AN IMPROVED SCREW PROPELLER FOR PROPELLING SHIPS OR OTHER NAVIGABLE VESSELS THROUGH WATER.
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John James and William Daykin Grimshaw, both of
Southampton, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED SCREW PROPELLER FOR
PROPELLING SHIPS OR OTHER NAVIGABLE VESSELS THROUGH WATER.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John James and William
Daykin Grimshaw at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 30th May 1857.
We, JOHN JAMES and WILLIAM DAYKIN GRIMSHAW, both of Southampton,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED SCREW
PROPELLER FOR PROPELLING SHIPS OR OTHER NAVIGABLE VESSELS THROUGH WATER,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in combining an hydrostatic apparatus with a
reaction screw propeller, for propelling ships or other navigable vessels through
water. The hydrostatic apparatus consists of a cylinder, which is a receptacle
for water or other fluid employed in the apparatus, and conveyed thereinto by
a pipe communicating with a pump or pumps worked by steam or other
motive power; and I employ an air vessel to neutralize the intermittent flow
of water or other fluid arising from the action of the said pump or pumps, as

page_text: also to ensure an uniform supply of water or other fluid to the apparatus.
Through the centre of the aforesaid cylinder, and in a "fore" and "aft"
direction with the heel of the vessel, a hollow shaft (in which are two passages
formed by a diaphragm or partition) extends to the propeller aperture, passing
through the "dead wood" and stern-post of the vessel, by a tube fitted with a
stuffing box. There are orifices made in the aforesaid hollow shaft near each
extremity thereof, which communicate with the aforesaid passages therein;
and to those orifices that are within the before-mentioned hollow cylinder are
fitted and adapted a regulating slide valve and belt, connected by two rods to
a cross-head and a reversing wheel, for the purpose of giving the "going-a-
head" and "going-a-stern" motion to the propeller, and for regulating the
speed thereof. Within the aforesaid cylinder, at the fore end thereof, a bearing
block or cap is introduced for receiving the thrust of the propeller transmitted
through the aforesaid hollow shaft. The reaction screw propeller before
mentioned consists of two threads or blades radiating from a centre or boss, in
which orifices are made corresponding with those in the above-named hollow
shaft, to which it is securely affixed, and there are curved passages com-
municating with these orifices formed through the blades of the propeller,
communicating with other eduction orifices made in the extremities of the
vertical edges of the blades, for the purpose of affording an outlet for the
water or other fluid from the apparatus and propeller.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John James and William Daykin Grimshaw in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 30th November 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
JAMES and WILLIAM DAYKIN GRIMSMAW, both of Southampton, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
John James and William Daykin Grimshaw, Her special licence that we,
the said John James and William Daykin Grimshaw, our executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John James and
William Daykin Grimshaw, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times

page_text: thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED SCREW PROPELLER FOR PROPELLING SHIPS OR OTHER NAVIGABLE
VESSELS THROUGH WATER," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said John James and William Daykin Grimshaw, our executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or
under the hand and seal of one of us or them, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Daykin Grimshaw, on behalf of
myself and the said John James, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to
say:-
Our Invention consists in combining an hydrostatic apparatus (worked on
the principle of the "turbine") with a reaction screw propeller, for propelling
ships or other navigable vessels through water. The hydrostatic apparatus
consists of a cylinder, which is a receptacle for water or other liquid or fluid
employed in the apparatus, and conveyed thereinto by a pipe communicating
with a pump or pumps worked by steam, or other motive power. We employ
an air vessel to neutralize the intermittent flow of water or other liquid or
fluid arising from the action of the said pump or pumps, as also to ensure an
uniform supply of water or other liquid or fluid to the apparatus. Through
the centre of the aforesaid cylinder, and in a "fore and aft" direction with
the keel of the vessel, a hollow shaft (in which are two passages formed by a
diaphragm or partition) extends to the propeller aperture, passing through the
"dead wood" and stern-post of the vessel, by a tube fitted with a stuffing box.
There are orifices made in the aforesaid hollow shaft near each extremity
thereof, which communicate with the aforesaid passages therein; and to those
orifices that are within the before-mentioned hollow cylinder are fitted and
adapted a regulating slide valve and belt, connected by two rods to a cross-
head and a reversing wheel, for the purpose of giving the "going-a-head "
and "going-a-stern" motion to the propeller, and for regulating the speed
thereof. Within the aforesaid cylinder, at the fore end thereof, a bearing
block or cap is introduced for receiving the thrust of the propeller transmitted

page_text: the "going-a-head" or "going-a-stern" motion to the blades of the propeller,
by means of the rod X, which may be worked from the deck or other desired
part of the ship; P is a cap employed for taking the thrust of the reaction
screw propeller.
The operations of our above-described improved screw propeller are as
follows: When the valve K is in the position exhibited at Sheet 2, the
reaction screw propeller S, T, will be ineffective; but upon moving the lever
✗, so as to uncover the openings S, S, (for example,) in the reaction screw
propeller, and supposing the before-mentioned pumps to be forcing water into
the cylinder A, such water will pass through the holes a, a, along the hollow
shaft D, and through the apertures S, S, and by so doing, produce rotary
motion of the blades of the propeller and hollow shaft D, on which they are
fixed; a reverse movement of the lever X and slide valve K will cover the
apertures S, S, and uncover the apertures T, T, thereby imparting rotary
motion to the reaction screw propeller in an opposite direction.
We propose to employ one or more of the aforesaid reaction screw pro-
pellers and hollow shafts, placed at any angle either on one or both quarters of
a ship or vessel, and to manoeuvre the same from the deck or any other part
thereof. The indicator U consists of a worm wheel marked with divisions on
one or both faces thereof, which, as the said wheel is turned round by the
worm V, fixed on the rod M, come opposite to a fixed pointer u, and thus
denote the velocity of the screw, and rate at which the ship or other vessel is
being propelled.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of our said
Invention of "An Improved Screw Propeller for Propelling Ships or other
Navigable Vessels through Water," together with the best means we are
acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, we would remark
in conclusion, that we hereby declare our Invention to consist in, and we
claim,-
First, the application of the principle of the turbine, worked either by water,
steam, gas, or other fluid, for imparting motion to the reaction screw pro-
peller S, T.
Secondly, the mode set forth and described, of regulating and reversing the
propeller.
Thirdly, the hollow shaft D, slide valve K, and orifices a, a, in combination
with the above-mentioned reaction screw propeller.
Fourthly, the reaction screw propeller S, T, constructed with passages and
orifices through the blades, threads, arms, or other parts thereof.

page_text: Fifthly, and lastly, we claim the general mode of arranging, combining, and
actuating the improved screw propeller, as above described and represented.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Daykin Grimshaw, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Wham Dayhin Gumsha
Witness,
WILLIAM HENRY MITCHELL,
Melbourne Street,
Southampton.