CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PADDLE WHEELS
Year: 1832

page_text: HARDWICK, of Liverpool, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Seventeenth day of December, in the third year of His reign, did,
for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Joseph
Hardwick, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said Joseph Hardwick, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Joseph Hardwick, my exors, adiñors, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exer-
cise, and vend, within England, Wales, the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PADDLE WHEELS;" in which said
Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Joseph Hardwick,
shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His said
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by
the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Joseph Hardwick, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and ascer-
tained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to the
Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say:

page_text: My Invention relates to certain improvements added to an ordinary paddle
wheel, whereby I am enabled to cause the float boards or paddles to enter
and leave the water in the most advantageous position for applying the
power (by which such paddle wheel is caused to revolve) in the most beneficial
manner in propelling vessels. But in order that my Invention may be fully
understood, and carried into effect, I will describe the Drawing hereunto
annexed, first observing, that the same letters of reference indicate similar
parts in all the Figures.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Fig. 1 represents a paddle wheel with six paddles or float boards, having my
improvements attached thereto. Fig. 2 shews one of the spindles separately, by
which the turning of the paddles or float board is effected, such paddles or float
board turning on axes, as will be hereafter fully described. Fig. 3 represents
a toothed wheel, which is securely affixed on one of the bearings which supports
the main shaft of the paddle wheel. a, a, are the float boards or paddles; 6 is
the main shaft of the paddle wheel, which receives its motion as usual from
the "power contained in the vessel; c, c, are the spindles described in
Figure 2, and which are contained within the arms or spokes d, d, which are
hollow for the purpose of receiving them. These spindles c, c, turn in
bearings at each end, one end of each spindle having its bearing in the nave
of the wheel, and the other end of each spindle having its bearing at e,
affixed on one of the rings of the paddle wheel, as shewn in the Drawing.
On to each end of the spindles c is affixed a worm or screw f, which takes
into and drives a pinion g, which is affixed on each of the axles of the paddles
or float boards, the axes of the paddles or float boards a turning in bearings
on each side of the paddle wheel. h is a pinion affixed to the other end of the
spindles c, by which each spindle receives a rotatory motion during the time
that the paddle wheel is caused to revolve, which is effected by the toothed
wheel i, Fig. 3, affixed to the side of the vessel or to the bearing of the
main shaft b. The toothed wheel i being at all times stationary, consequently
the teeth on the pinions h take into the teeth of the wheel i, round which
they are caused to turn by the revolution of the paddle wheel; and thus
motion will be given to the spindles, and consequently to the paddles or float
boards, as will be evident on inspecting the Drawing.
I would observe, that various means have at different times been resorted
to for the purpose of causing the float boards or paddles to take similar
positions. I do not, therefore, claim the placing of the paddles or float
boards of paddle wheels on axes as above described, but only the means of

page_text: giving the desired motion thereto. And I do declare that my improvements
consist in the application of the spindles c, c, with their screws and pinions
ctuated by the revolution of the paddle wheel, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Hardwick, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and thirty-three.
JOSEPH (L.S.) HARDWICK.