CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING VESSELS AND CARRIAGES AND OTHER MACHINERY
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WOODLEY, of Observatory House, Woodbury Vale, Stoke Newington, in the
County of Middlesex, Captain in the Royal Navy, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Thirteenth day of July, in the third year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said William
Woodley, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said William Woodley, my exors, adñors, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Woodley, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick upon
Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING VESSELS AND
CARRIAGES AND OTHER MACHINERY;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso that I, the said William Woodley, shall cause a particular description
of the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to
be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there-
unto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: Figure 1 represents a side view of a boat or vessel having the first part of
my improvements applied thereto; Figure 2 is part of a plan of Figure 1;
and Figure 3 shews a cross section of part of the boat or vessel. In each of
these Figures the same letters indicate similar parts. a, a, are the propellers,
which are to be on each side of the boat or vessel. Each propeller consists of
two floats moving on an axis b, the axes 6 being carried by the frame c. This
frame has its necks or axis d, which-moves-in-proper bearings carried by the
out riggers or framing e, and there are stops f, forming part of the frame c,
which prevent the two floats a opening, out too wide, and there are other
stops which prevent the floats a coming close together. h is an arm affixed
to the neck or axis d, and motion is communicated thereto by means of the
connecting rod i, which receives movement by a crank j, which is caused to
revolve by means of a steam engine or other proper power; and it will be
seen that the propellers are moved to and fro by the vibrating movement of
the frame c, and thus will the floats a open and close, according as they are to
propel or to come out of action, in order to be moved to a position offering as
little impediment as possible again to come into action as a propeller.
g
The second part of my Invention relates to an improvement of the ordinary
construction of paddle wheels,, and consists of causing a series of holes to be
bored or formed obliquely through the boards, as is shewn at Figures 4 and 5;
by this means the float boards when passing through the water to propel will
offer a surface equal in efficiency to a solid float board, but it will be evirlent
that in leaving the water, the water will flow through the openings, and each
float board, in place of lifting water, and producing that prejudicial effect
called back water, will leave the water without lifting but a comparatively
small part thereof.
Another part of my Invention relates to the construction of a windmill
which is suitable for propelling vessels or carriages or other machinery.
Figure 6 shews a side view of a windmill constructed according to this part.
of my Invention. Figure 7 shews an edge view thereof, and it will be seen
that the rotatory motion obtained to the axis of the windmill is transmitted by

page_text: a proper connecting rod and cranks to the axis of paddle wheels of a boat or
vessel, but it will be evident that the power may as readily be communicated
to carriage wheels, supposing the windmill to be carried by a carriage. This
windmill consists in a series of folding vanes of canvas or other material in
frames, which are hinged together, and are capable of. opening or closing in
like manner to what has been described in respect to the propeller first ex-
plained; and there are suitable stops to prevent the folding vanes coming too
near to each other, and to prevent their, opening too far, all which is clearly
shewn in the Drawing; and it will be evident that the wind will act on several
of the vanes at one time; and the others will fold together, and offer little
impediment to their revolving; and it should be stated that the framing which
carries the axis of this windmill should be capable of movement, in order to
bring the axis of the mill as nearly at right angles to the course of the wind
as possible; and the mode of connecting the rotatory motion of the axis of the
windmill should be such as readily to be changed and adjusted to the varying
position which the axis of the windmill may take in respect to the axis of the
wheels it is to drive, all which is well understood by engineers, and will readily
be applied.
Another part of my Invention relates to a peculiar arrangement of wheels
applicable to various purposes where speed is required, and consists of com-
bining a cog-wheel with the teeth thereof inwards towards the centre; this
wheel gives motion to one or more pinions carried by a suitable frame, such
frame being held stationary. Figure 8 shews a capstan having this part of
my improvements applied thereto; Figure 9 being a section thereof; and
Figure 10, a plan of the wheel-work; and a is the larger cog-wheel; b, the
pinions which receive motion therefrom, and are carried by the framing c,
which is affixed on the spindle of the capstan, the barrel of the capstan moving
freely on the spindle. d is a cog-wheel affixed on the upper part of the barrel
of the capstan; consequently, when motion is given to the head of the capstan,
which contains the larger cog-wheel, the speed of such motion will be
encreased in respect to the barrel of the capstan. Figures 11, 12, and 13
show other arrangements of the same apparatus; and Figure 14 shows this
apparatus applied to a pulley; and it will be evident that this part of my
Invention may be applied to various machinery where speed is required.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Woodley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty.
WM WOODLEY. (L.B.)

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirteenth day of January,
in the year of our Lord 1840, the aforesaid William Woodley came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and everything therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to
the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose..
Inrolled the Thirteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty..