Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Sept., 1887
Specification Accepted, 18th Oct:, 1887.
A communication from abroad by GEORGE C. BAKER, of Des Moines, in the County
of Polk, and State of Iowa, United States of America, Inventor.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in
the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, 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 :-
Heretofore various methods have been employed to propel marine vessels but in all
such prior methods the object sought to be attained has been the propulsion of the
vessel through the water having a line of motion parallel with the surface of the water.
The object of the invention is to provide a vessel or boat with such propelling
mechanism that its line of motion may be parallel with, or at any angle to the surface
of the water, so that such vessel when so constructed may be propelled upon the
surface of the water, or parallel with the surface at any practicable depth below
the surface, or downward or upward through the water, or remain stationary at the
pleasure of the operator.
The invention consists first in so adjusting and constructing a vessel with its
propelling mechanism, that the common plane of rotation of the propeller or propellers
shall be at right angles with the horizontal plane of the boat and surface of the water,
so as to make the line of motion substantially coincident with the line of propelling
power. Second, in so adjusting and constructing the vessel with its propelling
mechanism, that the line of propelling power may be vertically changed at the will of
the operator, thus controlling and regulating the lateral and vertical course of the
vessel. Third, in constructing, adapting, and arranging mechanism to produce said
several new and useful results.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing is a top view of a vessel with the
mechanism attached.
Figure 2, a cross section of the same, and

page_text: Several letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
The main shaft. A provided at its extreme outer ends with the bevel-gears b, b, and
at its centre with a crank C, or any equivalent means of transmitting motion from the
engine, rotates in the sleeves D, D, which rest in boxes or bearings E, E, attached
in any secure manner to the sides of the vessel F. The sleeves D, D, are provided at 5
their outer ends, which project outside of the vessel, with arms g, g, standing at right
angles with the body of the sleeve. From the arms g, g, two bearings h, h, extend
outward, and are provided at their ends with boxes to carry the shafts m, m.
end of each shaft m, which rests parallel with the sides of the vessel, is provided with
a common screw propeller n, and the other end with a bevel gear o, which engage the
bevel-gear b, b, at the extreme end of the main shaft A.
One
To the innor ends of the sleeves D, D, and inside of the vessel are attached
levers p, p, with racks, r, or any suitable form of hand or automatic mechanism, for
adjusting and setting the sleeves D, D, and propellers n, n, in any desirable position
to guide the vessel upward, downward, in a circular or in a reverse course. By this
form of mechanism it will be seen that by throwing the propellers in different angles
relative to the keel of the vessel, it may be made to move upward or downward, in air
or water, and when attached to a marine structure the principle may be applied to the
directing of submarine torpedo-boats, etcetera.
An important feature of the invention is the central arrangement of the main
shaft A with the propellers n, n, as a more perfect means of managing a vessel, and
that by the construction, arrangement, and combination of two propeller wheels with
the opposite sides of the central portion of a vessel and mechanism for adjusting and
operating the wheels independently, and also jointly at pleasure, a vessel can be raised
or lowered, advanced horizontally, its motion reversed, steered in any direction desired,
and also retained submerged, and practically stationary whenever desired.
It is obvious that the invention may be carried into effect with various forms of
mechanism and the inventor does not confine himself to particular devices or
constructions.
The accompanying drawings show one good way in which said invention is applied
to marine vessels, and which is thus explained.
This form of mechanism is peculiarly suitable for submarine torpedo boats, and the
like, but the general propelling mechanism is equally well adapted for the movement
of vessels floating upon the surface, and the principle of the invention with slight
changes in the mechanism, can be applied to structures or vessels intended to move
through the air.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :―
1. A vessel or boat so constructed and arranged that the line of propelling power is
at a vertical angle with the horizontal plane of the boat or vessel or surface of the
water, also so constructed and combined that the boat or vessel will move upward or
downward through the water, or forward and backward through and under the water,
or remain stationary under the water, substantially as shown and described.
2. A vessel or boat so constructed and arranged that the line of propelling power, is
at a vertical angle with the horizontal plane of the vessel, or boat, or surface of the
water, also so constructed and combined that the vessel or boat will move upward or
downward through the water or forward and backward through and under the water,
or remains stationary under the water, and also so constructed and combined that the
said vertical angle may be changed at any time by the operators of the vessel or boat,
substantially as shown and described.
3. The method or process of changing the vertical position of a vessel or boat
riding in the water by changing, at the will of the operator, the vertical angle of the
line of propelling power with the horizontal plane of the vessel or surface of
the water.
4. The combination of the main shaft A provided at its ends with sleeves resting in
1

page_text: bearings in the sides of the vessel, which sleeves are adapted to carry propellers
operating in conjunction with the main shaft A, and provided with means of adjusting
the same, substantially as specified and for the purposes stated.
5. The main shaft A provided with the sleeves D, D, resting in bearings E, E,
which sleeves have arms g, g, extending from their outer ends at right angles, and
projecting outward from which are the bearings h, h, carrying the propeller
shafts m, m, which operate in conjunction with the main shaft A, by means of the
bevel gears b, b, and o, o, and the whole provided with means for adjusting the sleeves
and propellers, substantially as set forth, and for the purposes stated.
6. A driving shaft having bevel-gears on its end, sleeves having arms extending at
right angles from their outer ends, carrying propeller wheels, and mechanism for
rotating and adjusting the sleeves, arranged and combined with a vessel to operate in
the manner set forth, for the purposes stated.
7. A vessel having a driving shaft extended horizontally and transversely through
its central portions, sleeves upon the ends of said shaft, arms extending at right angles
from the outer ends of said sleeves-propeller wheels, in bearings extending at right
angles from said arms, mechanism for operating the propeller wheels carried on the
arm extending from said sleeves, arranged and combined to operate in the manner set
forth, for the purposes stated.
8. In combination with a marine or aërial vessel an adjustable propeller wheel, and
means for operating the same, in such a manner that the wheel will always, when in
motion, revolve at right angles to the line of the advance of the vessel, and also
in such a manner that the wheel can be adjusted and retained at any point desired
relative to the centre of gravity of the vessel, so that the wheel will draw the vessel
forward or backward, downward or upward, or retain it submerged, and practically
stationary, at the will of the operator.
Dated this 2nd dort of Santambar 1007
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.