AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS BY EJECTING AIR OR OTHER GASES
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
We, GEORGE WARSOP of No. 76 Royal Terrace Queen's Walk, Nottingham,
Mechanical Engineer and HENRY WALKER HILL of 51, Hampden Street Nottingham;
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of our invention for AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS BY EJECTING AIR OR OTHER GASES to be as
follows:-
Our Invention consists in the use of Compressed Air or other suitable Gas or
Vapor, for the propulsion of Vessels or other objects in Water, and the application
of suitable Machinery therefor.
For that purpose we employ an Engine driven by Steam or other power, to
drive one or more Air Compressing Pumps; the Compressed Air or other Gas from
which, is conveyed in one or more pipes to an Air Reservoir; and from thence-or
direct from the Air Compressing Pump-to two or more Propelling Tubes, placed in
the Stern and Bow or other suitable parts of the Vessel-or other object, to be
propelled, in such a manner that the Water can freely enter one open end of each
tube up to the closed end of same.
The Compressed Air, or other Gas, is admitted at required intervals to the
Propelling Tubes by suitable Mechanism or Valves driven from the Air Compressing
Engine, or by independent means; in such a manner that the Air or other Gas
enters the Tubes under pressure at a considerable velocity, and forces or propels
the Water in the same down the Tubes to near the extremities; or, if preferable
entirely out of the tubes.
The Air, or other Gas, after doing its work is released or exhausted from the
Tubes by suitable Mechanism or Valves driven from the Engine, or other inde-
pendent means; so as to allow the Water to fill the Tubes again. This action of
propelling the Water nearly or quite out of the Tube or Tubes by strokes or
pulses of Air, or other Gas, at stated intervals, propels the Vessel forward or
backward at a great speed; accordingly as the Tube or Tubes at the Bow or Stern,
or both are used
If preferable, a Metallic or other Plunger or Piston may be used between the Air,
or other Gas, and the Water in the Tube.

page_text: In order that our Invention may be more fully understood, and carried into
effect; we attach hereunto Drawings shewing the arrangement of same.
Fig. 1. is an Elevation of the Air Compressing Engine, and propelling Tubes as
fixed in the Vessel.
Fig. 2. is a Plan of the same, with one half in Section. In Figs 1 and 2 "C" is
the Steam Cylinder of the Engine "M, M" actuating by the Piston Rod "B" the
Piston "A" in the Air Compressing Pump D, D; wherein the Air or other Gas is
drawn in at alternate ends through the Valves "E, E"; is compressed in the usual
manner by the Piston "A," and delivered past the Valves "F, F" and by the
Pipe "H" into the Reservoir "G"; which in this case serves also as the
Foundation or Bedplate carrying the Air Compressing Engine.
The Propelling Tubes P¹ & P' are shown fixed at a slight angle, but may be
placed horizontally; these tubes are placed one at each side of the Vessel as shewn,
two in the Stern, and one or two in the Bows of the Vessel; and are fixed water
tight with their open ends outwards-as shewn-in suitable holes made for their
reception in the Hull of the Vessel.
The other end of each Tube is provided with a cover fitted with a three way
Plug Valve "J," or other suitable mechanism; to which is attached the Lever "I"
which obtains an intermitting Rocking motion for opening and closing the
Plug Valve "J," by the Valve rod "L" and Crank "N" from the Wheels O, O';
the latter of which are keyed to the Crank Shaft of the Engine, one at each side;
and the Wheels being in the Ratio of 1 to 3, the Valves "J, J" are opened and
closed alternately once for every 3 revolutions of the Engines; or other proportions
as may be found most desirable.
By opening the Valve "J," a charge of Compressed Air is admitted by the
Pipes "K" from the Reservoir "G" to the Propelling tubes "P', P'"; which air
meeting with the Water in the Tubes as a resistance against which to act, propels
the Vessel forward in expanding away from it.
The Water is thus forced down the tubes to near their outer extremity; (or if
preferable quite out of the tubes); and then by a return motion of the Valve, the
supply of Compressed Air is shut off and that in the tubes released at the same
time up the exhaust pipe "R"; allowing thereby the Water to re-fill the Tubes
again, ready for another charge of Air. This action takes place alternately in the
Tubes "P¹ & P"; so that a steady forward or backward motion is obtained. The
forward motion being obtained by using the Stern Tubes alone; and the backward
motion by using the Bow Tube or Tubes alone; one set of Tubes being shut off
from the other set of Tubes by suitable Valves or Cocks, so that the Vessel may be
propelled either forwards or backwards at once without Reversing the Engine.
::11 T11001

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
We GEORGE WARSOP of No 76 Royal Terrace Queen's Walk, Nottingham,
Mechanical Engineer, and HENRY WALKER HILL of 51 Hampden Street Nottingham,
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of our invention for AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS BY EJECTING AIR OR OTHER GASES, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
Our Invention consists in the use of Compressed Air or other suitable Gas or
Vapor, for the propulsion of Vessels or other objects in Water, and the application
of suitable Machinery therefor.
For that purpose we employ an Engine driven by Steam or other power to drive
one or more Air Compressing Pumps; the Compressed Air or other Gas from
which is conveyed in one or more pipes to an Air Receiver; and from thence or
direct from the Air Compressing Pump to two or more Propelling Tubes, placed in
the Stern and Bow or other suitable parts of the Vessel or other object to be
propelled, in such a manner that the Water can freely enter one open end of each
tube up to the closed end of same.
The Compressed Air or other Gas is admitted at required intervals to the
Propelling Tubes by suitable Mechanism or Valves driven from the Air Compressing
Engine, or by independent means; in such a manner, that the Air or other Gas
enters the Tubes under pressure at a considerable velocity, and forces or propels
the Water in the same down the Tubes to near the extremities; or if preferable
entirely out of the Tubes.
The Air or other Gas after doing its work is released or expanded from the
Tubes by suitable Mechanism or Valves driven from the Engine, or other inde-
pendent means so as to allow the water to fill the Tubes again. This action of
propelling the Water nearly or quite out of the Tube or Tubes by strokes or
pulses of Air or other Gas at stated intervals propels the Vessel forward or
backward at a great speed, accordingly as the Tube or Tubes at the Bow or Stern
are used.
If preferable a Metallic or other Plunger or Piston may be used between the Air
or other Gas, and the Water in the Tube.
In order that our Invention may be more fully understood, and carried into
effect, we have attached to our Provisional Specifications, Drawings shewing the
arrangement of same. Fig 1 is an Elevation of the Air Compressing Engine and
propelling Tubes as fixed in the Vessel. Fig 2 is a Plan of the same with one half
in Section. In Figs 1 and 2 "C" is the Steam Cylinder of the Engine "M, M"
actuating by the Piston Rod "B," the Piston "A" in the Air Compressing
Pump "D. D," wherein the Air or other Gas is drawn in at alternate ends through
the Valves "E. E"; is compressed in the usual manner by the Piston " A," and
delivered past the Valves "F. F" and by the Pipe "H" into the Reservoir "G";
which in this case serves also as the Foundation or Bedplate carrying the Air
Compressing Engine,

page_text: The Propelling Tubes P¹ & P2 are shewn fixed at a slight angle, but may be
placed horizontally; these Tubes are placed one at each side of the Vessel as
shewn, two in the Stern, and one or two in the Bows of the Vessel; and are fixed
water tight with their open ends outwards as shewn, in suitable holes made for
their reception in the Hull of the Vessel.
The other end of each Tube is provided with a Cover fitted with a three-way
Plug Valve "J," or other suitable mechanism, to which is attached the Lever "I,"
which obtains an intermitting Rocking motion for opening and closing the Plug
Valve "J" by the Valve rod "L" and Crank "N" from the Wheels "O, O"; the
latter of which are keyed to the Crank Shaft of the Engine, one at each side; and
the Wheels being in the Ratio of 1 to 3, the Valves "J, J" are opened and closed
alternately, once for every 3 revolutions of the Engines; or other proportions as
may be found most desirable.
By opening the Valve "J" a charge of Compressed Air is admitted by the
Pipes "K" from the Reservoir "G" to the Propelling Tubes P1, P2; which Air
meeting with the Water in the Tubes as a resistance against which to act, propels
the Vessel forward in expanding away from it.
The Water is thus forced down the tubes to near their outer extremity; (or if
preferable quite out of the tubes); and then, by a return motion of the Valve, the
supply of Compressed Air is shut off, and that in the Tubes released at the same
time up the Exhaust pipe "R"; allowing thereby the Water to re-fill the Tubes
again ready for another charge of Air.
This action takes place alternately in the Tubes P¹ & P*; so that a steady
forward or backward motion is obtained. The forward motion being obtained by
using the Stern Tubes alone, and the backward motion by using the Bow Tubes or
Tube alone; one set of Tubes being shut off from the other set of Tubes by
suitable Valves or Cocks; so that the Vessel may be propelled either backwards or
forwards at once without reversing the Engine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
The use of Compressed Air or other suitable Gases for the propulsion of Vessels,
or other bodies; as before described, and the application of suitable Machinery
therefor.