An Improved Chain Propeller for Ships.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2sth May, 1890-Accepted, 11th Oct., 1690
An Improved Chain Propeller for Ships.
I WILLIAM WILSON HORN of 151 Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent (a communication to me from abroad by Nelson W. French, of Tunk-
bannock in the County of Wyoming, and State of Pennsylvania, United States of
America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This my invention consists in a new and improved chain propeller, which will be
hereinafter described.
I provide double endless chains, each of the said chains being proferably formed of
flat links, pivoted together at their ends; said chains being connected together and
caused to travel at the same rate, by suitable transverse rods. A forward. and rear
drive-wheel are provided, the forward wheel being mounted on and turning with an
axle, while the rear drive-wheel is mounted on the drive shaft, which can be rotated in
any ordinary or desired manner.
Ench of the drive-wheels is formed on its bearing surface at each edge with an
annular recess, in which the endless chains fit in revolving the wheels, and each wheel
has formed in its periphery, transverse recesses in which the transverse rods fit, as the
chains pass around the wheels; this arrangement preventing the chains slipping on the
wheels as will be readily understood.
The paddle-blades are rectangular, nearly square in shape, and about one third of
the distance from one end, have each secured to them, a transverse pivot-rod. Each
of the said blades is pivoted in a frame, which is composed of two radial arms, the
inner ends of which are secured upon the projecting ends of one of the transverse
rods, while upon the projecting ends of the next rod are pivotally mounted the inner
ends of suitable brace rods. The ends of the pivot rod of each paddle blade aro
pivoted in the outer ends of a pair of radial arms and brace arms. As each paddle
blade enters the water beneath the forward drive-wheel at the front end of the boat
and travels back, the pressure of the water against the face of the paddle-blade will
force the same into a vertical position, in which position it will be held by the upper end
of the blade coming into contact with a suitable movable stop, operating in the inner
radial arm of the blade carrying frame. The blades will be held in this vertical
position by the pressure of the water and the stop during the entire time it is passing
through the water from the front to the rear ends of the boat. As each blade passes
up beneath the rear half of the rear drive-wheel, the stops are automatically raised
from contact with the upper ends of the blade and allow the blades to swing in an
approximately parallel position with the drive-chain.
The object of allowing the blades to be swung as described is to prevent the blade
from offering too much resistance to the water and at the same time prevent them
lifting the water when on their upward movement, thereby reducing the friction to a
minimum.
As the blades on the upper portion of the chain are moved forward, the lower or
heavy ends of the blades will fall into a vertical position against the stop, and as the
blades start on their downward movement at the upper front end of the forward drive-
wheel, the stops will again be automatically drawn back and allow the blades to fall
by gravity into a vertical position. As they again enter the water, the stops will have
again resuured their normal position, and the upper ends of the blades will be
pressed against them by the pressure of the water against the lower portion of
the blades.
Dated this 21st do of December 1980
NELSON W. FRENCH.
By his Agents,
Horn & Son.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Chain Propeller for Ships.
I, WILLIAM WILSON HORN, of the firm of Horn & Son, of 151 Strand, London,
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, (a com-
munication to me from abroad, by Nelson W. French, of Tunkhannock, in the
County of Wyoming, and State of Pennsylvanin, U.S.A. Inventor) and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:—
This my invention consists in a new and improved chain propeller, which will be
hereinafter fully described and claimed.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my new and improved chain propeller, showing the
same arranged in operative position.
Fig. 2, is a top plan view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken through one of the wheels, and
Fig. 4, is a perspective detail view of one of the blades and the stop for holding
the same in position.
Figs. 5 and 6, are detail views of the paddles, which will be hereinafter
referred to.
Referring to the several parts by letter, A indicates the double endless chains, of
my chain propeller, each of the said chains being preferably formed of flat
links B B, pivoted together at their ends, as shown, said chains being connected
together and caused to travel at the same rato by the transverse rods C as
shown.
D indicates the forward and E the rear drive wheel, the forward wheel being
mounted on and turning with an axle d, while the rear drive wheel is mounted on
the drive shaft F, which can be rotated in any ordinary or desired manner.
Each of the drive wheels D and E is formed on its bearing-surface at each edge
with an annular recess G, in which the endless chains fit in revolving the wheels, and
each wheel has formed in its periphery transverse recesses H, in which the transverse
rods fit as the chains pass around the wheels, this arrangement preventing the chains
slipping on the wheels as will be readily understood.
The paddle blades H' are rectangular, nearly square in shape, and about one-third
of the distance from one end have each secured to them a transverse pivot-rod 1.
Each of the said blades is pivoted in a frame J, which is composed of two radial
arms K, the inner ends of which are secured upon the projecting ends of one of the
transverse rods 0, while upon the projecting ends of the next rod are pivotally
mounted the inner ends of brace-rods L. The ends of the pivot-rod I of each paddle-
blade are pivoted in the outer ends of a pair of radial arms K and brace arms L. The
endless chains travel in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, and as each
paddle-blade enters the water beneath the forward drive-wheel at the front end of the
boat and travels back the pressure of the water against the face of the paddle-blade
will force the same into a vertical position, in which position it will be held by the
upper end of the blade coming into contact with a moveable stop J', operating in the
inner radial arm of the blade-carrying frame. The blades will be held in this vertical
position by the pressure of the water and the stop J' during the entire time it is
passing through the water from the front to the rear ends of the boat. As each blade
passes up beneath the rear half of the rear drive-wheel, the stops J' are automatically
raised from contact with the upper ends of the blade and allow the blades to swing
in an approximately parallel position with the drive-chain, as clearly shown in
Fig. 1.
The object of allowing the blades to be swung as described is to prevent the blade
froni offering too much resistance to the water and at the same time to prevent
them lifting the water when on their upward movement, thereby reducing the friction
to a minimum.

page_text: As the blades on the upper portion of the chain are moved forward, the lower or
heavy ends of the blades will fall into a vertical position against the stop J', and as
the blades start on their downward movement at the upper front end of the forward
drive-wheel the stops J' will again be automatically drawn back and allow the blades
to fall by gravity into a vertical position. As they again enter the water, the stops
will have resumed their normal position and the upper ends of the blades will be
pressed against them by the pressure of the water against the lower portion of the
blades.
The peculiar arrangement and operation of the stops J¹ will be readily understood
by reference to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, in which it will be seen that said stops
are spring-actuated, and each have a projection J³, which at proper intervals engages
a curved projection J*, secured to the side of the boat at the front of the forward
drive-wheel and a similar projection J' on the boat at the lower rear edge of the rear
wheel as shown. It will thus be seen that these stops are automatically operated to
release the blades at proper intervals and to automatically spring back in place to
engage them, as before described. To admit of the said stops to also hold the blades
in a fixed position when it is desired to run the boat backward, I provide the stops J¹
with a central recess J, which is formed between the projecting portions J' and JB,
one of which (the forward one) is projected below the other, as shown. The rear
projection J has its outer face bevelled, as at JB. By this construction it will be
seen that when the boat is being backed the blades will fall into a vertical. position
and their lower ends being forced outward by the water-pressure the upper ends will
be forced inward, thereby raising the stop slightly, and engage the recess J, as
clearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. When the boat is again started forward,
the stops will be released from the blades and they will again assume the positions
before described. The object of pivoting the ends of the frame J, as set forth, is
to prevent the frames from binding on the chains as the latter pass around the
drive-wheels.
From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the con-
struction, operations and advantages of my invention will be readily understood. It
will be seen that my new and improved chain propeller is exceedingly strong and
simple in construction, having no complicated parts to break or go out of order,
while at the same time being very effective in its operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is:
1. The combination, with the drive-wheels D E, the endless chains travelling
thereon, and fixed projections secured to the side of the boat and disposed one near
the lower rear edge of the wheel E and the other near the upper front edge of the
wheel D, of blades pivotally secured to the endless chains, as shown, and auto-
matically-operated stops carried by the said chains and normally holding said blades
in operative position, said stops adapted to engage the fixed projections on the boat
and be thereby released from contact with the blades, substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described.
2. The combination, with the drive-wheels D and E, the endless chains mounted
thereon, provided with arms K normal to the chain, and projections JJ, fixedly
secured to the sides of the boat and disposed one near the lower rear edge of the
wheel E and the other near the upper front edge of the wheel D, of the blades H₁,
provided near the upper portion of their ends with journals, said journals pivoted in
the outer ends of the arms K, and automatic stops on one of each pair of arms K,
adapted to engage the blades and hold them in position for operation and arranged to
engage the fixed projections to release said blades, substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described.
3. The combination, with the drive-wheels D E, endless chains mounted thereon,
provided with a series of pivoted frames J, consisting of projecting arms K and the
brace rods I, the blades H', pivoted above their central portion in the lower ends of

page_text: the armis K, and the fixed projections J³ J* secured to the sides of the boat and
disposed one near the lower rear edge of the wheel E and the other near the upper
front edge of the wheel D, of spring-actuated stops secured to one of each pair of
said arms K, said stops provided with a bead portion J³, provided with a recess Jo, u
long projecting portion J', a short projection portion, having a bevelled edge,
whereby said stop will be raised when the blades H' are operated in a backward
direction, thereby causing the upper ends of said blades to engage said bevelled
portion, raise the stop, and slip into the recess, and a projection J³, adapted to
engage the fixed projections JJ substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. The combination, with the drive wheels D E provided with a series of transverse
recesses in their peripheries and annular recesses G G at their peripheral edges, as
shown, of the endless chains formed of flat links B, travelling in said annular
recesses G, connected by cross-bars CC, adapted to engage the recesses H H in the
wheels D E pivoted frames secured to said chains, the blades pivotally mounted in
said frames, as shown, automatically-operated stops secured in said frames J, adapted
to normally hold the blades H' in operative position while in motion in the water, and
fixed projections J3 J4, secured to the sides of the boat and disposed one near the
lower rear edge of the wheel E and the other near the upper front edge of the
wheel D, said automatic stops adapted to engage said projections J* J* and be released
from contact with the blades substantially as and for the purpose shown and
described.
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.