IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLERS FOR STEAM OR OTHER MOTIVE POWER VESSELS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Charles Barrett, of No. 83, Montague
Road, Norfolk Road, Dalston, in the County of Middlesex, Printer,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLERS FOR STEAM OR
OTHER MOTIVE POWER VESSELS."
Sealed the 11th November 1873, and dated the 12th May 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund' Charles
Barrett at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 12th May 1873.
I, EDMUND CHARLES BARRETT, of No. 33, Montague Road, Norfolk
Road, Dalston, in the County of Middlesex, Printer, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLERS FOR
STEAM OR OTHER MOTIVE POWER VESSELS," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object mainly to greatly increase the speed
of vessels, more especially those for shallow rivers where the immersion
of the propelling blades or floats is necessarily but slight, and from that
cause they have hitherto been found not so effective as is desireable.

page_text: My improvements consist in constructing a propeller of two circles or
discs, an inner and an outer circle or disc, carried as usual upon a
central shaft or spindle. The inner disc has upon it a spur wheel, and
interposed between the two discs are spindles free to revolve in bearings,
which spindles carry two, four, or more floats set horizontally or at any i
angle that may be desired. The float spindles have each keyed upon
them a toothed pinion gearing into the larger toothed wheel on inner
disc. The shaft carrying the discs is rotated by or through the engines
or driving mechanism, carrying round with it the central toothed wheel,
thereby operating the smaller spindles and rotating the float spindles. ]
It will be obvious that in this way a greatly increased speed may be
obtained, but,―
My improvements consist further in constructing a part or portion of
the shaft carrying the discs hollow, and with an internal shaft upon
which is fixed the central toothed wheel before mentioned. This hollow
shaft is provided at its inner end with fast and loose pulleys or geared
wheels. When not required to give such high speed, the central toothed
wheel is, as before explained, carried round with the inner disc; but
when a very high rate of speed is required, by connecting the driving
pulley or wheels with some convenient part of the motive mechanism
the central toothed wheel is driven in a direction opposite to that of the
discs, driving the small tooth wheels at a very high speed, thus
greatly accelerating the rate at which the floats are rotated, and thereby
the progress of the vessel through the water.
Although I have herein-before mentioned toothed wheels and pinions
as the driving gearing for the floats, I do not confine myself to that
description of gearing, but purpose using gearing such as the ball and
knuckle joint, or any suitable gearing.
My discs may be of metal or wood, either solid throughout, or slotted,
or built up in frame; and my floats may be also slotted, if found
desireable, and they may or not be recessed or dished.
I may place my improved propeller in the usual position in which
paddle wheels are placed, or in other positions, or I may place one as a
stern wheel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Edmund Charles Barrett in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 12th November 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDMUND
CHARLES BARRETT, of No. 33, Montague Road, Norfolk Road, Dalston,
in the County of Middlesex, Printer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria,. by. Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Edmund Charles Barrett, Her special
licence that I, the said Edmund Charles Barrett, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edmund.
Charles Barrett, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
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 PROPELLERS FOR STEAM OR OTHER MOTIVE POWER
VESSELS," upon the coition (amongst others) that I, the said Edmund
Charles Barrett, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or ono of their hands and scals, 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.
i
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edmund Charles Barrett, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:—
My Invention has for its object mainly to greatly increase the speed
of vessels, more especially those for shallow rivers where the immersion
of the propelling blades or floats is necessarily but slight, and where
from that cause they have hitherto been found not so effective as is
desireable.

page_text: My improvements consist in constructing a propeller of two circles or
discs, an inner and an outer circle or disc, carried as usual upon a
central shaft or spindle. The inner disc has upon it a spur wheel, and
interposed between the two discs are spindles free to revolve in bearings,
which spindles carry two, four, or more floats set horizontally or at any
angle that may be desired. The float spindles have cach keyed upon
them a toothed pinion gearing into the larger toothed wheel on inner
disc. The shaft carrying the discs is rotated by or through the engines
or driving mechanism, carrying round with it the central toothed wheel,
thereby operating the smaller pinions and rotating the float spindles.
It will be obvious that in this way a greatly increased speed may be
obtained over the ordinary paddle wheel, and this speed may be greatly
accelerated by fitting each float spindle with eccentrics and arms, so as
to cause the floats to feather as in the feathering paddle wheel.
My improvements consist further in constructing a part of the shafts
carrying the discs hollow, and with an internal shaft, or with a hollow
shaft around it. In one case the internal shaft, and the other the
hollow shaft, will carry fixed upon it the central toothed wheel before
mentioned. The shaft carrying the discs is provided at its inner end
(that end within the vessel) with fast and loose pulleys or geared
wheels. When not required to give such high speed, the central toothed
wheel is, as before explained, carried round with the inner disc; but
when a very high rate of speed is required, by connecting the driving
pulley or wheels with some convenient part of the motive mechanism,
the central toothed wheel is driven in a direction opposite to that of tho
discs driving the small tooth wheels at a very high speed, thus greatly
accelerating the rate at which the floats are rotated, and thereby the
progress of the vessel through the water.
Although I have herein-before mentioned tooth wheels and pinions
as the driving gearing for the floats I do not confine myself to that
description of gearing, but purpose in some cases using ball and knuckle
joint, or any other suitable gearing.

page_text: I may place my improved propellers in the usual position in which
paddle wheels are placed, or in other positions, or I may place one as as
a stern wheel.
In order that the nature of my Invention, and the means by which
the same is effected, may be distinctly described and ascertained, this
Specification is accompanied by a Sheet of Drawings having figures and
letters of reference marked thereupon, the like letter being used to
denote a similar or corresponding part in each Figure.
In these Drawings Figure 1 is a side view, and Figure 2 a transverse
section of a propeller constructed according to my Invention.
The engine shaft is marked A; the central toothed wheel B; the
float spindles C; the floats D; the toothed wheels or pinions gearing
into the central toothed wheel are marked E. The inner and outer discs
or propeller frames are driven from the shaft F. Both these shafts A
and F carry pulleys or rope riggers, and thereupon the band or belt.
By means of these wheels, pulleys, and band the propelling discs or
frames are rotated or driven, whilst the spur wheel or central toothed
wheel is rotated in the opposite direction by the shaft A, thus driving

page_text: rotating the float spindles, all as described in this Specification and in
the accompanying Drawings illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edmund Charles Barrett, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of November
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy- ||
three.
EDMUND CHARLES BARRETT. (L.S.)