Improvements in Steam or other Vessels.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 6th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left. 8th Apr.. 1890-Accepted. 10th May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam or other Vessels.
A communication from abroad by FRANCIS WRIGHT POOL, of Saint Paul, Ramsey
County, Minnesota, United States of America, Merchant.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, & 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, & 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention comprises a double prowed vessel, capable of being propelled.in
either direction, both ends being of the same form and both provided with rudders.
These rudders are designed to be operated in concert, and thereby turn the vessel in
more limited space and more quickly than with one rudder only. It is preferable to
operate these rudders by means of a wheel or segmental gear secured horizontally
upon the top of the rudder and pivoted on the pintle of the rudder hinge. The portion
of the wheel extending into or over the hull is geared or toothed and engaged by a
suitable pinion or other gear which is connected with and operated from the pilot
house or engine room, as preferred, so as to throw the rudder.
Instead of screws to propel the vessel, it is preferable to provide open cylinders
in each end of the vessel, having pistons acting directly upon the water entering the
cylinders. The cylinders are provided with removable heads, so that the pistons may
be removed from them, the cylinders being closed in front of the pistons by cut off
valves, to prevent the inflow of water. It is preferable also to construct the piston
head in sections, the outer section secured to the piston rod, and the inner section to
a sleeve sliding upon the rod, and held in position preferably by a set screw threaded
upon the piston rod. Between the sections of the head one or more partitions are
arranged, and the intermediate space is filled with any suitable stuffing material. The
pressure exerted by the screws upon the piston rod compresses the stuffing to as
tight a fit in the cylinder as desired.
Dated this 5th day of June 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steam or other Vessels.
A communication from abroad by FRANCIS WRIGHT POOL, of Saint Paul, Ramsey
County, Minnesota, United States of America, Merchant.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Manchester; both in
the County of Lancaster and 323, High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil
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 relates to improvements in devices for propelling and steering
double-prowed steam vessels, and consists in arranging at the bottom of the hull at
each end thereof, in connection with the engines of the vessel, piston propellers
reciprocating in cylinders opening directly to the surrounding water, by means of
which the power of the engines is employed to force the pistons against the water in
the cylinders, whereby the vessel is propelled in the opposite direction (upon the
Pine 81

page_text: same principle as the action of a paddle wheel or a propeller's screw upon the water
serves to propel a vessel) and in arranging rudders at both ends of the vessel having
suitable connection to a common wheel, whereby they may be caused to act in concert
and assist each other in turning the vessel, or may be operated independently of each
other. The piston at the stern of the vessel only is operated to propel the vessel,
and the other piston, to reverse the movement of the vessel, the pistons thus being
used alternately according to the direction in which the vessel is to be propelled.
The invention further consists in the construction and combination hereinafter
described and particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vessel fitted with the improved propelling and
steering devices, certain portions being broken away to show the connection of the
parts.
Figure 2 is a detail vertical, longitudinal section of the cylinder, its piston and cut
off valve.
Figure 3 is a detail plan view of one of the rudders showing the means for operating
the same.
Figure 4 is a detail of the gate valve for cutting off the water from the propeller
cylinder.
In the drawings, 2 represents the hull of a double prowed vessel provided with the
rudders 3 at either end.
Arranged on the top of each and rigidly secured thereto and to its pintle 21, is a
large bevel gear 4 meshing with which is the bevel pinion 5, mounted on a horizontal
shaft 6. The inner adjacent ends of the two shafts 6 are fitted with the bevel
pinions 22, preferably arranged to slide upon said shafts to throw the same in or out
of gear. Arranged between said bevel pinions 22, is the vertical shaft 23, carrying
the bevel pinions 24 which mesh with the pinions 22 when they are "in gear,"
which when thrown out of gear by means of their levers 25 are disengaged from the
pinions 24. The shaft 23 carries a gear 26 with which meshes the pinion 27 carried
by the short vertical shaft 28, which by means of the bevel pinions 29 and 30 is geared
to the wheel 9.
but
It will thus be seen that by turning the wheel 9, if both the pinions 22 are in gear,
the two rudders will be turned simultaneously but oppositely, or toward the same side
of the vessel, thus acting in concert and serving to turn the vessel within a small
circle, while if desired either of the rudders may be thrown out of gear and the vessel
guided by the other.
Arranged in the bottom of the hull at either end, is a horizontal cylinder A
extending longitudinally of the vessel with its outer end open and communicating
with the surrounding water. The inner end of the cylinder is closed preferably by
means of a removable head 19 screwed to the cylinder through a central opening in
which the piston rod 11 passes. This rod is connected directly to the crank shaft of
the engine which thus serves to operate the piston 10.
In order to take up wear and nicely adjust the piston in its cylinder, it is preferred
to construct the piston in sections composed of the discs 12 arranged loosely on the
rod with layers of packing 13 interposed between, all held in place under suitable
pressure by means of the adjusting nut 14 threaded upon the rod and bearing upon
the outer disc. The different layers of packing are thus under uniform pressure and
therefore present a uniform bearing surface against the wall of the cylinder. Con-
necting with the inner end of the cylinder and serving as an air vent therefor is the
upright pipe 20 opening into the outer air above the water level, through which air
enters and exhausts in the operation of the piston in the cylinder.
In order to give access to the piston for the purpose of repairs or readjustment
there is provided a cut off valve 15 for closing the open head of the cylinder. This is
preferably a gate valve, so called, having a circular opening 18 exactly the size of the
cylinder, which is arranged to register with the cylinder when the propeller is in use,

page_text: and which may be raised so as to interpose the solid portion of the valve in the
cylinder and thus cut it off from the outer water by means of the hand wheel 16,
mounted on the stem 17, which is screw threaded in its support.
OPERATION.
The propeller piston at the stern of the vessel, only being connected with the
driving machinery and thus reciprocated in the cylinder, makes impact upon the water
in the cylinder forcing the same outward through the open head, which re-acts to
impel the vessel forward, air entering through the pipe 20 to fill the space between
the piston and the closed head of the cylinder. With the return motion of the piston,
the water follows it into the cylinder and the confined air in the cylinder escapes
through the vent pipe 20, the power of the engines thus acting directly upon the
water in the most economical manner. Should it be necessary to reverse the motion
of the vessel, the piston at the other end of the vessel is connected to the engine and
the first piston disconnected, by which means the motion of the vessel is checked and
reversed.
While but one piston at either end has been shown and described, it is obvious that
two may be arranged to act alternately and in some cases more efficiently than one,
by being connected to a double acting engine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. Means for propelling a steam vessel, consisting of an open head cylinder com-
municating with the surrounding water and arranged at the stern of the vessel, means
for reciprocating its piston therein in contact with the water, and a cut off valve
adapted to close the open head of the cylinder, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
2. Means for propelling a vessel consisting of an open head horizontal cylinder
arranged at the stern and longitudinally thereof, and fitted with a piston in contact
with the water therein and provided with means whereby said piston is reciprocated in
said cylinder, thus forcing the water therefrom and thereby propelling the vessel,
substantially as described.
3. The combination with a hull of a vessel of the open head cylinder A arranged
therein and opening outward at the stern thereof and fitted with the removable
head 19 and vent pipe 20, the cut off valve 15 adapted to close the open head of
the cylinder, the piston 10 arranged in said cylinder in contact with the water
entering the same, and means for reciprocating said piston, substantially as
described.
4. In a vessel the combination with its hull of the open head cylinder A arranged
at the stern thereof and communicating with the surrounding water and provided with
a suitable cut off valve and air vent, and a piston arranged therein formed of layers
of packing alternating with discs arranged loosely upon the piston rod and
provided with means for adjusting and compressing said packing, as and for the
purposes set forth.
5. In a double prowed vessel, the combination of open head propelling cylinders
arranged at both ends of the same, pistons arranged in said cylinder and bearing
upon the water entering the same, and means for operating said pistons alternately
according to the direction in which it is desired to propel the vessel, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
6. In a double prowed vessel, the combination of propelling cylinders arranged at
either end, having open ends communicating with the surrounding water, pistons
arranged in said cylinders in contact with said water, means for operating said pistons
alternately, rudders arranged at both ends of the vessel connected to a common wheel

page_text: and adapted to be operated in concert or separately by the turning of said wheel so
as to guide the vessel, substantially as described.
7. In a double prowed vessel, the combination of a rudder arranged at each end, a
gear wheel arranged upon the top of the rudder and secured to its pintle and to the
rudder, a pinion meshing with said gear and mounted upon a shaft connected to and
adapted to be rotated from the wheel of the pilot house, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
1
A
1 1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant: