Improvements in Hydraulic and Pneumatic Propellers.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Hydraulic and Pneumatic Propellers.
I, JULES TROLLEY, of Conde-sur-Noireau, (Calvados), France, 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:-
This invention relates to a new system of propelling ships which effects a
considerable saving of motive power and can be readily and conveniently applied
to all kinds of ships, and is characterized by the use of two cylinders open at one
of their ends and arranged parallel to the keel in the rear part of the ship, and
in which there are adapted to work two pistons connected by connecting rods
to two cranks keyed 180 degrees apart on a shaft which is operated by means of
gear wheels by a steam engine, the arrangement being such that when the free
ends of the cylinders are in communication with the surrounding water, one of
the two pistons forces back the water which is situated in front of it and thus
propels the ship, whilst the other piston moves back for the purpose of filling the
cylinder with water which it forces back during its next stroke, the action of
the pressure of the column of water which is situated above the pistons being
balanced by the fact that it is exerted simultaneously upon the two pistons which
are situated at the same depth. The invention also comprises the application of
the engine specified in mofor cars, and to railways by utilizing the pressure of
the atmosphere and modifying the engine in such a manner that the cylinders
are closed properly air-tight behind the pistons for the purpose of producing a
vacuum.
In the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of example, is shown
in horizontal section the rear part of a ship provided with the new propelling.
device.
The improved device consists of two pistons, h,1, working in cylinders, 9,1,
and operated by connecting rods, f,i, by means of cranks, b, c, each of which
is 50 cm. long and is fixed upon a shaft, a, which imparts to them the motion
which it receives from wheels, d, e, which are actuated by a steam engine. The
pistons and the cylinders have each a diameter of 2 metres, and the stroke of
the pistons in the cylinders is one metre: This engine is arranged horizontally
at the rear part of a ship at a mean depth of say 5 metres below, the water-line..

page_text: The pistons and cylinders are alone in communication with the water which
passes into the cylinders through the open ends which are flush externally with
the hull of the ship. At their base the cylinders are each formed with an aperture
which allows of the discharge of any water that might pass around the pistons,
and must be large enough to allow of the entry of a man, and must be capable
of being closed hermetically in the case in which it might be desired to utilize
the pressure of the atmosphere! Instead of a single aperture, several apertures
might be employed, which would then be of smaller size. All the proportions
of the engine may be increased or diminished as will be considered advisable
OPERATION.
:
"
The engine produces the greater part of its power of itself. It
possesses in
itself its power and its resistance. The two forces are equal. The pistons
which work in the cylinders have the same diameter of 2 metres. They are
both situated at a mean depth of 5 metres below the level of the water. They
each support a weight of a column of water weighing about 15000 kilos. The
power is represented by the piston which is at the end of the cylinder and the
resistance by the piston which is at the bottom of the cylinder. Under these
conditions of equilibrium the engine cannot operate alone, as it has to over-
come a resistance which is equal to its power plus the friction of the engine
itself, plus the force of inertia. I impart motion to it by means of a toothed
wheel, e, which is actuated by a steam engine, and which gears with a wheel, d,
which is fast on the shaft, a, and imparts to it the force and the speed which it
receives from the steani engine. I'assume a speed of 30 revolutions per minute.
Then the engine of which the drawing is annexed commences to move. The
connecting rod, f, which operates the piston, 'h, is at the end or its stroke. It
moves back under the pressure of-15000 kilos which is the weight of the column
of water supported by the piston plus the increase in power produced by the
steam engine, and the piston, h, returns to the end of the cylinder, g, and thereby
imparts to the shaft, a, half a revolution with a force of more tlian 15000 kilos
and transmits a direct push of the same weight and of a metre in length directly
to the vessel by means of the bearings which support the shaft, a, and which
are very firmly connected to the ship. This half a revolution of the shaft, a,
causes the connecting rod, i, which is at the rear end to move forward with a
pressure of more than 15000 kilos, and the piston, !, which is at the bottom of
the cylinder; j, is compelled to move forward through a distance of 1 metre in
the cylinder and to push back the column of water which it contains and which
is of the weight of 15000 kilos, and the ship is caused to travel forward. It
cannot be otherwise, because the connecting rod, 2, is compelled to move forward
through a distance of one metre between the two, resistances. But as the ship
does not offer in water a resistance of 30000 kilos raised one metre high per
second, the ship must necessarily move forward, and the piston, 7, having stopped
the column of water, will be situated at the end of the cylinder, j, which, of
course, has moved with the ship. The half revolution of the shaft, a, has been
effected the piston h, which was at the end of the cylinder.g, has moved to
the bottom it constituted the power and has now become the resistance and
the piston, which was at the bottom of the cylinder j, has moved to the end.
This piston was the resistance, and has now become the power. The force las
not become lost, but has been shifted from one piston to the other. The motion
continues, under the pressure of the 15000 kilos, which is the weight of the
column of water that it supports, plus the force produced by the steam engine.
The piston 7, returns to its original position at the bottom of the cylinder j
and the piston h, which is at the bottom of the cylinder g, returns to its starting
point at the end, and again causes the ship to move forward under the action
of the two direct pushing forces of one 'metre in length and of the weight of
15000 kilos, each acting upon the bearings, that is to say 30000 kilos át every
half revolution of the shaft, a. The rotation of the shaft is completed and the

page_text: It is
movement continues aided by the steam engine as long as is desired:
a rotary motion of the shaft and an alternating motion of the pistons which
constitute in turn the power or the resistance accordingly as they are situated
at the end or at the bottom of the cylinders. The power shifts from one piston
to the other, but is never lost. The travel of the ship will be proportional to
the size of the pistons, to their velocity, and to their depth below the water
level. The engine also operates under the pressure of the atmosphere like it
does under the pressure of water. A vacuum is produced behind the pistons
which must be properly air-tight, and once the starting movement has been in-
parted to them, it will continue, being aided by the steam engine which has only
to overcome the resistance of the friction plus a small amount of additional losses.
As the two pistons have the same diameter, the engine is always in perfect equili-
brium and the power is equal to the resistance. Considerable pushing forces
act at each movement of the pistons upon the bearings, but they are for the most
part neutralized by the pushing forces in the contrary direction due to the
pressure of the atmosphere which obtains on the base of the cylinders. How-
ever, I believe that I am able to utilize a part of these forces, which will also
be applicable to railways and to motor cars as well as to navigation. These
applications of pistons working in cylinders with the utilization of the forces
acting upon the bearings constitute in their entirely an engine which is entirely
novel and which comprises the greater part of its power in itself and produces
new results. This is an invention which I propose to apply to all purposes of
navigation on sea, on rivers, and to subinarine vessels; also to railways and to
motor cars.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
(1) A new system of propulsion for ships of all kinds characterized by the use
of two cylinders open at one of their ends and arranged parallel to the keel in
the rear part of the ship, and in which there are adapted to work two pistons
connected by connecting rods to two cranks keyed 180 degrees apart on a shaft
which is operated by means of gear wheels by a steam engine, the arrangement
being such that when the free ends of the cylinders are in communication with
the surrounding water, one of the two pistons forces back the water which is
situated in front of it and thus propels the ship, whilst the other piston moves
back for the purpose of filling the cylinder with water which it forces back
during its next stroke, the action of the pressure of the column of water which
is situated above the pistons being balanced by the fact that it is exerted
simultaneously upon the two pistons which are situated at the same depth.
(2) The application of the engine specified in Claim, 1, to motor cars, and to
railways by utilizing the pressure of the atmosphere and modifying the engine
in such a manner that the cylinders are closed properly air-tight behind the
pistons for the purpose of producing a vacuum.
Substantially as above described and shown in the accompanying drawing.
14 in 6th dow of Tule 1899
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents, 321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.