IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF OBTAINING MOTIVE POWERS FOR VESSELS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR UTILIZING SAID POWERS
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Herbert John Haddan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th May 1877. A communica-
tion from abroad by Thomas Shepard Seabury, of New York, United States of
America.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Patent Agents,
of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MODE OF OBTAINING MOTIVE POWERS FOR VESSELS, AND IN MACHINERY FOR
UTILIZING SAID POWERS." A communication from abroad by Thomas Shepard
Seabury, of New York, United States of America.
The Invention relates to obtaining motive power for vessels by utilizing the
never-ceasing motion of the sea, ocean, or rivers, whether arising from the continuous
swell or from the effect of winds or currents, to operate machinery to drive a vessel
in any desired direction, such motion and power being transmitted from the outside
through the side of the vessel by means of a horizontal lever or levers carrying
floats placed below the surface of the water, said levers communicating with and
operating any convenient machinery in the inside of the vessel.
The Invention also relates to devising means for utilizing this motive power for
vessels. One method of constructing the machinery or apparatus for employing the
devised power as an effective motive power for a vessel consists of furnishing a
lever or levers fitted with floats presenting a horizontal surface in the water and
put through the side of a vessel, and reaching outwards in the water so that the
floats may be acted upon by the weight of the water above and the pressure of the
water below, and will thus be kept stationary, or nearly so, when the vessel is raised
or depressed in the sea.
The motion which is imparted by the swell of the ocean or the movement arising
from the wind or the current will cause rolling and pitching of the vessel, and the
said lever or levers with their floats will thereupon give motion and power to any
machinery suitably connected to the said lever or levers and any convenient
propeller, such as a screw or paddle wheel.
The accompanying Drawing will further explain the Invention.
Figure 1 is a side view of a part of the side of a vessel embodying the Invention;
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the line xx,

page_text: A represents a part of the side of the vessel; B, B, B, are boxes placed in and
through the sides of the vessel, and are closed at a, where they extend through the
side into the vessel; at b they are left open and are flush with the outside. C is an
axle or shaft placed in the journals d, d, in the sides of the boxes B, B, and is pro-
vided with suitable packings g, g, in order to prevent ingress of the water through
the journal boxes into the vessel. To this shaft or axle, at e, e, e, are fastened or
keyed the arms or bars D, D, which extend outward through the boxes B, B. The
outer ends of these arms are fastened to the horizontal plate E. Thus it will be
readily understood that by any movement of the vessel caused by any action of the
sea, the plate E, presenting a horizontal surface in the water, will be retained in
position or nearly so, and prevented from making the same movement as the vessel
is compelled to make, and therefore the position of the vessel will be changed in
reference to the plates and arms, such changes effecting a partial rotary reciprocating
motion of the shaft C. This motion and power so obtained may be transmitted
through suitable means from the shaft inside of the vessel to any propelling machinery.