AN IMPROVED PROPELLER APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS PURPOSES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jean Jacques Maurer, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin,
Paris, in the Empire of France, Professor of Mathematics, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED PROPELLER APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS PURPOSES."
Sealed the 13th July 1860, and dated the 26th January 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jean Jacques Maurer
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th January 1860.
I, JEAN JACQUES MAURER, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, in the
Empire of France, Professor of Mathematics, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED PROPELLER APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS PUR-
POSE," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of an improved system of propulsion acting by
aspiration and expulsion, applicable either in air or water.
This system
includes several arrangements of apparatus which are represented in the
Drawings annexed, which are hereafter described. The first apparatus is
applicable for the propulsion of vessels.
Fig. 1 shows a side view, Fig. 2 a plan, Fig. 3 an end view, while Fig. 4
is a section showing the respective positions of the steam and air pistons. In
these four Figures the same letters of reference indicate like parts where they
a, first metal chamber of capacity equally divided by a steam and air-
tight horizontal partition into two compartments b, c; d, second metal chamber
similar to a, and divided in the same manner into two equal compartments.
e, fg, h, suction tubes, which by means of two valves, herein-after mentioned,

page_text: may alternately place the compartments b, c, & e, f, in communication with
the water which is ahead of the vessel.
9.
The one tube, g, is furnished with stop valves or cocks i,j; the other tube h
is furnished with similar valves or cocks k, l, m, n, tubes attached, the one to
the pipe g and the other to the pipe h, also furnished with cocks or obturators
o &
P. The tube m places the two compartments b, c, in communication with
the interior of the vessel, and the tube n places the compartments e, f, in commu-
nication with the interior of the vessel; q, r, tubes of expulsion which, by means
of two valves herein-after described, alternately place the compartments b, c, &
e, f, in communication with the water situated astern of the vessel; u, v, tubes
attached, one to the pipe q, the other to the pipe r, each furnished with a
cock or stop valve x, y. 1, 2, 3, 4, sluice valves, the two first, 1 & 2 of
which alternately place the compartment b in communication with the
suction tube g and the ejection tube q; the two latter, 3, 4, alternately place
and
9
the compartment c in communication with the same tubes
The
chambers e&f are also furnished with four similar sluice valves acting in a
similar manner for alternately placing the chambers in communication with
the suction and ejection tubes h & r; 5 & 6 are balance levers or other
arrangement for actuating the four sluice valves of chamber d. These
balance levers receive motion from the steam cylinder, which I will here-
after describe. The parts are so arranged that when the sluices 1 & 4
are opened, 2 & 3 are closed, and vice versa; thus the compartments
b, c, & e, f, are alternately placed in communication with the suction tube g
and ejection tube q; 7 & 8, water cylinders, each having a piston 9, 10;
cylinder 7 communicates with compartment b, and cylinder 8 with the
compartment e; 11, 12, water cylinders, each with a piston 13, 14;
cylinder 11, communicates with compartment e, and cylinder 12 with com-
partment f; 15, 16, steam motive cylinders, each having a piston 17, 18;
the pistons 9, 17, & 10 are all mounted on the same rod. The pistons 18, 18,
& 14 are also mounted on one rod. The whole is arranged in such manner
that when the pistons 9, 17, & 10 are at the end of their course, the pistons
13, 18, & 14 are at the commencement of theirs, and vice versa; 21, air
reservoir for preventing the bursting of the tubes in case of sudden stoppage.
The whole being mounted as explained & represented in the Drawing, & all
the cocks being open with the exception of o, p, & a, y, it will be understood.
that, in commencing to work, the water is first & at the time drawn up into
compartments 6 & f (the inflow being at the bow of the vessel) through tubes
9&h by means of the two water pistons 9, 14, & at same time water is forced
out at the back ends of the compartments c, e', through the tubes 9, 14,

page_text: by means of water pistons 10, 13, and vice versa in the second movement,
when the steam pistons 17, 18, will have changed their course, and closed the
inlet & exit valves.
The water being thus drawn in at the bow and forced out at the stern in a
continuous manner will propel the vessel forwards. For changing the course
of the vessel it is only necessary to alter the action of the valves 1, 2, 3, 4, so
that the water may be drawn in at the stern and forced out at the bow of the
vessel. In case of the vessel making too much water, the cocks i & h are
closed & o&p opened, thus retaining the entire useful power of the machine,
not only for propelling the vessel, but also for getting rid of the water.
In case of fire on board a vessel the cocks s, t, are closed, & x, y, opened;
the power of the machine may at such time be employed for projecting water
on the fire, in addition to propelling the vessel.
In cases where a vessel is waterlogged, and also on fire at the same time,
the cocks i, k, & s, t, are closed, when the power may be applied for the
double purpose above mentioned. The water may also be partially injected
into and ejected from the vessel.
For the purpose of putting the ship about it is necessary to apply branch
tubes with cocks 19, 20, to tubes 9 & h and to q, r, running athwart the
vessel through the sides and opening to the outside; water may then be
admitted and ejected laterally, and the two motions aport and starboard acting
at one time will produce the rotation of the vessel, again if a forward motion
on the one side be combined with a leteral movement on the other, a motion
such as that which takes place in wearing a vessel may be produced. Each
cylinder should have a surface equal to one-fourth of the surface of the steam
or other piston from which the power is derived.
The maximm speed of the water sucked into the tubes should be about
forty feet per second, and increasing according to the depth to which these
tubes are immersed. For boats so I simplify the apparatus as to obtain in a
single cylinder the double effect of aspiration and ejection.
Fig. 5 shows a plan of a water cylinder furnished with the organs of aspira-
tion and ejection; Fig. 6 shows a section through the lines 1, 2, 3, 4, Fig. 5.
In these two Figures the same letters of reference indicate like parts where
they recur. a water cylinder provided with a piston actuated by a steam
cylinder, as in the first apparatus; b, aspirating tube communicating with one
end of the cylinder at opening c, and at the other at opening d; e, ejection
pipe, communicating with one extremity of the cylinder a at opening f¹, and
at the other end at opening g; h, i, sluice valves actuated by balance lever j for
opening and closing the influx and ejection tubes.

page_text: The whole being arranged as represented in the Drawings, if the water
piston is first caused to work from right to left, water will enter by means of
the influx pipe b into opening c, and then be ejected at opening g into the
ejection pipe e. While in the next or return movement of the piston the water
is caused by the intermediation of the sluice valves to enter by the influx
pipe 6 into opening d, which is afterwards ejected at opening f into the ejection
pipe c. If only one water cylinder is employed in this system of propulsion,
I dispose it at the centre of the vessel, and in such case it is suitable to
branch or fork the end of the ejection pipe, so as not to interfere with the
action of the rudder; the surfaces of the pistons correspond to one-half.of that
one constituting the force of the machine; the accessary parts are similar in
both apparatus.
Fig. 7 represents a vertical section of an arrangement which I propose to
make use of for aerial propulsion on the same principle of inhalation &
ejection. a, air cylinder, having a piston 6 actuated by a steam cylinder, or
otherwise; c, aspirating pipes; d, ejection pipes; e, f, inlet or inhale valves;
g, h, ejection valves.
The parts being arranged as described, it will be understood that in order to
propel an aerial machine the air is inhaled in front of and ejected at the rear
of the machine. The centre of gravity of the balloon projected in a vertical
plane, will indicate the point where the inhalation should take place on the
one side, the ejection taking place on the opposite side thereto.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jean Jacques Maurer in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 20th July 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JEAN
JACQUES MAURER, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, in the Empire of
France, Professor of Mathematics, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Jean Jacques Maurer, Her special licence that I, the said Jean Jacques Maurer,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Jean
Jacques Maurer, 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,

page_text: exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED PRO-
PELLER APPLICABLE TO VARIOUS PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Jean Jacques Maurer, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Jean Jacques Maurer, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention consists of an improved system of propulsion acting by aspi-
ration and expulsion, applicable either in air or water. This system includes
several arrangements of apparatus, which are represented in the Drawings
annexed, which are hereafter described. The first apparatus is applicable for
the propulsion of vessels.
Fig. 1 shows a side view; Fig. 2, a plan; Fig. 3, an end view; while
Fig. 4 is a section showing the respective positions of the steam and air pistons.
In these four Figures the same letters of reference indicate like parts where
they recur.
a, first metal chamber or capacity, equally divided by a steam and air-tight
horizontal partition into two compartments b, c; d, second metal chamber
similar to a, and divided in the same manner into two equal compartments
e,f; g, h, suction tubes, which by means of two valves herein-after mentioned
may alternately place the compartments b, c, and e, f, in communication with
the water which is ahead of the vessel. The one tube g is furnished with stop
valves or cocks i, j; the other tube h is furnished with similar cocks
k, 1; m, n, tubes attached, the one to the pipe g, the other to the pipe h, also
furnished with cocks or obturators o and p. The tube m places the two com-
partments b, c, in communication with the interior of the vessel, and the tube n
places the compartments e, f, in communication with the interior of the vessel;
q, r, tubes of expulsion, which, by means of two valves herein-after described,
alternately place the compartments b, c, & e, f, in connection with the water
situated in rear of the vessel; u, v, tubes attached, one to the pipe q, the other
to the pipe r, each furnished with a cock or stop valve x, y.
1, 2, 3, 4, sluice valves, the two first 1, 2, of which alternately place the

page_text: compartment 6 in communication with the suction pipe ġ and the ejection
tube g; the two latter 3, 4, alternately place the compartment c in communi-
cation with the same tubes 9 & q. The chambers c, f, are also furnished with
similar sluice valves acting in a similar manner for alternately placing the
chambers in communication with the suction and ejection pipes h & r. 5, 6,
balance levers, or it may be other arrangement, for actuating the four sluice
valves of chamber d; these balance levers receive motion from the steam
cylinders, which I will herein-after describe. The parts are so arranged that
when the sluices 1 & 4 are opened 2 & 3 are closed, & vice versa. Thus the
compartments b, c, & e, f, are alternately placed in communication with the
suction tube g and ejection tube q. 7 & 8, water cylinders, each having a
piston 9, 10; cylinder 7 communicates with compartment b, and cylinder 8
with compartment e. 11 & 12, water cylinders, each with a piston 13, 14;
cylinder 11 communicates with compartment e, and cylinder 12 with compart-
ment f. 15, 16, steam motive cylinders, each having a piston 17, 18. The
pistons 9, 17, & 10 are all mounted on the same rod. The pistons 13, 18, &
14 are also mounted on the rod. The whole is arranged in such a manner
that when the pistons 9, 17, & 10 are at the end of their course, the pistons
13, 18, & 14 are at the commencement of theirs, & vice versa. 21, air reser-
voirs for preventing the bursting of the tubes in case of sudden stoppage.
The whole being mounted as explained & represented in the Drawing, and all
the cocks being open with the exception of o, p, & x, y, it will be understood
that in commencing to work, the water is first and at once drawn up into com-
partments &f from the bow of the vessel through tubes g & h by means of
the two water pistons 9, 14, and at the same time water is forced out at the
back end of the compartments c, e, through tubes 9 & 4 by means of water
pistons 10, 13, and vice versa in the second movement, when the steam piston
17, 18, will have changed their course and closed the inlet and exit valves.
Water being thus drawn in in front and forced out behind in a continuous
manner, will propel the vessel forwards.;
For changing the course of the vessel it is only necessary to alter the action
of the valves 1, 2, 3, 4, so that the water may be drawn in at the rear of and
forced out at the bow of the vessel. In case of the vessel making too much
water, the cocks i & h are closed and o & p opened, thus employing the entire
useful power of the machine not only for propelling the vessel but also for
getting rid of the water.
In case of fire on board a vessel the cocks s & t are closed and x, y, opened,
the power of the machine may at such time be employed for projecting water
on the fire in addition to propelling the vessel. In cases where a vessel is water-

page_text: logged and also on fire at the same time, the cocks i, k, & s, t, are closed, the
power may then be applied for the double purpose above described; the water
may also be partially injected into and ejected from the vessel.
For the pur-
pose of putting the ship about it is necessary to apply branch tubes with cocks
19, 20, to tubes g & h, & to q, r, running athwart the vessel through the sides
and opening to the outside, water may then be admitted and ejected laterally,
and the two motions aport and starboard will thus act at one time, and will
produce the rotation of the vessel; again, if a forward motion on one side be
combined with a lateral movement on the other, motion similar to that taking
place in wearing a vessel will be produced.
Each cylinder should have a surface equal to one-fourth of the surface of
the piston from which the power applied to the apparatus is derived. The
maximum speed of the water sucked into the tubes should be about forty feet
per second, and increasing according to the depth to which these tubes are
immersed. For boats I so simplify the apparatus as to obtain in a single
cylinder the double effect of aspiration and ejection.
Fig. 5 shows a plan of a water cylinder furnished with the organs of aspira-
tion and ejection; Fig. 6 shows a section through the lines 1, 2, 3, 4, Fig. 5.
In these two Figures the same letters of reference indicate like parts where
they recur. a, water cylinder provided with a piston actuated by a steam
cylinder, as in the first apparatus; b, aspirating tube communicating with one
end of the cylinder at opening c and at the other at opening d; e, ejection
pipe, also communicating with one extremity of the cylinder a at opening f,
and at the other end at opening g; h, i, sluices, actuated by balance lever j
for opening and closing the influx and ejecting tubes, the whole being arranged
as represented in the Drawing; if the water piston is first caused to work
from right to left water will enter by means of the influx pipe b into opening c,
and then be ejected at opening 9 in the ejection pipe 6. While in the next or
return movement of the piston the water is caused by the intermediation of
the sluice valves to enter by the influx pipe 6 into opening d, and to be again
ejected at opening f into the ejection pipe e.
If only one water cylinder is employed in this system of propulsion I.
dispose it at the centre of the vessel, and in such case it is suitable to branch
or fork the end of the ejection pipe so as not to interfere with the action of the
rudder. The surfaces of the water cylinder pistons correspond to one-half that
from which the force driving the machine is derived. The accessory parts are
similar in both apparatus.
Fig. 7 represents a vertical section of an arrangement which I propose to
make use of for aerial propulsion on the same principle of inhalation and

page_text: ejection. a, air cylinder, having a piston b actuated by a steam cylinder or
otherwise; c, aspirating pipes; d, ejection pipes; e, f, inlet or inhale valves;
g, h, ejection valves..
The parts being arranged as before described, it will be understood that in
order to propel an aerial machine the air is inhaled in front of and ejected at
rear of the machine. The centre of gravity of the balloon projected on a
vertical plane will indicate the point where the inhalation should take place,
the ejection taking place on the opposite side thereto.
Having thus described the nature and particulars of the said improved system
of propulsion acting by aspiration and expulsion applicable either in air or water,
I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the precise
details herein described, as such may be varied or modified without departing
from the principle of action thereof; likewise, I do not confine myself to the
strict figure or form of the apparatus or any portion of the apparatus herein
described, but I claim as new and of my Invention,-
First, the system of propulsion, as described, at the bow or at the rear
of a vessel either for tacking about or turning laterally on either side
thereof.
Secondly, similar arrangements in case of fire on board, or in case a vessel
is waterlogged, for projecting water on the fire or ejecting it from the vessel in
addition to propelling the vessel.
Thirdly, the mechanical arrangements which I have described, such
as valves, levers, and the connecting of air and water pistons on the
same rod.
Fourthly, the same system acting by inhalation and expulsion applied to
propulsion in air especially, as described.
In witness whereof, I, Jean Jacques Maurer, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Second day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty. Jean Jacques Maurer.