IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE PROPULSION OF VESSELS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joao Simoes Corrêa, of the Island of Terceira, one of the
Azores, temporarily residing at Tolmers Square, in the County of Middlesex,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE PROPULSION OF
VESSELS."
Sealed the 22nd August 1876, and dated the 13th June 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jono Simoes Corrêa at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th June 1876.
JOAO SIMOES CORREA, of the Island of Terceira, one of the Azores, temporarily
residing at Tolmers Square, in the County of Middlesex.
APPARATUS FOR THE PROPULSION OF VESSELS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the propulsion of vessels
and consists in fitting within or upon a vessel a framework carrying a crank and
wheel gearing, by which a heavy fly wheel can be driven and be caused to operate a
crank shaft by which another crank shaft can be driven by links or connection rods,
the latter shaft having the screw propeller outside the vessel attached for the purpose
of moving the vessel along. The first-named crank and gearing can be actuated by
hand or other power, the gearing to and from or between the fly wheel and the
screw shaft being so arranged that the speed of travel of the fly wheel shall be
considerably greater than that of the propeller in order to overcome the inertia of
the screw and exercise an influence for the propulsion of the vessel with the least
amount of labour from inboard.
The fly wheel I prefer to arrange athwart the vessel and work it by crank
handle as before described, or by a donkey or other engine as found desirable, or
it may be by sails or canvas mounted upon a platform capable of revolving by the
action of the wind, the platform having a central vertical shaft on which bevil or
other gearing is fitted to engage into the teeth of a wheel arranged upon the deck
and from which another vertical shaft can be driven, the last-mentioned shaft
having bevil gearing for actuating the fly wheel by which its own shaft and the
propeller shaft are caused to rotate. In fitting the wind sail arrangement it can
be in connection with a double hand lever, so that in the case of a calm the pro-
peller can be operated from the deck or in other convenient manner.
The sails referred to are fitted between a top and bottom framing and formod
with pockets into which the wind can enter and push the whole around.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joao Simoes Corrêa in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th Decem-
ber 1876.
JOAO SIMOES CORREA, of the Island of Terceira, one of the Azores, temporarily
residing at Tolmers Square, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR THE PROPULSION OF VESSELS."
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the propulsion of
vessels, and consists in fitting within or upon a vessel a framework carrying crank
and wheel gearing, by which a heavy fly wheel can be driven, and be caused to
operate a crank shaft by which another crank shaft can be driven by links or con-
nection rods, the latter shaft having the screw propeller outside the vessel attached
for the purpose of moving the vessel along. The first-named crank and gearing
can be actuated by hand or other power, the gearing to and from or between the
fly wheel and the screw shaft being so arranged that the speed of travel of the fly
wheel shall be considerably greater than that of the propeller.
The fly wheel I prefer to arrange athwart the vessel, and work it by crank
handle, as before described, or by a donkey or other engine, as found desirable, or
it may be by sails or canvas mounted upon a platform capable of revolving by the
action of the wind, the platform having a central vertical shaft on which bevil or
other gearing is fitted to engage into the teeth of a wheel arranged upon the deck,
and from which another vertical shaft can be driven, the last-mentioned shaft
having bevil gearing for actuating the fly wheel by which its own shaft and the
propeller shaft are caused to rotate. In fitting the wind sail arrangement it can be
in connection with a double hand lever, so that in the case of a calm the propeller
can be operated from the deck or in other convenient manner.
The sails referred to are fitted between a top and bottom framing, and formed
with pockets, into which the wind can enter and push the whole around.
shifting sail may be fitted to guide the wind into the pockets of the sails.
A
My Invention will be understood by the annexed Drawings, in which Figure 1
is a longitudinal view of a vessel, Figure 2 a plan, and Figure 3 a cross section
thereof.
A is the crank handle, and B, C, spur gearing for communicating rapid rotary
motion to the fly wheel D, which in this instance is placed athwart the vessel.
The shaft E of the fly wheel carries a pinion F in gear with a wheel G, this wheel
being on a shaft H set slightly at an angle in bearings I that its cranks J, J, may
work other cranks K, K, which are upon the screw shaft L. The two cranks of
the shafts H and L are connected by rods M, M.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of a vessel in which the screw shaft L and the
shaft H are similarly attached by rods M, M, for their rotation from the momentum
of the fly wheel D, whose shaft E is actuated by bevil gearing N from a vertical
shaft P, this having another fly wheel Q fitted to revolve horizontally under the
deck of the vessel. The shaft P can be driven by crank handles from the deck or
by lift pauls R, R, and cranks, or by steam power by the engine S, which engine
when the vessel is loading or unloading could be made available for that purpose,
the gearing with the screw propeller mechanism being temporarily disconnected,
or the mechanism could be actuated by sails T fitted to spars which are free to
travel round upon a platform U, the sail's spars being attached to a central vertical
shaft V carrying a horizontal spur wheel W in gear with the intermediate or idle
wheel X as shown. The sails are arranged to slide up and down between the spars
and are guided by parrells and ropes. The sails are so fitted that when the wind
acts upon them each of them forms a pocket to hold the wind, and by it to be
forced round, each sail filling as it comes round to the wind.
Figure 5 represents a paddle vessel to which the sail arrangement just referred
to is employed for rotating the paddle wheels Y, Y, through the intermediate

page_text: gearing Z. The sails and the framework in which they are fitted are arranged to
turn in either direction, the change being governed by clutch mechanism or in
other convenient manner.
According to my Invention the fly wheel or fly wheels rotate at a much greater
speed than that of the screw or paddle to overcome the inertia of the propeller
and exercise an influence for the propulsion of the vessel with the least amount of
labour from inboard.
When the vessel to which my apparatus is fitted is labouring against a head
wind a superior advantage is obtained in the working of the screw or the paddle,
as the case may be, by the action of the wind in a more positive manner upon the
sails to enable the vessel to move ahead.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that I claim―
The combination of appliances arranged in the manner set forth and shown in
Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the annexed Drawings, as and for the purposes described.
Secondly. I claim the combination of appliances arranged in the manner set forth
and shown in Figure 4 of the annexed Drawings, as and for the purposes described.
Thirdly. I claim the employment of one or more fly wheels between the driver
and the propeller or paddles, of a vessel, such fly wheel or wheels running at a
greater speed than the propellor or paddles as and for the purposes described and
substantially in the manner shown in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, the said Joao Simoes Correa, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Ninth day of December, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-six.
Witness,
WALTER JOHN GUILLET.
JOAO SIMOES CORRÊA. (L.S.)