IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH HYDRAULIC PROPELLERS FOR NAVIGABLE VESSELS.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Turton, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Iron and Steel Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH HYDRAULIC PROPELLERS FOR
NAVIGABLE VESSELS.".
Sealed the 11th July 1873, and dated the 15th January 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Turton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th January 1873.
I, THOMAS TURTON, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Iron
and Steel Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH HYDRAULIC PROPELLERS
FOR NAVIGABLE VESSELS," to be as follows:-
1
My Invention relates to the propulsion of navigable vessels by currents.
of water, such water being taken into the ship and ejected therefrom at
or near the stern by a submerged rotating wheel, and consists―
First. As means for allowing the water to flow freely in an unbroken
volume into a submerged propelling wheel constructed as hereafter

page_text: described under the second head of my Invention, or in any other like
manner, in making the water admission aperture of the full area of the
diameter of the said propelling wheel.
Second. As means whereby a submerged rotating wheel may receive
and discharge water with minimum friction, and without antagonistic |
currents, I fit the vanes with free ends and one free side on one or both
sides of a disc. When worked on a vertical axis the vanes are on one
side, and when worked on a horizontal axis preferably on both sides.
Third. As means for preventing the water from having motion within
itself when in the propelling wheel case, I make such case of the same
depth or breadth as the depth or breadth of the vanes and disc.
Fourth. As means for causing the water taken in during the revolu-
tion of the said wheel to escape therefrom with the least possible internal
agitation of the water, that is to say, that the water shall move into,
through, and away from the propeller with the least possible friction on
the sides of the enclosing case, on the surfaces of the wheel, or amongst
its particles, I form the case of increasing size towards the discharge
orifice, such size at the point of delivery from the wheel being equal to
the area of the circumference of the wheel, and of the same shape as
such circumference when viewed as a plane.
Fifth. As means for ensuring that the water is discharged in an
unbroken volume, I for mthe discharge way and orifice, called by me the
flume, of the same shape in transverse section as the extended periphery
of the propelling wheel.
Sixth. As means for allowing of the raising of the propelling wheel
when such wheel is worked on a vertical or nearly vertical shaft, I pass
the said shaft through a stuffing box in a movable bottom.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Turton, Her special
licence that I, the said Thomas Turton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Turton, 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 Ircland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
CONNECTED WITH HYDRAULIC PROPELLERS FOR NAVIGABLE Vessels,” upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Turton, 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. Scal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Turton, 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 following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet
of illustrative Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say :—
My Invention relates to the propulsion of navigable vessels by
currents of water, such water being taken into the ship and ejected
therefrom at or near the stern by a submerged rotating wheel, and
consists :-
First. As means for allowing the water to flow freely in an unbroken
volume into a submerged propelling wheel constructed as hereafter
described under the second head of my Invention, or in any other like
manner, in making the water admission aperture of the full area of the
5 diameter of the said propelling wheel.
Second. As means whereby a submerged rotating wheel may receive
and discharge water with minimum friction, and without antagonistic
currents, I fit the vanes with free ends and one free side on one or both

page_text: sufficient depth to allow the vanes c and disc d, or the vanes c only, to
revolve freely therein. The wheel containing case increases in area from
the point outwards to the discharge orifice or point of delivery (called
by me the flume) at 9³, where the area and shape are the same as the
extended periphery of the propelling wheel C. The shaft ƒ passes
through the moveable bottom / with stuffing box i in the well j. The
plate k serves to carry the weight of the shaft and wheel C, there being
a collar on the shaft with sufficient bearing surface.
It will be obvious that the details above described allow of the shaft
and wheel being drawn upwards and into the ship, and that the water
only enters the well to the depth of the water line of the ship.
The parts above described are for propelling ahead, the equilibrium
minor closing valves 1, 1, being shut, and the major equilibrium closing
valve m being open, the wheel is caused to rotate as indicated by the
| large arrow, and the water to flow as indicated by arrows.
For astern movement the wheel is caused to move in the same
direction, but the major equilibrium valve m is closed, and the minor
equilibrium valves 1, 1, opened. The water drawn in through the
aperture 6 is ejected forward through the starboard and port passages
n, n', which, if desired, are fitted with closing valves.
In cases where it is desired to move astern, and at the same time to
port or starboard, or may be more or less open, or one may be open
and the other closed. When propelling ahead in currents or
be more or less open.
course.
may
A ship can thus be propelled in the desired
Fig. 3 shows a horizontal section of a modification of wheel containing
casc. The case is carried near to the periphery of the propelling wheel
at the point x, but the case itself is substantially of the same form and
shape towards the discharge point as the wheel described by references
to Figs. 1 and 2.
For canal navigation' the passages n, n', and the equilibrium valves
1, 1, and m are dispensed with, and the rudder placed abaft the ter-
mination of the flume. The rudder, however, may be variously fitted,
and instead of the equilibrium valves sliding shutters or their equivalents
may be used.

page_text: .
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section, and Fig. 5 a horizontal section
at the line C, D, of a propeller and connections constructed in accordance
with my Invention for ocean-going ships. The propeller is placed
vertically, and driven by a horizontal shaft. Here C is the propelling
wheel with disc d and vanes c, c'. Water is allowed to flow freely to the
said wheel through one large aperture in the ship; but I prefer two
apertures, one at each side of the full area of the wheel. The flume or
passage is for delivery of water either forward or aft, according as it
is desired to propel the ship ahead or astern. o is a curved sliding
shutter which can be moved by a rack or equivalent mechanism to either
one side or the other of the wheel C, and so determine whether the ship
shall move ahead or astern. The flume g³ is here of the same area and
shape as the extended periphery of the wheel, but is in this arrangement
vertical instead of horizontal as described in connection with Figs. 1
and 2.
The wheel C may be placed amidships or in the run aft, as desired,
and the rudders may be applied in any convenient manner, or louvre
boards employed so as to direct the escaping water to port or star-
board.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and par-
ticularized the same in such manner that others will be enabled to carry
my improvements into practice, I would have it understood that what
I claim is,-
First. The combination of a water admission aperture of the area
mentioned with a submerged rotating propeller, substantially as described
for the purpose set forth.
Second. Fitting vanes free at their ends and on one side of the pro-
pelling wheel, substantially as described for the purpose set forth.
Third. Making the wheel containing case of depth sufficient to allow
the submerged propeller claimed under the above second claim to freely
rotate, for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. Making the submerged propeller of increasing size from the
back towards the discharge orifice, the size at the point of delivery
being equal to the area of the circumference of the wheel, for the purpose
set forth.
Fifth. Making the flume of the same area and shape as the extended
periphery of the propelling wheel, for the purpose set forth.

page_text: Sixth. The well, moveable bottom, and stuffing gland in combination,
in connection with horizontal submerged propellers, for the purpose set
fourth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Turton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Fourteenth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
fourth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Turton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Fourteenth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
In the presence of
J. T. KING,
Patent Agent,
Liverpool.
THOMAS TURTON. (L.S.)