Year: 1888

page_text: We, WILLIAM HUTSON FRY, of 39. Percy Square, Tynemouth, in the County of'
Northumberland, Boat-Builder, and THOMAS FRY, of 3 Well Yard, Tynemouth in the
County of Northumberland, Boat-Builder do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention to be as follows, viz. :—
Our Invention relates to an improvement in the mechanism of Paddle-Propellers
whereby the Floats are made to maintain a perfectly vertical position whilst entering,
traversing & leaving the water.
For this purpose we employ a double-wheel carried on the main shaft and supported
on umbrella-bearings, the spokes or arms of each wheel being parallel and similar
in all respects, but opened out from one another toward their ends to support the
Floats.
Each Float is supported at either end at its centre between the ends of corresponding
arms of the double wheel by a rod working on ordinary bearings in the arms.
Each Float is therefore able to revolve on its own long axis between the arms.
Another single wheel of the same size as and with a similar number of spokes or
arms as the double wheel above-mentioned is fixed on the outer side of the paddle-
frame immediately opposite to but at a higher level than the main shaft.
Each arm of this single wheel is connected with the outer end of the centre rod of
the Float which works between the corresponding arms of the double-wheel by a
short ordinary crank.
Consequently the Floats maintain throughout the whole of each revolution of the
wheel a perfectly vertical position: The wheel itself may be entered as a whole into
the water to any depth up to the level of the main shaft.
>

page_text: We WILLIAM HUTSON FRY of 39 Percy Square Tynemouth in the county of
Northumberland, Boat Builder and THOMAS FRY of 3 Well Yards Tynemouth in the
county of Northumberland, Boat Builder 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
Our invention relates to an improvement in the mechanism of paddle propellers
whereby the floats are made to maintain a perfectly vertical position whilst entering
traversing and leaving the water. For this purpose we employ a double wheel carried
on the main shaft and supported on umbrella bearings the spokes or arms of each
wheel being parallel and similar in all respects but opened out from one another
towards their ends to support the floats. Each float is supported at either end at its
centre between the ends of corresponding arms of the double wheel by a rod working
on ordinary bearings in the arms. Each float is therefore able to revolve on its own
long axis between the arms.
Another single wheel of the same size and with a similar number of spokes or arms
as the double wheel above mentioned is fixed on the outer side of the paddle-frame
immediately opposite to but at a higher level than the main shaft.
Each arin of this single wheel is connected with the outer end of the centre rod
of the float which works between the corresponding arms of the double wheel by a
short ordinary crank. Consequently the floats maintain throughout the whole of
each revolution of the wheel a perfectly vertical position. The wheel itself may be
entered as a whole into the water to any depth up to the level of the main shaft.
We will now fully describe our invention having reference to the accompanying
drawings in which Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a six float paddle propeller con-
structed according to our invention. Fig. 2 an end elevation and Fig. 3 a part plan
of the same and throughout the following description similar letters of reference in
the specification and in the drawings designate corresponding parts.
a is the crank or main shaft on which are mounted the bosses a' a' supporting the
arms or spokes a² which are curved outwards from their bosses and stiffened by
bracing as shown in the drawings. The outer ends of those arms which in side
elevation as seen in Fig. 1 are parallel to one another are fitted with ordinary bearings
in which the shafts a³ to which the floats a are rigidly connected rest. The outer
ends of the shafts a³ are fitted rigidly with short cranks as in such a manner that the
vertical axes of the cranks a' the shafts a³ and the floats a' shall not only remain
parallel with one another but by the arrangement about to be described the cranks
and floats always maintain a vertical or perpendicular position relatively to an
imaginary horizontal line. The outer ends of the cranks as are fitted with short crank
pins to which the outer ends of the arms or spokes a of the outer or subsidiary wheel
are connected. These arms or spokes a form the framework of a single or outer
wheel and as shown in the drawings they are firmly braced together by bracing b
the inner ends of these arms being centred in a boss bª carried on a short shaft 6³

page_text: mounted on a bearing placed on the onter beam or girder 6 of the paddle framework.
In practice we arrange the centro line of shaft & plumb above the centre line of
shaft a projected and the height or distance of 63 above a must be equal to the length
from centre to centre of the short cranks a or the latter must be equal to the distance
from centre to centre of b³ and a or in other words the eccentricity of the shafts a
and relatively to one another must equal the centre to centre lengths of
cranks a³.
The operation of our invention is as follows:-
The engine revolves shaft a and with it the float wheel on which the floats are
mounted. The outer or single wheel receives by its cranked connections to the arms
of the float wheel identical motion and as the arms a' a of the float and outer wheels
respectively are parallel to one another it follows that the cranks a dimensions as
above specified must always retain a perpendicular position and therefore, as herein-
before explained the floats also maintain constant perpendicularity throughout the
revolution of the float wheel. The advantages of this arrangement are manifest in
reducing friction of the floats while entering traversing and leaving the water and
obtaining the maximum surface of exposure or resistance in a horizontal plane or the
plane in which the vessel travels.
We may arrange the outer or subsidiary wheel which governs the position of the
floats either outside or inside the float wheel or in certain cases it may be desirable
for extra strength and rigidity to fit the subsidiary or governing wheel on both sides
of the float wheel. In order to effect the latter arrangement a boss may be either
cast on or bolted to the bearing block carrying the niain shaft a the centre of this
boss being arranged eccentric. to the centre of motion of the float wheel in the manner
and to the extent herein before cited and on this boss and revolving upon it the sub-
sidiary or governing wheel is mounted its arms being connected to cranks attached to
the float shafts in the manner hereinbefore cited but for ordinary purposes we find
that one governing wheel is sufficient to maintain and control the perpendicularity of
the cranks and floats.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
(1) For maintaining the perpendicularity of the floats of paddle propellers while
entering traversing and leaving the water the combination with the float carrying
wheel having the ends of its spokes connected by shafts to which (viz. the shafts a³)
the floats are rigidly connected and round the ends of which the bearings situated in
the spokes revolve of a subsidiary wheel or wheels eccentric to the centre of motion
of the float carrying wheel aforesaid and connected to the latter by cranks of a length
from centre to centre equal to the eccentricity of the centres of motion of the afore-
said wheels the whole being arranged and operating substantially as herein
set forth.
(2) For maintaining the perpendicularity of the floats of paddle propellers while
entering traversing and leaving the water the specific arrangement or combination of
parts whereby the cranks a³ and the floats a' are kept parallel to one another and in
a truly perpendicular position throughout a revolution of the paddle wheel sub-
stantially as herein set forth.
A. CRAWHALL CHAPMAN,
2, St. Nicholas' Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne,
Patent Agent for Applicants.