IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING VESSELS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Morris West Ruthven, of Harlow Villas, East
India Road, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer. for the Invention of
31
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Morris West Ruthven
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st May 1865.
I, MORRIS WEST RUTHVEN, of Harlow Villas, East India Road. in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROPELLING VESSELS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object Improvements in Propelling Vessels,"
and is applicable to the propelling of vessels where water is constantly pumped
by one or more rotating or centrifugal pumps in outlets or passages on either
side of a vessel, the centrifugal pump or pumps being situated most con-
veniently intermediate of the two sides of the vessel. Ordinarily it is
preferred that on each side of a vessel there should be two tubular passages.
one opening out in a direction towards the stem of the vessel. and the other
opening out in a direction towards the stern of the vessel, and where the two
are connected to a common supply pipe from the rotatory or centrifugal pump
or pumps there is applied a rotating sluice. which is preferred to be cylin-
drical, but it may be somewhat conical. This rotating sluice is closed at both
ends, and it is also closed on one side to such an extent that when the closed
[Price Sd.]

page_text: side is turned opposite either of the tubular passages the way through that
passage will be closed against the passage of the water, and the water will flow
freely through the other outlet passage. The rotating sluice turns on an axis
at its two ends so that the sluice can be readily turned to allow the water to
pass to either of the tubular outlet passages, and so as to produce either stem
or stern way. It is not necessary that the rotating sluice should fit truly
water-tight, on the contrary, it is desirable that the rotating sluice should fit
freely, as any moderate leakage is of less importance than the free and ready
capability of rotating the sluice so as to change the direction of the water
in passing from the rotatory or centrifugal pump or pumps through the side
outlets.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Morris West Ruthven in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 1st November 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I. MORRIS
WEST RUTHVEN, of Harlow Villas. East India Road. in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria. by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of May. in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five. in the twenty-eighth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me. the said Morris West Ruthven. Her special licence that I. the said
Morris West. Ruthven, my executors. administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I. the said Morris West Ruthven, 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 PROPELLING VESSELS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I. the said Morris West Ruthven, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE. that 1, the said Morris West Ruthven, 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 thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in propelling vessels, and is
applicable to the propelling of vessels where water is constantly pumped by
one or more rotating or centrifugal pumps to outlets or passages on either side
of a vessel, the centrifugal pump or pumps being situated most conveniently
intermediate of the two sides of the vessel. Ordinarily it is preferred that on
cach side of a vessel there should be two tubular passages, one opening out in
a direction towards the stem of the vessel, and the other opening out in a
direction towards the stern of the vessel, and where the two are connected to
a common supply pipe from the rotating or centrifugal pump or pumps there
is applied a rotating sluice, which is preferred to be cylindrical, but it may be
somewhat conical. This rotating sluice is closed at both ends, and it is also
closed on one side to such an extent that when the closed side is turned
opposite either of the tubular passages the way through that passage will be
closed against the passage of water: and the water will flow freely through the
other outlet passage. The rotating sluice turns on an axis at its two ends so
that the sluice can be readily turned to allow the water to pass to either of
the tubular outlet passages, and so as to produce either stem or stern way.
It is not necessary that the rotating sluice should fit truly water-tight, on
the contrary, it is desirable that the rotating sluice should fit freely, as any
moderate leakage is of less importance than the free and ready capability of
rotating the sluice so as to change the direction of the water in passing from
the rotatory or centrifugal pump or pumps through the side outlets.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention. I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a section through the sluice valve, and the water passages
on one side of the vessel; the other side is similarly fitted: Figure 2 shows a
plan on a larger scale; Figure 3 shows a vertical section through the line a, b,
in Figure 2.
G is the axis of the rotating sluice to which the power is applied to turn it:
H. H, H, are bearings with adjusting screws so as to enable the sluice to be
turned as free of friction as may be. The sluice is not to fit the interior of
the passage closely so as to produce absolute contact in all parts. but is to
come as near to but not to touch the sides thereof or rub against the same.

page_text: By employing rotating sluices as hercin described there will be greater
convenience in the management or manoeuvring and steering of a vessel as
well as in propelling the same forward or backward. When at work the
water comes by the passage A from the supply kept up by the pumps. In
the position of the rotating sluice shown in the Drawing. Figure 1. the water
will be driven out at the outlet C; when it becomes necessary to change the
direction of the flow of water, the sluice B is to be turned in the direction
of the arrow till the solid part of the sluice comes into position across
the outlet passage C. as shown by dotted lines when the outlet D will come
into action.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same. I would state that the peculiarity thereof consists in the
employment in the propelling of vessels of rotating sluices, such as are herein
described, each in combination with two outlet passages, the sluice in cach
case being arranged to turn with its axis whilst the periphery and ends of the
sluice are free as may be from contact with the enclosing surfaces of the
chamber in which the sluice is contained, by which arrangement the sluice
may be turned comparatively free from friction and consequently require but
little power to turn it.
In witness whereof, I, the said Morris West Ruthven, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
M. W. RUTHVEN. (..s.)