THE PROPELLING STEAM VESSELS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Spiller and Anthony Crowhurst, of
5, Red Lion Square, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "THE PROPELLING STEAM VESSELS."
Sealed the 3rd August 1853, and dated the 3rd February 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Spiller
and Anthony Crowhurst at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 3rd February 1853.
We, THOMAS SPILLER and ANTHONY CROWHURST, of 5, Red Lion
Square, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"PROPELLING STEAM VESSELS" to be as follows:-
A frame with an axle and two pins fixed in the stern of the
vessel, and working perpendicularly with the usual steam power or'
otherwise, as described in the annexed Drawing.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance, of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Thomas Spiller and Anthony Crow-
hurst in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd August 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
THOMAS SPILLER and ANTHONY CROWHURST, of 5, Red Lion Square, in
the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said Thomas Spiller and
Anthony Crowhurst, Her special licence that we, the said Thomas
Spiller and Anthony Crowhurst, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Thomas Spiller and Anthony
Crowhurst, our 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, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "THE PROPELLING STEAM VESSELS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Thomas Spiller and Anthony
Crowhurst, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals,
or under the hand and seal of one of us, 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 we, the said Thomas Spiller and An-
thony Crowhurst, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement and
accompanying Drawing (that is to say):
Our Invention consists in the application of vanes, blades, or fins
mounted upon an axle, which has free motion in the bearing of a

page_text: frame, which frame slides vertically in a groove or guide prepared
for it in the dead wood of the stern or any other part of the vessel
below the water line.
An alternating vertical motion being communicated by a suitable
mechanical arrangement, the vanes, blades, or fins are moved up
and down through the water, and assume an angle of resistance to
it (which is limited or regulated by a suitable arrangement of
stops), and thus propels the vessel, the angular position which the
vanes, blades, or fins assume in their downward or upward motion
through the water working somewhat in the manner of the tail of a
fish.
In the Drawing hereto attached is shewn. the vanes, blades, or
fins of the form proposed to be applied to the stern of a ship, and
also the form and arrangement of the various parts in connection
therewith, which may be varied and modified according to the
position and requirements of the particular application.
Fig 1, is a longitudinal section of the stern of a vessel fitted with
a single propeller: A, the dead wood of the keel; B, the stern
post; C, the rudder; D, a slot or groove cut in the dead wood to
admit of the propeller working therein. This groove or slot is faced
or protected with metal guide strips or plates E, against which the
friction wheels F, run. The vanes G,.are affixed by bolts or other-
wise to a strong axle or spindle H, which has a square boss or
enlargement at its middle. Upon the square boss of the spindle or
axle is fixed the cylinder K. This cylinder has three studs or
stop pins d, e, and f, projecting from its periphery, as shewn, and is
turned smaller at its ends to form collars and bearings therein at a.
This cylinder K, with the friction rollers, axle, and vanes, works
in the bearings in the side of the hollow box or frame L, and turns
freely therein.
The box or frame L, is fitted to the lower end of the hollow-
shaft M, and contains the hollow regulating frame N, which slides
up and down therein, and is kept securely in its place by the
studs b, b, b, sliding in the slots c, c, c, in box L. To the boss of
this regulating frame N, a rod O, is attached, and works through

page_text: the centre of the hollow shaft M, moving the regulating frame N,
up and down upon the stud or pins d, e, or f, of the cylinder K.
Thus the angle that the vanes, blades, or fins may make can be
regulated.
A gland or stuffing box P, is provided for the hollow shaft M, to
work through.
To the upper end of the hollow shaft M, is attached a cross tail
piece R, through which the regulating rod O, passes, having at its
end a cross piece S, upon which the wedge pieces T, act to raise or
depress the hollow regulating frame N. These wedge pieces may
be acted upon by a screw or lever, which, as the hollow shaft M,
and the rod O, move up and down, comes in contact with move-
able lever tongues, made to project when necessary by a handle,
as shewn, or some such other contrivance to project forward or
withdraw the wedge piece, as may be required, without stopping
the working of the engines or machinery.
To the journal of the cross tailpiece R, is attached a connecting
rod V, communicating motion from the crank W, which is driven
by the steam engine in any suitable manner, by gearing or other-
wise.
An arrangement for reversing the action of the propeller is shewn
in Fig. 1, as fixed in the keel.
Supposing the propeller to be in action propelling the vessel
"ahead," the vanes, blades, or fins would be somewhat in the position
shewn in plan view, Fig. 2, and the three studs or stop pins d, e, f,
of cylinder K, somewhat in the position shewn at Fig. 3; but
upon the regulating frame N, being drawn up, the stop pin or
stud d, is relieved, and the propeller falls into the position shewn at
Fig. 1, where it has no propelling action upon the vessel, and the
stud e, which is larger than d, or f, being in the position shewn, is
so held by the regulating frame N. The stud f, projects as shewn;
and when it is desired to reverse the propeller, that the vessel may
go "astern," instead of, as before, "ahead," upon the down stroke
of the propeller, the regulating piece is raised, and at the same time
the tongue piece ✗, is projected forward; so that the stud f, will

page_text: come into contact therewith, and so reverse the position of the vanes,
blades, or fins; whereupon the regulating frame is again lowered,
and motion being given to the propeller, the direction of the vessel
is altered; and in the same way the operation may be reversed.
The plan view, Fig. 2, shews the vanes, blades, or fins G, G, on
the axle or spindle H. The shape may, however, be varied in any
manner that is preferred.
The Fig 3, 4, 5, 6, &c., illustrate the details of the parts before
described, the letters of reference being the same.
Now we wish it to be clearly understood, that we do not confine
ourselves to the shape of the vanes, blades, or fins, nor to the
number applied, as there may be two or more sets used, or to the
part of the vessel where the same may be applied, as at the stern,
in the midship, or elsewhere below the water line; neither do we
confine ourselves to the arrangement as described, for giving motion
to the propeller, or for regulating or reversing the action of the
same.
But what we claim is, vanes, blades, or fins, of whatsoever form,
or wheresoever applied, in a vessel for the purpose of propelling the
same, when such vanes, blades, or fins are mounted on an axle or
shaft vibrating or turning freely upon its axis, and moving vertically
through the water.
In witness whereof, the said Thomas Spiller and Anthony
Crowhurst have hereunto set their hands & scals, this
day of August, in the year of our Lord 1853.
THOMAS SPILLER. (L.S.)
ANTHONY CROWHURST. (L.S.) -