CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS, AND AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OP VESSELS SO PROPELLED
Year: 1821

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
PHILLIPS, of Albemarle Street, Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex, Com-
mander in the Royal Navy, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth did, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Nineteenth day of
January, in the second year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the said
Charles Phillips, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, His especial licence, full
power; sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Charles Phillips, my exors,
adiñiors, and assigns, during the term of years therein mentioned, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in Your Majesty's Colonies
and Plantations abroad, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING VESSELS, AND AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OP VESSELS SO PROPELLED;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a
proviso, that if I, the said Charles Phillips, shall not particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and
cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery, within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages what-
soever thereby granted, shall utterly cease, determine, and become void, as in and
by the same, relation being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear..

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Charles Phillips, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described and
ascertained in and by the Drawings hereunto annexed, and the following
description thereof (that is to say):-
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of as much of a boat or vessel as is
sufficient to explain the improvements I have invented in the apparatus for
propelling steam boats and other vessels, and also on the boats or vessels so
propelled. A, A, represents an edge view of a cast iron wheel placed in an
norizontal position. To this wheel are fixed eight moveable paddles, three of
which are seen at 8, 2, 4. Each paddle has two bars or straps 8, s, fixed
parallel to each other upon raised studs, so as to form two grooves, by which
means an axis may be passed through. each groove to fix them to a proper
position upon the cast iron wheel A, A. These grooves enable the paddles
to swing upon their axis, and also permit them to be elevated or depressed at
pleasure. a shews an end view of the axis which passes through the grooves
of the paddle 2; near the centre of this axis,a pinion & is placed, which works
in the teeth of the rack o, placed in the centre of the paddle 2. By this con-
trivance the axis a, when set in motion, assists in raising or depressing the
paddle according to the direction in which it may be moved. This may be
more easily seen by referring to the same parts of paddle 2 in Fig. 2. C, C,
shew the position of two plumber blocks, between which the axis a is confined
in a proper position to revolve either way freely. Near one end of the
axis a another pinion is placed at d, which falls into gear with a rack r fixed
under the circular projecting frame B. The circular projecting frame extends
as far out from the side of the boat or vessel as may be found necessary.
an edge view of a ratchet wheel, likewise fixed upon the axis a. This is
furnished with a pall' p, by the use of which the axis a may be prevented from
returning in a contrary direction by the force of the water upon the paddle
while it is down. f, f, are two iron rods; one end of each is fixed by
being joined to the lower end of the paddle, and the other ends are fixed in
the same manner to a bar g cast upon the rim of the paddle wheel A, A.
Those rods to serve to strengthen the paddle in its action against the resistance
of the water while it is making its stroke, and being jointed at each end they
permit the ascent and descent of the paddle very freely. h represents a standard
fixed on a projection cast upon an arm of the paddle wheel A, A. This
standard carries a sheave i, which conducts a chain m over another sheave
fixed on the upper end of the lever k. The position of the standard h and
lever i will be better seen by referring to the same letters in Fig. 1.
e is

page_text: Fig. 2, represents an axis fixed in two plumber blocks; the lever kis
fixed to this axis, and turns with it whichever way it is moved. m represents
a chain, one end of which is made fast to the lower end of the paddle, and
passing over the two sheaves in h and (before described) turns under the
sheave in k; and as the upper part of the lever is forked, the chain m is very
easily continued, until the other end is made fast to the standard h. n is a
lever fixed upon the end of the axis 1, Fig. 2; this lever is bent to the curve
of the circular projecting frame B, and upon the upper end a friction roller is
so placed as to revolve or roll in contact with the under side of the circular'
projecting frame B. C represents the axis of the paddle wheel, which descends
into the hold of the boat or vessel to receive motion from the power of a steam
engine, or any other power that may be most convenient to apply. It is
intended that the whole weight of the paddle wheel should be supported upon
the shaft C, but in case the wheel A, A, should at any time yield, and thereby
quit the precise horizontal position, eight friction rollers are fixed on the
periphery or rim of the paddle wheel, which would in such case revolve upon
a ring of iron fixed upon the framing at D. The outer framing shewn at
E is fixed principally to defend the paddle wheel and other parts from external
injury. Fand G represents an iron ring or hoop fixed on the "outside of the.
circular projecting framing B. A portion of this ring or hoop is formed into
two inclined planes, shewn at F and G. The remaining part fits exactly to
the bottom of the circular framing B. The form and position of this part of
my Invention will be best seen in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of the paddle drawn to a larger scale, in
which Figure the position of the rack o and pinion 6 will be better seen, as also
the place of the axis a in the loop or strap s.
Fig. 4 shews a plan or bird's-eye view of the axis a, in which the exact
position of the pinions and ratchet wheel will be better seen.
Fig. 5 shews a front elevation of the paddle. In this Figure the rack 0, and
the luggs to which the rods f, f, are jointed, will be more plainly seen.
Fig. 6 represents an end view of the axis a, the pall p being in the teeth
of the ratchet wheel e; the cam which disengages the pall from the ratchet
wheel is seen at 9, 7, and as it is necessary that the pall p should remain
disengaged during the whole time that the paddle is rising, the cam g is made
to occupy a space equal to one eighth part of the circle upon which it is placed,
there being eight paddles applied to the wheel.
Having enumerated the principal parts that are used by me for the purpose
of propelling steam boats and other vessels, I shall now proceed to describe
their action, when combined and arranged as I have described, observing that
I lay no claim to any improvement either in the construction or arrangement

page_text: of the power that may be applied to drive the paddle wheels I have invented,
leaving that part to be supplied in any way that may be found most convenient
to any competent engineer, for, as the shape and convenience of different vessels
vary so greatly, any directions upon that head would be superfluous.
The paddle wheel A, A, Fig. 2, when set in motion, will revolve in the
direction of the darts shewn upon the rim of the wheel. The paddle 1 is held
up entirely by the lever n to the height shewn in the Drawing), the friction
roller on its end revolving continually in contact with the under surface of the
hoop or ring F, G. As the wheel advances the friction roller meets the
inclined plane F (seen more distinctly in Fig. 1), and as the weight of the
paddle causes the lever n to ascend to the top of the inclined plane 1, the lever k,
being fixed upon the same axis as the lever n, receives a corresponding motion,
and the chain m being slackened permits the paddle 1 to descend to the
position shewn at 2, Fig. 1, which is a sufficient depth to enable it to make a
proper stroke against the water; but as the paddle would not descend as quick
as might be necessary, the pinion d, falling into gear with the rack r fixed to
the under part of the projecting framing 3, forces the paddle down in clue time
by means of the pinion B working in the rack of the paddle at o. As the
paddle hangs freely upon the axis a, and the bars or rods f, f, are jointed at
each end, the water would have a great tendency to raise the paddle; there-
fore, while it is descending the pall p falls into the teeth of the ratchet wheel c,
and prevents the paddle from rising until the pall p is forced out of the ratchet
wheel e by the cam q, fixed to the under part of the projecting framing B,
striking against the tail or lever of the pall, and disengaging it from its hold in
the teeth of the ratchet wheel e. The paddle wheel continues its motion, and
at the instant the pall is forced out of the teeth of the ratchett wheel, by which
means the paddle is at liberty to rise, which it does, partly by its action
against the water, and finally by the lever n meeting the inclined plane G,
Fig. 1, it descends and thereby forces down the lever K, which in its descent
draws up the chain m, raising the paddle to such a height and into such a
position that it can traverse with the wheel under the upper deck, shewn.in
both Figures at H, H, and returns to repeat the same movements over again.
Each paddle being furnished with the same individual parts, and the combina-
tion and arrangement of each being precisely the same, it is perhaps needless
to state that the motion and action of each will be the same. Fig. 2 shews
three of the paddles complete as they extend beyond the side of the vessel.
The rest, which are supposed to be passing under the upper deck, are repre-
sented in dotted lines; and, in order to shew to what height the paddles are
elevated above the paddle wheel, the paddles 1 and 3 have been omitted in
Figure 1, that the paddles 8 and 4, being completely elevated, might be more

page_text: distinctly seen, as well as other parts that would have been hidden had the
other paddles, namely 1 and 3, been introduced in this Figure.
Having described the nature of my improvements on the apparatus for pro-
pelling steam boats and other vessels, I shall now endeavour to explain the
improvement I have invented on the boats and vessels so propelled, which is,
that a sufficient recess (as shewn at I, I, Fig. 1,) be cut or provided while the
vessel is building, to permit the paddle wheel to move in without obstruction
and in order to prevent the danger that might take place from the water
entering, a deck is made completely from side to side under both wheels, and
water-tight, so that water may be permitted to run over it, and also the
wheels and paddles, without injury to the vessel. And as there would be consi-
derable inconvenience in working the boat or vessel if the paddle wheels were
exposed I fix partly round them the wooden casing, seen at Fig. 2, at K, L, M,
N, O, P, leaving the space from L to O completely open for the passage of
the water; after these parts are properly fixed, another deck as shewn at H, H,
Fig. 1 and 2, is laid over the two wheels, which may be ascended by the stairs
at each end, as shewn at Q, R. And I hereby declare that I do not confine
myself to any peculiar metal or substance to construct the parts of my
Invention with, for I make use of any metal or substance that, in the opinion
of practical engineers, would be most useful for the purpose to which it is to be
applied; nor do I confine myself to lift or depress the paddles by the action of
the racks and pinions, for in Figures 7, 8, and 9, I have shewn another method
which is equally applicable to affect the same purpose.
Fig. 7 represents a plan of part of the paddle wheel A, A, and n a lever fixed
to the end of the axis or spindle; a b represents another lever permanently fixed
to the axis a; this lever is connected by a joint to one end of the rod c, the other
end of the rod being jointed to the lower end of the paddle, as shewn at d.
e represents another axis or spindle exactly similar, both in itself and also in its
fixtures or appendages, to the one before described at a; upon this axis is placed
the paddle f, fixed by loops, and capable of being elevated or depressed upon the
axis e at pleasure. g and h are two rods; one end of each is jointed at i, i, in a
similar manner to those shewn and described in Fig. 1 and 2, the use of these
rods being to strengthen the paddle while it is down; the other ends of the
rods are jointed to the lower end of the paddle in the same manner as is
shewn in Fig. 5.
Fig. 8 shews the position and construction of two inclined planes F, G,
which in this case are fixed internally instead of externally, as they are shewn
in the circular projecting frame B in Fig. 1; the angle at which the lever n
stands at when elevated or after it as rolled up the inclined plane F, is shewn
at n, Fig. 8, being that of about fifty degrees.

page_text: Fig. 9: represents a side view or elevation of the paddle and levers in a
depressed state, the letters of reference to each part being the same as in Fig. 8.
The individual parts being explained, and the method of combining them, their
action will be easily understood, 'for, as the paddle wheels proceed when set in
motion in the direction of the darts Fig. 7, the roller fixed upon the end of the
lever i will pass from under the ring or hoop, the end of which is seen at
t, Fig. 8, and roll up the inclined plane F, by which means the lever b, Fig. 7
and 19, will be depressed, and consequently the paddle will descend to the
position shewn at s, Fig. 9; and as the roller upon the lever n continues upon
the line H, Fig. 8, while the paddle wheel proceeds forward, it will meet the
inclined plane G, and being forced down it elevates the lever b, Fig. 7, and the
whole of the parts combined thereto, to the position shewn in dotted lines at
Fig. 9..
And I hereby further declare that, in order to identify my Invention
more distinctly, that it consists in placing or fixing my paddle or propelling
wheels, however constructed, in an horizontal position in my boats or vessels,
and in the construction and application of moveable paddles to the same, in the
manner and ways I have before shewn, and also in placing below my paddle
propelling wheels a deck; with suitable sides or casings to enclose the wheels,
including the deck above; by which contrivance a boat or vessel may be made
that can be propelled in a high or rolling sea, and consequently will be a safer
or more suitable boat or vessel fór sea purposes than any before known or made
use of.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Phillips, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and twenty-one.