Year: 1899

page_text: A communication from LOUIS EMMANUEL DE MANRESA, of 187, Calle de Cortes,
Barcelona, in the Kingdom of Spain, Engineer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The present invention relates to maritime propulsion in which use is made of
a tube or conduit extending through the whole length of the vessel from stem
to stern in the keel portion, and open at both ends to the water which, conse-
quently, fills it completely.
The actuating mechanism consists of a powerful helicoidal screw or propeller
blades placed in the front part, or mouth, of the tube, in order to draw in water
and drive it through the tube at a high velocity and in a uniform manner.
Owing to the great power at the disposal of vessels, the water within the tube
will be under pressure, and issue from the tubes with great force, raising the
level of the water at the stern, which will increase the forward movement of this
vessel.
:
The effectiveness of this method of propulsion is rendered complete by the
arrangement, for the purpose of still further increasing the velocity of the vessel
in certain cases, of steam jets caused to operate directly on the water in the tube
in the after part of the vessel-for instance, along a length of about a quarter
of that of the vessel--the distribution of the steam being regulated similarly to
the admission of steam to the cylinder of a motor..
Any suitable kind of motor device and gearing may be used for working, at
different speeds, the propeller placed in the fore-part of the vessel at the mouth
of a tube open at each end and just above the keel.
.
In the after part of the vessel, may be arranged a steam tube from which several
steam jets may be directed directly against the water to exert an effort on the
water in the tube, which will, at any required. moment, increase the. working
power of the device. One, or other form of helicoidal screw may be adopted
according to circumstances so as to correspond to the conditions of speed and
power of the vessel, or any suitable form of propeller may be arranged in the
forward part of the conduit.
In any case the propeller is protected from the effects of shocks produced by
the waves, and other disturbing influences, and since it is placed at the mouth
of the tube it is destined to develop a very high rotatory movement
The rudder bisects vertically the current issuing from the tube. therefore
on the smallest movement of the rudder, the vessel, no matter what its dimensions,
will respond with case, rapidity and precision.
All the causes of imperfections as existing at present, and all the resistances
which a vessel is expected to overcome during its movement, and which represent
a considerable loss of power, are, by this system, reduced to a minimum,
'

page_text: The invention can be applied to vessels already constructed by making use of
the motor mechanism already used by connecting it to a propeller device placed
at the mouth of a conveniently arranged tube and preferably provided with a steam
jet device to be arranged as described.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
A communication from LOUIS EMMANUEL DE MANRESA, of 187, Calle de Cortes,
Barcelona, in the Kingdom of Spain, Engineer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and as-
certained in and by the following statement:
The present invention relates to maritime propulsion in which use is made of
a tube or conduit extending through the whole length of the vessel from stem
to stern in the keel portion, and open at both ends to the water which, conse-
quently, fills it completely.
The actuating mechanism consists of a powerful helicoidal screw or propeller
blades placed in the front part or mouth of the tube in order to draw in water
and drive it through the tube at a high velocity and in a uniform manner.
Owing to the great power at the disposal of vessels, the water within the tube
will be under pressure, and issue from the tubes with great force, raising the
level of the water at the stern which will increase the forward movement of the
vessel.
The effectiveness of this method of propulsion is rendered complete by the
arrangement, for the purpose of still further increasing the velocity of the vessel
in certain cases, of steam jets caused to operate directly on the water in the tube
in the after part of the vessel-for instance, along a length of about a quarter
of that of the vessel-the distribution of the steam being regulated similarly to
the admission of steam to the cylinder of a motor.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic vortical section of a vessel according to this in-
vention.
Figure 2 is an underside view.
Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 represent various forms of the helicoidal screws, which
may be employed.
Any suitable kind of motor device and gearing A B may be used for working
at different speeds, the propeller C placed in the fore-part of the vessel D at the
mouth of a tube E open at each end and just above the keel F.
In the after part of the vessel may be arranged a steam tube G from which
several steam jets may be directed directly against the water to exert an effort
on the water in the tube E which will, at any required moment, increase the
working power of the device. One or other form of helicoidal screw such as
represented in Figures 3 to 7 in which screws of different pitch are shown, may
be adopted according to circumstances so as to correspond to the conditions of
speed and power of the vessel, or any suitable form of propeller may be arranged
in the forward part of the conduit.

page_text: In any case the propeller is protected from the effects of shocks produced by
the waves, and other disturbing influences, and since it is placed at the mouth of
the tube, it is destined to develop a very high rotatory movement.
The rudder bisects vertically the current issuing from the tube, therefore on
the smallest movement of the rudder, the vessel, no matter what its dimensions
will respond with ease, rapidity and precision.
All the causes of imperfections as existing at present, and all the resistances
which a vessel is expected to overcome during its movement and which represent
a considerable loss of power, are, by this system, reduced to a minimum.
The invention can be applied to vessels already constructed by making use of
the motor mechanism already used by connecting it to a propeller device placed
at the mouth of a conveniently arranged tube and preferably provided with a
steam jet device to be arranged as described.
. Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. An improved method of propulsion of vessels consisting in forcing at a high
speed a stream of water through a tubular open ended conduit, arranged longi-
tudinally in the keel of the vessel, by means of a propeller device placed at
the forward end of said conduit, with or without the application of steam under
pressure against the water as it passes through the conduit to impart to it a
further increase of speed, substantially as described.
2. A vessel provided with a longitudinal conduit in its keel open at both ends,
and a helicoidal screw or propeller device at the forward end of said tube, with
or without means for directing steam under pressure against the water in the
conduit to impart to it a further increase of speed, substantially as described.
3. A propulsion device for vessels substantially as described or illustrated
diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 27th day of February 1900
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.