Improvements in or connected with the Propulsion of Navigable Vessels, Railway and other Carriages, Aeronautic Apparatus, and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 7th May, 1891-Accepted, 18th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Propulsion of Navigable
Vessels, Railway and other Carriages, Aeronautic Apparatus,
and the like.
THOMAS GRIFFITHS, Arvon Villa, St. David's, Pembrokeshire, and THOMAS
HENRY WILLOUGHBY BEDDOES, Commander Royal Navy, Wyndham, Pill,
Bristol, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
According to our invention the propulsion of vessels, boats, railway & other
carriages, aeronautic apparatus and the like, is obtained by the reaction from
expanding gases either from a slow burning powder, or from the explosion of a
mixture of compressed inflammable gas and air.
We deliver a jet or jets of gases through a tube, into atmosphere or water, as
required, projecting a volume of air or water. The delivery will be either
continuous or intermittent, as convenient.
The charges will be fed and fired by a gas engine or any other known
method.
In using gas and air, the inflammable mixture will be pressed into a chamber
which will be kept closed during the compression and opening during explosion,
permitting the gas to escape, and closing again by a spring, or any known method,
to allow a fresh charge to be fired.
Dated this 7th day of August 1890.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Propulsion of Navigable
Vessels, Railway and other Carriages, Aeronautic Apparatus;
and the like.
We, THOMAS GRIFFITHS, of Arvon Villa, St. David's, Pembrokeshire, and
THOMAS HENRY WILLOUGHBY BEDDOES, Commander Royal Navy, Wyndham,
Pill, Bristol, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
According to our invention, the propulsion of vessels, boats, railway and other
carriages, aeronautic apparatus and the like is obtained or effected by the direct
reaction, produced by the expansion of gases, resulting from either the combustion
of a slow burning powder, or from the combustion or explosion of a mixture of
inflammable gas, vapour, or comminuted hydrocarbon liquid and air; which, if
desired, may be compressed previously to its ignition.
We discharge the gases through a tube or barrel into the atmosphere or water,
as desired, projecting a volume of air or water, such discharges being effected
intermittently.
When a combustible gas or vapour, or comminuted hydrocarbon liquid, is
employed, the charges will be fed (and also may be fired) by a pump driven by a
gas or oil engine or other convenient means.
When the gas or comminuted liquid and air are compressed before ignition, the
inflammable mixture will be pressed into a chamber which will be kept closed during
the compression by a suitable valve and opened when ignited, permitting the gas to
escape, and then closed again to receive, fire, and discharge a fresh charge. This

page_text: controlling valve may be worked by the compressing engine or by other suitable
means, in any suitable known way. Or the combustible mixture may be other-
wise suitably introduced and fired, and then allowed to expand in the tube or
barrel.
It will be plain that when the invention is applied to the propulsion of acronautic
apparatus, railway trains and other carriages, the discharge will take place
into the atmosphere, whilst in the case of its application to the propulsion
of ships or boats the discharge may be made either into the air or into the
water.
.
The axis of the tube or barrel in which the gases expand, will be longitudinally
of the apparatus, or craft to be propelled, and the muzzle will be directed in
a line opposite to the direction which the apparatus or craft is desired to take.
The tube or barrel of the motor should be of such a length that the gases
will be expanded to, or approaching to, the pressure of the atmosphere, by the
time they have reached the muzzle, so that the whole, or a large proportion
of the expansive force due to the combustion of the charge shall be utilized
as a reactive force for and in propelling the apparatus, carriage, or craft,
forward.
When gunpowder or explosives of a like nature is or are employed and fired in
the barrel or tube, it will be seen the valve between the breach or combustion
chamber and the tube or barrel will not be required, the charges being fired in the
same manner as in guns.
The annexed diagrammatic drawing further explains our invention as above set
forth. a designates the tube or barrel, a represents the portion taken up by the
charge, and represents the length in which the expansion takes place. designates
the gas and air pump having an inlet pipe cand a delivery, pipe c². e are
inlet valves and outlet valves to the pump c. The valve his provided on the barrel
to prevent back firing. The firing may be effected by any of the known means
common to gas engines, and the pump can be worked by any suitable engine.
The arrow shews the direction of the ship, balloon, or other thing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
Effecting the propulsion of navigable vessels, railway and other carriages,
aeronautic apparatus, and the like, by the direct reaction, due to the pressure of
gases, caused by the explosion or combustion of gunpowder or the like, or of
combustible gas, vapour, or comminuted hydrocarbon liquid and air, and the sub-
sequent expansion of such gases, within the barrel or tube, or a plurality of same,
operated substantially as set forth.
Dated this 6th day of May 1891.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicants' Patent Agents.