet
is energized the opposite effect takes place and the piston is drawn back into the
pipe. The magnets are arranged in the same circuit, but they are reversely wound,
but when the current passes through them in one direction, the armatures will be
moved upward, one being drawn up by the one solenoid and the other expelled by
the other solenoid, and when the current is reversed the reverse action takes place
and the piston is pushed back into the pipe. The magnets are connected, by a wire,
with conducting arms which are secured to and suitably insulated on the slide plate
and the arms have forked outer ends projecting above the slideways and carrying
trolleys or trucks running on conductors held on suitable insulated supports on
the tops of the slideways. This arrangement enables the current to be supplied to
the magnets at any point of the stroke of the slide plate. The conductors or
tracks connect, by means of wires, with a circuit-changer having oppositely
arranged contacts arranged in pairs and connected by wires. The circuit-changer
has also contacts arranged on opposite sides and connected by cross-wires. The
contacts at one side of the circuit-changer are adapted to connect with a source of
electricity and the contacts on the other side are adapted to connect with the wires
passing to the tracks so that when the circuit-changer is moved endwise the current
is reversed. When the circuit-changer is in one position, the current will pass from
the wire connecting with the source of electricity to the track in one direction, but
if the circuit-changer is moved endwise, so as to change the position of the contacts,
the current will pass in the reverse direction through the magnets. The circuit-
changer is connected with a lever by means of which the circuit changer may be
moved. The circuit changer described is adapted to be operated by hand, if
necessary, but in ordinary circumstances the current will be changed automatically.
One of the wires from the source of electricity is connected to stationary contacts
arranged in different planes, and the other wire is connected with another pair of
contacts, also arranged in different planes, the contacts being supported on arms
which are secured to an upright which serves as a support for a plate which acts
as a switch and is arranged adjacent to the contacts just named. There is one of

page_text: these supports near each end of the plate and a set of contacts for each pair of
magnets. The switch plate carries arms which are suitably insulated on the switch
plate and which are provided with rollers adapted to contact with the contacts.
The one arm connects with one pole of a battery, or other source of electricity,
while the other arm connects with the opposite pole of the battery. When the
slide plate is moved longitudinally, the current will be automatically reversed, that
is to say, if the roller is in one position the current will pass through the one
contact and one wire to the magnets, but when the switch plate is moved endwise
the roller will touch another contact and the current will then pass through the
other wire. The current will also be altered, so that each reciprocation of the
switch plate changes the course of the current and reverses the movements of
the magnet armatures in the manner already described. The switch plate has
inclined ends which extend into the paths of inclined cams carried by cranks, and
consequently at each revolution of the cranks the switch plate will be struck and
moved end wise, first in one direction and then in the other, and as the movement of
the cranks corresponds with the revolution of the crank-shaft and the stroke of
the pistons in the tubes, the switch plate may be easily arranged so that the current
will be reversed and the pistons operated at the proper time.
Dated cus on way of Apr 105.
W. H. WITTE,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Propulsion of Vessels.
I, WILLIAM HENRY WITTE of 253, Flushing Avenue, Astoria, Long Island
City, in the County of Queens and State of New York, United States of America,
Florist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in means for propelling marine vessels
and the object of my invention is to produce an apparatus which is adapted to
move pistons in open-ended pipes extending longitudinally beneath the vessel, so
that the impact of the pistons on the water will cause the vessel to move rapidly
ahead and, furthermore, this arrangement causes the jet or current of water issuing
from the pipes to also act in forcing the vessel ahead. A further object of my
invention is to construct the apparatus so that it will work positively, may be easily
controlled, and will not get out of repair readily. To these ends my invention
consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be
hereinafter described and claimed.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in all the views.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vessel provided with my improved propelling
apparatus.
Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-section, on the lines 2-2 in Figures 1 and 4.
Figure 3 is a detail longitudinal section, on the line 3-3 in Figure 4, shewing
the arrangement of the various parts of the apparatus.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the propelling mechanism.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section, on the line 5-5 in Figure 6, and shews a
modified means of raising and lowering the pistons at the ends of their strokes.
Figure 6 is a plan view of the mechanism shewn in Figure 5.

page_text: Figure 7 is a detail cross-section of the piston-carrying slide plate and shews in
detail the arrangement of the conducting arms and trolleys which carry the
electrical current to the piston operating magnets.
Figure 8 is a detail side elevation of the mechanism operated by the crank shaft
for shifting the course of the electrical current at each stroke of a piston.
Figure 9 is a plan view of the current changing mechanism shewn in Figure 8.
Figure 10 is a cross-section on the line 10-10 in Figure 8.
Figure 11 is an enlarged section, on the lines 11-11 in Figures 4 and 12, and
shews the steam valve for regulating the flow of steam to the cylinders which
operate the piston-carrying slides.
Figure 12 is a section, on line 12-12 in Figure 13, of the steam-controlling
mechanism, and
Figure 13 is a detail cross-section on the line 13-13 in Figure 12.
The vessel 10 which may be of the usual kind or shape, has on its under side
and on opposite sides of its keel parallel open ended pipes 11 which are preferably
rectangular in cross-section and may be of any necessary length. They are closed
on their inner sides by slide plates 12 which cover the openings between the pipes and
the hull of the vessel, thus preventing the inflow of water to the vessel, and these
plates move longitudinally through suitable slide-ways 13 the slides being of such
length as to always cover the inner sides of the pipe. The slides are reciprocated
by means of a connecting rod 14 pivoted to brackets 15 on the tops or inner sides of
the slides and pivotally connected with cranks 16 on the transverse crank shaft 17
which turns in suitable supports 18 and is provided at its ends with driving cranks 19,
these being pivoted to piston rods 20 connecting with pistons of the usual kind
which are held in the common form of oscillating steam cylinders 21 the trunnions
of which are journaled in suitable supports 22. The cranks 16 extend from
opposite sides of the crank shaft, so that the two slides 12 are moved simultaneously,
but in opposite directions. The steam chests 23 of the cylinders 21 are supplied
with steam through pipes 24 which connect with a steam valve casing 25, these
being preferably of cylindrical form and the casings also connect by means of
branch pipes 26 with the main steam pipe 27. In each casing 25 is a rotary
valve 28 having slots or ports 29 on diagonally opposite sides, which ports or slots
are adapted to turn opposite the pipes 24 and 26 so as to permit a free passage
of steam through the valve, but when the ports do not register with the pipes
named, the steam is cut off. The valves 28 are carried by shafts 30 which are
journaled centrally in the casings, and each shaft 30 connects by a pinion 31 with
a pinion 32 on a shaft 33 which is journaled in brackets 34 on the supports 18,
and the shaft 33 is driven by pinions 35 and 36 to connect the said shaft to the
crank shaft 17. Each slide 12 carries a vertically movable piston 37 which is
adapted to move through a slot 38 in the slide plate and the piston is of such a
size that it completely fills the pipe 11. Each piston is adapted to move backward
through the pipe and by its impact on the water it forces the vessel ahead and it
also ejects the water from the pipe so that the retreating column of water acting
on the surrounding body of water also serves to force the vessel ahead. Each
- piston 37 has an upwardly-extending shank 39 which is provided at the top with a
cross-head 40 which slides vertically on guide posts 41 carried by the slide plate 12
and around these posts are coiled spiral springs which normally raise the cross-head
and the piston connected therewith.
In the modified form of apparatus for moving the pistons vertically, each piston
is provided with two cross-heads 40%, see Figures 5 and 6, but the guide posts are
arranged as described in both cases. Each cross-head 40 slides longitudinally on
a guide rod 42 forming part of a guide frame which has a top beam 43 parallel
with the guide rod 42, vertical end pieces 44 connecting the guide rod and top
beam, and cross-heads 46 and 45 at the ends of the frame. The frame is adapted
to move up and down with the pistons which it guides and it has on the cross-
heads 45 and 46 depending vertical pistons 47 which slide in dash pots 48 on
opposite sides of the slide plate. It will thus be seen that the guide rod 42 may

page_text: move up and down with the piston, but it has no endwise movement, consequently
the piston when reciprocated is guided very nicely by the rod, both while it is in
the pipe 11 and when it is raised above the pipe.
The top beam 43 of each guide frame is provided with a laterally-extending
arm 49 which is rigidly attached to the piston rod 50 of a steam cylinder 52, the
two cylinders being arranged side by side, as shewn in Figures 2 and 4, so that
they have a common steam chest arranged between them in the usual way.
The steam cylinders are provided with the customary valves to control the
steam inlet, which valves have the usual valve stems 53 extending upward from
the steam chest and the valve stems are connected by rods 54 with the walking
beam 55, see Figure 3, which has an upwardly-extending arm 56 pivoted in the
usual manner in a link 57 which is pivotally supported on a rod 58 suspended from
an arm 59 which is moved vertically by a lever 60 the latter being held in the
usual manner by a quadrant 61. The opposite ends of the link 57 connect by
rods 62 with eccentrics 63 on the crank shaft 17. It will be seen that by shifting
the position of the link, the strokes of the pistons in the steam cylinders may be
reversed, so that either piston will work first, as described, but, no novelty is
claimed on this reversing gear, as it is substantially of the usual kind.
The steam chest 64 which is arranged between the steam cylinders is supplied
by a steam pipe 65 and the pistons 51 are arranged to move alternately so that the
pistons 37 will be also alternately raised and depressed. When the mechanism is
started, the revolution of the crank shaft causes the slides 12 to be reciprocated by
means of the connecting rods 14 connecting the slides with the crank shaft and at
each forward movement of the slide, when the slide reaches the end of its stroke,
the piston 51 connected with the piston 37 moves downward, so that the piston 37
is forced into the pipe 11 at which point the slide moves back, thus carrying the
piston 37 with it and propelling the vessel in the manner already described.
It will be observed that the guide frame will move up and down with each
piston 37 while remaining stationary so far as end wise movement is concerned, and
thus the piston is moved effectively and without loss of motion. Instead of using
steam mechanism like that described for raising the propelling pistons 37, the
pistons may be alternately and automatically operated by the mechanism illustrated
in Figures 5 to 10 and described below. As shewn in these figures each piston is
provided at a point above the slide plate when the piston is lowered with oppositely-
extending arms 64" which are arranged at different heights, and these are provided
with armatures 65 and 66° one extending upward and the other downward from
said arms, and the armature 65 is adapted to move upward into the solenoid
magnet 67 while the armature 66 is adapted to move downward into a similar
solenoid magnet 68, these magnets being held on suitable supports 69 and at
different heights to provide for the movement of the piston 37. It will be seen that
when the magnet 67 is energized and the armature 65ª drawn into it, the piston 37
is withdrawn from the pipe 11 but when the opposite magnet is energized the
opposite effect takes place and the piston is drawn back into the pipe. The
magnets 67 and 68 are arranged in the same circuit, but they are reversely wound,
but when the current passes through them in one direction the armatures 65" and 66°
will be moved upward one being drawn up by the solenoid 67 and the other
expelled by the solenoid 68, and when the current is reversed the reverse action
takes place and the piston is pushed back into the pipe.
The magnets are connected by a wire a with conducting arms 70 which are
secured to and suitably insulated on the slide plate 12 see Figure 7, and the arms
have forked outer ends 71 which project above the slideways 13 and carry trolleys
or trucks 72 which run on conductors 73 held on suitable insulated supports 74
on the tops of the slideways 13. This arrangement enables the current to be
supplied to the magnets at any point of the stroke of the slide plate. The
conductors or tracks 73 connect by means of wires band with a circuit
changer 75, as shewn in Figure 6, this circuit changer having oppositely-arranged

page_text: contacts 76 and 76 which are arranged in pairs and connected by wires 77. The
circuit changer has also contacts 78 and 78 which are arranged on opposite sides
and connect by cross-wires 79. The contacts 76 and 78 are adapted to connect
with a source of electricity and the contacts 76 and 78 are adapted to connect
with the wires and 6' so that when the circuit changer is moved endwise the
current is reversed through the wires b and b' and consequently to the magnet.
The contacts 76 and 78 are adapted to connect with a source of clectricity through
wires c and c' and it will be observed that wheu the circuit changer is in the
position shewn in the drawings, the current will pass from the wire c to the wire
but if the circuit changer is moved end wise so as to bring the contacts 78 and 78*
into the position of the contacts 76 and 76* the current will pass from the wire
through the wire c' to the wire b', thus reversing the current through the magnets.
The circuit changer connects by means of a rod 80 with a lever 81 which is
fulcrumed at one end, as shewn at 82, and by means of this lever the circuit
changer may be moved. The circuit changer described is adapted to be operated
by hand, if necessary, but in ordinary circumstances the current will be changed
automatically as will appear below. The wire c connects stationary contacts 83
and 84, which are arranged in different planes, and the wire c¹ connects with
contacts 85 and 86, which are also arranged in different planes, the contacts 85
and 83 being supported on an arm 87 and the contacts 84 and 86 on an arm 88
and the two arms are secured to an upright 89 which serves as a support for the
slide plate 90 which acts as a switch and is arranged adjacent to the contacts
just named and between the cranks 16 of the shafts 17. There is one of these
supports 89 near each end of the plate and a set of contacts for each pair
of magnets 67 and 68. The switch plate 90 carries arms 91 and 92 which are
suitably insulated on the switch plate and which are provided with rollers 93
and 94, adapted to contact with the contacts 83 and 85 and 86 and 84.
arm 91 connects by a wire d with one pole of a battery B or other source of
electricity, while the arm 92 connects by a wire with the opposite pole of the
battery.
The
It will be seen then that when the slide plate is moved longitudinally, the current will
be automatically reversed, that is to say, if the roller 93, which receives its current
from the wire d, is in the position shewn in Figure 8 the current will pass through
the contact 83 and the wire c to the magnets but when the switch plate 90 is moved
endwise the roller 93 will touch the contact 85 and the current will then pass
through the wire c'. The current will also be shifted from the wire d' to the wire c
so that each reciprocation of the switch plate changes the course of the current
and reverses the movements of the magnet armatures in the manner already
.described.
The complete circuit as illustrated in Figure 6, is as follows :-From the battery B
through the wire d, the roller 93, the contact 83, the wire c, one of the wires 77,
the wire b, one of the conductors or tracks 73, an arm 70, the wire a, the magnets 68
and 67, the second arm 70, the other track 73, the wire b¹, the other wire 77, the
wire c', the contact 86, the roller 94, and the wire d', back to the battery.
When the switch plate is moved to its second position, the circuit will be as
follows: From the battery B through the wire d, the roller 93, the contact 85,
the wire c¹, one of the wires 77, the wire b', one of the tracks 73, an arm 70 the
wire a, the magnets 67 and 68, the other arm 70 the other track 73, the wire b, the
other wire 77, the wire c, the contact 84, the roller 94, and the wire d', back to
the battery. The switch plate 90 has inclined ends 95 which extend into the paths
of the inclined cams 96 carried by the cranks 16 and consequently at each revolution
of the cranks the switch plate will be struck and moved end wise, first in one
direction and then in the other, and as the movement of the cranks corresponds
with the revolution of the crank shaft and the stroke of the pistons 37 it will be
seen that the switch plate may be easily arranged so that the current will be
reversed and the pistons 37 operated at the proper time.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination, with a vessel, of open ended pipes arranged on the sides of the
vessel, pistons held to move in one direction through the pipes, and mechanism for
inserting and withdrawing the pistons from the pipes at the ends of their strokes,
substantially as described.
2. The combination, with a vessel, of an open ended pipe extending along the
hull of the vessel beneath the water line, a piston held to move longitudinally
through the pipe, and mechanism for automatically raising the piston from the pipe
at one end of its stroke and inserting it in the pipe at the opposite end of its stroke,
substantially as described.
3. The combination, with a vessel, of an open ended pipe on the hull of the vessel
beneath the water line, a slide plate held to move over the inner side of the pipe, a
piston carried with the slide plate and held to move through the pipe, and mechanism
for withdrawing the piston from the pipe, substantially as described.
4. The combination, with a vessel, of an open ended pipe arranged on its hull
beneath the water line, a slide plate held to inove opposite the inner side of the
pipe, a crank mechanism for moving the slide plate, a piston held to move with the
slide plate and adapted to enter the pipe, and mechanism for moving the piston at
right angles to the pipe at each end of the stroke of the slide plate, substantially as
described.
5. The combination, with a vessel, of an open ended pipe arranged on the hull of
the vessel beneath the water line, a slide plate held to move between the pipe and
the interior of the vessel, a piston carried with the slide plate and adapted to move
through the pipe, mechanism for moving the piston in and out of the pipe, and a
guide frame for the piston, the frame being also adapted to move in and out in
relation to the pipe, substantially as described.
6. The combination, with the hull of a vessel, of an open ended pipe arranged on
the hull beneath the water line, a movable slide plate arranged to reciprocate
opposite the inner side of the pipe, a piston carried with the slide plate and adapted
to move through the pipe, and electrically-operated mechanism for moving the
piston into and out of the pipe at each stroke of the slide plate, substantially as
described.
7. The combination, with the hull of a vessel, of an open ended pipe thereon
beneath the water line, a reciprocating slide plate held to move opposite the inner
side of the pipe, a piston carried with the slide plate and adapted to pass through
the pipe, electro-magnets arranged to move the piston in and out of the pipe at each
stroke of the slide plate, and mechanism for reversing the action of the magnets,
substantially as described.
8. The combination, with the hull of a vessel and the open ended pipe thereon,
of the reciprocating slide plate to move opposite the inner side of the pipe and the
piston carried with the slide plate and held to move through the pipe and also
adapted to move in and out of the pipe, oppositely-arranged magnets provided with
armatures adapted to move the piston in and out of the pipe, conducting tracks
arranged parallel with the slide plate, conductors carried by the slide plate and
adapted to engage the tracks, electrical connections between the conductors and the
magnets, electrical connections to supply electricity to the tracks, and mechanism
for reversing the current through the magnets, substantially as described.
9. The combination, with the movable slide plate a piston carried by the said
slide plate, the reversely-wound magnets provided with armatures and adapted to
move the piston in and out of the pipe, and the crank shaft to reciprocate the slide
plate, of a switch plate moved end wise by the cranks of the crank shaft, electrical
connections for supplying electricity to the magnets, and means for reversing the

page_text: current through the magnets by the movement of the switch plate, substantially as
described.
Dated this 18th day of January 1894
W. H. WITTE,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.