Improvements in and relating to the Propulsion of Navigable Vessels.
Year: 1886

page_text: .
Improvements in and relating to the Propulsion of Navigable
Vessels.
I, PATRICK FRASER MACCALLUM of Fairbank, Helensburgh, in the County of
Dumbarton, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in and relating to the propulsion of
navigable vessels and it consists in effecting such propulsion by the expansive action
of gases or vapours other than steam upon water contained in and by such action
forcibly expelled, from cylinders or receivers through nozzles or other orifices. The
propulsive energy to be exerted on the water may be produced by the combustion or
explosion of inflamable gases generated in any ordinary manner or by the combustion
of liquids which may be in the form of spray or of solid fuel in a finely divided statė
such combustion or explosion taking place in a suitably arranged chamber attached to
or forming part of the cylinder or receptacle containing the water and which cylinder
communicates either by pipes and valves or through its open end merely with the
water in which the vessel to be propelled is floating.
The apparatus may be arranged in various ways and it is to be understood I do not
confine myself to any special disposition; but one arrangement consists of a cylinder
or receiver nozzle shaped at its lower end where it communicates with the water of
flotation. As before set forth water is admitted through pipes and valves to the
cylinder until it rises to the external water or other level.
The upper end of the cylinder is in communication with a chamber or charging
vessel containing the explosive mixture and by the explosion or combustion of the
mixture, in free communication with the water a pressure, which is expansive, is exerted.

page_text: on the water contained in the cylinder whereby the said water is forcibly expelled
from the nozzle and acting on or against the resistance of the external water propels
the vessel in the desired direction without the intervention of intermediate apparatus.
Two, or more sets of such apparatus may be provided one or more cylinders filling
whilst the others are discharging. Instead of the gases acting directly on the surface
of the water, an oil or other liquid piston or a solid floating piston may be interposed.
Dated this Twenty-first day of October 1886.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Propulsion of Navigable
Vessels.
I, PATRICK FRASER MACCALLUM of Fairbank, Helensburgh, in the County of
Dumbarton, Engineer, 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 has for its object improvements in and relating to the propulsion of
navigable vessels and it consists in effecting such propulsion by the expansive action
of gases or vapours other than steam upon water contained in, and by such action
forcibly expelled from cylinders or receivers through nozzles or other orifices. The
propulsive energy to be exerted on the water may be produced by the combustion or
explosion of inflammable gases generated in any ordinary manner or by the combustion
of liquids which may be in the form of spray or of solid fuel in a finely divided state
such combustion or explosion taking place in a suitably arranged chamber attached to
or forming part of the cylinder or receptacle containing the water and which cylinder
communicates either by pipes or valves or through its open end merely with the water
in which the vessel to be propelled is floating.
The apparatus may be arranged in various ways and it is to be understood that
although I have shown on the appended sheet of drawings several forms of apparatus
which may be employed in carrying my invention into effect 1 do not confine myself
to these nor to any other special disposition.
Figure 1 of the drawings illustrates in vertical section one arrangement of apparatus
suitable for the purposes of my said invention the said apparatus consisting of two
receivers or cylinders A, A¹ placed one behind the other the forward cylinder A' being

page_text: in the act of discharging and the aft cylinder A in the act of filling with water.
Each cylinder is provided with a chamber B at its upper end with which there com-
municates a pipe and valve H for the inflow of gas and a pipe and valve I for the
inflow of air whilst at the top of the chamber B there is situated an exhaust valve F
and a pipe G for the conduct away from the cylinder of the products of combustion.
At the lower end of each cylinder there is provided a series of valves E opening
inwards which valves may be flap valves as indicated or they may be slide valves or
valves of any other suitable description the said valves opening and closing commu-
nication between the cylinders and the chamber C, in the bottom of the vessel. The
said chamber should be proportioned to admit a steady stream of water without giving
motion to any considerable quantity of the external water. At the bottom of each
cylinder there is also provided a nozzle D through which the water is forcibly expelled
to propel the vessel each nozzle having a rod J, attached to it and actuated in any
suitable manner to turn the nozzle in the direction desired.
In working with this apparatus supposing the cylinder A, to be filling-the exhaust
valve F, of that cylinder is open to the pipe G through which the products of com-
bustion generated during the previous stroke escape either directly to the atmosphere
or to a suitable regenerator where the waste heat may be utilized in heating the air
for the explosive mixture or otherwise. The withdrawal of the combustion products
through the pipe G, may be facilitated or expedited by the employment of a steam jet
a fan or other mechanical exhauster.
When the water passing in through the valves E, and nozzle D has risen to about
two-thirds of its stroke in the cylinder A, the upper part of the cylinder will be nearly
free of waste gases and the valve F being then closed the gas valve H and the air
valve I are opened the explosive mixture rushing into the chamber B, through these
valves either directly from pumps or from reservoirs in which the air and gas may be
stored at suitable pressures.
The water still rising in the cylinder A, compresses this mixture to a degree about
equal to the pressure produced by the energy of the incoming water (if the ship is in
motion) and to the pressure due to the head of water of flotation. The foot valves E
next close or are closed and ignition of the explosive mixture is effected in any usual
manner through the aperture K in the chamber B. The pressure of the ignited and
expanding gases forces the water out through the nozzle D, as indicated by the arrows,
the exhaust valve F being again opened for the escape of the products of combustion
when the gases are sufficiently expanded and the foot valves E for the inflow of water.
These actions take place alternately in each cylinder and a constant stream of water
thus entering and leaving the vessel its re-action and the re-action of the water set in
motion by the jets issuing from the nozzles against the water of floatation propels
the vessel.
The cycle of operations described pre-supposes the water in the cylinders to have
some pressure when at the highest point of its stroke. When the vessel is stationary
or moving slowly and when the upper ends of the cylinders are above the level of the
water of floatation it is necessary to suck or pump up the water in some way. This
may be effected by the action of a steam jet or mechanical exhauster in which case the
explosive mixture can only be admitted to the cylinders after the action of the exhauster
has ceased and the water has commenced to fall so that no compression of the explosive
mixture as before set forth would take place.
To gain the advantages of compressive working at all times each cylinder may be
provided with a close fitting piston the rod of the piston in one cylinder being con-
nected by a cross-head, beain or its equivalent with the rod of the piston in the other
cylinder for the double purpose of sucking up the water below the piston and
compressing the explosive mixture above it.
Figure 2 shows another arrangement in which each cylinder A, is lined with fire
brick or other refractory or non-conducting material to prevent loss of heat and a
floating piston L covered or not with refractory material is provided for the like
purpose the said piston being made so as not to fit the cylinder closely the annular
space between it and the interior of the cylinder being filled with oil as indicated to

page_text: take up the heat from the piston. The piston rod M is or may be made hollow for the
passage through it of a stream of water and to protect the non-conducting material
from the action of the water and oil a lining of metal may be used as at x.
Figure 3, illustrates a modified arrangement of the bottom of the cylinder whereby
the projection of the nozzle D below the bottom or through the side of the vessel
is obviated.
Figure 4 illustrates a means of increasing the quantity or area of external water
acted upon by the jet when the position of the cylinder and the point of discharge
admit of its application. With this arrangement the nozzle pipe Ñ is bent its ends
which are supported in stuffing glands leaving it free to be rotated at any desired
speed by a spur wheel or pulley Ŏ, fixed on the straight part of the pipe.
With any of the arrangements it is not necessary that all the explosive mixture be
introduced to the cylinder before ignition as ignition may be effected at any point of
the introduction so as to produce a more gradual pressure of the expanding gases.
Any ordinary form of gas generating apparatus may be employed-preferably
those of light construction and which decompose considerable quantities of steam
being used.
The valves for admission of the explosive mixtures and for the escape of the waste
gases together with the necessary apparatus for opening and closing them may be
similar to those employed in gas, petroleum and caloric engines generally and the
power for operating them and the pumps may be derived from an auxiliary steam
cylinder, or a hydraulic cylinder similar to that shown at.P, fig. 1, may be employed.
The ends of this cylinder communicate by means of the pipes R and S with the
cylinders A and A³ respectively; and the piston Q is forced up and down as the
explosions alternately take place in the cylinders A and A¹; the motion of the piston
rod Q being used for operating the valves or the charging pumps or when a float
piston as shown at fig. 2 is adopted it may be utilized over and above the purposes
set forth for giving motion to the valves or to any gearing in connection with the
apparatus requiring only slight force or pressure to drive it.
When liquid fuel is employed it is forced into the cylinder in the form of spray
mixed with either hot or cold air and when solid fuel is used it is fed into the cylinder
in a finely divided state with hot or cold air.
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. Effecting the propulsion of navigable vessels by the action of expanding gases
other than steam produced by the combustion of gaseous solid or liquid fuel within
cylinders, said expansive action being exerted either direct or through the intervention
of pistons upon water contained in and by such action forcibly expelled from the
cylinder through nozzles or other orifices substantially as described with reference to
the drawings annexed.
2. In the propulsion of vessels as set forth the arrangements and combinations of
apparatus severally described with reference to figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the appended
drawings.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agents.