IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO PROPELLERS FOR VESSELS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Giovani Costante Parini of Consiglio di Rumo Lombardy
in the Kingdom of Italy, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING
TO PROPELLERS FOR VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Giovani Costante Parini
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th August 1882.
GIOVANI COSTANTE PARINI of Consiglio di Rumo Lombardy in the Kingdom of
Italy IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO PROPELLERS FOR VESSELS."
"
The object of this invention is to provide a propeller for ships in which the force
obtained from the steam engine or other motor will act direct in a horizontal line
on the water to propel the vessel through it.
The propeller may be made in the form of a piston to act on the water in a
cylinder or in any other convenient form that will provide a surface to press
borizontally or nearly so against the water and in so pressing give motion to the
vessel.
In either case I prefer to use two or more propellers working alternately and
these may be placed one above the other or side by side, with the rudder post
between or one on each side the ship or the two propellers instead of being parallel
with each other can be at an angle pointing towards the centre line of the vessel
beyond the stern post.
In carrying out the invention I place two or more cylinders in the stern of the
vessel opening out to the sea and in each of these provide suitable pistons. The
rods of these pistons are connected directly to receive a reciprocating motion from
the engine. In the cover of the cylinder I place one or two pipes to allow of the
free admission of air to the inside of the cylinder. By a suitable arrangement of
valves these could be used to ventilate the hold or other parts of the ship.
For the purpose of reversing the direction of the ship's course or stopping it, I
make the piston head double the outer head being attached to a rod sliding through
the rod to which the inner head is attached. The outer head is hinged or pivoted
in two halves in the centre so that when moving independently of the other head
[Price G1

page_text: in one direction it will close or shut up, and when in the opposite direction it will
remain open.
When it is required to reverse the direction of the ship's course the
outer bead of the piston is moved outside the cylinder into the water beyond and
only acts on the water (by reason of being hinged as above described) in a direction
to cause the ship to go backwards instead of forward.
Instead of the piston working in a cylinder I sometimes arrange on a framework
of suitable construction in the stern of the vessel a propeller that will open and
push the water backward and in retreating towards the vessel shut up to diminish
the resistance on the water. This propeller is actuated by a rod similar to a piston
'rod and the blade of the propeller is divided and jointed in the centre and is
attached to the rod in such way that when the rod is drawn towards the vessel the
centre pin on which the halves of the blade are hinged is drawn with it and the
resistance of the water on each half of the blade causes them to close together.
When the rod is thrust out the centre pin is driven forward and each half of the
blade working in a suitably arranged slide is forced open. The course of the ship
may be reversed by causing the reverse action in the blade of the propeller namely
that it opens when advancing towards the ship and closes when receding from it.
This may be done by changing the position of the travel of the rod and allowing
its end to work out past the centres of the slides in which the blade works or an
alteration in the position of the framework would effect the same result.
works in suitable slides as it may require.
The rod

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Giovani Costante Parini in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th February 1883.
GIOVANI COSTANTE PARINI, of Consiglio di Rumo, Lombardy, in the Kingdom of
Italy IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO PROPELLERS FOR VESSELS
58
"
The object of this invention is to provide a propeller for ships in which the force
obtained from the steam engine or other motor will act direct in a horizontal
line on the water to propel the vessel through it.
The propeller may be made in the form of a piston to act on the water in a
cylinder or in any other convenient form that will provide a surface to press
horizontally or nearly so against the water and in so pressing give motion to the
vessel
In either case I prefer to use two or more propellers working alternately and
these may be placed one above the other or side by side with the rudder post
between or one on each side the Ship, or the two propellers instead of being parallel
with each other can be at an angle pointing towards the centre line of the vessel
beyond the stern post.
In Figs. 1 and 2 are shown section and end view of my improved propeller for
steam ships, working in a cylindrical casing.
In these A is the propeller working to and fro in the cylinder B the outer end
of which is open to the sea. C is the rod of the piston or propeller A connected
with the piston rod of the engine or otherwise so as to receive a reciprocating
and preferably horizontal motion. The connecting rod C is hollow and through
it passes a second rod D which is attached to a second head E made in two halves
and pivotted or hinged to a cross head e on the rod as shown. The hinged halves
of the head E are made rather wider than the diameter of the cylinder B and
when in action assumes the position shown at F Fig. 1. The direct action of
the piston A on the water gives motion to the vessel. To reverse the direction of
the vessel or ship's course or to bring it to a sudden stand still, the piston A is
stopped at the outmost limit of its stroke with the second head E outside the
cylinder as seen at g. The motion is then transferred to the rod D and the head E
moves to and fro. The two parts of which this head is formed are so hinged
as to offer little or no resistance when the rod D moves from the ship but as
the rod returns they open out until they come in contact with the bar or stop f.
The action then of this head on the water causes the stoppage or reversal of the
motion of the ship.
The pistons A are packed in the cylinder B to prevent the leakage of water
through, and holes or pipes lead through the cylinder head b to allow of free
admission of air to the inside of the cylinder.
By a suitable arrangement of valves and pipes these could be arranged to
ventilate the hold of the ship.
Figs. 3. 4 and 5 show side end and plan view of my improved propeller working
in guides.
K are
The propeller H is formed in two halves joined in the centre to a cross head I
and is free to move in either direction. To the centre of the cross head I is
attached a connecting rod J similar to a piston rod which receives a reciprocating
motion from the engine and with it the cross head I moves to and fro.
beams or frame work carrying cross bar L in which are grooves or slides l. In
these grooves or slides pins-h attached to the outer edges of the hinged blades or
rings of the propeller work.
The propeller H is actuated by the rod J and the blade of the propeller being

page_text: divided and jointed in the centre and attached to the rod J in such a way that
when it and the cross head I are drawn towards the vessel the motion of the pins h
in the grooves or slides L cause the blades to close together and thus offer little or
When the rod J is thrust out
no resistance in their passage through the water.
cross-bead I is driven forward and the pins h on each half of the blade working in
The course of
the slide or groove l, cause the propeller blades to be forced open.
the ship may be reversed by causing the reverse action in the blade of the propeller,
namely that it opens when advancing towards the Ship and closes when receding
from it. This may be done by changing the position of the travel of rod and
allowing its end to work out past the centres of the slides el in which the pins h
on the blade work. An alteration in the position of the framework would effect
the same result. The rod works in suitable slides as it may require, but these are
not shown in the drawings.
In the blades of the propeller may be placed a valve or sluice pivotted in the
centre through which the water can pass at the return stroke to lessen the
resistance. As the propeller advances in its active stroke the force of the water on
it will keep such valve closed. The pivot or hinge on which the valve is hung
should be so placed that when the position of the propeller is altered as above
described to reverse the direction of the vessel's course the valve will close as the
propeller moves towards the vessel and opens as it recedes. A hook or catch placed
at each face of the valve will prevent it opening too far. This arrangement is not
shown in the drawings but it will be easily understood how it works.
Having now described my invention and the best mode known to me of
carrying it into effect, I wish it to be understood that what I believe to be new and
desire to protect and claim is :-
1 A propeller for ships or vessels in which the motive force is brought to act
direct on the water in a horizontal line consisting of a piston working in a cylinder,
one end of which is open to the sea in combination with a second head provided
with folding blades or vanes, connected to a rod passing through the rod of the piston
and which may be moved independently of the piston substantially as and for the
purposes described..
2. A propeller for ships or vessels constructed with two folding blades or vanes
pivotted at the centre, and working in grooves or guides at their outer edges to
allow them to expand or close as the connecting rod works to and fro, substantially
as described and shown.
3. In a propeller for ships with folding blades acting on the water in a horizontal
line the combination with the blades of the inclined slides or grooves and pins
working therein, which cause the blades to open or expand in one direction and
when the connecting rod is lengthened causes them to open in the opposite direction
substantially as and for the purposes described.
"
4. The general arrangement and construction of propeller for vessels or ships
taken as a whole, as herein described and shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and also as
shown in Figs. 3. 4 and 5.
In witness whereof I, the said Giovani Costante Parini, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this third day of February, One thousand eight hundred
wheth