IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THRUST BLOCKS, PLUMMER BLOCKS, AND SUCH LIKE MECHANISM USED IN STEAM SHIPS, THE SAID IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE TO ALL KINDS OF SCREW AND LIFTING JACKS, AND FOR THE BEARINGS OF CRANES, MILL SHAFTS, AND SUCH LIKE MACHINERY
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Brown, of Saint Mary Street, in the
Borough of Portsmouth, in the County of Southampton, Wine
Merchant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF THRUST BLOCKS, PLUMMER BLOCKS, AND SUCH LIKE MECHANISM USED IN
STEAM SHIPS, THE SAID IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE TO ALL KINDS OF
SCREW AND LIFTING JACKS, AND FOR THE BEARINGS OF CRANES, MILL SHAFTS,
AND SUCH LIKE MACHINERY."
Sealed the 17th June 1870, and dated the 19th April 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Brown at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th April 1870.
I, WILLIAM BROWN, of Saint Mary Street, in the Borough of Ports-
5 mouth, in the County of Southampton, Wine Merchant, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF THRUST BLOCKS, PLUMMER BLOCKS, AND SUCH LIKE MECHANISM USED
IN STEAM SHIPS, THE SAID IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE TO ALL KINDS OF

page_text: SCREW AND LIFTING JACKS, AND FOR THE BEARINGS OF CRANES, MILL SHAFTS, AND
BUCH LIKE MACHINERY," to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention relates, in the first instance, to the shafts of screw
propellers used in vessels, and is designed to reduce and considerably
lessen the extreme friction and heating of the parts employed to take
the thrust of the screw when in action.
I propose to remedy the above objections by the following means, that
is to say-Instead of employing collars on the shaft embraced at
opposite points by grooved recesses formed in strong thrust or plummer
blocks, and making the said recesses each of corresponding size to the
said collars, I propose, instead of such said recesses, to adapt small
rollers to the said thrust or plummer blocks at each side of each of
the aforesaid collars on the driving shaft, so that instead of the said
collars revolving against the fixed surfaces of the aforesaid recesses
they shall revolve against revolving rollers, thereby reducing friction,
and by thus preventing heating of the rubbing parts, economizing a
great saving of lubricating material, and also dispensing with the
necessity for employing water as now practised in large screw vessels
for keeping the rubbing surfaces cool, and also a donkey engine for
discharging the bilge water occasioned by the use of water for that
purpose.
The foregoing arrangement applies also to all kinds of screw and
lifting jacks, and for the bearings of cranes, mill shafts, and other similar
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 2
filed by the said William Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th October 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BROWN, of Saint Mary Street, in the Borough of Portsmouth, in the
County of Southampton, Wine Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give

page_text: and grant unto me, the said William Brown, Her special licence that
I, the said William Brown, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William Brown, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all tinies 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF THRUST BLOCKS, PLUMMER BLOCKS, AND SUCH LIKE MECHANISM USED
IN STEAM SHIPS, THE SAID IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE TO ALL KINDS OF
SCREW AND LIFTING JACKS, AND FOR THE BEARINGS OF CRANES, MILL SHAFTS, AND
SUCH LIKE MACHinery," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Brown, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Brown, 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, that is to say :-
This Invention relates, in the first instance, to the shafts of screw
propellers used in vessels, and is designed to reduce and considerably
lessen the extreme friction and heating of the parts employed to take
the thrust of the screw when in action.
I propose to remedy the above objections by the following means, that
is to say-Instead of employing collars on the shaft embraced at
opposite points by grooved recesses formed in strong thrust or plummer
blocks, and making the said recesses each of corresponding size to the
said collars, I propose, instead of such said recesses to adapt small
rollers to the said thrust or plummer blocks at each side of each of the
aforesaid collars on the driving shaft, so that instead of the said collars
revolving against the fixed surfaces of the aforesaid recesses they shall
revolve against revolving rollers, thereby reducing friction, and by thus
preventing heating of the rubbing parts, economizing a great saving
of lubricating material, and also dispensing with the necessity for
employing water as now practised in large screw vessels for keeping

page_text: conveniently practicable, and let them be at all times a shade longer
than the large diameter of each cone roller. The size of rollers will
be guided by the diameter of the shaft. The rollers will also require a
little play in the recess in which they revolve and turned rather of an
elliptic form at the large end.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my
said Invention for "Improvements in the Construction of Thrust Blocks,
Plummer Blocks, and such like Mechanism used in Steam Ships, the
said Improvements being Applicable to all Kinds of Screw and Lifting
Jacks and for the Bearings of Cranes, Mill Shafts, and such like
Machinery," together with the best means I am acquainted with for
carrying the same into practical effect, I would remark, in conclusion,
and I hereby declare, that what I claim as my Invention, and desire to
secure by the hercin-before in part recited Letters Patent is, adapting
rollers to thrust blocks against which the collar on the driving shaft of
screw propellers revolves for reducing the immense friction occasioned
by using collars working in fixed grooves or recesses made in the thrust
block, as heretofore practised.
I also claim adapting the aforesaid rollers and thrust blocks to screw
and lifting jacks, the bearing of cranes, mill shafts, and such like
machinery, substantially as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Brown, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.