NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS, BOATS, OR OTHER BODIES PARTLY OR WHOLLY IMMERSED IN WATER
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lorentz Albert Groth, K.G.V., Civil Engineer, and
Proprietor of the Scandinavian Patent Office, under the Firm of L. A. Groth
& Co., 97, Finsbury Pavement, London, and 20, Forhaabningsholms Allee,
Copenhagen, for an Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
PROPELLING VESSELS, BOATS, OR OTHER BODIES PARTLY OR WHOLLY
IMMERSED IN WATER." A communication from abroad by August Ernest
Müller, formerly Professor of Technology, of Passau, German Empire.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lorentz Albert Groth at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th March 1881.
LORENTZ ALBERT GROTH, K.G.V., Civil Engineer, and Proprietor of the
Scandinavian Patent Office, under the Firm of L. A. Groth & Co., 97, Finsbury
"NEW OR
Pavement, London, and 20, Forhaabningsholms Allee, Copenhagen.
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS, BOATS, OR OTHER BODIES
PARTLY OR WHOLLY IMMERSED IN WATER." A communication from abroad by
August Ernest Müller, formerly Professor of Technology, of Passau, German
Empire.
The Invention relates to that class of propellers which impart motion to the
vessel, boat, or other body, by forcing a jet or jets of water through a pipe or pipes
in a direction opposite to that in which it is desired to move the said vessel, boat,
or other body, and consists in arranging one or more steam cylinders in the lower
part of the vessel, one end of each of such cylinders being jointed water tight to the
stern part of such vessel, and so as to be open to the external water, the other end
being closed steam tight with a cylinder cover, in which is a suitable stuffing box
through which passes a piston rod connected to a piston moving steam tight in the
before mentioned cylinder. The piston rod is connected by a connecting rod and
crank with a revolving shaft carrying a fly wheel, whereby the extent of the
motion of the said piston is regulated and limited. Steam is alternately admitted
into the cylinder between the piston and cover and allowed to escape therefrom by
the action of a valve operated by an eccentric on the aforesaid shaft in the manner
usually employed in steam engines. It will now be understood that the back end

page_text: of the aforesaid steam cylinder being open to the water the latter passes into it,
forcing the piston therein towards the front or cylinder cover end, when the steam
valve is in such a position as to open the steam exhaust passage from the cylinder.
On the arrival of the piston at the end of its forward stroke the steam valve opens,
steam is admitted to the front side of the piston, and the latter moves backwards,
driving the column of water out of the cylinder, the reaction on the cylinder cover
forcing the vessel forward, and so on for each double stroke of the piston. Suitable
retaining pawls or catches may be adapted to take into a recess or notch in the
periphery of the fly wheel to prevent it from turning backwards if required.
The cylinder or cylinders may be prolonged backwards outside the stern of
the vessel in order to obtain a longer column or columns of water offering greater
resistance, and therefore greater propelling power. This prolongation may
be made in several parts articulated together by suitable joints in such manner
that they may rise and fall with the swell of the sea, or be moved to the right or
left, and the steering of the vessel thereby effected or facilitated.
The parts of these prolongations may be supported at a suitable depth in the
water by means of a float or buoy drawn along in the wake of the vessel by a
chain or other connection.
Instead of the prolongation of the cylinder extending beyond and externally to
the stern of the vessel, it may be enclosed in a larger cylinder secured water tight
inside the vessel, the after end opening through the stern and the front end secured
to a plate or cover, on which are also secured the steam cylinder and the
prolongation thereof.
r
Similar arrangements may be adapted so that the cylinder or cylinders shall
open into the water at the front part of the vessel, whereby the latter may be
moved backwards.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Lorentz Albert Groth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th July 1881.
LORENTZ ALBERT GROTH, K.G.V., Civil Engineer, and Proprietor of the
Scandinavian Patent Office, under the Firm of L. A. Groth & Co., 97, Finsbury
Pavement, London, and 20, Forbaabningsholms Allee, Copenhagen.
"NEW OR
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS, BOATS, OR OTHER BODIES
PARTLY OR WHOLLY IMMERSED IN WATER." A communication from abroad by
August Ernest Müller, formerly Professor of Technology, of Passau, German
Empire.
The Invention relates to that class of propellers which impart motion to the
vessel, boat, or other body, by forcing a jet or jets of water through a pipe or
pipes in a direction opposite to that in which it is desired to move the said vessel,
boat, or other body, and consists in arranging one or more steam cylinders A, A,
(Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the Drawings) in the lower part of the vessel, one end of
each of such cylinder being jointed water tight to the stern part B, B, of such
vessel, and so as to be open to the external water, the other end being closed steam
tight with a cylinder cover a, a, in which is a suitable stuffing box e, through which
passes a piston rod E connected to a piston C moving steam tight in the before
mentioned cylinder A. The piston rod is connected by a cross head I with
guides i, i, i, i, connecting rod K and crank L with a revolving shaft carrying a
fly wheel M, whereby the extent of the motion of the said piston C is regulated
and limited and the crank carried over the dead centres. Steam is alternately
admitted into the cylinder between the piston C and cover a, a, and allowed to
escape therefrom through the pipe F by the action of a valve contained in the
valve chest D and operated by an eccentric N on the shaft S in the manner
usually employed in steam engines. Figure 3 shows part of the stern of
a vessel with one of the cylinders in position. It will now be understood that the
back end of the aforesaid steam cylinder A being open to the water the latter
passes into it, forcing the piston C therein towards the front or cylinder cover end,
when the steam valve is in such a position as to open the steam exhaust passage
from the cylinder. On the arrival of the piston C at the end of its forward stroke
the steam valve opens, steam is admitted by the pipe n, n, to the front side of the
piston C, and the latter moves backwards, driving the column of water out of the
cylinder, the re-action on the cylinder cover a forcing the vessel forward, and so on
for each double stroke of the piston. Suitable retaining pawls or catches o may
be pressed by a spring q so as to take into a recess or notch v in the periphery of
the fly wheel to prevent it from turning backwards if required. The distribution
of the steam to and from the cylinder is effected, as above stated, by the shaft S, S,
Figures 1 and 2, which performs a revolution in a prescribed time; it may revolve
in either direction. If the cylinders are placed one foot below the surface of the
water and such cylinders are 12 feet long the velocity of the water entering the
cylinders and the time required for the operation of the steam during the backward
stroke of the piston allowing for friction and other resistances are such as to
require that each rotation of the said shaft shall be made in about 2 seconds. If
a stroke is required to occur each half second five cylinders must be used. If the
cylinders are placed from 3 to 4 feet below the surface of the water three cylinders
are sufficient to give a fresh impulse to the vessel every half second, and in that
case the rotation of the eccentric shaft S, S, takes place in half a second. If the
cylinders are placed 12 feet below the surface of the water two of them will be
sufficient to produce a stroke every half second.
The pressure of the water on the piston C is P = Fbj; therefore, when the
cylinder is 1 meter in diameter the piston area = F07854 square meter.

page_text: When the height of the water surface above the cylinder = h = 4 meters and
1 cubic meter of water j weighs 1000 kilogrammes this pressure becomes
P 0.7854 x 4 × 1000 3141 kilogrammes.
==
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The velocity of the water entering the cylinder at that depth is v = √2gh
√2.98 × 4 = 8.8 meters per second. If the steam pressure be one atmosphere,
that is to say, if the pressure per square centimeter = 103 kilogrammes, the
pressure exerted on a surface of 7854 square centimeters will equal 8089
kilogrammes. The weight of the water in the cylinder is 0.7854 × 1000 × 4
= 3141 kilogrammes, and the pressure of the head of water above the cylinder
being, as above mentioned, also 3141 kilogrammes, the two form together &
resistance of 6282 kilogrammes opposed to the steam pressure of 8089 kilogrammes,
6282 kilogrammes of the steam pressure acting wholly on the piston and end of
the cylinder will be employed in moving the ship, and the remaining 1807
kilogrammes are expended half on the motion of the water in the cylinder and
half in moving the ship.
The cylinder or cylinders may be prolonged backwards outside the stern of the
vessel in order to obtain a longer column or columns of water offering greater
resistance and therefore greater propelling power. This prolongation may be made
in several parts u, u¹, u", u¹, Figures 1 and 2, articulated together by suitable
joints in such manner that they may rise and fall with the swell of the sea or be
moved to the right or left and the steering of the vessel thereby effected or
facilitated. The parts of these prolongations may be supported at a suitable depth
in the water by means of a float or buoy drawn along in the wake of the vessel by
a chain or other connection.
-
When the first three of the pipes u, u', u², Figures 1 and 2, forming the afore-
said prolongation are in the open water free of the ship, with openings of the same
size as the steam cylinder, and have a length of, say, 9 meters, there will be
4 meters of water in the cylinder in front of the piston and 9 meters in the pipes.
This column of water would weigh 10,210 kilogrammes, adding this to the weight
of the head of water above the cylinder 3141 kilogrammes, together equal
13,351 kilogrammes, it is evident that the steam pressure of 8089 kilogrammes
above mentioned will not be sufficient to overcome the weight of this column of
water, and the said steam pressure will be wholly employed in moving the vessel.
If a steam pressure of two atmospheres be employed there will result a steam
pressure of 16,180 kilogrammes on the piston. The water column when further
prolonged 5 meters by the pipe u¹, Figures 1 and 2, offers with the head of water
above the cylinders at 4 meters depth a resistance of 17,275 kilogrammes. The
16,180 kilogrammes steam pressure are not sufficient to overcome the resistance of
the water column of 17,275 kilogrammes. The pipes u, u, u", u, Figures 1
and 2; are circular inside; their internal diameter is equal to that of the cylinder;
they have double walls between which a hollow space p, Figure 2, is left for the
purpose of making the specific gravity of the pipes only about one hundredth
heavier than that of the water. These pipes are kept at distances apart dependant
upon the diameter for the purpose of letting the water flow rapidly into the pipes
from as many points as possible. At the stern B, B, B, of the ship are placed
above and below the opening of the cylinder two lugs Q, Q, with a hole through
each, a hoop carrying two pins which take into the holes in the lugs is rivetted to
the pipe u.
When the pipe u is secured between the aforesaid lugs by means of the said
pins, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, it stands opposite the cylinder opening, is carried
by the lugs in a horizontal position, and can be turned to either side. The pipe u
has two other lugs Q₁at its outer end placed at the side, and the next pipe u¹ is
jointed to the pipe u by these lugs in the same way as the pipe u is jointed to the
end of the cylinder. The other pipes u" and u are jointed to u¹ and to each
other in the same way. These arrangements admit of the pipes rising and falling
with the swell of the sea, or being moved to right or left for steering purposes, as
above described. In order to maintain the pipes u, u, u", u, in a horizontal

page_text: position a float or buoy T is towed in the wake of the ship, the pipes being
supported from the said float by the chains t, t, at any desired depth.
Instead of the prolongation of the cylinder extending beyond and externally to
the stern of the vessel, it may be inclosed in a larger cylinder, secured water tight
inside the vessel, the after end opening through the stern and the front end
secured to a plate or cover, on which are also secured the steam cylinder and the
prolongation thereof. Figure 4 shows an arrangement in which all the parts are
contained inside the ship; P, P, is a metal plate to which the pipe R, R, is secured
water tight.
•
.
This pipe passes open ended through the stern B', B¹, of the ship, and preferably
a few inches beyond. On the other side of the plate P, P, is secured the steam
cylinder A; A, and behind this cylinder are the pipes u, u, u, ul, contained in
the pipes R, R, arranged in a similar manner to those described in reference to
Figures 1 and 2, and supported by the chains t, t, and as they are not subject to the
motion of the external water they may be made of lighter material, and do not
require to have spaces left between their ends. Similar arrangements may be
adapted, so that the cylinder or cylinders shall open into the water at the front
part of the vessel, whereby the latter may be moved backwards.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to or may be carried into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is,-
First. The arrangement of the metallic steam cylinder furnished at one end'
with a cover, and secured at the other end water-tight to and opening through
the stern of the ship into the external water, the said cylinder being furnished
with a piston, which is forced alternately by the pressure of the water column to
the bottom of the cylinder and by the pressure of steam in the opposite direction,
as herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the Drawings,
and for the purpose set forth.
Second. The use of the connecting rod, crosshead, crank, and fly wheel, for the
purpose of conducting the crank over the dead centres, and for limiting the stroke
of the piston in the herein before described cylinder column propeller apparatus.
Third. The use of an eccentric and shaft arranged to rotate in a given time
corresponding to the time occupied in filling and emptying the steam cylinder, for
the purpose of effecting the distribution of the steam to such cylinder, as herein-
before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the Drawings.
Fourth. The use of pipes in the external water forming prolongations of the
cylinder, as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the Drawings and for the
purpose set forth.
Fifth. The arrangement and adaptation of the cylinder column propeller
apparatus in which the steam cylinder A, A, is fixed on a base plate P, P, to which
a pipe R, R, is fixed, which pipe extends back to the stern B, B, of the ship and
contains within it the cylinder column pipes, u, u¹, u, u, as herein before
described and illustrated in Figure 4 of the Drawings.
Sixth. The general arrangement and adaptation of parts comprising the cylinder
column propeller apparatus, as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Lorentz Albert Groth, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.