IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND BOILERS USED FOR PROPELLING VESSELS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR BOILERS USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Wilson, Mechanical Engineer, Vauxhall Tron-
works, Wandsworth Road, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND BOILERS USED FOR PROPELLING VESSELS,
PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR BOILERS USED FOR
OTHER PURPOSES."
Scaled the 6th October 1877, and dated the 9th April 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Wilson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th April 1877.
ALEXANDER WILSON, Mechanical Engineer, of Vauxhall Ironworks, Wandsworth
Road, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND BOILERS
USED FOR PROPELLING VESSELS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO APPLICABLE
FOR BOILERS USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
The first part of my said Invention relates to improvements in that class of
machinery hitherto used for propelling vessels, in which a pair of reversible steam
engines are mounted upon a boiler, and are used to give rotation to a paddle wheel
shaft, also mounted upon or carried by such boiler, and it has for its object the
production of a more compact combination of the parts of such machinery and a
better distribution of the weights of such parts.
In carrying out the first part of my said Invention I mount the said steam
engines upon or attach them in any convenient manner to preferably a horizontal
tubular boiler, and in place of mounting the said paddle-wheel shaft upon one end
of it, as has to my knowledge in some cases been done, I construct the said boiler
with a tubular or partly tubular cross stay of such dimensions as will permit the
said paddle-wheel shaft to rotate within it, and I rigidly connect the bearings of
such paddle-wheel shaft to the said boiler by means of suitable brackets formed of
cast iron, angle irons, section iron, sheet iron, or other suitable material. The said
tubular or partly tubular cross stay may be fixed in any desirable position between
the fire-box and smoke box ends of the said boiler, and it may be placed at any
height in the steam space between the tubes and the top of such boiler, or it may,

page_text: when boilers of small dimensions are used, partly project from the exterior of such
boilers.
In order that the said paddle-wheel shaft may be conveniently inserted within
such tubular or partly tubular cross stay I construct the said paddle-wheel shaft of
more than one part, in such a manner that such parts may be afterwards connected
together, and in cases where I use a partly tubular cross stay I make the exterior
part of such cross stay removeable for that purpose, and when it is required to use
a boiler of the sectional type I pass the said paddle-wheel shaft between any two of
the tubes forming such boiler.
The second part of my said Invention relates to a novel and improved manner of
constructing the fire-boxes of horizontal tubular boilers, and it has for its object the
more equal distribution of the heated gases amongst the various tubes of such
boilers.
In carrying out this part of my said Invention I form in the crown of the said
fire-box a pocket or hollow downward projection, reaching from side to side of such
fire-box, and rivetted to the said sides in such a manner as to form a tie or stay to
them; and the said pocket or hollow downward projection I place between the
bridge or upward deflector of such fire-box and the inner ends of the tubes leading
from the fire-box of such boiler, as in such a position it will obviously act as a
downward deflector of some portion of the heated gases, and cause the lower rows
of the said tubes to be better and more freely supplied with such heated gases than
is the case in boilers having fire-boxes fitted with an upward deflector only, the
action of which upward deflector is, as is well known, to cause the upper rows of
such tubes to receive much the larger share of such heated gases. This novel
improvement may not only be applied to boilers used for the propulsion of vessels,
but may be used with advantage in boilers constructed for any other purpose.
The third part of my Invention relates to apparatus which may in some cases be
used with the above combination of machinery for the purpose of enabling vossols
to ascend those parts of rivers popularly known as "rapids," and it consists of the
addition to the said paddle-wheel shaft of toothed or other suitable gearing for the
purpose of causing it to give motion to a clip or friction drum, round which a wire
or other rope or chain, fixed at one end to the bed or bank of such river, may be
led and held in position by suitable guide wheels when required.
The said engines may with the addition of such apparatus be usefully employed
to haul upon the said rope or chain in such a manner as to cause the said vessel to
ascend such rapids, suitable clutches being provided if required for the purpose of
disconnecting the paddle wheels from the said paddle-wheel shaft during the time
such ascent may be in progress.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Wilson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
October 1877.
ALEXANDER WILSON, Mechanical Engineer, Vauxhall Ironworks, Wandsworth
Road, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY AND BOILERS
USED FOR PROPELLING VESSELS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO APPLICABLE
FOR BOILERS USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery and boilers used for
propelling vessels, part of which improvements is also applicable for boilers to be used
for other purposes, and the first part of the said Invention relates to improvements
in that class of machinery hitherto used for propelling vessels, in which a pair of
reversible steam engines are mounted upon a boiler and are used to give rotation to
a paddle-wheel shaft, also mounted upon or carried by such boiler, and the manner
in which I prefer to carry out the said improvements will be understood by

page_text: reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side
elevation; Figure 2, a half plan; and Figure 3, an end elevation of machinery con-
structed in accordance with the said improvements.
In the said Figures 1, 2, and 3, a represents a horizontal tubular boiler, to the
; forward end of which the cylinders of the reversible engines b, b¹, are securely bolted,
and the said engines are connected to the cranks d, d, for the purpose of giving
rotation to the paddle-wheel shaft g, the bearings h, h¹, h³, h³, of which are bolted
to the angle iron brackets j, j, rigidly attached to the boiler at h, k, k², k³. In
order however that the said machinery when combined may be rendered as compact
and have its centre of gravity brought down as low as possible I provide the
boiler & with the tubular cross stay 1, the flanges 1, 2, of which are rivetted to the
inside of the boiler a, and through such tubular cross stay I pass the paddle-wheel
shaft g, which is capable of being disconnected from the crank d by removal of the
cotter, for the purpose of being so passed through the said tubular cross stay 1,
which is made of such dimensions as will permit of the paddle-wheel shaft g
rotating freely within it, and which may be fixed in any desirable position between
the fire-box and smoke-box ends of the said boiler a.
In some cases, such as when small boilers are used, it may be convenient to
substitute for the said tubular cross stay the partly tubular cross stay m, clearly
shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6, in which case the paddle-wheel shaft with its cranks
may be in one piece, as it may be placed within the said partly tubular cross stay m
through its open side, the exterior strengthening plate mt being made removable for
that purpose.
In carrying out the second part of my said Invention, which is fully illustrated
in Figures 4 and 6, I form in the crown of the fire-box a¹ of the said boiler a a
water pocket or hollow downward projection n, reaching from side to side of such
fire-box, and rivetted to the said sides in such a manner as to form a tie or stay to
them, and the said water pocket or hollow downward projection I place between
the ordinary bridge or upward deflector a* of the said fire-box a¹ and the inner ends
) of the tubes leading from the said fire-box a', as in such a position it will obviously
not only improve the evaporative effect of the said boiler, but act as a downward
deflector of some portion of the heated gases previously deflected upwards by the
bridge a², and cause the lower rows of the said tubes to be better and more freely
supplied with such heated gases than is the case in boilers having fire-boxes fitted
with an upward deflector, only the action of which upward deflector is, as is well
known, to cause the upper rows of such tubes to receive much the larger share of such
heated gases. This novel improvement may not only be applied to boilers used for
the propulsion of vessels, but may be used with advantage in boilers constructed
for any other purpose.
The third part of my Invention relates to apparatus which may in some cases be
used with the above combination of machinery for the purpose of enabling vessels
to ascend those parts of rivers popularly known as rapids, and it consists of the
addition to the said paddle-wheel shaft of a clip or friction drum, round which a
wire or other rope or chain, fixed at one end to the bed or bank of such river, may
be led and held in position by suitable guide wheels when required. The said
engines may with the addition of such apparatus be usefully employed to haul
upon the said rope or chain in such a manner as to cause the said vessel to ascend
such rapids, suitable clutches being provided for the purpose of disconnecting the
paddle wheels from the said paddle-wheel shaft during the time such ascent may be
in progress.
This part of my Invention will be clearly understood by reference to Figures 7
and S, in which g is the paddle-wheel shaft; p, the clip or friction drum; q, the
rope; and, the guide wheels; 8, the boss of one of the paddle wheels; and t,
the clutch, by means of which the friction drum p and the boss & of the paddle
wheel may be put in or out of gear with the crank shaft g, the boss of the other
paddle wheel, which is not shown in the Drawing, being provided with a similar
clutch, to permit of it also being disconnected.

page_text: Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner in which the same
may be carried into effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim,―
First. The addition to boilers of the tubular cross stay, illustrated in Figures 1,
2, and 3, constructed in the manner above described and for the purpose specified.
Secondly. The partly tubular cross stay with its exterior strengthening plate,
shown in Figure 4, constructed in the manner and for the purpose herein set
forth.
Thirdly. The application to boilers of the water pocket or downward deflector,
illustrated in Figures 5, and 6, constructed, combined, and operating in the manner
above described and for the purpose specified.
Fourthly. The hauling gear, shown in Figures 7 and 8, constructed and combined
in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
Fifthly. The combination of boiler engines, tubular cross stay, and disconnecting
paddle-wheel crank shaft with its bracketted bearings, illustrated in Figures 1, 2,
and 3, and fully described herein.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Wilson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven,
Witness,
F. ALFORD,
Clerk to H. W. Alford,
2, Southampton Buildings,
W.C.
ALEXANDER WILSON. (L.S.)